V6C30 Surprise attack and assault - Santairiku Eiyuuki

"Everyone, fall back!!!!" Jebe shouted just as Sonia and her Red Wolf Squad launched their charge. The timing was impeccable. Jebe managed to roll on the ground, narrowly evading the cavalry attack... However, the soldiers accompanying him in front of the warehouse weren't so fortunate, as they were trampled by the heavy cavalry's horseshoes. "Mount up! We're making a run for it!!" Jebe commanded, quickly mounting a nearby horse and galloping away. As expected of Jebe's independent raiding unit. Since their operations had always involved sabotage within enemy lines, they were well-prepared for such ambushes, having been trained to make swift withdrawals in emergencies. They fled as swiftly as rabbits. In an instant, Jebe's independent raiding unit vacated the area. Checking his rear as he rode, Jebe noticed the enemy pursuing them... but lagging far behind. Moreover, his subordinates and reserve horses were following suit right behind him. This was thanks to their regular training. But still... "Damn, we left five hundred behind. We lost half of our spare horses too." Jebe gritted his teeth involuntarily. Losing five hundred elite soldiers and half of their spare horses was a significant blow. This greatly diminished the mobility of Jebe's independent raiding unit. "Lost a hundred during the initial march and battles, and five hundred just now. We're down to three thousand... maybe it's time to withdraw." They had wreaked enough havoc already. Prolonged presence in the Ifriqiya region could endanger them. With that judgment, Jebe decided to retreat a day earlier than planned. However... "Captain! From the forest on the left..." "Damn, they've laid in ambush! Engage in mounted archery and withdraw to the right! Avoid direct combat as much as possible!!" The Lemurian army, evading to the right and launching arrows, clashed with the thousand white heavy cavalrymen emerging from the left-side forest. However, the Red Wolf Squad showed no fear, charging at the left flank of the Lemurian army. The Lemurian army was split into two. "Damn it... we need to assist our allies!!" Jebe swiftly turned, launching a counter-charge at the left flank of the Red Wolf Squad that had pierced the Lemurian lines. Following Jebe's charge, the rest of the Lemurian forces also attacked the right flank of the Red Wolf Squad. Now sandwiched from both sides, the Red Wolf Squad found themselves in a dire situation. Jebe skillfully moved to surround and annihilate the Red Wolf Squad. "Don't falter! Show these inferior beings the strength of us beastmen, the War Beasts!!" "OOOH!!!" However, the Red Wolf Squad showed no fear, attempting a reckless charge at Jebe's Lemurian forces. They endured countless arrows, turning the warriors of the Red Wolf Squad into porcupine-like figures. Jebe's forces, despite their efforts, suffered significant casualties due to their unexpectedly fierce resistance. As the battle raged, Sonia directly led the main body of the Red Wolf Squad back into action. Their once-white armor was now stained a striking red with freshly spilled blood. They charged at full speed towards the rear of the Lemurian forces, intent on breaking the encirclement of their allies. Quickly, Jebe broke off the encirclement to reassemble his formation. Simultaneously, Sonia reorganized the Red Wolf Squad, who had been thrown into disarray by the encirclement. Now Jebe's three thousand strong independent raiding unit and Sonia's one thousand Red Wolf Squad faced each other. "To catch a beast that flees so swiftly, laying a trap beforehand is only natural, wouldn't you agree?" Sonia spoke to Jebe in Lemurian. Jebe replied with a snort. "The real beasts are you." Drawing his saber, Jebe issued his orders. "Two battalions, A and B, withdraw immediately. C Battalion, you're with me to hold the line." Each side's leader gave their orders at the same time. "Exterminate the pests invading our land." Their voices overlapped. "CHARGE!!" The two forces, around a thousand strong each, clashed violently. --- "What a harrowing ordeal..." At noon the following day, Jebe, battered and bruised, rejoined the two battalions he had sent ahead. The battalion under Jebe's command had been relentlessly pursued by Sonia's Red Wolf Squad the entire day before. "We lost six hundred of our elites because of it..." The accounts of the Red Wolf Squad's formidable strength were not mere rumors. Jebe lost six hundred soldiers to Sonia's forces. Adding the earlier lost hundred and the five hundred from Sonia's ambush, a total of twelve hundred troops were lost. In essence, it was equivalent to losing an entire battalion. "Captain, we're so relieved you made it back..." "No, I'm the one who should be relieved. You all did well to escape." Smiling, Jebe consoled his men, who greeted him with tears in their eyes. Had this been a standard unit, they would likely have scattered and perished within enemy lines, leading to the complete annihilation of Jebe's forces. However, thanks to setting a predetermined rendezvous point, Jebe ensured the rear guard and the two battalions that initially fled could safely reunite. Although many soldiers were lost in battle, there were no soldiers left stranded or missing. Jebe breathed a sigh of relief. "What shall we do next, Captain?" "We can't linger any longer. We're getting out of here, quickly." And so, on the seventeenth day since Hercule crossed the desert, Jebe's independent raiding unit began its full retreat. --- "Damn it, they've gotten away." Around the same time Jebe rejoined his allies, Sonia, grinding her teeth in frustration, muttered softly. From her adorable lips, a sharp set of fangs occasionally peeked out. Her once-white armor was now a deep crimson from the blood of battle... Her beautiful chestnut hair was matted with blood. "As expected of a general of the Lemurian army." Sonia surveyed her soldiers. Although the Red Wolf Squad executed a nearly perfect ambush and relentless pursuit, they did not emerge unscathed. In the exchange, she had lost four hundred of her finest soldiers. "Well, it's fine. At minimum, we managed to take down a thousand of them. They're bound to retreat from Ifriqiya now." Having lost about a third of their men, it was reasonable to assume that their operational capabilities were now severely compromised. "For now, let us return to the royal palace and report our victory to His Majesty." Sonia turned her blood-red cape dramatically as she commenced their retreat. --- The following day, on the eighteenth day since Hercule's desert crossing, was the day the city of Telipolis fell. "I'm glad to finally meet you, Stefan." "Your Majesty, it's an honor to see you as well. I'm relieved to find you safe." From his heart, Stefan spoke. If their monarch had died of exposure in the desert, it would have been a disaster. "Your Majesty, what do you intend to do next?" "We'll load one division of medium cavalry Cataphracts and one division of Burgalon cavalry onto the ships and return to the city of Cyrene. From there, we'll join Darios and others attacking Azdavia, and crush Azdavia underfoot." "So, I'll be shoring up the defenses with General Oscar Almon and a total of three infantry divisions, correct?" "Yes, that's the plan. As for the chain of command... this time, you take the lead. You're better suited for defense, aren't you?" With Hercule's words, Stefan nodded in agreement. "Understood. But are you sure about this? I'm relatively new, and considering my rank..." Oscar is a veteran among Hercule's officers and, though from a branch line, is part of the prestigious Almon family of the Mizor Province. Stefan, on the other hand, is newer and a former mercenary. "Don't worry. I've already talked it over with Oscar. He excels in offense rather than defense." Internally, Hercule mused, "Oscar for offense, Stefan for defense"—a thought with implications that might offend Messianic sensibilities, so he kept it to himself. Hearing that Oscar was already informed, Stefan's expression showed relief. Though Stefan typically spoke to Oscar in a casual manner, he evidently still paid some regard to these matters. "What are Generals Jebe and Nia's independent raiding units going to do?" "I've ordered both of them to retreat to Telipolis. They'll likely arrive before the enemy attempts to reclaim the city." As of yesterday, Hercule had ordered Nia to meet up with Stefan at Telipolis. With the city's fall, further information blockades were no longer necessary. Moreover, it was about time that any stray information reached Hilderic II. "Well... reinforcements from both the Telipoltania region and Cherda City will likely arrive in as soon as two weeks or, at most, within a month. We'll defeat Azdavia and come to support you straight away... but hang on until then." Stefan nodded at Hercule's remark. "Understood. Leave it to me... Defense is my forte. I'm free to utilize Generals Jebe and Nia as I see fit?" "I don't mind. Telipolis is a crucial spot. You must hold it at all costs, even if it means death. Don't disgrace yourself with a cowardly retreat like certain others." Stefan grinned at Hercule's advice. "I suppose if I were to... annihilate the army of the Cherdan Kingdom, it wouldn't be a problem?" "Well, that's fine, but don't really get yourself killed, alright? If it looks dire, you're permitted to retreat." Hercule stressed the importance of holding the line as a moral stance, not literally unto death. He didn't want real casualties on his hands.