Capítulo 223: C223
War had spread across the entire earth, from the southern reaches of Cornwall to the northern expanse of Scotland. No corner of the world was untouched by its reach, and conflict raged on without respite.
In the south, Cornwall valiantly held its ground against Vortigern's forces, while Scathach's army controlled the mountains and forests, launching raids on Caerleon. Farther north, under cover of darkness, Altrouge led her undead army to attack north of the Barton fortress, successfully cutting off Vortigern's supply lines.
To counter the escalating conflict, the kings rallied their armies and joined forces with their fellow lords, forming a solid line along Hadrian's Wall. From this strategic vantage point, they launched a coordinated attack on the north while holding fast to defend the middle.
Artoria, Gawain, Lancelot, and other allied knights converged in the vicinity of Londinium, where they divided their forces into sea and land units. Utilizing the armies of Kings Ban and Bors, as well as prisoners of war, they launched a coordinated attack on the southern border of Scotland.
Meanwhile, in Northern Ireland, Gaheris forged an alliance with the Northern Irish kings and led his forces across the channel to attack the northern border of Scotland. This pincer attack, in combination with Artoria and her allies' assault from the south, effectively cut off the Pictish people's support for Vortigern.
Responding to Arthur's call to action, the kings of Gaul joined forces with King Bors to mount an assault on the Saxons.
This multi-faceted attack had already been foreseen by Shirou, who had used the prosperity of Cornwall as bait to lure Vortigern into a stalemate. This, in turn, allowed for the consolidation of allied forces and the opening up of a new battlefield behind enemy lines.
With Vortigern effectively stalemated in Cornwall and Shirou successfully withstanding his attacks, other allied forces were able to exploit this situation by steadily harvesting the land and weakening Vortigern's grip on power. Over time, these concerted efforts would eventually lead to Vortigern's downfall and demise.
Although Vortigern was undoubtedly a formidable foe, his power was significantly diminished after Shirou seized control of Londinium and toppled him from his divine throne. No longer possessing the same devastating destructive power he once wielded, Vortigern became increasingly vulnerable to the coordinated attacks of Shirou and his allies.
Despite Vortigern's formidable strength, a consensus had emerged among the allied forces that he needed to be eliminated first. Thus, a situation had arisen where a pack of wolves were converging to take down a lone tiger.
This state of affairs was, in part, brought about by Vortigern's own actions and the enemies he had made along the way.
Had Vortigern exercised more patience and refrained from launching a direct attack on everyone using the Tower of Light, Altrouge may not have felt compelled to take action. Similarly, the kings might not have responded with such extreme measures, and Shirou would not have been forced to engage in battle against him so prematurely.
With Londinium already lost and the situation irreversibly altered, Vortigern's fate had been sealed. Despite his immense power and stature, he had become like a giant spider, targeted by a swarm of relentless ants. Over time, he would inevitably be slowly bitten and consumed, his reign and influence gradually eroded by the concerted efforts of his enemies.
In theory, there was still hope for Vortigern if he abandoned his claim to Camelot and confronted Altrouge head-on, thus restoring the north-south line. However, the problem was that Shirou's forces had become formidable at this point, and when Vortigern conquered Camelot, he also breached the city walls.
If Vortigern were to focus all his energy on battling Altrouge, Shirou would quickly seize the opportunity to retake Camelot and weaken Vortigern further. This would leave him vulnerable to a pincer attack from Altrouge in the north and Shirou in the south, ultimately leading to his downfall.
Given the precarious situation that Vortigern had placed himself in, antagonizing his enemies without possessing absolute confidence was tantamount to seeking death.
Now, everyone - including the Dead Apostles - was determined to bring about his demise.
Thus, Vortigern's only viable option was to capture Cornwall, reclaim more than 60% of the land, and free the Tower of Light. Only by doing so could he hope to turn the tide of battle in his favor and avert the imminent threat of his own destruction.
But gaining control of Cornwall would not be an easy task, as the situation had been anticipated by Shirou long before he ascended to the throne.
In fact, Shirou had foreseen this exact scenario over two years ago and had been diligently preparing for it ever since. Thus, the odds were stacked against Vortigern, and he would need to overcome significant obstacles if he hoped to emerge victorious.
Even if Vortigern had refrained from using the Tower of Light, Shirou would have been able to recreate the current situation in just a few short months, with even greater intensity than what was currently being experienced.
Shirou's original plan had called for the accumulation of sufficient attack points, allowing for a pincer attack on Vortigern from both the inside and outside, with Camelot serving as a crucial anchor point. Unfortunately, this plan had been disrupted by the premature fall of Camelot.
Despite this setback, he had managed to successfully recruit Altrouge to his cause,
Even though he lost many of his human characteristics, Vortigern could still instinctively sense that the situation was dire.
In a desperate bid to turn the tide of battle, he launched a fierce attack on Cornwall but was unable to breach its defenses.
This was a critical moment, and the outcome of the conflict hinged on whether Cornwall could withstand Vortigern's relentless onslaughts long enough for the allied forces of the kings, Artoria, Gaheris, and Altrouge to conquer his territory and bring about his downfall.
The gravity of the situation left no room for complacency, and even the usually laid-back Merlin was forced to reveal his full range of skills in order to aid in the fight against Vortigern.
Vortigern possessed the devastating power of the light cannon Rhongomyniad, while on the opposing side, a large-scale ritual magecraft had been assembled, consisting of highly skilled magi such as Morgan and Merlin. In addition, a fortress defense line had been meticulously prepared over the course of two years, boasting an array of defensive barriers and fortifications that far surpassed the walls of Caerleon.
Vortigern commanded a formidable legion of magical creatures, but on the opposing side, an army of heroes and alchemic creatures, along with a conscription system that could mobilize up to 80,000 civilians at a moment's notice, stood ready to counter his forces.
While Vortigern had pillaged and plundered resources from the south, on the opposing side, resources had been steadily produced and developed over the course of two years, providing a stable foundation for sustained military operations.
When it came to high-level combat power, Vortigern currently stood at the top of the British Isles, possessing god-like abilities. However, on the opposing side, there were first-class combatants such as Merlin, Scathach, Morgan, Artoria, Gawain, and others, each with their own unique strengths and abilities.
While no single individual could hope to defeat Vortigern in a one-on-one battle, the allied forces under Shirou's command possessed a clear advantage when it came to strategy and leadership. With their combined forces and coordinated attacks, they had the potential to overcome even the most formidable of foes.
Unlike Vortigern's side, which relied heavily on plunder and raids to sustain itself, Shirou's forces had been steadily developing over time, acquiring new resources and strengthening their capabilities through constant innovation and refinement.
As a result, when Vortigern was ultimately drawn into a war of attrition by Shirou's tactics, his defeat had already become a foregone conclusion.
Despite possessing vast tracts of land and abundant resources, Vortigern's lack of understanding of governance and development meant that his national strength paled in comparison to that of Shirou's forces, which had been dedicated to the pursuit of production and development.
In an effort to hasten the defeat of Vortigern, Shirou announced that he would sell grain at a discounted price to the kings, enabling them to more easily recruit soldiers and purchase horses to facilitate the capture of additional land.
This gesture was met with great enthusiasm by the kings, who hailed Arthur's selflessness and foresight. With renewed vigor, they quickly expanded their armies and recruited farmers from their own countries, marshaling their forces to launch a coordinated attack on the north.
From their perspective, the opportunity to seize land and expand their kingdoms' territories was a tremendous boon, and they eagerly pursued this course of action.
However, what they failed to realize was that, in doing so, they were unwittingly playing into Shirou's hands.
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