Chapter 73: Chapter 15: Divine Grace Ability · Eagle Eye Perspective
Once Knight Oerstein had gathered the troops, Su Li divided the forces into three units while acquiring the resources revealed by the intel.
Knight Frederick moved fastest, so he led two teams of knights swiftly towards the northwest. He aimed to first annihilate the goblin tribe below Moonlight Highlands and then ascend to bring back the Shepherd Nomadic Tribe.
If all went smoothly, they could acquire at least thirty to forty slaves.
Schwartz, accompanied by Minister of Agriculture Vandar, led a unit of Walking Knights and three teams of Armed Attendants to Mirror Swamp to slay the Colorful Poison Mite and transplant seventeen Purple Crystal Grape trees back to the territory.
Though the intel indicated a need for a large group of Elite Knights, Schwartz wore Vibranium Rune Armor and had the assistance of an Elite Level Druid. His team of knights was entirely sufficient.
With the battles in these two directions relatively straightforward, Su Li accompanied the Military Commander Knight Oerstein upstream of Brionne River.
The "Black Arrow" Bandit Group had already followed the river down and was now 50 miles from the territory.
This intel highlighted the advantageous position of Hesse Territory, as human activity generally followed rivers, whether for trade caravans or military advances, humans habitually moved along the rivers.
If his territory had initially been set in the Moonlight Highlands or on the plains beside Mirror Swamp, encountering other forces in this vast stretch of land would scarcely be easy.
Yet now, leading the troops upstream was all that was needed.
Two forces, each numbering dozens, moved towards each other, giving Su Li a sense of cavalry riding and slaughter.
However, his knight regiment boasted far superior combat capabilities, and during the march, he recalled a conversation with Vandar about the Knight Order.
So he inquired from Military Commander Knight Oerstein, "My esteemed Commander, I heard you are a member of the Order of Righteous Fury of the Fiery Sun Goddess Sect? Can you tell me about any unique abilities your Order possesses?"
"Certainly, I am pleased to be of service." Proclaiming the doctrine is something every knight undertakes with joy.
Knight Oerstein elaborated, "Both within the Empire and beyond, many warriors blessed by the Sun Goddess Violet have left behind legendary tales. Among them, the story of the Shield Maiden’s Fury is most famous, not only recorded in the religious texts of the Sun Goddess titled ’The War Goddess Violet’ but also inspiring a powerful Order dedicated to the Goddess under her name, the Order of Righteous Fury."
"Unlike the savage fury of the White Wolf God, the Sun Goddess values strategy and tactics. Knights devoted to her respond swiftly and achieve victory with overwhelming odds, and they possess voices that resonate exceptionally loudly during orations."
"Strong knights who join our Order may receive the Goddess’s blessings. This includes acquiring abilities such as [Divine Revelation Leader], [Master of Battle Techniques], [Divine Grace Fierce Sun], and [Eagle Eye Perspective]."
Hearing these names felt extraordinary, and Su Li promptly asked curiously, "What are the effects of these abilities? What ability have you gained?"
"The Divine Revelation Leader grants believers an aura of leadership due to their faith in the Goddess, enabling them not only with profound comprehension of military tactics and strategy but also with the ability to stabilize troop morale in critical situations."
"The Master of Battle Techniques allows an infusion of Violet’s martial arts into allies, making them wield their weapons with greater skill. The Grand Leader Ouldred of the Red Night Knight Order received this blessing, which is why the knights he trains have exceptionally strong combat capabilities."
"As for me, since I have not yet visited the Sun Goddess’s Divine Hall, the ability I currently possess was acquired when at the Elite Level, which is [Eagle Eye Perspective]."
As he spoke, Knight Oerstein took a golden lens from his waist, showing it to Su Li, and said, "When I hold this gold-rimmed lens, the Sun Goddess Violet bestows upon me an exalted perspective, allowing me to see the world through the eyes of an eagle soaring in the sky, observing every move of the enemy."
Seeing the world through the eyes of an eagle soaring in the sky?
This ability is quite strong, almost like the Goddess granting him a tireless Griffin for tactical command.
In the middle of the conversation, Knight Oerstein suddenly displayed a cheerful expression: "My Lord, through the Eagle Eye Perspective, I see a Forest Robber Gang drawing near us."
Su Li immediately inquired with concern, "How many of them are there?"
"Quite a number, I counted them, with a total of 67 people, and there are six or seven soldiers on horseback, though it’s unclear how strong they are."
people?
That’s already a considerably large bandit group; an average mercenary corps wouldn’t be able to take down this band of bandits.
Su Li turned to look at Knight Oerstein and Hilude, and said, "Perhaps we can devise a tactical plan. Do you have any ideas?"
Hilude had never dealt with the Forest Robber Gang before, so Knight Oerstein immediately began to arrange tactics and explained, "Most bandit groups are a messy bunch with low morale. They consist mostly of desperadoes without beliefs and exiled criminal gangs. The most effective method to deal with them is to create a commotion, driving them into a panic. If we can swiftly decapitate their leader, they will crumble at the slightest touch."
"When we enter the battlefield later, I will directly exhibit the aura of a Champion Knight, and then you, Hilude, seize the opportunity to decapitate their leader. A 67-person bandit group is not worth our extensive efforts. Remember the key: strike swiftly, crumble them before they have a chance to react!"
"Oh~" Upon hearing Knight Oerstein’s tactical arrangements, the soldiers erupted in cheers.
Is the Champion Knight going to display his unmatched combat prowess? This time, we are in for another terrific spectacle. Opportunities to witness a Champion Knight in action are rare, and each time they appear, it greatly benefits other knights and armed attendants.
Su Li was also full of anticipation. This was Knight Oerstein’s first action since solidifying his rank after becoming a Champion Knight, and he also wanted to know how powerful a Champion Knight truly was.
As Knight Oerstein set the tactics, Hilude immediately led a squad of Impact Knights, quickly advancing to circle to the rear of the bandit group.
Knight Oerstein, leading the Lord’s main army, pressed forward quickly, marching toward the Black Arrow Bandit Group, and soon they caught sight of each other.
The people from the Black Arrow Bandit Group were the first to let out excited howls and cheers.
They were out looking for plunder, having gone days without finding prey. Now, seeing a Pioneer Territory’s army, they were overjoyed. An army signified villages, women, and wealth!
Moreover, based on their experience, most Pioneer Territories were weak to the extreme, generally only having a few knights and a dozen attendants. Just by letting out war cries and howls, they could scare those noble heirs new to the battlefield into submission without even fighting.
Though this army was sizable, they didn’t pay much attention, assuming the majority were just armed attendants.
They had strong confidence because their leader, Black Arrow Lambert, was a divine archer with flawless accuracy. With his talent, he could directly confront formal-level knights, attested by several formal knights within their team. Rumor even had it that he once shot out the left eye of a dragon-like massive monster.
He was originally a pauper from the Imperial Baron’s territory, situated at the forest’s edge. Everything was well until the Baron departed the territory, seeking to break through to a higher tier, never to return.
Once the Baron left, Beastmen and Beastmen began to emerge from the woods, plundering the fief heavily, making the farmers’ situation increasingly difficult.
According to Imperial tradition, a Knight of Chivalry should stand up to end the Beastmen’s atrocities, thereby proving his eligibility to inherit the old Baron’s fief. The Baroness’s duty was to send her son to prove he was the land’s heir; otherwise, she should marry off her daughter to any knight proving his strength.
Due to the Baron’s son’s cruelty and contempt towards the farmers, everyone feared and disliked him. Furthermore, he never showed courage against the Beastmen nor any desire to defend his father’s land as a Knight of Chivalry.
Everyone in the village believed that the brave and handsome farmer Lambert would be their savior. It’s said even the Baron’s daughter favored Lambert, but her wicked brother imprisoned her in a tower. Every day, she could be seen gazing down through the slits of the arrow loops at the muddy fields Bertrand farmed. Meanwhile, Beastmen ravaged the land.
Lambert quickly became the leader of the farmers. While the aristocrats shut themselves in their castles, he organized the villagers. They practiced archery daily until everyone hit the mark every time. Lambert ensured every route to the village was watched, soon leaving the Beastmen raiders empty-handed. Sometimes they even chased them into the forest, knocking them down as the Beastmen fled.
However, the Baron’s unreliable heir did not appreciate Lambert. Instead, encouraged by the Baroness, he demanded even higher taxes and feudal taxes from the farmers.
Thus, the enraged Lambert launched fire arrows at the castle, executed the foolish noble, and led the farmers off the land. He vowed to never become a knight or noble, as it would mean forsaking his beloved longbow, deemed an undignified weapon.
Relying on his bowmanship, his bandit group successfully plundered around the Blood Pine Forest several times, executing indifferent lords, and declaring the infamous nineteen taxes of the territories abolished.
Within Border Prince’s Territory, about half the people considered Lambert a hero, while the rest saw him as a villain and scoundrel.
Knight Oerstein cared not whether this notorious bandit was a hero or a villain; his eyes were set solely on victory.
So, as the bandit group approached, Knight Oerstein suddenly unleashed the powerful aura of a Champion Knight.