Battle of the Imperial Courts

Seeing that the situation on the battlefield was largely settled, Hudson delegated command to his men and mounted a bear to catch up with the cavalry.

To make the performance convincing, in order to lure the enemy into a trap, the four cavalry regiments actually headed straight for the Beastfolk royal court.

Judging by the timing, it's about time to launch the sheep attack.

Thinking about this, Hudson secretly felt it was a pity.

The initial assessment was wrong; the allies were just going through the motions and didn't actually attack the Beastfolk Royal Court.

The Bearman Legion is rushing back at full speed. Even if they have notified their allies, it is still uncertain who will reach their destination first.

With over six thousand more elite bear-men infantry, even a weary army would not be easy to deal with.

With his main force still entangled with the remnants of the Beastfolk and unable to arrive in the short term, Hudson was truly uncertain about the situation, relying solely on the strength of his allies.

He had witnessed firsthand the destructive power of his incompetent teammates.

If the allies fail to perform well and the Bearman Imperial Court turns the tide, the hard-won achievements will be greatly diminished.

The main reason was that the nearby garrison had no combat record, not even a boastful one, so there was really no reason for Hudson to trust them.

The speed of the Earth Flying Bear was extraordinary; in the blink of an eye, Hudson had run ahead of the bear-man infantry.

The savage Beldens, carrying Hudson, swept directly over the heads of the bear-man army. A flurry of powerful slaps from the bear's paws sent countless unfortunate bear-men to their deaths before they even knew what was happening.

Lord Hudson, as a bear knight, was naturally not idle either, throwing all the magic he knew onto the ground without restraint.

One moment it's hailstorm, the next it's fireballs raining down, then spikes covering the ground, then a thick fog...

What kind of magic you encounter is entirely a matter of luck. Anyway, it's all just random throwing, and whoever gets hit is always unlucky.

The most terrifying thing was that the bear-man warrior who had originally met the Beast God got up from the ground again, picked up his weapon, and slashed at his former comrades.

He was throwing a bunch of instant-cast spells around. An unsuspecting person might think he was throwing magic scrolls. Normally, without the cultivation of Great Sorcerer, it would be impossible to do that at such a speed.

In particular, the fact that various types of magic are vying to appear is something that has never been heard of on the Aslant Continent. Who is the Great Sorcerer of all magic types?

Not to mention Great Sorcerer of all elements, not even a Mage of all elements has ever appeared.

If one insists on believing such a being exists, it can only be a legendary, omnipotent deity. But these are all just legends; no one has ever actually seen one.

The chaotic scene made the already demoralized bear-man infantry even more agitated.

By the time they realized what was happening, the man and the bear had already vanished into the horizon. They hadn't even caught a glimpse of the enemy, yet they had already lost hundreds of men; Bruno nearly fainted from anger.

There's no way around it; these kinds of enemies, appearing and disappearing without a trace, are the most troublesome. Even if you want to retaliate, you don't know where to begin.

"Despicable scoundrel! He has no dignity whatsoever, he's simply..."

The incessant cursing was to no avail. The man and bear, who had disappeared from sight, were long gone and could no longer be heard.

The air of a strongman? That's a joke.

Lord Hudson was never a strongman, so where did his strongman demeanor come from?

As for Beldens, as a four- or five-year-old cub, he was at the most mischievous age and had no concept of the demeanor of a strongman at all.

Beldens, a bear known for holding grudges, hadn't forgotten the last time it was besieged by the bear-men. It even chose the exact same route as the Bearman Legion, clearly intending to vent its anger on them.

As the commander of the main legion, Bruno's strength was naturally considerable. However, compared to Beldens, he was still far behind.

Despite his loud pronouncements, his body remained firmly rooted to the spot, showing no sign of impulsiveness in chasing after them.

He was also a participant in the siege of Beldens that day. He witnessed several experts of the same level, who were only slightly weaker than him, having their heads blown off by a bear's paw.

If it weren't for their superior numbers, the Bearman Imperial Court would probably have been turned upside down.

It's not that there was no gain at all. Based on the battle just now, Bruno has already focused his suspicions on Hudson.

The only problem is that the information doesn't match up. According to the records, Hudson's mount, a bear, is just a newly grown Earth Bear, and its strength shouldn't be that great.

Being tough and resilient is understandable; the Earth Bear naturally has high defense. The problem lies in its immense Magic Power, which is something a newly adult bear simply cannot accumulate.

Since their strengths were mismatched, Bruno had no choice but to accept it. The Earth Bear, a rare creature comparable to Giant Dragon, was something 99% of people would never encounter in their lifetime, let alone form a contract with.

Before long, the man and the bear caught up with the cavalry. At that moment, the cavalry was launching a sheep attack on the Bearman Imperial Court.

Hudson faced two choices: either withdraw immediately and leave with his troops, or switch to a sheep-based offensive and use his only four cavalry regiments to forcefully storm the Bearman Imperial Court.

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After glancing at the Bearman Imperial Court's camp, Hudson noticed that the number of garrison troops was even smaller than he had expected. Suddenly, he felt that he could still try one more time.

Four thousand elite cavalrymen against a ten-thousand- Beastfolk orc cannon fodder army—theoretically, the odds of victory are still very high. The only problem is when the Bearman Imperial Court's reinforcements will arrive.

The Five Great Royal Families of the Beastfolk are rife with internal conflicts, and it's not uncommon for them to sabotage each other and cause trouble for their teammates. But that doesn't mean they lack a sense of the bigger picture.

If the Bearman Imperial Court falls, it won't be a small matter of letting down teammates; it will be a tragedy that drags everyone down with them.

The Human Alliance has already declared war on the Orc Empire, and is already at a critical juncture. If they don't unite, the Beastfolk race will be doomed.

At such a time, if the Orc Empire shows signs of weakness, all the human nations will surely flock to it and wipe them out.

The "clearing" operation before the great calamity was no longer an ordinary racial war, but had risen to the level of racial strategy.

The weaker the Orc Empire appears, the more hesitant its potential allies will be; conversely, a stronger appearance makes it easier to gain the support of various races.

"Beldens, find an opportunity to destroy the Beastfolk's defenses."

He didn't have much time left, so he naturally had to use the most convenient method. As for Beldens' exposure, that was inevitable.

Beastfolk aren't stupid. Even if they don't have a comprehensive intelligence system among humans, they can still capture a few nobles and interrogate them.

Those who are willing to die are ultimately a minority; under torture, some will eventually succumb and confess.

Deep within the camp, the Bearman Emperor, who had witnessed the great battle firsthand, was now furious.

His own troops had only left the house in the morning, and the enemy had already attacked in the afternoon. If he hadn't realized he'd fallen into a trap, he would have lived in vain.

This single cavalry force was already causing them enough trouble. If more human troops came from behind, the imperial court would certainly not be able to hold out.

When faced with a life-or-death situation, one's life is ultimately more important than saving face, so even the Bearman Emperor had no choice but to swallow his pride and seek help from all sides.

However, each of the Five Great Imperial Courts has its own defense zone, and the distance between them is no less than a hundred miles. The nearest reinforcements to them are actually the troops that have just been dispatched.

"Have you found Bruno?"

Seeing the eagle-men descending from the sky, the Bearman Emperor asked with concern.

"Found it, but..."

Seeing the eagle-man's stammering manner, the Bearman Emperor was furious. If this wasn't a scout borrowed from the Eaglemen Imperial Court, he would have slapped him across the face long ago.

"Bear's temper is just that of a short-tempered person." Before the eagle-man could finish speaking, the Bearman Emperor forcefully interrupted:

"What do you mean, 'just'? Tell me already!"

"Your Majesty, General Bruno is leading his troops back and will arrive at the Imperial Court in two hours."

However, the army was in poor condition, looking as if they had suffered a defeat, with only about six thousand troops remaining...

Seeing that the Bearman Emperor's face was gradually darkening, the Eagle Man decisively chose to shut up.

If you don't want to listen, fine. He's not a soldier of the Bearman Imperial Court. If the camp really can't be defended, he can just leave.

"Snort!"

With a cold shout, the enraged Bearman Emperor was about to unleash his fury when he suddenly heard a loud bang.

The defensive structures set up at the camp gate were suddenly destroyed by a giant bear that was over ten meters tall. Just as the experts in the camp were preparing to intercept it, the cavalry rushed in through the gap opened by the giant bear.

An elderly Ritual approached the Bearman Emperor and advised, "Your Majesty's camp is in danger. You should retreat for a while."

"Once the main army returns, we will settle accounts with these human troops."

Ultimately, they were caught off guard, and many of the Bearman Imperial Court's methods were unable to be used.

If they were in their stronghold, let alone four thousand human cavalry, even forty thousand human cavalry might not be enough.

"No, we can't abandon the main camp. We must hold it no matter what."

This not only concerns the reputation of my Bearman race, but also determines our status in the Orc Empire.

"Use the secret technique! Even if it means abandoning this legion in the camp, I will not retreat!"

The old priest was speechless at the Bearman Emperor's words. He had asked the Bearman Emperor to retreat so that it would be easier to perform his secret technique.

Otherwise, since they were all within the range of the secret technique, Bearman Emperor was also affected by it, wouldn't it be terrible if he rushed out with his weapon to fight the enemy?

"Your Majesty, why don't you take your guards and retreat to the rear camp first, so as not to be affected by the secret technique?"

The old priest hurriedly explained.

Realizing he had misunderstood, Bearman Emperor gave an awkward smile and silently walked towards the rear camp.

It's not that we should just let him desert; there's no Bearman Emperor in the bear-man clan who would abandon his camp and run away. Even if he were to leave, it would be a strategic retreat.

With their worries gone, a mysterious war song suddenly resounded throughout the camp. The Beastfolk soldiers, whose morale had been low and who had been suffering repeated defeats, were all revitalized upon hearing the war song.

Its bloodshot eyes and glowing green forehead were exceptionally eerie.

Realizing something was wrong, Hudson hurriedly summoned Beldens to stop him, but the Beastfolk in the camp blocked his way.

In that short delay, the Beastfolk Ritual's secret technique was already complete. All his efforts were in vain, and Hudson was seething with anger.

Even without mentioning capturing the Bearman Emperor alive, his achievement of conquering the Bearman Imperial Court alone is enough to place him among the ranks of famous generals on the mainland.

If we just need to maintain stability, there's still a good chance we'll be granted a fiefdom of earl after the war.

Of course, such things still depend on opportunity. In this era where everyone has their own position, merit is secondary; the key is to have a place.

Under the existing rules of the game, no matter how much merit one has, it will be in vain if no unclaimed earldom emerges.

King can offer are a bunch of empty titles. For example, he can grant land from the Orc Empire to others for free, letting those with the ability take it for themselves.

If you delve deeper, you'll find that the Orc Empire's stronghold was relocated more than a dozen times by successive King of the Alpha Kingdom.

To prevent the proliferation of titles, fiefdom lords could not be granted titles, and titles were limited to one generation at a time.

All that's left for future generations is a glorious history to boast about, followed by lamenting their bad luck.

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh..."

The sound of the Arrow Feathers air spoke of Hudson's burning rage.

"Ah!"

A scream came from the Beastfolk Ritual. Three of the four Arrow Feathers were intercepted, and only one arrow was needed to achieve a kill.

Without time to verify the results of the battle, Hudson, whose position had been exposed, decisively fled and hid himself among the army.

"Jim, have the men below record the details using the Projection Stone."

Especially the high-ranking members of the Bearman Imperial Court, they must appear on screen.

Hudson gave the order to his men.

No matter what, the great achievement of attacking the Bearman Imperial Court cannot be abandoned in vain.

Recording the battle might allow the kingdom to embellish it for political purposes during propaganda, turning it into a depiction of the conquest of the Bearman Imperial Court.

Hudson was quite adept at exaggerating his achievements, having already done so twice before.

The only regret is that Crown Prince Caesar wasn't there to stand in front of them this time; otherwise, it wouldn't just be a possibility, but a certainty that they would "conquer the Bearman Imperial Court."

The bloodthirsty Beastfolk, recklessly blocking the cavalry's advance, had clearly increased their combat power significantly.

In an instant, Hudson thought of the legendary "Orc Priest's Song." Although this secret technique had a time limit, unfortunately, he was short of time.

If the expeditionary force lingers here for too long, it will not be an attack on the Bearman Imperial Court, but rather the Beastfolk annihilating the expeditionary force.

Hudson's eyes lit up instantly at the sight of the fluttering bear-man battle flag. He'd finally managed to get out of town; he had to bring back some souvenirs.

The Bearman Battle Flag, full of exotic features and highly distinctive, is undoubtedly a great choice.

Although doing this might provoke hatred, things have already progressed to this point, and the hatred between the two sides is already as deep as the sea.

"Beldens, don't get bogged down in the fight. Find an opportunity to take the Beastfolk's royal banner and infuriate those bear-men brats."

Hudson communicated in a spirit mode, mimicking the tone of Young Bear.

Fortunately, the contract was magical enough to allow for mental communication between humans and magical beasts. Otherwise, if such a shout had attracted the attention of powerful Beastfolk, there would have been no chance.

With a loud snap, the flagpole suddenly broke in half, Beldens, carrying the fluttering Bearman Battle Flag, dashed off.

Upon seeing this, Hudson ordered without hesitation, "Withdraw!"

The biggest advantage of cavalry is their speed; even if the Beastfolk behind them want to catch up, they can only watch the horses' rear ends and eat their dust.

A few powerful Beastfolk could match the speed of cavalry. However, one or two people facing an entire army was clearly not a good choice.

In this respect, neither humans nor Beastfolk can compare to Warcraft.

Thick-skinned monsters can easily run a few laps through a large army, but intelligent races like humans and Beastfolk cannot.

No matter how strong one's own strength is, one's defense is no match for magical beasts of the same level, not even for warriors who specialize in body training.

"Cease the pursuit!"

The Bearman Emperor coldly gave the order.

His burning anger did not extinguish his reason. Chasing after him at this point would be a waste of energy and serve no real purpose.

There's plenty of time in the future, and deep down, the Bearman Emperor had made up his mind. Once his army was assembled, he would definitely remove that thorn in Flying Bear Fortress and quell his hatred.

Not long after Hudson's army withdrew, the Bearman Legion, which had been on its way, finally appeared outside the camp.

Looking at the royal camp littered with corpses and the vanished royal battle flag, Bruno's face turned ashen.

Fortunately, the Beastfolk constantly moving around in the camp pulled him out of despair. As long as the royal court was preserved, there was still room for maneuver.

Bruno reluctantly entered the camp and appeared outside the Bearman Emperor's tent. His steps suddenly slowed down.

Although this was to save his lord, he ultimately failed to participate in the defense of the imperial court. The heavy losses suffered by the army he led were a stark reality.

He wouldn't say he regrets it; if he could do it all over again, he would still do the same thing.

This is a matter of principle. No leader wants their subordinates to gamble with their lives.

No matter how correct your judgment is, it's no use; ability is utterly insignificant in the face of loyalty.

With a heavy heart, I stepped into the Bearman Emperor's tent, where a roar of mourning echoed throughout the camp.