CHAPTER 366: CHAPTER 245: SEEKING VICTORY IN DEFEAT

Fesaros immediately tensed up. Before he could speak, the staff department subordinate Marcus suggested, "Legion Commander, we must launch an attack immediately! Otherwise—"

Fesaros nodded and instructed the messenger, "Go tell Lufus right away—his First Battalion may begin their action!"

Lufus, a Roman veteran from Lukelia, was one of the six battalion captains when Maximus’ rebellion army occupied Pompeii. Later, when the legion was established, he did not become Legion Commander due to seniority reasons but has always served as the First Battalion Captain of the First Legion. His battalion was the most formidable in the rebellion army, and now it remains the one with the most veterans within the First Legion.

By withdrawing the First Battalion as reserves, Fesaros hoped they would unleash their greatest power in a counterattack.

After the messenger departed, Fesaros shouted his order loudly, "Sound the attack horn!"

"Woo! Woo! Woo!..." The copper horn blared for a while as the First Legion formation advanced slowly. Some arrays didn’t even budge.

Standing behind the formation, Fesaros quickly understood the reason. It wasn’t because the enemy was stubbornly resisting but because many soldiers in the frontlines were busy cutting off the ears of slain enemies, disregarding orders.

"Blow it again! Harder!" Fesaros yelled furiously at the horn player. "I want to see how many times they need to hear it before obeying orders!"

Fesaros was anxious, and so were the team officers within the formation. They understood the consequences of violating military orders better than the soldiers. Amid the urgent horn blasts and the angry scoldings of team officers, the soldiers dared not delay any longer. Shield in hand and sword gripped tightly, they stormed toward the enemy before them.

When the First Legion’s frontal attack once again drew all of the enemy’s attention, the First Battalion, originally hidden at the rear tail-end of the formation, swiftly launched an assault on the enemy’s flank under Lufus’ command.

The frontline soldiers of the First Legion, eager for battle merit and rewards, attacked fiercely yet orderly, akin to a spiked iron wall forcing the enemy into a continual retreat.

The flank assault carried out by the First Battalion, however, was like a sharp dagger. Using the Centurion units as the core, with Ten-man Teams as limbs, they dispersed during the attack, weaving into the gaps in the enemy formation to slice and slaughter with short swords. They wreaked havoc and instilled panic among the enemy troops...

On the left wing, the Otarlat tribal warriors, having been strategically arranged earlier, lacked the will for a desperate fight. Previously defeated, and now facing the brutal advance of the First Legion, they relied on their numerical advantage. While the middle and right sections of their line still held together, warriors at the end of their formation, attacked from both sides, began to break and flee shortly after...

The veterans of the First Battalion didn’t seize the opportunity to chase the fleeing warriors but instead drove them eastward.

The terrified deserters not only disrupted their own forces’ formation but quickly spread panic to their still-engaged comrades. As such, the left wing of the Otarlat formation soon disintegrated from localized routing into total collapse...

"Report to the Legion Commander, our allied forces in the center have been defeated!" A cavalryman came galloping up.

"I’ve already seen it." Fesaros, gazing toward the left side, fought to maintain composure. Although he had accounted for this possibility during discussions with his subordinates beforehand—this was why he riskily assigned the First Battalion as a reserve in the hope of crushing the enemy’s left wing promptly to then deal with subsequent complexities—the sight of his allies scattering wildly in the distance and hearing their cries for help still made him uneasy.

He turned his gaze forward. The First Legion soldiers were also chasing fleeing enemies, causing their previously tight formation to scatter completely due to the pursuit.

Last night, Fesaros had specifically emphasized to the team officers of the First Legion: after routing the enemy before them, do not pursue excessively; reform the array as quickly as possible.

But now it seemed they hadn’t performed this task as well as expected, which was the main reason for Fesaros’ anxiety.

"Horn player! Horn player! Blow the horn immediately, signal them to cease pursuit and reform the formation!" Fesaros shouted urgently.

"Woo woo woo woo!... Woo woo woo woo!..." The horn player blew fiercely, but amidst the dust-filled, deafening chaos of the battlefield, it had little effect on the soldiers of the First Legion who were fervently chasing fleeing enemies.

Fesaros was so anxious he was scratching his ears and pulling his hair.

"Legion Commander, I have an idea that might help regroup our soldiers, but it would be somewhat dangerous for you," Marcus spoke up.

"What’s your idea? Quickly, tell me!"

"You take the large flag and, along with the horn player, each ride a horse to the front! Wave the flag while the horn player blows the horn; surely it will attract the soldiers’ attention!"

"Good idea, let’s do it!"

.............................................

Baka’s mood at this moment felt like being on a roller coaster. He had deliberately provoked Alistacas, luring his reckless advance, allowing him to concentrate his forces and ultimately crush him successfully—a sense of accomplishment that made him immensely satisfied. But then, he witnessed the left wing being defeated by the Aldean reinforcements, feeling both surprised and extremely angry.

What surprised him was that the Aldean reinforcements hadn’t behaved as he had predicted, merely fulfilling their obligations under the alliance without going all out. On the contrary, according to tribal leaders who retreated, their assault had been remarkably fierce.

What angered him was that the tribal forces on the left wing had been so easily routed, proving entirely unworthy of full trust. In critical moments, they hadn’t fought to their last breath. Had they held on a little longer, his army could have gained more initiative. Yet conveniently, Baka forgot that he himself had promised the left wing’s role as merely a diversion in the pre-battle plans.

Luckily, the collapse of the Aldean center had affected the morale of their left-wing warriors. The left wing, initially strained due to low numbers, started retreating as well...

Baka’s excitement returned. Even if Aldean reinforcements had crushed his left wing, his main forces had secured victory and still outnumbered the enemy, maintaining a significant advantage on the battlefield. As long as he gathered his forces chasing the routed foes, he could crush the Aldean reinforcements. However...

Baka scanned the area: dust filled the battlefield, shouts of killing and pleading for help rang everywhere, and the Otarlat warriors, scattered while chasing fleeing enemies, had run far and wide... He suspected the Aldean reinforcements were similarly spread out...

As someone seasoned in numerous battles, Baka knew it would be difficult to regroup scattered soldiers in short timeframes. Nevertheless, he still aimed to make some efforts, thus instructing his trusted aides: "Quickly go find my son Betta and tell him to gather the troops as fast as possible! Go!..."

Watching his aides dart toward the battlefield, Baka felt somewhat reassured.

But just then, he faintly heard the sound of copper horns coming from the distant left... The horn sound grew clearer and louder, piercing through the battlefield’s din and reaching his ears, filling him with unease.

Despite his vision being hindered by flying dust, Baka kept peering toward the left. Soon, his eyes widened in disbelief: the Aldean reinforcements’ impressive large flag came into view. Behind the towering banner were countless indistinct figures of soldiers, forming a long wall advancing steadily toward him...

It’s over!... Baka was struck as though by lightning, trembling all over as he slumped to the ground.

..........................................

After his troops were routed, Alistacas, his mind a blank, fled across the Kolana River under the protection of his trusted aides. He continued running up a dirt hill before finally stopping to catch his breath.

It’s over—all over!... With his mind slightly calmer, Alistacas looked back to see his tribesmen desperately fleeing while being slaughtered one by one by the pursuing enemies. The tragic sight plunged him into utter despair.

"No, Alistacas, we’re not defeated! Look over there!" His ears caught Cleobrotas’ excited shout.

Following Cleobrotas’ pointing finger, Alistacas gazed toward the battlefield on the far right side across the river. There, countless soldiers converged toward a single direction. Though it was hard to see clearly, the dazzling brilliance rapidly expanding proved they weren’t Otarlat warriors but their allies—armor-clad Nix Soldiers!

"Yes, we’ve won!" Alistacas shook off his earlier despondency and revitalized himself.

It was apparent to any observer that the regrouped and tightly packed Nix Army, forming a giant fist, and the scattered and disorganized Otarlat warriors running aimlessly across the hills, had unquestionably shifted the battlefield advantage.

"Alistacas, we must quickly gather our warriors and launch a counterattack!" Cleobrotas urged.

"You’re right!" Alistacas, reignited with fighting spirit, began taking action.

At this time, Fesaros led the First Legion in a battlefield sweep, shattering the Otarlat warriors, who had become nothing more than stragglers...

The battle dragged on until the afternoon before concluding, with the Aldean Alliance Army ultimately claiming victory.

Previously, skirmishes between the two factions over the salt mines often resulted in minimal casualties, but this conflict inflicted significant losses on both sides.

Motivated by his ambition to seize the Aldean Territory, Baka’s warriors pursued the fleeing enemies with ruthless aggression, showing no mercy. Meanwhile, the soldiers of the First Legion, eager for battle merit and promotion, prioritized killing and cutting off enemy ears.

The First Legion emerged as the true victor, with its soldiers clad in armor, wielding large shields, and being well-protected. Combined with the weak offensive capabilities of their opponents, only a dozen were killed and several dozen injured.

After the battle, auxiliary personnel of the First Legion got busy: treating the wounded, cleaning the battlefield, repairing equipment, verifying battle merits, registering honors... Staff Department subordinate Tasines and Civil Affairs Department subordinate Laklid, responsible for verifying and documenting achievements, were especially overwhelmed, working tirelessly into the night without rest.