SWNOVELXO Chapter 130
Chapter 130 – Kingdom (10)
Just before a large-scale battle was about to erupt, Luke, the Arin Tribe, the kingdom’s messenger, and all the tribes of the grassland, including those existing beyond the screen, were all focused on the situation.
Having established a base, Luke began to move his soldiers who had rested well and replenished their stamina. There was no reason to ignore the Arin Tribe’s Village 2, which still had incomplete castle walls.
“We can’t give them time. Even though they used magic, I never thought they’d build walls that quickly in such a short time…!”
Luke’s warriors unanimously insisted that they should attack quickly. Compared to the initial reports, the Arin Tribe was erecting their castle far too swiftly.
It was the miners working diligently, as well as the transporters exerting themselves to carry those stone blocks to build the walls.
“That’s right. We must attack before they complete their castle.”
Despite gathering a chosen large army, siege warfare was burdensome. Luke also wanted to minimize casualties.
Ultimately, the method they chose was the most familiar and classic approach. Moreover, there was another reason they needed to hurry into battle.
“Here comes another hammer!”
“It’s chainsaw thunder!”
At any given moment, massive hammers and chainsaws fell from the sky, crushing and grinding them down alive. Fortunately, thanks to a few gathered shamans defending them, the damage wasn’t too severe, but the morale of the soldiers continually dwindled.
It truly felt like divine retribution falling from the sky. Simply maintaining strict control couldn’t dispel the fundamental fear within their hearts.
“Is the effect starting to wear off? I need to move on to the next stage.”
As Luke’s enemies managed to hold back the wallpaper-breaking better than expected, Junyoung clicked on the items that were still locked with the mouse.
The next stage after the hammer and chainsaw was a minigun. It could manifest in reality, and while it might have certain limitations, it would literally shoot countless bullets to obliterate the wallpaper.
However, points were still lacking. They had spent quite a bit after a recent reorganization.
To replenish points, new achievements were needed, and this war could be a fresh opportunity for those achievements to emerge.
“Yuta! You take care of the reinforcements. No need for unnecessary flanking, just sweep them away in one go.”
In the meantime, Luke finally moved his army. A large cavalry unit, unprecedented until now, slowly stirred for battle.
“It seems they intend to fight without retreating.”
“What’s the final number? I heard it’s over twenty thousand.”
“It seems to be just under twenty thousand, but they haven’t fully drawn their forces yet.”
Receiving the last report like that caused Luke’s brow to twitch. If they weren’t hiding behind the unusually high castle walls, it would be disadvantageous for the opposition. Normally, pulling everything out without needing to wait for old folks would be the norm.
‘Do they really have that confidence? How audacious.’
No matter how he thought about it, that could only mean one thing. Confidence that they could win without a full-frontal assault. Luke vowed to crush that confidence.
“Chieftain, they’re moving. It really seems they plan to strike all at once.”
“Have the residents evacuated completely?”
“They have all retreated through the escape routes we prepared in advance.”
“In that case, the village won’t suffer any damage.”
Balun and the Arin Tribe, having made their preparations, also observed the enemy’s movements. The telescope made from glass baked by Junyoung in the game, designed by the dwarven technicians, was a special item for this observation.
Collaborating with the skilled dwarven survivors, the Arin Tribe could now create items they formerly couldn’t make in the game.
“How can we create this quality armor but not make a simple claw?”
Of course, the dwarven survivors were shocked at the Arin Tribe’s serious technological imbalance, but they had now become familiar with it more than anyone else.
“There are defense towers set up that that person established in the village. We must utilize them as much as possible.”
Balun issued orders as planned. Even if they were to clash in the plains, it didn’t mean they had to adopt only aggressive tactics.
They used the previously built castle walls and village grounds as a kind of terrain advantage. A village site designed to accommodate tens of thousands wasn’t small by any measure.
“The enemy will inevitably split due to the obstacles. We’ll block them on the right, left, and in the center, cutting through the village.”
“What if they try to flank us?”
“They already tried that once and fell victim to our tactics. It’s unlikely they’ll attempt that again. But I would appreciate it if they did.”
Balun, in charge of the overall command, maximized the strength bestowed upon them. He believed they could only win a disadvantageous war by fully utilizing that strength. And that strength stemmed from everything he supported through the game and program.
Creating a massive village and castle from nothing on a plain was just a part of that. With that, they managed to choose the battlefield they desired while adopting the role of defenders.
“In the center, just stop their advance. The crucial points are on the sides.”
The war, utilizing various traits and items, likely held a high probability of unfolding quite differently from the strategies Luke had devised based on countless previous battles.
Coming down from the sky at any given moment would be divine powers that were inexplicable, grand magic, skills, and whatnot. No one had taught such things. It was impossible to learn them naturally.
The Arin Tribe, including Balun, was still unaccustomed to this kind of fight. At the very least, those who maintained their wits about them would have a higher chance of survival.
“Toa has taken up her position?”
“I’ve received word that she arrived safely.”
Balun had hidden one of those elements on the still incomplete castle walls. Toa, who had learned grand magic, carefully concealed herself with her staff and observed the slowly approaching enemy forces.
“Change the tide of battle with a single spell at the optimal moment.”
That was her command. While the enemy knew of the existence of grand magic, they couldn’t fully focus on it while fighting, thus leaving openings during the war.
“Do not panic, and shoot precisely when I say.”
“Hiiik, Chieftain?!”
Toa was shocked when a bird with white feathers flew to her side and began to speak. Balun had used druid skills to fly down and support her observation of the battlefield.
‘Is this the first time looking at my face, Luke?’
With her keen eyesight, Balun recognized the enemy leader Luke—an imposing man moving along with countless warriors.
He was an excellent warrior known for being unmatched, but his size wasn’t overwhelmingly large like those famous warriors.
“Everyone, move. The battle is about to begin.”
Realizing the time had come, Balun directed several birds that had flown to him. All of them were druids who had become successors to Balun.
They were effectively acting as messengers for the Arin Tribe, leveraging their strengths in supporting roles from the game.
*
“It seems that battle is about to begin.”
“Whoa!”
“W-what?!”
As the delegation and the Arin Tribe’s reconnaissance team passed along the flat road, a bird suddenly flew over and transformed into a person with a bang.
While the scouts took it in stride, the delegation did not. Whether servant or knight, they gasped in surprise, with some even falling off their horses.
“Pl-please calm down. This is a druid who uses magic.”
Fortunately, Rihar, who was somewhat familiar, managed to calm the startled individuals. Regardless, the druid had come as a messenger to advise them that a battle was imminent and that they should speed up.
“A battle? You mean over there.”
Commander Leo of the escort flinched as he saw the castle walls and the massive army gathered in the distance. It turned out that the delegation was, in fact, passing very close to the battlefield.
“Just like Rihar said, there is indeed a castle. But it’s not fully built yet…”
The delegation was astonished to see a large castle being constructed in the northern grassland. It was not just a shabby earthen fortress, but a stone fortress with straight, massive walls. The transporters stacked blocks to create the castle, and even from afar, its angular shape looked extraordinary.
‘No matter how I think about it, it seems like they intentionally came this way. If that’s the case, the intention is to show the delegation, right?’
As Rihar observed the scene, his eyes narrowed. Although this was indeed the most suitable road, he instinctively felt that they could easily choose to take a detour if they wanted, but they didn’t.
Rihar closed his lips, having roughly grasped their intentions. After all, he was on the side of the Arin Tribe. He knew well that shock tactics were the best way to clear the views of the tightly closed individuals.
“Let’s go quickly. It’s still a bit of a distance, but depending on the outcome of the battle, this area is likely to become dangerous.”
“But the battle is already starting right now!?”
The reconnaissance team hurried the steps of the delegation. Almost simultaneously, a war was about to break out from the village, causing the delegation to witness the scenes of battle firsthand.
‘This kind of opportunity won’t come again.’
Leo, the commander of the escort, found himself captivated by the sight without realizing it. The clash of thousands of cavalry was truly a sight that even elite knights rarely encountered.
“R-Rihar. Use the magnifying spell.”
“Ugh, I have no choice.”
The foreign vice minister, who represented the delegation, felt the same. Rihar pretended nonchalant, summoning a massive mana lens to enlarge their view.
“Wow, I can see it!”
The vice minister reacted excitedly. Rihar also watched that scene and saw, amidst the swirling dust, the vast army approaching each other, sandwiching the village in the middle.
“But isn’t it too dangerous? It looks overwhelmingly unfavorable.”
‘There’s no way they’ll engage in a direct confrontation, is there? No way. They’d never fight like that.’
Unlike the vice minister and others, Rihar firmly believed that the Arin Tribe surely had some hidden trump cards.
Because he had been thoroughly humiliated by that very knowledge. Just the grand magic he had witnessed dropping could incinerate a whole mass of soldiers.
“I know from personal experience; this war will surely not flow as predicted. So watch closely. You’ll understand why I insisted on teaming up with them.”
Rihar spoke with a serious expression. This was an important war for him as well, aiming to forge an alliance between the Arin Tribe and his homeland.