Section 23 Losses

It's a magician who does it. William Daley realized that it was this magician who had just used fire magic to ignite the powder keg that the knights carried at all times, causing so much damage. This was no accident, as the purple mist enveloped the mage's body, leaving him standing in the scattered core of the explosion unscathed.

"It's still alive, it's a long life. The magician sneered. William Daly raised his axe and rushed at the magician, who was unmoved.

William Daley's battle axe swung at the magician. However, just as the blade was only a little distance from the mage's chest, the mage made a gesture to stop William Daley's attack,

William Daly roared angrily. He pushed forward, but he couldn't overwhelm the amount of mana. His eyes caught a few barely visible shadows. Several crossbow arrows pierced his body, piercing through his armor and reaching his flesh. He roared, his body bursting with an astonishing amount of force, and he even broke free from the shackles of magic. The magician only enjoyed the thrill of winning for a moment before he ushered in his end. The axe jerked forward, splitting the mage in half with a single blow.

The mage's body was split in half and fell to the left and right.

And the rest of the knights rushed over. Someone brought a horse for William Daley. So many robes have died here, but they have no time to mourn now.

There are challenges ahead.

At this time, on the frontal battlefield, the sound of explosions behind him caused unease among Paro's troops. Many of them looked back and hesitated. At the head of the city, bows and arrows, muskets, and cannons did not stop for a second. Solid shells rolled through the crowd, breaking bones and tendons everywhere they went, leaving no one spared.

"William Daly succeeded!" shouted Ashrufat, cheering up his own men and fighting hard. William Daley, come back alive! I will forget what you lied to me!

Wielding his sword, he held a siege ladder alone, and all the Paros who climbed up from it were killed by his sword. Elsewhere, however, the Paros braved a rain of arrows and bullets to climb the city and engage the defenders in fierce hand-to-hand combat. It's just that because of the impact of the explosion, the number of people who climbed up was greatly reduced.

From time to time, a siege ladder is set on fire, or a magic is thrown into the crowd, causing huge casualties.

It was not only the troops besieging the city that were affected. Rudolph did not realize at first what the enemy's small force of surprise would do, but now he knew it well. He also understood how unwise he was to let the hussars entangle the other side. The light cavalry could only entangle the knights, but could not really hold them back. Although the light cavalry will buy enough time for the infantry to line up to meet them. But the constant explosions showed that the infantry was not able to stop the enemy.

Damn, it's a death squad again!

......

It's already the last tunnel mouth. William Daley gasped and threw the last four powder kegs into the tunnel. The Paros gathered around on all sides. It's too much to kill. He raised his torch and lit the fuse.

Did the tunnels collapse? What about his men? Maybe they're all dead. Blood was pouring from his ears, and he couldn't hear anything anymore.

The Paro people did not rush directly, and the leading officer's mouth opened and closed, as if he had said something.

William Daly smiled. "Stop talking nonsense, let's fight!" he shouted, raising his axe.

I can't rush out, haha. What else is that guy planning to retreat...... It seems that there is no need to retreat at all...... William Daly burst out laughing at the enemy who was rushing at him. They can't defeat the knights of St. Jean, and they will compensate with their lives.

An eleventh explosion sounded. The sound of explosions from behind made the city cheer and make the Paro soldiers beneath the city hesitate. No one knew what was happening in the road, but the sound of explosions in the rear could not be hidden. The soldiers finally rioted and began to retreat in alarm. And the officer didn't know what was going on. They waited for guidance from the flags and trumpets of the main front, but the flags and trumpets there did not respond.

The Paro army retreated in disarray, leaving corpses and wounded all over the ground.

The soldiers at the head of the city, especially Ashrufat, eagerly hoped that the raiding detachment would reappear. But in fact, there was no movement over there. Until it got dark, there was no movement over there.

Leo came to Ashrufat's side, who still refused to leave the city, stubbornly watching the location of the tunnel entrance. But the miracle did not happen. Everyone knew that the raid detachment had completed its mission, but it was also unlucky.

"Ashrufat. Leo patted Aehurufat on the back. "Let's go down and get something to eat. William Daly ......"

"He'll be back, right?" said Ashrufat, blankly.

"He has done his knightly duty. Leo replied in a whisper. "He told me yesterday. He said that you are much more important than him to keep this place. If you don't have you, I and he won't be able to hold it. ”

"Why didn't you tell me?!" Ashruphat suddenly grabbed Leo in anger.

Because I agree with him, too. Leo replied.

Ashruphat looked back at the Paro camp below the city and heard music coming from there. Someone was playing on a trumpet, and it was a very sad tune, a sad song in memory of the dead.

"William Daley, don't tell Master Thomas about it yet!" Leo said heavily.

And at this time in the camp of the Paro people, today's defeat has been heavily hung over everyone's heads. In addition to the losses on the frontal battlefield, a full 5,000 soldiers and some engineers were lost in the tunnels. Including a large part of the knights. Rudolph threw the elite knights into the tunnel raid, and the original plan was to take the enemy by surprise, but unexpectedly sent them all into a living coffin.

The raiding force of the expeditionary force was also killed, just like the previous night attack. Damn Death Squad!

Casualties have reached the limit of what an entire army can tolerate. Today alone, there are 8,000 dead and wounded. Especially today's loss of 5,000 people, these are the elite reserve troops that Rudolph painstakingly retained!

"This is the loss of our army. Killed, wounded, and sick......" the lieutenant said in a voice that could not have been softer. "We have lost 30,000 people...... Exactly half ......"

"And what about the enemy?" asked Rudolph in a terrifyingly calm voice.

"It won't be lower than us. I guess I lost about half. ”

Rudolph burst into a low, horrified laugh. Thomas, you are really amazing! You really have calculated the combat power of the two armies just right. I now understand why my father was defeated in front of you and died.

"What do we do next?" the lieutenant asked in a low voice.

"Go on the offensive. Rudolph's face contorted. "There is no second option. If we give up, the Frontier Castle defense line will not survive the summer. The enemy's army will conquer all the castles without any difficulty, and join Thomas!Think about it, if this Thomas has the same number of troops as our army, then we still have hope?!!! Paro's life and death are in this battle!"

"But the soldiers...... I don't want to ...... anymore."

Starting tomorrow, all the knights will go to battle. You can't save any more strength! Even if you shed the last drop of blood, you must take Drake City!"

"But even if we take the castle, what will happen in the future?"

"If we fail, then there is no need to think about the future at all! Convey the current situation to His Majesty the King, and ask for reinforcements, for it is already difficult to suppress Casillos with the forces we have. He tossed a letter aside—that's another piece of bad news. The main forces of St. Jean have conquered a border castle. They relied on the strong attack of the Pegasus Knights to break the defenders' defenses.

"General," one of the guards interrupted the conversation. "Master Koenig asks to see you. ”

Soon, Master Koenig appeared in the tent.

"General, I heard that the plan to attack the city through the tunnel is not going well. Master Koenig asked with a smile. The scars on his face were particularly hideous. "So I thought, maybe it's time for us to play our trump cards. ”

"Trump?" Rudolph looked at the other in surprise. Do they still have trump cards? What other tricks do the magicians have?

"Remember the battle we fought to break the city of Casillos?" said Master Koenig. "I happen to have one of those scrolls. ”

In an instant, everyone was excited, and the others looked at each other, unable to hide the joy on their faces.

Rudolph's face was also full of surprise, red and white. Damn, these True God Church guys! Why don't you just take out such a good thing and use it?!

"Not as strong as the other one, of course, but it's enough for us to destroy the walls. Even better, the news is that tomorrow we will be able to use it. ”

"Why didn't you take it out earlier?" finally one person couldn't help it and jumped up. How many soldiers have died these days! If there is such a thing, it should be taken out on the first day you arrive in the city!" "You church ......"

Rudolph forced his subordinates to shut up with a majestic gaze. It would be foolish to offend Master Koenig at this time. He hadn't come up with anything until now, but he had done it, hadn't he? Right now, it was almost the only hope. He made a gesture to the subordinate who didn't know how to keep his mouth out of the way.

"And Master Koenig, what are you going to do?" asked Rudolph after the subordinate had left.

"Inform the whole army of this matter today. Tomorrow after breakfast, line up. Unleash several waves of symbolic attacks, then choose your target and I'll unleash the power of the scroll. The rest ...... It doesn't seem like a big deal anymore. ”

"Very well!" replied Rudolph. "I'll do what you plan at once. ”

"Break the city tomorrow!" he remembered the five thousand elite soldiers who died in the tunnels today, "tell the soldiers about tomorrow and let them be prepared." Tomorrow before dinner, we're going to plant our flag in Drake!"