Chapter 2472: Annihilate This Legion

“What a formidable legion.” The general with a common face in front of Li Jue said something in Roman that Li Jue completely couldn’t understand, but seeing the look on the other’s face, Li Jue could guess that the other was praising his strength. However, being part of the Xiliang Iron Cavalry, Flying Bear needed no one’s praise; strength was strength.

Slowly, the general with a common face placed the great shield on the ground and calmly looked at Li Jue. About two thousand five hundred armored cavalrymen emerged from both sides. At this moment, Fan Chou and Guo Si, almost as if having a telepathic understanding, attacked simultaneously. However, the opponent easily parried their attacks.

“This legion is unusual!” Before pulling out the great sword for slashing, Li Jue exchanged glances with the other two, and both showed signs of understanding. They almost simultaneously switched to the great broadsword. That brief exchange of blows had already made the two understand the situation.

Although these three guys, Li Jue, were not very intelligent, having survived hundreds of battles, they all possessed the capability to sense an opponent’s elite talent in the instant of engagement.

“This could be trouble; I’m afraid this legion has a limit for resistance.” As Guo Si’s great sword was knocked back, he speculated again while crossing paths.

In the moment the leading three switched to great swords, the other soldiers in the Xiliang Iron Cavalry also switched to the great swords from their horses, habitually striking downwards with the blade, causing a shower of sparks. The rebounding force at the moment of contact gave Fan Chou, Guo Si, and Li Jue a guess.

“The two of us will intercept the armored iron cavalry on the flanks, and the central army is yours!” Fan Chou and Guo Si almost immediately made their choice, riding to intercept the elite cavalry that the Romans were attempting to flank them with, while Li Jue, with a grim face, launched a direct frontal attack.

“Does it naturally counteract heavy and dull attacks?” Li Jue swung the great broadsword, slicing towards the opponent. The wind sound, brought by the gravity-twisted swing, even had a whining tone. But at the moment of contact, it returned to normal, changing from a slash to a cut, sparking as it directly sliced through the Roman heavy infantry’s great shield used for defense. A long spear thrust out from the side to block Li Jue.

“An excellent opponent!” After blocking Li Jue’s long spear, a cold glint emerged on Alessandro’s face. “I can tell that like us, you are a battle-scarred veteran. It’s been a long time since I’ve encountered such an adversary.”

Unlike the completely incomprehensible Roman from before, this time Alessandro spoke words that Li Jue could understand fully.

Li Jue didn’t speak. In the instant the other spoke, he felt a chill—an aura more awe-inspiring than when facing Camillo.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen someone fight to this point.” Pipunannus looked at the group of veterans blocking Li Jue not far away and spoke with a hint of admiration. The Han army indeed surprised people. Although the Romans were not going all out, instead training with the Han’s young soldiers, it was truly remarkable that several thousand elites could fight to this extent.

“What if we didn’t bring them this time?” Ganasis suddenly spoke. He had always admired Li Jue, Guo Si, and Fan Chou, viewing them as outstanding generals capable of fighting bravely and charging fearlessly, the soul of this legion.

“This is a nation-destroying campaign. Our goal is to annihilate Parthia. Although we constantly mock Parthia, you must acknowledge that there’s a reason we haven’t been able to completely annihilate them.” Pipunannus spoke calmly. Li Jue and the others were absolutely unable to break through this defense.

This is the Roman 1st Auxiliary Legion, a legion that has abandoned the Eagle Banner and its former title, not because they are weak. They once had a title and an eagle emblem that commanded respect. Back then, they were called the Second Augustus Legion!

There’s an incomprehensible aspect to the Roman military system: the strongest are not the main combat forces but the reserve soldiers. Most excellent veterans are transferred to reserves, and these individuals don’t participate in battles in the subsequent wars.

Their role is to wear the best equipment and stand as reserves behind the legion, watching the young men in front fight and die while they evaluate from behind.

Of course, when the war becomes urgent enough for them to take action, either the enemy dies to the last man, or they are entirely wiped out. This group’s combat power is extremely strong.

The First Auxiliary Legion’s title is the result of the Augustus Legion collectively becoming a reserve legion. As for their eagle banner, it was given to the current Second Trajan Legion.

Simply put, according to the Roman military system, the reserves of an Eagle Banner Legion are supposed to be stronger and more experienced than the legion itself. The First Auxiliary Legion claims to fight better and more fiercely than any opponent the Xiliang Iron Cavalry has ever encountered.

Of course, this refers to frontal combat strength. This legion, compared to the Xiliang Iron Cavalry, has even shorter legs.

Abandoning Augustus’s glory to become the legion that shields the empire, the Roman Empire’s truly most formidable legion, even the First Italy Legion stationed in Italy cannot match its strength, now stands before Li Jue.

“Two talents, one is legion force dispersion and the other is overlimit rebound!” Li Jue coldly looked at the opponent and said, these two talents combined are simply shameless; if the power is not strong enough, it will be dispersed by the opponent, and if it exceeds a certain level, it will be rebounded!

The soldiers of the Flying Bear Army swung their great swords at the Roman Heavy Infantry opposite, but to little effect. Similarly, the Roman Legion’s attacks on the Flying Bear Army, after twisting the mass, resulted in damage too insignificant to cause actual harm. Both sides realized this situation after ten seconds of confrontation.

The Iron Cavalry’s attacks either had no effect or were too powerful and rebounded; while the Roman Heavy Infantry’s attacks on the Flying Bear were incapable of delivering normal damage due to the twisted mass, rendering both sides’ attacks almost ineffective.

The Roman 1st Auxiliary Legion and Li Jue’s Flying Bear Army were locked in a fierce stalemate, yet neither side suffered casualties, and there were few injuries. Both sides lacked a meaningful way to breach the other’s defenses.

“If this is all the strength you have, then…” Alessandro stopped probing and suddenly paused, looking at Li Jue, speaking coldly.

“That’s precisely what I wanted to say!” Li Jue coldly swung his sword towards Julia.

“No, I’ve already figured out the core of your legion. Apart from its terrifying versatility, the other aspects aren’t worth much. Haven’t you noticed that the two divisions of your legion and this one here have been enveloped by my legion?” Julia coldly stared at Li Jue and said.

Li Jue was stunned for a moment, then sneered at Alessandro, “You might be able to surround us, but I can break out. On the plains, I’ve never heard of such a joke about encircling the Xiliang Iron Cavalry!”

As he spoke, Li Jue directly launched a thrust, swinging his great sword towards Alessandro.

“Your guess is correct, my legion indeed possesses the two talents you mentioned earlier, although your description is somewhat biased, but not entirely wrong. However, can you guess what the third talent of the Roman 1st Auxiliary Legion is? The twelve thousand men you see are all members of the First Auxiliary Legion!” Alessandro looked at Li Jue with malice.

Originally, Alessandro led the First Auxiliary Legion, even with only the first two talents, as long as they exhibited proper ability, they were enough to be called a rogue army. However, the Roman 1st Auxiliary Legion never got selected as a rogue army because they have long achieved the three talents.

Since the concept of the three talents elite emerged between the East and the West, the Augustus Legion was the third to achieve three talents.

When they handed the Eagle Banner over to the Second Trajan Legion, transitioning to the Auxiliary Legion, their mentality and will became strong to a certain degree. Simply put, the Eagle Banner no longer had significant strengthening meaning to them, at most embellishing the situation.

Unlike other Three Talents Legions, they are similar to the White Horse Soldiers, having pushed a particular mastered ability to its limit, achieving the super elite of Three Talents. They may not possess idealist power, but they have mastered a skill indicative of a certain trait approaching the limit.

They are the only legion in existence to have a trait that approached the limit, achieving the Three Talents. Others, whether the past White Horse or the former Iron Cavalry, merely came very close to fully mastering a particular attribute or trait.

As for the Roman 1st Auxiliary Legion’s ability to reach the limit, it’s called power, or one might simply say they have an exceeding amount of brute strength.

“Honestly speaking, the Force Dispersion Talent and the Overlimit Rebound aren’t intended to counter the enemy, but merely to avoid collapsing from being unable to control this power!” Alessandro attacked Li Jue with a cruel smile!

At that moment, all the Roman Heavy Infantry and Roman Canned Iron Cavalry who fought the Flying Bear suddenly unleashed their third talent; the fierce power instantly transcended the limit. Even though the Xiliang Iron Cavalry twisted the terrifying attack at that instant, many soldiers were directly taken out.

Power is power; it requires no explanation.

“I admit your abilities are strong, the impact from a cavalry charge could even enough to send the united Heavy Infantry formations flying. But to be honest, the kind of impact you exert, we could also replicate using a great shield by crashing into a wall. We’ve tried before, using a Thousand-Men Squad, carrying great shields, and collapsing a city wall with shoulders!” Alessandro spoke to Li Jue as he prematurely flipped through gravity and was blasted skyward by residual waves at the last moment.

Watching Li Jue fly backward into the sky, Alessandro slowly withdrew his gaze after finishing those words, and by this moment, Li Jue who has yet to land couldn’t hear those words clearly, but he knew that something significant had happened!

“Annihilate this legion!” Alessandro commanded with a cold smile.