The words had barely fallen when they were met with a roar of laughter from the barbarian general. These barbarians were born with a wild, untamed ferocity, and their laughter was an expression of unrestrained might.
The Holy Roman army was inexplicably shaken by this blatant disregard for life and swagger on the battlefield. It was as if no amount of ferocity could intimidate them, and a sense of dread began to creep in, making them feel a half-step behind their adversaries.
Hecate, standing amidst his ranks, felt the same. He knew these barbarians were naturally brave, possessing an innate bloodlust that treated life and death as insignificant. Only through sheer force could he hope to subdue them. With that thought, he spurred his horse forward, radiating killing intent as he charged towards Sayn.
Before Sayn could react, Mengdelu, standing by his side, lunged forward with his decapitating broadsword, intercepting Hecate. The two met in the heart of the formation, their long spears and swords clashing instantly.
Hecate, having lost the momentum to Sayn earlier, found himself at a disadvantage. Mengdelu, on the other hand, was in his prime, attacking ferociously and pressing his advantage step by step.
However, Hecate's techniques were remarkably subtle. Every time he seemed on the verge of defeat, he managed to find an unconventional way to counter, thus preventing Mengdelu from overpowering him.
From Sayn's formation came a chorus of shouts. These barbarian tribes uttered strange, rhythmic cries that, heard from the front lines, greatly amplified their fighting spirit.
Mengdelu felt a surge of strength, his sword strokes growing more ferocious. Hecate's cold, dazzling spearplay was repeatedly shattered by his simple, direct slashes, appearing to pose no threat whatsoever.
While Mengdelu was engaged with Hecate, Gekong, standing beside Sayn, scrutinized Hecate with a flickering expression. Suddenly, he exclaimed, "My King! I remember now! This fellow is one of the group who feigned surrender during the siege last time, when the young lady was there!"
Upon hearing this, Sayn straightened abruptly, his gaze upon the combatants in the arena becoming even sharper. "You audacious brat! To dare bully my people!"
Just as he was about to order Mengdelu to strike down Hecate with all his might, he saw Hecate withdraw from the fray and turn his horse away. Hecate, realizing he could not win, had decided to retreat.
Tudsen, seeing that Hecate was also struggling to contend with the barbarian general, was greatly alarmed. He immediately ordered the rear guard to move to the front and the army to withdraw.
Sayn's heart seethed with anger. He let out a great cry, "Warriors! Kill!"
In an instant, ten thousand horses moved as one. A thunderous hoofbeat erupted across the vast plains, the rumble quickly swallowing the tranquility of the grassland, as if the entire earth were trembling.
The barbarians let out war cries, and from their galloping horses, arrows rained down. Several Holy Roman soldiers fell from their mounts, their cries of agony quickly drowned out by the thundering hooves of the barbarian army.
In contrast to the boisterous roars of the charging barbarians, the Holy Roman army appeared somewhat subdued. They moved in silence, their entire formation exuding a somber air, a stark contrast to the unbridled exuberance of the barbarians.
As the two armies chased each other amidst a hail of arrows, the distance between them narrowed. The Holy Roman cavalry trailing behind could feel the sharp edges of the barbarian spears prickling their spines, exuding a chilling killing intent. The dense aura of slaughter seemed capable of piercing their armor.
The plains were vast and undulating. Sayn's army pursued them for nearly ten miles across the flat terrain, yet they were still unable to catch up to Hecate and Tudsen.
The surrounding animals, agitated by the intense killing aura, fled in all directions, kicking up tufts of grass. The tension on the grassland was palpable, the atmosphere incredibly strained.
If they pursued any further, Hecate and Tudsen would reach their stronghold. Sayn intended to halt his advance.
Just as he was about to rein in his horse, a deafening roar of battle erupted. The Holy Roman army, appearing from nowhere, rapidly surrounded them from all directions.
The sudden burst of killing intent startled the barbarian warhorses, causing their front hooves to rear up as they balked.
Sayn was inwardly alarmed and looked around. He saw the Holy Roman army charging like a flood, with no buffer, crashing directly into his men.
The appearance of the Holy Roman army was completely unforeshadowed, as if they had sprung from thin air.
Sayn had not noticed them initially because they had used the movement of the grassland's beasts to mask their presence. Therefore, it was only when the Holy Roman army surged forward that Sayn realized what was happening, but it was already too late.
The Holy Roman army, like a monstrous flood, charged into the midst of the barbarian ranks. The panicked barbarians had no idea of the sheer number of Holy Roman soldiers, nor how to respond.
For a moment, they scattered like headless flies, unable to form a cohesive force. Facing the Holy Roman army, which drove in like a sharp sword, their formation shattered like a mantis attempting to stop a chariot.
Hecate and Tudsen, who had been in the front, took the opportunity to turn back and charge into the barbarian ranks, increasing the pressure on them.
Sayn clearly had not anticipated the Holy Roman army's cunning. However, he knew that the situation was already lost. If they continued to fight like this, they would be annihilated.
This was his home turf, and he was familiar with the terrain. He knew that escaping across the plains would be extremely difficult.
He was already of immense size, and even the fine steeds he rode could not sustain such a pursuit for long. He therefore led his troops to break through towards Mount Bake, forcefully tearing open a path for escape.
From Mount Bake, they could use the mountain paths to return to their main camp. Moreover, the environment there was harsh, filled with various insects, wild beasts, swamps, and mudflats.
In the dead of night, apart from the locals, no one else could survive.
Sayn's personal guard was exceptionally fierce. Even when trapped in the Holy Roman army's encirclement, they fought fearlessly, escorting Sayn through the bloody chaos.
However, the Holy Roman soldiers were ultimately more numerous. By the time they broke through the encirclement, only a few hundred cavalry remained by Sayn's side.
But Sayn had not managed to shake off his pursuers. The Holy Roman army clung to Sayn like leeches.
This greatly surprised Sayn. He hadn't seen these Holy Roman soldiers exert themselves so much when they were escaping, yet now, in pursuit, they seemed as if they had been injected with stimulants.
Sayn fled, and it seemed he was about to reach Mount Bake. Once inside Mount Bake, Sayn was confident he could trap even an army of thousands.
As Sayn was nearing the mountain path of Mount Bake, a force suddenly emerged from the side of the mountain, blocking his path. Among them, a general held a long spear aloft and shouted imposingly, "Sayn, do you dare fight me?"
Upon hearing this, Sayn carefully observed Aaron. He saw that Aaron's magic was contained, and his entire being exuded an ancient calm, indicating profound power.
After all, Sayn was a regional overlord. While brave, he was not a reckless fool who would fight indiscriminately without considering the circumstances.
With pursuers behind him and an ambush ahead, if he were to engage Aaron here, he would surely have no chance of survival.
As he pondered, Gegong, standing beside him, said in a low voice, "My King, this man defeated Old Sultan and Saykas in one round. He is by no means an ordinary individual!"
Mengdelu, standing beside him, declared fiercely, "My King, what are you afraid of? Let's fight our way through!"
With that, he prepared to spur his horse forward, but Sayn restrained him with his horsewhip, staring intently at Aaron and uttering two words: "Into the mountain!"
With that, he turned his horse and charged into the dense ancient forest. His massive body, upon impact, sent splinters flying, but the branches and thorns also tore at his skin, causing pain.
The barbarian warriors behind him, without a second thought, followed him into the forest.
Aaron was clearly surprised by Sayn's ferocity. This ancient forest was overgrown with weeds and dense with thorns. He himself, clad in heavy armor, dared not venture deep into it. Yet, these barbarians, mostly bare-chested, dared to charge in.
Aaron, being a renowned general of his time, was startled but quickly ordered his army to charge. At Aaron's command, the cavalry charged directly into Sayn's cavalry formation, cutting Sayn's ranks in half. Only a few dozen cavalry managed to escape, while the rest were surrounded by the Holy Roman army, some falling, some surrendering, with cries of agony rising everywhere.
The ancient forest of Mount Bake was deep and dense, with fluctuating marsh gases and thorns everywhere. Even the barbarians, with their tough hides, could not withstand the sharp, pervasive thorns. Their clothes were torn to shreds, flesh and blood flew everywhere, and their bodies were covered in bloody gashes. The pain made Sayn and his men grit their teeth, and their horses had long been abandoned.
Fortunately, Sayn and his men were familiar with the terrain. In a short time, they found a small mountain path, which was somewhat easier to traverse.
As long as they followed the small path of Mount Bake westward, it would intersect with the mountain road of Mount Bake, and then through Guai Zi Valley, they could return to their main camp. Although it was a longer route, escaping the Holy Roman army's encirclement was worth the ordeal.