SWNOVELXO Chapter 128
Chapter 128 – Kingdom (8)
“Your Majesty. We will soon arrive at our destination.”
“Their side must have caught on.”
“Indeed. With an army of nearly 50,000 moving together, it’s hard to pick up speed.”
The vast grasslands. Countless cavalry were crossing it. Luke led the main forces that had already consolidated over half of the grasslands.
However, despite the sight of this massive army that even the resident forces would be wary of, Luke’s expression was grim. It was quite different from the exuberance of his subcommanders.
“I won’t drink or let my guard down until I’ve torn them apart.”
Luke, sharpening his blade of revenge, was focused solely on one thing.
According to his original plan, he should have completely absorbed the eastern grasslands ruled by Garhan, unified the majority of the grasslands apart from the outskirts, and successfully swayed the remaining southern tribes to rise to the true position of a king.
But that plan was shattered by those further east than Garhan.
The Arin Tribe, who appeared from the east under the pretense of being allies, had absorbed all of the tribes that Luke had painstakingly conquered. He scoffed at this and sent an expedition army, but they were entirely defeated by the enemy’s tactics.
“They’re using bizarre magic and wicked curses. We will reward those who show bravery, but never let your guard down.”
Gritting his teeth, Luke communicated to the chieftains under him to remain vigilant. They had lost far too much due to the previous defeat.
First and foremost, losing all the mages meant to connect with the Southern Kingdom was fatal. That was also why he had brought every elite troop he could gather.
To crush them in one swoop with overwhelming power, without letting their guard down.
“There’s already far too many enemies. If we rush this, we’ll only trip over our own feet. The king should command us to establish a solid stronghold near their base, and we should take down their forces one step at a time.”
“You’re right, Tanai.”
Nodding at the words of the old warrior who served as his aide, Luke ordered to first secure a space to use as a base.
It would be near the second village that Balun was currently constructing alongside the residents, at the site that had once been Garhan’s main base.
“You’re quite determined, aren’t you?”
Balun noticed the intent as he spread scouts to monitor their every move.
Realizing that the furious Luke was preparing for desperate measures, Balun bitterly smiled and looked around at his comrades.
“Chieftain Luke is already preparing to attack us, and we cannot escape from this fight. Rather, let’s take this opportunity to dedicate the entire grassland to the Guardian Deity. If we do, it will be much easier to stop the Black Monsters.”
“But the walls aren’t finished yet. It would be better to build at least a low wall right now…”
“They’ve also drawn their swords. A flimsy obstacle could just as well hinder us.”
Siege warfare could not be an absolute answer. Though the Dwarf Survivors had learned infantry tactics and siege strategies, a significant portion of the Arin Tribe, having rapidly increased in power, had not yet learned those tactics.
In such a situation, half-hearted attempts would only increase the damage. Even if they won, Balun believed it would be meaningless if the losses were too great.
“But no matter how many soldiers we gather, we can only use about 15,000. If we mobilize everyone including those less trained, we could bring it up to 30,000, but scouts have reported that all the enemies are elite soldiers.”
“Of course, a direct confrontation would be disadvantageous. We’re outnumbered.”
Balun didn’t deny the words of Res, one of his trusted aides and head scouts. However, those who had been close to Balun for a long time noticed that despite the words, he had already made his decision.
Now the only thing left was to persuade and convince the people using his rationale.
“But look at this. The artifacts that Naru and Dune brought back from the new city with His guidance. There may be few in number, but they outperform the armor and weapons we have been using.”
Balun pulled something out and showed it to them. Among the many hastily gathered items, it was a sword made entirely from the horn of some beast with a bluish hue.
A sword made from a horn couldn’t possibly be stronger than a steel sword, but this one was special. It was made from the by-products of high-grade mutants and contained more mana.
When a warrior with awakened mana swung it, its power would double. The skills of warriors who transformed into various professions like spearmen, knights, and assassins were also amplified.
Warriors who had used these weapons were wide-eyed at the unexpected power that their skills displayed.
“Moreover, the number of our warriors armed with these precious weapons is not inferior to the enemy.”
Balun’s belief wasn’t based solely on that. As he mentioned the warriors, they looked at each other.
The warriors of the Arin Tribe weren’t just those who naturally awakened mana as before. He could pierce through the potential of the residents, and he used the documents he organized to separate those with outstanding potential among the newcomers, awakening them with the Essence of Monsters that continued to be farmed even at this moment.
The number wasn’t small. The warriors of the Arin Tribe, who were accumulating experience through hunting modes and battles with bugs, certainly outnumbered those of other tribes by several times.
“I believe that the skill of the warriors will tip the scales of this war.”
If they had skill, they could be worth a hundred men—those would be the warriors with awakened mana. Although the opponents had a larger number, the number of warriors on their side was similar.
Believing that their skills surpassed those of the enemy, Balun saw hope and potential in them.
Whether Balun’s words were persuasive was confirmed as the warriors began to stir.
“These special equipment and the power given to you are all thanks to the grace of that individual who believes in us. We must repay that, of course.”
Judging that the atmosphere had settled, Balun raised the sword to the sky, and all the warriors simultaneously raised their weapons in unison.
‘After becoming a spearman, I’ve become even stronger when using a sword. For the one who recognized my talent.’
‘I thought I’d spend my whole life in the dirt. The one who recognized me is that individual.’
Warriors of all genders ignited their fighting spirit. This war wasn’t just about clashing powers.
Now this war became a trial to prove their faith.
‘There’s nothing wrong with our mindset. If we can’t even do this with the grace we’ve been given, I should step down from the position of chief.’
Balun, who had united the anxious people, smiled faintly at the favorable outcome. There was so much given that leading the residents was very easy.
“Yes, Toa. Have you mastered grand magic?”
“Yes, Chieftain.”
Of course, Balun didn’t rely solely on the warriors.
He still possessed defensive turrets being set up and upgraded at this very moment, as well as crucial cracks that would play a decisive role in the important moments.
The next person Balun met after the warriors was a young woman named Toa. She was a mage, as indicated by the staff she held.
“Perhaps you could try just once…”
“I’m sorry. I haven’t practiced enough.”
Though Balun casually asked, she flinched and bowed her head. Having learned the grand magic Fire Rain from the mage Restra at the Hero Academy, she, like Rasen, would be exhausted for a whole half-day after just one use.
“It can’t be helped. Don’t worry too much. I think once a day should suffice.”
“Forgive my presumptuousness, but aren’t you going to call Rasen?”
“Rasen has been quite busy recently. I plan to deploy him along with Rakum at the Northern Fortress for this battle.”
Balun nodded at her question. Since she was joining, he didn’t intend to mobilize Rasen unnecessarily.
Of course, having two capable grand mages would be a significant advantage, but he couldn’t let his guard down in the north.
“Then is Riena also…?”
“No, Riena will join us soon together with others.”
Balun smiled wryly at Toa, who seemed to be gauging the situation. Riena was recognized as the strongest knight of the tribe. The difference between having her in the battlefield and not was immense.
There was no reason for Balun to leave Riena behind for such an important battle.
‘Until then, how much more will she awaken?’
However, there was another issue. The key was how many ‘Paladins’ Riena would bring along when she joined.
The latest news he received was that the warriors attempting to become Paladins were struggling immensely.
*
“It seems that being a Paladin, a high-ranking profession, isn’t easy.”
I know that Balun wants to use Riena and the Paladins significantly in this war. However, the small number of those passing through that trial is a concern.
Since Shura barely passed, quite a number of candidates had challenged afterward, repeatedly failing and reattempting countless times.
In that process, only five had awakened as Paladins, including Riena. At this rate, it seemed they would barely gather ten.
‘But if they can join the battlefield, it’s certain.’
I too believed that the Paladins would play a significant role in the war.
The skills they were to learn, which had previously been merely named Paladin, would not only maximize their combat power but also assist and heal those around them.
Though it was still merely an imagination I hadn’t seen firsthand, it was certainly an extraordinary power when used in real combat.
“This approach isn’t so bad after all.”
Due to the characteristics of the Dark Blood I activated, warriors could choose their skills from their initial profession freely with no restrictions when selecting a high-ranking profession.
Though I was slightly tempted by Lee So-Yeon training her army using an MMORPG game more easily and quickly, I believed my approach would do better in training elites with diverse talents.
Such well-trained warriors would become trump cards that could change the tide of the battlefield.
‘Even if they don’t need weapons, I must at least provide armor.’
So, those who passed the trials and became Paladins were individuals deserving of greater care.
I provided them with the armors bought from the Dark Blood shop, just like those worn by Riena and Shura.
Unlike the men’s armors designed for women, which had special modifications… the female knights were out of luck.
‘It’s not like this will become a tradition, right?’
I could feel that the culture among the residents was slowly changing, influenced by dwarves, southern kingdom mages, and especially those immersed in the game world, who could see and hear various things.
I was subtly concerned that the revealing female knight’s armor, designed purely for combat, might become mainstream culture.
“Ahem.”
…It’s not that it looks bad.