The battlefield had moved inside Simonton City.
From the moment the siege began, the citizens locked their doors and hid inside their homes. The Sandoria soldiers had enslaved the people, and even abused women during their occupation. Despite knowing that the city would be a battlefield after the gates fell, the townsfolk fervently hoped the Hell Monarch Army would drive the Sandoria soldiers away.
As the fierce battle raged, Aurora charged into the city with the main army and quickly fought her way to the front lines. Though she wasn’t the only female general, she was the only one wearing a custom battle robe specially made for her by the Ministry of Defense.
Her armor featured a red headscarf, symbolizing her determination to stand shoulder–to–shoulder with her male counterparts.
Despite the chaotic fighting, she stood out like a sore thumb.
Liam spotted her, as did many Westhaven soldiers.
The strategy to target her began. The Westhaven troops she pursued began a strategic retreat, knowing her competitive nature would compel her to chase them down and try to eradicate them.
Barrett noticed this, and shouted, “Aurora, don’t chase them!”
Something felt off. Starhaven and Sandoria’s armies were still fighting, and the entire city was a battlefield. It was unlikely that the enemy would actually retreat without a clear signal. The only plausible reason for their retreat was to lure Aurora into a trap.
Moreover, the soldiers‘ appearance indicated they were from Westhaven.
Barrett couldn’t shake the suspicion that Westhaven had a specific strategy targeting Aurora, possibly related to the peace treaty at Victory Pass. Despite his claim of trusting her, he always had his doubts.
“Aurora, come back!” Barrett yelled. He tried to follow her, but the enemy surrounded him, and he couldn’t break free. He had to keep fighting, unable to spare another glance at Aurora.
Aurora heard Barrett calling for her, but didn’t stop. She relied on her own judgment. 1
The retreating soldiers were clearly suspicious; possibly, they were young nobles from Westhaven seeking battle experience. Capturing them and repeating the same trick she had used before might force the Westhaven forces to withdraw completely.
She knew that to earn military achievements now, she needed to find a unique approach. No matter how many enemies she killed, Rafael wouldn’t include her name in his commendation report.
“Keep chasing them! There’s definitely something off!” Aurora ordered as she continued her pursuit.
Among the retreating soldiers were three or four clad in golden armor, resembling the young captives from Victory Pass.
From her experience, these weren’t ordinary soldiers–they were likely members of the Westhaven royal family or nobility. That was why Liam was pressured to sign the treaty at Fawnrun City.
+15 BONUS
Such a golden opportunity was right before her! How could she let it slip through her hands?
Aurora pressed forward, and both Rafael and Carissa noticed her. They exchanged a glance in the midst of the chaos. Carissa saw a look of relief in Rafael’s eyes before he leaped into the air, stepping on heads and shoulders, making his way back to the command post.
The marshal was supposed to be in the command tent, waiting with their strategists and advisors to see the battle’s outcome and then decide how to deploy their forces. With the city breached, capturing it was only a matter of time.
Carissa found it odd that Rafael, who had been fiercely fighting moments ago, would suddenly retreat to the command post after seeing Aurora lured into the city. It seemed almost as if he had anticipated
this.
She didn’t dwell on it. The battle at hand was too fierce to allow any distraction.
With tens of thousands crammed inside the city, the fight was brutal. The long spear became cumbersome, but Carissa’s Rose Spear had a mechanism to shorten it into a more manageable length for close combat. Even in close quarters, she was formidable.
After about half an hour of intense fighting, Carissa had slain countless enemies, her entire body soaked in their blood. Due to the overwhelming numbers, she sustained some injuries.
Though the Mystic Army tried to protect her, she rebuffed them, insisting they focus on killing the enemy. She needed no protection.
Seeing their general fighting so fiercely, the Mystic Army gave their all.
After nearly two hours of fierce fighting, the Hell Monarch Army grew more determined with each passing minute. They knew this was the final battle, and they had to muster all their strength.
If they won, they could reclaim the Southern Frontier once and for all!
In contrast, the Sandoria soldiers were showing clear signs of retreat. They had left their kingdom and fought in the Southern Frontier for many years. Despite their long struggle, the Starhaven forces had never given up on the land.
By now, the Sandoria soldiers were completely worn out.
