SWNOVELXO Chapter 131
Chapter 131 – Iiiieee (1)
“This time, it looks like the conclusion will come quickly…”
I couldn’t help but mutter this absentmindedly. Of course, it depended on the battle’s outcome, but a lot was riding on this single clash for both sides.
Just as Balun willingly accepted the face-to-face duel, I didn’t mind this approach either. It meant we could find out the results without prolonged worry.
‘Of course, what I can offer isn’t infinite.’
That meant I needed to be even more cautious.
Although I had gained more resources over time, my direct involvement in this reality was limited compared to actually playing as a character in the game. If the war ended quickly, those opportunities would dwindle even further.
Recently, I activated another game that gave me the ability to control the residents directly, but I handled that power very carefully.
After all, the seasoned warriors executing strategies and engaging in combat were far better suited for leadership than merely a newbie like me.
“—!”
‘They’re colliding.’
The enemies charging in first naturally divided their forces into three. Some went around the village from either side while others crossed through the middle. They aimed to strike all at once.
Our allies also split into three, but the composition was different. We had fewer troops deployed in the village compared to the enemies.
They hid behind houses made of blocks, castle walls, and trenches they had dug, executing guerrilla tactics to hold the enemies’ feet in place.
‘I should help with that.’
Instead of interfering with the fierce battles unfolding on the left and right, I thought it would be wiser to assist in the center.
After all, we needed to protect the defensive turrets installed on the castle wall above, so I began to mobilize my power to help the center.
“—! —!”
‘Looks like they’re prepared, but can they really hold this off?’
I hammered down on the enemies using my warhammers. The foes, already aware of my abilities, had come up with some defenses, but in the chaotic battlefield, gaps would always emerge.
“—!”
I could see enemies panicking and stumbling around or falling off their horses. Those unable to flee were instantly crushed, becoming one with the ground. It was a gruesome sight, but one that had to be overcome for survival.
‘We fight together.’
The fear I instilled in the enemies became hope for our allies. Those fortifying behind the internal facilities of the village cheered for my assistance, contrasting the screams of the enemies.
Months have already passed since we began this struggle. They, along with myself, had become completely accustomed to it.
I felt like I understood just how much it helped to synchronize with a being I considered a guardian deity on the battlefield.
‘Wait a minute, do the ones appearing on Earth fight alongside their users soon?!’
Thus, it was only natural for my thoughts to drift toward this during the intense battle.
*
“Captain! The center is…”
“Forget about the center now. Our lives depend on this!”
Unlike the central battle where conflicts erupted first, the clash on both sides came a bit later. The Arin Tribe’s Captain Hachi held his breath for a moment while scanning the surroundings.
Through the gap between his helmet and mask, he saw the warriors and soldiers running alongside him. It was clear the enemies outnumbered them at a glance.
‘It’s feasible. We can win.’
But he believed that victory was achievable. Having joined Balun’s ranks alongside Rakum, he was already a seasoned veteran experienced in numerous battles.
He had fought tirelessly against not only other tribes but also bugs and had a precise understanding of the power he and his tribe possessed.
‘Moreover, I have reliable support.’
His insurance was solid. Although he was in command, the strongest warrior in the left battalion he led was not himself.
A female knight, dressed in noticeably different attire, was running slightly behind him. Riena silently focused on the foes she aimed to cleave.
Unfamiliar observers might see it as merely a reckless charge. In reality, that was precisely what she intended.
It wasn’t a foolish rush. Instead, she was aiming to trample down on the foes who mistakenly thought they could overpower them in sheer strength.
“Incoming arrows!”
“Let’s return fire!”
Each side believed they had the advantage, and they began exchanging arrows as they rushed toward each other.
Each of them raised their bows, released arrows, and the mages and shamans desperately tried to block the incoming projectiles.
However, the disparity between both sides began to show from here.
“I know the odds are against us, but is this not too reckless? We went to the trouble of dividing our troops, yet here we are, charging head-on.”
“They wouldn’t have gone to their deaths without reason.”
It wasn’t just Leo watching the battlefield through the screen. The delegation, forced to pause in their steps, each had their own purposes as they observed this rare large-scale war.
Especially because their mission was to learn about the Arin Tribe, this observation was vital. If they were easily pushed back in this war, there would be no reason to pursue them further.
“Are the arrows stronger?”
“You seem to have caught on quickly, just like a knight should.”
In this intense situation, Leo was the first to notice the difference between both sides. He observed how the arrows being fired displayed a disparity as they approached each other.
‘The Arin Tribe’s arrows fly farther and stronger.’
“Ugh, no! The shields are breaking!”
“How can this be? They won’t bend!”
The arrows made from mutants or by-products had weakly infused magic power, allowing them to amplify their strength even when receiving the same force.
Those who hadn’t been informed that they employed special arrows, or had ignored that fact, were petrified by the unexpected power of those projectiles.
“Draw your weapons!”
But the arrows were merely a form of greeting. Having charged to the point of no return, they drew their weapons and swung them with all their might against their opponents.
‘My goodness.’
At that instant, chunks of crushed meat flew off, mixed with the screams and roars of both horse and human. Those watching the scene narrowed their eyes, fixing their gazes on the battlefield.
Leo was no exception. He flinched but couldn’t tear his gaze away. To be precise, he found himself unable to look away.
The Arin Tribe warriors at the forefront unleashed their skills all at once.
Having equipped themselves with higher-grade weapons just before the battle, the skills of the Arin warriors burst forth, as they unleashed their full might against their enemies.
Though skills weren’t genuinely all-powerful, it was enough for those who didn’t know to perceive that all the Arin warriors had achieved some grand mastery at that moment.
For a knight like Leo, who possessed more knowledge, this revelation struck him harder. Though infamous, they were just a barbarian tribe, yet their warriors were using techniques even stronger than those of the kingdom’s knights.
“Now, I understand why they came charging in with such confidence! Who are those warriors?!”
“I told you, the Arin Tribe warriors hardened through battles against the Black Monsters are stronger than those of other tribes.”
While Leo stood frozen, the excited Vice Minister grabbed Rihar by the shoulders and shook him vigorously.
Indeed, the Arin Tribe, having superior warriors, overwhelmed their opponents in the struggle of strength that ensued post-collision, pushing forward and shattering the enemy formation.
“Retreat! Retreat!”
“This can’t be! The Captain!”
The heavily armored Arin warriors, wearing masks crafted from the jaws of mutants for facial protection, advanced like a singular tank, causing Luke’s soldiers to tremble.
They never imagined they would lose in a physical confrontation. The warriors they trusted and followed realized too late that they were being pierced or slashed through their skills.
“Don’t back down! Surround them and attack!”
Of course, there were countermeasures, as the Captains desperately shouted. Attacking swiftly to kill the cavalry, and hunting down fallen warriors from all sides was a traditional, reliable tactic.
The momentum of the charging individuals would eventually exhaust, and the moment they halted, they would be met with arrows and spears from all sides.
In fact, even at this moment, those dying from the arrows and magic shot from the defensive turrets atop the castle walls were these very warriors, so they hastily wanted to secure the castle walls or conclude the battle.
“That’s right. But isn’t this too much of a difference?”
“Surely this isn’t everything. There must be a second wave ready to follow.”
‘They haven’t revealed any Grand Magic yet. They’re holding back far too many trump cards.’
Rihar had also fought against the Arin warriors. While others cried out that it was dangerous, Rihar had already anticipated the Arin Tribe’s victory from this moment. He hadn’t seen everything they had prepared.
“Our excellent allied warriors dealt a heavy blow to the enemies, but with each delay, our allies are dying. We have to rain down our weapons without losing our focus. Toa, show your magic in the rear of the left flank where Riena is.”
“Understood.”
Barun, who had transformed and busied with commanding on the battlefield, instructed Toa to execute Grand Magic to the left.
Immediately, from among the soldiers firing arrows beneath the castle walls, Toa raised her staff and unveiled a massive magic circle in the sky.
“!!!”
That was the most intense proof of might. Even a mere baggage handler who knew nothing about magic would recognize how remarkable that shimmering magic circle in the sky was.
“Do you understand now why I went through so much trouble with the delegates?”
Watching the countless fire arrows rain down from that magic circle, Rihar whispered to the Vice Minister.
The Vice Minister stood frozen, eyes wide as he could only watch the magic incinerate Luke’s soldiers.
“This isn’t even the full extent of our power. The primary force of the Arin Tribe always protects the fortress in the North to ensure those monsters don’t come down.”
“If that’s true, this war would indeed be reckless. Inform Luke.”
With Rihar’s vivid testimony based on experience, the Vice Minister finally conceded.
‘If our knights confronted them…’
And it wasn’t just the Vice Minister who acknowledged this.
Leo too unconsciously compared the Arin warriors he was witnessing with those from his own order, realizing that guaranteeing victory was no easy feat.
“It’s probably time to move. Remaining stationary isn’t advisable.”
“That’s true. Let’s begin to move slowly.”
At that point, the delegation gradually resumed their movements. They had seen enough and wanted to explore other directions.
“…Huh?”
[Crack Detected]
That’s when the problem erupted. Right in front of the pathway the delegation was heading toward, a sudden black rift appeared without any warning.
“They’re here!!!”
When everyone was at a loss for words, only those experienced, including Rihar, reacted in horror, lifting their weapons to aim at the rift.
‘What the hell is that?’
And then, what occurred next left everyone frozen in place.
From within the black crevice emerged a pair of long, grotesque, writhing tentacles, accompanied by their ghastly owner.