Fantasy Family Simulator (FFS)

Their pace slowed down as they traversed the vast canyon, with Helian Peak stretching from north to south, forming four or five small ridges and six or seven small gullies, its rocky terrain rugged and treacherous. While they could have taken a detour, crossing the steep peak ahead was the quickest route for Rhett's team to reach the nearest Bloodstained River. Taking the longer path would have added another half hour to their journey.

For someone like Rhett, a veteran of over ten years who knew the routes well, climbing such terrain was a common occurrence. His experience quickly led him to a path that, while appearing perilous, was actually suitable for their passage.

Leading the way, Rhett gave a subtle hand gesture that indicated climbing. With wind elements swirling around his feet, he stepped on firm rocks, using earth elements to fill depressions or create footholds when the terrain became too difficult. In this manner, he resolved obstacles as they arose.

Ten minutes later, under the cover of night, the hundred-man team crossed Helian Peak and arrived at another wetland. The ground was moist and sticky, leaving footprints as they passed. However, with several mages in the team, including four stationed at the rear, cleaning up the tracks left behind was an easy task.

As the night deepened, cold winds began to blow. After three hours of marching, crossing the Bloodstained River and various terrains, Rhett's team finally arrived at the enemy's rear battlefield, as directed by Anbiru.

This wasn't the orc stronghold; otherwise, with their current strength, approaching would have been tantamount to suicide. Instead, this area, located behind the front lines, was occupied by smaller orc squads on missions. Rhett's objective, based on intelligence from scouts and other sources, was to eliminate a squad of orcs containing royal bloodlines.

By now, they had approached Crow Peak, a pitch-black, sinister mountain that loomed like a terrifying demon with outstretched claws. Its eerie appearance wasn't just due to its jagged rocks but also because of its dark stones, which, even in daylight, gave off a shadowy and indistinct aura. Knowing the terrain was complex and the intelligence unclear, Rhett wisely chose to lead his team around the peak from a distance.

Half an hour later, they came across a clearing in the forest, where a blazing bonfire illuminated the night, casting its light on the surrounding menacing orc figures. The air was thick with the stench of blood.

The orc group numbered over 300, including more than forty of royal blood. Under normal circumstances, such a force would have been too formidable for Rhett's team. However, according to the information provided by Anbiru, these orcs had recently endured a brutal battle, leaving many wounded and their combat effectiveness severely diminished.

Standing at the edge of the forest, Rhett recalled the details from Anbiru's note about this orc squad:

"In addition to twenty-three Bloodmoon Werewolves and Phantom Venomous Serpents, the remaining Nightcatmen, Wildboarmen, and Minotaurs are roughly equal in number."

With a clear picture in mind, Rhett turned around and made a series of hand gestures. His hands formed an "O" shape, a horn shape, and then a clawed hand—symbols for Wildboarmen, Minotaurs, and Nightcatmen, respectively. He then signaled the number one hundred, followed by gestures indicating Phantom Venomous Serpents and Bloodmoon Werewolves.

Upon seeing Rhett's signals, the soldiers behind him were visibly shaken, their hearts sinking.

Three hundred orcs and over forty of royal blood? The numbers were overwhelming—this seemed like an impossible battle to win!

However, when Rhett's hands formed a downward-facing flower, symbolizing severe injury, the soldiers' eyes lit up. Of course, Anbiru wouldn't send them to their deaths—this was a crippled enemy force ripe for the taking! Their spirits soared as newfound confidence surged through the ranks.

Finally, Rhett spread his arms, wrists bent, and gently pushed forward—a signal for a half-surrounding advance.

Under the moonlight, the soldiers began spreading out to the left and right flanks, forming a slightly concave arc as they moved to encircle the enemy in the forest.

To ensure the success of their upcoming actions, Rhett even conducted a quick simulation. As the ripples of his vision faded away, a cold smile curled on his lips.

Rustle, rustle, rustle.

The team advanced through the forest, the rustling of leaves and underbrush echoing in the night as they moved at full speed. Rhett knew that with a hundred men, stealth wasn't an option—they would inevitably alert the orcs. So, rather than attempting a silent approach, he opted for speed and efficiency.

After all, the enemy was made up of wounded troops. Even if they tried to flee, how fast could they really go?

As the distant glow of the bonfire came into view and the trees thinned out, Rhett sensed the orcs had detected their presence. There was a noticeable increase in panic and commotion among the enemy.

"Guludazkafibu…"

A strange sound echoed from the area illuminated by the fire. Rhett recognized it as orcish, a language he had become familiar with during his ten years on the battlefield. While not fluent, he could understand basic phrases, and this one was clear: "The human army is coming—Bloodmoons and Phantoms, run first!"

The orcs' reaction was exactly as Rhett had anticipated, but he had already prepared for this scenario. He quickly issued orders: "Archers, target the Wildboarmen and Minotaurs. Knights, flank from both sides, and leave one team to protect the archers and mages from the front-line assault! I'll execute the decapitation strategy!"

Rhett's commands were delivered rapidly as he charged forward with the vanguard. As they burst into the clearing, he saw a line of orcs missing limbs and bloodied, yet resolute in their charge toward them. The sound of hooves echoed through the forest as the Minotaurs and Wildboarmen pounded the ground, shattering the stillness of the night.

Flowing Sand Technique!

Earth Spike!

Rhett initiated his counterattack, his mental power condensing a zone of flowing sand that engulfed the orcs ahead. They were trapped, their legs bound by the shifting ground, immobilized. The subsequent Earth Spikes tore through the helpless orcs, piercing them through with lethal precision.

In an instant, over twenty orcs were slain.

The advantages of earth magic were on full display in this battlefield.

Screams of agony filled the air as the orcs fell. With no immediate opposition, Rhett pressed on, his body aglow with a green aura, speeding forward. But before he had gone twenty meters, a group of Nightcatmen appeared, agile and deadly, leaping at him from the shadows.

Nightcatmen were fast, agile, and covered in pitch-black fur that blended seamlessly with the night, making them nearly invisible—natural-born assassins. In small-scale nighttime battles, they were often the first targets for concentrated human attacks.

Rhett's expression remained indifferent as he employed the most effective method against them—casting Sand Wolf Howl!

The earth elements gathered frantically, and three massive sand wolves appeared in the sky, their bodies glowing a pale yellow as they descended from the trees, instantly pouncing on three third-level Nightcatmen.

The sand wolves tore through the Nightcatmen with ease—their stealthy speed was no match for their fragile bodies, which crumbled under the wolves' claws.

Blood and flesh scattered like rain, creating chaos among the remaining orcs.

"Awwooo!"

Suddenly, Rhett's ears caught a familiar sound, and his pupils contracted. He knew that sound all too well—a Bloodmoon Werewolf in a bloodthirsty frenzy.

To the untrained ear, it might have sounded like any ordinary howl, but Rhett had heard it enough times to recognize it instantly!

In the past, facing a fully-powered Bloodmoon Werewolf, he might not have been confident of victory. But now, he was more than ready.

A cold smile crossed Rhett's lips as he controlled the three sand wolves, directing them to charge at the royal bloodline orcs retreating from the rear.

"Gurulzaki…"

More strange orcish words echoed through the night. Rhett couldn't fully grasp the grammar, but like recognizing a familiar language from his previous life, he could discern most of its meaning.

The royal-blooded orcs had decided to abandon their retreat and fight to the death!

That suited Rhett just fine.

The twenty-some Bloodmoon Werewolves and Phantom Venomous Serpents had realized that with a fourth-level Archmage like Rhett pursuing them, their chances of escape were slim. Desperate, they turned to make a final stand.

Among them, a fourth-level Bloodmoon Werewolf, now in a bloodthirsty frenzy, let out a mad howl, despite one of its eyes being gouged out and one of its powerful legs broken. Its red fur, drenched in blood, exuded an ominous aura.

Though surrounded by a blood-red glow, its crazed state offered limited combat effectiveness due to its injuries. The remaining orcs were in similarly dire conditions—missing limbs, blind, or otherwise crippled. They clashed with Rhett's forces, their struggle a violent symphony of blood and fire in the night.

In this situation, the outcome of the battle heavily depended on the high-level combatants—Rhett and the two royal-blooded enemies. The victory of these powerful forces would greatly determine the final result of this small-scale battle.

While Rhett was engaged in a fight with the fourth-tier Bloodmoon Werewolf, he used three sand wolves to entangle his opponent, not in a hurry to kill it immediately. Instead, he cast a Rockfall spell to block the retreat of the fourth-tier Phantom Venomous Serpent, which was hiding in the shadows, waiting for an opportunity to strike.

With a thunderous roar, the explosion scattered dust into the air.

Hiss hiss hiss...

The Phantom Venomous Serpent, startled by the Rockfall's impact, slithered out of the underbrush. Its head was adorned with a cobra-like hood, and its triangular green eyes gleamed with an eerie light in the darkness. Its body was covered not in fur but in scales of black, gray, and yellow spots, and it moved by swaying its massive tail from side to side.

It glanced at the direction of the Bloodmoon Werewolf, a malicious glint flashing in its eyes. But the scene that followed filled it with terror.

The three sand wolves, forming a tripod-like formation, closed in on the Bloodmoon Werewolf that Rhett had strategically trapped in the center. Suddenly, with a loud boom, three simultaneous explosions erupted, unleashing the immense power of earth elements.

The three sand wolves disintegrated in the blast, but the Bloodmoon Werewolf, already hampered in its movements, was unable to escape the explosion's range. It let out a defiant howl before being consumed by the blast.

Its red fur turned pitch black, its life extinguished without hope of survival.

The lone fourth-tier Phantom Venomous Serpent's eyes widened in disbelief. Its plan had been to use the Bloodmoon Werewolf as a distraction, allowing it to strike with its venom at the right moment. Despite its severe injuries, the serpent's venom was still potent, and if its plan had succeeded, they might have turned the tide.

But with the Bloodmoon Werewolf's death, their plan was shattered.

Without hesitation, the Phantom Venomous Serpent turned and fled.

Earth mages held a significant advantage over land creatures on the battlefield, and with its experience, the serpent knew that Rhett, a peak fourth-tier Archmage, was not an opponent it could face head-on in its current state.

A flash of killing intent crossed Rhett's eyes as he watched the enemy flee—exactly as he expected. Unhurried, he first turned to cast a few Earth Spikes, clearing out most of the third-tier orcs, making it easier for his soldiers to deal with the remnants.

Then, he pursued the fleeing Phantom Venomous Serpent.

Before leaving, he didn't forget to shout to his troops:

"Safety first, but try to leave them alive. As long as they're not dead, do as you please!"

Although Rhett couldn't match the Phantom Venomous Serpent's speed, he compensated by casting spells to hinder its movement, slowing it down.

In the canyon, the relative speed theory applied—if the enemy slows down, I speed up. Yes, that logic works perfectly.

Half an hour passed, and the chase covered ten kilometers, with Rhett and the serpent locked in a relentless pursuit.

Rhett's heart remained calm as water because, under his deliberate guidance, the enemy's escape route was being subtly directed by him.