The Winning Move in the War, a Possible Way to Kill the Cleric

While his body was fighting the enemy, his head turned around, his eyes fixed on the thousands of imposing cavalrymen as they uniformly devoured their delicious food.

It wasn't until the enemy's weapon slit their necks that the soldiers finally showed a relieved expression of relief upon their arrival at death.

Unfortunately, they didn't get to have a proper meal before they died.

No matter how powerful the Divine Art was, it could not ignite the soldiers' will and morale. With the extreme collapse of morale, the outcome of the war was no longer in doubt.

Even the knights are like this, let alone those members of the Atonement Army who lack discipline and quality.

Their strength can be used on the battlefield or for escaping; it is a sharp double-edged sword.

"Attack!"

In the distance, Count Pascal ordered a charge. The army in the sky and on the ground attacked the Crusader Atonement Army simultaneously. The demoralized army was almost completely routed, and everyone was fleeing for their lives.

Ryan did not order an attack. He did not want his Knight Retainer to be harmed in the process. These were all veterans who had experienced the Nidhogg Wars, extremely valuable and with promising futures.

Watching the Gargoyle Legion and the almost mindless army of Witch Ghosts charge towards the Gerald Noble Territory, Ryan led his army across the battlefield to the nobles' side.

"Baron Ryan, your army has actually shown up here?"

Grand Duke Leta was shocked because there was no information within the Andara Kingdom to prove that Ryan's army had passed through this land. He was astonished at how Ryan's army had managed to deceive everyone.

"The Northlands is full of opportunities, Your Excellency."

Ryan did not answer directly, but changed the subject and looked in the direction of Gerald Noble Territory.

"I have cut off all resource supplies from the South lands to the Gerald Noble Territory. They cannot win this war. As long as we hold out against the Crusaders counterattack for the next few days, we will be victorious."

Grand Duke Leta frowned. They had been fighting for more than half a month without any result. How could Ryan tell them that the war was over so soon after arriving?

"If nothing unexpected happens, they've run out of food."

"On my way here, I passed the edge of the Golden-Eyed Count's territory. In a knight's manor, the fields were empty of grain, and it wasn't even autumn yet. Then there was constant weeping; many families had already lost members."

"In the world after the arrival of the Northlands, almost no one dies of natural causes in these few months. Even the elderly who are about to die will hold on until the day the harvest ends because of their beliefs."

"Given that no crops grew in the fields, it's almost certain they starved to death."

"The two Earldom Gerald have no food. How can they wage war? Food is the lifeblood of war."

"The Church will find a way to provide it to them."

It was Count Pascal who spoke. In terms of Noble Title, they were Noble Title lower than Grand Duke Leta, but no one here seemed to care about that.

Ryan wasn't worried about this issue at all.

"I intercepted five waves of supplies heading north from the South, each one smaller than the last. Even if the Pope gave the order, the Holy Light of Dawn wouldn't rain food down from the sky."

"Food needs a source. Now is the best time of year in terms of weather, but because the harvest is so close, it is also the time when food is most scarce."

"The nobles need to prepare supplies. Not to mention those nobles, even within my territory, it would take some time to transport food for tens of thousands of people."

"People can starve to death in three days, but they certainly won't starve for only three days."

"My army has already cleared the plains, and I've driven all the wild animals there to the south."

"Three days—either fight us to the death or suffer defeat. The Crusaders retreated after their collapse."

"But these guys... heh, they probably don't have any courage or idea of fighting a desperate battle."

Those knights will face even greater trouble, as for the Crusader Atonement Army? They are not a regular army and could not possibly possess such military discipline.

Fighting with one's back to the river is not something that can be done simply by talking about it. It requires a high level of strategic awareness, but the most crucial element is the morale and conviction of the soldiers in such a desperate situation.

Just like just now, the moment Ryan's army appeared, the moment the delicious aroma of roasted meat spread, if these soldiers really had that kind of courage, they wouldn't have given up so quickly.

"After winning the war in the east, the Sera Kingdom will naturally not dare to continue attacking the Andara Kingdom, so we can all report back to our Monarch."

Ryan laughed easily. He had suffered a lot on that plain these past few days. He didn't really want to get involved in this war between the Empire and the Church, so it was better to end it as soon as possible. This land could be chaotic, but it couldn't be chaotic with the Imperial Army and the Church armies.

Otherwise, he wouldn't be confident in suppressing everything.

After hearing Ryan's explanation, Grand Duke Leta understood a lot. As a grand duke, his courage to lead the Extraordinary Legion into war every time was a test of his ability.

But he couldn't help but gasp. Ryan's words were simple, but firstly, no one knew that Ryan's army had appeared in the South of Gerald Noble Territory. After all, to cross from the Empire's Frozen Earth Territory to that grassland, one had to go through the Northwind Avenue, then enter the Sera Kingdom and the Andara Kingdom, and finally, there was no way that they would appear on the battlefield with the Crusaders before they could get there.

Such a long journey, they would probably have been exposed as soon as they entered the Northwind Avenue. A surprise attack on the supply lines? If the intention was that obvious, it would be impossible to succeed.

But... after traveling all the way from the Northlands, why did we end up in that grassland after going around in circles?

Grand Duke Leta was somewhat incredulous, because that would mean facing even more trouble. Crossing the Northlands was already an extremely difficult journey, not to mention that the final stretch would likely involve navigating through the Woodlands.

It's hard to understand, and that's precisely why Ryan's sudden appearance seems so unexpected.

"In that case, the war will end quickly, and I can give an explanation to the King."

"The Empire... probably won't let Gerald Noble Territory off the hook, right? After the defeat in the war, the negotiations with Gerald Noble Territory will likely cost them a lot of wealth, and it will be impossible for them to build an army to attack the kingdom in a short time."

They are all pawns, whether they belong to kingdoms or noble territories. Ultimately, they are all innocent bystanders in the struggle King and the Church authority.

A clash between two behemoths determined the rise and fall of many noble families.

"If the war goes well, the Gerald Noble Territory must show its sincerity to the Empire."

Ryan said the same thing. The emperor would definitely make the same demands on the two Earls Gerald as he did on the Andara Kingdom. The world and rules of the nobility are that simple and direct. In short, no matter how the war goes, there will be no result of killing nobles because of the war.

The art of interests and compromise is the essence of aristocracy.

However, Ryan looked at Count Pascal, the Gargoyle Count, who did not seem to be in the mood for victory; he appeared dissatisfied with the outcome.

Count Pascal looked up when he felt Ryan's gaze.

"So, the war ended with defeat and expulsion, not killing?"

Ryan didn't know why the count harbored such intense hatred and murderous intent, and could only helplessly say:

"My lord, this is the only option left. The strength of the Crusader Atonement Army is undeniable. They resolved the problems of the Path of Dawn and also demonstrated terrifying combat power when facing the Gargoyle Legion and the Witch Ghost Legion."

"My method of winning the war is to cut off their supply lines. This method can starve many slaves in the Gerald Noble Territory and make their knights go hungry, but the Crusaders's extraordinary soldiers cannot starve to death because they don't get food."

"Hunting or plundering will keep them alive, and our strength is clearly not enough to annihilate them all."

Ryan used methods outside the battlefield to win the war, which should have been the best outcome.

Count Pascal's expression was somber, and no one knew what he was thinking.

And just as Ryan had predicted, the moment Ryan's army appeared, it delivered an answer to the Gerald Noble Territory.

"All the supplies and food for the South nobles were intercepted by that Baron Ryan?"

"The men we sent out couldn't find where he hid the grain. Not only that, but all the beasts were driven away. They used Dragons dung to send the beasts fleeing to the south. We... can't go that far to hunt."

The two counts received the news almost simultaneously; their expressions were grim, while the servants below looked pale and helpless.

Even without food, the nobles won't go hungry. In fact, at this very moment, the kitchen is still preparing a sumptuous and exquisite lunch for the nobles, and after the meal, as before, most of it will be wasted again.

The other slaves in the territory will be in a much worse situation. People often starve to death, but this time many, many people will starve to death.

The slaves felt like the sky was falling just thinking about having enough to eat, while the nobles felt helpless and fearful because they knew very well that the war would end in defeat.

Without food, the soldiers' fighting spirit and combat effectiveness were greatly reduced. Keep in mind that they were the ones on the offensive, yet in just a short time, they became complete losers.

[Moonlight] Knight Tiffany returned to his knightly estate, and before he could even send someone to inquire, two counts rushed to him from their castle.

The things Ryan did in the south reached the ears of this Legendary Knight, and even the ancient knight who had lived from the previous era couldn't help but widen his eyes in astonishment.

How did he get there?

The longer you live, the more you know; this Legendary question hit the nail on the head.

If they had known the direction of Ryan's army earlier, how could they have so easily allowed all their logistical supplies to be intercepted?

No, I don't know.

Dark-Eyed Count said somewhat listlessly, all he knew was that the war had been lost, and if nothing unexpected happened, the Earldom, already worsened by the Orc War, would seamlessly transition into another period of financial hardship.

Since they fled from the north to the South, their wealth has been decreasing almost every year. Even the numb count is now worried about how much he will have left after the war is lost.

That was once the wealth and resources of a kingdom that ruled over the Norris Continent.

None of the three had any ideas. Finally, the Legendary Knight broke the silence with a sigh. It wasn't the first time he had heard of that legendary Baron in the Northlands of the empire.

"The Northern Baron, who killed the Silver-Moon Monarch, easily changed the course of the war."

"What are your thoughts now?"

Knight Tiffany looked at the two counts, who were uncle and nephew, but to him they were very young juniors. Their fathers and grandfathers were just children in his eyes.

"Our army is no longer able to fight. The Church's Crusaders are hunting wild beasts in the Mountain Forest to fill their bellies, but as supernatural beings, those beasts can hardly keep them full indefinitely."

That's actually the most crucial point.

The Crusader Atonement Army had an insatiable appetite. The Gerald Noble Territory was already under immense pressure to produce grain every year, and their arrival forced the two Earls of Gerald to harvest their wheat ahead of schedule. Even then, they could barely sustain the tens of thousands of powerful superhumans.

Now that the food supply chain has been completely disrupted, the morale of the Crusaders is collapsing even faster than that of their slave soldiers.

"There's another way."

Dark-Eyed Count was younger, and his eyes held a defiant glint.

"Our food supply can last for a few more days. In these few days, we can win the war against the kingdom, and then use the kingdom's food to replenish our lost food supplies, thus securing victory in this war."

His eyes were somewhat crazed. The outcome of failure and victory would widen the gap between heaven and hell for the Gerald bloodline, because this failure might completely destroy the former glory and splendor of the Gerald name, as well as the vow made more than a hundred years ago to return to the ancestral land in the north.

If they were to lose the war and compromise on reparations, they would no longer be entitled to see that ancestral King.

Gerald's bloodline contains a wild and romantic quality, which this Dark-Eyed Count embodies to the extreme.

"Impossible."

The Golden-Eyed Count, the uncle of the Dark-Eyed Count, spoke up:

"Our army simply can't do it. That Ryan... do you know how he found out our territory was running out of food?"

"He lured slaves from over a dozen knightly manors in my territory away from their manors with animal meat, making them his prisoners, and then broke into the knights' granaries!"

Earl Meilan Gerald of the Golden-Eyed Count gritted his teeth. The knights were all out fighting the war, and his home had been easily ransacked by Ryan, with hardly any food found.

"If he just takes out that meat on the battlefield, the soldiers will lose their courage."

"As for the Crusaders, they will not become stronger when they are starving, because the enemy they are facing is not even human."

If the army from the Andara Kingdom were human soldiers, they might have been able to be intimidated and driven away by their hunger and ruthlessness. But what were they facing? Gargoyle, these extraordinary beings, those bloodthirsty and irrational Witch Ghosts.

They had no negative emotions at all, so how could they be scared off? On the contrary, they would find that the once powerful Crusaders had become weak because they were starving and lacked strength.

They will be even more excited.

"Is there no other way?"

All three of them fell silent.

"Is there no other way?"

Meanwhile, Count Pascal also found Ryan and inquired about the future of the war.

Even Lord Ryan, who purchased large quantities of grain from the Danube Province every year, could not show any impatience when faced with the count's persistent questioning.

"There are solutions, but the decision-making power is not in our hands."

"If the Crusaders don't retreat, then we need to use the Church to punish them, forcing them to choose between death and war with us. They will likely choose the latter. No matter how formidable we are, we are no stronger than the monsters of the Abyss."

"If it's the Church, it must be that Cleric Awen, the Crusaders Legion Commander of the Crusades."

"He's decided to fight the Crusaders to the death, a war to the last man, only then can he possibly achieve the goal you desire, Earl."

"I have reason to believe that the Pope of the Holy Mountain also gave orders to the Crusaders regardless of the cost, even promising them a pardon after the war. So, shortly after the two Extraordinary Legion chased after us, he had you call your troops back to garrison the area. Here, we are invincible."

"But the human heart, the thoughts of that Cleric Awen, are beyond the control of even the Pope, and the other Crusaders are not puppets."

"If we can just hold out for these two days, the outcome of the war will be decided."

Ryan's words silenced Count Pascal. He suddenly regretted revealing himself so early, exposing his thoughts and methods to Cleric Awen.

The opponent was on guard against him. In the previous battles, he had been facing the [Moonlight] Knight, Cleric Awen had hidden himself away to entangle with the [Ivy] Aven Mages.

The clash between Divine Art and sorcery is the biggest culprit behind the appearance of this Rift.

In short, Cleric Awen is unlikely to risk his life for this war now. He is not afraid of the Holy Mountain's punishment and has the means to Mute Ascetics.

If he doesn't reveal any flaws, he won't be able to take revenge. And when they meet again, Aven Griffith will definitely have acquired more unknown Divine Art, making him even less likely to restrain his opponent.

Count Pascal clenched his fists, unwilling to accept defeat.

"Why do you want to kill him so badly?"

Ryan finally asked, not out of curiosity, but out of helplessness. Count Pascal controlled a large part of the war, and the strength of the Gargoyle Legion was obvious to all.

Ryan was also worried that the initial events of the war would repeat themselves in the coming days, with the Gargoyle Legion neglecting the Wyvern Legion, resulting in heavy losses for the Wyvern Rider.

This count is now a source of uncertainty in the war, and Ryan doesn't want it to spiral out of control.

Moreover, judging from his appearance, the count doesn't seem like he'll calm down right now, so losing control is quite possible.

"I'm not sure about the grudge between you, but if it's just about killing that priest... well..."

Ryan hesitated before speaking, admitting he had no confidence whatsoever.

"It's not impossible."

Seeing the light shining in the Earl's eyes, Ryan quickly added:

"I was just saying it's possible."

(End of this chapter)