Knight: Becoming King of the World

Chapter 134: Chapter 113: Dumbfounded, Aren’t You?

The Barons and Knights didn’t care. All they could see was victory.

As for the Recruited Soldiers, as long as there were men and women on the fiefs, there would be an endless supply of them, one crop after another.

"As long as the Shield Carriers can reach the wall, our elite Warriors will strike," a Knight said, his hand gripping his sword hilt tightly.

"The sacrifices of these peasants and serfs will be remembered..." His tone was laced with contempt, not genuine respect.

On the wall, Henry observed the enemy’s movements. He knew the enemy nobles were waiting for the opportune moment. He turned to Philip, who was at his side, and issued a new order.

"Philip, see those Shield Carriers? We need to give them some special attention. Concentrate fire. Don’t let them near the wall."

Philip immediately relayed Henry’s command, and the archers and crossbow crews adjusted their targets, focusing on destroying the Shield Carriers.

The crossbowmen on the wall quickly adjusted the angle and direction of their Crossbow Mechanisms. They aimed directly at the cumbersome yet formidable Shield Carriers.

A trigger on a Crossbow Mechanism was pulled. A massive Crossbow Arrow shrieked through the air, rocketing toward the leading Shield Carrier.

The power of the Crossbow Arrow was staggering. It not only pierced the Shield Carrier’s thick wooden planks but also embedded itself deep inside. A simultaneous volley from several Crossbow Mechanisms instantly crippled the vehicle, stopping it in its tracks.

The enemy soldiers aboard the Shield Carrier panicked, scrambling to escape what was now a death trap.

But the impact from the Crossbow Arrow was too great. The moment it pierced the wooden planks, it unleashed a massive burst of energy, causing the Shield Carrier’s structure to collapse instantly.

Planks and splinters flew everywhere. The soldiers aboard had nowhere to run. They could only scream in despair as they were crushed beneath the heavy timbers.

However, the situation on the battlefield remained tense. The other three Shield Carriers had already reached the base of the wall. Enemy soldiers began setting up the Cloud Ladders housed within the Shield Carriers, preparing to begin their assault.

The crossbowmen on the wall didn’t relax after one successful hit. They quickly retargeted, preparing to strike the remaining Shield Carriers.

Every Shield Carrier they destroyed meant one less point of attack for the defenders to worry about.

"Crossbowmen, adjust fire! Aim for the base of those Cloud Ladders!" Philip roared.

The crossbowmen instantly understood Philip’s intent. They began aiming for the base of the Cloud Ladders. If the ladders could be destroyed, the enemy’s entire plan to scale the wall would be dealt a serious blow.

Crossbow Arrows flew again, this time aimed at the ladders’ vulnerable bases.

’Without Cloud Ladders, it was useless even if you reached the wall. It’s not like they could fly, right?’

Finally, out of several huge Crossbow Arrows fired, one found its mark. It struck the base of a Cloud Ladder, sending the enemy soldiers scrambling up it into a panic. They tumbled from on high, their screams echoing.

But the enemy assault didn’t stop. The two remaining Shield Carriers quickly reached a blind spot for the Crossbow Mechanisms and made it to the foot of the wall.

Henry’s Skilled Infantry sprang into action, raising their shields to form a solid line of defense. Armed with hooked pikes and spears, they prepared to meet the climbers.

The enemy soldiers began to climb. They were swift, roaring to bolster their own courage, but the height of the wall and the tight defense turned them into corpses, one after another.

The pikemen stood at the wall’s edge, their job to knock the climbers off, while spearmen stood ready to thrust at any enemy who dared to peek over the top.

The archers in the towers were also prepared, their arrows nocked and aimed at any enemy who dared approach the wall.

They stopped shooting at the enemies clustered behind their shields; it was too inefficient.

The moment an enemy’s head appeared from a Shield Carrier, they would loose an arrow without hesitation, felling them.

As the battle wore on, a horn blared from the enemy camp. The enemy’s armored soldiers began their charge. Despite harassment from the Crossbow Mechanisms and archers, they finally managed to scale the wall at one of the Shield Carriers, creating a breach in the defenses.

They used the deaths of the lightly armored serfs to carve out a small foothold on the wall.

These soldiers wore one or two layers of armor and wielded sharp Long Swords and battle-axes. From the top of an arrow tower, Henry observed the battle below.

He noticed several Knight’s Squires mixed in with the armored soldiers. Their equipment was of higher quality, and their movements were more agile.

The presence of these Knight’s Squires undoubtedly put immense pressure on the Skilled Infantry.

The Skilled Infantry responded at once. If they didn’t suppress these armored soldiers quickly, the consequences of them establishing a firm foothold on the wall would be dire.

The infantrymen wielded their hooked pikes and spears, engaging the climbers in a brutal melee.

The pikemen used the reach of their long-handled weapons, hooking the enemy’s armor and, with a powerful tug, ripping them from the wall to crash to their deaths on the open ground inside the castle.

Enemies wearing Zha Armor and Chain Armor had it the worst. The moment one was snagged by a hooked pike, several other weapons would converge, shoving him over the edge of the wall to his doom.

Meanwhile, the spearmen, protected by shields, sought opportunities to thrust their weapons into the gaps in the enemy’s armor. Each successful strike was met with a pained scream.

However, the enemy’s armored soldiers were no pushovers. Some wore heavier armor capable of deflecting the spear thrusts.

Some soldiers were even strong enough to resist the pull of the hooked pikes. The fighting grew exceptionally fierce as both sides fought for every inch of space.

Watching this from the top of the arrow tower, Henry knew he had to take more effective measures.

He immediately issued a new order. "Archers and skilled archers, cease fire! Veteran Shooters, concentrate your fire! Aim for the armored soldiers’ heads and joints! Their armor can’t fully protect those spots!"

The Veteran Shooters among Henry’s Personal Guard immediately adjusted their aim. Their arrows, like death’s own messengers, flew with precision toward the armored soldiers’ weak points.

Some arrows found their way through the slits in helmets, while others struck unprotected joints.

In the chaos of battle, enemy Knight’s Squires exploited the confusion on the wall to quickly scale it. These squires were not only well-equipped but also highly skilled fighters, and their arrival immediately placed immense pressure on the defenders.

Bain, who had been directing the defense on the wall, quickly spotted the Knight’s Squires.

Bain gripped his steel sword and shield and strode forward to meet the Knight’s Squires who had charged onto the wall, utterly fearless.

Several Senior Infantry assigned to him by Henry followed close behind, armed with shields and Sharp-beaked Warhammers to protect Bain from being surrounded.

The enemy Knight’s Squires wielded Long Swords and wore heavy armor; they were Mighty and Strong. Bain was just as experienced a fighter, and he knew how to turn an enemy’s own strength and speed against them.

When the first Knight’s Squire charged Bain, he raised his shield to block the attack, then quickly dropped into a crouch to counter. His steel sword flashed in the sun, streaking toward the enemy’s ankle.

The Knight’s Squire hastily retreated, barely dodging the blow. Though he wore military boots, a direct hit would have sent a numbing jolt up his leg and slowed his reactions.

Bain didn’t let up, using his own strength and speed to press the attack in a fierce struggle.

Other defenders on the wall quickly joined the fray, fighting alongside Bain to confront the Knight’s Squires.

In a furious exchange, Bain finally found an opening. His steel sword smashed down viciously on a Knight’s Squire’s helmet. Though the helmet was sturdy, the force of the blow was enough to leave the man dizzy and disoriented.

Bain seized the opportunity to knock him down, then finished him with a single slash to the throat.

The battle on the wall had reached a fever pitch; the ramparts had become a meat grinder.

Bain had just finished off one enemy Knight’s Squire when another charged him with a scimitar, its blade whistling through the air.

Bain turned slightly to parry with his own sword. Sparks flew as their blades scraped against each other.

Immediately after, Bain bashed at the man’s head with his shield, but the squire blocked it with his own.

A smirk touched Bain’s lips. The sword in his right hand whistled through the air, aimed straight for his opponent’s midsection.

The enemy Knight’s Squire managed to twist away, but Bain’s blade still left a deep gash in his Chain Armor, sending a spray of broken Iron Armor Rings flying.

"AAAAAGH!"

A Skilled Infantryman was struck in the chest by a Long Sword during the chaotic melee. The plates on his chest were pierced, and he fell to the ground in agony. But even in his last moments, he used every last ounce of strength to thrust his hooked pike into his enemy’s leg.

The enemy cried out in pain and fell to his knees, only to be swarmed by other defenders who quickly finished him off.

At the edge of the wall, the Knight’s Squire was being forced back by Bain, his heels at the precipice.

Just then, however, a Senior Infantryman charged from behind, his warhammer raised high, and brought it down brutally on the Knight’s Squire’s head.

Though the Knight’s Squire’s helmet was sturdy, the force of the blow snapped his neck, and he crumpled to the ground.

’Bain didn’t care how the enemy died. Henry had told him any method was acceptable, as long as the enemy ended up dead. The dirtier the trick, the better.’

"Is that all you’ve got?! I thought your Knight’s Squires were supposed to be something special!!"

Bain cut off the enemy’s head and had a veteran soldier hold it high, a gruesome display meant to demoralize the enemy.

Some of the enemy soldiers did begin to falter, but they continued to fight on tenaciously.

CRASH!

With a final, heavy blow from the battering ram, the castle gate gave a deafening roar and finally gave way, splintering into pieces.

"AAAAAGH! KILL!"

"Follow me! Charge!"

The enemy soldiers let out a heaven-shaking cheer. Thinking victory was at hand, they swarmed toward the gate, ready to pour into the castle and slaughter their foes.

’They had superior numbers. With the gate open, victory was assured!’

However, as they streamed through the shattered gateway, the sight that met their eyes left them all stunned.

Behind the gate stood neither Henry’s defenders nor the second gate of a barbican leading deeper into the castle. Instead, there was a mountain of stone and earth.

These obstacles completely sealed the gateway, forming a new wall and blocking the enemy’s path.

The soldiers looked at each other, utterly helpless in the face of this new development.

"Reinforce the right Shield Carrier! Attack from there!"