Fall of the Fortress

The effects of the railway gun's shell reached the city of Nordenheim, two kilometers away.

After civilians were forcibly relocated inside the defensive line, Northern soldiers filled the vacated area. Those preparing for battle in the rear had to take the sudden shock wave head-on.

Windows rattled as old frames and doors shook violently. Dust piled beneath the eaves came tumbling down, and hanging signs swung wildly.

Naturally, the people standing there had no chance of coming through unscathed.

"Gah!?"

Soldiers working atop ladders staggered and fell, while those jogging on the parade grounds pitched straight to the ground.

And before they could even regain their senses-

Kuuuuuuuuung-!!!!

A tremendous boom engulfed the town.

Following the shock wave's path, windows burst one after another. An immense blast of dirt and dust came surging forward, smashing everything that was not secured in place, and the soldiers who had barely regained their senses rolled across the ground in an undignified heap once more...