Astartes of the Bear School

Chapter 1816, Chapter 1788: Current Situation
“The sheriff of Foltest is named John Natalis,” Tissaya suddenly said, glancing up at Lann. “You should know him?”

“I do know him,” the Witcher nodded. “He was the commander-in-chief of the Battle of Little Fish River, and I think he did a pretty good job.”

Tisaya agreed with Lann's assessment: "He is indeed a formidable character."

"After the Battle of Little Fish River on the central front, the troops left behind in the south were unaware that their Marshal Menno Kuhorn had been defeated and were still heading north. John Natalis seized this opportunity and dealt them a crushing blow."

"The troops on the central front have been completely liberated. Of course, even so, it will be a long and arduous process to mobilize troops to gain an advantage and sweep away the eastern and western fronts."

“But John Natalis, that man immediately learned the blitzkrieg tactics that Menno Cuhorn had previously developed. He mobilized all the cavalry in the Allied forces and launched a surprise attack on Viden to the west.”

At this point, Lann nodded repeatedly, agreeing with Tisaya's assessment that John Natalis was "a formidable figure."

He didn't mean to underestimate these magical medieval generals, after all, Menno Kuhun was the highest military commander in Nilfgaard.

During his last war in the North, in response to evolving battlefield needs, he astutely developed a rudimentary battlefield communication system within just a few days.

Furthermore, this system has begun to spread rapidly, iterating on warfare tactics.

This time, he developed the tactical concept of blitzkrieg.

Such a commander would be considered a hero among men and a military genius anywhere.

But John Natalie is doing just as well.

With the [Cursed Wraith] of Nilfgaard and Lann of the North yet to even enter the fray, he was already close to defeating Menno Kuhun on the regular battlefield.

Moreover, the idea of ​​'learning blitzkrieg immediately' is quite impressive.

Blitzkrieg is a tactical concept that almost anyone can understand once it's explained in detail.

The problem lies not in the tactical concept itself, but in whether the actual operation after applying this tactical concept can meet the requirements.

To take the simplest example: during a blitzkrieg, the army's logistics and supply methods will definitely undergo tremendous changes.

The previously used logistical support methods almost had to be completely overhauled and rebuilt.

The Nilfgaardian Legion, at least, was a regular army under a large empire, and the specifications and quantities of its provisions and weapons were standardized.

The Northern Alliance was simply a huge, fragmented mess! Every country has its own currency, unit of weight, and unit of length.

The logistical pressure and difficulty were orders of magnitude greater than in Nilfgaard!

However, John Natalis was still able to resolve everything in less than a month after clashing with Menno Kuhorn, transforming his Northern Army into a blitzkrieg-ready force!

Such a person is certainly very capable.

Don't be fooled by the fact that Menno Kuhorn is now a prisoner of the Union Army. Even if this marshal himself were to serve as an advisor, he might not be able to reorganize the Union Army into what it is today!
"Joachim de Witt had long been unable to hold on, and John Natalis's attack completely crushed his last bit of fighting spirit."

At this point, even with her usual calm and indifference, Tisaya couldn't help but laugh out loud.

"Hmph, in the end Joachim did manage to escape south of the Yaruga River, but at the cost of those Nilfgaardian soldiers on the western front who were completely abandoned by him. Those soldiers who received no orders could only foolishly guard their strongholds and castles, and then be annihilated."

"In that sense, he was actually a meritorious official in the North."

"And the Eastern Front..."

At this point, Tisaya glanced at the unperturbed Witcher with amusement.

"Rudolph April Darcy was assassinated at the most critical moment of the battle. Rumor has it that he died in his sleep, and his blood soaked through the goat blanket. No one knows exactly when he died."

Lan En shrugged, making an innocent and ignorant expression.

Tisaya understood without asking further questions and simply continued talking.

"The Nilfgaardians on the Eastern Front were already exhausted and restless due to the Aden rebels and Cordwin's forces."

"News of the victory at the Battle of Little Fish River reached the northern camp first, while rumors spread and chaos reigned in the Nilfgaardian camp. Upon receiving the news, Sargeia immediately led the rebel army out of Phrygian."

"They cooperated with the Cordwinians, seizing the opportunity of their commander's assassination, and launched a full-scale attack on the chaotic Nilfgaardians."

"The Nilfgaardians have suffered a crushing defeat. They have not only been driven out of Aden, but have retreated all the way to the south of Livia and Leiria. In my opinion, they will soon be unable to hold on and will cross the Yaruga River to the south."

Tisaya briefly explained how the war had developed during Lann's time in the ancient Greek world, and what its state was like as it came to an end.

"Thank you, Tisaya. This information will be very helpful."

The sorceress, pulling an ink-stained quill from the ink bottle, waved her hand dismissively: "I've heard about your demands of Menno Kuhorn. It's not wise to lay out your negotiating terms so bluntly."

"It seems Marshal Nilfgaard has already spread my demands far and wide?" Lann himself seemed unsurprised. "But there's no need to concern ourselves with such trivial matters. The essence of negotiation lies in offering the other party an offer they cannot refuse."

“And my conditions were already given on the battlefield.” “Then let’s celebrate your success in advance.” Margarita raised her glass teasingly, giving a cheer of approval.

"Thank you, thank you." Lan En also stood up and bowed in return, looking quite serious.

Tisaya sighed and shook her head as she watched the two young people across from her playing around.

Lan En's return just happened to coincide with the post-war peace talks, which were scheduled for three days later.

The chaotic magical tides within the rift where the celestial spheres meet are surging. The Witcher has set a timetable for himself; he should be able to delay until at least a month before entering the unknown other side of the celestial sphere convergence.

The schedule was set, and considering the series of things he had to do, he seemed a little nervous.

So Lann didn't stop for long before going to find Kassandra and Alexios in Gos Velen.

As a powerful warrior who was supposed to be brought along to "show the world," Alexios naturally came along as well.

Cassandra, having previously visited the magical Middle Ages, is acting as a semi-local, showing her younger brother around and introducing him to the world.

Of course, Cassandra first took Alexios to the workshop district of Gos Velen.

Cassandra and Belengal get along well, but this is mainly due to issues related to weapons and equipment.

Belengar gave his prototype, which incorporated materials from the Lava Dragon, to Kassandra. He also used data and samples to replicate the Vivero steel from the Nilfgaardians and made a powerful bow for the falconer.

Now is the time when user feedback is needed.

"What do you mean the bow turned to stone?" Berengal scratched his receding hairline, a look of utter disbelief on his face. "Do I need to remind you? That bow was made of steel! A steel bow!"

“Hey, relax, Belengal.” Kassandra, who was already somewhat of an acquaintance, gestured for Alexios to sit across from Belengal’s desk. “I hunted down a Medusa, a monster whose gaze could turn people to stone, including their clothes and equipment.”

"If I hadn't acted quickly, it wouldn't have been just one bow that was petrified!"

The falconer spoke casually, as if the perilous battles were merely a normal part of her life.

Indeed, this may have been true for the Spartans as well.

Belengal didn't really care about the bow itself; at this moment, the old witcher was observing Alexios, who was curiously turning his head around.

"Petrification? I feel like I'm listening to a legend. Those ignorant people who spread rumors always say that 'the gaze of the petrifying chicken snake can turn people to stone,' but the petrifying chicken snake just has a highly venomous beak."

Berengal muttered to himself, 'Petrification must be magic,' while his hands continued to work.

He took back the prototype that Cassandra had already put into practice, intending to evaluate its condition from a craftsman's perspective.

"By the way, who is this...?"

“Alexios!” The Chosen One’s handsome face was adorned with a cheerful smile that made him instantly likeable. “It’s an honor to meet you, Master Blacksmith. Cassandra is my sister.”

The two reached out and shook each other's forearms.

In terms of etiquette alone, the magical Middle Ages and ancient Greece were quite similar.

After Alexios introduced himself, Belengal, who had previously hosted Cassandra, fully understood why he had come.

“Hmm, your armor coverage is decent, and the accessories are easy to make.” Berengal can now tell a lot about a person with just a glance. “But your armor is really… rugged in design.”

Actually, the old Witcher's twitching lips meant he wanted to say it was 'flashy'. Alexios's [Demigod Armor] was gleaming gold all over, and it was also sculpted with exaggerated chest and abdominal muscles.

Berengal even felt that, by comparison, the New World Expedition's armor style was at least a bit too wild, and overall more acceptable.

"And a bow!"

Cassandra quickly added.

The powerful bow, which was finally made after searching for information and samples on the battlefield, was petrified by Medusa after only a few days of use. It was a great pity for Cassandra.

Moreover, Alexios is now using a bow and arrow to compensate for his ranged attack capabilities, so the two of them can work together.

“No problem.” Berengal didn’t find it troublesome at all. “We’ll just go through that bear cub’s bill. White! White! Go check if workshop number eleven is free!”

After saying that, the old witcher called out towards the office door.

But the boy he was calling didn't go to look at the workshop; instead, he excitedly pushed the door open.

"Boss! Lan Enlai... ugh!"

Before he could finish speaking, Lan En's large hand ruffled the boy's head from behind as he walked in.

(End of this chapter)