<h4>Chapter 26: A MALICIOUS SMILE</h4>


    The darkness of night did nothing to dispel the anger and fury of Vetten


    The sound of heavy breathing and wailing and sobs could sometimes still be heard from camps, morning friends and brothers in arms


    Like an echo thates from a deep scream inside a cave.


    After the explosion in the Fort, it takes some time for Kyle to reorganize his troops. Blood fills the fort, flesh and limbs scattered about on the ground like leaves in Fall season.


    It was a terrible sight. Charred meat and limbs scattering like that, it resembles the painting of Hell.


    But in Kyle eyes and the soldiers of Vetten it is even worse than that.


    The yers that never saw such gore could not help but vomit and some even logged out for a while beforeing back after resting in their home to erase that images from their head.


    Kyle was also incensed with anger. But he knew he could not win a war by being angry and easily being provoked.


    He makes a mistake before because he was blinded by his emotions but he could no longer to afford making such mistake.


    So after calming himself he made a rousing speech about vengeance and the chance for glory.


    His troops believing his words regain back their morale. Kyle is determined now more than ever.


    He will caught Aero alive and he will destroy that guy thoroughly.


    His anger and hatred will not be sated unless that were to happen until he tortured him back to level zero.


    But for now, his anger is contained.


    After making sure everything was prepared they march out. This time to his victory. No obstacle any more.


    Kyle is certain, he will win this war


    ''Fort Vars has fallen.'' That news fills the war camps with jubtion.


    The report from the scouts shows that Aero has taken refuge in Coro city. One of the cities in the state of Zantleaf.


    The city doesn''t have a Fort as strong as Fort Vars. In Fort Vars, Kyle believe Aero must have set up the explosives hoping that he would die from it.


    But he was lucky.


    ''Very lucky. If only I lead first I would also turn to pieces of limbs like the other troops.''


    Smiling he thought to himself.


    I will be your end, Aero.


    In a day they will arrive at the city and without a doubt this will be a frontal assault, with nothing else that could stop him where he can use his advantage of numbers fully.


    He will use his superior number to overwhelm the Vanheim troops. His victory is all but guaranteed.


    ''HAHAHAHAHAHA ''He could not help butugh and smiles from the bottom of his heart. This is the day he will make his name known to the world.


    "Faster. I have a head I need to im" yell Kyle from his horseback. And his troops cheered


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    Oddly, the air was fresh. The wind is gentle. And the sun shines brightly and all embracing.


    ''Oddly enough, it has to be this day'' Aero thought to himself as he look at the sky.


    A few moments now, this ce will be littered with corpse and the face of his soldiers would be full the stench of men sweat and the smell of iron from blood.


    The day hase.


    Aero has waited in the battlefield, riding his horse. The wind blows his hair gently and briefly. The sun shining behind his back making to appearrger than most people.


    With his sword he look like a valiant hero. Beside him was Dan appearing to be nervous but unafraid.


    Dan also has seen the massive army that is heading their way. His hand was trembling. Either from excitement or fear even he didn''t know.


    Aero told him that was excitement. That trembling is also from excitement. Dan certainly didn''t think so.


    It is fear.


    He fears. And he is afraid


    But yet, because it was Aero that said it was excitement….no, precisely because it was Aero that said those words, Dan almost believed that this fear was not fear. It is excitement.


    Still with Aero by his side, he believes that he would have a n. Aero has never disappointed him before.


    He has made sure the cavalry, the heavy infantry, the fighter to be in formation.


    Because of his personality many yers believe in him to make a sessful attack.


    Dan couldn''t believe what he will about to do. He will fight a war with swords and shield, with magic hurling, with arrows that will cloud the clear sky.


    Where else will he have this kind of experience other than in Brave World…and as he thinks of this his hand is trembling yet again


    So, once again he said to himself, almost whispering to his heart


    "This is excitement. It is not fear."


    Amy on the other hand is stationed on the back. She instructed her division to make sure they must not fall.


    They are healers. Their task is to heal not to fight. As long as her division remember that they would be vital in the battlefield.


    Never rush into the battlefield and risk their lives. That is the job of soldiers, of warriors and magicians


    They are ready in their positions. Bandages were ready. Potions were prepared and herbs were stocked and ready to be used.


    Food is also prepared in case if the war bes long. The Bards is ready to sing. Like previous battle they will sing again in the same way they did before.


    The druids are also beginning to chant spells. It was ordered by Aero. The healer will be ready to heal the front lines troops.


    The cooks is cooking great dish that will give stat boost to the troops that are going to the battlefield.


    Because of this many cooks have reached quite a high level in cooking because they have been cooking since the beginning of the war.


    Amy on the other hand is worried about Aero.


    That idiot! He should stay in the Fort. Amy thinks to herself.


    So stubborn


    They are the support division. It is not an exaggeration to say that they are the most important division after the attacking division.


    Raina troops were stationed in high peak in the hills or high building to utilize their archery abilities to the fullest.


    After they arrived in this city they went to the city warehouse and took their arrows.


    Raina troops also saw the timber and make arrows. The cksmith in the city also help them make new bows.


    The surrounding viges knowing that they were attacked also offered their arrows.


    Raina was grateful for their assistance.


    With their help, Raina is confident they will have enough arrows to at least slow down Kyle troops.


    Raina is not as positive as Dan. She believes all of Vanheim army will die here today. But as long as Vanheim does not fall, they still have a chance.


    This is it. This is the final battle. Aero was still calm. He look at the vast battlefield and he sees patterns. On his soldiers and on his enemies soldiers.


    He look and he smiles.


    ''Could I duplicate it? The ancient wisdoms?'' The eyes of a strategist sees everything. Not many people see the entirety of this formation and some didn''t even understand it.


    Aero has employed Cannae tactic.


    Only two person in history managed to use it perfectly. In the end Aero is just standing on the shoulders of giants, peering through the vast distance.


    Aero make the center to be weak to deliberately invite the enemy to attack the Centre. Of course the squad leader andmander were informed of this.


    But the soldiers did not see it and understand it. But they didn''t have to. They didn''t need to see it or understand it.


    Soldiers….their job is to follow orders.


    Aero is hoping to tempt the rashness of a title chaser like Kyle to attack the center of his formation.


    This will help the left and right nk to try to envelop the enemy.


    And the moment Aero managed to envelop the enemy, Aero could slowly y with them like a cat ying with its prey.


    This tactic required tactical reserve behind the weak center. Many argue Aero that this is not ideal considering the situations but Aero has made his decisions.


    It is not ideal because he did not have the numbers of people necessary for the tactical reserve to support the weak center.


    He still has something in his sleeve.


    As a strategist if he does not have any cards he can y and all of his card is known beforehand isn''t that betraying his title as a strategist?


    This one trump card, he ys it close to his heart.


    Then everyone heard it. Aero looks towards the distance, toward the source of that sound.


    The hooves of the warhorses stomp thend as the dust gathered and silhouette of men masked with killing intent fills the battlefield.


    They arrived.


    Kyle at the helms of thousands of troops, looking especially grand, on the front leading all of men, feeling like the whole world under his feet, he looked excited.


    Their step shakes the battlefield.


    No doubt he is confident that he is going to win. The warhorses neighs and from afar they looked intimidating and vicious.


    ''Iron soldiers and iron horses'' Aero said to himself.


    Aero soldiers gripped their weapons tighter; their will to win is not to be underestimated.


    Then Kyle yells, his voice reverberated all over the battlefield


    "Aero, if you surrender now I will give Silvi state to you so you can live in peace. Your men will all be spared."


    Kyle was thinking even though they have superior army why not he used negotiations to minimize his troop''s casualty.


    His troops if they are reduced too much then they will be problemster. Bradheim army movement is also not known to him.


    That is a variable.


    And he hates variable. He is angry at Aero but he needs to look at the bigger picture. Then after he takes the capital he will deal with Aero then.


    Aero on the other hand could clearly what state of mind Kyle possess.


    ''He already think he has won before even fighting? What aughable joke'' Aero thought to himself.


    Aero replied


    "Kyle, If I wanted to surrender I would have done it a long time ago!!" Aero yelled back. Then he held up his sword up high.


    Shining with a glint of murderousness, the Sword of Mars was held up high and the soldiers cheered up, the sound was deafening and ear numbing.


    The Sword of Mars, the sword of a War God.


    Vanheim troops cheered and they too held up their weapons, bangs their shield and screams their hearts out


    "Fine! Come on!!! Let us settle this in the battlefield!!!." Kyle yelled smiling like he expected Aero to decline.


    After all, if Aero surrenders how could that make him famous? The soldiers behind Kyle also screams and in that screams anger and hatred could be felt.


    "CHARGE!!!!" The moment Kyle yelled charge thousands of arrows flew towards Aero army.


    Aero muttered inaudibly as Kyle yelled charge


    ''Let the game begins''


    The cavalry rush forward, the infantry runs like mad, their weapons drawn and ready to sh.


    Dust rises up from their hard footsteps and war bugle sounded. The battle begins with the sodden of screams, the whistling of arrows released, and the hooves of warhorses.


    Aero soldiers quickly put up their shield in tortoise formation to avoid being skewered to death by arrows.


    They march slowly while putting their formation. Some troops that iste in putting up the formation were killed.


    Aero magicians put a barrier spells to help the front lines and sending fireballs and ice spike to the charging cavalry.


    But not all were protected by the magic barrier. The cavalry on Aero sides try to avoid the arrows by charging ahead only to be speared by Kyle pike man.


    The pikeman on the other hand was attacked by the Fighters division.


    Using barehanded technique they disarm them, and killed them either by breaking their necks for NPCs or stabbing vital points with their hands until the HP gone down to 0 for yers.


    But the Fighters division were also badly affected when the cavalry corps of Kyle smash through one of the nks of the fighter division and stomp all of them into meat paste, their faces stamp into the ground, their brains matter sttered to be mixed with mud and blood as thousand more stomp the ground.


    Then Kyle fighters alsoe in to the fray and they attacked Aero fighters.


    At this time Aero magicians started hurling rock bullet, fireballs and every kind of destructive magic to Vetten troops.


    Both shed and in the dins of metals and sparks of battle that broke everywhere, both sides suffers casualties.


    Then from the top of the hill arrows were shot at Kyle troops. Too many arrows to count. They waited for the perfect moment after the Kyle Archer division is recharging.


    But Kyle has already predicted this. He also uses his magician to cast barrier spells protecting his valuable elite soldiers and himself.


    Riding his horse and cutting head, Kyle could slowly saw the battlefield even amidst the chaos. He then saw it. The weak point of this army. He smiles and grin.


    Kyle saw that the center is weak ordered his men to attack the center.


    The cavalry and the warriors eager to make a name for themselves in the war quickly rushed to the center.


    They went into rampage, shing and hacking, not knowing the deeper they go, the harder they would find themselves to get out.


    They did not realize as they hack and sh their way forward that the soldiers on their left and right slowly distance themselves slowly, and slowly as the way they came from is slowly being shut off.


    As the center slowly retreated, and the Vetten forces keep chasing them, they still did not realizes that themander leading the center position is smiling.


    If they could only realize this, they might have a chance.


    In the end, intoxicated with the idea of glory, they did not even realizes that they fall into the trap that the Strategist has wrought for them.


    And they fall into it almost perfectly.


    Aero was watching this even as he was killing people with his sword.


    Then Aero knows it is time.


    The envelopment has seeded. He did it.


    It was at this time Aero yelled


    "NOW"


    And the moment he yelled that, the tide of battle changes course. It took everyone by surprise, the Vetten and the soldiers in the center position alike.


    Living up to his name Aero smirk maliciously as his sword fell down another enemy soldiers.


    ''This battle is decided'' Aero thought to himself, smiling maliciously


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    Second chapter for today. A mass release today. if you like the story and want to see more please vote and like always, I hope you enjoy the story