Chapter 66: One-Man Army (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 66: One-Man Army (2)
The forces of both sides faced each other.
Of course, there was a disparity in numbers.
The chess pieces numbered around 2,800.
On the other hand, the stone statues reached 30,000—more than ten times that amount.
"I must admit... you are certainly different from the humans who have come before."
Muhon muttered in a low voice.
Although he had faced numerous challengers since the Tower of Trials opened, this was the first time anyone had challenged him in such a unique way.
For the first time, he actually felt threatened.
"I'll admit one thing too," Jinhyuk shrugged.
This was something he couldn't deny even if he wanted to.
"Why does it seem like you're getting stupider by the second?"
"W-What did you say?"
"Am I wrong? You won a few times against some weaklings, got all puffed up, and let your guard down. That's why you're stuck on the third floor. Because you don't have the skills to go any higher."
The boss monsters of the Tower of Trials served as gatekeepers for their respective floors while simultaneously exerting influence over them.
In a way, they were the administrators who ruled over each floor.
However, not only players but also these bosses could climb the Tower and expand their territory.
That is, if they possessed enough power to do so.
"Haha, well now. What an audacious human."
Muhon burst into a hearty laugh.
It was a laugh laced with anger and absurdity, carrying a hint of self-deprecation.
"Do you truly believe I remain here because I lack the strength to covet the fourth floor?"
"I'm not just thinking it; I'm saying it right to your face. Oh, in case I didn't make myself clear, let me repeat it: at your level, the fourth floor is out of the question. 'A bound spirit of the third floor.' That's the perfect position for you."
His mockery became even more blatant.
He was openly provoking him.
Enough to make his stomach churn.
"I see that shaking your opponent's composure like this is all part of your plan."
But Muhon did not take the bait.
"Fine. Babble all you want. However, I shall show you that an absolute disparity in numbers and tactical superiority can never be overcome."
Instead, he calmly assessed the situation and began to command his troops.
Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!
The stone statues moved busily.
In an instant, a perfect formation for both offense and defense was established.
Despite the overwhelming difference in numbers, Muhon intended to use his full power to crush Jinhyuk completely.
"Even in a war of attrition, your soldiers will wither and die."
A force of 2,000 against 30,000.
If both sides began to dwindle at the same rate, the victor was all too obvious.
And.
"A single mistake, and this battle will be over."
A clumsy decision would lead to the annihilation of his entire army.
Muhon slowly rose from his seat.
From atop a magnificently carved stone statue, he looked down upon the entire battlefield.
"Go."
Along with his low, echoing voice,
"Groooar!"
"Raaar!"
the stone statues at the very front charged forward.
The curtains of war had risen.
It was time to begin.
* * *
Jinhyuk watched the charging stone statues.
Instead of sending his entire army at once, a vanguard of about a thousand was rapidly closing the distance.
"As expected, he wants to see how I respond first."
If his response was clumsy, Muhon would immediately send the rest of his forces.
In other words, Muhon was testing him right now.
To see if I'm all talk.
Pfft.
A smirk escaped Jinhyuk's lips.
[The ability of the 'First Chessboard' is activated!]
[The field magic 'Battlefield Control' is cast!]
[The attack and defense of all chess pieces on the field increase by 30%!]
[Morale increases by 10%!]
Crackle...!
Blue mana spread across the ground.
The bodies of the chess pieces standing upon it also began to glow faintly.
Numbers?
Of course, they were fewer.
Pitifully so, in comparison.
But,
do not assume their individual combat power is the same.
"Pawns in the center, take five steps back. Pawns on the left and right flanks, move one step forward."
Jinhyuk commanded.
At his word,
Clank! Clank!
the pawns clad in black iron armor swiftly shifted their formation.
[The chess piece 'Pawn' activates 'Iron Endurance'!]
Their two-meter-tall shields slammed deep into the ground.
It was to prepare for the impending impact.
Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!
The footsteps of the stone statues grew louder.
The ground shook, and the moisture in the air seemed to dry up.
And at that very moment,
Boom!
a gray wave crashed against the black wall.
An ear-splitting screech echoed from the collision of iron and stone.
From here on, it was a clash of pure strength against strength.
Rumble!
The pawns were pushed back slightly, but their tightly knit horizontal line did not break.
A momentary stalemate ensued.
"Now!"
Jinhyuk shouted.
[The chess piece 'Rook' activates 'Rapid Fire'!]
Steel arrows rained down simultaneously from tightly drawn bowstrings.
Thud-thud-thud!
Thud!
The arrows, tracing a neat parabola, pierced the flanks of the stone statues.
"Groooar!"
"Raaar!"
The stone statues huddled together to defend against the arrows.
They raised their small shields in a circular formation, attempting to eliminate any blind spots.
But that was their mistake.
Because this time, a massive blaze began to fly in from the opposite side.
[The chess piece 'Bishop' activates 'Flame Strike'!]
The bishops, who had been casting since before the battle began, unleashed their compressed mana.
A rain of fire began to pour from the sky like a meteor shower.
Boom! Boom!
Crash!
In an instant, a massive crater formed in the middle of the ground.
Shattered bodies and severed limbs.
The stone statues, reduced to complete tatters, groaned in agony.
It was a devastating display of power.
Because they had huddled together to avoid the arrows, the damage was far greater than imagined.
Of course, even this was a scenario Jinhyuk had pre-planned.
Good.
I've given them enough pain. Now, it's time to finish them off.
"Advance."
With that brief command,
the pawns pulled their shields from the ground.
They were no longer just holding the line; they were moving forward.
And just like that,
Crash! Crash! Crash!
a one-sided slaughter began.
* * *
"Ho."
An exclamation of admiration escaped Muhon's lips as he watched.
He had expected a tight, hard-fought battle.
Surprisingly, the first clash ended in an instant.
The vanguard of a thousand stone statues had been completely obliterated.
On the other hand, fewer than a hundred chess pieces had fallen.
It was a crushing, one-sided defeat.
'We cannot win by fighting with equal numbers.'
The front line, guarded by the shield-bearers, was incredibly solid.
They could pierce it if they pushed with sheer numbers, but their own casualties would be severe.
However, just confirming this made sending the vanguard worthwhile.
[Muhon activates Lv.14 'Military Tactics'!]
The experience of countless battles fought.
'Military Tactics' was a skill that derived the optimal outcome based on a vast accumulation of historical records.
The reason raid teams had struggled so much against this boss was entirely because they were toyed with by his outstanding tactics and strategy.
'The overall square formation is excellent, but there is a gap on the left flank.'
A relatively thin wall. Furthermore, it was mostly occupied by the bishops, who required a long casting time.
It was an enticing gap.
It felt as though a slight nudge would cause the entire formation to crumble.
But why?
Muhon did not immediately issue the order to attack.
'It looks far too enticing.'
Like a poisoned apple placed right before his eyes.
There was something off.
Therefore, he had no intention of moving hastily until he figured out what kind of poison was inside the apple.
[Muhon activates Lv.14 'Weakness Detection'!]
As the skill activated, status windows appeared one after another.
Only the King and the Queen could wear the Crown.
Muhon's eyes narrowed.
'Is that girl playing the role of the Queen?'
Amidst the layers of surrounding soldiers, a silver-haired girl could be seen wearing the Crown.
Meanwhile, Jinhyuk, who could be considered the King, was leading the 'Knights' and preparing to move somewhere.
Right then,
something flashed through Muhon's mind.
'So that's what it was.'
Only now did he understand his opponent's intention.
Intentionally creating a gap meant he wanted to lure an attack.
Then why did he want to lure an attack?
Muhon's thoughts branched out further.
'To fight me.'
More precisely, it was to trigger the fourth effect: 'all stats increased by 100% when battling the enemy commander.'
On the surface, he claimed he wouldn't sacrifice his subordinates and would fight at the very front.
But in reality, he was using his entire main camp as bait to aim for my life.
'Amusing.'
Despite his sly appearance, he had a hundred schemes hidden up his sleeve.
However, now that he knew his opponent's goal, he could easily turn this to his advantage.
'I'll give you exactly what you want. But before your blade can reach me, my soldiers will strike down your Queen.'
The corners of Muhon's mouth slowly curled upward.
* * *
...Or so he thinks.
Jinhyuk leisurely stretched his body.
Having provoked him so much, Muhon would now want the safest and most guaranteed victory possible.
It was only natural.
If he were to lose, he wouldn't be able to bear the humiliation.
'And since he has a weakness detection skill, he must have figured out my intentions and the weaknesses of my tactics.'
A conviction solidified through the process of harboring doubts and then resolving them.
The smarter a guy is, the more he tends to twist the circumstances to fit his own narrative.
Of course, the price of being wrong would be excruciatingly painful.
It was then.
"Are you sure about this?"
Alice, who was wearing the Crown, spoke up.
"Why, are you worried?"
"Of course I am. I mean, I know you're not ordinary. But that guy isn't a pushover either. He didn't become the guardian of the third floor for nothing."
"I don't think I've ever heard you praise someone like that. Does that mean they're stronger than you and the kin who follow you?"
"What! How could you...! Are you seriously comparing those brainless rocks to me, a noble aristocrat of the night? If I hadn't been imprisoned in the Corridor, someone like him would have been...!"
Alice raised her voice.
Seeing her flare up, it seemed her tension had completely dissipated.
"Don't worry, I have a plan. You just need to protect the Crown here, exactly as I told you."
Who could protect the Crown longer?
Who would take the enemy commander's head first?
Those two would be the key factors determining victory or defeat in this battle.
And Jinhyuk already had the answer.