In a hurry, Commander Wallenstein and his troops arrived at the main base.
But right after that, they could not help but feel a deep confusion at the situation vividly unfolding at their ally’s position.
“T-This… this can’t be…”
“Cough… those cunning Frantz Kingdom bastards…”
To sum up the scene before their eyes in one word.
Fire.
Roaring flames surged from all sides, consuming the barracks and military supplies in their wake.
And…
-BOOM!!!
The gunpowder stored nearby exploded.
The intermittent sounds of explosions echoed.
Witnessing what could only be described as a scene of utter chaos, Commander Wallenstein and the Holy Empire Army were momentarily left speechless.
At that moment…
“Commander!”
“!… Pretzel… you filthy scoundrel…”
General Pretzel rushed in, leading his soldiers in a panic.
In that instant, Commander Wallenstein’s heart filled with intense anger.
It was only natural to be enraged when someone tasked with defending the main base allowed it to reach such a state.
But…
“Where the hell have you been until now? While the main base is in ruins, you…!”
As he raged, Commander Wallenstein suddenly found himself at a loss for words.
Before him stood General Pretzel, battered and covered in blood and smoke, his condition barely recognizable.
Wallenshtein’s fury dissipated as he took in Pretzel and his subordinates’ appearances.
“…Cough… w-what happened?”
“…We were deceived. The enemy’s main force has been targeting this location from the start.”
“W-What did you say?”
“We were suddenly ambushed. I… I tried to hold off the enemy as best as I could, but… they were overwhelming. At least over 20,000 troops attacked from all sides…”
“Y-You mean to say…?”
Commander Wallenstein could only feel bewildered at the unexpected information.
If General Pretzel was correct, the enemies they had just dealt with were merely a decoy.
“Damn it… I got completely fooled with my eyes wide open!”
General Pretzel grimaced, feeling the weight of his earlier confidence crumble into dust.
Despite his perceived thoroughness, the fact that he had been played like a fool inflicted a serious blow to his pride.
However…
At that moment, they had no luxury to indulge in such emotions.
“So, what’s the damage?”
“W-We couldn’t prevent the ambush with our strength. We did our best to protect the supplies, but how much is left even…”
“Cough… then where are the enemies? Where are those Frantz Kingdom bastards?”
“They began retreating when our forces approached. B-But they couldn’t have gotten too far. We might still catch them if we pursue now.”
“Hmmm… understood.”
It was obvious that after being dealt such a humiliating defeat, Commander Wallenstein had no intention of letting it slide.
It was only right that they retaliate for what had been done to them.
Immediately, Commander Wallenstein issued his orders.
Half of the troops will extinguish the fires and salvage what they can. The rest will follow me.
“Understood, Commander!”
Thus, the Holy Empire Army divided into two and prepared to march.
However…
“C-Commander?! T-This is strange!”
“What is it?”
“L-Look! The knights… Senel’s Black Knights aren’t moving!”
“What do you mean?”
The Black Knights of Senel, who had always led the charge in battle, were standing completely still.
Though not much was known about their true nature, it was common knowledge that they weren’t human… they were a type of war machine secretly developed by the Kingdom of Roycen, known for their immense power.
Each one possessed the strength of a Grade 10 Grand Warrior.
There were as many as 200 of them, which meant that they, in terms of pure military might, could easily overpower the entire presence of the Holy Empire Army here.
It wasn’t without reason that the Kingdom of Roycen wielded influence that even the Empire struggled to contain.
This strength allowed them to maintain that autonomy.
In any case, this overwhelming force had been instrumental in defeating General Rafael in the last battle.
Despite their small numbers, the sheer might of Senel’s Black Knights had shattered the formations of General Rafael and the Frantz Kingdom forces before they even stood a chance to respond.
But now,
Those powerful machines were standing completely still, as if frozen like statues.
“W-What’s going on? Why…?”
“I-I don’t know the details, but… perhaps it’s because Chancellor Senel is absent? They are basically programmed to follow her orders.”
“Tsk… of all times…”
Currently, Senel was engaged in holding back any enemies that might strike in retaliation.
With their commander absent, Commander Wallenstein felt utterly helpless against these powerful yet completely silent machines.
“Cannot be helped. For now, we’ll just track them down ourselves. Move swiftly!”
“Understood, Commander.”
Had they been able to act, they could have shown those retreating Frantz Kingdom fools a taste of their own medicine.
Feeling a deep sense of regret that they were unable to do so, Commander Wallenstein hurriedly led the quickly organized troops to pursue the tail of the Frantz Kingdom forces.
