SWNOVELXO Chapter 648: Council of War
Later that evening, the battlefield was cleaned up as best as it could be. The Awakened didn't return to the town, as they could still sense the presence of demons nearby.
Just to be on the safe side and not be caught off guard, tents were pitched, injured survivors were tended to, and the hungry were fed.
After months of constant battle, this was the first time they had respite, so they took full advantage of it.
Besides, the dragons were still outside, their massive girth sprawled across the field, scaring off any stray demon dumb enough to attack.
Inside one of the biggest tents, Nathan had temporarily held a meeting, inviting all key members of the barony.
He stood at the head of the table. Aina sat to his right, her red hair pulled back, while Bridget sat to the left, looking better but still pale. Celine, the barony's top healer, sat beside Wendy, their hands clasped tightly. Theo and Boris stood near the back, murmuring quietly. Akira was there too, looking around with nervous eyes because a certain dark-haired youth sat close to her.
At the center of the table, seated face to face, were the Ant Queen and Ant King. Their carapaces were scratched and battle-worn, but even so, the beasts radiated a suffocating presence that couldn't be ignored.
Not only that, the Ant Queen and her colony had played a key role in fending off the demons and were largely one of the reasons they were still standing.
Nox, seated at the other end of the table, looked at the Ant Queen. His eyes glinted with surprise when he discovered that the pet he had left behind months ago was now only two steps away from becoming Legendary.
Even the Ant King was now at Emperor Tier Level 9.
It must be from battling so many demons, Nox quickly deduced. Although they didn't give as many experience points as Scourge Dragons, the eco-demons gave far more than beasts by a large margin.
On the table were several maps, marking the towns the demons and the Order of the Flaming Rose had conquered and made their strongholds.
The western region was circled in red. The duchy's last major holdout besides Cromwell, the Armstrong Duchy, had fallen, and most of its citizens had fled to the Cromwell Barony.
It pained Nathan, but he had no choice but to evacuate the resource-rich town, which boasted two Level 2 dimensional rifts.
Because of the influx of citizens from Armstrong, the Cromwell Barony was jam-packed, and small conflicts broke out from time to time between both towns.
Due to their history, even though technically Nox was the Duke of the Western Region, the citizens of Cromwell still held a grudge against the Armstrong Duchy.
Inside the tent, when all the important figures had settled down in their seats, Nathan cleared his throat.
"Let's cut to it. According to reports from Headmistress Bridget and Boris, the demons are hammering the capital, and that's keeping them distracted. We've got a window to mobilize an elite force and slowly recover the captured towns."
Aina nodded. "Some of our scouts report demon squads moving west. Small groups, but organized. They're expected to reach the barony within a few days."
Just then, the Ant Queen clicked rapidly, her mandibles twitching. Because they couldn't understand beast language, it was hard to know what she was saying.
The only way they had been able to communicate with her in the past was through actions and hand signals.
Fortunately, Nox was there. He translated. "She says the demons are building tunnels to attack us when we least expect it."
He leaned against the wall, arms crossed. "So we hit the west, clear the tunnels, and rally the survivors. Sounds easy—but I know it isn't."
Bridget's eyes narrowed. "Yes, definitely not easy. During the attack on the academy, we were overwhelmed because the demons deployed a summoning artifact—one that I suspect links the human domain to the Demonic Empire."
"A link to the Demonic Empire?" Nathan narrowed his eyes, a slight look of worry in them.
"Yes. They're summoning high-tier demons, not just fodder. If they've got those artifacts in the west—which I suspect is highly likely because of the high number of them here—"
"If that's true," Elvin the Asher whispered, clenching his fist, "their army… might actually be endless."
Bridget nodded and continued. "Our main goal is to find those artifacts and cut off their reinforcements."
"Cutting off their reinforcements is a good idea if you ask me," Nathan added, followed by a violent burst of coughs. "That way, we'll be able to focus on the underground tunnels first. But we need more fighters, and for that, we'll have to gather Awakened from the other towns who are currently in hiding."
Hans, who had been silent all this while, grunted. "Easier said than done. Most of them are stubborn. We'll need to prove our strength."
"Still, holding out against the demons should be enough proof already," Celine chimed in.
"Proving ourselves is my specialty. Give me a day, and I'll have them begging to join us," Nox said with a confident smirk.
Nathan ignored the banter, pointing at the map. "Here's the plan. We split into three groups. First group hits the western town, rallies the survivors, and secures the region. Second group takes the demon tunnels hard and fast. Third group will destroy the summoning artifact—if they're really in the west."
The Ant King's mandibles snapped, a low rumble echoing from his shell. Nox listened, then nodded. "He says the ants can handle the tunnels. Their scouts have mapped the tunnels. They'll collapse them and trap the demons inside."
"Good," Nathan said. "That's one problem down. Nox, you're with the first group. Take the Vermilion students and the dragons. Those towns need to see power to trust us. You're the walking proof."
"One more thing." Nathan suddenly said with a serious look on his face.
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