"Remote troops, fall back to the rear of the campfire and stand by! Pike and spear infantry, hold the rear of the camp gate!" Avi's voice boomed with authority. "Rafe, lead the greatswordsmen to guard behind the remote troops. Airen, it's your command to lead the knight retainers and cavalry. Mount up and stand ready!"

During this period, Avi successfully trained his own cavalry, which didn't conform to any existing imperial formations but had become a unique unit: Vanguard Knight Retainers (melee).

Together with the retainers, the mercenary company now boasted twenty-one cavalrymen, enough to form a charging unit in this scale of battle. It was their moment to shine on the battlefield.

Resarit's warnings weren't taken lightly.

Despite any reservations Avi might have had, he and his arquebusiers adhered strictly to orders, displaying unwavering obedience.

As a newcomer and a 'commander' of mercenaries, Avi felt a deep sense of respect.

He peered beyond the wooden walls, meeting the chilling gaze of a dozen or so beasts illuminated by the dim moonlight.

In the darkness, their heavy snorts and ominous roars instilled fear in the soldiers, testing their resolve and morale.

Our morale: 83 (fully equipped for battle) Enemy morale: ? (bloodthirsty frenzy)

Both Avi and Resarit recognized the distinctive roar - belonging to the robust and bloodthirsty species within the herd: Minotaurs.

"At least ten," Avi muttered to himself, scanning the darkness. "Enough to form a squad. What a bloody surprise."

"What's the plan? Arquebuses won't be effective without visibility," Resarit remarked calmly, his voice as composed as a tranquil lake, betraying no hint of impending battle.

He was right. The empire often relied on powerful crossbows and arquebuses for long-range sniping against formidable and frenzied enemies like minotaurs.

Given their immense strength, direct infantry confrontations would result in heavy casualties, especially against a sizable group of minotaurs.

"Roar—"

The sound of what seemed like a steam engine reverberated from the minotaurs as they began to move in the darkness.

Each thunderous step of their segmented hooves sent tremors through the earth, announcing their relentless advance.

At this critical juncture, fourteen powerful minotaurs launched a simultaneous attack on the camp.

"Arquebusiers, aim your barrels half a meter above our allies' heads and fire into the darkness!" Avi's command cut through the chaos decisively.

While the mercenary gunners hesitated briefly, Resarit's twelve arquebusiers had already begun firing.

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The tongues of fire and thick smoke engulfed Avi's vision as black powder exploded into the night sky.

Through the fiery haze, he discerned the looming silhouettes of minotaurs, horns lowered in a menacing charge.

"Keep firing! All knight retainers, dismount and join the arquebusiers for a two-stage volley!

Cavalry, dismount and fall back behind the greatswordsmen, ready to join the fray at a moment's notice!" Avi issued a series of rapid commands, which were swiftly relayed through the ranks, reaching the squad leaders and then executed by the overall commanders.

He had once quipped that if this world possessed radio communication, it would undoubtedly be considered a bug-level black technology.

Indeed, on the battlefield, information was tantamount to survival. The ability to convey orders swiftly and accurately was the greatest asset for commanders seeking to seize the initiative in battle.

The process of relaying commands, though cumbersome, proved effective. Even amidst the chaos of the battlefield, Avi's orders were swiftly delivered to each soldier's ears.

Amidst the darkness echoed the sounds of horses and shouts as mercenaries swiftly executed Avi's commands, arranging themselves into new formations. Airen, leading the knight retainers, had already joined the fray, and the suppressive power of the arquebuses instantly escalated.

"Prepare the Spear Wall Formation! Ten men per row, form a rectangular phalanx!" Avi continued to shout at the top of his lungs. "Hold the line!"

During the rest period, Avi had spent considerable time explaining the "military terms" he would use to the mercenaries. These efforts had proven entirely worthwhile. The infantry swiftly formed up, with ten men spanning the width of the camp gate, a distance Avi had measured during daylight hours.

Resarit observed everything with a slightly softened expression on his face.

Our morale: 75 (fully equipped for battle), shaken by the impact of the minotaurs. Enemy morale: ? (bloodthirsty frenzy)

Amidst the human shouts and minotaur roars, the two forces collided head-on. The camp gate was directly destroyed by the minotaurs' charge, along with several sections of nearby wooden walls.

"Swordsmen, countercharge to block the breach!" Avi drew his sword from its sheath, shouting desperately.

"For glory! Charge—!"

Rafe raised his greatsword high, leading the greatswordsmen in a reckless charge.

In the glow of the campfire, Avi saw several fully armed pikemen and spearmen being tossed into the air like dolls, some landing at his feet.

The arquebusiers opened fire once more, and Avi clearly saw several minotaurs with the sharp, sword-like horns adorned with the struggling forms of their dying victims.

The momentum of the minotaurs' charge was formidable, piercing through the phalanx formation composed of three rows of pikemen. They halted at the fourth row, having inflicted significant casualties upon the phalanx.

But they had at least halted, allowing the arquebusiers to freely shoot at the towering minotaurs' chests without concern for friendly fire.

Under the incessant gunfire, the momentum of the minotaurs was finally halted, but they had still torn open an irreparable gap in the line.

There was no other choice.

"Arquebusiers, keep firing! Archers, draw your swords and follow me into battle!"

Avi personally led the archers into the fray - the minotaurs' tough skin and developed muscles made them almost impervious to damage from ordinary human arrows.

The small stronghold trembled amidst the desperate struggle between humans and minotaurs. Many militiamen retreated in fear, only to rejoin the battle and fill the gap at Avi's call.

Fourteen minotaurs swung their massive axes with bloodthirsty fervor, craving battle and bloodshed, fighting almost to the last "bull."

As the moon slowly moved over the mountaintop, the last minotaur fell to the ground with a thunderous crash, surrounded by over a dozen unconscious or lifeless forms.

The battle was over.

Avi struggled to pull his half-sword from the minotaur's chest, vaguely seeing the heart still weakly pulsating in the depths of the wound. The minotaur still had life, but no strength to fight.

Resarit staggered over from another corner of the battlefield, offering Avi a stiff smile.

"You're a qualified commander, kid. Well done."

"For them, this is just the beginning," Avi gasped, "and we've almost given it our all."