The men at the front instinctively tried to fall back, while those in the rear crushed together, shoving, pushing, and trampling one another. A cacophony of curses and cries filled the air.
The two hundred-odd conscripts, mere cannon fodder, descended into utter chaos. Some even threw down their weapons, desperate to find a place to hide.
Carl watched helplessly as his orders once again amounted to nothing. Seeing his troops swarm in chaos like ants from a disturbed nest, he was about to explode with rage.
He brandished the Curved Saber in his hand, roaring futilely at the sky. "Bastards! Come down and fight me if you’ve got any guts! What kind of heroes hide in the sky!"
However, the only response he got was the rush of wind as the Pegasus Knights swiftly ascended.
Ed and the Knights under his command gave Carl no opportunity whatsoever for a close-quarters engagement.
The moment the bandits halted, trying to form a defensive line or organize their Archers for a counterattack, Ed would immediately order his men to pull up. They would effortlessly exit the pathetic range of the enemy’s Bow and Arrows, circling high above once more to look down upon the ants struggling futilely below.
If they advanced, they were met with a rain of arrows, mounting casualties, and collapsing morale. If they stopped, the enemy would simply retreat out of reach, forcing them to watch helplessly as the Knights circled overhead, feeling the omnipresent pressure and terror.
The Blood Wolf Corps was completely caught between a rock and a hard place, like mice being toyed with by a flock of cunning falcons, their every step falling on the edge of a trap.
The faces of the few core chieftains beside Carl turned grim.
One of them, a burly man with a thick beard, leaned close to Carl and whispered, "Boss, we can’t go on like this! The men will be picked off by these bird-people before we even reach the town! Besides, look at the sky..."
Carl glanced up at the sky. The Sun was already beginning to set, its orange-red glow painting the distant mountains in a warm hue. But this warmth did nothing to dispel the chill in his heart.
At their current stop-and-go pace, constantly being interrupted, there was absolutely no way they would reach Black Stone Town before nightfall.
And once night fell, making camp in the open and facing these unpredictable aerial riders... the consequences would be unthinkable.
"Dammit!"
Carl spat viciously, his saliva tinged with blood. It was hard to tell if it was from rage or from straining his throat shouting earlier.
He looked at the conscripts in the ranks, their shifty eyes clearly showing they were already considering retreat. Regret sprouted in his heart, growing as uncontrollably as weeds.
’If I had known Black Stone Territory had a card like this up its sleeve, I’d have rather died than get involved in this mess!’
’That paltry commission isn’t nearly enough to pay for my men’s lives!’
"Pass down the order!"
Carl gritted his teeth, forcing the words out.
"Halt the advance! Make... make camp on the spot!"
Many of the bandits breathed a sigh of relief at this command. Though the road ahead was uncertain, at least for the moment, they no longer had to advance under a hail of arrows.
However, once the order was passed down, the troops’ reaction was less than enthusiastic.
Making camp required felling trees, clearing the area, and setting a perimeter, but under the threat of the Pegasus Knights, no one dared to leave the main force to act alone.
The entire column simply stood at a standstill, the atmosphere oppressive and eerie.
High above, Ed saw the enemy forces halt their advance and show signs of making camp. A flicker of understanding crossed his eyes.
He didn’t order another attack. There was no need to pursue a desperate foe. Besides, the Knights and their Pegasi needed to rest.
"Maintain surveillance. Withdraw to town in shifts to rest and replenish your arrows and stamina."
Ed issued the new command.
The twenty-odd Pegasus Knights split into two teams. One team continued to circle high in the sky, maintaining their watch and intimidating presence over the Blood Wolf Corps. The other, led by Ed, turned and flew in the direction of Black Stone Town.
Their white wings carved a graceful arc against the setting sun before quickly disappearing over the horizon.
The Blood Wolf Corps soldiers who remained on the ground watched the departing Pegasus Knights, but their hearts felt no relief. Instead, a heavier weight settled upon them.
They knew this was only a temporary lull. The real test, perhaps, would come tonight.
With a grim expression, Carl stared at the dimming sky. For the first time, his resolve for this mission wavered.
He began to wonder if they should retreat quietly under the cover of darkness.
But then he thought of the generous reward his employer had promised, and their vicious methods, and he hesitated.
The sun sank completely below the horizon, and the curtain of night began to fall.
Out on the plains, the temporary camp of the Blood Wolf Corps lit up with scattered campfires.
「The night, as black as ink, completely enveloped the plains.」
A cold wind began to howl, kicking up sand and dust and making a moaning sound, like the low weeping of ghosts.
The Blood Wolf Corps had made camp on a gentle slope. It was relatively open, a choice meant to guard against surprise ground attacks, but it also left them completely exposed to any potential threat from the sky.
The process of setting up camp was chaotic and inefficient.
The conscripted bandits lacked discipline and proper tools. They simply hacked down some low-lying shrubs and huddled together around the bonfires, hoping to draw some small measure of warmth and security from the flames.
The air was thick with the stench of sweat, blood, and cheap ale. The CRACKLE of the bonfires only served to accentuate the eerie silence of the night.
Carl and his core members occupied the center of the camp. Their tents were a bit more presentable, but they were still little more than simple shelters made of Beast Hide.
Carl paced back and forth irritably in front of his tent. The dim firelight cast his menacing shadow onto the tent wall, where it twisted and writhed like a leering demon.
"Boss, are we really spending the night here?"
The burly, bearded man approached him again, his face etched with clear anxiety.
"Those bird-people won’t just let us be! If they come back tonight..."
"Shut up!"
Carl stopped abruptly and shot him a vicious glare.
"If we don’t stay here, what do you suggest? We lead this pack of useless louts on a march in the dark? Or maybe you want to turn tail and run right now?"
The bearded man flinched at Carl’s ferocious glare and said no more.
Another chieftain, this one with a scar across his face, said in a grave tone, "Boss, we have to strengthen the watch, especially for threats from the air. Our Bows and Arrows can’t reach them, but at least we’ll get an early warning."
Carl, breathing heavily, nodded. "Double the sentries! Tell the Archers to keep their bows ready. If anything flies over, I don’t care what it is, shoot it down!"
The order was passed down. The number of sentries on the camp’s perimeter was increased, and several Archers were positioned by the bonfires, their eyes fixed nervously on the pitch-black night sky.
This precaution, however, was more for their own peace of mind than anything else.
Everyone knew full well that against the swift and agile Pegasus Knights, such defenses were practically useless.
Fear slithered through the camp like an invisible viper.
Many of the bandits couldn’t sleep at all. They sat huddled around the bonfires, gripping their weapons tightly, their ears straining to catch any sound from the surrounding darkness.
The sound of the wind, the rustle of grass, the howl of a distant beast—any unusual noise made them jump, sometimes even triggering small pockets of panic.