[Skill Check: The Host has observed [Death-Wind Blade]]
[Elemental mismatch…]
[Error…]
[Do you want to try to analyse?]
'Elemental mismatch? So wind is not my thing. Well, what will be the problem if I analyse?'
[Analyse complete…]
[[Death-Wind Blade] Observation level: 0.007%]
[Unable to initiate the quest to learn it.]
‘I wouldn't be able to learn it even if the old man shows it 10000 times.’ Thinking about it he could only sigh. ‘ So that is why it is hard to learn a cross-elemental skill.’
The crescent blade met the charging wall of cavalries without any resistance. Before the cavalry could understand that something was wrong they were already sliced in half.
‘Did it grow with the distance it travelled?’ It almost took out the cavalry that was at the edge of the wave. ‘What frightening skill?’
Even in the moment of amazement, he didn’t forget his role. He was about to move out...
"Move back."
'Who the hell will order to retreat right after the first contact?' Kinoya was surprised, so was his squadmates.
Yet the whole array of soldiers started to move back slowly. There was no chaos at all. All of them were taking back steps without even looking back. First few steps were inconsistent but soon there was no problem at all.
‘Nobody told me about it.’ Even between his confusion, he had to move. ‘A soldier is bred to follow the order.’
Kinoya could see the charging infantry, that was behind the cavalry wave, yet the old man didn't give the order to stop. They continued until the enemy was just 100 meters away from them before the old man shouted again.
"Halt. Defend. Kill." The order was clear and concise. It moulded the atmosphere around those hidden soldiers. It was not only them, every one of them was ready to charge at a moment notice.
‘Is it a skill?’ Kinoya wasn’t sure it was some kind of skill or anything else but blood inside his body began to heat up. ‘That system might have popped the notification if it was’
Kinoya couldn't help but look at the old man holding a pair of giant sabres in his other hand. More than fear or courage, he felt the will, will of all those around him.
Old or young, experienced or not, their wills were one, that is to fight. ‘ That old man!? Someday, someday I will...'
‘Ahhh…’ With a sword in one and shield in other, an immediate problem came toward him, running.
Kinoya shook his head before one of his short scimitars aimed for the enemy’s head. By instinct, the enemy raised his shield to block. It blocked his line of sight for a small moment, however for Kinoya it was more than enough. His other short scimitar slithered around the shield and drew the first blood.
Next one was using a short spear. Kinoya moved using the [Subtle Movement]. The man, was aiming for Kinoya’s neck, had never expected Kinoya to move towards him even before drawing his scimitar out. He closed in and pierced the heart. As soon as he recovered both of his weapons another came in and he just fought. Soon he lost count of it.
When he stopped there was a pile of dead bodies in front of him, not just front also around him. The bloody smell around him didn't have much effect.
The old man was beside him all the time yet there wasn’t a single drop of blood on his sabre. Again those sabres in the old man's weapons started to glow green. Another [Death-Wind Blade] met the cavalry and the result was as expected. Next orders were the same too. After the experience of the last time, the backward movement was a lot smoother this time.
‘The empire's army is 50,000-70,000 weaker than the Torria's army so... The General of the West has a good head on his shoulders.’ Even if he can’t see from outside but Kinoya had no problem understanding a simple baiting tactic.
Thinking of a strategy is one thing but executing it was a different matter. To act as a bait the timing has to be just perfect, too slow you will die, too fast it won't work.
‘Yet that Old Man... He is at the centre of the whole thing.’ You can't do it just because you are a general, you need experience, you need perfect control over every one of your soldiers and most important of all that you need to read the flow of the battlefield correctly. ‘Could it be?’
"General Akai, are we the bait?" One question was enough to make the old man stumble on his back steps.
‘I didn't wear any stars yet the child could guess my identity?’ The old man couldn’t help but take another look at the child beside him.
Even if he has control over the army, one shouldn't have correctly guessed that he was Akai. And he wasn’t introduced to the recruits. The only time they had met while they were marching still…
However, Akai was more surprised about the choice of the word. ‘How did he know it was bait?’
It wasn't something that a child who was in his first fight should understand. To understand it one has to know the whole formation of the army and Akai was sure that Kinoya was along with him from the start and there was no way he knew about the formation.
More importantly, one has to understand the flow of battle perfectly well. That was not something that one could understand just because he has read some book or been taught. It needs experience. Even experience was not enough, it was not like every soldier on the battlefield could become a general.
Even when the General of West explained to him up to the last detail he couldn't help but praise the innovative idea of the general. And some child on his first fight cracked it. He didn't show any expression on his face and asked while moving, "How do you know?"
With the question, Kinoya can understand pretty well that the general is interested. "It was nothing much, I used to trap animals using bait. But…"
Kinoya paused and it piqued the interest of the general. He asked in agitation, "But what?"
"Sorry general for my rude behaviour, but I don't know what the trap is, but if it isn't activated soon the enemy will understand and it will be too late."
Akai stopped in his tracks. It was not that he didn't think about it, he too felt the pace was slow. But he couldn't force it. Not just that, also they have already used the same move twice.
The general of the West ordered him not to hurry, not to let the enemy understand that they are the bait, yet he understood how hard it is to execute the plan.
‘Yet this boy… So this is the talent of the boy who had been recommended by the Moon general.’
"General, it will be better if we retreat." The words shocked him.
It was not that they were talking in low voices, others could hear them. They didn't respond due to the respect of the general, however, Kinoya's words made them bust out, even Kinoya's squad members couldn’t believe the words.
“What did you say?” The general was angry too, but he was calm outside. Though Kinoya didn’t feel that way. The increased pressure almost sent him on his knees.
‘So this the presence of a three-star general? It is different from general Andlet. The bloodlust…’ Kinoya looked at the red eyes and spoke without hesitation, "The bait is losing its value."
Others might not understand but the general knew what that line meant, yet the pressure didn’t decrease.
"The recruits were the baits and most of them had fallen under the first wave. Those who survived were sorted by the second wave. At the beginning the bait was big, but by this third wave, I don't think it has enough strength to survive the more wave. Even if they do, the enemy might not attack us."
“They won’t attack us?” Hearing it they couldn’t help but put up a frown. ‘If they don’t attack us the plan will face.’
“We lost our value. 4,000 or 5,000 at most. Rather than coming us, the main army by the side should have been a better choice.” The moment the word left his mouth, a taste of iron hit his throat. As the pressure on him increased, he was unable to control himself and stumbled.
"How do you know?" Voice, laced with hostility, thundered from the above. A big sabre had been hanging in the air waiting to come down.
‘Do you think if I was a spy I would have pointed it out?’ Rather than being afraid a smile afraid on his face, “We have already backed up for almost 400-500 meters, if not more, and looking at the hill with general’s camp I don’t think there is enough space between us to hold the whole army”
It was for a blink but for that single moment, the pressure on him wavered. The pressure returned as the smile on Kinoya’s face thickened. "For the third cavalry wave met the same result they will think there is someone strong in the middle of the rank. If not, suspect that it is you from the skill you had used. So this is a perfect time."
“General the third infantry will reach us soon.” The soldier around them was getting anxious as they stopped without any command.
Even though Akai knew it, after listening to him he couldn’t ignore Kinoya’s comment, “Time for what?"
"Time to reel in the bait.” Kinoya paused for a moment before adding. “They want to win the first battle so if we retreat now they MIGHT send a stronger army to take us out. But if we wait for more there will be two problems, one they might lose interest in us and more importantly they might understand we are the bait."
Kinoya's remarks weren't far off. Even before Kinoya was confronted by Akai, Official Nus was practically screaming on top of his lungs, "That is a f*cking trap, you idiots. Don't send soldiers behind them, attack the wing."
He was at the small hill not too far away from the Eale plain. From here he can see and record all the details of the battle. As soon as the army 30,000 crumbled under the attack from just 20,000 he could understand what was wrong.
It was unfortunate for him that general Liyato couldn't hear him, even if he could, nobody knew whether or not the general would listen to his words or not.
Fuming or stomping his feet won’t help him but he couldn't help himself "Record every detail. If a single detail is missed then every single of your family will be killed." With the words, he ran towards the tent of General Kirmac which was on the other hill.
After creating a large commotion, general Kirmac's guard allowed him to enter the acting commander's tent. "It's a trap, we have to stop him."
In front of Official Nus's shout, the Kirmac was calm, "Why?"
"The front 30,000 was made of inexperienced recruits, so they fell quickly. They won't use experienced soldiers as bait."
"But there is someone strong in them, which might be red general Akai." One of the other generals said.
"It is Akai, that was his [Death-wind Blade] that took down the cavalry of the 2nd wave. He is also part of the bait." There was no hesitation in Nus’s voice.
"But if we take him out on the first day then that will be great."
"Are you an idiot?"
Official Nus was so angry that it didn't matter to him whether the great general was present or not. "Can't you see the whole army is moving backwards? Not just the 30,000 in the middle but also the wings, the speed is different but they are."
General Kirmac's face darkened. "How do you know?" No one noticed his voice was wavering.
"The time between each contact is increasing. At first, I thought it was my fault, but I count the time and I was right. If you see the dead bodies of the cavalry, you will understand."
One of the guards left just to run back in quickly.
"Whatever Official Nus said it true. And the third cavalry wave has already fallen."
"General, please." Nus pleaded.
"Order Liyato. Don’t attack. NOW." With General's words two of the guards left in a hurry. Nus also came out of the tent to look down on the battleground.
The worst had happened even before the pair of guards can reach Liyato. The army that was about to face the 3rd infantry wave turned around and ran away. Liyato who didn't know anything about the scheme, sent 30,000 cavalries and 20,000 more infantry to take the head of Akai.
Looking at the wing of the enemy official Nus’s was darkened. The wing of the enemy moved in a smooth movement, enclosing all tens of thousands in a big gulp. Silence enveloped the hill, only screams of fallen brethren were resounding in their helpless ears.
“Shouldn’t we send some reinforcement?” The voice was weak, as, at the presence of the great general, the question was aimed at Nus.
‘A sign of acceptance?!’ but the smile of rejoicing had failed to appear on his face, “The distance is too much. Infantry is useless. If we send cavalry, they will just let them enter the enclosure. It’s too late.”
“What are you talking about? Should we just let them die.”
Nus didn’t have the energy to argue. He just, “It is not like you people are going to listen to me, so just do as you wish. I think it is just one battle, winning the war is more important.”
Those words just flamed the anger of some, yet Nus didn’t care. ‘Never been in history anybody had used such a cowardly strategy yet they had succeeded…’
It was as Nus foretold. Their struggle soon died as they had been slaughtered under the arrows of 20,000 archers.
Liyato did send some cavalry and infantry behind them but at that time it was the strongest soldiers of Red Front who were at the vanguard. The kingdom’s army had failed to breakthrough. Their chaotic charge just increased the number of casualties
By the time the whole ordeal ended it was almost evening. The army of the Kingdom of Torria couldn't do anything other than watching their friend being slaughtered.
At the end of day one, The Empire lost just 35,000 whereas the Torria army lost staggering 110,000 soldiers. A shadow of gloom soon engulfed the whole Torria camp where the empire's camp was enjoying their victory.
What was unknown to both of the camps that this war will change the whole way the battle is fought throughout the continent. The future historian will say this is the battle that gave birth to the two most successful unorthodox generals of the humankind.
