However, Nero's orders did not seem to calm the Thracians, and the barbarians took advantage of the opportunity to break into the Thracian ranks.
From the sky, it seemed that the Thracian army was about to suffer a great defeat.
At that precise moment, the sound of bugles was heard from behind.
A clone standard-bearer with a serious expression roared, "The deputy commander wants us to form a circular formation."
"Quickly, form a circle! Form a circle with me in the center!" Nero roared forcefully at the Thracians.
The clone legionaries maintained a supernatural calm that managed to reassure the agitated Thracians.
Many Thracians were warriors in their tribes, but when faced with thousands of fierce enemies, they showed panic.
The immense battlefield and the thousands of enemies affected the nerves of the Thracians.
The calmness of the clone army calmed the nervous Thracian soldiers, and the formation quickly stabilized.
The circular formation is the best defensive formation when an army is about to collapse. Fortunately, on the way from Thrace to here, the clone centurions who marched with the allied troops explained several formations, and the Thracians finally understood what they had to do.
As if they had found their inner strength, the Thracians gathered around Nero and began defending themselves toward the outside.
Although their small round shields could not compare with the large shields of the Romans, their short, curved swords were still very effective in a confined space, and they firmly protected their standard in the center.
"Hold on, believe in us, we will win. General Septimus is the most victorious general in Rome," Nero roared at the group of Thracians.
The precarious situation on both flanks finally attracted Septimus's attention. Although the central army was achieving victory after victory, it would still take time to achieve a complete victory.
"Have the Ninth Army support the left flank and the Tenth Army the right flank," Septimus said calmly.
Two personal slave girls gifted by the allied leaders surrounded Septimus, and as a result, he had to maintain a façade by concealing the ability of mental communication.
"Yes, General."
Upon hearing this, several messengers immediately rode to Legions 9 and 10 to deliver the order.
Clone Legions 9 and 10 mobilized to reinforce the flanks.
With the arrival of reinforcements, the Thracians quickly stabilized the situation and even showed signs of a counterattack.
After more than half an hour of fighting, the central formation of the Pontic army finally collapsed.
Even when Mithridates sent in his reserves, he barely managed to stop the losing streak.
Perhaps those reserve troops would also collapse soon.
"This is impossible! This is impossible!" Mithridates muttered with a dazed expression.
Mithridates had worked diligently for so many years, even learning tactics from the Romans, so why did they lose?
It must be taken into account that his infantry was almost twice as large as the enemy's, and his cavalry was more than three times as large as the enemy's.
Cleo remained silent; in fact, he had already had that premonition when the war began.
The Romans were simply too skilled at warfare; the Kingdom of Pontus was no match for them.
On the other hand, Septimus's black legions were also highly renowned for their strict discipline and combat ability.
To Mithridates's surprise, it was not the central army that collapsed next, but the barbarians on the flanks who were facing the Roman army.
These barbarians were individually strong, but they completely lacked discipline and were no match for the Romans, who were well trained, much less for the clone legions.
After the defeat of the barbarian tribes, the clone legions immediately advanced toward the center.
Mithridates's face was pale, and he almost fainted from his horse.
"How is it possible? How is it possible?"
They had no reserves left. Even an idiot would know what was going to happen: the Pontic army in the center would be attacked from both the front and the flanks and would soon collapse.
The Pontic soldiers threw down their swords and shields and began to flee.
"Your Majesty, let us leave first," said the eunuch Dionysius with a panicked expression.
"Let us go, but where are we going?" Mithridates said with a dejected expression.
First he was defeated by Sulla, and then by Septimus, on both occasions with overwhelming numerical superiority.
This discouraged Mithridates. Were the Romans his nemesis?
"We have ships in the Euxine Sea (Black Sea), so we can sail back to our capital first. The Romans will have to organize a winter camp, which will give us time to gather a large army, and then we can join Armenia and Parthia, and fight them in a great battle," Dionysius said urgently, trying to convince his king.
In fact, Pontus had a military alliance with Armenia and Parthia, and the king of Armenia was his son-in-law, so getting them to send troops would not be a problem.
"You are right, Your Majesty. The situation is irreparable; let us leave now," General Cleo said with a serious expression.
Mithridates hesitated for a moment, then nodded and fled north with his guards.
Mithridates's departure was the final straw. Upon seeing the king's standard disappear into the distance, the Pontic army and the barbarians lost all will to fight and fled en masse.
The clone army and the allied forces then began a massive pursuit.
An hour later, cheers filled the battlefield.
Diatarus showered Septimus with praise, telling him that if they won this battle, the restoration of Galatia would be just around the corner.
Septimus ignored the barbarian's praise and said calmly, "Order the army to pursue the enemy at full speed and do not give them a chance to regroup and counterattack."
"Yes, General."
"Yes, General."
"…"
---
In Rome, in a small tavern, a group of men chatted in slightly loud voices.
"My brother is a legionary from Campania and can affirm that Septimus and Gaius Julius are lovers, hahaha," the man said with a mocking expression.
"I knew it. That general must have become infatuated with the young man from the Julius family, hahaha," the other man replied with a loud laugh.
Rumors about the relationship between Septimus and Julius Caesar slowly spread through small, discreet taverns.
Sexual scandals in Rome were not uncommon, causing the clones infiltrated into Rome to be unable to react in time.
On the other hand, the rumor about Septimus and Julius Caesar slowly spread through very discreet small taverns.