Chapter 163: Chapter 142: Hobia, How Can I Protect You?
Henry and his cavalry cautiously wove their way through the sand dunes, trying to keep a low profile and avoid leaving any obvious tracks in the desert.
However, just as they thought they could make a safe retreat, a sharp, whistling cry echoed across the empty desert.
Henry’s heart sank. In this region, the only creatures that could make such a sound were the Lizardmen.
They had been discovered!
"Quick! Pick up the pace! We have to get out of here before the Lizardmen can rally!" Henry commanded.
The cavalrymen spurred their horses, but the desert terrain was complex. The dunes and gullies made their progress anything but smooth.
Henry glanced back and saw a group of Spirit Lizards rapidly approaching, their eyes glinting with murderous intent.
These were Spirit Lizards, a light and agile breed that stood out among the other types of Lizardmen.
Spirit Lizards excelled at reconnaissance. Those that were armed could also join the fight, specializing in harassing the enemy and sowing sudden panic.
This nature made them far more inclined to attack than other Lizardmen. If a different type of Lizardman had spotted them, a quick departure might have been enough to avoid a pursuit.
"Prepare for battle!"
Henry snatched up his long-handled Yanyue Saber. Evasion was pointless; the only way out now was to fight.
The cavalrymen quickly formed up, preparing for a circling volley.
Henry gripped the shaft of his Yanyue Saber, feeling a pang of nervousness. He wasn’t wearing his black armor so he could ride, a choice that had severely compromised his defenses.
’Why can’t the "reduce weight" effect be applied to my horse?’
’Damn you, Khorne!’
"Hold the formation! Don’t scatter!"
The Spirit Lizards drew closer and closer, their speed astonishing. As the two forces closed the distance, the Spirit Lizards soon entered the cavalry’s firing range.
The Mamluks loosed the first volley of arrows. A hail of shafts rained down, felling a swath of Spirit Lizards as the thundering herd of warhorses kicked up clouds of sand.
WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH!
Volleys of javelins were hurled by the Spirit Lizards toward the Mamluk Cavalry, startling Henry into ordering his men to keep their distance.
’Others might not know, but he certainly did. The Spirit Lizards’ javelins were most likely coated in a potent venom, extracted from the poisonous frogs, insects, and snakes native to the jungle swamps of Ruthenia.’
’Of course, Henry had no idea where Ruthenia actually was, nor did he know where these Lizardmen truly came from. But he wasn’t willing to bet his life on it.’
The Mamluk Cavalry fired on the move, dodging the Spirit Lizards’ javelins while trying their best to land shots on their foes.
Using the speed of their four-legged mounts and the long range of their bows, Henry and his cavalrymen repeatedly repelled the Spirit Lizards’ attacks.
But the Spirit Lizards were too numerous. Hundreds, even thousands, gave chase, while smaller groups arrived from all directions, their attacks coming one wave after another.
"Henry! It looks like these Lizardmen have more than one camp!"
Henry felt an unprecedented amount of pressure. If this kept up, they would eventually be worn down and exhausted.
"Never mind that! Boman, go help Fass direct the cavalry’s retreat! Salim, take a few riders on fast mounts and scout ahead! Find us a route to break through!" Henry yelled.
Salim, trembling slightly, rode his camel out of the fray along with a few other riders. They searched the desert for a possible escape route.
Soon, Salim was waving both hands in the distance, shouting, "My lord! There’s a low-lying sand pit up ahead! We can use it to shake off the Lizardmen!"
"Everyone, with me!"
Henry yelled, leading his cavalry toward the route Salim had discovered.
The Spirit Lizards seemed to realize their intent and tried to block the cavalry’s withdrawal.
Unfortunately for them, a series of connected, low-lying pits prevented the Spirit Lizards from pursuing in large numbers, while Henry and his cavalry rode through in a single file line across the sandy stretch.
They had no time to rest, immediately galloping full-tilt toward Hobia. The desert sandstorm raged behind them, but they couldn’t spare a glance back.
Only in Hobia would they be truly safe.
With the harrowing encounter finally over, Boman rode up alongside Henry and asked, "Henry, how many Spirit Lizards do you think we killed?"
"How should I know? Go ask around in the rear. Did we lose anyone? Any men fall from their horses?"
Boman pursed his lips and rode to the rear to ask around. He confirmed that at least a dozen men had been pierced by Spirit Lizard javelins.
Upon hearing this, Henry immediately gave an order: no one was to remove their armor until they reached the safety of Hobia. They were to be ready to fight or march at a moment’s notice. They could, however, remove their horse barding to increase their speed.
Boman thought it over and concluded that they still could have fought the Spirit Lizards. In his opinion, their chances of winning would have been very high.
But the moment he voiced this thought, he was met with stares from the Mamluk Cavalry Officers. Even Henry didn’t agree with him.
"Boman, there are too many of those agile Lizardmen, and our arrows are finite. What happens if we use them all up and run into another group? Do we engage in a meat-grinder of a melee?"
After a moment’s thought, Boman fell silent.
’Henry wanted to fight, too, but the cost was too high. He could get injured himself, and Henry couldn’t accept the idea of being laid up in bed, recovering.’
Henry and his cavalry rode hard through the scorching desert heat. Sweat and dust caked their faces, but they had no time to wipe it away.
After two sleepless days, they finally saw the outline of Hobia on the horizon...
’Were they safe? Perhaps.’
Along the way, they had ridden more than a hundred Traveling Horses to death. These loyal companions had not been spared in the final stretch.
When they reached the borders of Hobia, more than five hundred Heavy Armor Soldiers marched out from the camp to meet them. The sight of them brought a sliver of psychological relief to Henry and his cavalry.
Henry said little, leaving the matter of what to do with the cavalry to Boman and Fass. They would handle the transfer of duties.
As for Henry, he rode without stopping straight for Hobia’s municipal hall to report the encounter to the Third Prince as quickly as possible.
Henry was given unimpeded passage, finding himself before the Third Prince in no time. He then gave a detailed description of the Lizardmen they had encountered.
"Your Highness, we’ve observed that the Lizardmen seem to have different breeds, much like the difference between prairie horses and Battanian ponies. They’re both horses, but they’re very distinct.
"The stronger, heavier, blue-colored Lizardmen are primarily melee warriors. The smaller, more agile, lighter-colored ones are better suited for reconnaissance, tracking, and raids. It was this latter type of Lizardman that ambushed us on our way back.
"Based on our observations, there are approximately seven to eight thousand of the strong Lizardmen, and between one to... two thousand of the agile ones. As for those massive monsters, there were about a hundred of them."
The Third Prince’s expression grew solemn as he listened to Henry’s report.
If Henry’s description was accurate, then even if they successfully defended Hobia, the four Legions would suffer devastating losses.
This would undoubtedly be a massive blow to the royal family, severely undermining their ability to maintain stable rule over the empire.
’There’s a rebellion in the west. Can I be sure that everyone in the desert regions is a loyal subject?’
’It’s hard to say.’
The Third Prince fell silent for a moment before speaking slowly, "Baron Henry, your report is crucial. I will re-evaluate Hobia’s defensive strategy. You have done very well, and my father will be informed of your merit. For now, you need to get some proper rest."
After Henry left, the Third Prince immediately summoned officers and several soldiers from the Mamluk Cavalry for questioning.
After a thorough inquiry, he confirmed that Henry had spoken the truth. The numbers and different breeds of Lizardmen did indeed pose an immense threat.
This news placed a pressure on the Third Prince unlike anything he had ever experienced in his young life. He even lost his appetite, secretly wondering if he was truly capable of shouldering such a heavy burden.
The Third Prince’s thoughts drifted to his eldest brother, the one who cut such an imposing figure on the battlefield.
His brother’s military achievements were illustrious. Whether fighting Ogres or the Kievan Rus’ princedom, he made it look as easy as slicing melons. It was as if his accomplishments were simply blown in on the wind.
And here he was, facing such a thorny predicament. The Third Prince couldn’t help but feel that he was far inferior by comparison.
’Father... you’re too biased...’
"Your Highness, you sent for us?"
The Legion Commanders of the Twenty-Fifth and Thirty-Third Legions entered the Third Prince’s study, their armor clanking with every step.
The Third Prince had the two men find seats before he began. "Count Snisa, Count Jamie, according to the latest intelligence, the Lizardmen..."
The Third Prince quickly summarized the new information Henry had brought, leaving the two Legion Commanders at a loss.
Snisa Beiri stroked his beard and said, "Your Highness, the Twenty-Fifth, Thirty-Third, and Thirty-Fifth Legions are the foundation of your future security. We cannot afford to let them suffer heavy losses."
Jamie Bocanegra, holding his helmet, agreed in his peculiar desert accent, "Yes, that’s right. Your Highness, if we all suffer heavy losses, your authority in this desert region will be greatly diminished. You’d be in a worse position than your second brother in Chai Kan."
Hearing both of his key confidants advise him to preserve his strength and avoid a direct conflict left the Third Prince feeling deeply conflicted.
"Your Highness, we could have the forces from Iyakis reinforce us," one of them suggested. "Perhaps they could draw the Lizardmen’s attention. After all, there are two more Legions stationed there."
"Your Highness, perhaps..."
The schemes being hatched by the Third Prince and his commanders in the study remained secret.
Meanwhile, Henry was being tended to by Ailia, who was wiping him down and helping him relax his tense nerves.
"My lord," Ailia said, "Orianna has prepared a fruitwood-roasted goose for you. You’ll be able to enjoy a hearty meal soon."
"Roasted goose? Isn’t that a bit extravagant?"
Henry smiled and opened his panel to check his experience.
[Overlord]
[Owner]: Henry Bro
[Level]: 10 (16377/48000)
Henry let out a long sigh. Leveling up was getting slower and slower, yet the enemies he faced were only getting stronger.
’Am I still in the tutorial zone?’
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