Chapter 25
Chapter 25
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 25
Chapter Title: Territory Expansion
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We arrived at the third destination.
We cut down the surrounding trees to clear a space.
Then we piled up logs around it to form a wooden wall.
Just like Kariyan Frontier had done in the past, we didn't have the capacity to build stone walls.
So the plan was to layer multiple logs to create a sturdy barrier.
Instead, we made the interior much larger than a castle.
Thanks to that, we secured plenty of space for military zones, living quarters, and farmland.
We toured the site of the massive construction project together with my uncle.
"What do you think, Uncle?"
"That building over there is an inn, right?"
"Yes. It's a place for weary hunters to rest."
"And that's a smithy? Have you found artisans to station there?"
"Once we harvest the wheat in spring, I'll buy slaves with the proceeds. That's when I'll purchase a blacksmith slave too."
"I see. With this setup, the hunters can focus purely on the hunt."
"Just catch as many monsters as you can without worrying about anything else. I'll handle the support."
My uncle clapped me on the shoulder.
"Don't worry about that. Hunting monsters is our specialty."
It took a full month to build the third outpost.
Even that was only enough time to erect the log walls and key facilities.
The remaining structures would be built gradually by the soldiers stationed here.
There was no rush for them right now.
We left 200 soldiers behind at this outpost as well.
No hunters.
We decided to expand the hunter teams before dispatching them to the third and fourth outposts.
"The entire army, advance east!"
We had secured and constructed three outposts.
One more, and we'd claim the southern region's territory.
Well, technically just planting our flag, but possession was nine-tenths of the law.
700 slave soldiers and 50 hunters set off toward the final destination.
'Just one more...'
All was going smoothly.
They say to be cautious when everything seems to be going too well.
And sure enough, disaster struck.
"Orcs sighted to the north."
"Estimated 400."
"Moving south rapidly through the forest."
"Expected contact in 10 minutes."
The hunters kept relaying fresh reports.
'400 orcs out of nowhere.'
We hurriedly moved to open plains.
"Form ranks!"
The 400 phalanx soldiers lowered their long spears forward.
50 shield bearers protected each flank.
In the rear, 200 crossbowmen readied their bolts.
"Hans, fight as defensively as possible."
"Understood!"
Until now, our battles had aimed to annihilate the monsters.
But doing that here could lead to casualties.
These were 400 orcs, physically stronger than humans.
And Black Orcs, no less.
"Contact in 3 minutes. The orcs will emerge from the forest any moment!"
The forest ahead rustled violently.
"Crossbowmen, load!"
1 minute.
2 minutes.
3 minutes passed.
And then the orcs burst from the forest.
"Fire!"
The volley from 200 crossbowmen felled the lead orcs like dominoes.
The ones behind trampled their fallen comrades and charged straight at us.
They slammed headlong into the dense wall of phalanx spears.
Pfuk. Pfuk. Pfuk.
Someone once said it: in battle, the one with the weapon wins.
Unless there's an overwhelming difference in skill, that holds true most of the time.
Even a martial artist trained for years struggles against an armed civilian.
No, better to avoid it altogether.
Using speed to keep your distance.
And if both are armed, the one with the longer weapon wins.
Black Orcs, with their bodies stronger than humans, fell futilely before 4-meter spears.
Not a single axe reached human flesh.
"Hold! Maintain formation!"
The battle favored us.
If we kept this up, victory without losses seemed possible.
'But... something feels off.'
No matter how dim Black Orcs were compared to regular orcs, or how madness drove them,
charging straight into a phalanx was unnatural.
They instinctively sensed and avoided danger.
"Heir! We must retreat!"
"What's happening?"
"Trolls. Trolls are approaching."
"Trolls? This isn't troll territory."
"Looks like they came down hunting orcs."
Trolls.
Monsters standing 4 meters tall.
From trolls onward, they were beyond what ordinary people could handle.
'Enough to scare off 400 orcs...?'
"How many? What's the count?"
"Three approaching now. We've spotted ten more in the rear."
Thirteen trolls discovered.
Far more than our forces could overcome.
"Thirteen inbound?"
"No. The ten in the rear are eating the hunted orcs. Only three are heading this way. We need to retreat now. We're not prepared for trolls."
Even a team of veteran hunters needed numbers to take down one troll.
By setting traps,
luring it in alone,
and relentlessly attacking the trapped troll.
But right now, no traps,
three of them. Worst case, thirteen.
Even so.
"No retreat."
The phalanx was locked in melee with the orcs.
Turning our backs now?
It would mean massive casualties.
"But Heir!"
"Hans. Bring Hans to me."
"...Yes, sir."
Moments later, Hans came running.
"Heir! You called for me!"
"You've heard the situation?"
"The trolls?"
"Right. Remember the anvil and hammer tactic from before?"
When I'd explained the phalanx's greatness, I'd mentioned the anvil and hammer too.
The sturdy phalanx as the anvil, cavalry as the hammer, smashing the enemy like a sandwich.
Hans had been skeptical of that strategy.
"I remember."
"We're using it now. When the trolls come, the phalanx becomes the anvil."
"What about the hammer?"
I pointed my index finger at him.
"You. You'll be the one to end the trolls."
Hans gripped his sword hilt tightly.
"I can do it. No, I must. Retreating now would kill or wound more than half of us."
"I'll do it. No, I'll definitely slay those trolls."
About 100 orcs remained when the three trolls crashed into the battlefield.
They battered the orcs with massive wooden clubs.
Struck orcs flew into the air.
The orcs sandwiched between were annihilated,
leaving only humans and trolls.
"Phalanx! Hold firm. Press shoulders together!"
The key to battle:
weapons and reach.
'Reach is on our side.'
Phalanx spears were 4 meters long.
Not inferior to the trolls' long arms and clubs.
The problem was...
The trolls attacked the dense spears.
"Hold!"
Dozens of spears clashed with the troll's club.
The long spears bent sideways like waves crashing.
'Actually, a blessing in disguise.'
Human frailty became an advantage now.
Had they held, the spears would've snapped.
The reeling phalanx soldiers thrust their spears forward again.
"Grraaaargh!"
The troll swung its club repeatedly in annoyance.
Each time, the phalanx rocked.
"Hold! Hold no matter what! Keep those spears out to stop the trolls from closing in!"
The phalanx curled like hedgehogs before a leopard, bristling with long spears.
While they endured.
"Crossbowmen! Target the trolls' eyes! Fire at will as soon as you're loaded!"
Bolts flew toward the eyes,
and the troll raised a hand to shield them.
That made it easier for the phalanx to hold.
And then.
A figure approached silently from behind the trolls.
Knight Hans.
A promising talent since childhood.
Thus appointed early as the heir's guard.
"The issue is he's still young."
Adult by this world's standards, but high school age in Korean years.
Shimmering aura rose from Hans's sword.
A tangible aura visible to the eye.
Sign of Sword Expert realm.
Hans leaped high.
And slashed at the troll's nape.
The tough troll hide parted effortlessly.
"GRRAAAAAHHH!!!"
The troll let out a scream-like roar and hunched over.
"Phalanx, attack!"
The soldiers marking the troll stabbed with their long spears.
The spears didn't pierce deep into the tough hide, but they struck repeatedly with all their might.
To kill a troll, you needed damage exceeding its regenerative power.
Hans did the same.
He swung his sword so fast the aura left afterimages.
And so.
One troll fell.
The trouble came next.
The remaining two went berserk at their comrade's death.
One swung its club even more fiercely,
the other.
'Huh?'
Hurled its massive club with full force.
Toward the phalanx.
The club slipped through the spear wall and struck soldiers directly.
Dozens fell in an instant.
The troll didn't miss the gap.
It charged in, smashing humans mercilessly with fists and palms.
"Hans! That one! Take it down first!"
I pointed at the troll rampaging inside the phalanx lines.
Hans nodded and rushed it.
In the brief time Hans closed in and attacked,
dozens more casualties.
Over the second troll, felled with a nape strike,
dozens of vengeful soldiers' spear tips plunged.
And so the second troll died.
The last troll, having lost both comrades, fled.
"Status on the other trolls?"
These three weren't the end.
A dozen more lurked in that forest.
"No movement."
"Keep watch. Soldiers, gather troll and orc byproducts. Hans, assess casualties."
"Yes, sir."
"Understood."
The other trolls stayed put,
and we butchered the monster remains before withdrawing from the field.
.
.
28 dead.
73 wounded.
Most casualties happened in that brief moment when the troll threw its club and broke through.
'We need to avoid fighting trolls.'
I'd hoped we could handle them.
But reality proved otherwise.
We reached the fourth destination
and built an outpost there.
Thus.
With four outposts complete, we planted our flags across land equal to 15% of Frontier territory.
We finished the outposts
and stationed soldiers there.
Then we returned to West River with the remaining soldiers, wounded, and hunters.