Chapter 53 – The Loser (3)
“In this area, they seem to have definitely shifted to a defensive stance. It’s probably because they’re fighting against the hobgoblins. Even they can’t possibly fight almost every faction across such vast lands.”
“…That’s probably true.”
There was no denying Cruiger’s words. He, of course, and the other demons noticed that the intensity of the battles here, on the western front, had lessened. That was because my soldiers had been retreating.
All measures were purely for precautionary reasons.
To redirect forces or command in the opposite direction, one side had to be slightly relaxed to allocate enough mental capacity.
Thanks to this, not only the mercenary band led by Cruiger, active and gaining influence, but also all the lords’ armies that had gathered together, gained some breathing room. And they would recover their strength to fight me again.
“It doesn’t matter to me.”
I could tolerate this much. Even if they recover their strength and reinforce their troops, they can’t recuperate at a noticeable rate.
Their soldiers are not merely products from nests, rapidly growing only for the sake of being consumed in war.
If we both take the same time to recover and rest, our efficiency cannot be beaten.
“Fortunately, everyone was showing signs of exhaustion.”
Even that brief moment could feel like honey. Cruiger, who had taken the position of leading and being responsible for those who gathered under him in these troubled times, welcomed that time.
I, using a doppelganger who became one of the key figures in that mercenary band, felt the same way.
In any case, Cruiger and his mercenary band were very important elements of my ‘other’ plan.
They must continue to steadily grow and function as a fatal poison, bringing the factions of this demon realm under my true control without anyone knowing.
Indeed, I’ve tasted the effectiveness of this strategy. It’s certainly worth the investment of time and resources.
“But there’s almost no coordination between Ludras and the other lords. If Ludras, who is fighting on his own, happens to lose, all his territory will fall into their hands.”
“Couldn’t we push forward when they’re dealing lethal blows to each other?”
“Power play. I don’t think the combined might of the lords can face the enemies that Ludras and his forces will annihilate.”
“Hmm… If what you say is true, we must prepare for that moment.”
Cruiger fell deep in thought after hearing my words. It might be difficult to imagine.
Even so, the idea that lords in this region couldn’t overcome even the remnants of the powerful Count Ludras is hard to accept.
However, Cruiger had always been one to take my words seriously since our first meeting.
Recently, some within the mercenary group have seemed discontent with my role, but I’ve always proven myself as a reliable strategist through clear results.
“Though that’s something we only need to consider if we’re truly heading toward mutual destruction.”
While this doppelganger on the western front is enjoying a moment of respite after the battlefield has calmed, my original self has no moment of rest.
Because this very moment is the scene of intense battle.
“Hold the charge!”
The soldiers led by Ludras and my own soldiers are already intermingled in battle.
Especially, they are desperately trying to halt the large combat monsters. It seems they’ve been burned once and are now obsessively fixated on stopping them.
“Surely they are doing all sorts of things.”
It’s not just about bringing in mobile towers to concentrate firepower.
They’ve mobilized large numbers of shamans to warp the ground, build walls, and create muddy tracks — anything to stop the charge.
Indeed, their strategy has proven effective, as the prepared large combat beasts have lost their momentum and ended up as large targets.
“The enemy’s firepower has been too focused, creating gaps.”
“In that case, let’s take as many lives as possible. In exchange, we must claim lives worthy of that. To make a single large combat creature, we must kill at least a hundred hobgoblins.”
If necessary, the large combat beasts are simply expendable. The moment I realized the enemy was overly fixated on them, I changed my strategy.
Instead of throwing the large combat creatures, let’s kill more enemies.
*
“Kill those bull-things. If those guys start moving again, it’s over!”
The officers commanding the soldiers relentlessly pushed to eliminate the large beasts that had stopped their charge.
Following their orders, the firepower from the mobile towers and mages concentrated on the large creatures.
No matter how much they’ve enhanced the size and tough hide using mana beasts’ genes, there’s still a limit.
The large creatures began to fall one by one under focused firepower.
Meanwhile, the hobgoblin soldiers cheered, boosting their morale.
According to survivors’ accounts, those large demons regarded as scourges of the battlefield and ultimate weapons of the legion are falling, naturally inspiring the feeling that they could win the war if those monstrous demons are gone.
“Smaller creatures are breaking through our defensive lines.”
“Damn it, we have no choice but to hold them back with our bodies.”
However, while that’s happening, many soldiers of the legion, who came rushing from the front lines somewhat more comfortably, were already upon them, swinging their blades and poisonous quills. They may be overshadowed by the destructive presence of the large combat creatures, but they are also troublesome enemies.
It’s the infantry standing at the frontlines who have to deal with legion soldiers advancing with immense, powerful bodies without feeling fear or pain. Such battles would require necessary fire support.
“But, our firepower is already taken by the large beasts!”
The knight at the forefront let out a shout of shock as the alpha figure deflected his sword.
Moreover, with the tough knights with giant blades, even an average knight-level could hardly withstand the charge.
“Can it be.”
While watching silently as the large combat beasts fell one by one, Ludras suddenly stood up when he saw the situation.
He realized the strategy the legion was using against them.
“Hurry! Shift the direction of the cannons! A few charging beasts are nothing! If our front line collapses, it’s the end!”
Under Ludras’ urgent command, some of the installed cannons stopped firing at the large beasts and changed direction.
But it was too late. The soldiers of the legion, following the queen’s order, only charging ahead, finally managed to collapse the front line and began to flood in on all sides.
‘This is my first time fighting against such well-organized large-scale forces, but the circumstances are regrettable.’
Ludras was definitely commanding troops rationally. Entirely based on reason and common sense.
The problem is that for the legion soldiers facing him, fighting logically is not their purpose. The queen fought knowing mutual destruction was imminent.
No, rather, she was aiming for it, judging that mutual destruction would be an advantage.
The plan was to consume Ludras’ main force, seize the vacuum, quickly rebuild the army, and then sweep away the remaining lords to dominate the northeast.
“The two forces are decreasing at similar rates.”
“I knew it would happen.”
That’s how the war was flowing. There was a difference in numbers, but in terms of the process of raising and producing troops, there was a big disparity between the two forces starting from their different races.
In the end, there was no choice but to consume each other’s forces at a similar rate.
The momentum of the hobgoblin forces began to wane against the relentless legion soldiers, and corpses were piling up on the ground.
Poison gas filled the air, cannonballs from the towers flew through the sky.
Shamans were desperately trying to disperse the poison by creating winds, while the legion soldiers pressed forward through the gaps.
The large combat soldiers, who had significantly increased in numbers with substantial resources invested, most had long been killed, but this scene was playing out on all battlefields across the plains.
“My lord, even if we win this way…”
“The moment we retreat, it’s the end. If we give those insect-like things time, they’ll recover their consumed troops in no time and charge again. We must end this now, at all costs.”
Ludras clenched his teeth at the situation.
The moment he started fighting against the legion, it was like falling into a quagmire. Struggling to get out would only cause more losses.
Therefore, the best course of action was to pour everything into the fight and wait for an unpredictable variable.
“Everyone, raise your swords. We retreat absolutely not. We will advance to their nests and burn them all, or we will die fighting. Either choice will do.”
Ludras didn’t stop there; he took an even more extreme choice – personally wielding his sword and leading all his close confidants forward to break through.
