CHAPTER 160………………
- A Class Apart
“Y-you, you, you arrogant bastards!”
Logan shouted through his flushed face.
Among the methods of siege warfare, the best approach is to completely cut off information, infiltrate allies inside, and strike from within.
Alternatively, a prolonged war using overwhelming forces to cut off supplies until the enemy starves is common.
Even with superior numbers, siege battles favor the defenders.
Typically, the attacker needs to outnumber the defender at least two or three times for the victory odds to be roughly equal.
Yet these enemies, approaching boldly—and arrogantly—beneath the walls…
“At best, they number maybe ten thousand! How dare they! They’ve lost all sense of fear!”
The northern gate garrison of Gravehold Fortress numbered nearly twenty thousand.
The enemy didn’t even have a numerical advantage.
“Rats…! They should’ve at least staged an ambush befitting their size and gotten themselves killed…!”
Logan clicked his tongue.
“Prepare the Snowlance!”
“Prepare the Snowlance!”
“Prepare the Snowlance! Hurry!”
“Move quickly!”
As Logan shouted, commanders including Gares called out in unison, and soldiers atop the walls began moving busily.
Huge crossbows were installed along the battlements.
The soldiers started methodically placing long spears onto the crossbow strings.
The Snowlance, the pride of Gravehold Fortress.
Dozens of defensive weapons along the long walls aimed directly at the approaching enemy’s heads.
“Hold your fire.”
“Hold!”
“Draw them in fully!”
Logan gauged the distance to the enemy using the flickering torches.
They were already within range.
The target: cut the enemy down at the waist in a single strike.
If they split front and back, their formation would collapse, delaying response to the next attack.
The position of border count had been passed down through generations from the emperor.
Even if his practical experience was lacking, Logan knew the strategies and tactics of siege warfare thoroughly.
Swish.
Confirming the enemies were fully within range, Logan raised his hand.
A brief pause.
Watching the enemies take a few more steps forward.
“Fire!”
“Fire!”
“Shoot!”
Logan shouted as he brought his hand down.
Gares and the other commanders followed with shouts, and the soldiers aiming at the enemies simultaneously released the Snowlances.
Thwack—!
The tightly drawn strings of the crossbows released, sending a dozen or so long spears flying.
Whoooosh—heavy spears cut through the air, falling toward the enemy heads.
Logan waited for the enemy’s screams to echo, but…
Crack-crack—!
The sound was chilling, like air itself freezing.
“W-what…?!”
“…!”
Over the enemies’ heads, a roof of pure white ice had formed.
Hundreds of Snowlances, fired with bold intent, struck the icy roof.
Crack-thud—!
Spears either embedded in the frozen air or bounced off entirely.
“W-what is… that…!”
“Magic…!”
While Logan gritted his teeth, Gares let out a slightly excited laugh.
“Such magic…! Who in the world…!”
“Seems like they had a backup plan. Looks like…”
Bang—!
The ice roof shattered, taking the spears lodged in it with it.
Beyond the glittering shards of ice, the enemy was revealed clearly.
At their forefront stood a white-haired woman.
Gares didn’t miss the sharp-eyed woman standing there.
“Seems to be a woman.”
“Damn it! Reload! Reload the Snowlances quickly!”
The stunned soldiers snapped back to attention, starting to reinsert spears into the empty crossbows.
Attempting the optimal attack had, ironically, allowed the enemy some breathing room.
“Quickly! Fire as soon as they’re loaded!”
Logan shouted impatiently, but…
Crackle—.
The Snowlances did not fire again.
“…Huh?”
“What is…?”
“The sky…?”
The dark sky split with a dazzling blue flash.
Kraaaang—!
It struck the fortress walls.
Information was already sufficient.
“Gravehold Fortress has Snowlances, the crossbow artillery. Border Count Logan Strauss isn’t particularly remarkable—he just maintains the Strauss family line.”
Bardo saw through the fortress situation as easily as looking at his own palm.
“The person to watch is… Gares, called the Knight of the Border.”
“Knight of the Border?”
Gardner raised an eyebrow.
“They call him that because there’s no equal at the border. He isn’t a noble by family; he was a wandering mercenary. Logan recognized his talent, branded him, and established a master-servant bond. Rumor has it he recently reached the Pentachain level.”
“Hmm, that should be fine.”
I said, glancing at Gardner fiddling with his prosthetic arm.
“There’s one here at Pentachain too.”
This was the first battle led by this army.
Moreover, some were eager to test their newly strengthened powers.
But first, it was important to show an overwhelming victory.
It would instantly boost morale.
So even though we knew about the crossbows…
“Ah?”
“Lighting the torches…?”
“Yes.”
We didn’t bother hiding our presence.
“Keep going. Don’t stop.”
Bardo didn’t object to my confident tone.
None of those present did.
At least most here had experienced my magic directly or indirectly.
“Prepare.”
Sirina, with dragon-like sharp eyes, precisely assessed the fortress walls in the darkness.
“Are you ready?”
“Yes.”
Before I finished asking, mana began rapidly flowing from Sirina’s circle.
By sheer amount and circulation speed of pure mana, she was an excellent magician—even better than me.
Thud—!
A heavy sound echoed from the walls, approaching with wind cutting through the air.
“<Sacred Ice, Perfect Spherical Roof, Cover and Protect>.”
Sirina’s fifth-circle magic was of a completely different caliber.
“.”
Crack—!
As soon as the spell was complete, white ice formed in midair.
A thick, solid ice roof.
Previously, it only covered herself; now it spanned the sky over nearly twenty thousand troops.
The hundreds of spears fired by the enemy struck the ice, embedding or bouncing off.
“Well done.”
At my praise, Sirina smiled like a child.
Bang—!
The ice shattered, and the spears lodged in it were pulverized.
Beyond the glittering fragments, she quietly extended her hand toward the wall.
『The contractor casts magic.』
We could have prevented the crossbows from being used entirely.
Allowing them to fire was a show—for our allies.
To instill belief and hope that they would never lose, no matter the circumstances.
While the crossbows were being reloaded, she prepared magic to drive the wedge in.
“<Slumbering Fury, Flash that Rends the Calm>.”
“<First splits the earth, second lashes as a storm>.”
Kiiiiing—! Mana circulation accelerated, tracing a figure-eight.
“<Wrath that Burns the Guilty, Lightning that Knows No Mercy>.”
“<Third tears the void, fourth strikes nothing>.”
Dark clouds shrouded the night sky.
“.”
Crackle—blue lightning struck from the thundercloud.
“.”
The instant the incantation was uttered, thick blue lightning tore the sky apart and exploded onto the walls.
Kraaaang—!
『The contractor cast a Grand Spell.』
The voice of 『Magic』 echoed in my head after the deafening thunder.
“Waaah?!”
“Ugh, ah…!”
“Waaah…”
Our side gasped and exclaimed.
From the walls hit by lightning came screams of pain and fear:
“Ugh, aah?!”, “Kkrrgh!”, “Ah… ah… save me…!”
But the first lightning strike was only the beginning.
Whoooosh—sharp wind swept across the walls.
Soldiers toppled, rolling helplessly; some fell below.
Crackle—crackle.
Other lightning followed.
Kraang—kra-gang—kraang—!
Smaller than the first, dozens of lightning strikes tore the sky.
The storm swept the walls, with lightning striking continuously.
“Eek?!”, “No! Ugh, aah!”, “Run! Run… ugh!”
Soldiers panicked, but could not evade the falling lightning.
It spread sideways, like a spiderweb, catching and killing those fleeing.
“What… magic is that?”
Hagen, staring dumbfounded, asked.
“It’s a Grand Spell calling a storm of lightning to sweep away the enemies. Impressive, right?”
“Impressive? Will it ever stop?”
“It’ll keep until the walls collapse.”
“I thought they’d gotten stronger, but still…”
Hagen shook his head, resigned.
Kraang—kururrr—.
Finally, Storm Jerad struck the last lightning.
At the same time, the dozens of lightning strikes shattered and split the walls, which could no longer hold and collapsed.
Boom.
Dust billowed as the walls crumbled.
As the dust cleared, the wreckage became visible.
“From now, we move past Gravehold Fortress. Rescue anyone alive in the debris. Accept surrender, but if they resist, kill them.”
“Yes!”
“Understood!”
Commanders responded loudly to my order.
The path left by the magic needed no explanation.
As intended, nothing was left behind.
Yet the lucky few who survived groaned and reached out from the rubble.
“Sa-save… ugh…”
“Ugh, eek…”
“Here! Help me here!”
“One, two… three!”
Our soldiers began rescuing those who survived.
Amid saving them…
Kraaaang—!
A loud explosion sent nearby debris flying.
“Grrrgh!”
A large armored knight spewed rough mana, screaming like a beast.
“You… cowardly bastards!”
He swung his sword, scattering sharp mana.
Crack-thud—!
Debris split and flew in all directions.
“S-surrender! It’s already over…?!”
“Shut up!”
A nearby soldier urged surrender, but the knight ignored him.
He leapt forward, attacking the soldier.
His deep navy blade glowed sharply, about to slice down.
Kaang—!
Gardner blocked the knight’s sword.
“Surrender, or else…”
He met the knight’s gaze over the clashing blades, his voice icy calm.
“I will cut you down.”
