NOVEL NEXT Chapter 472
Once we grasped the situation with Anna, it didn’t take long for her to find us.
After all, we were gathered on the hilltop.
“Everyone, prepare for defense!”
Still, I planned to hold our position on the hill for now. The terrain offered significant advantages, so rather than moving around unnecessarily, we needed to strengthen our defensive formation.
While I was instructing the soldiers to get ready, I began to spot what appeared to be Anna’s army approaching in the distance.
– Wow, look how solid they are!
– Why are they so intimidating??
– If you’re scared, just run away, haha!
…Is that really fewer soldiers than ours?
Looking at the shining armor glistening under the sunlight, I felt an overwhelming pressure despite their smaller numbers.
Furthermore…
“…Why are there so many cavalry?”
Riding behind the infantry, a large number of cavalry followed closely behind.
[Ah… looks like we’ve lost quite a few horses.]
“…Did we have many horses?”
[Yes… about half.]
“…Half?”
[Yes….]
Even combined with Loa, we barely had twenty horses, and we started with only half?
It seems this junior really inflated their numbers…
“But how did you lose?”
How could they have been wiped out like that?
Cavalry are supposed to be the gods of the battlefield.
[We didn’t have enough equipment apart from the horses….]
“Oh.”
Now that I think about it, losing half our horses means we couldn’t procure enough armor.
If weapons were also missing, it makes sense.
“Still, it’s cavalry; did the enemy respond quickly?”
Cavalry are powerful weapons by themselves.
If they charge at once, they should cause chaos and break through…
[…They immediately gathered and raised their spears high.]
“Ah.”
…Did Anna learn some tactics?
Or maybe she has an excellent aide-de-camp.
Regardless of the reason, they are still formidable foes.
In that case…
“Junior, have you at least studied cavalry tactics?”
[Me? W-well, yes?]
“Hm, then can you gather them all?”
We need to devise a strategy, of course.
There’s not a single thought of losing in my mind.
**
Ahead.
I can see the soldiers positioned on the hill.
“Who could they be?”
– Who knows?
– They seem numerous.
– Did they absorb another faction already?
While observing the soldiers, Anna asked the cavalry she had dispatched for reconnaissance earlier.
“Could you scout ahead and take a look at their flag?”
[Yes!!]
With that, two eager cavalry dashed off.
…Their enthusiasm is impressive.
They were so delighted to acquire horses. I’m glad they can ride well.
Anyway, after a brief wait.
The cavalry I sent out returned.
“What did you find? Who do you think they are?”
[Um….]
However, the previously confident cavalry momentarily hesitated before uttering a shocking statement.
[It seems to be Miro!]
“M, Miro?”
– Oh?
– Ah…
– D-d-d-d-d…
– Suddenly this is terrifying!
Anna couldn’t help but feel that she had pulled off an incredible coup during the recruitment.
After all, each time she recruited, she received dazzling armor and weapons.
Because of this, she was confident, believing she could easily win against whoever the opponent was… but…
“Should we… run away?”
…If it’s Miro, that changes everything.
Though she usually comes off as charming and brilliant, her reputation in battle holds a different weight.
[Is it really Miro?]
[Wow….]
[Hmm… that doesn’t bode well.]
That unease wasn’t limited to Anna alone.
The loyal aides standing beside Anna began murmuring.
These members were chosen after a long deliberation over several hours by Anna.
Thus, they were committed to fulfilling Anna’s wishes and served as her reliable arms, yet… facing Miro?
It’s only natural to feel intimidated, as she would be considered the final boss of this content.
“Still, our equipment is quite good, right?”
[Yes! The enemy’s equipment doesn’t seem very strong.]
If there’s any silver lining, it’s that Miro might not have boasted superior equipment.
Moreover…
[They only have about five cavalry!]
It seems that the dreaded cavalry are scarce on the enemy side.
“Is there a possibility they’ve hidden troops?”
[It’s not impossible, but the number of stationed soldiers is already significant. They were similar to ours.]
“Hm… then that might be unlikely.”
The content has just started. How many soldiers could Miro have amassed to hide?
Well, one can never tell, but I reminiscently recall that several soldiers went down when Anna fought earlier.
The Heavy Infantry’s spears or massive axes sure made quite an impact for deaths to easily stack up.
Honestly, I feel a bit sorry for that junior.
I still hoped to absorb them properly, but it’s disappointing to think they might run away.
“…Are you all confident?”
Anyway, that’s why, even though my head says we have good odds, there’s a slight hesitation, so I asked my subordinates.
Then, they replied.
[Yes!!!]
[We’re confident!!]
[We’ll win!]
They quickly picked up on Anna’s indecision and the loyal fandom raised their voices, showing confidence.
– Yeah, haha!
– That’s the spirit!
– Truly the representatives!
They’re the most steadfast ace among Anna’s vast fandom.
With such people gathered, their loyalty toward Anna vastly outshone their fear of Miro.
At this moment, they felt bold enough to storm even the enemy’s camp.
“Then let’s go!”
Watching the resolve of the fans filled Anna with confidence as well.
Right, why should we be scared?
No matter how formidable Miro is, we are an empowered legion of Heavy Infantry.
A simulation conducted by a fan from the Fan Café concluded that with this equipment, we could crush even if the enemy had three times more soldiers.
Moreover, now many of our Heavy Infantry are mounted as well.
Attack, Defense, Mobility.
There’s no weakness in this strong army.
Thus, as our respective forces drew closer, Anna could clearly spot Miro’s banner standing tall on the hill.
“All forces charge!”
Anna confidently shouted.
Then,
[Waaah!!!]
With a mighty roar, Anna’s army surged forward, and in response, Miro’s soldiers raised their shields and pointed their spears high.
However,
[Cavalry, charge!]
One of Anna’s indispensable aides cried out, and the cavalry that had been waiting on the sidelines quickly mounted the hill.
In the blink of an eye,
Boom!!
They sent a few Shield Soldiers flying and created a gap in the defense.
“Got it!”
Anna inadvertently shouted with delight.
It made sense; the enemy lacked confidence, so they wouldn’t dare to set up a defensive line on the hill, would they?
Now that such a defense was breached right from the start, it would crumble shortly.
That’s what I thought, but….
Boom!!
Among the cavalry that breached the defense and infiltrated the enemy’s lines, one was directly catapulted away and rolled down the hill.
“Huh?”
Why is a cavalry flying off the hill?
Wondering what happened, I looked at where the cavalry had been thrown…
Sure enough, the banner that had remained still behind the soldiers began to move.
And then, amidst the small soldiers, Miro, fully equipped and riding high on her steed, revealed her formidable presence.
She raised a massive spear high and, along with her surrounding soldiers, engaged in a fierce melee against the cavalry.
– Wow…
– No way…
– Wow, haha!
So wonderful was the sight of her single-handedly blocking the breached defense that admiration flooded the chat.
“Wow….”
Anna also blinked in awe.
However,
[Gather at the breached spot!]
[Everyone target Miro first!]
Despite Miro’s prowess, that didn’t mean she was in a favorable position.
She managed to pull off tactics to stall the cavalry’s charge and bring them into a melee, which was good.
However, that wouldn’t reduce the disparity in power.
In fact, given that it had turned chaotic, the Heavy Infantry began to rampage.
Even Anna could visibly see Miro’s soldiers dwindling in real-time.
It seems they might have absorbed another faction in between battles; the number of soldiers was surprisingly high, but still, she held a definitive upper hand.
– Yeah!
– Everyone is really fighting well!
– We’re gonna win!
It was undeniable that Anna had the advantage, and it was clear she was destined to win on that battlefield.
“Wow….”
Peering at her aides directing from the side, Anna thought,
‘Am I going to win…?!’
In fact, she hadn’t even considered she could take Miro down during this content.
Yet here she was, potentially winning against that formidable being.
The thought of bragging about this achievement to her friends and teasing Miro later filled Anna with exhilaration.
At that moment,
[…Refine!]
Ahead of her.
Amidst the chaos of countless soldiers shouting all around, a clear, crystalline voice pierced through the noise and reached Anna’s ears.
“…Refine?”
What could that possibly mean?
It felt slightly out of place as a term in war.
– Huh?
– What’s that over there?
Down the hill.
Amidst the trees and meadows, where there had been nothing but woodlands, a group of cavalry suddenly rushed out.
[Watch your sides!]
[Cavalry are coming out!]
…They’ve even hidden cavalry too?
There are plenty of soldiers, and now cavalry is popping out from who knows where?
Still, the good news is that it seems to be fewer than ten.
Of course, such numbers can make a significant impact in smaller battles, but…
There is an undeniable gap in equipment.
[Block them!]
[Numbers 5 through 15 to the right!]
It appears that my assumption was correct.
As Anna’s aides called out commands, the brief chaos caused by the cavalry began to settle, and they got pulled back into the fray.
“Hah, ha ha.”
– Phew.
– Wow, great leadership!
– They’ve blocked them!
Phew… I shouldn’t have panicked unnecessarily.
It might have been better if those cavalry had charged toward me, their leader…
Of course, if they had done that, we would have fled toward the soldiers, but I believe that would have raised the chances of success for Miro.
At that moment,
[…Net!]
In that tumult, once again, that clear voice sounded.
– Net?
– What’s that?
– Is another troop coming?
Net?
What in the world is Miro talking about since earlier, with refining and nets?
While wondering if those were mere distractions, I looked around but saw no reinforcements.
If that’s the case, it must be a tactic; I wondered what she could do in the chaos with it.
Boom!
Just like before, one soldier was hurled from the melee, rolling onto the ground.
“…What is she doing?”
The commanders might have slightly higher stats than regular soldiers.
However, that difference isn’t significant enough to send soldiers flying.
Miro’s physical abilities must be truly extraordinary.
Yet, this is my victory.
It won’t change the battlefield just by knocking out a soldier or two.
To defeat Miro in this war content…
They say life is about luck and skill intertwined; I’m beginning to think that saying holds true as I ponder how to tease Miro later.
Boom!
Yet another soldier was sent sprawling.
– Whoa…
– This is intense, haha!
– Miro is no joke!
It seems that even as she flounders, Miro’s not your everyday opponent…
Boom! Boom!!
“…Huh?”
What on earth is going on?
Why are soldiers being sent flying from within?
As I considered checking Miro’s perspective later, suddenly,
[Anna!]
[Fall back!]
Her aides shouted out.
“Eh? Why?”
Anna questioned but obediently maneuvered her horse back.
But then….
Boom!!
[Everyone, block Miro!]
In the midst of that melee, where soldiers were entangled with each other, and shouts and screams filled the air,
Thud!!
The Celestial Realm’s youngest.
No.
[Hold steady!]
The Military God burst through the soldiers, revealing her stature.
– ???
– Huh?
– No way!
– How do we break through that?
“Huh?”
Anna, too, was momentarily taken aback, exclaiming upon seeing this.
[We’re going to strike her!]
The blood-soaked military god, having tossed aside all the soldiers holding her back, quickly began descending the hill on horseback.
“Huh? Huh?”
Can she really break through?
And what will she achieve by breaking through alone?
[Anna!]
[We will hold her off!]
With her were two aides in charge of commanding.
Are they just the ones issuing commands?
That can’t be the case.
These are seasoned veterans, recognized for their high playtime and proven skill in both leadership and PvP.
No matter how skilled Miro may be, these are experienced players, and it doesn’t seem like Miro has much health left either.
So Anna stepped back slightly allowing her two aides to position themselves before Miro, armed with a long spear and sword, blocking her advance.
However.
[Ugh!]
[Crack!]
Though it wasn’t immediate, the two would experience a fierce confrontation.
Miro and Loa’s army.
With approximately 80 summons under their belt.
Given the frequency of their summons, the best gear was utilized, and Miro, with her enhanced stats, was akin to a living Lu Bu.
Of course, the aides put up a good fight, finally managing to pierce Miro with their weapons, thus leaving her nearly incapacitated as she closed in on Anna.
“Will you, will you submit quietly?!”
Just a single blow, and with Miro appearing on the verge of victory, Anna thought she might still win as she drew her sword.
But then—
Thud!
“Gah!”
As she was struck by the spear Miro had thrown, Anna fell backward from her horse.
[Woah, that was close.]
An exceedingly fortunate veteran.
In the face of overwhelming prowess, Anna felt the moment slip away.