Astartes of the Bear School

 Chapter 606 608. Entering the crater

 The army rumbled forward.

Even though the number of people reached 3,500, and the equipment was even heavier and more solid, the Nilfgaardians still far exceeded the refugee group in terms of movement speed.

It didn’t take long for everyone in the refugee group to see the billowing gray smoke rising into the sky behind them.

That is the dust kicked up by the march of the army.

 In an instant, crazy fear swept through everyone.

 “Hurry up! Run towards the hillside!”

This is a crater. The refugee group had already hurried into it when they discovered the pursuers. At this time, they had entered through the only gap.

The scene here is very different from other mountains and forests. The top of the crater is only about a hundred meters high, and there are many dry trees growing on the steep slopes, waiting for the next spring.

Where a horse's hooves cannot go, a man can go up with hard work. But it takes time.

The first to bite the tail of the refugee group was a mixed force of fifty Nausicaa cavalry squad members and 300 light infantry.

They hung at a distance at first, and then they drove the refugee group into the crater much faster like they were driving away poultry.

The leading cavalry squad officer straightened his helmet with many pheasant tail feathers stuck in it, and did not let his troops rush in rashly and start a killing spree.

Instead, he lifted his visor and winked to the side.

So a group of ten sentry riders roared out of the queue and rushed straight into the gap of the crater.

 Even if he was facing a group of refugees, the officer's training and quality still allowed him to choose to eliminate possible ambush first.

 He saw the group of refugees panicked and confused like lambs waiting to be slaughtered.

At the outermost edge of the refugees, nearly thirty fully armed Sintra soldiers stood out, as well as a dozen cavalry.

 They were under the command of a man holding a steel scepter and blocked the outermost edge of the group of refugees.

 But for the Nausicaa cavalry squad, they were almost tired of this posture.

The ten sentry riders picked up the stone crossbows hung on their saddles and each mounted an arrow.

 The arrows made by alchemy are very expensive, but the person who deployed them this time was the Duke of Adal. The Duke was always generous to the people who worked under him.

So ten explosive crossbow arrows flew into the air, exploded with shooting skills, and were covered with countless iron **** fragments.

 The people's faces were suddenly covered in blood, and their skin and flesh were torn and covered in debris. Explosive crossbows are not very powerful when used in this way, but they are good at causing chaos.

Even if the air blast weakens the lethality, some unlucky people will still be hit by iron filings in vulnerable parts and die.

There was a burst of screaming, then panic spread, leading to more screaming.

The sentries did not come into contact with the defenders at all, just like nomadic cavalry, shooting arrows and leaving.

Back and forth, the sentry riders circled the crater many times. They carefully observed the terrain and places suitable for hiding large groups of people.

Nilfgaard's military qualities are most vividly demonstrated by them.

 Then it’s time to report back.

 In just a short time, the large army had arrived.

 “No ambush? No witcher?”

 Dakley asked first. The Sentry Rider first looked at Duke Adal, and then started to report until he waved his hand impatiently.

"We have seen all the places where more than fifty people can hide on this mountain. The terrain of this mountain is not good, but the view is good. As for the witchers, we don't know any witchers, but there are not many of them among the refugees. man."

So the Duke, who had long been itching for his achievements, simply waved his hand: "All troops advance! No matter what ridiculous demon hunter he is, he is still a [Hunter]! This is a Nilfgaardian army of 3,500 people!"     That one Regardless of the smart man leading the team, the demon hunter who scared the mud-legged people out of fear, or the [Hunter Lord], after all, they are just barbarians from the north.

Northerners are always ignorant and superstitious. How can they have any culture or civilization? What other heroes can emerge?

Even if there were, that funny thing would turn into a layer of blood mud under the iron heel of the Nilfgaard Empire!

 The Duke of Adal was very sure of this.

So the army began to enter the crater amidst the rumble of footsteps.

Hakthor finally stopped taking care of his sideburns and beard today. He put on a piece of armor.

This armor is the Nilfgaardian armor that was ripped off from the battlefield at dusk yesterday. It was just repainted with blue paint and a yellow lion was painted on it with poor painting techniques.

Huckthor stood beside all those who could still bear arms and wear armor.

 As he said, he has sent away all the Cintra warriors who were still able to follow.

Behind him were the refugees who were crying and climbing up the mountain in panic after being frightened by several exploding crossbow bolts.

But they were already exhausted and terrified at the moment, and they didn't climb much higher during this time.

While the people below were still pushing their way up, the sounds of stampeding, crying, and begging could be heard all the time.

And in front of Haxor, the Nilfgaardians pressed forward with billowing dust and smoke, just like the city of Sintra.

 “O Merciful Meritelli. O great Meritelli”

 Under the slightly comical helmet because of its inappropriate size, Haxor closed his eyes and chanted in a low voice.

 “I remember that you used to believe in Cliff, father.”

Stewart also stood amidst the wails of the refugees, looking calmly at the Nilfgaardians ahead.

"Yes, stern, just, and majestic Cliff. I once longed to be such a person, so I believed in such a god. But today, now, this is not a prayer for myself. No, my son. "

 Finally, Haxo finished reciting his prayer and opened his eyes.

He no longer covered his mood and thoughts with that smile that made it difficult to see clearly. Instead, like his son, he calmly looked at the approaching Nilfgaardians.

“I pray that everyone’s souls can rest in peace, and I prayed to Cliff last night. I hope that I can accept the judgment of his thunder in the sky.”

Stewart looked at his father's profile and didn't say much.

The father and son watched as a big man with exquisite armor came out of Nilfgaard's formation and approached, guarded by several soldiers.

That grandiose and solemn roll call sounded before they even got close.

“The person coming is Duke Adal Aep Darcy, hereditary Duke of the Nilfgaard Empire”

　　The person who called the roll was talking non-stop, and the big man in the middle had an arrogant temperament even though he was wearing armor.

This was once his job.

Hakthor suddenly burst into laughter at this time.

“He just made a wrong pitch. In order to rhyme with the title that follows, the last sound of ‘Adal’ should be a long sound.”

Stewart listened to his father's explanation carefully, as if the thing he was most impatient to listen to before was now as sweet as poetry.

 And when the roll call came to the end.

“Who is standing before me? It is the Duke’s mercy and patience that allows you to state your name.”

 (End of this chapter)