Chapter 83 - Enemy Tactics Part 2

"The weakest ones were at the seventh stage. Most were at the eighth stage but we were not able to find any magical beasts at the ninth stage," the scout reported and left.

"It seems they have united. The news doesn't seem so.." Lu Gong began as he stopped to see a scout hold his left arm, blood seeping from a wound.

"Reporting from the Rabbit Army, we were supposed to enter the island from the opposite side of Tiger Army. However, we were ambushed by magical beasts of the ninth stage. General Sun Zhou and the Rabbit Army has fallen. The magical beasts are being led by a black dragon magical beast at the peak of the ninth stage. However, we believe it to be an true Archon magical beast. Otherwise, General Sun Zhou would not have fallen so easily," the scout said and rose. "I must report to Great General Meng Ce. May the Heavens favor you, General Lu Shu."

"Both fears are realized," Ken said as Lu Shu said the horde of magical beasts was approaching. "We're not even in the valley, where the real trap is, and we are being ambushed already by another force.

"They divided their forces. I can sense they are only at the seventh stage," Lu Shu said, opening his eyes. "THey are testing us, hoping to dwindle our numbers before we enter the valley.

"Shall I issue the retreat?" Lu Gong asked.

"No. It is too late. We'll lose even more men," Lu Shu said. "I want all mages to concentrate on using wide area attack spells and area-of-effect spells. Lessen their numbers and force them into a bee line for the archers."

"Mages, enchant the arrows. I want to see them explode on contact," Cao Wei ordered.

"Shield wall up front. Soldiers, make sure to spear in between the gaps of the shield wall!" Lu Gong roared.

"They're here," Lu Shu said, as a cloud of dust appeared. As they looked up at the hill, the valley on the other side, the magical beasts seemed endless as they descended. "Have a scout return to the bridge and summon the cavalry once we defeat the horde. Momentum is the key to a cavalry's victory and a descent onto a horde, from the high ground, is the best for it."

"Yes, general" Cao Wei bowed and summoned one of his scouts and relayed the orders.

"Earth mages and Practitioners who use the earth element come forth," Lu Shu ordered.

"Yes, general," a large group bowed.

"When they get in range, I want the earth mages to create pits on the ground. Also create rock walls. The weakness of a charge down hill is that you get stomped to death if you stop moving," Lu Shu ordered. "Earth Practitioners, you control the earth. Make it soft and turn it into sand below the surface. I want as little magical beasts to attack the shield wall as possible."

"Yes, general," the soldiers cried and began taking their positions and following the order.

"I want all mages capable of summoning to summon flying creatures. All wind mages are to focus their attention at the skies. Kill all flying magical beasts on sight. Archers, watch the flank and shoot any that attempt to break through it," Lu Shu roared. "I will not allow the Tiger Army to suffer the same fate as Rabbit Army!"

"YES, GENERAL!" all the soldiers shouted as the magical beasts finally entered within their range.

"Shields up!" Lu Gong cried as the magical beasts could be identified. They could see gorillas, elephants, tigers, lions, snakes, eagles, crows, owls, and other magical beasts raze the hill side with their advance as they approached.

"Now!" Cao Wei cried, rock walls sprouting as deep pits appeared all over the battlefield. Some beasts crashed through the walls, some dropping into the pits.

Still, the charge advanced. Arrows struck flying and non-flying magical beasts alike as spears of wind soared into the sky. Lu Shu created over a hundred swords, sending them flying and killing many magical beasts as they impaled through one only to explode as they got stuck in another. Little Hao moved restlessly next to Lu Shu as Bakura kept its bone fingers on the grips of its swords.

"Success," Lu Gong cried as many magical beasts that moved too fast were caught in the quicksand as they ran on what seemed like normal plains.

"Watch the skies!" Lu Shu said, crescent blade so water decapitating many magical beasts as the mages summoned flying creatures and demons from other worlds. Some magical beasts trampled on those who sank on the quicksand and finally arrived at the shield wall. Spears impaled the magical beasts as the soldiers pushed with their shields.

"Push and advance! Push them to the quick sands! Earth Practitioners, create spikes and pierce them belly-up! Ice Practitioners, send freezing winds into the sky! Practitioners that use darkness, take away their sight!" Lu Shu roared as he pushed out with his hands, a wave of lightning shocking and pushing back some magical beasts.

"Don't let any gaps appear! Condense and push through them!" Lu Gong cried.

"Mages, target the clustered enemies and don't let them attack the flanks!" Cao Wei roared.

Lu Shu narrowed his eyes and wings of vermillion appeared on his back, he rose to the sky and all the spirit energy seemed to condense into him, the very air storming as if he was the center of a tornado. Lu Shu raised his hands into the sky, thousands of swords made emerald spirit energy appearing. Lu Shu roared as he pointed downward, the swords flashing past him like lightning. Blood sprayed and the ground ruptured as the magical beasts were helpless against the onslaught, no match for a Practitioner of the tenth stage using spirit energy of a Sword Immortal.

Lu Shu wasn't down as a black cloud appeared, gradually growing in size. Blue lightning crackled and the sky grew dark as the light could not penetrate the black clouds. Then, all the flying magical beasts were bombarded with lightning bolts as Lu Shu used his Black Cloud Desolation technique.

He was like a god among those below the Spirit Knight stage, the highest being able to interfere with mortal affairs. No one had ever seen so much powerful techniques used at once. They all wondered how much spirit energy Lu Shu had. The clouds dispersed as the shield wall was able to push the magical beasts onto the quicksand. Slowly, the ambush was stalled. Lu Gong ordered the shield wall to extend and the magical beasts were soon the ones that were surrounded and on the offensive.

"Show no mercy!" Cao Wei cried and all the mages finished of the magical beasts.

"Victory! We have victory!" Lu Gong cried, all the soldiers cheering as the white mage apprentices began using their healing magic on the injured.

"Only a few dozen killed. Only a little over a hundred," Ken observed as he had watched from the treetops.

"Lu Shu's plan was a success. Not only that, I've never seen a Spirit Shaman with so much spirit energy," Jiro shivered.

"Let's just hope our clans don't anger him," Ken grinned.

"To hell with the Li Clan. They can all burn except for uncle and his son," Jiro thought as he and Ken returned to the Tiger Army.

"The plan was a success, general," Cao Wei grinned.

"They were at the seventh stage. The remaining forces of the horde will be more wary of us. While their number is lower now, only the elite are left. We have to contend with magical beasts of the eighth and ninth stage. I'm sure the horde that slaughtered the Rabbit Army will have returned into the valley using the secret route they used to ambush the Rabbit Army," Lu Shu said silently. "The scout should be leaving to summon the cavalry. Send another scout to Great General Meng Ce and ask for them to try to enter the valley from where the Rabbit Army was supposed to enter. If my guess is right, the enemy was securing their escape route and killed the Rabbit Army as it was discovered. I don't want to take the valley only to know they escaped. Also send word for reinforcements. Perhaps the Shield Armor Army as they should have entered the island to our right and arrived in front of the mountains."

"Yes, general," Cao Wei bowed and left as Ken and Jiro arrived.

"Congratulations," they said.

"What's the plan now?" Jiro asked.

"We rest and wait for now. When sunset comes, we strike with the reinforcements. It is harder to fly at night and we can ensure less assaults from above and focus solely on the ground," Lu Shu answered.

"We wait for reinforcements before we storm the valley.