Suppressing the Demons

Count Meredith stood on high ground, overlooking the vast battlefield. His gaze was firm, and he had already formed a detailed battle plan. He ordered the Infantry Regiment's soldiers to split into several small units, each led by an experienced officer. They would operate separately, launching harassment attacks to weaken the demons' resistance.

"Remember, do not chase after merit," Meredith sternly warned every commander. "What we need is a favorable war of attrition. Withdraw after each strike. Do not get drawn into battle."

Under the cover of night, the Infantry Regiment's soldiers moved swiftly. Wearing light leather armor and carrying longswords, they silently infiltrated the outskirts of the demon camp. By the faint starlight, they cautiously approached the enemy sentries. Suddenly, a sharp whistle sounded—the signal to attack. Like tigers unleashed from their cages, the soldiers charged forward. Their black greatswords harvested moonlight and demon lives alike beneath the moon, like black holes.

The harassment attacks began. Meredith's soldiers darted through the enemy camp like ghosts. They struck at clusters of demons, sowing chaos. The demons searched everywhere and tried to intercept them, yet they struggled to catch these swift small units. After every successful attack, the soldiers immediately withdrew without lingering. They knew their mission was constant harassment, not direct confrontation.

Meanwhile, the catapults arranged by Meredith were already in position. As the soldiers' harassment attacks reached their peak, the catapults began to show their might. Massive boulders fell from the sky, smashing fiercely into the demon camp. Accompanied by shrieking winds, the stones struck down demons pursuing the Infantry Regiment. The demons scattered in panic amid the chaos, powerless against the boulders raining from above. They could only watch as the Infantry Regiment withdrew before their eyes.

Standing on high ground, Meredith observed every movement on the battlefield. He saw that the demons had been worn down by the combined assault of the harassment attacks and catapults, their morale plummeting. A satisfied smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. He knew that if they maintained the high-frequency harassment, victory would come easily.

"Good. Keep up this pace," he told the adjutant beside him. "Have the catapults fire at intervals. Keep up the pressure and give the enemy no chance to catch their breath."

The adjutant accepted the order and left. Meredith continued directing the battle.

The demons were exhausted by this disgusting style of fighting. The relentless harassment and boulder bombardments left them at a loss, dealing a severe blow to their morale. The Foul Spirit Commander stood on high ground, glaring at the wounded demon warriors spread throughout the camp as he roared in fury. He realized that if this continued, they would only remain on the receiving end. They had to change tactics.

"Full retreat!" the Foul Spirit Commander roared. "Move beyond the range of the human catapults!"

At the command, the demons began an orderly retreat. They quickly gathered up their injured comrades and withdrew farther away, hoping to avoid attacks from Meredith's catapults and harassment forces.

Meanwhile, the scouts sent by Meredith had been closely monitoring the enemy's movements. When the demons began retreating, the scouts immediately set out, tracking and confirming their withdrawal route. Before long, one scout hurried back to Meredith's command camp.

"My lord, the demons have fallen back beyond the catapults' range," the scout reported loudly to Meredith, panting heavily.

After hearing this, Meredith pondered for a moment, and a cold gleam flashed in his eyes. He knew that the enemy's retreat did not mean the battle was over. It marked a new beginning. He made his decision swiftly.

"Pass the order to the entire army: remain vigilant. Do not relax," Meredith said to the adjutant. "Also, order the catapults to reposition and continue advancing in the direction of the enemy's retreat. We cannot give them a chance to catch their breath."

The adjutant immediately went to relay the orders. Meredith turned to the scout. "Continue monitoring the enemy's movements. Report immediately if there is any unusual activity."

The scout nodded and quickly returned to the front line to continue scouting. Inside Meredith's command camp, the soldiers moved with tense efficiency. The Logistics Regiment also pushed the catapults forward, while the Infantry Regiment stood ready, prepared to pursue the enemy at any moment.

In the night, Meredith stood before a map, his finger moving along the demons' possible retreat routes and new defensive positions. He had already devised new tactics. He knew that only through unrelenting pressure could they utterly defeat the demons and drive them from the Maple Sugar Plane.

Morning soon arrived. After a night of fighting, both the Logistics Regiment and the Infantry Regiment were exhausted. Nearly everyone in the Infantry Regiment had carried out at least one harassment attack against the demons. The logistics soldiers had mostly spent their time moving and placing stones, advancing into the demons' former camp. The Logistics Regiment also had to collect the boulders that had been launched earlier, level the road, and clear away demon corpses as well as the bodies of their own Infantry Regiment soldiers. Many soldiers even fell asleep during their brief rests.

Still, the night's battle had achieved remarkable results.

The battlefield lay in a strategically vital canyon, with towering cliffs on both sides restricting the demons' retreat route. They could only withdraw along the direction they had come from, and now the demons had been forced into the center of the valley. This was precisely what Meredith had anticipated. His goal was not merely to advance the front line, but to suppress the demons, drain their strength, and create a greater advantage for the final clash between both sides.

The demons had trampled the road solid during their retreat, and Meredith used this advantage to order the Cavalry Regiment to prepare. Seeing the human advance halt, the demons assumed the humans intended to make camp and build defenses. They had clearly underestimated humanity's cunning.

Only the Infantry Regiment had participated in the fighting the previous night, while the Cavalry Regiment had been resting and recovering. Now that daylight had arrived, the demons were exhausted after a night of harassment. They had not expected the humans to launch the next wave of attacks so quickly.

Meredith's strategy was to use the demons' exhaustion and lowered guard to launch a surprise attack. He ordered the Cavalry Regiment to divide into three units: one at the front and one on each flank, ready to launch a pincer attack on the demon forces.

The cavalry quickly formed ranks. Their well-equipped warhorses stamped across the solid ground, their hoofbeats thundering heavily. Meredith waved the battle flag in his hand, and under his command, the Cavalry Regiment advanced swiftly from three directions.

When the demons saw the sudden movement of the Cavalry Regiment, they began to panic, but it was already too late. The front cavalry unit struck the enemy formation first. Their warhorses carried tremendous force, smashing directly through the demons' defensive line. Immediately afterward, the cavalry on both flanks circled in from the sides, trapping the demons in the middle and forming a massive encirclement.

The demons were completely thrown into disarray by the fierce charge. They tried to organize a counterattack, but it was already too late. Meredith ordered the Infantry Regiment to follow up. The infantrymen rushed in behind them, wielding black greatswords as they launched follow-up attacks against the demons.

The Infantry Regiment soldiers engaged the demons in brutal close combat. Every swing of their swords took a demon's life. Though the demons fought desperately, they grew increasingly powerless under the combined assault of cavalry and infantry.

Across the battlefield, cavalry charges and infantry assaults intertwined, creating a stirring and tragic scene.

The calm command of Meredith and Count Hugh Pierre allowed the Human Army's combat strength to be fully unleashed. The demon forces suffered devastating losses in this offensive. Many demons were slain, while the survivors were forced to scatter and flee.

The Foul Spirit Commander led his remaining forces toward the outskirts of the canyon, with the cavalry pursuing behind them. The hoofbeats of warhorses echoed through the canyon, terrifying the retreating demons. The cavalry's swift onslaught made the demons' withdrawal even more chaotic and disorderly.

At the canyon exit, Meredith calmly observed the enemy's situation. He knew that rash pursuit without adequate preparation carried hidden risks. He decisively ordered the pursuit to stop and commanded the Cavalry Regiment to return to the main force. The cavalry swiftly adjusted their formation and retreated in orderly ranks behind the human defensive line.

Count Hugh Pierre immediately took over command and ordered the Infantry Regiment to begin making camp and constructing defensive fortifications. The soldiers moved swiftly, following the established plan to erect barracks, dig trenches, and set up palisades. After the experience gained from the previous battles, they had already become proficient in these engineering tasks.

Ang and the other members of the Logistics Regiment were not idle either. Working with the Infantry Regiment, they distributed the delivered supplies efficiently, ensuring that every task proceeded smoothly. Ang discovered that although the battle had ended, the tense atmosphere had not faded. Everyone was preparing for the next battle.

Meredith and Count Hugh Pierre began discussing their next strategy inside the command tent at the center of the camp. Pointing at the map, Meredith said, "We have successfully driven the demons out of the canyon, but we cannot let down our guard. Their reinforcements may arrive at any time. Before they can gather their forces, we must further reinforce our defenses."

Count Hugh Pierre nodded in agreement. "Yes. We need to use this time to build sturdy defensive fortifications as quickly as possible while continuing to scout the enemy's movements, ensuring that the demons cannot ambush us."

Under their command, everyone inside and outside the camp worked intensely. Ang and his companions continuously carried stone and timber, reinforcing the fortifications. Everyone understood that this was for their own safety.

As time passed, the camp's defenses gradually took shape. A sturdy wall surrounded the entire camp, while trenches and palisades crisscrossed one another, forming an impregnable defensive line. Soldiers took turns standing watch, vigilantly observing the distant surroundings, ready for any possible situation.

Although the battle had temporarily come to an end, everyone understood that this was only the beginning. In the days ahead, they would continue to face the demons' challenges. Yet under the command of Meredith and Count Hugh Pierre, humanity's morale was high and their confidence unwavering as they prepared to face any trial.