Chapter 225: Marcus’s Fury 3

Chapter 225: Marcus’s Fury 3

< 225. Marcus’s Fury 3 >

The Senate had passed a clause in his former constituency that unanimously delegated the authority to wage war against the Huns to Caesar and Marcus.

It even included the right to increase the number of troops, which the Senate had tried so hard to block.

Caesar and Marcus, who commanded 200,000 soldiers, were able to form more than five legions each.

This was a war that mobilized almost all of Rome’s national power.

If they poured out their resources and failed, even Rome would be shaken in an instant.

But the citizens sincerely sympathized with Caesar’s speech.

Wouldn’t it be better to stake everything on one war and settle the matter, rather than living in anxiety for decades or centuries facing the Huns on the border?

People from all over Italy came forward to participate in this last war.

Not only in Italy.

There was a flood of enlistment applications from the provinces of Gaul and Germania.Gẹtt the latest novels at n.o/(v)/e/l/bin(.)com

Their purpose was not to protect their country.

The damage was so severe in Gaul and Germania that there were more people who had lost their families or relatives to the Huns than those who had not.

Naturally, there were many people who wanted revenge everywhere.

This trend continued in Greece.

The provincials and Roman citizens living in Greece lined up to join Marcus’s legion.

Of course, not everyone joined the additional troops with only a desire for revenge.

Typically, the soldiers who participated as allies or provincial legions had a slightly different idea.

‘This war will be the last chance to get citizenship for a while. No one will dare to oppose Rome after this war. Maybe this is my last chance.’

The easiest way for provincials to become Roman citizens was to join the army and earn merit.

It seemed that there was enough chance of winning, as Rome was going all out.

The signs of the impending war began to be detected in various places.

80,000 additional troops were deployed in Greece and Dalmatia in an instant.

Wagons carrying huge supplies flowed into the border area.

Marcus especially pushed for the production and supply of equipment.

As soon as the Hunnic war began, he mobilized the facilities in Asia Minor to produce and supply steel equipment.

Until now, he had deliberately adjusted it so that the balance of the three heads would not be disturbed, but not anymore.

An endless line of wagons carrying armor and weapons followed.

It was impossible for this movement not to be detected by the Huns.

Bayatur’s movement also became busy.

He deployed as many scouts as possible and received detailed reports on the movement of the Roman army gathering near the border.

The Roman army seemed to have no intention of hiding their movements.

In fact, it was almost impossible to move a large army of over 400,000 without being noticed by the enemy.

Bayatur narrowed down the route of invasion by the Romans to two major ones and immediately gathered his Senior Warriors.

Bartazar-gal, Al-tan, Otgonbayar, and Kublai all attended the meeting.

Al-tan, who had tasted humiliation in Greece once, seemed eager to fight as soon as possible, burning his eyes with hostility.

“Supreme Senior Warriors, I heard that those Roman bastards are marching towards us without knowing their place. Don’t we have to go out and kill them right away?”

On the other hand, Bartazar-gal maintained his position of being cautious this time as well.

“The minimum number of Roman troops deployed this time is over 400,000. If we fight such a large army head-on, we will have to suffer tremendous damage no matter how elite we are.”

The Huns who returned to Sinegachar had recovered their strength by mobilizing all their reserve warriors.

He managed to calm down that farce somehow, but Bayatur learned one more good way to appease the tribal chiefs.

He made his decision and pointed his sword at a wide plain where he expected the Roman army to come in.

“I’ll fight them once when they pass through here. And I’ll decide on the next policy after seeing the results of the battle.”

“Yes!”

“We’ll smash all their heads.”

“I’ll get the warriors ready right away.”

“Then I’ll try to anticipate the Roman army’s formation and think about tactical movements accordingly.”

The four Senior Warriors each said a word and nodded their heads.

Their reactions were different, but they all had the same burning spirit.

Bayatur continued to talk about how to fight against the Romans.

The Senior Warriors kept asking questions and offering various opinions.

The meeting lasted until late at night and until the warriors were ready.

And finally, a report came up that the Roman army had started marching.

The 200,000 Hunnic cavalry led by Bayatur set out to intercept the Romans.

Confident that it would be a historic battle no matter who won or lost.

※※※

The over 350,000-strong army led by Caesar moved as Bayatur expected.

Of course, they didn’t show only obvious movements.

Two Roman legions under Marcus’s command crossed the Caucasus Mountains and moved north into Bosphorus Kingdom.

He received a report that the Romans were coming from over there, but he didn’t split his troops to save Bosphorus.

He thought that Bosphorus’s forces would be enough to defend against two legions.

If they just locked the gates and held on, they wouldn’t fall so easily.

Besides, dividing his troops to deal with the enemy in Bosphorus was exactly what the enemy wanted.

Even if he sent cavalry, the Roman army could go back to the Caucasus Mountains and the Hun army would have no way to catch them.

It was only two legions.

As long as he inflicted serious damage on the Roman main force before Bosphorus fell, that was enough.

But there was one thing that Bayatur failed to notice.

Bosphorus had taken a defensive position to stop the Romans coming from the north, and the surveillance network that defended the Black Sea had completely lost its function.

Taking advantage of that gap, the Roman fleet sailed across the Black Sea and landed on the Crimean Peninsula, which was south of the Black Soil Plain where the Huns’ base was.

The strategy of supplying through the river was actually a deception.

Marcus’s real goal was to lure Bayatur’s main force with Caesar’s army and raid their base with an elite special unit.

The number was about 80,000.

It might seem small at first glance, but they were all cavalry.

Marcus led 50,000 Roman cavalry and 30,000 allied cavalry.

The Roman army had never led a unit composed entirely of cavalry and attacked the enemy’s rear.

Bayatur also did not expect that the Romans, who were settlers, would use such a tactic.

Marcus, who stepped on the land of the Black Soil, looked around at his cavalry who were ready to transform into demons descended from the ground.

His cold voice fell toward them, who were about to wipe out everything in sight.

“Show no mercy to the wounded, women, or old men. Kill everyone you see. Do not forgive those who raised their swords against Rome. Erase the Huns, Rome’s enemies, from this land.”

< 225. Marcus’s Fury > End