The Price of Arrogance
A Dark Elf warrior, having approached to a reasonable distance, shouted something at me. At least they know how to request a parley.
"They really are dangerous creatures."
It’s not that the Dark Elves lack the intelligence to use combat formations. It’s just that they haven't had much need for them until now, so they’ve been fighting in a disorganized, brawling fashion. Looking at their intelligence, they are perfectly capable of learning.
Now that they are facing a threat like us, there is a high probability they will copy our strategies and tactics.
The ancient Roman army faced the same issue. In the beginning, their disciplined legions crushed the disorganized barbarians and foreign tribes, but as time went on, those enemies learned, too, and became capable of employing their own strategies and tactics. The result? They became difficult enemies.
I have to either bring them all under my command or eliminate them entirely.
"Well then, let’s go have a chat. Vanessa, Sharan? Let's go! And make sure you protect me well!"
"Shaa! Just trust Sharan! Sharan will protect the Demon King!"
"Hehehe! You’re so reliable, Sharan!"
Both Vanessa and Sharan were fully equipped with proper armor. Since they were both wearing steel armor over their cloth tunics, they lacked nothing as bodyguards.
"Everyone. I'm going to go talk to those guys for a moment."
"Be careful, my King! Keruk!"
"I will."
After finishing my preparations, I grabbed my shield and sword and stepped outside the formation. That Dark Elf warrior over there—he looks quite young. I wonder how far this conversation will go?
—Step.
As I approached a suitable spot, Vanessa and Sharan stepped in front of me and took up combat stances. Truly reliable! In that case, I must act valiantly as well!
"Dark Elf warrior! Do you have something to say!"
I shouted at him while hiding behind Vanessa and Sharan! The guy looked wary, but he wasn't exactly trembling in his boots.
"If you have something to say, speak! I, myself, will listen!"
As I said that,
"Who the hell are you!"
The guy retorted.
"And what are those monsters! You have invaded the lands of our Dark Elf Kingdom! Get out of here at once!"
A very confident voice. It was the voice of a brave man who didn't even consider the possibility of defeat. But to tell me to get out of here... that’s not going to happen. It’s nonsense not worth listening to.
I can't just hand over the farmland I went to such lengths to create.
"Hoho! And what if I don't leave!"
"You will see the power of our Dark Elf warriors!"
"You don't look very strong! To be honest, it's laughable! To call yourselves warriors and bring something like that along!"
"You bastard...!"
The guy's face twisted instantly. That's right. In this jungle, they might be guys who can throw their weight around. They’ve probably lived their lives winning up until now. But not anymore.
I’ll end it here.
"It seems you have nothing to say! Then I shall make a demand! Disarm, leave the women where they are, and run away! If you do that, I won't chase you!"
"Nonsense!"
"Do you not know that the Dark Elf pioneer village was destroyed? If you run now, you might avoid that fate!"
"So it really was you bastards...!"
When I told him that fact, he was enraged. Good. Be even more enraged. These are not trained soldiers; they are warriors. An enraged warrior is bound to charge in recklessly.
In war, that is poison!
"This is your last chance! Throw away your weapons and hand over the women! Then I will let you live!"
"Shut up! You’re the ones who need to get out! I will show you the power of our warriors clearly!"
"I look forward to it."
—Whoosh!
The guy finished speaking, turned around, and headed back toward his formation. Should I kill him here and wipe them out? No. Not yet. I haven't heard the reconnaissance report from the Pixies yet. Attacking rashly is dangerous.
An infantry phalanx shows its true strength when it receives the enemy's attack.
"Let's go back."
We returned to our formation and began the standoff again.
"Hmm... I don't see an opportunity to use fire attacks."
"I've been thinking about it, and it seems difficult to use fire attacks in a situation where we are facing each other so openly. It would be better to take measures in advance at the bottlenecks where the enemy is likely to attack and wait for them."
"That certainly seems to be the case."
As I was talking to Vanessa, Sharan spoke up.
"Shaa, are we not doing fire attacks?"
"Let's do it next time. Next time. The world of fire warfare is profound."
After bumping into them and judging the situation, the angle is clear. For example, when the humans invade. If I select a few bottlenecks and create fire zones, it will be a huge help.
"So do it next time when you fight the humans!"
"Yes, my King!"
Just then,
—Boom!
"You're back! Serineu! How is it!"
"Yeah! It doesn't look like there are any other Dark Elves! Since I didn't find any even if I missed some, it must be a small group! You can consider them all gathered there right now!"
"Is that so! Good scouting! Then, Lady Julia!"
"I have been waiting."
"Whether it's the rear or the left flank, it's fine. Since there are no detached forces or ambushes, please feel free to go and take your position, then execute the charge according to the signal as usual."
"Fufufu, I shall do so."
—Rustle!
Julia immediately led the Lamias into the jungle area in the rear. In any case, this vicinity is a path Julia has traveled until she was sick of it. Making a detour and finding a position to charge would be a piece of cake for her.
"Then Pixies! And the nuns! Everyone, take your positions behind the Goblin phalanx! The battle begins soon! Everyone, stay tense!"
—Keruuuuk!
In that way, I deployed the ranged units behind the phalanx.
The Dark Elf warriors were still gathered there, glaring at this place.
It won't be easy for them to attack. No matter how you look at it, this must be their first time seeing a monster legion like this. But I’m the one who provoked them. They won't be able to help but charge, right?
At that moment,
"Shaa! My King!"
"That's it!"
The Dark Elf warriors began to advance toward us, and as they approached,
"Kuaaaaaaaah!"
"Aaaaaaaah!"
"Wipe them all out!!"
They let out a war cry and launched a charge!
"Now! My soldiers! My Demon King army! Those fools are charging in without any countermeasures! Then what should we do!"
When I asked the Goblins, the battle-hardened elite soldiers,
"Keruk! Keruk! We'll stab them all to death!"
"Stab them to death! Stab them to death! Keruuuuk!"
"We fight trusting only our shields! Keruuuuk!"
They replied with a sneer.
The Goblins know it too.
The fact that charging into a phalanx leads only to death.
Morale is at its peak.
I can't lose to fools.
"Pixies! Nuns! Load your Wind Cutters and Dark Bolts respectively!"
Still, I need to whittle down their strength before the collision. Immediately after loading the magic, I stared at the charging Dark Elves.
"Fire!!!"
I gave the order to fire all at once!
"Die, you Dark Elf bastards!"
"Bang! Bang!"
"We have to kill them all!"
The Pixies burst into anger and fired Wind Cutters in rapid succession, and the nun trio, Ruby, and Liliel also fired Dark Bolts, the dark attack spell.
—Swooooosh!
—Whoosh!
The projectiles flew and struck the Dark Elf warriors who were charging in without a plan.
—Thud!
—Boom!
Painful screams buried in the sound of war cries. A warrior with magic embedded in his chest collapsed, but he was only trampled by the warrior running behind him, and several people tripped over that.
"Keruuuuk!"
"Keryaaaaaaak!"
Look.
At those ignorant beings showing such a pathetic sight before even colliding.
"They're coming! They're coming now! Everyone! Grip your weapons tightly! Shield bearers, hold your shields and endure! Kuaaaaaaaah! Lamias, sortie too!!!"
—Whoosh!
The moment I gave the order while firing a Demon Breath for the first time in a while!
—Boom!
The Dark Elf warriors and my monster phalanx collided!
"Kuaaaaaaak!"
"Keruuuuk!"
—Crunch!
—Thump!
The shield bearers in the first row are made up of big, strong guys. They are also the best armored. They held their large shields and held firm, and the guys standing behind them thrust their spears without hesitation.
"Kuak!"
"Kuheeeek!"
These are my elite soldiers who have performed this task many times. The Dark Elf warriors who charged in with high spirits were each struck in the chest by spears and fell.
And left and right?
Hobgoblins and Lizardmen are holding the line. Of course, they aren't as used to phalanx combat as the Goblins in the center. So I immediately gave an order to the Kobold reserve unit armed with long spears.
"Gyuil! 1st Platoon behind the Hobgoblins! 2nd Platoon behind the Lizardmen!"
"Gyusatsat! Gyui! Gyusam! Take your squad members and move to position!"
"Gyusaaaaaat!"
While even Gyuil was skillfully giving orders to his subordinates,
—Boom!
The Pixies flew across the battlefield, intercepting Dark Elves who were trying to break away from the group and act individually. Watching that, Vanessa said.
"I always feel this, but the enemies never even make it this far."
"That's because we prepared properly."
—Waaaaaaah!
—Keruuuuk!
The warriors who clashed with my soldiers were literally being shredded. Watching from here, I can see the whole scene.
"Lady Vanessa. Hobgoblins, over there. They are bypassing us. Go and stop them."
"Understood."
"Sharan, keep protecting me."
"I'll stay right by the Demon King's side. Oh, Demon King! Julia is coming over there!"
"Hoho... it's over now."
—Thud-thud-thud!
—Rummmble!
I saw Julia leading the Lamia cavalry, charging from the rear of the Dark Elves.
"This battle is also our victory."
We’ve gained weapons, women, and resources. Good. If we capture them alive, we will be able to get more information about the Dark Elf Kingdom.
Not only that. We can buy time before fighting the humans. Even if it is the Dark Elf Kingdom, losing this many warriors at once will be a significant blow.
—Boom!
Soon, the Lamias collided with the Dark Elves.
"Uaaaaaak!"
"Kyaaaaaaaak!"
The warriors were completely broken.
"Kill all the men and capture the women!"
As I gave that order, I also drew my sword. Now it's time to chase down the stragglers.