Episode 224 The Crusade of the Abyss – The Longest Week (6) The
enemy’s new weapon, a machine gun, could not withstand the concentrated fire of our artillery and suffered damage close to annihilation.
When the drones that had initially attacked were swept away, Paimon retreated without hesitation.
However, the reality of the Holy Knights being subjected to heavy machine gun fire was terrible.
Alejandro, who was running with the leader while crying out for God’s will, was one of the first to fall victim to machine guns when the protection of divine power was broken.
The armor, which had sparkled brilliantly in white and silver, was broken in several places, stained with blood, and lost its shine as it was stained by the gloomy purple sky.
“Hehehe, Captain.”
“Captain…”
While the few remaining Holy Knight members were mourning, Alejandro was lying down with a smile on his face.
What was I happy about?
Was the ending of jumping into a dangerous situation with his subordinates while crying out for honor and dying along with countless subordinates…
was he satisfied?
I closed my eyes tightly, remembering the blue knight who met his end with a satisfied smile a long time ago.
It’s a dog’s death.
No matter what beliefs he had or what honor he had, it was an incredibly foolish act that drove all his subordinates who trusted and followed him to their deaths.
However, this should not be reduced to dog death.
Just as it was on the hill where the Blue Knight met his end.
“We too will collect the fallen and withdraw. “Let us not retreat in the face of the enemy’s terrible new weapons and give the utmost respect to those who met an honorable end.”
Saying that he arbitrarily went against the battle plan and rushed to Paimon and ended up getting killed, putting the blame on those who have already died will only accelerate internal division.
Anyway, someone had to suffer without knowing the existence of that new weapon. If it had been a revolutionary army without even the protection of divine power, it is as clear as day how terrible the destruction would have been.
In that case, even if that is not the case, we have no choice but to turn their deaths into something worthwhile.
“Who is the most senior among the surviving paladins?”
When I asked the remaining Holy Knights, one person wearing blood-stained armor politely answered me.
“It is me, His Excellency the Marquis de Lafayette. “This is Senior Knight Gardolfo Eramo.”
“Okay, Sir Eramo. The surviving Holy Knights will be incorporated into the revolutionary cavalry. “There will be no disagreement, right?”
Eramo looked at me for a moment, but then bowed politely.
“I saw the image of His Excellency the Marquis destroying the new weapons of those evil demons. The surviving comrades of the Holy Knights would not refuse the command of the Marquis, whom Leader Alejandro respected. Give those demons a chance for revenge!”
“Of course, I will provide an appropriate opportunity. However, I will respect you, but I expect you to follow my commands from now on.”
For that purpose, we uplifted the honor of the leaders and paladins who had already died while behaving as they pleased.
Eramo seemed to understand as well and immediately lowered his head.
“I swear to God and His Majesty the Pope and the Virgin King.”
“Yes, I believe in your faith and honor.”
Reunion with Paimon.
The damn devil who brought out a new weapon we had never imagined caused countless blood to flow, but my expectations turned out to be correct, and thanks to my own performance in the battle, the internal cracks were greatly reduced.
-Let’s do our best for the vain and feeble hope you pursue, Pierre. If they don’t do it…
they’re still convinced that they have the absolute upper hand.
-I am your pride, your good intentions, your intentions, your love, your efforts, your hopes, and ultimately even your despair. I will eat up every single piece.
Are you going to eat all the people I protect?
That will never happen.
No matter what hardships come our way, we will crush them all and put an end to those bastards.
* * *
After returning.
After holding a brief funeral ceremony for the Holy Knights, we immediately held a strategy meeting.
“This machine gun thing is absolutely terrible. “How can we fight against something like that…”
Gilles von Leonhardt of the Germanian Imperial Army, who seemed relaxed, clicked her tongue with an expression of boredom after receiving the report of the last battle.
It has a rate of fire that is incomparable to that of a musket and a firepower that pierces even the overwhelming protection of the Holy Knights.
If such a hideous object were to attack the line infantry fighting in close formation during battle, it would be as obvious as hell what kind of destruction would come.
“If you attack firmly with courage and force, you will be able to break through-”
“No. Everyone will be killed, you general. “I can guarantee this, having seen it with my own eyes.”
General Nicolas Ney, who was shouting with enthusiasm, was cut off by me and his face turned red, but since the person I was talking to was me, he could not refute and kept his mouth shut.
This is why it is a problem that it is a new weapon that we have never even imagined.
Unless you see it with your own eyes, it’s easy to follow existing tactics and end up with disastrous results.
But the good news is…
“Hmm, but the range doesn’t seem to be that long. Since it is mounted on a cart like artillery and is highly visible, it will be quite vulnerable if it is hit by concentrated fire from artillery, as the Marquis de Lafayette judged, and even if not, it seems possible to respond by sniping from a long distance by skirmishers using rifled rifles.”
“General Scharnhorst’s opinion is valid.”
All of those gathered here are young veterans who have fought fiercely in a war that lasted several years, witnessed with their own eyes the innovations in tactics and weapons during that long war, and experienced all kinds of hardships.
Rather than just clinging to old tactics or weapons that they have been used to, they are people who can see new things and think in response to them.
“Hahaha, it’s scary. “It would be better for our brothers to hold the line and deal with the drones that jump in instead of charging into the enemy lines!”
“Thank you for your cooperation, King Crocs.”
Since it was a public situation, I had to use polite language, but I grinned.
Yes, at least as long as the Holy Knights have collapsed and come under my command.
Among us, there are not many commanders who are greedy for credit and act recklessly, but who try to stick to standard tactics without paying attention to the enemy.
Even if it exists, it can be easily controlled by the authority of me or other top commanders.
“Rather than forming a dense formation, it would be better to dig a trench along the defense line and provide cover from machine gun fire!”
I wonder why Damien de Mirbeau expresses his opinion during a meeting. I wonder if it’s his love for the trenches.
But…
I answered with a grin.
“It’s okay. “Let’s adopt Commander Mirbo’s opinion as well.”
It’s really not a bad decision in this situation.
When I saw Damien’s face brighten up, I smiled and looked away again.
“They have certainly mobilized powerful new weapons that we have never imagined, but their new weapons also have clearly noticeable weaknesses. “As long as you do not make the mistake of trying to respond with old-fashioned tactics, it is quite possible to conversely destroy it through its weaknesses.”
Okay, the situation is not that hopeless.
At first, the enemy was not attacking in the fog and they were anxious, but the Allied forces, suffering from rocket bombing and exhausted to the limit, realized that they had to somehow enjoy that brief rest when patrol activities were carried out and they were freed from the rocket bombing.
It was a painful blow for the Holy Knights to be wiped out by machine guns, but thanks to predicting the enemy’s attack and quickly ordering a response to machine guns, their trust in me actually increased significantly.
Now that the disruption through rocket bombing and the surprise attack on patrol activities have failed, there is only one path for Paimon to choose.
“If we continue to wait like this, the gate will eventually be completed, connecting the mainland of the Central Continent and this island of demons.”
In the meantime, Christine and Admiral Lee’s navy continues to supply supplies through the coast to ensure that the advance team’s supplies do not run out.
At this very moment, allied forces from all over the Central Continent have gathered in the main country of Franzia, waiting for the moment when the door opens to set foot on the island of devils.
“Once connected through the door, not only will it be possible to replenish troops and supplies, but it will also be possible for the advance guard, who has accumulated damage and fatigue, to temporarily retreat to their home country and rest.”
At least, even in the despair of the moment we landed, we didn’t collapse even though we were shaken.
Although it was only once, the enemy’s surprise attack, which even mobilized new weapons, was predicted by me and was repulsed.
I have hope that I can win, and although it is a difficult road, it is still a road with a clear end.
The feeling of tension and fatigue from preparing for an attack that could come in the fog at any time disappeared, as well as the feeling of despair that came from having to wander through the fog without even being able to engage in a proper battle.
The confidence and fighting spirit befitting the faces of veteran generals who had overcome the many years of war in the Central Continent have returned.
“There isn’t much left now. The only thing left to the enemy is an all-out offensive, and if we can hold out, victory will be ours.”
“Hahahaha let’s do it bro!”
Crocs from the Iberica brothers who laugh loudly.
“Well, I came this far in the name of the Kingdom of Krafte, but I need to engage in at least one proper battle before I can meet His Majesty the King.”
General Scharnhorst of the Kingdom of Krafte, whose fighting spirit is burning.
“If we can pull it off, we will all become legends. “I somehow got this opportunity.”
Gilles von Leonhardt was a knight who fled from the Kingdom of Francia, became a mercenary, and then became commander-in-chief of the imperial army.
“I will follow the orders of His Excellency the Marquis and collect the blood price of the Holy Knights!”
Gardolfo Eramo and the survivors of the Holy Knights who are thirsty for honor and revenge.
“Ahaha, you can live, right? There must be… I guess. I trust only this, His Excellency Damien de Mirbeau, Marquis de Lafayette! This has been the case and will continue to be the case!”
…Is that your last reaction? Lose energy.
In any case, the daunting hardships of wandering through a maze in the fog have now come to an end.
“great. Patrol activities and terrain were sufficiently understood, and the enemy’s strength was also known to some extent. Instead of increasing the number of scouts along the enemy’s expected advance route, we allow units that are not on guard duty to get sufficient rest.”
Now all that’s left is.
“Thanks to Admiral Aquitaine’s continued efforts, there is no shortage of supplies to last until the gate opens. It is a good idea to release as much food as possible to boost the soldiers’ stamina and morale. “We prepare for battle by giving everything we have been given.”
There is only a decisive battle to protect the door.
“I understand.”
“Okay bro!”
“Please leave it to me, Your Excellency the Marquis!”
I took a deep breath as I saw the commanders stand up, salute me, and then leave to do their own business.
This might be best.
In the end, opening the door is the deciding factor.
And its achievement is within sight.
however.
-Constructing the gate will actually bring the worst destruction to the central continent.
What did that mean, Gremory?
CEO of Abyss Corporation ‘Rust’.
At this point, I am an enemy of humanity that cannot be excluded or dismissed.
however.
I feel like it’s almost an established fact that Gremory is a saint from 400 years ago.
I quietly clenched and unclenched my fists and felt the divine power still flowing through my body.
Aside from affiliation and origin, at least Gremory didn’t lie to me like she said.
In fact, it would have been helpful.
In that case, there is a possibility that Gremory’s warning was not simply a lie to deceive me.
I tried to suppress the slight anxiety that was rising.
As of now, we don’t know.
At least one thing is certain: if we don’t do something at this moment, the Eastern Empire that is being invaded will eventually collapse.
And Paimon, who supplied infinite drones, is that crazy devil leaving the Central Continent alone?
Even if Bael, who is said to be their leader, tries to do that, no matter how much Gremory tries to stop him, it is certain that Paimon will grow up to do whatever he wants.
All for the country that Christine and my people, Eris, love so much.
I set foot on this island overflowing with despair to give them hope.
If that’s the case –
I’ll just do the best I can right now until the moment I run out of breath.
