Episode 41 – The Art of Ruling (1)
“The Eastern Wall has collapsed! It’s been breached!”
“What?! Impossible!”
Despite our desperate fighting, word began to spread that the Eastern Wall on the opposite side from us had fallen.
Instantly, panic began to spread. Once one side collapses, the other is bound to fall like a wave.
But something is strange. My soldiers have yet to breach the Eastern Wall.
“We need to retreat! If we stay here, we’re all dead!”
“It’s too late. We have to abandon the fortress!”
Indeed, the people around us started to waver significantly. A mood quickly formed that staying here would mean certain death.
‘What is Market doing?’
In times like this, those who command must correct misinformation. But the commanders here failed to do so.
When I checked through the scout’s vision, Market had long fled, and the command structure that was barely holding together had already collapsed.
Unless the troops are connected by a Hive Mind and share all information, it’s impossible to correct misinformation and maintain the frontline in such a situation.
“The East has not fallen yet. Though Market ran away, we still have a chance to survive as long as we don’t destroy ourselves.”
“Are you sure?!”
Cruiger’s eyes wavered upon hearing my report, confirming what I had seen. As if making a decision, he nodded.
“Hold your positions! We haven’t fallen yet!”
He raised his voice to stabilize at least the people around him. Thanks to his unmatched might, nearby troops unconsciously looked to him.
“None of the troublesome enemies have appeared from the start. We can hold out even though there are many of them. Do you plan to die running?”
He began to naturally lead the crowd. In chaos and fear, the crowd yearned more than ever for a strong leader. He won them over by proving his worth on the front lines.
“Who is that guy?”
“I don’t know either, but he’s right! If we flee, we’ll just be chased and die. Fight!”
Just as easy it was to crumble, it was also easy to unite. Centered around Cruiger, the Demon troops struggled to push their physical and magical limits while fighting desperately.
If only he hadn’t been driven away by the Player faction, he could have become a fairly strong Lord.
If he had been the Lord, the Player would have likely suffered greatly.
‘So far, he is clearly talented.’
What if someone like him joins us? As Syla is proving right now, having capable individuals is nothing but beneficial.
The only issue to consider is how to reveal the truth to him and have him willingly join us.
It seems this is something to ponder carefully over time, taking the situation into account.
“Things are weakening a bit. Their numbers have decreased as well.”
A hobgoblin mercenary whispered this while catching their breath. It was true. Almost half of the forces I deployed were falling.
Of course, the Defense Force has also suffered significant damage, but they are still holding on desperately, as though they have no place to run to.
“Look there! The other side has already overcome the crisis!”
Cruiger pointed at the southern wall. Compared to our location, fewer Fallen Ones clung to or waited beneath that wall.
Because I gradually diverted troops from the areas I found uncertain and redirected them.
As a result, though this side remains perilous, Cruiger, whose acknowledged presence here is appreciated, leads the mercenaries and soldiers who now follow him, faithfully executing defense missions.
“If you belong to any faction, and if you survive, we will recruit you into our Mercenary Band…”
“Recruitment is nonsense. We need to storm below!”
In times of chaos, heroes rise. As expected, the more Cruiger displayed his abilities, the more people recognized them.
Now all that remains is to win the war. There’s no need to annihilate the enemies entirely; just by surviving long enough, the moment of victory will come.
“Lo, they’re retreating! We’ve won!”
Finally, the moment arrived—just as half of the deployed troops had fallen or were injured.
Against my will, I simultaneously pulled my forces back. All that remained where my forces withdrew were heaps of bodies.
Everyone here, including the survivors, is a resource and nutrient we can use. Thanks to the worth I personally judged, such an event was possible.
“A great Achievement has been made. We fought them head-on and triumphed.”
“This accomplishment belongs to everyone here, including you.”
As I congratulated him with a message, the somewhat tired-looking Cruiger finally lowered his greatsword and sighed.
Though he knows he accomplished something significant, the exhaustion from the intense battle seems more prominent right now. Still, he won’t get much rest; there are others nearby watching him with strange glances.
*
“We held on, but it was touch and go. Since the casualty rate has hit 50%, I will withdraw the forces instead of continuing the attack.”
“As for the rationale behind your plan, I understand, but whether it truly compensates for the lost troops is uncertain.”
“I consider it a gain, but losses are still losses. Hence… Syla, you’ll need to replenish those losses.”
Smiling faintly, I turned from the fierce battle in the small town where my incarnate and Cruiger were, to watch Syla traveling elsewhere.
She is not in the same league as the small raiding groups that pillage small towns or villages.
A massive army, combining diverse units, headed toward the Castle of Lord Lamia, Viscount Rozalyn.
Already, a formidable army had devastated their land. If the Castle falls, the citizens here will lose their center of unity, making any proper counterattack impossible. Essentially, this land would also belong to us.
Besides, we have another reason to seize this Castle now: the gathered army within is undoubtedly led by Players.
Through scouts flying high to avoid detection, special Lamia units with black scales and distinctively large Lamia warriors were identified among the gathered soldiers.
All are special entities that can only be born through a Player’s ability.
These special entities often possess various unique abilities to bridge the gap between different races, making them undoubtedly stronger than regular Lamia soldiers.
‘Will there be no chat this time? I am curious about what kind of person we’ll face and how they’ll approach the situation.’
When I decapitated a Player who was commanding Goblins last time, they sent me a chat message just before their complete annihilation, begging for mercy or hurling curses.
Considering that case, it’s reasonable to assume the Player we’re facing now knows that I am also a Player. But strangely, they haven’t initiated contact with me yet.
[If you do not directly encounter the opposing user, you cannot access their information.]
“Oh, so that’s how it works.”
The system message clarified my doubt. Unless it occurs to them that an unnatural existence like me could be a Player, it’s hard for them to consider me as one. I refrained from asking why the system didn’t inform me since the situation is fundamentally different.
For the most part, I’m in the same position as other players, except I’ve risked my life by directly embodying this unit.
In other words, the opposing Player doesn’t know that I am of the same kind. Therefore, they will likely make their first contact when the outcome of the battle is nearing, just like last time.
“Let’s see, then. Let’s find out how well they’ve trained their soldiers. What will this person say to me at the brink of death?”
I have no personal vendetta against this unknown person. However, the Players involved in this game are, without a doubt, the greatest threat to me. In this game of mutually assured destruction, for my own sake, I cannot make allowances for them. I didn’t give up everything and live as a Queen just to spare a random Player.
“Attack!”
Smiling slyly, I issued an attack order to the troops.
It was a large-scale frontal attack led by Syla, involving everything from the Alpha-type units to the latest creation of our forces, the Aerial Combatants.
