Engagement

Victor watched Ron and his men ride away.

Then he turned back toward the camp. His words had not only affected the warriors already marching out; every soldier about to depart had been stirred to high spirits.

Victor smiled and nodded. "Fortunately, over all these years, they have come to recognize that I reward and punish fairly. Empty promises alone could never motivate these men. Number 1, add a task to the Calculation Module. Based on the territory's conditions and the funds I have on hand, draw up a new set of rewards and penalties for military merit. Try not to affect the territory's future development, but make sure I can fulfill their rewards as soon as possible after this battle."

"Task established, Victor. Considering that you will be using Combat Assistance this afternoon, the task is estimated to require one day to complete."

"Good, Number 1. There's enough time. This will also be my first time using Combat Assistance in an actual battle. I wonder how effective it will be."

Victor had already planned to take the field himself and fight directly in this battle. He had great confidence in his own strength and skill, and with the Combat Assistance System brought by the Golden Finger to provide instructions and help analyze the battlefield, he could not claim to be worth a hundred men alone, but with the advantage of the terrain, fighting twenty or thirty men would be no problem at all.

Soon, dawn broke. The auxiliary troops had already begun to set out. Unlike the Cavalry, where each man had two horses and weapons, equipment, and supplies were carried by packhorses, or the infantry, who traveled directly by ship, the auxiliary troops could only rely on their own feet. Some supplies could be hauled by carts, so they had to leave first.

Victor stood to one side and watched the six hundred auxiliary soldiers file out. None wore armor, and their weapons were mainly long spears. Their expressions were nowhere near as spirited as those of the other warriors.

Victor knew that a force like this could only handle odd jobs: building camps, transporting supplies, and other logistical work. He could not expect them to fight.

He had to change this situation. He wanted to build a powerful army, one that could not rely solely on standing forces. It needed sufficient reserves and replacements. The auxiliary troops had to become the next priority for development. Improving their treatment and combat ability, and inspiring their desire to fight, had to come first.

However, Victor knew it would take time to put these ideas into practice. The most urgent matter was still winning this war. If they lost, who knew what the territory would be called afterward.

"Captain Jack, how much longer before the ships can leave port?" Victor asked Captain Jack.

"My lord, my men are all ready. As soon as the infantry are fully aboard, we can depart immediately," Captain Jack replied.

Victor nodded.

Then he said to everyone, "Move out. Victory is certain in this battle!"

"Victory is certain!" All the officers and the stewards led by Powell shouted in agreement.

Victor wore chainmail and stood at the front of the Cavalry formation, his determined gaze sweeping across every warrior. Behind him, more than a hundred elite cavalrymen stood ready to depart. Their horses had been groomed until their coats gleamed, while the soldiers held lances and shields, looking especially imposing.

At Victor's gesture, the cavalry quickly formed up. Their precise, synchronized movements displayed their rigorous training. Victor mounted his warhorse and looked down over the entire formation once more, then slowly raised his sword and pointed it toward the main battlefield in the distance.

There were no unnecessary words. Everything was understood without being spoken. The cavalry urged their horses after him, hoofbeats rolling like thunder through the quiet morning air. Victor led this brave force away from camp and toward the unknown and its challenges.

To conserve their horses' strength, the unit did not travel quickly, and the noise of their march was minimal. Victor discussed matters with James and Jack.

"James, your cavalry are all equipped with chainmail. When the time comes, your right wing will take the lead in the charge. I'll cover the losses. Since they are your men, it wouldn't be appropriate for me to grant them land, so we'll calculate it in gold coins instead."

"There's no need for you to pay, Victor. When I set out, my father told me to cherish every warrior, but not to become overly cautious. For the first two years of land reclamation, he will bear all compensation for battle losses."

"Uncle Ronald has thought things through very carefully. You already have such excellent starting conditions. If I still can't help you secure the baronial title, I'd be letting him down badly." Victor smiled.

Turning to Captain Jack, he said, "Your men have recovered well. Every one of them is full of spirit. After going through this battle and being tempered by it, their bearing won't be much inferior to the Iron Knights."

"Lord Victor, please don't joke. I have seen the Iron Knights fight head-on. These lads are indeed excellent, but they are still far behind the Iron Knights. They need much more training and actual combat experience," Jack replied.

"Should I call you modest or confident? You acknowledge your shortcomings, yet you believe you can reach the same level through effort. Actually, I have an idea as well. At present, the Golden Sunflower Territory cavalry mainly consists of Light Cavalry in leather armor. I plan to purchase a batch of chainmail and establish a shock cavalry force specifically for breaking enemy formations. Jack, you will be responsible for this unit. What do you think?" Victor said with a smile.

"Jack will certainly do everything in his power to repay my lord's favor." As a former knight who had joined midway, being entrusted with such an important position filled him with excitement.

"After this battle, I will confer knighthood upon you again. You have earned it." Victor raised a hand to stop Jack from dismounting to salute.

"Knight Jack. That title truly suits you." James chimed in from the side.

"Thank you, my lord." Being granted knighthood again was extraordinarily meaningful to Jack. As a knight who had lost his lord in war, although the defeat had been beyond his ability to prevent, he had indeed failed to protect his lord. Losing his status as a knight had been only natural. Yet for a Freemen who had become a knight through his own efforts, such a failure was practically a denial of the meaning of the first half of his life. Now that he had a chance to regain his knighthood, Jack silently resolved that he would fight bravely in this battle, slaughter the enemy, and win victory for the baron.

Even with their horses held back, the unit still reached the designated battlefield before noon. They halted on the northern slope, and the cavalrymen untied their horses' bridles, taking out sleeping bags and black beans from the packhorses' backs to feed and water the mounts, restoring their strength.

Victor personally tended to his own mount as well. These were responsibilities he owed to a companion who would fight at his side. Since childhood, he had been taught never to leave such matters to others.

The warhorse snorted as it licked up the black beans from his hand, shaking its head happily as it ate. Victor cheerfully stroked its mane. The mount he had brought this time was a black horse, only two and a half years old, yet powerfully built. Carrying Victor in chainmail, it could run twenty kilometers without showing fatigue. It was an excellent warhorse, and Victor had named it Grape.

"Grape, I'll be counting on you this afternoon."

Grape seemed to understand Victor's meaning. It nodded and neighed, and Victor hurriedly patted it. Though there was still some time before the battle began, as an ambush force, they should remain as quiet as possible.

Once he had adjusted Grape's bridle, Victor looked around. The cavalrymen who had finished feeding their horses were doing different things. Some took out rations and ate a few bites, some wiped down their weapons, while others lay on the hillside with their eyes closed, taking a brief rest. Everyone was gathering strength for the afternoon battle.

Victor glanced at the sun, then confirmed the time with Number 1 in his mind. It was nearly one in the afternoon, and only a little over an hour remained before the battle began.

Victor went to the slope on the side, where he could clearly see the Great Fish River in the distance. On the shaded western side of the riverbank, not far from Jizi Bay, several ships could be faintly seen.

Victor nodded. Captain Jack was indeed experienced. Using the riverbank as cover, the ships would be almost impossible for enemies coming from west to east to spot. With the current's help, they would need only a few minutes to make a beach landing. It combined concealment with combat efficiency perfectly.

Victor arranged for a messenger to signal the fleet to hold its position, then returned to the reverse slope.

At that moment, he saw a cavalryman reporting to James and Jack. He recognized at once that the rider belonged to Ron's cavalry unit.

Victor called out directly, "How is Ron's operation to lure the enemy going? Has everything proceeded according to plan?"

Seeing that it was Victor, the cavalryman immediately saluted and replied, "My lord, everything has gone very smoothly. This morning, Lord Ron led us in attacking one of their patrols. Afterward, we dragged the bodies to their camp and threw them down, then provoked those Barbarians with insults, saying they were all cowards who did not dare fight Lord Ron one-on-one. The Barbarians care greatly about their pride, so many of them came out to challenge Lord Ron to single combat. Lord Ron defeated three of their best fighters in a row, and those people could no longer hold themselves back. They began mobilizing in full force to surround us."

"But our horses had already warmed up and ran like the wind. They simply couldn't catch us. Lord Ron is leading the Barbarians in circles now. He will definitely arrive here according to schedule. Lord Ron sent me to report to you."

"You've worked hard. Thank you for doing your part, a crucial piece in our victory." Victor patted his shoulder.

"What is your name, soldier?"

"My lord Baron, my name is Michael. I am one of the Serf Soldiers you recruited this time. I used to be a carriage driver on the estate. You gave me the chance to change my fate. It is my greatest honor to contribute my strength to your cause." Michael lowered his head and saluted Victor.

"You are outstanding. I merely gave you an opportunity, and you seized it. I hope you perform even better in the battle ahead. When the fighting begins, stay by my side."

Victor knew very well that although Michael, as a Serf Soldier, had been familiar with horses since childhood, to defeat so many rivals and become a cavalryman in only a few months, he must have put in enormous effort. However, his combat skills would certainly still be relatively lacking. That was probably why Ron had sent him as a messenger. By having Michael follow behind Victor, Victor was confident he could protect him and give him better opportunities.

Victor believed that improving the initiative of the Serf Soldiers could not rely on benefits and treatment alone. He could also set examples to inspire their fighting awareness and determination to strive forward, and Michael was a highly suitable choice.

These were merely interludes amid the preparations for battle. Victor sent messengers to notify the auxiliary troops that they could advance toward the front lines. At the same time, he ordered all cavalrymen to prepare for combat.

Soon, a little more than half an hour later, Victor saw two groups in the distance approaching these hills one after another. The one in front was Ron and his small unit.

Victor returned to the reverse slope, immediately mounted his warhorse, and called for all the cavalry to prepare themselves. They needed only wait for his signal. After saying that, he rode alone to the hilltop.

The cavalry moved swiftly. In only a few minutes, Ron's small unit had slipped into the outer edge of these hills.

The Barbarian Cavalry followed closely behind them. Ron's unit soon reached the foot of the slope and began climbing, while the Barbarians copied them and tried to catch Ron to take revenge.

After judging the situation, Victor decisively gave the signal. At once, the ships in the river charged toward the shallows.

All the cavalrymen mounted their horses and followed behind Victor.

Victor took the lead, cresting the hill and charging down the slope. All the cavalry followed behind him, narrowing like a funnel. At the sight, the Barbarian Cavalry hesitated.

Victor held his lance and charged down the slope with unstoppable momentum. In an instant, he reached the Barbarian Cavalry. Guided by the Combat Assistance System, he drove his right hand forward and thrust directly at the Barbarian soldier facing him. Combined with the downhill momentum, the strike lifted the Barbarian straight from his horse. The morale of the surrounding Barbarian soldiers faltered, and they instinctively scattered aside.

Victor then led the charge directly into the enemy formation, followed by James's Chainmail Cavalry and Jack's unit. Together with Ron's unit turning back to counterattack, they smashed through the formation of the Barbarian Cavalry, who could neither advance nor retreat.

Riding his well-trained warhorse, Victor flashed through the enemy ranks like lightning.

He had discarded his lance after sending the first enemy flying, using the momentum to cast it aside for convenience. Now he drew the sword at his side. In his hands, the blade whirled so densely that no opening could be seen. With the Combat Assistance System's help, every strike landed precisely on a vital point of the Barbarian Cavalry. He was unstoppable, and several Barbarian warriors began to surround him.

Facing the enemies closing in around him, Victor felt no fear. Instead, he grew even more excited.

Using his superb fighting skills and extensive experience, he deftly avoided the enemy attacks. Even arrows fired from blind spots behind him were promptly detected by the Combat Assistance System.

At the same time, Victor searched for opportunities to counterattack. Whenever a Barbarian cavalryman tried to approach, the Combat Assistance System marked the gaps and weaknesses in the soldier's movements. Victor would immediately adjust his stance, point his sword at the opponent's weakness, and kill him with lightning speed.

Everyone was astonished by Victor's clean, decisive fighting style. Gradually, no one dared stand in his path. Wherever he charged, the Barbarian Cavalry scattered and fled.