Chapter 2478: Retreat

Accompanied by the Council Guard unleashing their full augmentation, the previously scattered and independently fighting legions suddenly formed a cohesive whole. Even the ordinary European barbarians erupted with a momentum no less than that of elite troops, as the power of the Eagle Banner, guided by the Staff Group’s spiritual will, exploded with extreme might.

The seven Eagle Banner Legions present, after augmenting their talents to the limit, and with the enhancement of their personal qualities by the Council Guard, all attained the level of Dual Talent Super Elite.

For those that were previously Dual Talent Super Elites, all have reached the extreme state of Dual Talent Super Elite. The Roman Empire finally got serious, with full power unleashed, and even from Juo Yi’s fading perspective, there is not a single weakness among the 200,000-strong army!

“Let it be so. The Han Empire indeed deserves to share Parthia’s lands. If we can’t obtain it, it’s acceptable for another strong entity to take advantage!” As each legion of the Han Dynasty erupted with qualities surpassing their limits, Severus finally ordered a full-force assault.

With Severus activating his Monarch Talent, the momentum of each Roman legion soldier surged instantly, even the Italian Legion far away in Italy, and the legion led by Perennius currently attacking the Armenian capital, experienced a significant rise in momentum.

This is precisely Severus’ Monarch Talent, Conqueror. Each time a recognized enemy of Severus is defeated, the next activation grants the entire army a permanent passive boost, with increased effectiveness of the active enhancements.

However, Severus did not have many enemies. Until now, the only ones that could be considered enemies of Severus were the Three Great Barbarians of Europe. After Severus conquered the Three Great Barbarians, the enhancement on Severus’ Monarch Talent barely reached ten percent, providing a passive boost of ten percent to the entire army. Therefore, Severus is now curious about the progress from annihilating an empire.

“Next, retreat. We won’t deliberately hunt you down, but if you can’t escape, we’ll show no mercy!” Severus glanced at the Roman elites moving as one. Although there is still a gap compared to the Han Dynasty, he was fairly satisfied, especially with Camillo—remarkable!

Li Jue, Guo Si, and the others realized they could no longer engage the moment the Roman forces transformed, unwillingly conceding that the battle prowess of the First Auxiliary Legion far exceeded Li Jue’s estimation. Even though they once again reached past heights, faced with the opponent’s indomitable power, it was difficult to gain the upper hand. Seeing the situation was beyond rescue, Li Jue angrily glanced at the location of the Fifth Lark and decisively turned to depart.

With his current military force, apart from elite troops standing at the same high level, it is extremely difficult for any legion to halt his charge. With his current qualities, even if the Fifth Lark attempted a sneak attack, as long as he responded promptly, he could withstand the assault and then launch an attack.

Gao Shun glanced at the opponent, blood-covered but with eyes full of fervor—Camillo. He also sensed that the opponent grew stronger with each fight. Clearly, Camillo and the Second Trajan Legion he led were all reviving through the battles.

Though the Feathered Forest Guards wield formidable strength, facing a legion of the same level requires an authentic commander belonging to the Feathered Forest Guards for a decisive defeat. Gao Shun, after all, does not belong to the Feathered Forest Guards.

“Retreat, or we won’t leave here alive,” Zhang Liao said, “Kongming’s contingency plan is enough to cover our retreat.”

“Retreat!” Gao Shun did not argue further, deeply studying Camillo’s frenzied eyes, recognizing he would grow into a remarkable Legion Leader, as long as he remained alive.

As Gao Shun turned his horse to retreat, Camillo, already caught in a killing frenzy, did not hesitate, pursuing the Wolf Cavalry.

Cao Zhen, heartbroken, led nearly 1,500 lost elite warriors in rushing towards Sima Yi, all from the Cao Family’s backbone elite, “Zhongda, if we don’t leave now, we’ll have trouble.”

“Kongming, we’re retreating. Be careful!” Sima Yi shouted to Zhuge Liang while departing, leading his troops to retreat, aware that without retreating now, trouble would arise soon.

“No problem,” Zhuge Liang gritted his teeth, feeling the Talent of Xun Youi used on Guann Hai, evidently showing Guann Hai was ready.

The Mesopotamia region, one of the world’s best alluvial plains, ideally suitable for cavalry and chariot warfare, is also the earliest battlefield producing war chariots.

On such completely flat ground, chariots’ thrust interception is virtually unstoppable, but the greatest challenge is how to avoid the enemy using chariots and preventing the enemy from detecting their use of them. Zhuge Liang had solutions to these issues.

“The Fifth Lark’s position is there! It seems we should be able to intercept!” Zhuge Liang took a deep breath, aware that he could ensure that even in their natural state, the Fifth Lark could distort visual and light perception. However, as long as it wasn’t intentionally redirected, the upcoming chariot’s attack range would certainly encompass them!

“Begin! Wen Chang, it’s up to you!” Zhuge Liang issued the final order to Wei Yan, whose strength had been consistently underestimated on the battlefield. At the same time, he began to alter the celestial phenomenon!

Wei Yan, who had been enveloped and severely underestimated by Lu Xun’s Spiritual Talent, was mistakenly recognized by the Romans as just miscellaneous soldiers while Sima Yi retreated under Cao Zhen’s cover, with a large number of Roman soldiers flooding past him. At this moment, Wei Yan activated his long-prepared Legion Talent and furiously unleashed his power around him.

Much like the Fifth Lark at that time, when the Romans misjudged the combat power of the front-line soldiers and failed to make the correct judgment, Wei Yan stretched into a column formation to intercept them, risking the consumption of his dwindling Cloud Qi. He directly exploded with the combined talent of Guan Yu and Guan Ping’s legions, taking down several thousand Roman elites head-on with a single strike.

This nearly unstoppable method brought the Roman pursuers to a halt mid-charge, creating a gap of about a yard wide between the parties at the scene.

Also arriving was Guann Hai, veiled by Xun Youi’s Talent, driving war chariots borrowed from the Parthians and charging towards the Romans. The momentum of five hundred chariots roaring forward was no less impressive than that of several thousand heavy cavalry charging!

“Legion Attack!” At the moment when Xun Youi’s Spiritual Talent vanished, the Roman soldiers on the flanks roared to launch a legion attack against Guann Hai. However, relying on Xun Youi’s Spiritual Talent, Guann Hai’s group had reached unparalleled speed and was already very close to the Roman vanguard!

“Wen Chang, retreat!” Zhuge Liang called out to Wei Yan, unperturbed about Guann Hai, knowing his Legion Talent rendered him faster than anyone except the White Horse!

In an instant, the Roman legion was thrown into chaos. The formidable power of the chariots galloping across the plains, even without oxen to maintain greater impact force, was definitely beyond the capability of mere flesh to withstand.

“Retreat!” Guann Hai’s initial charge targeted the gap point between Wei Yan and the Romans, not the Roman central army or flanks. This was by Zhuge Liang’s design, and after blocking another wave, taking advantage of the Roman flank cavalry not yet catching up, Guann Hai led his troops charging towards the Han camp.

By this time, Guann Hai had activated his Legion Talent, spurring all soldiers to unleash potential beyond their limits, returning to the Han camp with speeds rivaling cavalry, then swiftly mounting horses and charging toward where Wei Yan and others had retreated.

However, by now, the Fourteen Combined Legion had already caught up, having activated their Agility Talent. But Guann Hai gave a disdainful gesture, bursting forth with even more astounding speed and darted away.

Although Guann Hai’s current method forced the warhorses to unleash potential beyond their limits, they would soon tire, yet in that time, Guann Hai did not believe that just one Fourteen Combined Legion dared to press deeply alone to hunt them down.

Nonetheless, in actuality, when the Fourteen Combined Legion led by Benito continued to pursue Guann Hai unabashedly upon realizing Guann Hai ran faster, they genuinely disregarded the notion of venturing deeply alone. But it made sense; as a rogue army, lacking such boldness would indeed seem strange.

“Han Army…” Severus observed the chaotic vanguard, fully assured that before Wei Yan’s attack, everyone had seemingly ignored Wei Yan’s existence by choice.

As a super elite legion with nearly limitless talent akin to the Fourteen Combined Legion, they had devised thorough counter-strategies, taking no opponent lightly. Yet, on the battlefield before engaging, it seemed they mistook the opponents as ordinary miscellaneous soldiers—such occurrences should not befall them.

Moreover, the Romans had indeed prepared against Guann Hai’s chariots with dozens of Inner Qi Manifestations and two Breakthroughs stationed for confrontation. But once the Han Army fully engaged, confirming that chariots indeed couldn’t hide on the plains, they let loose.

However, the Han Army not only utilized the chariots but astonishingly maneuvered them beside the Roman army at maximum speed, surprising everyone.

Prior, the lookout meant for chariot vigilance, along with previously stationed masters seemed blind, noticing the chariots only after they reached their formation.

This occurrence utterly dumbfounded Severus and the Roman advisors—they couldn’t fathom being so inadequate, something was definitely amiss!

“Benito pursued them? Aristonos, and Laetas, take ten Inner Qi Manifestations and Tacitus and check it out, simply observe the situation.” Severus caught falling snowflakes from the sky, “We’re in trouble, such significant celestial phenomenon change!”