Chapter 118
Chapter 118
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 118
Chapter Title: Dilfa Gorge
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The bad news from Daymerit had cast a pall over Danyeom's army.
Grand General Yubaem Dolan of Danyeom hurriedly summoned the generals of each division.
All the generals were nobles from Satyros, descendants of the founding heroes of Danyeom.
And Yubaem, seated at the head of the table, was no different.
His lower body and hooves, covered in stiff goat-like fur, boasted impressive muscles, but it was his thick upper body, clad in armor that made him look even larger, complete with a goatee. By Satyros standards, he was an aesthetically perfect man.
Yubaem spoke in a deep, resonant voice.
"How is the army's morale?"
Since the question wasn't directed at anyone in particular, the generals each chimed in.
"It's not great."
"Many are grieving the loss of His Majesty, who was a wise king."
"Daymerit isn't just the capital. It was a city that had never been attacked until now."
"And above all..."
All eyes turned to the general who had trailed off.
He was addressing the very point the others had hesitated to mention.
"They're terrified just knowing there's a divine apostle who can storm the royal palace single-handedly and slay the king."
Yubaem replied calmly.
"There are few in these lands who haven't heard of Rakrak."
"But that's just an old tale, isn't it?"
"And?"
"Everyone thought Rakrak's legend was just that—a legend. We figured there must have been some exaggeration by Heukrin. No one imagined the thunder lizard who truly slew an evil god would match the stories exactly..."
Yubaem lightly tapped the desk.
"Do you all think the same?"
The generals glanced at each other at his chilling tone before responding.
"No, sir."
"We don't."
Yubaem's expression softened upon hearing the answers he wanted, but it didn't brighten overly much.
As long as Apostle Rakrak remained a figure from legends, it was fine.
Even if he defeated demon lords or slew evil gods, it was acceptable.
But when it became a real-world problem, that was an issue.
"Word has come from the priesthood."
"The priesthood?"
"They received a revelation."
The generals' faces hardened at that.
Yubaem could guess what they were thinking.
'They're worried it might be divine punishment for failing to protect His Majesty.'
Fortunately, it wasn't.
"Mujin has spoken: Yacheon's schemes are cunning, leaving the gods of the Five Alliance behind. But Mujin's guardians are watching over our army especially, so fear not Yacheon's apostle and fight hard in this war."
The generals' faces lit up.
"Mujin is watching over us?"
"It seems He places great importance on the outcome of this war. We're at the forefront of it."
A few generals, forgetting they were in a meeting, began to pray.
Grand General Yubaem waited for their excitement to subside before speaking.
"Leave the divine apostle to the gods. For now, we must focus on our mortal army winning this war."
"Wise words, indeed."
"What of the enemy's movements?"
The general in charge of outer defenses and scouting gave a concise report.
"The enemy's full force of 10,000 is advancing upstream along the river. They'll reach Dilfa Gorge, where we are, in as little as two days or at most three."
Dilfa Gorge was a narrow pass on the border between the enemy and Heukrin.
Though narrow, the terrain wasn't overly treacherous, making it a frequent route for merchants.
For armies coming from Heukrin to Danyeom, it was one of the key passes. If Heukrin's forces passed through unimpeded, they could head straight for the capital, Daymerit, with little resistance.
Thus, Yubaem faced a choice regarding Dilfa Gorge.
One option was to block the pass completely.
As a gorge, they could use explosives to collapse it or have soldiers haul in timber, sand, and dirt to seal the path.
Rebuilding after the war would be costly, but it was worth considering even accounting for that.
The enemy was an army too—they could rebuild with numbers—but armies required steady supplies.
If Yubaem committed fully, Heukrin would deem it too time-consuming and detour around.
'In that case, they'd have to take the long way and pass several fortresses.'
The other option was to leave the pass open and meet Heukrin's army right at Dilfa Gorge.
Yubaem chose the latter.
The cost of blocking and rebuilding wasn't the issue.
'Heukrin will push through regardless. They'd pick one of several routes, and we couldn't be sure which, forcing us to split our forces. Peace has reigned long, but Heukrin's army isn't to be underestimated. We must face them with maximum strength.'
Moreover, there was a reason no fortress had been built at Dilfa Gorge.
The gorge itself was a natural fortress crafted by the land.
Of course, Heukrin's lizardmen would build mountaintop forts even in such terrain, but a true "fortress" needed a lord and inhabitants.
Building walls made sense where people lived, but Dilfa Gorge wasn't ideal for settlement. Guarding against uncertain invasions was inefficient, and maintaining a garrison in peacetime even more so.
'Even without that, Dilfa Gorge is prime ground against invaders. And the capital, Daymerit, has massive walls that are hard to breach. You'll regret your arrogance, you haughty lizards.'
Yubaem said,
"...So the only real unknown is who commands the enemy. No intel on that yet?"
The generals fell silent.
For some reason, Heukrin was keeping their commander's identity secret.
Yubaem pondered, then shook his head.
'No matter. Whoever leads them, it doesn't matter. In war, numbers decide everything. More soldiers, more supplies—that's what determines victory.'
Three days later, at Dilfa Gorge.
Heukrin arrived right on schedule, as Danyeom's army had predicted.
Before the gorge stretched a broad plain along the Dilfa River.
This open terrain allowed easy spotting of enemy movements, adding tactical value.
Heukrin didn't rush; even with Danyeom's forces visible in the distance, they pitched camp at a prudent distance—far enough that a sudden charge wouldn't catch them unprepared.
Heukrin's commander addressed his generals.
"Enemy strength?"
"Matches our estimates."
"No discrepancies with our intel?"
One general replied,
"None."
"Good. Prepare for battle once rest ends."
A general spoke up.
"But we haven't heard from the revelation priest yet. If this battle isn't Yacheon's will..."
The commander cut him off.
"You expect Yacheon to do everything while we sit? If He swings the sword for us, will He take the blows too?"
"N-no, sir."
A few generals chuckled at the exchange.
The commander continued,
"We fight not when Yacheon wills it, but when victory is easiest. The enemy has seen us resting before them, so their guard is down, even briefly. Our troops marched steadily without exhaustion. If we must fight, now is the time."
"Understood, Your Highness. Er, sorry—General Basen."
Commander Basen Rak Orazen winced slightly at his left eye, then nodded.
"Dismissed. Back to your duties."
"Yes, sir!"
Basen had earned his return to the court by saving Doltan Island.
'Strictly speaking, not the court... but better than nothing, right? Commanding an army.'
His brother, King Kyle Rak Orazen, had surely pulled strings, but he'd also heard of strong recommendations from General Iyan Tata, who helped mop up pirates around Doltan, and that enigmatic overseer whose identity remained unknown.
The Eastern Mountains expedition, barely off the ground, had disbanded, but Tione Itimo had wrung more compensation from Heukrin's court than expected, gaining an extra ship—so all good.
'Maybe I can pick it up again someday.'
Some still worried about Basen, but if he shone in this war, he might silence them. He hoped.
'If it goes well, that is.'
Basen surveyed the impending battlefield.
Danyeom's army waited along Dilfa Gorge, forcing Heukrin's into the trap.
Numerically and terrainally disadvantaged.
'But war isn't just about numbers.'
At his order, troops armed for battle as rest ended.
Even from afar, Danyeom's ranks stirred at the sight.
No time for scouting—they were charging blindly, or so it seemed.
And then, the figure Heukrin's army hoped for appeared.
-Rumble...!
The air thundered as something slammed down from the sky before Heukrin's lines.
It was Rakrak.
Heukrin's troops roared in exhilaration at the hero's arrival.
But divinity wasn't exclusive to Heukrin.
As if waiting, dozens of meters-tall monstrosities emerged from Danyeom's formation, each uniquely grotesque.
They were Danyeom's guardian beasts, creations of the player Krampus.
Five in number, they surged toward Rakrak at terrifying speed. Rakrak dodged, luring them away from the clash site, across the river into the forest.
Three monsters pursued him over the water.
Trees exploded whole, lightning crashed, and blood rained like a storm.
The war had begun.
"Perfect!"
The exclamation came from Satyros Grand General Yubaem.
Beaming with anticipation, he declared,
"Now we fight with mortal armies alone. Victory is ours."
Meanwhile, Basen let out a sigh of relief.
"Whew, good."
His adjutant blinked in confusion.
"Good...?"
"Yeah. No way Rakrak would follow my commands anyway. I'd have to account for an unpredictable factor mid-battle—my head would be a mess."
The adjutant nodded, seeing the logic.
"But General, the enemy outnumbers us and holds the terrain advantage."
"Still just mortals, aren't they?"
"Pardon?"
Basen said,
"I've never lost to a mortal army."