Building a Kingdom and Conquering the World - Chapter 32

Fourth Form – Cleaving Angel
The attack on Icemit was not going to be an easy feat. Even though the rampart was made of wood, the city was well fortified and had an army of at least six hundred soldiers, half of those were soldiers previously under Henry. In sum, there were at least two Fifth Stage Warriors and a few on the Fourth Stage waiting for the attack.

They were all behind the walls, making it difficult to reach and kill. Furthermore, Henry didn’t have time for a siege, which made it even harder. He had to take Icemit down before Mirante was warned about his army’s movements. Mirante was a fortress, and they wouldn’t be able to breach the walls if they were prepared for the enemy, occasioning in an extended war.

The first step was to divide their forces into three parts. Henry, Luther and 100 cavalries would serve as the vanguard, leading the charge and creating a distraction while the archers moved into position. The 200 archers would then provide cover fire, raining arrows down on the defenders and keeping them occupied while the main force of 700 footsoldiers approached the walls.

Luther was responsible for bringing down the gates, using his immense strength to serve as a human battering ram. This crucial task would allow a portion of the army to storm into the city and create chaos amongst the defenders. The 100 cavalries would accompany Luther, acting as a supporting force and providing cover fire as needed. Meanwhile, the archers would form a semi-circle around the wall and begin firing arrows over the wall in rapid succession, keeping the defenders occupied and reducing the threat to the cavalry and the foot soldiers.

The main force of 700 foot soldiers, including the barbarians, would approach the wall, with their shields raised high, offering protection from the enemies’ arrows that would inevitably come their way, while also carrying improvised ladders, made from the wood found in the near forest. Then, they would rapidly climb the walls or also pass through the gates, increasing the chaos inside the city.

The sheer force of the combined attack, along with the element of surprise, would prove overwhelming for the defenders, and the city would fall to Henry’s army. It a simple but efficient plan, drawn by Henry and Luther.

The most dangerous part of the operation would be breaching the walls, as Luther would use a significant amount of energy into his attack, turning him vulnerable for a short period of time. Since Luther had not yet reached the Transcendence Realm, he was still mortal and could be killed if overwhelmed by a large number of enemies. Therefore, it was crucial for the rest of the army to provide adequate protection and support to ensure his success and safety.

Henry would be the one to safeguard Luther as he recovered, and the army caused the ruckus throughout the city. This would be the most critical point of the whole operation.

-x-

In eight hours, the ladders were ready, and Luther was on top of his horse at the forefront of the army, serving as the spearhead of the formation. The old General cultivated the Moon Cleaving Technique, which granted him an explosive strength that held the potential to split a mountain in two with a single strike, but this feat could only be achieved by someone in the Transcendence Realm or above.

Luther gazed at the walls with a mix of pity and anger. He felt sorry for the soldiers and citizens who would become casualties in this unnecessary war, and he was furious with the traitors inside the walls who dared to defy the king and prolong the conflict.

“Archers!” Luther shouted, with Henry standing quietly behind the general, observing and learning the art of commanding from this seasoned veteran. – “In position!”

At Luther’s command, the archers quickly formed a semi-circle behind the army, nocking their arrows and ready for action. They were not far away from the walls and with a few steps, the rampart would be in their attack range.

“Cavalry and infantry!” – Luther issued the command, after a single moment – “Advance!”

The army charged forward, with Luther leading the way. The cavalries rode at full speed towards the gates as the foot soldiers followed behind, slowed down by the snow. As soon as they marched, the archers rapidly ran forwards, taking position behind a few frozen trees and began to fire rapidly towards those on the walls.

The captain on top of the rampart intently watched as the rain of arrows descended upon him and his soldiers. He realized that shooting down the distant archers would be a difficult task, so he decided to focus on the easier moving target below the walls, the infantry and the cavalry.

“Shoot them!” – The captain firmly yelled out as he wildly gestured with his arms, signaling the start of the defense. He was not going to sit idly by and await his death, even if it meant shooting down the king.

The archers rapidly nocked their arrows and shot at the cavalry, who was already close to the wall, thanks to the speed of the Snowfire Horses, who were leaving deep imprints on the snow.

Fortunately, the riders on the Snowfire Horses were handpicked by Luther and Henry, after a thorough evaluation of their abilities and experience in both combat and horseback riding. The cavalries raised their shields quickly, blocking the barrage of arrows and avoiding any casualties. Meanwhile, the foot soldiers formed a protective barrier, resembling a turtle shell, as soon as they saw the attack.

Although some infantry soldiers were inevitably hit, the archers providing cover effectively reduced the enemy’s offensive, taking out their targets and causing the attackers on the wall to either fall or seek cover. This gave the infantry the opportunity to advance forward with more ease.

“Fourth Form – Cleaving Angel” – A booming old and mighty voice echoed across the battlefield, resembling an old god’s voice.

Soon, a brilliant blue light enveloped the area, temporarily blinding the soldiers on the walls. The intensity of the light was followed by a resounding impact, causing the ramparts to shake as if an earthquake had struck the city. Many of those on the walls couldn’t help but lose their grip on their weapons.

“The walls have been breached!” – Desperate yells sounded across the city as the King’s cavalry entered the city, like the apostles of the end of the world.

As for Henry, he rapidly stood in front of Luther on guard and awaiting the enemies, as his soldiers invaded and took control of the city.