Episode 30 – The Monsters of the Frontier (10)
“Is it true that Ludras has ultimately refused to help us?!”
“That, that is not the case. He says mercenary and supply support is possible…”
“Isn’t that all he’s willing to give!”
Viscount Zik of the Orcs slammed the armrest of his chair as he sat trembling with rage upon hearing the report from his subordinate.
There had been some hope in neighboring Lord Ludras, the hobgoblin count with whom they’d maintained an amicable relationship, but even Ludras could not provide ample assistance.
“These monsters are far from mere beasts!”
There was a reason for his heightened reaction.
One day, a mysterious horde of mana beasts emerged from the uncharted northern lands and attacked the eastern territories of the Orc dominion. The scale and combat prowess of these creatures was far from ordinary.
“You must know this already. If all the reports are true, these aren’t mere animals. They are an army—an army that’s meticulously planning and executing an assault with the intent of annihilating us!”
“My Lord, even so, if we properly gather our forces, there’s no reason we should be easily overwhelmed by such creatures.”
Zik, who had unified and ruled over the local Orc population, trembled with fear, contrary to the typical Orc warrior’s bravado. However, most of his subordinates believed that they were still capable of fighting.
Unlike their leader, his subordinates were full of warrior vigor rather than political acumen, believing that the consecutive falls of the eastern villages were merely due to a surprise attack from an unknown enemy. They were confident they would prevail if they faced them again.
“A great disaster! The cities to the east are all under attack!”
Such optimistic thinking would not last long. A larger force of monstrous creatures, even greater in number than before, began their assault not only on the villages but also on larger towns within the territory.
“They must be stopped! If we lose those cities, our dominion will effectively be halved!”
In a panic, Zik sprang from his seat and ordered his forces to do everything in their power to halt the creatures.
Every available soldier from the dominion, alongside mercenaries arranged by Ludras, was assembled.
Thus, the hastily formed Demon Realm coalition army marched to the battlefield in an attempt to intercept the horde.
“There must be over five thousand troops mobilized from this tiny dominion. Yes, Orcs must truly be a warrior race where everyone, regardless of gender or age, can fight.”
Yet, all of these movements were being observed from above by the aerial reconnaissance units of an army that had already secured the skies.
The queen realized that the entirety of Zik’s forces were within her predetermined calculations. Instead of retreating, she prepared for an all-out war.
As a result, a large-scale battle between the two factions was inevitable.
This was the conflict between the indigenous Orc lord of the northern region and the newly emerged monstrosities of the frontier.
“These beasts are not your average mana beasts. They operate as a unified force. Within their packs, there are distinct types of creatures with specific roles, differing in appearance and function.”
“Hmm, this seems to correspond with the information gathered from the hobgoblin dominion.”
The joint army of Orcs and mercenaries, before engaging their foes, shared information about the enemies they were about to face and strategized accordingly. After all, the Demon Realm was home to diverse creatures, and the methods to counter them varied greatly.
“The most numerous type are these creatures that move swiftly. There’s also a smaller group that’s significantly larger, tougher, and stronger. Lastly, there are those that can throw explosive projectiles filled with toxic substances from a great distance.”
“Individually, they could be manageable, but the devastation caused by all of them acting in unison is incredible.”
Murmurs spread among the gathered warriors as they listened to the Orc survivor’s description.
Although only a few among them had directly witnessed the monstrous horde, the accounts were sufficient to evoke unease. The sheer size and overwhelming nature of the horde, which swept across all the land like a tide of darkness, was terrifying, especially for relatively weaker factions in the frontier zones of the Demon Realm.
“Don’t worry too much. They’re just mana beasts! Perhaps we can roast them all at once with large-scale spells when they approach!”
Certainly, not all were losing hope. Half of them were trying to rally morale, while the other half genuinely believed they could overpower the massive enemy hordes.
“It’s entirely doable. We’ve brought along some who know how to use magic cannons. This may actually be a chance to decimate them before they even realize.”
“Good. Everyone, prepare for battle.”
Having silently listened to the discussions, Zik gave the order to engage in battle. As his forces advanced, the enemy forces that had been pressuring the eastern part of the dominion seemingly retreated a step.
It was as though someone was watching and commanding the entire operation. A few of the more perceptive individuals within the Demon coalition had already suspected this, but suggesting a retreat was impossible at this point.
“By the way, do these creatures even have a proper name? It would be more convenient to have one.”
The mention of a name came from one of the mercenary captains.
Even though the frontier creatures had appeared a while ago, there was still no specific name to refer to the new kind of monsters.
“Do I care? They’re nothing but vermin.”
Of course, there was no reason for them to give these enemies a formal name. For now, they were simply referred to with derogatory terms. However, deep down, most of them already knew that if they were to lose this battle and the dominion fell, the names of these creatures would take on a truly terrifying significance.
*
“They’re no fools; they must be prepared with effective countermeasures. I wonder how well they’ve prepared.”
“While their numbers are smaller, some of the mercenaries from the hobgoblin dominion possess skills that are rather challenging.”
“Is that so?”
Syla’s advice drew a smirk from me because I already knew to some extent.
Although it was within a game, I have experienced playing with various civilizations in the Demon Realm. Particularly, mercenaries—those who operated across species—were common in this place constantly beset by battles. They used their specialized techniques and methods to navigate the battlefield.
Magic-powered cannons, temporary magic towers, or large-scale defensive spells were quite commonplace.
“So, could we lose because of these mercenaries?”
“That’s unlikely. The level of mercenaries operating in this remote area won’t vary much, but since Her Majesty always aims to win wars with minimal casualties, I thought it prudent to mention.”
But even Syla, who had already fought alongside my soldiers several times, didn’t think we would lose.
“In my opinion, even without a clear plan, merely charging forward will still leave us victorious in the end.”
“If we win that way, most of the acquired resources will have to be spent on restoring our forces, leaving us with nothing tangible in return. This dominion isn’t worth the effort for a war of attrition. Hence, we need to win in the most overwhelming manner.”
Since the enemy mobilized their full strength, I also committed almost all my forces to reclaim the besieged cities.
From experience, I’ve learned it’s more efficient to break through with overwhelming power from the outset rather than wait for probing exchanges.
‘Are they setting up a vanguard to counter our ranged attackers?’
By observing the enemy’s gradual formation, I discerned their intent.
The main force, heavily armored, would hold their ground while engaging our troops. Simultaneously, if our ranged attackers dared to strike from afar, the enemy would counter with mounted warriors—Orc cavalry on giant wolves or centaurs—to eliminate our ranged troops. From my aerial vantage point, it was clear they opted for conventional tactics. If this were still a game and I commanded the Demon coalition army, even I might consider using this tactic against myself.
“Will it go as they wish?”
[Alpha Type, Initiating Mobilization]
But this world is no longer a game. There’s no save, no load, no reset—only one chance, this life-or-death struggle.
Even so, I’m committing new forces in this conflict. Created using the surplus mana I’ve accumulated, these soldiers outwardly resemble the usual ones but are composed entirely of my cells infused with condensed mana.
In essence, they are practically another form of my own existence.
These new soldiers can create protective barriers using the mana stored within their bodies, putting them in a different league entirely. Where the enemy hoped to push us back with crude firepower, these new warriors will instead crush them underfoot.
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