[Battle Begins! #1]
I climbed up the tree immediately and looked at the sky. Two angels were flying toward us, keeping a slight distance between them.
I had to take them both down, no matter what.
"Serineu. I need to catch both of them. Can you do it?"
"Of course! We can split into two squads and fight!"
"What about ganging up on them one by one? Is that too hard?"
"If we make a mistake doing that, we might let one escape. It’s better to split into two squads, even if it’s a bit riskier."
"Ohhh... As expected of an expert."
Right. It would be better to do as Serineu said. Serineu is my elite air force commander. I have to trust her at times like this.
"Then, Serineu. Go and get the pixies ready for deployment. As soon as I give the order, they’ll fly up and attack."
"Leave it to me!"
Hop!
Serineu leaped lightly, landed at the base of the tree, and ran toward the pixies. I climbed down immediately and informed my subordinates, who were already in battle formation.
"When we retreat, don't panic. Follow the Dark Elves precisely. Understood?"
"Keruk! Understood! My Lord!"
According to Necree, the human infantry was currently advancing as well. Given the terrain, they had no choice but to pass through the narrow path ahead.
Once they entered the path, we would immediately launch a fire attack. If they fell into chaos and tried to flee toward us, the goblin unit would finish them off before we retreated.
Even if the enemy pursued us, they wouldn't be able to break through the anti-personnel traps the Dark Elves had set up nearby.
After dealing that damage... if they tried to retreat, the plan was to seize the opportunity and strike with the Lamia cavalry.
The concept itself was fucking brilliant, but I had no idea how well it would actually work in practice.
"They're coming."
Everything depended on Serineu.
"Good."
Just as the angels passed over our heads again.
"Pixies, sortie!"
I gave the order to the pixies once more.
"Everyone! Get into your groups! We’ll take the angel on the right! You guys take the angel on the left!"
"Got it!"
"It’s a gang-up anyway, so we’re guaranteed to win!"
The pixies burned with fighting spirit, their eyes wide. If the usual pixies were cute, busty honeybees, these pixies were violent, battle-crazed wasps.
"Then, sortie!"
Vwooom!!!
The sound of powerful wingbeats! As expected! It was worth replenishing the pixies with Whitey's energy at dawn! They were in better condition than when they faced the angels yesterday!
"Go!"
Whoosh!
Two pixie squads soared into the air. Just like yesterday, they began to charge toward the angels.
"Ho."
I could see the outcome already.
No need to worry.
Yesterday was the 'first battle' against the angels. But today? It was the second. Typically, you can't display your full strength in the first battle. You have to get used to it to fight well.
...!
I could tell just by looking. The pixies were clearly approaching the angels with a better feel than yesterday! As expected of my elite air force!
Whoosh!
The two squads targeted each angel. Then, the firepower was unleashed. As a barrage of Wind Cutters formed a wall of fire, the angels quickly deployed shields to defend themselves.
Stupidly.
It was playing out exactly like yesterday. They said those angels needed a moment of concentration to deploy their shields, so they couldn't move for a few seconds.
In that case, they were just sitting ducks.
"Doing well."
Each squad split into two and unleashed a crossfire. However, the firepower was halved compared to yesterday. The speed at which the shields broke was slower. Perhaps because of that, the angels began to flee while keeping their shields up.
"Serineu, I'm counting on you...!"
The pixies skillfully pursued the angels and attacked! The angels dodged here and there, but in the end, there's no match for a gang-up!
Boom!
The shield exploded, and an angel plummeted! The pixies immediately rushed toward the falling angel at high speed and attacked again. Thanks to yesterday's experience, they knew the falling angel could accelerate and escape.
Whoosh!
Overwhelming firepower was unleashed, and the angel, unable to offer much resistance or recover, crashed to the ground. At the same time, the pixies that had finished off their target swarmed the remaining angel, ending the situation.
"We won...! We caught two angels again!"
We brought down two more angels! Now, air superiority has completely shifted to us! From now on, I can operate the pixies more freely!
In short, I've regained the map hack!
"Vanessa! Lea! Take three Dark Elves each and go to the crash site to retrieve the angels! If you think you can't do it, retreat immediately!"
"Understood. I shall retrieve them at once."
"I don't want to be away from the Saintess. I refuse."
No, why is this woman being so coy? Disobeying orders in wartime is punishable. I'll have to give her some 'holy torture' later.
"Is that so? Saintess? Give an order to Lea."
"Lea. Go and come back quickly. Aren't you the women who will become the anal slaves of my lovely man? I hope you retrieve the angels quickly."
"Ugh...! Understood."
"Fufufu, how admirable."
As the Saintess sighed and spoke, she nodded immediately. She really does listen well to the Saintess.
"Didn't you do well? Hurry and praise her!"
"Yes, yes. You did well, Saintess."
I stroked the head of the Saintess as she acted cute. While I was doing that, Sharan came running over.
"Shaa! My Lord! I killed all the grass!"
"Oh! Well done! Now we just have to wait!"
The preparations for the fire attack were complete. I wasn't sure about the state of the imps on the cliff, but I'd know once the pixies returned.
Vwooom!
Soon, the pixies returned.
"We won again! Again!"
"We're invincible!"
"The strongest air force! The strongest air force!"
"Hooray!"
Noisy as ever.
"Well done, pixies! As expected, the angels are no match for you!"
"That's only natural!"
"Hehehe, I'll reward you when we get back! Wow! The pixies are so strong! You're just the strongest because you're so powerful!"
"Kyaaaa!"
When I praised them loudly, the pixies jumped around like excited retrievers, their breasts bouncing.
"Well then. The battle is over, so let's go and get some rest. And Serineu. I think we'll need to take turns scouting after resting, is that okay?"
"Hmm... We'll have to take only a few and rotate. My wings are tired, so if we don't rest, we won't be able to handle an emergency."
Serineu is deep-thinking, as expected. Even if she looks innocent, she was the chief of the pixies. She knows that if they don't rest, they can't fight anymore.
"Right. Then let's send only two at a time to scout and rotate."
"That much is fine!"
After granting the pixies some rest, I checked the battle formation and listened to the report from the returning Dark Elf messenger.
"They haven't stopped yet. They are still advancing."
"Hmm."
The Baron's infantry was still advancing. Hearing more, it seemed they would indeed pass through this narrow path.
"Did you not see the other angel?"
"No. I scanned the sky... but I didn't see an angel."
"They said there were four."
Did one of them return? This is troublesome in many ways. But well, the pixies have already run wild. It wouldn't be strange if the Baron's army witnessed our pixies.
"Alright! The angels have fallen, and the human army is still advancing! You just need to move as this Demon King commands! If you do, you will win!"
"Keruuuuk!"
All that remained was to wait for the Baron's army to arrive.
Well, it wouldn't matter if they retreated. I planned to poke their flanks with the Lamias... As I was waiting like that, Vanessa and Lea returned with the unconscious angel.
I'll make sure to train their anuses after the war is over.
* * *
"Demon King! The humans will reach the front of the narrow path soon!"
A pixie who had been out on aerial reconnaissance reported.
"I see. Good work, pixie. Lastly, go up there and let the imps know."
"Okay!"
The Baron's army had lost three angels, but they still didn't give up and advanced. Honestly, I don't know why they're so desperate.
Currently, the last angel wasn't moving separately but was moving with the Baron's army. They must be taking precautions after losing three of them.
Well, anyway. They were coming to the narrow path of death where hell was prepared.
"I'll roast you."
"My Lord. It's a human barbecue party, shaa."
"Hehehe, right. A barbecue party."
I'll burn you all to death. For that, I've made all the plants in the narrow path shrivel up.
Like that.
Step.
Finally, the Baron's army began to appear in my field of vision. I was currently hiding in a tree, wearing a ghillie suit, watching the narrow path.
The Baron's army standing in front of the path stopped for a moment.
"These bastards?"
Are they being cautious as soon as they see the narrow path, despite being an army? Well, even if you look at the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, narrow paths are the hot spot for ambushes. If they have common sense, they should naturally be careful.
But that's a judgment made when you clearly recognize that humans are 'at war' with each other.
Step, step, step.
Soon, they resumed their march.
They had entered the narrow path.
"Ohhh...!"
As soon as I saw that, intense joy seemed to grip my heart. You bastards...! Yes! You've entered! You've entered the narrow path full of shriveled weeds!
I won!
The thought that I had won struck my brain. Now, once they fill the narrow path, the imps will immediately throw fireballs.
It's not just weeds there. Tall plants that Sharan grew herself are also packed in. Naturally, those are also completely dehydrated.
If fire falls, they will burn in an instant.
Step, step, step.
The Baron's army entered the narrow path.
The last angel is flying around above them.
Currently, the imps are lying in ambush on the cliff. There's no chance of being discovered yet. If they take action, they will be spotted, but by then, the pixies will have already taken flight.
"A little more. Come in a little more...!"
As I waited, the soldiers reached the middle of the narrow path.
Just a little more.
Once they're about 80% in, I'll give the order to attack.
"Ugh...!"
A time of patience. It was hard to suppress the joy. After suppressing and suppressing all those intense emotions, the moment the Baron's army reached my target point!
"Serineu! Give the attack order to the imps! And shoot down that angel!"
"Okay!"
I immediately gave the order to the pixies!
"Move, my soldiers!"