Translator: CinderTL
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Humans are emotional beings, and no matter how rigorous the training, it's impossible to achieve the cold, emotionless efficiency of machines.
As the terrifying behemoths of the War Elephant Legion approached, everyone felt as insignificant as ants. The fear of these colossal creatures quickly gripped the hearts of every soldier on the battlefield.
Fear spread like a plague through the Gabella army. The Gabella forces, which had been encircling the Church's troops in a C-shaped formation, suddenly came to a halt. The soldiers, utterly disoriented, awaited new orders - each secretly hoping their commanders would immediately issue a retreat.
Even many well-trained warhorses went wild at the thunderous approach of the elephants, rearing up and throwing their riders to the ground. The air was filled with the sounds of whinnying horses and panicked screams.
"Hold steady! Hold steady!" The officers' shouts were drowned out by the ever-increasing roar. The front line of heavy infantry began to tremble, their hands shaking on their spears. Never had they faced such a terrifying enemy. Sweat poured down their foreheads, soaking through the padding beneath their armor.
The war elephants' trumpeting was now deafeningly close. As they drew nearer, the overwhelming pressure from their massive size became increasingly intense. Archers in the Arrow Towers on their backs began raining down arrows. Many Gabella soldiers were struck, their screams joining the cacophony.
Then, an extremely dangerous situation developed on the flank closest to the elephants. A young soldier suddenly threw down his spear and turned to flee. This acted as a signal, and the dam of fear burst. Soldiers near him followed suit, discarding their weapons and armor, scattering in all directions. The army standard fell, trampled under countless boots.
"No retreat! Execute those cowards immediately!" The supervising officer cut down two fleeing soldiers with his sword and shouted for other supervisors to take action, but more soldiers streamed past him.
Many soldiers pushed and trampled each other in their desperate attempt to escape the approaching shadow of death. The elephants' footsteps were like a death knell, each step making their hearts tremble with fear.
Fear was about to consume this army that had just been in a position of advantage.
General Woven Ruiz of Gabella, in charge of the battle, was caught in intense internal conflict.
The Church's war elephants had never appeared on a battlefield so far from the Holy Capital, and Gabella's battle plans hadn't taken them into consideration.
Facing the War Elephant Legion for the first time, Woven Ruiz didn't know how to handle the situation.
But ordering a retreat now was also problematic. In their haste to encircle the Church's forces, their own troops had become too spread out.
"Long live the Empire!" In this critical moment, a booming voice like a giant bell rang out across the battlefield.
A Gabella knight spurred his horse, which reared up on its hind legs. In one hand he held high the golden lion flag, in the other his lance. Fearlessly, he charged toward the war elephants.
"Sixth Cavalry Regiment, follow me!"
His command reached his comrades' ears, and instantly every member of Gabella's Sixth Cavalry Regiment, originally held in reserve, was ignited with a burning fighting spirit.
"For Gabella!" "For the Emperor!"
A thousand reserve cavalry charged in a perfect wedge formation toward the Church's War Elephant Legion.
To ordinary soldiers, a charge of a thousand cavalry would be an overwhelming, unstoppable force. But against a herd of war elephants, it looked as ridiculous as children trying to challenge adults.
"A bunch of fools who don't know when they're beaten!" The commander of the Church's War Elephant Legion sneered, ordering his troops to crush these Gabella tin cans first.
The bold charge of the reserve cavalry didn't turn the tide of battle. The Church's war elephants were clad in thick armor, and even with the momentum of their charge, the knights' weapons could hardly inflict significant damage. With just a light kick from an elephant, Gabella knights and their mounts were sent flying as if struck by a giant's hammer.
The members of Gabella's Sixth Cavalry Regiment were soon overwhelmed by these behemoths.
But the charge wasn't entirely in vain. While they delayed the Church's war elephants, the quick-thinking Woven Ruiz seized the opportunity to regroup his forces that had been in a semi-encirclement of the enemy.
The fearless charge of the Sixth Cavalry Regiment was already a miracle. Without their sacrifice, it was almost certain that the scattered Gabella army would have been annihilated between the two enemy forces. Moreover, their bravery briefly boosted the plummeting morale.
But unless a greater miracle occurred, defeat in this battle was almost inevitable.
All Woven Ruiz could do now was try his best to withdraw his troops from the battlefield in an orderly manner, avoiding the creation of the first record of total annihilation in the Empire's history.
The Church side quickly discerned Gabella's intentions, and of course they wouldn't let the enemy retreat smoothly.
They pursued relentlessly, doggedly clinging to Gabella's tail, trying to annihilate them completely on this plain.
After crushing the overconfident Gabella cavalry, the War Elephant Legion accelerated, charging into Gabella's rearguard like a bursting flood.
The several-ton behemoths crushed everything in their path. Spears snapped against their armor like reeds. Shield walls disintegrated instantly. Soldiers behind were sent flying, only to be crushed under heavy elephant feet.
Archers in the Arrow Towers rained down arrows. Spearmen on the elephants' backs stabbed down at any enemies who tried to approach. The blades attached to their tusks swept through the battlefield, leaving trails of blood and gore.
Some elephants used their trunks to pick up soldiers, tossing them high before slamming them down. Others swung their heads wildly, scattering surrounding enemies. The trumpeting of elephants and the screams of humans intertwined into a high-pitched symphony of death.
The Gabella army was torn apart. Where the behemoths passed, only devastation remained. The ground was stained red with blood, littered with severed limbs and broken bodies. Shattered shields and snapped weapons were everywhere.
The air was thick with the smell of blood, mixed with dust and sweat. The elephants' armor was smeared with blood, reflecting an eerie red glow in the setting sun's rays. The behemoths continued their advance, each step accompanied by the wails of the dying.
This one-sided, bloody battle continued until sunset. The arrival of night saved the lives of Gabella's remaining troops.
When Woven Ruiz finally shook off the pursuit of the Church's forces, he hastily ordered a headcount. The result made his vision darken - only about a third of the soldiers who had started the battle were still with him.
(End of the Chapter)
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