BXBX NOVEL Chapter 88 This Is War 1
However, the time to relax and chill naturally wouldn't be long when they were already deployed and within the forward camp. Soon, a loud toll was heard, which indicated that all troops were to assemble outside the camp in their respective formations.
Dante followed along quickly and glanced at the field in front of him which was filled with the armies of the kingdom.
The Indra Kingdom had five different armies, stationed to the west, east, south, north, and center.
The foot soldiers of the Indra Kingdom, known as the Warriors of Indra, were a formidable force known for their discipline and unwavering loyalty and were deployed to the center.
Clad in sturdy leather armor reinforced with iron plates, they formed the backbone of the kingdom's military might. Their weapons of choice were spears and short swords, expertly crafted to strike down enemies in close combat.
To the east, the Kingdom deployed the Swift Riders, a cavalry unit renowned for their speed and agility.
Mounted on sleek superpowered warhorses, these riders wore light armor that allowed them to maneuver swiftly on the battlefield. Armed with lances and short bows, they excelled in hit-and-run tactics, using their mobility to outmaneuver and overwhelm opponents.
In the south, the Ironclad Legion stood ready to defend the army's retreat.
This heavy armor unit consisted of soldiers encased in full suits of mithril tier armor, making them nearly impervious to conventional attacks. They wielded massive warhammers and tower shields, capable of breaking enemy lines and holding ground against overwhelming odds.
The archers of the Master Marksmen were stationed to the west, masters of ranged combat.
Their longbows had an impressive range and accuracy, allowing them to rain down volleys of arrows on approaching foes. They wore lightweight armor for agility and could quickly switch to shortswords for close-quarters combat.
Finally, to the north stood the Vanguard Shock Troops.
These elite warriors were chosen for their exceptional strength and combat prowess. Armed with massive two-handed axes and wearing a blend of heavy and medium armor, they were the kingdom's ultimate shock force. They could breach enemy lines, causing chaos and disruption in the midst of battle.
Dante found himself among the Warriors of Indra, forming up in ranks alongside his fellow foot soldiers.
As the soldiers from each army assembled, the battlefield buzzed with palpable energy. The anticipation was almost tangible, as if the very air was charged with the impending clash of armies.
High above, banners bearing the symbols of each army fluttered in the wind, creating a colorful tapestry that represented the might of the Indra Kingdom.
The generals and commanders took their positions, their steely gazes fixed on the field ahead.
Dante's heart raced as he stood among the Warriors of Indra, realizing that he was about to participate in a grand and ancient form of warfare. The Greco-Roman-style setting combined with the fantastical elements of the world created a unique and thrilling atmosphere.
The sound of a warhorn cut through the tension, signaling the commencement of the battle.
The soldiers of the five armies advanced in unison, their disciplined formations moving as one. The ground beneath their feet shook with the weight of their footsteps, and the indomitable spirit of the Indra Kingdom surged forward.
As Dante took his first steps onto the battlefield, he couldn't help but feel a mix of exhilaration and trepidation. This was different from one-on-one battle, this was truly war! Only someone who had served in the army could possibly understand what Dante was going through right now.
Immediately, the various armies on the side of Indra split up to achieve their own tasks and take up their positions. The Vanguard Shock troops did exactly what Shock Troops were named for, shocking the enemy by using overwhelming force to shatter their lines.
They charged ahead like miniature hulks, their every stomp causing small craters to appear in the ground. They swung their axes wantonly and launched like madmen as they clashed with the defense line of the kingdom that was being invaded by Indra, causing a huge shockwave.
Bodies flew into the air and hundreds of men and women who formed the defenders of the opposing kingdom turned into blood mist right away. The Vanguard Shock Troops were powered with SDIs ranging from 270 to 300 points in their physical stats while their mental stats and constitution as well as vitality were below the hundreds.
As such, they too rapidly suffered casualties as they were soon blocked by the warriors at the back who stopped their charge and then took them on. Surrounded by so many troops, they were like laughing mavericks as they killed and got killed in turn.
The Master Marksmen shuffled quickly to the far west and began unleashing arrows wantonly. Due to the superhuman nature of both sides' troops, the arrows used were huge, about half the size of ballista bolts.
The 'bows' these archers used were big enough to slap a human to death, and then easily pulled on their tight strings to nock the humongous arrows that were heavy enough to be high-level gym equipment for normal humans.
When an arrow was fired, it was less like a normal projectile and more like a missile. When they released their strings, their arrows immediately broke the sound barrier and then seemingly disappeared and reappeared before their target, striking them and exploding to create a small shockwave of force that ripped apart others nearby with insufficient defense.
And these archers were releasing such arrows as fast as machine guns, their arms like blurs as they ripped apart the key elements of the opposing army with ease.
One could easily tell that their Strength, Dexterity, and Intelligence stats were high, bordering on 280, but everything else was pitifully low.
To the east, the Swift Riders showed cocky smiles. They were the cavalry, arguably the strongest force on any such battlefield, and they knew it. Their cruelty and insidiousness were endless as they charged to the east like they were escaping the battlefield.
However, after reaching about 10 kilometers away, they suddenly curved around slowly and leisurely then took out their weapons and pointed them forward. With bloodshot eyes filled with the urge to kill and see blood fly, they urged their nigh upon overpowered steeds to enter a full sprint.
These horses thundered through the expanse like low-flying jets, their speeds making the riders on their back seem a blur. Each step the horses took caused the earth to tremble and when combined with the entire army, a small-scale earthquake that upset the other troops began.
When they collided with the enemy forces, there was no feasible resistance. They just formed a straight horizontal line of blood mist and emerged from the other side unscathed. Their armors were stained with red and their horses literally released steam from the heat they produced from their charge, but they only paused to rest before going again and forming another line of death.
With their expected output, it was clear that their SDI was high in terms of Agility and Strength and not much else. Cavalry was cavalry.
Meanwhile, the southern Iron Legion simply spread out and formed a steel wall of giant tower shields that were planted in the earth. Their job was to prevent any of the enemy army from escaping the battlefield in order to try and either flank their troops or deal a decapitation strike to the leaders at the back.
The sun gleamed on their armors and their tower shields did not even tremble. They balanced these powerful shields with their shoulders
in order to absorb the impact force and any enemy charge.
These men had SDIs in Strength and Constitution that could well be over 320 points, but abysmal stats in other fields for balance purposes.
Then there was Dante's Warriors of Indra army who were made up of those who did not necessarily have any strong points. In other words, they were mostly like Dante, they had balanced stats in all fields.
They charged forward and dragged Dante along after the other armies had bitten their piece of flesh. They were the clean-up crew of the battlefield, meant to go and fight head-on with the enemy army that had its lines broken, its attention distracted by arrows, and finally, its middle as well as back sections razed by the cavalry.
Usually, things were different. In true history, foot soldiers were tossed to the front first and used as cannon fodder to wear down enemy lines before the shock troops or the cavalry tore through, while the archers provided back support.
This was different here not because the Indra Kingdom had some special strategy or thought that they were different but was brought about due to the change in the SDIs of the world. As such, it became better to open the way for the balanced foot soldiers to handle the bulk of the fighting while sacrificing the usually valuable vanguard shock troops to open the way.