The acid-based magic belongs to the black magic attack sequence, specifically a branch of the essence of wilting. Its instantaneous destructive power is not as great as fire or lightning, nor does it have the widespread effects of poison or mental magic. Its primary advantage lies in its persistence and the difficulty of removing its effects once applied. Furthermore, the intense corrosive agony it inflicts exceeds human pain thresholds, often causing victims to panic and lose judgment. Their horrific screams and the grisly appearance of their corroded forms can also significantly intimidate other enemies.
The acid arrow is a relatively simple yet practical spell among the lower-tier black magic spells. Typically, necromancers cast acid arrows by channeling more magic to shape the acid into arrow forms and then launching them at enemies. In contrast, Norton's method seemed more efficient.
By merely imbuing regular arrows with an acid enchantment, rather than transforming acid into an arrow shape, Norton was able to augment the arrows of multiple skeleton archers simultaneously with the same amount of magic. This not only increased the efficiency of his tactic but amplified the overall impact.
"Indeed, that’s Norton. Such tactics aren't taught in the academy (likely because he hasn't reached that level of education yet). But even so, what can he do? Even if he loses a few troops, my Black Knights can still crush his army! A mere bunch of skeletons, lacking in offense and defense, can't possibly match up to me!" thought Norton's cousin. Yet soon, he was struck by the surprising combat effectiveness of Norton's skeletal troops.
In defense, the skeletons maintained a steadfast phalanx with their long spears, creating a dense barrier against the Black Knights' charge. Despite sustaining significant losses in the forward ranks due to the knights' powerful assault, the results were unexpectedly favorable.
"How could this be?! With so few losses?!" The onlooking children couldn't help but whisper among themselves. They knew that a phalanx could counter cavalry charges somewhat, but they hadn't anticipated such effectiveness. The opponent had amassed four companies of Black Knights.
Although these Black Knights were disorganized and wielded varied weapons, which diminished their impact, against typical forces, the children believed that a charge from them would decimate an army of two to three thousand.
Yet before Norton's phalanx, the Black Knights only managed to break through a few lines of skeletons before losing their momentum and becoming entangled in Norton's ranks.
In offense, the skeletons' simple appearance was deceiving. Their long spears, though seemingly lacking in power, demonstrated surprising efficacy. Although incapable of penetrating the Black Knights' breastplates head-on, the skeletons utilized their spear hooks to snag and break the legs of the skeletal horses, unseating the knights and leaving them vulnerable.
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Deprived of mobility and surrounded on all sides, the Black Knights, despite their formidable prowess, found it impossible to manage all fronts simultaneously. In mere moments, they were overwhelmed by the skeletons, forced to dismount, and ultimately became trapped.
"Even so, it's okay. Dislodged Black Knights are still a formidable force. We just need to hold out until reinforcements arrive!" thought the cousin, steadily lowering his expectations and confidence.
As if to affirm his dwindling confidence, an anticipated—but still shocking—event transpired on the simulation platform, having been somewhat expected by those watching.
Though the Black Knights sustained some losses landing amidst the enemy, they initially retained a semblance of their former advantage.
Despite not specializing in foot combat like the Tomb Guards, Black Knights were designed with integrated tactics for foot warfare, should the need arise. Their sturdy armor and sharp weapons enabled them to wreak havoc among the seemingly fragile skeletons.
They wielded their heavy swords with devastating effect, cleaving through the skeletons in wide arcs, their immense blades capable of slicing multiple foes with each swing. Despite the apparent mismatch, this tactic proved surprisingly effective against the skeletons.
Though the skeletons' long spears failed to penetrate the Black Knights’ armor during the charge, they found their mark post-charge, as a critical angle allowed the spear to pierce through the knight's armor.
The shock rippled through the observing children as they saw the skeletons persevere, using their spears and swords to wear down and ultimately dismantle the Black Knights’ defenses.
“This is remarkable,” thought Norton. “While enhancing metal with magic is complex, enchanting weapons is something I can manage.”
It was the necromancers, embedded within each phalanx, who enchanted the frontline skeleton soldiers' weapons. Simple spells like “Reinforce” and “Sharpen,” though basic auxiliary spells, proved highly effective. The former allowed the phalanx to withstand cavalry charges, while the latter empowered the skeletons to deal substantial damage to the Black Knights.
For beginners, support magic is often overlooked in favor of direct attacks. Newbies prefer straightforward spells, delighting in the sight of magic missiles and arrows striking foes, rather than subtly enhancing their strength through auxiliary magic.
Norton, however, was no beginner. This perspective difference endowed him with advantages over his peers. Despite the satisfaction of easily besting children, he longed for more challenging opponents.
Thus, the Black Knights, engulfed by skeletons, were quickly annihilated by the combined assault of skeletal soldiers and necromancers. Norton swiftly reorganized his army into three smaller phalanxes and advanced on the remaining enemy infantry.
Uniformly crafted and inherently disciplined, the undead units of Sylvania formed cohesive regiments capable of immediate reconfiguration for independent operations. With military precision, Norton’s newly formed phalanxes marched forward seamlessly, betraying no hint of their recent reassembly.
His opponent now severely depleted, with only four hundred Tomb Guards and fifty necromancers remaining, faced overwhelming odds against Norton’s force of over three thousand skeletons. The prior belief that "skeletons are weak" had vanished, revealing a lopsided confrontation.
Despite the disadvantage, the opponent did not concede.
"My mother said that if you fight and lose, it's forgivable. But surrendering without effort isn't acceptable!" Norton's cousin mentally rallied himself, muttering, "Besides, losing to Norton isn't shameful... I did defeat several others before him."