Chapter 61
Chapter 61
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 61
Chapter Title: Preemptive Strike
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Thinking about it, Eldar couldn't quite figure out why he was maintaining an alliance with Seong-un.
'...Because he seems confident of victory going forward?'
Eldar didn't know his own heart precisely.
But being with Seong-un wasn't the worst option, and he figured he had time to mull it over more.
The immediate concern was something else.
"But..."
"What? What's the problem?"
"Um... With just the 'preemptive strike' information that Nebula commanded us to relay, I don't think the tide of battle will shift much."
"Why do you think that?"
Eldar flinched every time Seong-un snapped at him, but it seemed he'd grown somewhat used to it now.
In fact, it didn't even feel unpleasant anymore.
Eldar cleared his throat and spoke.
"Ahem. From my narrow perspective... the enemy knows a preemptive strike is coming, so they'll pull their forces back a bit. But Nebula's plan isn't to hit the Satyros unit—it's the Renaar unit, right?"
"That's right."
"In that case, if the Renaar unit retreats and the Satyros rush in to hit the empty Autocity in the meantime, wouldn't that be trouble? Then if the Renaar turn around and attack the Lizardman unit, we'd end up fighting on two fronts..."
Seong-un sighed.
Eldar panicked at the sight.
"Nebula, doesn't this hold up theoretically?"
"It's wrong."
"...Sorry, but which part is wrong?"
Seong-un said,
"The Satyros have pulled back a few days already, and I'll hit the Renaar unit a few days early. And I'll win."
"...You'll win."
"You'll help too."
"Me?"
Eldar asked, puzzled.
It wasn't a bluff— the elves truly had no army to fool Krampus and Lunda with.
In fact, to sell the deception, they'd even split their scant resources to supply Renaar's army.
'Is that part of the strategy too?'
Seong-un continued.
"Well, even without your help, I think my odds are higher. Anyway, redraw the planned frontlines, and you'll see."
Seong-un pulled up the map and sketched the unit positions.
Eldar nodded at the sight.
"Ah."
Furry creatures with light brown coats, black-tipped ears and tails, were trudging across the wasteland.
Renaar.
The Renaar cavalry rode giant stoats, infantry followed behind, and at the rear came wagons pulled by more giant stoats.
But soon, Renaar King Hati, riding among the cavalry, flew into a rage, and the column halted.
Hati dismounted and demanded,
"The soldiers have stomachaches?"
"Yes..."
The reporting Renaar centurion bowed his head.
"Must be spoiled food. Supplies were your responsibility, weren't they?"
"...Yes."
"Then you knew reporting this would mean punishment."
Hati drew his sword.
At that moment, Tribune Ubei stopped him.
"Hati, please wait."
"What is it?"
Ubei was the most capable and brave warrior among the Renaar.
Thanks to that, he'd risen faster than anyone to centurion, then to tribune, positioned to succeed King Hati in commanding the entire army.
Hati trusted Ubei.
Ubei said,
"The food was fine as of yesterday. Wasn't it?"
"Yes. No doubt."
"And this morning, they ate food we didn't bring."
"Yes."
Hati realized the issue.
"The elves! Something's wrong with the supplies from the elves?"
Ubei nodded.
"That's my take. Right, supply officer?"
"Yes. Exactly. Every soldier reporting illness today cooked and ate from the elf supplies."
Hati shook his head in disbelief.
"But I personally checked the supplies yesterday. They were fine then. You checked with me. No spoiled food."
"Yes. Which means..."
Ubei said,
"The elves deliberately gave us tainted supplies. They look fresh and unspoiled, but laced with poison."
Hati confirmed what the ill soldiers had eaten, and it matched Ubei's words.
It was Seong-un's handiwork, using the bug subdomain.
Disease transmission via bugs.
Seong-un had found a pathogen spread through food and water, undetectable by sight or smell.
Weak bacteria, so even substantial intake only caused a few days of stomach upset or diarrhea.
But Seong-un deemed that sufficient.
Too potent a disease would be uncontrollable, so he avoided it.
Hati, realizing the betrayal, twitched his triangular ears and long whiskers in fury.
"Damn it all—the elves deceived us, which means..."
"...The information from the elves is likely false too."
The elves delivering supplies had said Lizardmen were preparing to attack Satyros territory from Autocity.
So, they advised not overtaxing the cavalry with scouting.
Hati had believed it and halved the scouts.
Hati muttered, unwilling to accept the elves' betrayal.
"But the elves' info matches what the God of Unparalleled Bounty told me."
Ubei nodded too.
A normal person would be confused.
Rather than conclude betrayal, they'd assume an unnoticed issue with the elf supplies.
But Ubei had a unique trait.
Distrust.
Commonly called a demerit among players, but Lunda had elevated Ubei near the top of the Renaar race with it.
There was reason.
"...What if the god is wrong?"
"Blasphemy!"
"Hati, don't dismiss my words. There's clear evidence. The elves betrayed us, and as collaborators with the Lizardmen, they lured us into a trap. Double the scouts' numbers and frequency."
Hati's deliberation was brief.
Ubei wasn't devout, but loyal.
And Hati found Ubei's reasoning sound.
"Very well. Tribune, do as you say."
Ubei nodded and headed to the scouts.
But returning scouts' report sent him back to Hati.
"They spotted the Lizardman army."
"...Numbers?"
"Around fifteen hundred."
Half a half-day's walk away.
If only enemy cavalry, they could strike anytime.
Hati had reports on Heukrin's combat prowess multiple times.
Details seemed exaggerated, but their strength was undeniable.
'If we engage them in pitched battle on the plains with those numbers, certain defeat.'
Renaar were disadvantaged against Lizardmen even in equal numbers due to physique.
And inferior numbers here.
Hati's decision to attack Heukrin factored in fighting Satyros simultaneously, and after the god's revelation, avoiding Lizardman main force.
'Even with the god's aid, we can't face their main army.'
Plus two hundred with stomachaches.
'Only nine hundred fit for proper battle.'
Lucky no sick cavalry stoats, but confronting now meant loss.
And Satyros unaware of the betrayal yet.
Hati finally said,
"We turn back."
Tribune Ubei nodded.
"Wise choice."
"Send a messenger to Satyros King Fab. Lizardman main force spotted; we're retreating."
"Understood."
"We'll pull back as far as possible while Satyros attack Autocity."
Fortunately, they'd barely entered the wasteland.
A full day's march back led to mountains and forests for guerrilla war with their small stature.
Renaar bows weren't Lizardman composite bows, but sturdy, far-flying, and unmatched in archer numbers.
'From there, odds improve. Stall them, Autocity falls to Satyros, Fab pushes deep, supply-less Lizardmen abandon attack.'
Then counterattack chance.
So Hati thought.
If not for the massive mantis shadow appearing as the Renaar army turned.
Renaar's god, Lunda the God of Unparalleled Bounty, screamed.
"What the hell is that!"
A 20-meter behemoth rose from behind a low hill.
Blue exoskeleton and thick legs supported its bulk, huge forelegs up front, with two grotesque arms attached behind grasping both shoulders.
Seong-un's creation, Slatis.
Seong-un thought,
'Three-hour gap? Drag with the creation, and it closes in seconds.'
Slatis strode toward the Renaar army.
Slatis said,
-To tread carelessly into the faithful's domain...
Renaar King Hati said,
"All soldiers, full retreat! Abandon the wagons!"
-That sin demands death...
Slatis slammed the ground from afar.
Head-sized rock shards pelted the Renaar.
One strike yielded over a dozen casualties.
Ubei ordered dispersion, then said,
"Hati! Abandon wagons, and the next battle's impossible! We must face that monster."
"Ubei, you're capable, but your weak faith is the issue."
"Pardon?"
"That's no mere monster. Surely the vile Lizardmen's guardian!"
"...Ah."
Hati said,
"We have a guardian too!"
At those words, a 17-meter giant sewer rat charged at Slatis.
-...!
The Renaar cheered their guardian's arrival, fleeing the fight.
Lunda ground her teeth.
Regrettable her Renaar faithful's belief fell short, but her creation 'Neji' in sewer rat form paled against Slatis's stats.
'What are those stats? All-in on essences from abomination and monstrosity kills? Super strength trait? Insane?'
Lunda thought things were going well.
Fortunately, allied Krampus was decent.
Not bad skill.
'Not championship material.'
Still, top contender on the third continent.
By then, she'd ally with a superior player to carry her to victory, but until then, fine.
'Better personality than shady combos or cranky Wisdom.'
And Krampus's play was textbook by Lunda's judgment.
Everything on track.
If only the monstrous Nebula weren't next.
'Wait, even fleeing, if that creation kills Neji then pursues, wasted effort.'
Losing Neji hurt too.
Not as invested as Slatis, but essence-made; death meant level down.
'Reverse it. Use Possession on Neji to kill Slatis, hit Nebula hard.'
Enemy main force: three hours.
Cavalry alone: thirty minutes.
'Possess Ubei, fight—beat Slatis in thirty.'
Slatis level 11, divine 4.
Neji level 7, divine 3.
Lunda divine 9.
'4 vs 12, overwhelms even with Slatis base stats.'
Just kill Slatis first.
Lunda used Possession on Ubei.
Renaar King Hati saw Ubei's eyes glow green.
"God of Unparalleled Bounty!"
"I'll fight that monster. Retreat the army."
"As you will!"
Hati bowed and led the army.
Lunda=Ubei turned.
Leapt at Slatis.
Neji said,
-My lord! No need to aid!
"Shut it! Can't lose you!"
-My lord!
Neji glanced at Lunda=Ubei with huge eyes, then charged Slatis again.
Slatis tried stabbing Neji's back, but spotted Lunda=Ubei charging and hopped back.
-......
"A taciturn creation. Your god doesn't value you much."
-...Doesn't matter.
"Oh ho."
-...Just fulfill my mission.
Lunda=Ubei was surprised by Slatis's calm.
Creations reflected personal tastes usually, but Nebula strategized even minutiae.
'Tells me his personality.'
Minor point.
Thirty minutes till enemy cavalry.
'End it before.'
While Slatis grappled Neji, Lunda=Ubei targeted the legs.
Slatis stomped down, but divine might rendered it futile.
Lunda=Ubei grabbed the leg pinning him, yanked upward.
-...Like this!
Slatis's leg tore with a crack as Lunda=Ubei pulled.
Ignoring pain, Slatis uppercut Neji's jaw with its hand.
-You damn bug!
-Wretch, suffering for your god... is a blessing, no?
"Madness."
Lunda=Ubei drew his sword, loathing Slatis, aiming to gouge its eyes.
To Lunda, thirty minutes? Far less needed.
But Lunda overlooked one thing.
Not full cavalry, but Rakrak alone.
Without his cockatrice Anakse, running.
Seong-un possessing Rakrak, solo divine 12.
"Catch you later."
Seong-un=Rakrak dismounted Anakse, sprinted.
One stride: dozens of meters.
Next: over the low hill.
Next: soared dozens more.
'In sight.'
Seong-un=Rakrak spotted giant sewer rat and Slatis losing ground.
Coiled legs, kicked ground.
-Boom!
Earth cratered, launching Seong-un=Rakrak skyward. Triple jump.
Slatis, retreating from Neji and Ubei, looked up.
-My god...!
Spear gripped reverse, Seong-un=Rakrak charged in.