An Unusual Train of Thought

"What's going on? Who ordered the retreat?!"

At the same time, Commander Bache, who had been holding the rear, arrived with his men before the cavalrymen who had taken the initiative to retreat.

"Commander Bache, this is bad! The Onyx Principality had an ambush waiting for us. They used some weapon we've never seen before to fire incredibly thick, long arrows. Several Royal Knights have already been killed!"

"What?" Bache had been stationed in the rear to guard against enemies potentially appearing from the southern side of the valley, but he had also been keeping an eye on the situation here.

However, they were seven or eight hundred meters apart, and with the dust kicked up by galloping horses drifting through the air, he had failed to notice the crossbow bolts streaking across the sky.

Moreover, Nalant and the others had concealed themselves very cleverly, setting up their position beneath several short trees.

From afar, they were completely obscured by the drooping leaves in front of them. Only by looking up from near the foot of the mountain could one spot their presence.

Only at this moment did Bache learn of Nalant and the others' existence.

As his subordinate reported, he looked toward the now-empty battlefield and indeed saw six direct cavalrymen nailed to the ground by wooden shafts like spears, an especially conspicuous sight.

"So it's true!" Horror filled Bache's eyes.

Several cavalrymen who had previously gone after the Tulip Family had already fled back and reported that their entire force had been wiped out. They had also said the enemy possessed something capable of firing terrifying arrows—thick bolts that even Bronze Knights could not withstand.

Bache had not quite believed them at first. He had thought those guards were afraid of being held accountable for their failed rout