I'm not a Witcher anymore.

Chapter 165: A shootout? I'm using alchemical bombs.

One hour later.

The army, which had previously retreated in panic, has now been reorganized.

The densely packed lord alliance infantry and the roaming Cuman cavalry resembled countless black ants spreading out a vast carpet across the wilderness.

The bugle call sounded first.

Immediately afterwards, the dull drumbeats pressed down from the enemy ranks, one after another, as if someone were pounding the heart of the earth with a hammer.

This time, Sigismund's men did not push all their forces towards the city walls at once.

The lords' alliance infantry, carrying ladders and large shields, advanced along the town's roads. They were like a swarm of worker ants in iron shells, inching their way towards the castle's main gate.

The Cumans, however, avoided the town.

Using their horses' speed, they passed through the gentle slopes and furrows outside the town, spreading out along the undulating open hillside beside the castle.

These grassland riders reined in their warhorses more than a hundred meters away. Some remained seated, while others dismounted, handed the reins to their companions, and stood beside their horses, drawing their bows and arrows.

What they wanted to do was not to attack the city, but to make the defenders on the city walls unable to raise their heads.

"Raise your shields!!!"

Radji’s hoarse roar had just begun.

Bang bang bang bang!

It wasn't just a few twangs, but the buzzing sound of nearly a thousand bowstrings vibrating simultaneously, much like the fluttering of countless giant wasps in the height of summer.

The sky darkened in that instant.

Countless feathered arrows soared into the air, drawing dense parabolic arcs as they rained down like a black downpour.

Loot! Loot! Loot! Loot! Loot!

The sound of arrows striking wooden shields, stone walls, and even cracks blended together, so dense it sent chills down one's spine.

The defenders could only cower behind their shields and battlements.

This is exactly the effect the enemy wanted.

"Now! Chop down the fence! Quickly!"

Under the cover of the black downpour, the vanguard of the Lords' Alliance had already rushed to the fence outside the castle.

The heavy logging axes cleaved the fence wildly, sending wood chips flying everywhere.

Immediately afterwards, a dozen thick hemp ropes with iron hooks were thrown over and hooked onto the fence. Accompanied by the hoarse shouts of the 10th Army Commander, dozens of heavy infantrymen pulled backward with all their might, like in a tug-of-war.

Most of the archers on the city wall couldn't even lift their heads.

Only a few daring veterans peeked out from between the arrows and fired a few arrows at the Lord Alliance infantry who were destroying the fence.

However, these scattered counterattacks were quickly swallowed up by the large shields and the crowd, and could not stop the enemy from destroying the fence.

However, although the Cumans had nearly a thousand bows, in order to quickly suppress the city walls and cover their vanguard as they broke through the palisade and advanced, the Cuman leader ordered them to fire continuously and rapidly, sparing no effort.

But human strength has its limits. After several volleys of arrows, the Cumans' drawing of the bow inevitably slowed, and the once impenetrable rain of arrows thinned out.

"Now."

Upon hearing the order, Matos and several soldiers protecting Zig and Haitar withdrew their shields and quickly crouched down.

Hightar opened the wooden crate at his feet and handed him the heavy sling specially made for Sieg and a Dancing Star bomb.

Zieg put the bomb into a thick leather pouch.

The next moment, the sling began to spin in his hand.

The low, rumbling sound of wind breaking suddenly rose, like an angry beast being flung into the sky.

Then, Ziegler released his grip.

The small alchemical bomb traced a high arc, soaring over the city walls, across the meadows outside the town, and precisely striking the Cuman archers.

The most densely populated location.

boom!

A burst of fire erupted.

The seven or eight Cumans at the center of the explosion and their warhorses were instantly engulfed in flames. Before they could even scream, they were completely swallowed up by the roar of the explosion.

The warhorse beside him reared up in fright, its burning mane and cloak flailing wildly, emitting a pungent, acrid smell.

Sieg didn't look at the rolling flames. When the first Dancing Star left his hand, he had already taken the second alchemical bomb that Hightower handed him.

The Cumans, on the slopes outside the city, had clearly noticed this as well.

That wasn't some unlucky guy who was accidentally hit.

That was the person on the city wall, who could accurately throw those explosive and spreading flames into their most densely populated area.

"spread!"

The Kuman chief finally realized what was happening and roared at the top of his lungs.

But his order came a step too late.

The second Dancing Star has already taken to the sky.

It wasn't as straight as an arrow, nor as heavy as a stone; instead, it traced a chilling arc as it fell upon the Cuman riders' newly dispersed ranks.

boom!

A second burst of fire exploded in the crowd.

Blinding white light and deafening roar intertwined, flames licking at the withered grass, soil, and warhorse hides like greedy tongues.

Ugh—!

The sound of wind breaking rang out again, followed by the third and fourth.

Zieg was like a tireless human catapult, constantly hurling alchemical bombs into the air.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The Cuman warhorses, already agitated by the smell of blood, completely panicked after several loud explosions.

Unlike the warhorses of later generations accustomed to the roar of cannons, these beasts' fragile nerves snapped instantly when faced with the raging flames that seemed like divine punishment descending from the sky.

Fear turned these normally well-trained horses into uncontrollable wild beasts.

They reared up wildly, their front hooves kicking wildly in the air; some crashed uncontrollably into the bellies of their companions; others ignored their riders' attempts to pull them away, dragging their riders with them as they fled in disarray.

"Damn it! What kind of witchcraft is this?!"

"Stop! Stop now!"

"Grab them! Back up! Back up!"

The Cuman cavalry, who had just been suppressing the city walls with a rain of arrows, were instantly thrown into chaos.

Faced with this explosion that defies comprehension and ruthlessly reaps lives, even the most bloodthirsty savage would feel an instinctive fear.

Some were thrown to the ground by the crazed warhorses and mercilessly trampled by their chaotic hooves:

Those skilled horsemen who managed to maintain their balance could only use all their strength to press down on their horses' necks, tighten the reins, and avoid their oncoming companions and out-of-control warhorses.

With their warhorses violently jolting and ramming them out of control, their prized archery skills were rendered useless, and their recurve bows became mere decorations.

As for the Cumans who dismounted to shoot arrows, their situation wasn't much better.

Although they didn't have to worry about being thrown off their horses, the warhorses around them were neighing, leaping, and charging wildly; alchemical bombs kept falling in front of them, and flames rolled along the grass, distorting the air as they burned.

No one knows where the next fire will land.

No one is willing to gamble that it won't fall at their feet.

So the Cumans on the outermost edge began to retreat.

Next came the second and third rows.

No one needed to give orders; primal fear had already made the choice for these barbarians.

As they dragged their out-of-control warhorses, they instinctively moved away from the slope repeatedly plowed by flames.

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