Blood tax

Chapter 448 The Battle of Verona: Spring Awakening ([-])

The rebel army in front of them connected dozens of wooden trucks to form a curved line relying on the river bend, and surrounded the fortifications in the low hills and swamps, backed by the river, with swamps on the side, like a riverside small town.There were crowds of people on every carriage, the erected wooden carriage boards were at least two meters high, crossbows and spears were dangling like a forest.

The rebels had already established a solid line of defense, and the infantry who were only equipped with shields and mail armor would suffer a large number of casualties from bows and crossbows during the charge.After receiving the combat order, Bayeran's soldiers took off the wooden planks and tools on the trolley, quickly made a batch of simple large wooden shields, put them on the trolley and pushed them to the front line.

These shield vehicles are commonly used equipment when attacking the camp. The long wooden planks can withstand most of the crossbow arrows and spear shots, and they approach the enemy's position about ten steps ahead.Once there, the role of the shield car is not worth mentioning, because the defenders on the entire line of defense can attack the exposed attacking soldiers from the left and right.

Since the artillery team did not keep up, the spellcasters accompanying the army stepped forward, and some students from Homonworth also joined in the action.In a group of three, they used dust crystals, mercury, and brimstone to draw a magic circle, preparing to summon meteorites and strong winds for firepower preparations.

"Peeper" Hasso Eckard is the leading professor of Homenworth. He is not the commander of the army, but he is more prestigious than Berthier. He condescends to lead all the wizards present to cast a large-scale attack spell.

He looked at the rebel position half a mile away and chanted a spell.The bright sunny sky was driven by his will, darkened, and as the dark clouds surged, a terrifying crack was torn in the dark sky with magma flowing, like a giant beast in the abyss scalding its saliva, looking down at the feast of flesh and blood .

The extraordinary wizard whispered:
"My brethren, hear the truth of the arcana, the eternal spirit connects my soul,

"Throw destruction on the heads of lowly bugs, let them know that they are only mortals!"

Berthier, who participated in this collective spellcasting, felt that his soul seemed to transcend his body and soared up, feeling extremely happy.

Even Nefertti, who was hiding far away in the headquarters and was unable to participate in the action because she was not an official Sequence 8 Extraordinary, felt her mind become ethereal, as if she had merged into an incomparably vast, sublime and unimaginable space, Unconsciously, you have to give everything you have to make the power of magic more noble.

This force connects every spellcaster on the battlefield, leaving them in no doubt that they are the undisputed masters of the world.

For a great cause, they are even willing to give their lives!

Professor Hasso Eckard completes the mammoth spell.He raised his wand and swung it forward:
"Destroy, burn, and bury in ravines that no one knows.

"Blaze—storm!"

Waves of fire descended from the sky, sending out a howling roar that made one's heart tremble like a cry.The entire rebel position was enveloped in the flames unleashed by the spellcaster.

More than 500 rebels, hundreds of carts, steadfastly defending the position on the river bank... As long as the power of the spell cannot be blocked, mortals are like ants in front of the caster.

Professor Eckard didn't even look at the tumbling flames, turned around and returned to his car, and just said to Commander Berthier: "Clean it up."

The order for the infantry attack was given.

Desai handed over his steed to the servants and sent it to the rear, and gathered together with a few apprentice knights from Homonworth's first year, armored cavalry from other units, and a squadron of hoplites.Nona and Kulala led them to attack the south right of the car formation from the left.

They were supposed to dodge long-range flanking fire as they approached the enemy's fortifications, and then roll over wagons amid a siege of spears and flails.However, the raging flame storm enveloped the formation of vehicles, and the rebels' position was already filled with thick smoke.

Attacking at this time means cleaning up the scorched wreckage, and don't block the way of the spellcasters... Desai sighed in his heart, and acted silently.

Each of them wore double armor, and carried a fine buckler, sword, and battle-axe.Throwing spears, hammers, and throwing knives are prepared on the shields or behind them. As long as they approach within ten steps, they can quickly tear through the enemy's defenses.

At a distance of 300 meters, the noble knights of Verona and their retinues also completed preparations on the other side of the front line, and were about to attack the northern end of the chariot formation from the right.

The curse had severely injured the rebels, but it was hard to say whether there were still archers hidden in the ruins; and the shield vehicles were all ready, and it would be a waste to not use them.The two commandos from the north and the south had the same idea and pushed forward with light shield vehicles.

The heavy infantry of several squadrons gathered in the rear, as long as the commando made a breakthrough in any direction, the infantry would follow up and tear the line of defense to widen the gap.

Desai patted his helmet, and slid his right hand to his left shoulder, pulling on the breastplate.He is not a cavalryman, the plate armor is only the breastplate of the half body, and the protection of the lower body relies on the mail armor under the waist and the greaves on the calf.This combination takes into account the defense, and can also flexibly mount and dismount the horse, which is welcomed by many armored cavalry.

Of course, in terms of defensive effect, such equipment cannot be compared with the canned super-heavy knight.Among the native Verona knights who fought together, some wore full-body plate armor, and they walked like a metal hill with awe-inspiring momentum.They also painted multicolored coat of arms on the silver heavy armor, which is really dazzling in the sun.

Desai and the trainee knights around him were much poorer.They are the children of lower nobles gathered from all over the world, and almost all of them are the second sons without inheritance rights.The emperor and the official gave them standard equipment.

After the assault team was assembled, the priest stepped forward, holding a textbook and praying for them.The main force of the rebel army should have been wiped out, but the soldiers who performed the assault mission still wanted to be more cautious.

Apprentice Joshua from Storm Squadron is also here, outfitting a squad with Prayer of Sanctuary that boosts defense and Grace of the Wind effects that boost agility.He was a handsome and gentle young man. After singing the prayer, he smiled and put on the iron helmet, shook the white robe over the heavy armor, picked up the large shield and mace, and joined the ranks of the armored cavalry.

"She's so beautiful." Joshua stood beside Desai, looking at Nona who organized the attack.

"I can't say how beautiful it is, but it has a unique heroic spirit and unique flavor. Kulala is more beautiful." Desai also commented.During battles, he would often comment on the ladies in the team with Pashuu and give them points.After the lucky bastard Paciu was assigned to escort Lansada, Desai could only chat with Joshua.

"That's right," Joshua echoed, then put the big shield on his back, and held the handle of the shield cart, "Come on, guys, push up! Let's smash the enemy's dog's head!"

"Let's smash the dog's head!"

Everyone shouted in unison.

If there is enough time, or if ballistas and fire arrows are deployed on the enemy's position, the armor of the shield car will be double-layered with wooden boards, smeared with slippery mud in the middle, and even stuffed with a layer of quilt.But today, the master wizard has done his best, and the army is still in a hurry. The superior ordered everyone to make a quick decision, just take a formality.

Before putting on the helmet, Desai casually plucked a blade of grass from the ground and chewed it in his mouth.There was still thick smoke billowing ahead, and it was hard to see how the enemy formation had been burned.

"Woo-!"

A bugle sounded and the commandos sprang into action.Ten shield chariots are in front, and 150 infantry cavalry and heavy infantry from various units are hidden behind.They have to advance to a distance of forty yards. If the enemy is still alive, the archers in their own troops will shoot three rounds of rapid and dense arrow rain to suppress, creating a surprise air strike for the infantry and cavalry.

Desai pushed the cart without saying a word.Through the gaps in the boards, some dark smoke in front could be barely seen.

It's as smoky as burning wet wood...

"It's very quiet on the other side." Next to Desai's cart was Shutoral, a first-year student named Bukharin.He was not much older than Desai, and he had been in the East before being selected.Except for those who served as staff officers and heralds of the headquarters, most of the Xiutoral who followed this army to participate in the spring camp participated in the attack and pressed forward with the shield car.

"In our east," Bukharin panted, whether it was from nervousness or exhaustion, he said in the tone used by Shutoral, "when the shield chariot advances within fifty yards, the arrow rain of the orcs will Down like a splash. Hey buddy, have you ever been to the east?"

"boom!"

As soon as the words fell, there was a shaking on the thick wooden shield.There were bursts of sharp whistling in the air, and there was a muffled sound of "dole" and "dole" nailed to the wooden board.

"What's going on?" Bukharin paused in surprise.

Desai's heart was hanging in his throat, so he couldn't be in the mood to talk.The dry mouth seemed to be petrified.An unprecedented cold touch surrounded him.

This is the warning of the Extraordinary's spirituality, the small and unnegligible danger omen that the perception perceives.

The sounds on the wooden shield became more and more intensive, and there was no "swish" sound of arrow rain in the air, but two loud muffled sounds mixed in instead.

"Get down!" Desai growled.Time seemed to slow down, and the wooden shield in front of it suddenly expanded and broke at a speed visible to the naked eye, and a black object pierced through the wooden boards, rushing towards it with wood chips and fine flying debris.

"Ah!" The time suddenly returned to normal, and Desai heard Bukharin screaming beside him.He turned his head and saw the apprentice knight was hit in the arm, falling to the ground with broken bones and blood foam.

There was one great roar after another, each time accompanied by bright flames spurting from the black smoke ahead, as if there was a huge dragon hiding there.

The sturdy shield car crackled and exploded amidst the roar, sweeping splinters of wood over the heads of the commandos.

"artillery!"

All the attacking teams shouted.For the first time, they were in the position of being shelled in actual combat.The rebel shelling was unimaginably dense, and the position was very close. The screams tore through the air, and the inevitable danger strangled everyone's throat like a noose.

What's going on, hasn't the wizard's flames already burned the rebels clean!

Desai felt his hands sink, and all the commandos who were pushing the shield vehicle forward all fell to the ground.He looked out from the broken gap, only to see shaking figures one by one.

The smoke was blown away by the wind, and the attacking Bayeran soldiers were horrified to find that the car array was still standing in place.Many people shot black iron pipes through the small windows of the car panels, spewing out a cloud of fire and smoke.

The artillery they concealed on the carriage was not big, and the shells they used were not much larger than a shotgun, but falling on the front, back, left, and right sides of the commandos was as terrifying as a lightning strike.

The shield car that can withstand the bow and crossbow is like paper in front of the shells, it can't provide cover at all, and the flying debris will kill a lot of people.The artillery of the rebels was not accurate, but the speed of loading and firing was very fast, mixed with bows and arrows, washing the stopped shield vehicles like a torrential rain.The bravest and most active commandos were on their knees, with their shields erected in front of them.

"Attack! Abandon the shield car!"

Desai yelled anxiously.He watched the 603 Squadron bombard the enemy more than once. As long as those shells that don't look very fast hit, no matter how thick the armor and shield are, they can't stop them.

An indescribably pungent smell filled the air, mixed with the smell of burnt wood and earth.Every time there was a loud noise, my heart was strangled, and I trembled more and more shrillly.

"what--!"

The nearby shield car let out a scream.A larger shell pierced the wooden shield and rolled through the midst of the concealed commandos, taking a fragment of limb and blood foam with it.

"Let's rush over!" Desai yelled, and no matter whether anyone heard it, he grabbed a one-handed ax and rushed towards the car formation.

The noise on the battlefield was louder than his voice, but there were still some commandos who spontaneously abandoned the meaningless defense and charged towards the car formation.

The rebel fire was accompanied by a huge cloud of smoke that nearly obscured the battlefield.

Bright orange flames flickered on and off in the smoke, and each time it came on there was a whistling sound.Desai rushed into the gunpowder smoke with his round iron shield in hand, and his comrades could not be seen on the left or right, only a faint wall appeared in front of him.He could only grab the ax and shield and leap forward, jumping over there.

(End of this chapter)