351 Village

"Hey, King Caronia. Are you sure you and your men don't want in on the action?"

Dwarven king Caronia sent his consciousness out of the ring, surveying the land before them.

"Mmm~ 5,000 undead, reinforced by another 1,000 orcs." Glancing behind the duke, and his own army. "And you have around a thousand brave men under your command... I suppose I could give you a hand this time."

6,000+ hostiles, versus Asai's 1,000 strong army and hopefully King Caronia's 1,000 dwarves.

Thankfully, the undead summons here were only within the level ranges of 35-45. As it appeared the necromancers were now attempting to abuse quantity over quality. Which would successfully delay the human army by a large amount of time, just from having to cull the numbers. 

For the previous battles, Caronia had mostly declined participation. Reasoning that he was a warrior who reaped lives, not a baby-sitter who ushered the undead back to bed. And honestly, he desired battles of greater proportions than this. "Please lad, promise me a battle in which your enemies are so vast, they cover the entire horizon alright? And make sure they're not just summons, I want living, breathing and intelligent enemies!"

The duke of war nodded in agreement.

...

For the past week. Asai and his army had been fighting and demolishing undead swarms after undead swarms. The earlier vigour and excitement that filled his ranks were now numbing down, as the men now also figured out the identity of their opponents. The fact that they were simply fighting against mindless mobs and not their true targets. Thus, as much as they slaughtered and bled against the skeletons. The kingdom hardly benefitted from their actions and hard work.

With each battle, they only managed to catch a dozen or so necromancers who were always laying in hiding. Encountering a constant repeat, and the cycles of enemies who hid in cowardice, employing dishonourable hit and run tactics albeit with skeletons rather than arrows. Had greatly diminished the fires within their hearts.

Now, on the flipside. Asai De Trichia was the only person who was quite satisfied with the results. Although he hadn't levelled up at all, his party members did.

[Robin Sol: Lvl 87] [Rosemi De Lumix: Lvl 75] [Chloe Bedevere: Lvl 88] [Violet:75] [Mizumi: Lvl 75] [Miku: Lvl 78]

"What do you think the enemy is trying to achieve by only using delay and distract tactics?"

Asai looked towards Rosemi, who was taking in the the view down below herself.

"Time. Time, to retreat, to perhaps circle around us, or to even evade us entirely to attack our allies back in Via Marea. Regardless, we can't allow this hostile army to remain behind. If we turn, they could easily attack our flanks."

Although Asai was more of less focusing on the free experience points aspect of battle, he had to agree with removing such a large hostile force. Even if it was a waste of time. "What if there are more armies of undead like this, and they're scattered across the lands, awaiting their call-to-arms. If that's the case, killing them whilst they're still segmented is the ideal choice after all."

Or perhaps he was just trying to justify his usage of time.

"Asai. You should say something. Your knights need you to invoke spirit, strength and morale..."

Rosemi whispered into his ears only. Something he agreed upon after observing the tired and fatigued expressions of his knights.

"Knights of Trichia, listen up!

This is but another stage, another trial given to us within her infinite and unbound wisdom.

This isn't about who or what you fight. This is about proving ourselves worthy, ourselves better! No matter our enemies and no matter how numerous they are!

Goddess Loha is watching us, she is testing your faith and conviction. Let us not betray her expectations upon us. Let us prove to her that giving birth to us, the humankind was indeed correct!

Prove to her, and that of this world. That we are mighty! That our Goddess' children reign supreme!

Fight for honour! Fight for kingdom and glory! Fight for Goddess Loha!

Fight for the sake of fighting, and then fight some more!"

Blowing upon the war horn from [Caronia's Ring] Its majestic bellow echoed across the plains, travelling through the breeze.

The cavalry roared and cheered, igniting their hearts and soul as adrenaline thumped within their chests. Their nerves suddenly itching to fighting any opponent and target presented. "Holy shit, making speeches feels fucking cringe!"

""Fight! and then fight some more!!""

The one thousand dwarves who appeared all roared in unison. That was the line they enjoyed and agreed upon the most.

"BEGIN THE ASSAULT"

A gloriously brilliant aura of white fell upon the human army as Robin surged her mana onwards. Blessing their wings as she began sending volley after volley of [All in One] and [Holy Testimony] into the mass of skeletons. Decimating them into pieces as eruptions and blasts consumed hundreds of them.

Without a regard towards her skill cooldowns, Robin almost as if she were dancing, as if she were a Saintes, and was performing a ritual. Sent hundreds of [Holy Testimony] down range.

The sentient and intelligent undead were quick to take up arms, funnelling out of their fortifications to swarm up the hill towards their attackers. The wild-undead were slower to act, but none-the-less charged towards the living. 5,000 skeleton knights clambered over one and another to strike the living. The 1,000 orcs took cover behind their wooden defences, waiting out the artillery fire.

Due to their vantage point, and positioning. The undead took a dozen minutes to even somewhat reach their position. Especially when skills and attacks kept flying into their ranks, slowing their advance greatly.

However, with 3 times their numbers. The undead horde still held the numerical advantage.

Chloe, being placed within her forte, enthusiastically entered [Siege Shot] & [Tempest Stance]

The increased attack power and firing rate sent shivers down her spine as her arms shot themselves in motion. Releasing the surging and pent up magical energies that coursed through her finger tips and into her arrows. The half-elf fired like a living machine-gun as her arrows were sent down range. Penetrating through skull and bone, lodging into flesh, striking dozens of hostiles per shot.

Only stopping once her mana had bottomed out, before chugging a mana potion to continue her assault.

"CHARGE!"

The duke of war led the cavalry charge at the vanguard. The wall of mass flew down the slope, ramming into the enemies, and continuing their charge through its entirety. Whilst his war horse slammed its mass into the moving-bones. Asai precisely decapitated many that he came across.

With friendly-fire now possible. Robin threw herself upon her own horse to charge down, whilst Chloe now had to select her shots with 

[Zephyr]

Allows caster to control projectile flight path, at 6% of current mana per arrow.

Ensuring her arrows struck only hostiles.

The mass of undead, covering the land in a vile, dark aura. Found themselves easily decimated as the humans clad in holiness recklessly charged through.

The dhans and necromancers in hiding were bewildered to see them be so ruthless. After all, this was the undead they were talking about. Literal death itself, something the living should naturally fear no?

Without mounts of their own, King Caronia and his 1000 elites charged into the fray. With most enemies being battered around by the cavalry. The dwarves had an easy time breaking neck-bones into bits with their axes and maces.

""Fight! and then fight some more!!""

""Fight! and then even in death, lets fight some more!!""

A couple dozen minutes into the battle and the dwarves appeared to be just as energetic as when they started their feast.

"What the fuck is wrong with these southerners!? I was scared shitless when I first saw the living-dead. It's not right!"

"Fuck this, that fuck. Lets get out of here!"

The squad of necromancers turned to flee. Whilst the dhans tried to utilize their stealth to gain as much information as they could.