Chapter 305
Chapter 305
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 305
Chapter Title: Veteran's Guerrilla War (5)
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The fall of the third territory.
Having thoroughly scratched at Gromtan's nerves with that deed, Rokan once again ordered an immediate retreat after the plundering.
It would take a fair amount of time for nearby forces to return, but if the enraged Gromtan charged in alone, that would spell trouble.
‘That should do it.’
But the third strike never came.
It was a full-scale retreat for the entire army.
Rokan withdrew every last soldier, even from his Demon Realm territory of Turubi, then opened the territory management window and dove into massive investments.
“Money really is the best! Heh heh heh!”
The investments were mostly in troops, as facility upgrades didn’t cost much anyway. He had no leisure to slowly develop the territory, and coins were too precious to waste on walls or siege weapons.
The real battlefield wasn’t here.
It was the vast plain near Turubi. That was where Rokan planned to meet Gromtan.
All his investments went straight into bolstering his forces.
“After taking hits like this, if he just sits still, he’s not a demon—he’s an angel.”
The furious Gromtan would come charging with a massive army.
He already harbored ill will toward Rokan, and now three of his territories had been ransacked. He had to be seething.
On top of that, Rokan had mockingly spread rumors that he’d brazenly returned to his own territory, while Gromtan was combing every inch of his lands fearing another attack.
If upper demons had any pride, he’d drop everything and muster his forces.
No one in the Demon Realm would try to dissuade or play politics over a war between peers—unlike in the Heavenly Realm.
Gromtan was quite a famous and influential demon, too. He might bring not just his personal territories and subordinates, but his allies and vassals as well.
All to crush Rokan thoroughly.
“Bring it on—suits me just fine.”
It was a desperate, no, hopeless situation by any measure, but Rokan welcomed it.
The more numerous and powerful his enemies, the more prey there was for him to hunt, right?
His experience bar was already a fifth full. If he played his cards right, he could level up before dying, even if it came to that.
Reach level 399? He might drop items upon death, but levels wouldn’t fall.
That was exactly what Rokan was aiming for.
Exploiting user privileges and the promotion quest to toy with them.
If he could just hit level 400 somehow, no matter Gromtan’s influence, Rokan was confident he could grow freely and smash him.
‘Plus, I’ve got an ace up my sleeve.’
With that, Rokan poured coins into expanding his forces without restraint. Some of the experience from his NPC soldiers would flow back to him, after all.
“They’re moving.”
Hours later, Rokan confirmed Gromtan’s movements through the info broker contract.
“Whew, that’s intimidating.”
Gromtan’s mobilized army was enormous. Around 100,000 strong, made up of Master-level or High Master-level elites.
It was on a scale that screamed full-scale war with the Heavenly Realm, not just an assault on a mid-tier demon territory.
And word was Gromtan’s personally raised pets numbered nearly a hundred. Turubi, where Rokan had hunkered down, looked like a candle in the wind—even combining forces from all its minor outposts.
“He’ll probably smash the mid-tier outposts first…”
The intent was obvious with such concentrated forces. Make them feel the power gap, destroy and trample everything outside the main keep, just like Rokan had done.
But Rokan had done that song and dance until he was sick of it.
He had no intention of dancing to such predictable plans.
“Assemble all forces.”
He pulled every soldier and civilian into Turubi.
Pathetic numbers, sure, but better than getting picked off piecemeal.
[Demon Realm Territory Titolin is under attack.]
[Demon Realm Territory Smoron is under attack.]
Then, alerts only audible to the lord popped up before Rokan.
He’d just shifted troops from the outposts to Turubi, and now they were getting hit.
Considering Gromtan’s main force was still far off, the intent was clear.
“Payback in the same coin?”
Exact retaliation for what Rokan had done.
But it was fully within expectations, so Rokan stayed calm. Cocky, even.
‘He won’t hit the main keep anyway.’
Even if guerrilla squads hit, they wouldn’t assault Turubi where Rokan was—not with those numbers.
Simple reason.
He’d want to crush it personally.
He’d want to kill Rokan and tear apart everyone who’d defiled his territories.
“Heh heh heh, I’m not one to just take it lying down.”
Knowing the noose was tightening, Rokan boldly slipped out of Turubi.
He could return anytime he wanted, so why tie himself down?
He left basic defenses to Sharak and Kirito, then used the Heavenly Rune Book alone.
To do what he did best.
* * *
“Huh? H-he’s running!”
Thud thud thud thud.
A massive army of about 100,000. Every one a Master-level powerhouse or higher, over half High Masters. Monsters in their path got utterly wrecked.
Ecosystem destroyer. Anything in their wake was obliterated or massacred.
“Grah?”
And that wasn’t all. Magical beasts fell under mind control the moment Gromtan’s forces approached— the beast tamer’s mental domination at work.
Unless Grand Master-level or with anti-mind defenses, escape from Gromtan’s beasts was impossible.
As rumors of the advancing Gromtan spread, blocking demons vanished, and even cities off their path emptied out. No one wanted the fallout.
“Tsk tsk, they don’t know what they’re missing.”
But one figure trailed that colossal army.
Rokan.
Whether Gromtan was too pissed or saw it as pocket change, his forces razed high-level hunting grounds without looting. Rokan followed, stacking items in his inventory.
Selling this haul alone would net a fortune in coins.
“Conscript.”
True to that, Rokan sold it all at shops in other regions, using the cash to recruit in Turubi—demon soldiers levels 350 to 380.
“Time to get started?”
But that wasn’t enough for Rokan.
Trailing them was just to gauge speed, direction, composition, position. Item farming was fun, but the real reason was to strike them directly.
“Kai!”
Having cleared some inventory space, Rokan gauged their position and summoned Kai.
“Rider of Legends!”
Kreee!
One flap of Kai’s wings as a giant peng folded space, casting a black shadow over the world.
“Storm Incarnation, Perfect Body Unmatched, Soul Awakening!”
Less than a minute later, catching Gromtan’s rear, Rokan unleashed all his power.
Quick and decisive.
Speed was life for a surprise attack.
“Red Meteor!”
A massive meteor plummeted to earth.
KABOOOOOM!
“Aura Barrage, Lightning Emission! Full-Body Charge!”
Lightning-fast bombardment and tank-like charges followed. Gromtan up front in fury meant the rear reacted slowly.
“Urgh!”
Rear beasts were slow, tanky types. Few could react swiftly to Rokan’s ambush.
Tank it with HP? Anyone but Rokan might, but not him.
Thick hides sliced in one blow, small ones bisected at the waist. Headless corpses numbered beyond count.
“Lion Flame Slash! Lion Frenzy!”
Golden lion flames swept everywhere, melting them like ice cream on a hot griddle—not cut, but vaporized.
“You bastard!”
After a while, a level 400 beast from the rear charged, and Gromtan bulldozed through his pets to the front.
He’d rushed so hard his pets and generals couldn’t keep up.
Rokan grinned at the overwhelming presence that made his body twitch just looking.
“Already pissed? Let’s meet slow and steady. Time Reversal.”
Flash.
Rokan’s body rewound to 30 minutes prior.
Pity the experience from slaughtering those beasts, but he could farm that anytime in a good spot.
Right now, grabbing ankles and forcing formations was key.
“Let’s play.”
Back in town, Rokan smirked slyly.
‘Just as expected.’
He beelined back to Gromtan’s army.
Thanks to the prior hit, their formation had changed.
[Frostvine Human Proman][Lv 400]
They’d never dreamed of rear attacks before, filling it with regular beasts. Now, a level 400 powerhouse.
A filthy one, too.
Frostvine Humans specialized in binding over fighting, with ice attributes. Perfect for freezing, slowing, stalling.
If it stalled Rokan, Gromtan could rush and kill.
‘But what if a clone shows?’
Heh.
Rokan smirked, seeing through the shallow ploy.
“Summon Clone.”
He summoned his clone, dropping it not rear—but far off to the right.
“It’s him!”
“He’s here!”
“Tell Lord Gromtan!”
Chaos erupted on the right. The clone, inheriting Storm Incarnation, dropped in plain sight—not amid foes, but far where eyes could see.
Its job: attract attention, not slaughter.
Even with Rokan’s powers, a mob of 400s or Gromtan would dust it instantly.
“Kai, let’s go!”
Meanwhile, Rokan leisurely flew high, targeting the rear again.
Stall with a mere Frostvine Human? They matched in hit-and-run speed.
“Red Meteor!”
BOOOOM!
Merged with Kai, Rokan became a golden lion-flame meteor, incinerating the Frostvine Human on descent.