Heroes of Might and Magic: Grand Consul

Chapter 385 The First Wave of Probing

When Ivan arrived, all of Kuraki's defense forces were present.

Su Mu told them not to make any rash moves for the time being, and Wayne used a camouflage technique to hide them, preventing the enemy from observing the strength of the Silver Peak City garrison.

In fact, Su Mu preferred a fair and square battle, a straightforward victory, but the surrounding enemies didn't give him that chance. They especially liked to overwhelm people with sheer force, so he could only resort to unconventional strategies and schemes.

Feigning weakness to the enemy is a common tactic in military strategy, and Silver Peak City is an isolated city in the north with no natural defenses to rely on. The soldiers should be prepared to fight with their backs to the wall.

After the Rainbow Hall and the Hall of War Merit were built, Kuraki's troops basically did not have to worry about morale or luck. They were all in high spirits, and even in mixed battles, they could raise their morale to the maximum.

Some special units even have a morale level exceeding 10, which means they are guaranteed to launch a double attack every time.

Ivan climbed the watchtower and, through the cloud eye, observed that the Arcane Empire's army had completed its assembly and was marching across the border toward Silvertop City.

The troops mobilized this time are significantly stronger. The God and Monster Lord and the Naga Queen are top-tier troops, but advanced units such as Diamond Men and Gold Men make up the majority, and there are even a large number of unique units such as Void Archmages. It can be described as a powerful and well-equipped force.

"They attacked too early! It seems the army doesn't even reach 10 men, and they're marching very fast, even starting to encircle the enemy at the border."

"It seems our plan worked. The Arcane Empire must have gotten wind of Isildur and wants to take advantage of the situation."

Somra and his men must have thought that Kuraki's main force was still on the plains, and that Silvertop City, without sufficient ground troops to support it, was simply unable to defend itself with only ranged archers.

There was no other way; this information was obtained at the cost of blood and flesh, making it extremely reliable and impossible to ignore.

If it were through another channel, given the Tower Heroes' vigilance, they might have considered the veracity of the matter and made targeted arrangements. Now, with the military situation urgent, they naturally need to catch Silver Peak City off guard before the Cangmu City troops return to reinforce.

This is a complete trap of information asymmetry. After all, no matter how difficult things were before, Kuraki had never used the Time Gate, and this level 4 magic is extremely rare. In addition, Kuraki has always governed primarily through the Parliament, which was built independently by the Kingdom. Other forces would not have considered that Kuraki could obtain the Time Gate and stage such a charade.

Most importantly, the Arcane Empire was powerful enough not to take Silvertop City seriously.

This gave Su Mu a crucial opportunity to overcome the odds and suddenly unleash his power.

Of course, this one trick alone isn't enough. After all, Somra is here in person, and the legendary hero might have even more powerful moves. However, Su Mu has a special arrangement for the genie, so he might not be able to unleash its full potential.

As for facing a large enemy army, the Burning Blood Potion comes at just the right time, as it can greatly enhance the ability of the front-line troops to withstand attacks.

"Ouling, has the divine sacrificial cannon arrived yet?"

"Rest assured, my lord, Duke Peter has specially provided 10 of them. I will place them all on the city walls to teach the enemy's vanguard a lesson!"

Duke Peter, who controlled the disciplinary ascetics and was a duke specially appointed by the Church of Light, naturally possessed high-level ballistae such as the Divine Sacrifice Cannon. He had a close personal relationship with Conrad and was very grateful to Sumu for avenging the Knight Commander. Therefore, he specially gifted Kuraki 10 cannons in his personal capacity, which made up for the previous losses.

"This time, you will be in charge of the ballistae and archers. In addition to the outermost layer of the city wall, every inner layer of the city wall must be equipped with the Earth Bow."

"Rest assured, all the arrow towers will become the battlefield for the Earth Bow!"

As the number of Earthbow units gradually increases, the mana consumption of commanding Elemental Baptism units will increase. However, the heroes have been constantly trained, and their knowledge attributes are now much better than before.

Since acquiring the Glory of the Sharpshooter, Orling has received a comprehensive boost to the Sharpshooter class, and the siege engine also needs to unleash magic. Su Mu hopes he can focus on these two attack points to inflict massive damage on the enemy.

Su Mu is preparing to personally command the legion of the Mystic Prayers.

Because if the strongest swordsman doesn't come out early on, ranged units have to be deployed to take the lead, and the only unit suitable for both melee and ranged combat is the Arcane Prayer.

The level 6 unit, consisting of over 600 people, inherits advanced Soul Arrow, advanced Astrologer, and advanced Defense techniques. Its main objective is to be strong at both close and long range, withstand the enemy's first wave of attacks, and provide an opportunity for a counterattack.

"Ivan, you will lead the Rock Shield Infantry and the strongest swordsmen, and hide in the third inner city, gradually dispersing your forces. No matter how the fighting gets at the beginning, do not move out."

"Wait for my order before launching the attack!"

"Yes, my lord!"

As the leader of Kuraki's most powerful ground army, Ivan knew his responsibility was immense. Kuraki's extensive preparations were not merely for annihilating a single force, but rather for joining the battle at the crucial moment, turning the tide, and winning the war.

Clearly, the most difficult task was to withstand the enemy's attack in the early stages, and Su Mu took on this responsibility, bearing the weight of the nation's fate on his shoulders.

"Sederos, you will command the tower units and support the remaining ranged units. Don't worry about the losses; as long as you can resist layer by layer and gradually bog the enemy down, that will be a great achievement!"

As the commander of the tower, he naturally has the best understanding of the various troop types in Silvertop City. Although he is not as strong as the other two generals, he is still able to lead the army steadily and surely.

Moreover, he can cooperate with Maggie, relying on magic and new combination treasures, to increase the health of all units as a support hero, which is the most crucial point.

Knowing when to unleash the Blood Burn spell and how to continuously replenish health are crucial decisions for a hero, and the Astrologer is perfectly suited for this.

Has the astrological moon in the North changed?

"It has worked, and their advance southward movement is most likely related to this."

【Red Moon Anomaly (Lunar Eclipse): Strange anomalies will occur around the city, potentially altering roads and leading to unknown lands. Marching speed -33%, Dream Realm monster production +100%】

Sedros is already a senior astrologer and has the opportunity to change the astrological chart 100% once.

However, due to the special astrological month of lunar eclipses this month, even with Cedrus's abilities, he can only make some minor modifications within the overall framework.

According to his research, the worst astrological moon at the border right now is the Red Moon Anomaly, which can slow down the enemy's marching speed and open the Dream Gate, spawning Dream Monsters on the snowy land to harass the towers.

This was already a pretty good result. Somra and his men were originally waiting for the troops, but seeing that the waiting time was getting longer and they might miss the opportunity, they simply gave up waiting and went straight for the enemy's stronghold.

The enemy's accelerated march was also closely related to astrology and the moon.

All of this was planned for the final, all-out attack.

Su Mu then looked at Wayne: "Send some thieves across the snowy region to launch a surprise attack on Gurado."

You and Forrest return to Kuraki, creating the illusion of a breakout attempt to continue deceiving the Bastion Legion.

Remember, show them the demonstration; make it as realistic as possible. If necessary, sacrifice some troops!

"Yes, my lord!"

Currently, the Arcane Empire Legion has only advanced to the front lines and has not yet launched a major offensive. If Kuraki's side is exposed, they will lose their opportunity to infiltrate and may even be targeted. Therefore, sending Wayne, who is most skilled in intelligence warfare, back to confuse the enemy is essential.

In direct combat, Wayne is of little use, but his newly recruited Dream Thieves are powerful and their attack patterns are very unpredictable, making them very suitable for the Red Moon Anomaly constellation, and they can even unleash their full potential.

"Good! Now that everyone has accepted the mission, we will surely be able to withstand the invaders from the Arcane Empire this time!"

"Wan Sheng!"

The generals led their soldiers in shouting, and the entire army was filled with overwhelming momentum.

After receiving the order, Wayne prepared to leave with Forrest, but saw that the other party hesitated and stared at the lord for a long time before turning to leave.

The architect activated the portal, bringing Wayne and some of the thieves back to Kuraki City. Following the lord's instructions, they staged a modified version of the Empty City Stratagem.

However, Forrest stood atop the wooden city wall, gazing at the plains, his shadow stretching long before he left the wall. Wayne wanted to inquire further, but as if guessing something, he turned back to see that the portal had completely closed, and the city's reserve forces were preparing for battle.

"Actually, I came back with another order from the lord. If things cannot be disobeyed, you and I will lead the remaining troops of Kuraki to abandon the city and flee to a remote town in order to make a comeback."

You are an assassin, skilled in reconnaissance and concealment; I am an architect, with so much experience in construction, I can build a city from scratch.

We are the heroes with the best chance of escaping and preserving the spark of Kuraki.

Listening to Forrest's calm explanation, Wayne stood there stunned, unable to believe that this was the reason they were sent back.

But upon closer reflection, it makes perfect sense.

Faced with the overwhelming force of the Arcane Empire, who dares to say they can successfully defend their territory?

With a legendary hero who has lived for thousands of years personally present, the opposing side must possess formidable skills. Furthermore, their army is ten times the size of Silvertop City's forces. This battle is truly a fight to the death.

Su Mu will not admit defeat and is confident that he can win the war, but at any time, leaving behind a last hope is something that a qualified ruler must do.

The lord gave Forrest a chance to live, so there's nothing to say. This architect, who accompanied him from the beginning of Kuraki and fought alongside him to the present day, is the true soul of Kuraki. It can be said that Forrest deserves half the credit for the territory's development into what it is today.

To Wayne's surprise, the lord reserved the other spot for him, which made him feel extremely uneasy. As a thief who joined midway and was not very experienced, he was originally a hated and shameful character, yet he was being treated with such importance.

Wayne choked up for a moment, not knowing what to say.

As the governor, Su Mu truly led by example and acted fairly, which explains why so many people were willing to follow him.

While the art of governance may be a powerful skill that strongly attracts heroes, what ultimately determines their sworn loyalty is not these ethereal magics, but rather the charismatic personality of the ruler.

Empathy and trust in people – these are Su Mu's most charismatic leadership qualities!
“Go and protect Miss Valentine. Before the great war, I asked the lord to consider the issue of succession, but he said that if even he died in the war, there was no need for his offspring to bear this responsibility and start the hellish trial.”

I couldn't persuade him otherwise, so I didn't urge him.

However, he was under a lot of pressure those days, and Miss Valentine went to the fireplace to light it many times; perhaps there was some opportunity. Even if there's only the slightest possibility, we must be fully prepared!

"I guarantee Miss Valentine will be unharmed. Anyone who tries to harm her will have to step over my dead body first!"

Upon hearing this secret, Wayne immediately straightened up, as if he had received some earth-shattering mission, and was instantly filled with fighting spirit.

As Kuraki's second-in-command, Forrest is very familiar with Su Mu, so there might actually be a possibility in that regard.

Rather than fleeing in despair, protecting the lord's descendants and rebuilding the Kingdom of Kuraki is a far more meaningful goal.

Of course, Wayne still believes that the lord can defend Silvercap and annihilate the enemy. But this does not conflict with preserving the flame; he will do everything in his power to repay the lord's trust.

Seeing Wayne regain his fighting spirit, he left the city wall.

Forrest slapped himself hard in the face as he looked at the setting sun.

"What are you doing! I just asked you to come back and reorganize the rear, do you really think I'm giving you my last instructions!"

What a spineless coward! If this battle couldn't be won, Su Mu wouldn't have led so many heroes to defend it. He was at least 50%, no! 80% confident.

Silver-topped City can definitely be defended.

"You can't just passively wait for news. At this moment, with internal and external troubles, it's the perfect time for diplomacy to come into play."

The Witcher Marshal has been suppressed by the Bastion for so long, he must want revenge, and the Grand Duke of the Valley, the Stag, also hates Isildur to the core.

At this time, uniting with them will surely put pressure on the hills.

Kuraki can provide whatever amount of money or resources you want.

"As long as the plains can be stabilized, the Arcane Empire will become increasingly anxious and will inevitably fall into the trap set by the lord."

In this critical moment, Forrest still managed to come up with some ways to break the deadlock. He didn't have any strong combat skills, but his diplomatic skills and key position in charge of finances allowed him to change the situation.

He was willing to do anything, however small, as long as it was beneficial to the defense of Silver Peak City.

As for bowing down to Congress and secretly bribing members, Su Mu was unwilling to do such things; he would bear the blame.

Without hesitation, Forrest jumped down from the city wall and immediately went to make arrangements.

Before leaving, the light was so bright that he barely managed to cover his face with his sleeve, taking one last look at Kuraki Territory.

A nation where people live in peace and contentment, where markets are thriving, and where the military is full of fighting spirit will never perish!

……

The Arcane Empire's army has marched into the northern border, and a large number of troops have formed an ambush, surrounding Silvertop City.

Somra's clone had previously fought against Kuraki's army, so he knew about the artillery's extremely long range. He specifically ordered his troops to circle around far enough to disperse and surround the enemy, eliminating all threats in the vicinity.

At this point, even if Kuraki's ground troops break through, they will only become targets of encirclement and reinforcements, while the Imperial forces can first wipe out the legions outside the city, forcing the defenders of Silvertop City to come to their aid.

However, judging from the situation, it seems unlikely that Kuraki's army will arrive in time.

"News came from Isidore that Kuraki's scouts launched a fierce attack, but the Silver Pegasus of the Barriers set up a net to cut off their marching route."

Although the enemy has won several battles, they no longer have time to reinforce the north and are likely strategically abandoning Silvertop City.

It must be said that Kuraki's northward advance route has been completely blocked, and the enemy cannot send troops at this time, otherwise they would be committing suicide.

"What's the situation in Silvertop City? Any unusual activity?"

"A few days ago, our troops were still a little far away, but they had basically locked onto the main transportation routes and had not found any support from other forces."

We have been closely monitoring Silvertop City since yesterday, but have not detected any other activity from them.

Based on the current situation, Silver Peak City is basically a fish on a chopping board, and they don't believe the other side has any other tricks up its sleeve.

After thinking for a moment, Somra ordered, "Send some vanguard troops to test the waters first."

"Let the Jurchen army march forward in formation and see the defensive strength of Silver Peak."

Upon hearing the order, the special hero who commanded the Iron Man took command and began to muster his troops to march towards Silvertop City.

Ovid and Yuna exchanged a glance, finding it unbelievable. How could the genie, who had been so arrogant before, have become so composed now? But this steady approach was good; it would prevent him from making mistakes.

It's just that the genie's personality keeps changing, which seems a bit strange.

(End of this chapter)