Chapter 93: Overwhelming Victory
Chapter 93. Overwhelming Victory >
Caesar liked to use original strategies, but in the battle against the Helvetii, he showed the standard operation of the Roman army.
The standard was the best way to show the power of the Roman army in situations where it worked.
The advantages of the Roman army were evident in the battle against the Helvetii.
The Roman army threw long javelins called pilum before clashing with the enemy’s close infantry.
These pilum had a structure that bent when they stuck to a shield, so the Helvetii soldiers had no choice but to discard their shields that blocked the javelins.
The Roman army operated its troops independently according to the overall deployment and strategy set by the commander-in-chief, with each legion commander, cohort commander, and centurion making their own judgments.
Marcus judged that now was the time to attack when the Helvetii’s front line was weakly armed after discarding their shields with pilum stuck in them.
“First line, attack the enemy as you are. Second line, attack with the first line, but keep your distance and don’t stick out too much.”
The 12th legion immediately executed Marcus’s command.
The century led by Spartacus was the first to rush forward.
“Follow the legion commander’s order! Slaughter the enemy!”
The Helvetii soldiers who had just discarded their shields were startled when the Roman army suddenly rushed in.
“Aaargh!”
“Don’t panic! Fight back!”
Thud! Slash!
Merciless blades poured down on the heads and bodies of the Helvetii soldiers who had no means of defending themselves.
There was a prejudice that when the Roman army fought against many enemies, they focused on defending with their shields and repelling the enemy’s attacks, but this was different from the truth.
If the enemy’s offensive was strong, they would strengthen their defense, but if they saw a gap like now, they would launch a bolder assault than anyone else.
The reason why this was possible was thanks to the existence of centurions who were rich in combat skills.
They led and commanded the soldiers from the front, so ordinary soldiers could also engage in battle without fear.
Especially Spartacus swept away the enemies like a wolf that pounced on a flock of sheep.
His back, chest, shoulder parts were protected by steel plates, so he didn’t need to defend himself from trivial attacks.
Moreover, there was a huge difference in weapon strength, so the Helvetii soldiers couldn’t even defend themselves properly.
“Aaargh!”
“He’s a monster!”
Thud! Slash!
Every time Spartacus’s gladius drew a fierce trajectory, the bodies of the Helvetii soldiers on his path were inevitably cut off.
If they blocked with their weapons, their weapons themselves would break, so there was no way to deal with it.
One soldier kicked and swung his axe in desperation.
“Aaargh! Die!”
Spartacus didn’t bother to defend himself from the axe that aimed at his back.
Instead, he blocked the axe swung by the Helvetii soldier with his steel-plated part.
Clang!
With a sharp metallic sound, the soldier’s axe broke and bounced off.
The soldier’s hand that swung his weapon tore and blood gushed out.
Everyone who watched this scene opened their mouths wide.
Even the Roman army who had not tested it in real combat could not close their mouths again.
“He’s a monster…a monster…”
The soldier who swung his axe lost his will completely at this unbelievable reality.
They could engage in battle without fear because they were sure that their enemies would die if they hit them with an axe like themselves.
But how could they win against someone who didn’t flinch even if they hit him with all their strength from the front?
The soldier who was stunned by fear, horror, and shock was turned around by Spartacus.
Thud!
The flashing gladius pierced through the soldier’s neck.
“Aaargh!”
Only then did the Helvetii soldiers who came to their senses scream in panic.
On the contrary, the morale of the Roman army rose even higher.
It was clearly proven that the new armor provided by Marcus worked in real combat as well.
Spartacus deliberately avoided attacking to lower the enemy’s morale and raise his allies’ spirit.
His trick worked well.
The Helvetii were discouraged by the monstrous defense of the Roman army and could not dare to attack rashly.
Their weapons would only break if they chopped them with an axe, so who would have the courage to take the lead?
Spartacus rode the momentum and swiftly returned to his men’s side after slaying five more soldiers.
His exhilarating performance boosted the morale of his troops, who pushed the Helvetii back with more ferocity.
They had no fear, since they had proven that their shoulders and torsos were invulnerable to the enemy’s weapons.
“Their blades can’t touch us! Let’s wipe them all out!”
“For the legion commander!”
The Helvetii on the right wing were quickly driven back by the relentless assault of the 12th legion.
Then, the allied tribes that were behind the Helvetii came to their aid and attacked the 12th legion from both sides.
Marcus was not flustered and dispatched the third line that was waiting in reserve to counter the enemy’s offensive.
It was a moment when the organic three-line formation of the Roman army shone again.
However, he ordered the soldiers in the third line to act defensively, since they were not equipped with steel plates.
After that, Marcus climbed up to a high ground behind him and surveyed the battlefield.
‘The situation is… going smoothly, it seems.’
Surprisingly, the Roman army was pushing back the Helvetii, who outnumbered them by twice as much.
Especially, the Helvetii’s right wing, which was pushed to the brink of annihilation in just an hour after the battle started, had a problem with their troop distribution.
They hastily brought reinforcements from the rear, but they were not very effective either.
While the third line blocked the enemy’s reinforcements, the first and second lines easily decimated the enemy’s right wing.
Caesar saw that Marcus’ right wing was advancing and immediately turned his rear troops to the left wing.
He ordered the center to fortify their defense and fend off the enemy’s attacks.
This caused the balance of the left wing, which was barely holding on, to collapse completely.
It was a dangerous sign when the wings of a straight line formation were broken.
If both wings collapsed, the center would be surrounded and destroyed in no time.
The Helvetii resisted desperately, but they could not restore their left wing, which was rapidly collapsing under the 12th legion’s attack.
They tried to send reinforcements from the center or the right wing, but they were barely holding on themselves, so they could not spare any support.
The Helvetii chief blew his horn and urged his men with all his might.
“No! Hold on! We’ll be annihilated if we fall here! We can’t lose here for the sake of our tribes’ future!”
He racked his brain to find a way to turn the tide of battle, but his face grew darker and darker.
No matter how much he encouraged his men and raised their morale, there was too much of a fundamental gap between the two armies.
Especially, he had no idea what was wrong with his left wing, where his allies were falling like autumn leaves.
He felt his mouth go dry.
If they retreated from here, it would be the end of his tribe’s future.
It was a battle they could not afford to lose, but he could not see any possibility of winning.
“Ugh! These damn Romans!”
He was so angry that his hand holding his weapon trembled.
And about three hours after the battle started, he heard a sound like something crumbling in his ears.
It was the sound of his left wing collapsing under one-sided slaughter.
The sound of his soldiers falling to the ground sounded like the end of the world to him.
“No! If our left wing collapses here, our balance will be broken. Hold on, hold on!”
He could not stand it anymore and drew his weapon himself and ran to support his left wing.
His bodyguards followed him.
He even brought Ornorix, who was known as the best warrior of the Helvetii tribe, from the center.
As he drove his men forward, he saw that the 12th legion was indiscriminately slaughtering his soldiers.
“Those bastards!”
His eyes fixed on a Roman who had been killing his men like a butcher.
He could tell by his helmet that he was a centurion who commanded a hundred men.
It was Spartacus himself.
“That’s him! Ornorix! Stop him! If we kill him, we might be able to slow down their right wing’s momentum.”
The tide had already turned against them, but none of them had any intention of retreating.
They knew they would die anyway if they ran away from here.
They would rather resist until the end and die honorably here.
“That bastard!”
Ornorix gripped his axe and charged at Spartacus.
It was rare to have a one-on-one duel in a battlefield, but his fury was so intense that the Roman soldiers paused for a moment.
Spartacus, who noticed Ornorix’s intention, signaled his men and they stepped back a few steps.
Ornorix looked surprised.
There was no reason for the Romans, who had the upper hand, to grant him a one-on-one duel.
His heart sank as he saw the calm expression on his opponent’s face.
The strong recognize the strong.
Ornorix, who had crossed countless blades, instinctively knew that Spartacus was not an easy foe.
‘I heard that the Romans are nothing without their numbers… but it seems they have some decent warriors.’
Ornorix tightened his grip on his axe. Killing this man would not win him the war, but it might at least lift the spirits of his crumbling allies.
He charged with a speed that belied his huge frame.
Spartacus’ calm expression changed for the first time.
He threw his shield to the ground and sheathed his gladius with a satisfied look.
He did not prefer the short gladius for a one-on-one duel.
Instead, he drew his favorite long sword, the spatha.
This sword was a masterpiece of steel, forged by Marcus’ craftsmen with their utmost effort.
It was a legendary sword that could be said to be made by the gods in this ancient era.
Spartacus held the sword with both hands and swung it with a stunning speed.
He intercepted Ornorix’s axe precisely.
Clang!
The axe and the sword clashed with a loud noise.
And with this one collision, the upper hand was clear.
The blade of Ornorix’s axe was split in half and flew away.
Blood dripped from his hand that held the axe handle.
Spartacus delivered the final blow before Ornorix could regain his balance.
His sword drew a beautiful arc and fell vertically from the air.
Ornorix tried to block the sword with his axe, but it was useless.
Slash!
Spartacus’ sword cut through Ornorix’s body from shoulder to hip.
Ornorix, who was praised as the best warrior of the Helvetii tribe, was torn in half.
“Cough! Mon…ster…”
He tried to say something in his last moment, but he could not finish it.
But the soldiers nearby knew what he was trying to say.
He must have said monster.
Spartacus smiled bitterly and muttered to himself.
“If it wasn’t for the difference in weapons, we could have had a fun duel… But this is war, so don’t feel too bitter about it.”
Ornorix’s skill was inferior to Spartacus’, but he was not a weakling who would lose his life in two moves.
But the difference in weapons and information was the cause of his futile defeat.
Spartacus left Ornorix’s body behind, sheathed his spatha, and picked up his shield again.
No one dared to challenge him, as he exuded an unstoppable aura.
The Roman soldiers’ chests boiled with excitement as they witnessed the prowess of the strongest gladiator once again.
On the other hand, the Helvetii, who had lost their best warrior in vain, stood dumbfounded as if they could not believe it.
It was such an unreal scene that no one even uttered a lament for him.
Spartacus, who had returned from a warrior to a soldier, drew his gladius and aimed at the Helvetii.
“Maintain your formation and keep pushing the enemy! Glory to our legion commander and imperator!”
“Uoooh! For our legion commander!”
“For our imperator!”
The 12th legion, which had caught fire completely, was now unstoppable.
The right wing of Rome, led by the 12th legion, had already moved to a position where they could strike the rear of the Helvetii.
The chief panicked and tried to prevent being surrounded by retreating his army gradually.
But he could not retreat forever.
The Helvetii, who were pushed back continuously, were soon driven to their camp where their supplies were stored.
If they lost this place, they would not be able to keep even their minimum supplies.
They tried their best to fight back, but they had already reached their limit.
Their morale had fallen as low as possible, and they had too many casualties to outnumber the Romans anymore.
An army that had lost its morale became prey on the battlefield.
The battle that started at noon had clearly revealed its outcome by half a day later.
The Helvetii fought bravely until the end, but they eventually fled after leaving behind a huge number of dead bodies.
Caesar did not bother to pursue them.
He had captured their camp, so they were practically isolated and helpless.
Besides, only a few of them managed to escape successfully.
Most of the combatants were killed in the battle just before.
The chief, who fought until the end with his axe, also lost his life in front of Spartacus’ gladius.
The Helvetii had suffered an irreparable blow in fact.
There was no need to chase them recklessly and exhaust his men’s fatigue in this situation.
The cavalry that entered the Helvetii’s camp threw their flag to the ground and planted the Roman flag instead.
And they shouted out loud with all their strength as if their throats would burst.
“Helvetii have run away. Hooray! Hail Imperator Caesar! Roma Invicta!”
Echoing them, the centurions also raised their weapons high in the air and hailed the imperator’s name.
“Imperator Caesar!”
“Hail Caesar!”
After the centurions, the soldiers also stomped their feet and praised the name of their commander who had achieved a great victory.
The roaring sound of eight legions echoed high in the sky.
Among them, the 12th legion, which had suffered the least damage, sneaked in their legion commander’s name along with the imperator’s name in their cheers.
“Glory to the great victor Imperator Caesar and the son of Vulcanus, Marcus!”
“Hail Caesar! Hail Marcus!”
Caesar spread his arms wide and savored his men’s praises with satisfaction.
He looked around at the legion commanders who had gathered by his side and thanked them one by one.
Especially to Marcus, he put his hand on his shoulder and showed his deep affection.
“You deserve more credit than anyone else for this glorious victory! You were perfect.”
“It was your precise troop deployment and reinforcement of the left wing that made it possible. And I think the merit goes more to my legionnaires who fought with all their might.”
“You created the environment for them to fight so hard. I was very impressed by the new armor and improved weapons you used in your legion. Let’s talk more about that later.”
Marcus smiled brightly and nodded.
When the compliments were over, the legion commanders dispersed again to tend to their men.
Marcus also turned to his soldiers who were still celebrating their victory with joy.
He felt something welling up from his chest as he heard his name being chanted by his men.
It was a different feeling from when he was just a spectator during the slave rebellion or the eastern expedition.
It was his first valuable victory after commanding a legion himself in a difficult battle.
Even if he won many more battles in the future, he would never forget this sense of achievement.
His face was filled with a fuller smile than ever as he walked back to his men with pride.
< 93. An Overwhelming Victory > End
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