The Genoa fleet was approaching a place called Yuzhne, which, for lack of a better word, we'll call a ranch, though at this time of year there were no herders grazing their livestock.
Due to Theodoro's great victory in the ambush under the cover of night, the Principality had increased its vigilance against night attacks, dispatching more than double the usual number of scouts at night.
These scouts' shift changes were mostly set for dawn and early morning, and Carlo Merlo precisely seized this point to launch his attack at this time.
Manuel, receiving the scouts' urgent report, dared not delay.
He immediately ordered his legion to move out to defend this stretch of coastline, knowing that the fortresses there were newly built in recent months, and their defensive capabilities were far inferior to those built years or even a year ago.
If the Genoa army bombarded them with cannons, many would likely collapse directly.
Just as Manuel's legion moved out, a Genoa unit also began a probing attack on Kerch to test the city's strength.
As for the fleet approaching the Yuzhne area, their General was Alberto Merlo, who decided to atone for his past mistakes and make this landing the first step in clearing his name.
After a brief reconnaissance, he ordered an immediate landing.
Their landing was not smooth.
Due to Theodoro's prior preparations, upon learning that the Genoa army was attempting to land, the surrounding militia legions quickly arrived according to the pre-established plan to intercept them.
Thus, the first battle between the Genoa army and the Theodoro Army erupted.
The militia legions were locally conscripted, with very ordinary weapons and equipment; some even had farmers with pitchforks and hoes and herders with rusty knives, and most did not wear armor, with the few who did wearing leather or light armor.
The Genoa army, in contrast, as battle-hardened mercenaries with strong support from Genoa itself, had well-equipped vanguard units.
Their armor was forged from fine iron by Milanese craftsmen, they carried spears, wore swords at their waists, and had Genoa crossbowmen providing long-range support from the rear, giving them an advantage in weaponry and equipment.
However, nothing is absolute.
Due to the limited size of the nearly 20 ships that Genoa used to transport them, these mercenary lords could only temporarily crowd together at the front, unable to form a stable and powerful formation.
Conversely, many in Theodoro's militia had been part of the army during the Kaffa colonial period and had undergone proper military training.
Facing these mercenaries who were temporarily unable to exert their advantage due to landing difficulties, the militiamen quickly adjusted their formation, with the two wings providing cover, the center resisting, and diligently awaiting the arrival of the several field legions under the Crown Prince.
But overall, the Genoa side still held the advantage.
Under the cover of naval artillery and the long-range support of crossbowmen, by the time the sun turned golden, the mercenary vanguard had gradually established a foothold on the coast.
The militia, due to their clear equipment disadvantage, not only found resistance increasingly difficult but also saw their morale steadily decline; a collapse seemed imminent.
Just then, a large army—well, a large army to the collapsing militia legion—arrived.
This army included heavy infantry in iron armor, cavalry on warhorses, and a unit of musketeers with firelocks.
These were Manuel's field legions, including the Philaka Legion.
After this two-thousand-strong reinforcement arrived, the scales of the battle gradually balanced.
Although Theodoro, due to its poverty, still had overall lower quality troops than the Genoa army, this time, formally trained legions with specific divisions of labor had arrived.
Facing these mercenaries, some of whom were still struggling with the landing, the cavalry first converged on the two wings, then the heavy infantry in the center followed behind the light infantry to block the enemy.
Musketeers on both sides, under the cover of others, began to light their matchlocks and fire their guns.
The screams and roars of both sides echoed across the entire coastline, and everywhere one could see severed limbs, intestines, and flying yellow and white matter from the battle.
To boost morale, surrounded by his lieutenants such as Badars, Aidian, and Vladimir, Manuel also donned heavy armor and personally entered the fray.
Upon seeing the Crown Prince leading from the front, sweeping the Genoese with his cavalry, the morale of the entire Theodoro Army soared to its highest.
They shouted, "Long live His Highness!" and charged at the Genoa mercenaries with their weapons.
Some Genoa soldiers, realizing this, tried to aim their spears at Manuel, but after being continuously disrupted by his agile movements, they were struck down by the meticulously prepared lances, spears, crossbow bolts, or muskets of the Theodoro Army.
Thus, after nearly an hour of fierce fighting, Alberto, realizing that the Genoa army was not gaining an advantage and might even be routed, reluctantly chose to temporarily retreat.
Even in retreat, these mercenaries maintained relatively good discipline and formation, causing some Theodoro soldiers who tried to pursue recklessly to be counter-killed directly.
By noon, the Genoa fleet had left in disarray.
Facing this hard-won victory, the soldiers present sincerely began to pray to the Holy Father and Saint Mary, some even fainting from excitement while shouting "Saint Mary."
But Manuel knew that this offensive and defensive battle had only just begun, and they had not won easily; his hands, which had been holding a lance the entire time, were still aching.
Just as he was about to count the casualties, a scout, covered in wounds, interrupted him and reported an important military intelligence.
"What did you say? The Genoa army is besieging Kerch?!" Manuel's eyes instantly widened.
"No wonder they withdrew so cleanly; is their main focus there? Mobilize two thousand reserves and prepare to relieve the city of Kerch."