Cataphracts, surviving in a world full of mods

But having come this far, he had no choice but to move forward.

He climbed the rugged rocks and ascended the steep peaks, getting higher and higher until he suddenly heard faint voices ahead. He then nimbly hid himself in the bushes, his dark green cloak with special patterns perfectly concealing him.

Two soldiers in exquisite armor walked by. Everything on them was incredibly fine and expensive, and the curved swords at their waists were still stained with thick blood.

It was the king's guard, composed entirely of Camus, the second son of a nobleman...

Knowing he was close to his true destination, the intense pressure made his hands tremble. He put his fingers in his mouth and bit down hard; the sharp pain immediately brought him back to his senses.

He dared not take any more risks, and without even raising his head, he crawled forward through the bushes, slowly moving in the direction the two soldiers had come from, like a nimble gecko, barely disturbing the grass.

But this method of advance, while stealthy, was also extremely slow. It took him a long time until the sun began to set and cast its orange-red glow before a towering cave came into view...

A group of ragged slaves, their feet covered in mud and their bodies covered in small cuts from thorns and branches, were driven by soldiers to gather in the open space in front of the cave.

A soldier carefully counted their numbers. After counting to 50 people, he nodded to the others, and the slaves, filled with fear and confusion, were driven into the cave.

Not long after, a series of shrill screams and pleas for mercy rang out, startling the slaves who were still outside, who frantically tried to retreat.

Without hesitation, the soldiers drew their whips and lashed out at anyone who dared to retreat. The slaves' fear of the whip was almost ingrained in their bones, and they immediately bowed their heads and stood still.

The slaves were silenced with ease. A short while later, the remaining slaves were also driven inside, and a round of screams erupted before quickly subsiding. Only the soldiers, covered in blood, slowly walked out.

Unbeknownst to them, in the nearby bushes, someone's palms were completely soaked with cold sweat...

Chapter 70 Brother and Legion

The arrival of the support was so unexpected. In the blink of an eye, the reddish silver line appeared on the horizon. The imperial red double-headed eagle banners pointed straight to the sky like wheat seedlings in spring, with the tassels and tassels on them swaying with the air currents.

These are the most elite Imperial soldiers. They are not carrying any auxiliary troops; each of them is a heavily armored soldier wearing full armor, with coarse cloth bundles on their backs, and no other supplies.

Clad in chainmail and wearing chainmail neck guards, the legion's archers, each holding a longbow, were protected in the center, their arrows already nocked, ready for battle.

The soldiers' spears were denser than the rice seedlings, gleaming in the sunlight. Their steps were steady and powerful, and they approached the city slowly with a determined attitude. Although they were still far on the horizon, one could already feel their astonishing order and power.

They did not approach in a marching formation, but rather formed ranks far in advance and then cautiously advanced. The legion's heavy infantry formed a shield wall, turning themselves into a wall of steel, and slowly pressed towards the white city wall in the distance.

The footsteps of the legion were like rumbling thunder in the distance, rolling outwards wave after wave, startling the birds in the surrounding forests into the sky and causing the beasts in the forests to rush out of the woods in panic. The entire north side of the city was in chaos, and the only thing that maintained discipline was the steel-formed military formation.

Suddenly, the armored cavalrymen began to cheer loudly, waving incessantly at a long yellow dragon rolling in from afar. Everyone else was wondering why these cold and powerful cavalrymen had suddenly become excited, but then they saw a group of cavalrymen who looked exactly like them rush out of the dust, with the same men and horses fully armored, the same gleaming helmets and armor, and the same unstoppable momentum.

The powerful warhorses churning up mud and dust on the ground, and the brightly fluttering golden banners were incredibly conspicuous. This elite cavalry approached the city at a speed far exceeding that of heavy infantry. At the head of the cavalry was a particularly robust man, and his warhorse was also the fastest.

Even though it was already clear enough, it was still quite a while before the cavalryman actually arrived at the city wall. When the sound of hooves stopped, the warhorses ran wildly, and the entire city wall fell silent. Everyone's eyes were focused on the leading knight.

The knight reached out and untied the leather pouch under his chin, removed the full-coverage helmet from his head, revealing a slightly rugged face that still bore a five-point resemblance to Tersolius. His scarred lips twitched slightly, and a strange light flickered in his eyes.

Tersolius didn't know what expression to wear. The person in front of him was his brother, but he had never seen this face before... Yet the other man had still gathered his legion just for a piece of news and traveled thousands of miles to come here... even coming alone with his cavalry, without considering the possibility that it was a trap.

This person could only be his own brother, even if it's just a rumor... But besides this person, who else could go to such lengths?

Nathamus, who had been stern and unsmiling, stared intently at the young man on the city wall, his sharp gaze almost piercing his skin. But then, the expression on his face began to melt away rapidly, revealing scorching steel beneath the icy exterior.

"What are you daydreaming about, you brat? Hurry up and open the door for your older brother!"

It wasn't until he felt a strange pulling sensation in his cheek muscles that Thesolius realized he was laughing. He didn't know why he was laughing, but the joy and happiness from the bottom of his heart made the corners of his mouth involuntarily turn up. The surging emotions easily broke through his defenses, making him laugh directly on the city wall, even laughing so hard that his back ached.

For a moment, only his unrestrained laughter echoed both above and below the city walls. All the soldiers waited quietly, and even their warhorses stopped pawing at each other.

………………

The massive city gate was slowly opened, and the huge winch turned slowly, emitting a piercing sound. The animal fat coated on it served a protective function, making the thick steel cable more durable.

Before Tersolius could even leave the city gate, he was struck by a massive body that rushed in. The burly Nathamus simply picked him up, the hard steel armor plates creaking as they rubbed together, and his loud laughter nearly shattered the surrounding tiles.

The cavalrymen filed in, and naturally they joined up with the original armored cavalrymen, chatting familiarly, patting each other on the shoulder, gathering together, and sighing deeply.

Natamus held on for a while, until Tesolius patted him on the shoulder, at which point he let go...

The fierce-looking, burly imperial general thoroughly examined his brother from head to toe, and after confirming that he was not missing any limbs, a smile returned to his face.

“I knew that stupid pig Gaelius wouldn’t be able to kill you, my brother… When I get back to the capital, I’ll personally rip his filthy head off his neck! I’ll make him pay for his crimes.”

Tersolius was still somewhat dazed. The extreme joy and natural sense of intimacy he had just experienced were completely beyond his control, as if they were a bodily instinct that had taken over his entire mind in an instant. For the first time, he intimately understood the meaning of the phrase "blood is thicker than water." Even though he had no relevant memories, he inexplicably felt that the face was very familiar and couldn't help but trust him.

He didn't know what was going on with him. His appearance hadn't changed at all, but he inexplicably had an older brother, someone he had relied on since childhood, supporting each other all the way to where he was today...

His body's instincts told him it was all real, but his memory denied it. He didn't know how to react, yet he felt surprisingly calm. So he simply stopped thinking about it and let his instincts run wild.

“I can imagine what that fat pig will say when he gets back… But with the Empire and His Majesty, I’m not too worried… These damned schemers and traitors deserve their punishment… But what we need to do now is keep this city in our hands.”

Tesolis paused suddenly, a tall figure flashing through his mind as if he had known him for a long time... He could even recall the silky silver hair and the molten gold eyes...

His temple throbbed rapidly, and a throbbing pain spread from deep within his brain, causing him to frown.

Natamus suddenly stopped, frowned at his face, and then touched the scar on his forehead with his finger:

“That cut was too dangerous. You almost went blind... no, you were crippled with only one eye... It’s okay, you’re fine like this! You look more like a battle-hardened general, even though you already are.”

"You should be grateful for your brother's good luck. If I hadn't met the best doctor, I might have really gone blind in one eye."

Tersolius smiled and waved to Tarina, who was looking somewhat timid in the distance. She was clearly afraid of Natamus beside her and dared not get too close.

Natamus frowned as he looked at Talina, who was walking towards him:

"A Holstein?"

"She is my doctor, or more accurately, our doctor."

Tersolius reached out and grabbed Tarina's sleeve, pulling her close. The girl let out a small scream in alarm, but quickly calmed down and bowed to Natamus.

“If the doctor hadn’t healed my eyes, if she hadn’t been in this city… perhaps this city would still be occupied by the Hols, and I wouldn’t have been able to hold out until you arrived. She is a respectable scholar, possessing knowledge that none of us can understand.”

Natamus was immediately filled with respect, not only because the girl before him had saved his brother, but also because learned people deserved respect.

“You deserve my gratitude, girl. Everything you have done is of immeasurable value to me. Thank you for helping my brother.”

"No, no, no! Please don't say that, sir... I was just taken in by General Tersolis. I was just an ordinary herbalist with nowhere to go, not some great scholar at all!"

Tarina was flustered and didn't know what to do. Everything happening before her eyes was beyond her comprehension and completely outside the girl's knowledge. She had no idea what kind of etiquette or address to use when facing this adult. Her teachers had not taught her about this, so she was caught in this flustered situation.

But thankfully, there's still Tersolius...

“You’re too modest, Talina. You know more than all of us combined. This is not something an ordinary village herbalist could do. I’m afraid even our wounded soldiers would disagree. You’ve saved the vast majority of them. Those quacks who only know how to bleed and saw off legs couldn’t do this.”

The girl lowered her head timidly, her pointed ears turning red at a visible speed. The surrounding mountain people and slaves all loudly agreed, and even the cavalrymen nodded in agreement. Everyone had seen the work the doctor had done during this time, and everyone hoped that they could receive her treatment after being injured.

A genuine smile appeared on Natamus's face:

“As I just said, young lady, you have earned my gratitude. You can get my help whenever you need it. You saved my brother’s eye, and may even have saved his life. For this alone, no amount of gold can buy you anything.”

Tarina nodded silently, not out of fear, but out of shyness. The boisterous mountain people were cheering loudly, especially a short man with dark blond hair, who was the most enthusiastic, making the girl a little exasperated and wanting to rush over and kick his butt.

Amidst this commotion, the distant army finally approached the city...

“I’ve sent both legions to Dalifel and Saxo...that way the Hols will have no chance to get in our way, but that means the only ones who can support the city are my 3600 men...the Kiel in the north have been restless lately, so I can’t send too many troops for the time being.”

The legionary soldiers were arrayed outside the city, advancing in waves of two hundred men at a time, while the rest remained on guard outside. Even though the marching roads to the north of the city were theoretically blocked, the officers were still tense about venturing deeper into the city.

The empire had attacked this city before, but each time it had not achieved good results... The wide plains and convenient roads to the south of the city allowed the Kingdom of Hols to quickly assemble its army. The fertile land could also provide a large amount of food for the army. Once a war broke out, this place would be more difficult to conquer than a real mountain range.

One after another, bright red flags entered the city, displaying their power and prestige. These elite soldiers had set foot in Alperth for the first time, achieving a goal that many imperial legions had failed to accomplish. After the initial confusion and tension, they immediately erupted in deafening cheers. Every soldier saluted the two generals standing on the city wall, and the flag bearers raised their flags high.

The imperial legions entered the city with pride and unwavering force. The sound of their boots pounding on the cobblestones was as deafening as thunder, and their cheers threatened to rip tiles from every house. The gleaming swords and spears, their cold, sharp light flashing everywhere, filled everyone who heard them with unease and fear.

The last trace of sorrow in Tersolius's eyes vanished, replaced by intense confidence and majesty. He watched as these steel-clad soldiers gathered in the city's central square, an unstoppable torrent of steel capable of engulfing everything before them.

Not to mention the 624 armored cavalrymen who arrived here with his brother, plus the ones he brought from the Bone Basin, these terrifying iron cavalry now numbered in the thousands... In addition, there were the world's best heavy infantry and a large number of excellent archers and crossbowmen... The goddess of victory had entrusted everything he needed to her; all she had to do now was carry it out.

Now that things have come to this, what is there to worry about? He will surely triumph again, just as he has every time before…

A falcon with golden feathers flew across the sky, its wings cutting through the damp clouds until the mist dissipated, revealing the scorching sunlight...

On the 10th day of the city's siege... reinforcements arrived.

P.S.: I had been planning the first meeting between the protagonist and his older brother for a long time, but when I actually started writing it, I realized it was still quite difficult... How to get along in this situation is really hard to handle (ノへ￣).

Chapter 71 Chaos (1)

With his hands and feet bound by thick hemp ropes, the Holstein officer in front of him was in dire straits, yet his face showed no fear, and he continued to curse incessantly.

If a person is brave enough to this extent, he can be called a warrior regardless of his country or race. After all, he has fallen into the hands of the enemy, yet he still has the courage to provoke them.

This behavior could very well bring him the threat of torture and death. If he can be indifferent to even these, then his courage surpasses that of the vast majority of people, and he deserves to leave his mark on history.

But Thesolius did not believe that the Holstein man before him possessed such courage... This fellow's condition was less one of bravery and more one of madness...

Moreover, this phenomenon is becoming increasingly serious; the Hols soldiers seem to have all become a bunch of madmen, and this madness is growing day by day.

At first, they were terrified by the heavy casualties and panicked by the horrific state of the dead. But now, this Hols man had fallen into their hands and dared to hurl insults, displaying intense aggression.

If you loosen the ropes binding him, he will immediately pounce on anyone he can see, so you have to tie him up tightly like a piglet.

With a slight wave of his hand, a cavalryman stepped forward and cut the ropes binding his hands and feet with a dagger. Before he could even move his limbs, the crazed Hols officer pounced on Natamus, the most obvious target.

The burly Natamus clearly found it amusing, so he broke only one of the man's legs and one arm, rendering him unable to move, before carefully examining his condition...

Even though he was unable to move due to the intense pain, the Hols man still stared fiercely at the Imperial general in front of him, the bloodshot eyes almost turning his entire eye sockets red.

"The situation was very unusual. Their morale had been completely depleted, and I thought they wouldn't be able to launch an attack for at least five days... but on the second day alone, they launched an endless offensive."

Natamus nodded, casually snapped the man's neck, and tossed the body to the ground like a rag.

"If they continue in this state, it will not be a good thing for us... No matter how strong our army is, it cannot fight a fearless opponent indefinitely, and it will be exhausted sooner or later."

"These guys have no morale whatsoever. Even if we win a battle against them, we will suffer heavy losses... There must be a reason why these bastards have become like this, and it probably isn't a good thing for them either... Otherwise, they would have used it in the previous war."

The body was quickly moved out, taking away the frenzied atmosphere. The two men talked as they left the cold dungeon.

"To be honest, I never expected you to do something like this. Although I don't believe you'd be killed by that idiot, you actually managed to take down Alpert!"

Natamus shook his head with a sigh, but a clear smile played on his lips.

"Moreover, the news came too suddenly. His Majesty and I didn't even discuss it... Although it was a good idea of ​​yours. Once the news is spread, those guys won't be able to stop us, at least not openly. Otherwise, they'd be going against the entire empire."

Tersolius shook his head, and the two of them climbed the steps, the bright sunlight shining down from above, casting long shadows on the ground.

"The main problem is that the Hols were too careless. They thought that once I was routed on the battlefield, I would become easy prey... But not only did they not eat me, they also lost several pieces to me, especially this city, which should have been their prize..."

Natamus laughed heartily:

"That's right, they're just a bunch of stray dogs who want to eat meat but don't have the guts. We should knock their teeth out! That way they'll know what they should and shouldn't mess with, and they'll know who their masters are!"

With smiles on their faces, the two walked all the way to the inner city of the city. The current residents of this city had completely given up hope and no longer had any intention of returning to their fallen kingdom.