Knight: Becoming King of the World

Boman’s face, illuminated by the firelight, grew increasingly excited.

His eyes were fixed on the chaotic walls of Odoche, gleaming with a fanatical love for war.

Among the living nobles, the ones most obsessed with war and military life were the landed aristocrats who had graduated from the Imperial Capital Knight Academy within the last decade.

They had the broadest perspectives, the most knowledge, the best connections, and they were the youngest and most driven.

Boman had never fought such a well-funded war, nor had he ever been qualified to command enough troops to launch a siege.

He had only ever been able to scratch his itch in minor skirmishes, and those small-scale scuffles were never enough to satisfy his hunger for war.

As for siege warfare, he had only ever treated it like a child’s game during the mock battles at the academy.

But this time, he was riding on Henry’s coattails, getting a taste of luxury.

Watching the stone projectiles streak across the night sky like meteors and smash against the city walls, kicking up clouds of dust and debris, Boman felt an indescribable thrill surge through him.

He couldn’t help but imagine himself standing in Lukaron, the heart of the empire, commanding a countless host and using these very same projectiles to blast that magnificent, grand, fortified, and prosperous city into a pile of rubble.

In his imagination, Lukaron’s high walls and tall buildings collapsed one after another under the bombardment, its people scattering and fleeing in terror, while he watched it all, savoring the pleasure of a conqueror.

’Haha, this is the life, guys. I mean, who decided to use Lukaron as the blueprint for all our siege simulations anyway? It’s pretty surreal when you think about it.’

"Henry, if we had enough stone projectiles, we could just take Odoche outright! Wouldn’t that be amazing!" Boman couldn’t help but shout.

Hearing Boman’s words, his surrounding soldiers all voiced their agreement, swept up by the spectacular sight of the night raid.

It was no wonder—they had truly never seen anything like it.

In their eyes, this war wasn’t just about conquering a city; it was about fulfilling their own ambitions!

Boman was good, but Boman following Henry—that was even better for them!

Henry was the guide who would lead them to success.

Fass stood beside Henry, his expression grave, a stark contrast to the optimistic Boman.

𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

After some thought, Fass finally advised Henry, "Henry, I don’t think this indiscriminate bombardment is a good idea."

He paused, then continued his analysis. "John can easily collect these stone projectiles. All he needs to do is set up his own catapults behind the walls, and he’ll send them right back at us. When that happens, not only will we have wasted our own supplies, but we could also suffer even greater losses."

Henry nodded slightly, gesturing for Fass to continue.

Fass thought for a moment before adding, "If you’re determined to harass the enemy like this, Henry, I suggest dousing the stones in oil, lighting them, and then launching them. That way, we might start a few fires and inflict even greater psychological pressure and a blow to the morale of our enemies in Odoche."

Boman, who had been listening from the side, had his eyes light up. He nodded repeatedly, and after imagining the scene, he exclaimed excitedly, "Yes, yes, why didn’t I think of that! Henry, let’s do what Fass said, right now!"

Then he suddenly thought of something else, his eyes widening as he gasped, "Oh, and there’s more! What about those prisoners who are on the verge of death? We could round them up and hold them. If any of them start getting sick, we can just launch them inside. The killing power would be even greater!"

After hearing Boman’s words, Fass subtly edged a little farther away from him.

Henry glanced at Boman, his brow furrowed slightly. ’How is each of these kids more ruthless than the last?’ he thought. ’And Boman’s way of thinking is dangerous. Is he Nagash’s Chosen or something?’

’War is cruel, of course, but using such extreme measures ultimately only harms yourself. He wasn’t here for a quick raid and run; he planned to incorporate Odoche into his own administration.’

He mused for a moment before speaking slowly, "Boman, Fass, I’ve heard your ideas. While war certainly requires strategy and ruthlessness, we cannot violate the basic tenets of morality and humanity."

A flicker of defiance flashed in Boman’s eyes, but he didn’t dare to argue when he saw the look in Henry’s.

Henry continued, "As for the stone projectiles, Fass has a point. We do need to consider the possibility of an enemy counterattack.

"However, we can think of other ways to weaken their morale and defenses. For example, we could create some illusions outside the city to incite panic."

After listening to Henry, Boman, although still feeling his own method was more direct and effective, understood Henry’s concerns.

The defenders of Odoche got no rest the entire night. Even the soldiers who had already gone off-duty and lain down were startled awake, leaping to their feet and waiting, fully armed, for orders.

Exhausted and anxious, they had no choice but to force themselves to stay alert, gripping their weapons, ready to repel an enemy attack at any moment.

Protect our property!

However, the enemy only launched a volley of stones every so often and never mounted a real attack. It was pure torture.

The soldiers looked at one another, their hearts filled with helplessness.

Rest was not an option. What if Henry’s army suddenly attacked? They didn’t want the city to fall into crisis because of their negligence.

It wasn’t that they were fiercely loyal to John; it was that if John lost, they were doomed as well!

So, under the command of their equally drowsy officers, they could only force themselves to stay awake, standing by the wall and watching Henry’s camp with wary eyes.