Gnolls! Half-Orcs' Second Wave of Attack!

Claude and the others quickly cleaned up the battlefield. The serfs killed by the Supervisory Team and the Goatmen were cremated on the spot, while every relatively intact Goatman head was cut off and taken away.

All the Spiked Clubs and wooden shields were awarded to the serfs, sending those who had taken part in a battle into wild delight.

The serfs who had not participated in this battle also counted themselves fortunate. Luckily, there had not been many Goatmen, or they would have had to withstand the first wave of the assault as well.

They were usually just farmers and had never fought before. They trembled even when slaughtering pigs, let alone facing Half-Orcs. Now, seeing the Goatman heads piled together, they felt rather creeped out.

The dead crossbowmen were also cremated on the spot. There were not even jars for their ashes, so everyone could only observe a moment of silence to lend it some sense of ceremony. Naturally, the equipment they left behind was reclaimed by their respective nobles.

Before long, a strange sound suddenly came from the distance to the north. Henry's heart tightened. This was a Signal Arrow the Empire had adopted after conquering the grasslands, used to swiftly relay military intelligence during battle.

Henry immediately shouted, "Everyone, attention! Stay alert!"

The soldiers sprang into action, gripping their weapons tightly and scanning their surroundings.

The serfs, now with a few more weapons and shields, were gathered once again. Numbly, they formed dense ranks and stood at the front.

The New Recruit Squad and the Elite Veteran Infantry formed a hollow square, keeping the archers and crossbowmen inside so they could retreat after firing without delaying the infantry's rapid formation of a dense Shield Formation.

This time, Bain set off early with the cavalry. They had to achieve something this time, or it would look as though he had merely come along for a stroll.

A moment later, a group of dark figures gradually appeared in sight. They were a Gnoll force, sweeping in like a whirlwind with terrifying momentum.

These Gnolls wore crude iron armor that protected only their chests and waists. Unknown creatures' skulls hung from their belts as they charged forward, brandishing iron weapons and hide-covered square shields.

Some Gnolls carried javelins, baring their fangs and looking no different from wild beasts.

Henry's gaze sharpened. He knew the battle had only just begun...

No, that direction... Fas...

Without time to think further, Henry pulled the Heavy Scale Armor Chainmail from the wagon holding his personal belongings and had several recruits quickly help him put it on.

Henry relied on his great strength and high endurance. Moreover, experiments had shown that the experience rewards from personally killing enemies were far greater than the experience gained when his troops killed them.

Thus, Henry preferred to fight personally.

But that did not mean Henry was an idiot. The prerequisite for him going to the front lines was that his personal armor had to provide sufficient protection. His own safety always came first.

Master Henry's Intelligence attribute was as high as 19 points, roughly equivalent to that of a scholar!

Henry climbed atop a wagon and looked into the distance. There were no fewer than eight hundred Gnolls, and their quality far surpassed that of the Goatmen from before.

Something was wrong. Why were the Eighth and Ninth Armies charging ahead so frantically, while the Half-Orcs had instead set their sights on the private forces of nobles like them?

On the other side, Philip helplessly commanded the ranged troops once more. The archers and crossbowmen stood in neat lines, drawing their bowstrings tight as they fired volleys at the Gnolls from afar.

At Philip's command, over two hundred sharp arrows rained down on the Gnolls.

Though the Gnolls were fierce, they still suffered casualties beneath the dense arrow rain. Some were struck in areas not protected by iron armor and fell to the ground, writhing in agony.

Other Gnolls feared no pain at all. Once hit, they instead charged forward even more madly.

During their charge, the Gnolls armed with javelins hurled them in retaliation.

The javelins traced arcs through the air, accurately striking many serfs. The serfs screamed as they fell, their blood dyeing the ground red.

Javelins were super weapons on the battlefield. In the hands of someone strong enough, they could even send an enemy flying outright.

The Gnolls' sudden strike caused chaos. The serfs began fleeing in panic, and the Supervisory Team rushed forward to suppress them. Only after hacking more than a dozen serfs to death did they manage to calm the rest down.

Their fear and confusion gave the Gnolls an advantage. After two arcing volleys and one close-range direct volley from the archers and crossbowmen, the Gnolls charged into the crowd and began a bloody slaughter of the serfs.

The battlefield became a mess. The archers and crossbowmen continued firing, but their attacks could no longer halt the Gnolls' charge. Still, they had reduced the Gnolls' numbers by more than a hundred before the melee began.

As for the serfs killed by Gnoll javelins? Well...

The Gnolls tore through the serfs' ranks like a tide, engaging them in close-quarters combat.

The battle became exceptionally fierce, and the serfs began fighting desperately for survival.

Seeing this, Mais immediately led his personal guard into battle. Armed with longswords and shields, they fought the Gnolls to the death.

Mais was agile and skilled with a sword. His fifteen-man personal guard was no less capable, working in close coordination and supporting one another as they resisted the Gnolls' assault.

It could only be said that Mais was a qualified sword-bearing noble! He was not merely a training-ground star student, as John had feared.

However, the Gnolls were numerous and extraordinarily savage. They continuously battered the serfs' defensive line, and the New Recruit Squad was already prepared to join the battlefield.

Just then, Bain's cavalry charged out from the flank, rushing toward the Gnolls' rear like tigers descending a mountain.

The hoofbeats of more than ten Heavy Cavalry and eighty Grassland Warriors thundered across the field. Snow was flung high into the air beneath the warhorses' hooves, raising clouds of white mist.

Splat!

Using Henry's former Iron Lance, Bain pierced straight through two Gnolls with the speed of his warhorse behind him.

Veins bulged in Bain's neck as he roared and flung the two corpses from his lance. That single motion had nearly used up half his strength, and his entire right arm and shoulder burned with pain. This was completely different from lance training at the Horse Ranch.

The Heavy Cavalry lowered their lances and smashed directly through the Gnolls' rear. Dozens of Gnolls were skewered by lances or trampled to death beneath warhorses.

The Grassland Warriors easily sliced open the Gnolls' necks and arms with their Curved Blades, letting out savage grins. Anyone unaware of the truth might have thought Horse Bandits had entered the battlefield.

Still, several Grassland Warriors were unlucky. Some had their horses' legs cut off and fell from their saddles. Already half-dead from the fall, they were quickly surrounded by Gnolls and finished off.

Others were struck directly by Gnoll javelins and knocked from their horses to their deaths.

Overall, Bain's charge disrupted the Gnolls' attack rhythm and gave the serfs a chance to catch their breath.

Vasco seized the opportunity and organized the New Recruit Squad to launch a counterattack, surrounding and cutting down the Gnolls.

Using their shields to cover themselves, they advanced step by step and engaged the Gnolls in close combat.

Henry put down the Executioner Axe, switched to a Greatsword, and led the Elite Veteran Infantry in a charge against the Gnolls.