The Extra Wants To Live-Chapter 248 No Retreat, No Surrender [2]

Archers were still good when it came to lowering morale, weakening enemies, or accumulating injuries. However, archers were not very effective against heavy infantry that were tightly lined up.

This was also the case in Tumaris, where, although daytime temperatures were high, the dryness had made metal armor more common and the proportion of archers had decreased significantly.

Even among the 8,000 troops currently under Carl's command, there were only 500 archers, and they were all well-armed and ready for close combat at any time.

The enemy's 40,000 troops consisted of 30,000 infantry, 5,000 archers, and 5,000 cavalry.

Carl's 8,000 troops consisted of 5,500 infantry, 500 archers, and 2,000 cavalry.

Even considering the fact that most of the enemy's forces are conscripts, the difference is so overwhelming that there is no chance of winning.

"We will not retreat."

"Dismissal."

"There is no retreat. If we retreat here, not only will control of western Tumaria be at stake, but the very nature of the Tumarian civil war will be overturned. If we are not careful, we may lose the very purpose of this war."

Carl spoke firmly to the bewildered commanders.

When he raised his head and looked at his them with his clear, shining green eyes, all those who were about to refute him closed their mouths like mutes who had eaten honey.

It's a good thing that the Tumarian civil war is dragging on and Tumaria's power is weakening.

However, all the promises made to Yusuf will become meaningless.

It is far more beneficial to the Empire for Yusuf to rule Tumaria well and keep his promises than for Tumaria to be weakened.

Above all, this is a tremendous opportunity for the Eastern Laurel Alliance, which will play a major role in diplomacy, politics, and trade with Tumaria.

From a political and diplomatic point of view, Hardion cannot back down here.

Even the central empire would not want them to retreat because all eyes of the empire are on them, regardless of the mathematical advantage.

And for Carl personally, this battle must be fought to weaken the power of Western Tumaria and instill fear in Hardion for the moment when he will draw his sword to become the emperor of the empire.

"Your Majesty, you said not to engage in a fight you cannot win."

When no one dared to open their mouths, Baduan alone rebuked Carl in a sharp voice.

As someone who is weak and uninterested in politics, Baduan could speak with interest in this situation.

"Duke Sigel, your sword is already in my hand. And I promised victory when I received your sword."

Carl, who had been bending over with his back against the table, slowly got up and spoke.

No one could have guessed from the sight of Carl, who straightened his back and proudly puffed out his chest, that he was a young archduke of eighteen years of age.

Despite his messy hair and dirty face, which had grown haphazardly due to the long march through the desert, no, even more so because of it, the eyes of this beautiful young man seemed hotter than the desert sun and colder than the blustering snowfields of the northern part of the empire.

Carl stood tall and proud, his chin raised, tall enough to face the massive Baduan head-on.

No one knew how much strength this tall and slender-looking young man actually possessed, but it was clear that his momentum was stronger than anyone else present.

Even Master Jaren turned his head away from Carl's spirit, and Baduan, who was reprimanding him, barely held on, clenching his fists and sweating profusely.

"I will not fight a battle I cannot win. This battle is not a battle I cannot win; it is just a battle in which you have not found a way to victory."

"Well then, Your Majesty, can you see the path to victory? Can you see the narrow gate that will turn this situation around?"

*Bang!*

Baduan slammed the table with his hand like a pot lid.

The wooden table split open with tremendous force, and his distorted face and fiercely glaring eyes glared at Carl.

That appearance only showed that Baduan was intimidated by Carl, contrasting with the cold, frozen Carl.

"While you speak of retreat, I have found victory here."

*Tap.*

Carl spoke calmly, tapping the map hanging precariously on the broken table with his firm fingertips.

"A cool and quick judgment is a virtue of a good commander. But if it comes before the quest for victory, how can one be called a commander of an army?"

"… …"

Carl criticized all those who sensed defeat and decided to retreat before devising tactics for victory.

Everyone had nothing to say, even if they had ten mouths.

There was a power gap that could not be won, but it could not be denied that they retreated without hesitation.

"It seems there has been no war for a long time. The best commanders and staff of the Empire are inferior to this reckless Archduke."

Carl stabbed everyone in the heart with a cold voice.

Although Carl's accomplishments are impressive, there are certainly those who would say that he was simply lucky, given his young age.

And there was clearly anxiety and discontent in everyone's mind about an 18-year-old kid being in command.

And Carl knew it too.

Even though they praised Carl in front of him, they harbored cowardly thoughts in their hearts.

"I won't just lead you into battle. Even if I did, you wouldn't follow me."

*Crunch.*

Carl said, placing his left hand on the pommel of the sword hanging at his waist.

"So I will persuade you. I will not lead you to battle with the sword I have been given, but I will lead you to battle with the faith I have been given."

Everyone felt embarrassed by Carl's confident words and could not raise their heads.

If Carl, the supreme commander of the current invasion of Tumaria, told them to do it, they must do it. Still, Carl said he would persuade them.

"I don't have much time, so I'll get to the point."

Exactly.

Carl pointed to a point on the map with his firm fingertips.

"We will not retreat."

Everyone's attention was focused on the point Carl made.

That's further away.

It was a narrow plain located in the middle of a small rocky mountain range deep in enemy territory.

"We will advance as quickly as possible and meet the enemy on the battlefield we desire."

"… … That's impossible…"

"Impossible? Why? Because it's too far? Because we're pressed for time? Because we don't have enough supplies? Is it really impossible?"

"… …"

It's not impossible. It's not.

It's risky, but it's definitely possible.

If the timing is off by even a fraction of an inch, you risk being isolated in the middle of enemy territory, surrounded, and annihilated.

"… … Even if we arrive in time and change the battlefield, the difference in force is overwhelming. We can't narrow this gap… …"

"Baduan Jigel, Empire Central Army Infantry Commander, you cannot say that it is impossible." Your journey continues at novelbuddy

Baduan could not deny it.

Yes, it's tough, but if you just change the battlefield, there are plenty of tactics that can win, even with this 5x troop difference.

You can't say Baduan doesn't know that. He's a capable commander.

It's just that executing that tactic is very difficult.

"Don't be specific. If you say you can't do something, say it after I've finished speaking. I'll listen to you then."

Carl declared in a confident voice.

And a little later, despite their anxious hearts, the 8,000-strong army began to boldly advance deep into enemy lines.

Leaving aside Carl's charisma, the command judged that the odds of victory were good based on cool-headed tactical judgment.

Likewise, there is a high chance of losing the battle, but it is worth a try.

It worked because Carl did not simply devise tactics with a flash of wit but proposed already-completed tactics persuasively, using the materials he had studied in the imperial library.

To achieve this, a narrow battlefield was essential to ensure safety in the flanks and rear, and soldiers with a higher level of training than the enemy were also needed.

Compared to Hardion's forces, which consist entirely of standing troops, the opponent's forces were mostly comprised of conscripts. Since the latter condition had been met, all that was needed was to choose a narrow battlefield.

So from now on, they had to run like madmen with their tails on fire.

This chapt𝒆r is updated by frёewebηovel.cѳm.

"Damn, it feels like we're here for a race rather than a war."

The soldiers, although reluctant to be on the move again, prepared to march quickly as they were accustomed to following orders.

"I don't know about anything else, but our Grand Duke certainly has a perverted obsession with mobile warfare."

The problem is that if they endure this pain, they will definitely achieve victory, so they cannot complain.

"If you tell me to do it, I'll do it. What else can I do?"