Chapter 61: This is War
The Celestial Ninefold Strike, this sword technique was simply a nightmare.
Both for those who faced it in battle and those who tried to learn it.
Peggy only remembered what Asker said at the beginning: “The Celestial Ninefold Strike is a sword technique that focuses on calculation and variation.”
“Every weapon has its own circle. From the shoulder to the hilt is the inner radius, which can draw an inner circle; from the shoulder to the farthest point of the weapon is the outer radius, which can draw an outer circle.”
“The line connecting the inner circle and the outer circle is the cutting edge of your weapon.”
“What Sharp Break of the Celestial Ninefold Strike studies is how to use calculation to make you avoid or block the enemy’s cutting edge while pressing your cutting edge onto the enemy’s body.”
“The inner circle is a circle with a variable inner radius. Its change comes from the rotation of your shoulder, elbow, and wrist joints.”
“Establish a polar coordinate system with yourself as the center, each joint has three parameters, namely the horizontal deflection angle, the vertical deflection angle, and the arm length…”
Peggy couldn’t understand the rest. She only remembered words like “coordinates,” “arc length,” and “quick calculation.” Countless mathematical terms buzzed in her head, almost making it explode.
“Well, how do we calculate this inner radius?” Eleanor was also struggling in this area, poking the ground with a branch in vain. “Do we just add them directly?”
Nuo looked at her curiously as she scribbled on the ground. As a healer, she was originally not interested in the so-called supernatural sword techniques, but when it came to academic issues, it was another matter.
After staring at the geometric shapes on the ground for a moment, Nuo said:
“Assuming the forearm length is x, the horizontal deflection angle is a; the upper arm length is y, the horizontal deflection angle is b.”
“Then, the final inner radius z is equal to the square root of a squared plus b squared minus 2 times a times b times cosine (180 minus a minus b), and the horizontal deflection angle is equal to 90 minus arcsine (y divided by z times sine (180 minus a minus c)).”
Eleanor: ?????????????????????????
“Nuo.” She said hesitantly and with a hint of shame. “Is my brain underdeveloped…”
“This is just the law of cosines and the law of sines.” Nuo said, “You just don’t know how to calculate because you haven’t learned it, it’s not a problem with your brain.”
“Why do I have to know math to learn a sword technique!” Eleanor said tearfully.
“Asker.” Nuo turned and asked Asker. “This theory of yours… unless it’s a Templar Knight with a built-in calculation chip, no ordinary person can calculate it mentally in battle, right?”
“Of course they can’t.” Asker replied. “But they can estimate it, practice makes perfect.”
…
The Galata Bridge of Constantinople had fallen.
As the area across the Golden Horn was occupied by the Franks, the consequences of the Eastern Solomon Empire’s disadvantage quickly became apparent.
Most of the industrial parks were located across the Golden Horn, causing Constantinople to immediately lose most of its ammunition production lines.
In terms of troop quality, the Franks were also physically stronger.
The Holy Solomon Empire and the West Frankish Kingdom were both agricultural countries that had not yet completed their initial industrialization. Most of their territories were undeveloped natural wilderness, a paradise for supernatural creatures to live and reproduce.
Frankish military nobles also had the habit of hunting supernatural creatures in autumn, so they had accumulated a lot of supernatural power in their bodies over the years.
Since the Church did not allow believers to take potions, although these Frankish knights were all level 0, their physical strength was almost comparable to that of normal level 4 Transcendents under long-term military training.
Bullets could pierce their armor, but they couldn’t kill them instantly.
Unless they were hit in the heart or head, these Frankish knights, even if they were sprayed with a burst of bullets, could still charge forward, bathed in blood.
In contrast, the Eastern Solomon Empire, which had long completed its industrialization, most of its soldiers had never even seen a supernatural creature in their lives. Their fragile bodies made them almost unable to withstand a single blow from a Frankish knight.
Therefore, in the battle for the Galata Bridge, it was basically the Constantinople defenders firing with all their might, suppressing the charge of the Frankish knights with a torrent of steel.
Due to the insufficient supply of ammunition, this tactic soon became unsustainable, and they withdrew from the Galata Bridge at six o’clock in the morning.
Subsequently, Constantinople began to urgently mobilize mercenaries, led by the Norman mercenaries of the Royal Shield Guard, and engaged in street fighting with the Frankish knights who had entered the main city.
Although Asker and his team had gained a lot from the arena incident, they were still in Constantinople after all, and it was not convenient for them to openly change their weapons.
Coming to the Mercenary Guild, they saw that all the quests on the big screen had been removed and replaced with quests to fight the Frankish invaders, issued by the imperial military.
“It’s time for you to experience the war storyline.” Asker said, “Unlike dungeons, the enemy spawn pattern in war is completely random, and there is no distinction between mobs and bosses, and there are almost no drops.”
“The only advantage is that killing enemies in war allows you to plunder a large amount of supernatural power from them, thus quickly improving your attributes.”
The girls were a little nervous upon hearing this, only Sidlipha, the war maniac, was overjoyed and kept urging:
“Then what are we waiting for, let’s go kill some people!”
“Don’t be hasty.” Asker knocked on the counter and asked, “Where is the fighting most intense now?”
“The Franks have crossed the Galata Bridge and destroyed the Drungarius Gate and the St. George Gate.” The guild receptionist had also been replaced by a military clerk, who said mechanically and quickly:
“In the northeast of the Seventh District, the Shield Guard is defending the Hagia Irene, preventing them from advancing towards the Great Palace. You can go there.”
“Then let’s go there.” Asker said, “What’s the fastest route?”
“Take the M2 military train line, get off at Zeugma Station, and then go east all the way.” The military clerk said.
“Can you support us with radio resources?” Asker asked.
The military clerk looked at him in surprise, seemingly not expecting this mercenary to understand command. He pointed to the quartermaster opposite and said:
“Military radio communication equipment, you can go to the opposite side and get a portable transceiver base station and a dozen walkie-talkies.”
So Asker went to get the radio equipment and distributed the walkie-talkies to the girls.
“No more mental communication?” Medea asked.
“After Eleanor puts on the magic copper armor, your mental communication won’t be able to penetrate it. How are we going to communicate on the battlefield?” Asker replied. “Use both military radio and mental communication.”
Everyone put on their headsets as instructed. Nuo adjusted the portable base station, and Asker’s rustling voice came from the headset:
“Listen up, we will now execute the team combat regulations. Everyone must strictly obey orders and keep the channel clear.”
“Every order issued must be executed immediately. Understand?”
“Understood.” The girls responded one after another on the radio.
“Let’s go.” Asker said.
Everyone went down to the subway station and saw that the tables and chairs in the waiting hall had been pushed aside, and all kinds of military green boxes of various sizes piled up half of the hall.
Mercenaries were lining up to board the special train, and several imperial soldiers were directing the queue roughly:
“The next train is here! Get on! Get on! Get on!”
The train doors opened, and the mercenaries immediately swarmed in. Asker and the others also hurriedly followed suit, crowding the entire carriage.
The subway started moving again, and the carriage was filled with heavy breathing and the smell of sweat. The girls frowned in discomfort.
As there were no stops in between, the train soon arrived at Zeugma Station.
The mercenaries got off the train in a chaotic manner and saw that the end of the subway tunnel had been blocked by military bunkers and heavy machine guns were set up – this tunnel led to the Galata Peninsula across the Golden Horn, which was now occupied by the enemy.
Back on the surface, the mercenaries dispersed, each looking for their companions.
The main force chose to head east along the road, while Asker led the girls south, detouring towards the Third Hill.
“Occupy the high ground first.” He said.
The Third Hill was a slightly elevated mound, with residential buildings and apartment buildings built along the slope. At this time, flames and black smoke could be seen rising from the upper floors of several buildings.
They walked up the stone-paved road and then saw a child’s body in the middle of the road.
The small child was lying on the ground on their back, probably only three or four years old, their black curly hair stained with mud and blood.
Next to them lay the body of their mother, her hands reaching out towards the child’s body. Blood trailed from five or six meters away, showing obvious signs of dragging.
Apparently, the mother had crawled five or six meters in a pool of blood before she died, before she could even reach her child’s small body.
Eleanor was the most affected by this tragic scene. Her azure blue eyes were wide open, filled with disbelief and shock.
Putting down her spear and shield, she picked up the child’s body, her throat choked with sobs, not knowing what to say.
The child’s body lay in her arms with its eyes closed, for a moment, it seemed as if the little angel was just sleeping, but the warm and sticky feeling quickly stung her hands, pulling her back from the illusion to the cold reality.
“Asker.” Nuo hid behind him in fear, grabbed his arm, and said tremblingly, “This… what a brutal act…”
“This is war.” Asker replied.
Eleanor carried the child and came to the mother’s body, gently turning her over. Everyone saw that the mother’s skirt had been roughly torn open, and there was sticky blood between her legs.
Placing the child’s body in the mother’s arms, Eleanor took out the cotton cloth used to wrap her spear and wrapped the lower half of the mother’s body. She turned around and said:
“Asker, let’s bury them.”
Asker sighed and said, “Bury them.”
Sidlipha went to the flower bed by the roadside and quickly dug a deep pit with her battle axe. Together with Eleanor, she placed the two bodies in the pit and then filled it back up with soil.
“Although the souls of those who do not die in battle cannot go to Valhalla,” Sidlipha said, “Cowards who wantonly kill innocent women and children will surely fall into the abyss of Hel, suffering eternal torment in cold and darkness.”
“Let’s go.” Eleanor said slowly. “Let’s not wait for judgment after death.”
“I want to see the consequences now.” She picked up the spear and shield on the ground and looked towards the top of the mountain.
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