CH241 Dark Hounds

***

After saying that, the individual—or rather, Alex Fury—turned his eyes to the Fort ahead.

He saw Jared lead out the company of Dark Hounds.

'It really came to this, huh, Jared,' Alex muttered to himself.

The Dark Hounds were no ordinary knight company. They were one of the trump cards the Fury Army had prepared with him for the Kellerman attack, despite the Army's already outstretched resources.

His eyes then shifted to the city gate, and beyond. Thanks to his Spirit Sight, he could sense from the ambient mana that the other trump cards he had personally set up—his modified and unique Array Formations—had not been activated.

'Why haven't they—?' Suddenly, a premonition struck him. 'Don't tell me... they couldn't activate them?'

'Did I overestimate them?' He wanted to smack his own face.

He knew the mages left at the Fort—especially after the Lord Marshall had reallocated much of their strength—were nowhere near the level of the DragonHold Enclave. He had factored that weakness in when calibrating the Array designs.

But now, it seemed he had still given them too much credit.

'Just how bad are they?' Alex grit his teeth, barely resisting the urge to curse.

'There's only one option left.'

He turned to the Fangs behind him.

"They've committed their forces to an all-out attack. That means their attention is focused on the Fort. We'll use this chance to strike their rear and throw them into chaos."

"Colonel Hoist," Alex looked to the man on his right. "Once we cut through their backline, take your unit and head right of the wall. Support our men there."

"As you command, General."

"Major Jaeger," Alex turned left. "After cutting down their rear forces, swing left and reinforce that flank. Spend some time to draw their attention and build your strength."

"By your orders, General."

Colonel Hoist frowned. "What about you, General?"

Laura and Lieutenant Cross had been left behind with a detachment to make sure there were no survivors from the supply raids. But everyone knew the truth—they were too weak to be of use to the special taskforce any longer.

With them out, Alex and his shadow guard, Udara, were the weakest members of the unit.

"Me?" Alex's eyes narrowed. "I'll use the cover of the Dark Hounds to push through to the gate. I need to reach the plaza as quickly as possible."

Alex knew full well there was little he could achieve with his meagre strength as he was now on a battlefield of this scale. But there was something only he could do—something that could change the course of the battle. He just needed to get through the battlefield and past the Fort gates.

Colonel Hoist and Major Jaeger frowned.

Alex's path to the gate wouldn't be easy. But compared to wading into the thick of the battle, it was the easier task—especially if only he and Udara moved together.

"Alright. Let's not waste any more time. Move!" Alex ordered.

And so, Alex's hundred and fifty Fangs surged onto the battlefield.

--

Back at the Fort, the stalemate dragged on. The Fury defenders barely clung to the walls under the Kellerman infantry's relentless push. It seemed the deadlock would last indefinitely—unless something drastic happened.

That something was already in motion.

"AHHH!!!"

A unified war cry thundered across the battlefield as the Dark Hounds, under Jared's command, charged.

A dim glow spread across their armour, revealing etched runes as the plating shifted and thickened. Their already imposing suits grew bulkier, and the enchantments spread seamlessly onto their steeds, armouring them as well.

Seeing this, the Fury defenders roared in renewed morale, while the Kellerman soldiers faltered in dread.

"Magic Armour Corps!" voices cried from both sides.

"The Fury Army actually had a company of Magic Armour Knights to spare?!" General Vance was stunned.

Heavy cavalry was already a nightmare to stop. But Magic Armour Knights? Their charge was a force of destruction.

Lances lowered in unison. Their mounts accelerated unnaturally fast, despite the increased bulk. The runes pulsed, amplifying the momentum and force of every knight.

A phantom cone—a colossal lance-head made of raw energy—formed at the vanguard of their charge.

The Kellerman frontline shieldbearers trembled as terror seized them.

Pucchii!!

The magically empowered charge tore through the Kellerman shield wall like hot steel through butter.

Worse still, instead of slowing, the cavalry seemed to grow faster with each wall it smashed through.

A flash of rage crossed General Vance's eyes.

Not only was Jared using the combined might of the Magic Armour Knight company to wreak havoc in his ranks, the shameless Dark Knight was even amplifying their charge with his Saintly Domain.

It was the only explanation for why their momentum hadn't slowed.

The Dark Hounds' devastating charge tore through the Kellerman frontline again and again, leaving trails of corpses in their wake. More importantly, their repeated strikes had all but halted the main force's advance toward the gate.

All without a single scratch, much less a casualty. Their armour shrugged off any attempted attacks while also boosting their mount's speed and their strikes.

Even with covering fire from their archers and mages, the Kellerman frontline formation crumbled. The Dark Hounds slaughtered soldiers by the regiment, scattering entire brigades as though they were straw before the scythe.

The midline troops were too shaken to push forward.

General Vance's face twisted as he considered how to respond, when an adjutant rushed to his side.

"General Vance, reporting!"

"What is it now?" Vance barked.

"An unknown mounted unit is launching a surprise attack from the rear—on both flanks!"

"What?!" Vance's head snapped around.

On both sides, dark-hooded riders swept through his ranks. They did not slow, cutting down Kellerman soldiers as if they were nothing more than wheat before the blade.

On the right, mounted archers loosed arrows at terrifying speed and accuracy, cutting down men before they could even raise their shields. On the left, mounted warriors crashed straight into the formation, slicing through the ranks with merciless precision.

"What are the commanders doing?! Must I control everything myself?!" Vance snarled.

"Open a gap on the right and funnel them through! Have our archers shoot them down! On the left, swarm them—slow their charge! Target their horses, for crying out loud!"

As if to prove his point, a Kellerman soldier managed to spear the horse of the leading rider on the left flank. The beast toppled, shrieking, before crashing to the ground—yet, in its dying embers, it cushioned its master's fall, exactly as trained in its life.

Vance allowed himself a brief breath of relief.

But it didn't last long.

***

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