Bear School Astartes

The cries of battle pierced the night sky.

The fifty thousand regular troops of the Niflgaard Army abandoned their order, and no further commands came from headquarters. They charged in full force, holding onto the mindset that victory was almost within reach.

Then they collided head-on with the well-prepared lines of the Northern Alliance Army, suffering heavy losses.

The neighs of warhorses, the sound of large siege equipment burning and collapsing, the shouts and wails of humans...

The flames illuminated the entire mountainous sky.

The sixty members of ’Ember’ slept soundly on the hill because the person standing guard for them was the Demon Hunter they trusted unconditionally.

This small hill was found by Lann, a place that held no significance for either side of the battle, so the chaos below had nothing to do with those on the hill.

The black smoke from burning bodies and timber rose high, and occasionally a hail of fire-tipped arrows would emerge from the smoke, spreading wide.

The Niflgaard people only realized things were wrong at seven or eight o’clock in the evening.

——They weren’t facing an enemy on the verge of collapse, ripe for claiming war spoils.

Until late at night, the rout had begun.

Once the charge started, everything became irreversible.

Charging meant abandoning the current position and rushing directly into enemy lines.

This would inevitably fail, resulting in disorganized defeat. But escaping did not mean regaining strength.

Returning to the original positions was also impossible because holding a position requires people: many organized, easily commanded, and clearly hierarchical people.

In a high-difficulty night battle, soldiers could get lost during normal marching. These scattered soldiers had no idea where their units were; how could they gather back?

Thus the original positions were lost to a shortage of personnel, leading only to retreat, relentless retreat, until it transformed into... a complete and uncontrolled rout.

What awoke the people on the hill was a loud battle song.

The Niflgaard people had already fled, and even the Northern Alliance Army, who had fought fiercely on this land, began to sing.

Singing excitedly, they dragged their weary bodies from a night’s battle to clean the battlefield.

”We are ready, sir.”

Lincoln was the first to run to Lann’s side. After a night’s rest, they had regained their energy.

Facing the plan to head to the most intense and perilous battlefield, none of them complained or showed dissatisfaction.

On the contrary, they were all eager and ready to go.

They knew they weren’t invulnerable, but the thought of charging into battle against the enemy under their leader’s direction filled them with an overwhelming surge of emotion.

Honor, righteous vengeance, admiration for their leader... various emotions intertwined.

When Lann looked into their eyes, it was as if a fire burned within them!

There was no need to say anything more.

Everyone mounted their horses and set off towards Mushroom Mountain.

-----------------

The course of this great campaign was full of twists and turns. Initially, the whole of the Northern Alliance’s forces was badly beaten by Meno Kuhorn due to an intelligence disadvantage.

Losses and morale plummeted to rock bottom, and almost everyone thought they couldn’t hold on.

But in the end, the battle returned to the original plan devised by the Northern Alliance.

They defeated the Niflgaard people, finally driving the routed Niflgaard into a pre-planned encirclement, ready for total annihilation.

Just as Lann had speculated unknowingly, the location and terrain of Mushroom Mountain were perfectly suited for the task.

”But now there’s a problem.”

Veltrest, with bloodshot eyes, gritted his teeth as he leaned over the table, staring at the map.

With a ’bang,’ his fist hit the table.

”In the stalemate stage, too few Niflgaard people were eliminated, and then they collapsed too quickly last night! Now the number of routed soldiers far exceeds our expectations!”

”What if the early defensive lines and blocks can’t withstand so many routed troops? Do we let these veteran Niflgaard soldiers return unscathed to the occupied territories, reorganize, and reform?”

”What was the point of fighting this battle, then?”

Inside the tent, Vizimir looked more exhausted than Veltrest, given his older age and greater fatigue from the sleepless night.

None of them had slept the night before, and now that victory seemed assured, they moved the command center near Mushroom Mountain.

This was to ensure effective command for the final encirclement.

This encirclement was the greatest post-battle gain of the campaign, and the opportunity to eliminate a large number of veteran Niflgaard soldiers couldn’t be squandered.

These veterans were living war potential.

After returning to the Niflgaard Territories, they’d recuperate for a few days and become formidable combat forces once more.

So whether as a bargaining chip for post-war reparations, hostages, or from consideration of weakening the Niflgaard military...these men needed to die here or be captured alive.

But they mustn’t escape!

Thus, the gaze of the two kings fell simultaneously on Viggo Fortez.

”Now is the perfect opportunity for the mages to take action. With over thirty thousand enemies densely packed on that small mountain and at its base, we need the mages to inflict massive damage in a short time to reduce their numbers.”

”Only magic can achieve this now.”

The handsome Great Mage stood up, gracefully nodding: ”That’s precisely why we are here.”

”I’ve heard that among the mages who came to support, discontent has begun to surface. They do not want to set foot on the dangerous battlefield and would rather stay in their research rooms.”

Vizimir cautiously inquired of the leader of the mages.

But Viggo Fortez seemed indifferent to the situation the king mentioned and answered with a smile.

”We are all smart people; do not worry about us not exerting ourselves. To be blunt: we mages can be King’s Advisors in the north or technical shareholders in some merchant’s guild, but in the Empire, at best, we are merely loyal dogs of the emperor.”

”We know well where we belong, Your Majesties.”

His tone was confident, as if making the unruly, cowardly, and selfish mages behave was a matter of a word for him.

”We will remember your contributions in this war.”

Both kings said in low voices, instructing the scribe behind them to record this statement.

This was akin to giving a promise.

Viggo Fortez flicked his fingers effortlessly, lifting his heavy-looking steel magic staff, and turned to coordinate the mages into the battlefield.

As he reached the door, Veltrest’s voice suddenly sounded from behind.

”Master, one more thing that requires caution...”

The voice of the King of Temeria was cautious and stern.

”The ’thing’ that shattered the entire Niflgaard command system... We must be wary of it, especially since today, the mages gathered here, both in quality and quantity, are not insignificant.”

The campaign had progressed so fast that even now, the Northern Command was unclear about what exactly the ’thing’ that rapidly crumbled the enemy’s command system was.

A hostile ancient presence from the Sodden Region? Or an ancient force specialized in hunting mages?

The two kings considered this ’thing’ to be even more terrifying than the Niflgaard’s large army!

However, Viggo Fortez, without turning back, curved his lips into an intrigued smile from an angle unseen by others.

”Of course, we will pay attention.”

He certainly would come.

Viggo Fortez thought to himself while speaking.

Let me see what that ’thing’ truly is!