Chapter 64
Chapter 64
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 64
Chapter Title: The Scheme Bares Its Fangs
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The point just before the operation's commencement.
Als left the camp and headed to the Elon Plains. It was to solidify Plan B, assuming the enemy might read his strategy.
For that, he needed to meet the commander of the Elon Plains—none other than Albad's Grand General, Strategist Kaien.
In addition, he had summoned Juras from the left flank of the Elon Plains front.
Juras, who had arrived before Als, was locked in a war of nerves with Albad's people.
“Juras, what the hell are you scheming this time?”
“I'm not aiming for anything. I'm just going with the flow... Teacher Kaien.”
“I don't want to be called 'teacher' by you.”
“Why not? It's true I received instruction from you at Pensilon Academy, even if it was only twice.”
“Fine words from you. By that point, there was nothing left worth teaching you. You knew that too.”
“Heh, even so, you're special to me, Teacher. ...There aren't many people worth devouring like you.”
At those words, Kaien's retainers Gillas and Yussis shot to their feet and shouted.
“Don't talk nonsense!”
“Watch your words!”
Kaien raised a hand to silence them both, then laughed boldly.
“Devour me, huh. That's interesting. Give it a try if you can.”
“Sorry, Teacher. You're already in the palm of my hand.”
“What?”
“I'm saying you're already in my grasp, Teacher. You just haven't realized it yet. Please look forward to the moment you do.”
“....”
If anyone else had said that, Kaien would have dismissed it as drivel, but coming from Juras, it stirred unease deep in his heart.
Gillas and Yussis glared sharply at Juras, goosebumps prickling their skin.
It was then that Als appeared.
Als, with Eonia in tow, took in the tense atmosphere and let out a small sigh, convinced it was Juras's doing.
“You really... You're early.”
“Better than your situation.”
Als turned his gaze straight to Kaien. Kaien stared steadily back at Als with sunken eyes.
‘Impressive.’
Als was purely admiring.
Despite his advanced age, Kaien exuded a clear, unyielding aura like refined steel. A straightforward energy that seemed to pierce through everything.
Als greeted him courteously.
“I'm currently commanding the Caliper forces on a provisional basis. Name's Wade.”
“Hm. Kaien.”
“Yes, I've long heard of your fame. It's an honor to meet Strategist Kaien, renowned as the continent's greatest tactician.”
Gillas, who had clashed with Als once before, ground his teeth in frustration.
Even so, knowing it wasn't his place to erupt, he held back his rage—but he intended to address one thing clearly.
“Before we get to the main topic. What the hell happened to Lord Lutger?”
“And who are you?”
“Don't play dumb!”
“Oh, now that you mention it, you look familiar. Gillas, was it?”
“You bastard...! If you plan to keep mocking me, I won't hold back.”
“Good grief. You don't get jokes, do you? Lutger is under my command. As you know, he pledged loyalty in exchange for me curing his daughter's illness. That's the end of the story.”
To that, Kaien spoke softly.
“Lutger wouldn't lie, so you must have truly cured her. Astonishing. Even I couldn't identify the disease. Care to explain it in detail?”
“Certainly.”
As Als described the illness, Kaien nodded in amazement.
“So it was a curse from elven blood. I never imagined that. I thought it was some endemic disease from the west and was searching for clues there. Turns out the answer was in the northeast.”
“What are your intentions toward Lutger?”
“It's the path he chose. As his master, I should watch over him.”
“He said he might even aim for your head.”
“That would be joyous for me too. After forty years, a disciple has finally surpassed me.”
“You're more bold than you appear.”
It was a satisfactory answer for Als. If Albad harbored other thoughts, they might harm Estelle or Lutger needlessly.
At least Kaien and his subordinates had no such intentions.
“Then, with the side matters settled, shall we move to the main topic?”
Als pointed to the map and explained Plan B.
If his scheme was read, they would abandon the Galran Mountains, bypass the battlefield, and strike the flank of the Svenner forces positioned on the Elon Plains.
“You mean bypass with the entire army?”
“When you abandon something, do it thoroughly. It would help if you attacked Svenner in sync.”
Als explained the tactics to devour the Svenner army, based on intelligence from Gaspar and Albad's battlefield map.
As they listened, Gillas and Yussis's expressions grew increasingly grim.
Yussis in particular was deeply shocked.
‘An incredible guy. No wonder Julian fell to him.’
Als had instantly grasped the enemy's intentions from their formation and pinpointed their vulnerabilities.
“If our Caliper forces strike their flank, Svenner will shift their army sideways to counter. To link easily with the Tunkai forces likely pursuing us. So, Juras—you dispatch a mobile unit to stab their opposite flank.”
“We'll be detected before that.”
“You can do it without detection.”
“Bossy, aren't you? Fine. If we fight like this, we stand to gain. However... it won't fully recover the loss of Galran Mountains. Plus, the enemy has that Jemuto there. We can't rule out a surprise counterattack.”
“Probably.”
“So, Wade—tell us about the scheme you're planning too. That eccentricity of felling all the trees. What it means. I'll decide after hearing it.”
“Understood. My plan is...”
As Als revealed the full scope of his scheme, the tent fell silent. Gillas and Yussis sat stunned, speechless, while Kaien blinked in astonishment.
Juras, on the other hand, burst into mad laughter.
“Hahahahahahaha! Fun. So much fun! This is why I'm utterly smitten with you! Excellent. Simply excellent, Wade!”
“Ugh.”
Als shuddered at the affectionate, manic gaze and took a step back from Juras.
In the end, Albad's side agreed to Als's Plan B. They then discussed movements if Plan A succeeded.
*
*
*
Day 13 of the Chimera War's outbreak.
The battles across the eight fronts took varied turns.
Some stalemated, while others raged fiercely.
In particular, the 2nd Army of Byulang, where the game's protagonist Cassius Lloyd served, clashed bloodily with Svenner's 3rd Army, suffering a total of 70,000 casualties.
Onlookers predicted it would be the war's greatest battle, but on the morning of Day 14.
A battle for the history books began in the Galran Mountains.
“The vanguard, advance!”
Caliper's vanguard pressed forward.
Als arrayed 10,000 troops in a wide horizontal line, then doubled it to two layers—20,000 total.
With the trees between the soldiers cleared, they formed a perfect, orderly formation.
The remaining 20,000 held back at a distance. The other 8,000 waited in the rear forested area, still thick with uncleared trees for cover.
“They're really advancing...”
Klaus gazed at Caliper's formation, feeling an inexplicable unease.
The embodiment of cunning sensed instinctively that something more lurked, but reason couldn't pinpoint it.
Grandis spoke.
“Not a bad number. Understand, Klaus? In this situation, we can't counterattack.”
“Indeed. Without those trees, it's no longer mountains—it's plains.”
While the enemy condensed power in formation, Tunkai's forces couldn't due to the trees.
Defense was one thing, but advancing for attack would scatter their lines amid the trees.
Tactically, Tunkai could only react in place to the enemy's moves.
Caliper held the sword hilt of attack.
Grandis smiled with interest.
“Now, let's watch them squirm.”
Step! Step! Caliper's vanguard infantry advanced.
They soon entered arrow range.
“Loose! Make them regret felling those trees like idiots!”
Piiing! Arrows scattered.
Caliper's infantry responded as if waiting.
The front 10,000 crouched, planting shields in the ground; the rear 10,000 pressed close behind, raising shields overhead—pairs stacking shields against the volley.
Boom! Most arrows thudded uselessly into the shields.
Caliper infantry advanced slowly, in step. Tunkai soldiers hid among trees, poised to counter.
Then Klaus's odd feeling intensified.
‘Wait... Why are we fighting here in the first place?’
This was neutral ground ahead of Tunkai's original lines—the site of that cursed watchtower.
‘No, we had no choice.’
They knew of the enemy's fire attack.
Thus, they had to set defenses from the uncleared sections.
Letting the enemy ignite meant unpredictable spread with the wind, so preemptive fire block was essential.
‘Wait. We had no choice...?’
Klaus's face changed as he realized Als's psychological ploy, but Caliper's next move left him speechless.
Vanguard infantry, on the cusp of enemy lines, planted shields! Fortifying, then rustled! Stacking prepared kindling.
Felling trees had yielded vast dry wood and leaves—the kindling pile was beyond imagination.
“They're really doing a fire attack...?”
“What did I say?”
Whoosh! Flames roared horizontally, mirroring the infantry line.
Klaus tilted his head but issued orders.
“Frontline troops, withdraw to the designated zones!”
Preemptive measures prevented easy spread.
Even if it caught, extinguishing prep was ready.
Indeed, flames didn't catch trees, merely belching thick smoke.
“Wait... This smoke volume...! No way!”
“Oh ho. So that's it.”
Even Grandis's mouth fell open.
Dense smoke billowed horizontally, vast and obscuring Caliper's movements entirely. Temporary watchtowers observed nothing.
Grandis laughed heartily.
“Hahaha! The enemy anticipated this counter too. I wondered how they'd follow fire with attack. Smoke screen, eh? Klaus, this fire is a feint. Now they'll target one point, infiltrate our sector, and form up.”
“As expected...!”
Smoke too thick and high, Tunkai couldn't spot the breach.
Then—
Boom! Tunkai's formation shattered suddenly.
Caliper's left—or Tunkai's right flank.
“Report! Caliper forces have breached the right camp!”
“Aiming for the right high ground...!”
Scarcely a hill, but ideal for infiltrating and forming up.
“Tch! We got played.”
Tunkai's wide formation couldn't instantly counter the pinpoint breach. Visible enemy moves? Quick response. But smoke prevented it.
Grandis praised Als lavishly.
“Worthy of the divine trickster! But suicidal! Klaus, reform the troops. We'll devour them shortly.”
“Tch! Understood.”
Klaus disliked Grandis commandeering, but the judgment was sound, so he withdrew right-flank troops for regrouping as ordered.
As Grandis said, infiltrating this formation was suicide.
They'd need time to form up—encircle and annihilate before then.
But before that.
“General! The enemy is charging down!”
“Already!?”
Caliper forces lunged fast, before fully formed.
“Numbers!”
“Visibility poor, but roughly 10,000!”
“Hmph, buying time!”
Probing to delay Tunkai's reform.
“Repel them. It's nothing.”
But crash! Tunkai blockers scattered by Anton's might, formation crumbling instantly.
Grandis narrowed his eyes at the spot.
“Indeed, the warrior who blocked Rexite. Klaus, know anything about him?”
“No intel in reports. Likely a minion of the lurking Wade.”
“Whatever. He'll die here anyway. Rexite. Go.”
Three Great General Rexite gripped his weapon eagerly.
Last duel cost his weapon, yielding slightly to Anton—but not this time.
“I'll kill you! Raaah!”
“Come on!”
Clang! Rexite engaged Anton one-on-one.
Anton met him head-on.
They demonstrated pinnacle martial prowess, exchanging hundreds of bouts.
The frontline stalemated around them.
“Unnecessarily prolonged...”
Grandis smacked his lips, urging Klaus.
“Still, Klaus?”
“Just a bit longer!”
After 30 minutes.
Klaus finally completed reforms.
“Vanguard composition done!”
“Good. Push en masse.”
20,000 vanguard marched on the enemy's high ground perch.
Follow with 20,000 reserves, and Caliper crumbles.
Tunkai's vanguard advanced.
“They're coming...! We can't hold longer! All units, retreat!”
Confirming the advance, Anton signaled camp and withdrew.
“Think I'll let you flee!”
Rexite pursued, but piing! Eonia's aura-laced arrows supported, letting Anton widen gap and retreat.
“Tch!”
Rexite scowled fiercely.
He felt shame at struggling with Anton.
Only fellow Three Great Generals were worthy foes in his mind. This was humiliation.
To him, Klaus's retainer Galton said:
“Bro, you're Rexite, right? Boss handed you command of these troops. Chase 'em, sweep their camp. Push hard, cripple command. He says.”
Freshly forming enemy struggles against Rexite's charge. Vanguard disrupts command; reserves follow for victory.
“But don't get surrounded or you're done, he warns.”
“Good. Follow me. I'll slaughter them all!”
“Hahat! Scary stuff, bro.”
Rexite led troops in reckless plunge into enemy lines.
Target: Als atop the height, clearly.
And at this moment.
Als's laid scheme bared its fangs in earnest.