Chapter 21: Barbarians

General Vandal’s main force had been defeated.

General Vandal had come out to intercept the army of the barbarian king, but his purpose had been to stop the army and buy time. Over the last few days, his movements had been consistent with mild conflicts, rather than direct battles.

However, there was news that he had been defeated. This meant that a full-scale war had taken place, and General Vandal’s army had been seriously damaged while he escaped.

In-gong was reminded of the battle against the Red Lightning tribe. They had gone out to attack the enemy base, only to retreat after suffering great damage due to the emergence of the swamp mammoths.

Contrary to popular belief, mass casualties didn’t occur so easily in a complete war. The massacre occurred mainly when an army was defeated and tried to escape. It was because they were easy opponents while running away. In the battle where the swamp mammoths had appeared, the army had acted pretty well. So, they hadn’t lost many troops while escaping.

If Vandal was defeated, it was important to know how he had been defeated. There were still many chances if the power of his army had been maintained. Additionally, General Vandal was also unharmed.

However, it wasn’t just that. There was a chance that large fatalities could occur, such as when the barbarians had been crushed by In-gong’s troops.

It was late at night, but it wasn’t midnight yet, and In-gong’s party and the key personnel were gathered together in a warehouse.

Carack laid out a large map on the table, and everyone’s gazes focused on the map. Carack moved a pen hurriedly.

“This is the pattern that General Vandal seems to have taken.”

Evian’s seven bases could be divided into three major areas. Bases five, six and seven were in the north while bases one, two and three were in the south, and the fourth base was between the third and fifth bases.

The area Carack drew an X on wasn’t far from the third base.

“The news that General Vandal was defeated was conveyed from the third base. The barbarians hadn’t just defeated Vandal but also pushed toward the third base. Currently, the third base has fallen to the barbarians.”

An additional X was drawn on the third base. Many of those looking at the map made pained faces. The fact that the barbarians had reached that far meant it was really bad.

“Is there no contact from General Vandal?”

Carack frowned at Felicia’s question.

“No, not yet. But considering the last contact and the situation with the third base, it is likely that his situation isn’t very good.”

Carack drew a line from the third base to the second base. The distance between the two bases was so far that it was likely he was wandering somewhere in between.

“The last report from the third base was quite confusing. It seems like the situation is a mess.”

Carack put up the short piece of paper sent through the communicator next to the map.

“General Vandal’s main force was defeated. We are unable to measure the scale of the damage. The third base will be taken soon. Many deaths have occurred. The barbarian king… north?”

Seira frowned while reading aloud the short sentences on the piece of paper precisely. The sentences were beyond common sense.

“Was General Vandal’s army crushed to such an extent that it isn’t worth pursuing? T-this is General Vandal we’re talking about!”

Felicia cried out in an aghast tone. Caitlin also looked at the map with a worried face. Kaparang shook his head.

“This can’t be. It seems like some experts have split off to trace Vandal, while the rest have turned toward the north.”

There was value in tracking him, but it was up to there. It seemed like more than half of General Vandal’s army had been defeated.

In the somber atmosphere, Caitlin opened her mouth,

“Kaparang, what is the reason why the barbarian king didn’t strike at base one or two?”

“Perhaps he is aiming for Takar.”

“Takar?”

Kaparang nodded at the question. He pointed to the area around Evian on the map.

“Beyond the boundary, it is a barren land that can’t even compare to Evian. For the barbarians, even Evian is a good place to live. Even so, it is unreasonable to just take this place and live in it. If the barbarians occupy Evian, the Demon King’s Palace will move in earnest.”

Kaparang took a deep breath, then he smiled.

“Your Highnesses, didn’t you participate in the fight against the Red Lightning Tribe?”

Caitlin nodded at the question. It had only been a few months ago. So, In-gong remembered it well since it was his first battlefield.

Kaparang continued to explain,

“The same thing happened on the boundary, but the severity is different. Compared to the Red Lightning tribe, the barbarians are much greater in number and more dangerous. If the barbarians wanted to conquer Evian, the Demon King’s Palace would send the captains to stop them.”

The Demon World was wide, and the power of the palace was scattered all over.

The captains were the power of the Demon King’s Palace.

Moving them had a very heavy meaning. The army captains had the power to shake the heavens and earth and led tens of thousands of troops. There was no species in the Demon World that wouldn’t be afraid of them.

“In other words, the barbarians are focusing on destruction and looting, rather than a proper occupation. They can’t live on this land. So, they are aiming to break and obtain as much as possible.”

Felicia added a supplementary explanation. Then Kaparang spoke again,

“Of course, the barbarian king has shown a power that’s incomparable to what he had before. Maybe the barbarians have a different idea this time. But if they choose to go north, then it’s likely they are after Takar. It is the best place to eat near Evian.”

Caitlin was able to accept it since she had visited Takar directly. Takar had an enormous amount of wealth concentrated in it. They would be able to get more from Takar than from the whole of Evian.

“Is it due to General Vandal that they didn’t go to Takar from the beginning?”

Kaparang nodded at Caitlin’s question.

“Perhaps that isn’t all of it. Maybe they wanted to take control of the bases in order to hit Takar directly, instead of isolating Vandal.”

However, that plan had been cancelled due to In-gong. Even his allies had been surprised by the blitz attacks that allowed them to defeat the barbarians and defend three bases. It had probably been a huge surprise for the barbarians.

Alita spoke after a long sigh,

“In the end, there are two main points. Vandal’s shattered army is in the west, while the barbarian king is in the north.”

Alita placed three models on the map. One was General Vandal’s army, another was the barbarian troops pursuing Vandal, and the last one was the barbarian king in the north.

Felicia frowned.

“We need to consider this. Their speed will be slow since they have a large army, but… they are moving within Evian. They will reach here in three days or so.”

It was highly likely that the barbarian king would go to the fifth base after passing through the fourth. After reviewing the barbarian king’s anticipated route, Felicia looked at In-gong.

“Shutra, what do you think?”

Every eye focused on In-gong after the question.

Three children of the demon king were gathered together, but it was clear who the leader of the army was.

Felicia and Caitlin assisted In-gong, but they didn’t come forward. Kaparang and Alita also respected In-gong, so they didn’t protest, let alone the leaders of the three bases who In-gong had saved.

In-gong gazed at the map and exhaled. He spoke in a determined voice,

“Abandon the fifth base and head south to save General Vandal.”

“Your Highness?”

Diotima, the leader of the fifth base, was confused. It was unimaginable for her to abandon the base in the current situation. However, Caligula of the seventh base and Rothov of the sixth base were somewhat convinced as In-gong had already abandoned two bases.

In-gong explained to everyone,

“It is unreasonable to block the barbarian army at the fifth base with our current troops. It is a situation where we don’t know when the reinforcements from the Demon King’s Palace may come.”

The walls of the fifth base were better than the walls of the sixth base, but they were still low. It was difficult to view it as a proper fortress. In this place, it was unreasonable to oppose the main army led by the barbarian king with only 2,000 troops.

Felicia nodded with a serious expression.

“If we take away all the supplies of the fifth base like we’ve done so far… Well, the strong point of the fifth, sixth and seventh bases was their role as supply points. A base without supplies would just be called a shell.”

Diotima was surprised when she heard that all the supplies would be taken, but she was the only one.

In-gong had already taken the supplies of the sixth and seventh bases. Apart from Felicia and Caitlin, no one knew what method had been used, but they weren’t surprised as it had already been repeated three times, starting from Takar.

Of course, even if all the materials were collected, the supply lines would still be cut off if all three bases were occupied.

However, before In-gong’s supplies would run out, the situation would change due to the Demon King’s Palace. Thus, there was no need to consider the long term situation.

“B-but if Your Highness throws away the fifth base, Takar will be in danger.”

Diotima stuttered, and In-gong shook his head.

“There is a lot of distance between Takar and the bases. By the time the barbarian king’s army reaches Takar, we can already save General Vandal and head back. Then we will have enough power to face the barbarian king.”

He didn’t think that General Vandal’s troops would have been slaughtered. It was likely that more troops had escaped.

‘Assemble the remnants of the defeated army. Then create a main force once again.’

“I know that the plan will take a lot of work. But… for me, the soldiers of the Demon King’s Palace are more important than Takar.”

It was a remark that might cause backlash, but all the people here were soldiers of the Demon King’s Palace. So, the leaders of the three bases were deeply impressed by In-gong who prioritized the lives of the soldiers.

“Your Highness…”

Diotima said in a voice mixed with admiration. In-gong smiled back at her. Then Kaparang asked with a serious expression,

“Your Highness, the exact position and situation of General Vandal are unknown. Do you have any plans for this?”

How would he find General Vandal’s troops?

“Perhaps.”

In-gong nodded, and Green Wind appeared. Thanks to her recovered strength, she had the same sacred and mysterious atmosphere like when he first met her at Enger Plains.

However, Green Wind was still Green Wind. She smiled brightly to In-gong as always, and he patted her head.

&

At the same time, each army was moving in different places.

Paratus escaped from Takar and collected the remnants of the barbarians who had been defeated by In-gong.

The barbarian king had already occupied the fourth base.

Paratus raided the seventh base with a strong army, but he was left with a blank expression when all he discovered was an empty base with no supplies left. He headed toward the sixth base, but the result was the same. Additionally, although Paratus didn’t know it yet, their hunger would continue at the fifth base.

While Paratus was going hungry, the barbarian king was preparing to leave the fourth base. His main destination was the fifth base.

It had been approximately a day and a half since In-gong received news of Vandal’s defeat.

Vandal was ready for the last fight of his life.

Vandal had been born on the battlefield.

He didn’t know whether his mother had been a soldier of the army or a mercenary. Maybe she had just been a pitiful civilian. Anyway, she would have been an ogre.

Vandal was an orphan. He didn’t know who his father or mother was.

From the beginning, his father had belonged to the army of the demon king. He belonged to a group that could be called either mercenaries or warlords. Vandal’s memories of his childhood were faint, so he didn’t know anything more. Still, it was clear that it hadn’t been a regular army.

His life had been saved due to the mercy of the mercenary leader, and he had grown up under the care of all the mercenaries as their mascot.

Vandal survived due to the distinctive tough vitality of an ogre and their short childhood. Among the ogres, he was a particularly strong variant. Although an ogre’s childhood was short, he had almost no suckling days.

Vandal had been born and raised on the battlefield, so his life was filled with numerous battles. There had been favourable battles and unfavourable ones. There had been overwhelming battles in which massacres had occurred and battles in which there had been a stalemate on both sides. Of course, Vandal had experience as both the slaughterer and the victim.

Numerous battles, numerous defeats and victories… He had hundreds or maybe even thousands of those experiences, and some of those remained unforgettable in his memories.

It was the same for the battle several days ago.

It was a total failure. Among the many battles he had experienced as a general of the demon king’s palace, it was difficult to find a larger defeat.

Approximately 9,000… That was the number of soldiers Vandal had led. He didn’t know how many of them lived or died. That fact alone explained how terribly he had been defeated.

The number of troops that Vandal was currently leading amounted roughly to 2,000 or so. Collecting the scattered soldiers would allow him to build a large unit, but the enemy didn’t allow it.

Thousands of enemies were chasing after him. However, they weren’t the barbarian king’s main army. They were only a part of the great army that the barbarian king had raised.

Vandal’s soldiers were exhausted. As usual, many dropouts occurred during the night. There were also some who were injured and some who died. Those who thought there was no chance of winning escaped as well.

Vandal, who was at the very front of his troops, moved to the rear of the procession. However, it wasn’t to monitor those who wanted to run away.

Vandal stopped in place and looked behind him. A dust cloud could be seen from far away. It was the desperate pursuit of the barbarian king’s troops after there had already been a few conflicts over the past few days. As expected, the scale of the pursuers was much larger than Vandal’s forces. He had lost strength due to the constant harassment over the past two days.

Vandal stretched and sighed, raising his head to the sky.

Despite having been defeated in the battle against the barbarian king, Vandal attached great importance to his survival. If the army commander lost their life, the army would be lost. In order to defeat the barbarians properly, he needed to survive and lead the troops.

However, it was different now. Vandal decided to be a commander on the front lines.

‘No, it isn’t even that.’

He was an arrow that had served the military since childhood—a meat shield sent out to die.

He had to prevent the enemy’s advance, raise chaos and make the situation a slightly more favourable for the soldiers fighting. The rewards for the barbarians would vary depending on the merits, and the best prize, General Vandal’s head, was right in front of them.

The dust cloud became a little bit bigger. The sound of horseshoes hitting the ground could be heard.

Vandal’s ogre guards stood beside him. Among them, the orc who was Vandal’s deputy, Zico, was absent as he had died in the battle against the barbarian king.

Vandal took a deep breath and poured strength into his two hands which were holding a weapon. Due to the catastrophic battle against the barbarian king, his left arm wasn’t working properly. Its aura circulation wasn’t natural either, and there was pain in his right leg every time he moved.

How could he fight against the enemy in this state? However, this was the way Vandal had chosen to live his entire life.

Vandal was reminded of the mercenary leader who had been his idol in his childhood. The mercenary leader had been an orc, and he had used to say the same thing in battle,

‘It’s a good day to die.’

Vandal laughed. It was bullshit. Was this that day?

“They’re coming.”

Vandal said. There was a vacancy, so the now 23 members of his guards grabbed their weapons and prepared for battle.

There was more dust. The enemy’s shouting could now be heard as well. The screams and sounds of cavalry were indeed amazing.

Vandal roared as he faced the enemies. The roaring seemed to shake the heavens and earth as the cavalry rode on. Some horses panicked and dropped their riders.

Vandal laughed, and his aura rose up like flames.

“Go.”

The situation was like this, and Vandal, his ogre guards and his soldiers rushed forward wildly.

&

Yakuzan was the chief of the Red Lightning tribe.

He held his weapon in his last fight, instead of running away. He had challenged Vandal, who was sweeping through the orcs.

“Kuhang!”

Vandal roared and wielded a large hammer. Before Vandal’s power, Body Hardening was useless. The barbarians hit by the battle hammer exploded and died.

Vandal felt the battlefield with his entire body. He wielded his battle hammer towards the barbarians on both sides and found himself alone. He felt satisfied as his charge had disrupted the barbarians’ formation.

Dozens of spears flew toward him. The ogre guards were nowhere in sight, but Vandal picked up a barbarian at his feet to use as a shield. However, there were too many spears, and the large spears mangled Vandal’s shoulders, arms and thighs.

As he threw himself at the barbarians, Vandal only protected his head. He moved through the barbarians with a pained roar and blended in with the enemies in order to interfere with the spear attacks.

However, the barbarians didn’t care about any damages to their allies. Among the barbarians, those with a particularly strong red aura around them threw spears.

This time, Vandal scattered aura from his hammer into the air instead of picking up another barbarian, and Vandal’s aura exploded into the sky, destroying the spears or twisting their trajectory.

“Ararararai!”

Vandal gave his ogre battle cry and rushed towards the barbarians with red energy. It was an unimaginable pace for a person with critical wounds all over his body.

The barbarians were trampled on by Vandal, and they died. The barbarians with red energy at the front couldn’t avoid or stop Vandal’s hammer. Like the other barbarian warriors, their bodies exploded and they died.

Vandal’s eyes shone, and the blue aura radiating from him was running wild.

However, a spear then pierced Vandal’s back. Vandal swallowed the pain and swung his battle hammer. He was about to hit the enemy who damaged him, but that was it. The barbarians with the red aura rushed in at once. They were many times stronger than the common barbarians, but they still couldn’t withstand Vandal’s strikes. Every movement made the spears which were already embedded in his body hurt even more.

Vandal put down the battle hammer and used his fists. Some of the barbarians lost their lives to his fists, but it was only for a short time. No matter how much vitality an ogre had, he was still a living being. He had lost too much blood. His life force was scattered, and Vandal’s movements became slower. He wasn’t able to exert his strength properly.

A few spears were sticking out of his chest, and Vandal coughed up blood. A barbarian before him paused for a moment, and Vandal swung a fist with all his strength. He crushed the face of the man and looked up at the sky.

“Ararararai!”

His last roar.

Vandal laughed excitedly. Instead of waiting for death like Yakuzan, he moved until the end. He raised his fist once again!

Kwang!

The sound came from Vandal’s chest, not his fist. A red energy exploded at Vandal’s chest, and he fell to the ground. The barbarians ran over to Vandal and stabbed him with more spears.

‘The end.’

Vandal was lucky his heart wasn’t pierced, but he couldn’t go on anymore. With the last of his strength, Vandal squeezed the ankle of a barbarian who had stabbed him, and he stared up at the sky. Yes, there was a clear sky.

‘It’s a good day to die.’

Vandal thought and laughed bitterly. He closed his eyes.

Then a meteor fell from the sky. It was a dark blue meteor. It tore through the sky and exploded to Vandal’s right. A black and a white object revolved around Vandal and pushed all the barbarians away.

Vandal opened his eyes. His ears couldn’t hear properly, but his eyes were still fine. He saw the back of a white-haired man with a blue cloak. Vandal knew that back. Although the appearance was different from what he remembered, Vandal was able to recognize it with one glance.

‘Why?’

Vandal opened his mouth. At the same time, In-gong, the meteor from the sky, raised his right hand which was holding a flag. He stuck it into the ground and shouted,

“Below the King’s Flag!”

Kwaaaaaang!

A pure white light exploded. The light coming from the flagpole soared into the sky and spread in a circle.

King…

It was a king’s back.

In-gong didn’t look back at Vandal. Instead, In-gong looked straight ahead. He could feel the power of War from the red aura. It was the first time he had faced such a power, but he knew what it was instantly.

So, In-gong used Below the King’s Flag. He pushed back the power of War using Conquest, and at the same time, he gave Vandal’s soldiers in the vicinity the ability to conquer War.

‘Conquer.’

The woman with white hair whispered.

She said to him, ‘Conquer the power of War. Obey and rule!’

The War Knight wasn’t here, and the red energy was merely a remnant of that power. So, it was impossible for the power of a Conquest Knight to be stopped.

In-gong raised the flagpole of light from the ground once again, and the red aura covering the barbarians was peeled off by the shockwave of white energy.

“Shutra!”

Caitlin shouted from within In-gong’s arms. Due to the King’s Flag, she was wrapped in a white light.

In-gong released her from his arms, then he glanced at White Eagle and Black Eagle which were pushing the barbarians around. The barbarians were strewn all over the place, and In-gong and Caitlin had jumped alone into the middle of the battlefield.

At dawn on the day they heard about Vandal, In-gong had moved the troops of the fifth base to the south. He had predicted Vandal’s movement route and moved southwest diagonally, while Green Wind had searched from the sky. Instead of using Below the King’s Flag, he had concentrated on the mini-map and searched for Vandal.

By the time In-gong found him, Vandal had already been engaging in combat. In-gong had left Alita to lead the rest of the troops and held Caitlin in his arms. He had then moved ahead on White Eagle.

In-gong had been able to see more of the situation as he moved closer. Vandal had been in the middle of thousands of enemies.

However, In-gong hadn’t hesitated. Rather than being afraid, Caitlin had activated the quad-core and amplified their aura as well. Then they descended. He had used Night Watch’s ability to fly and arranged White Eagle and Black Eagle.

And now…

In-gong made a quick judgement and pushed the power of War back with Conquest. He infused Earth Quaker with power, which started to emit angry cries, and activated Conquest again.

“Karma!”

Karma appeared behind In-gong after he used Call. She was surprised to find barbarians strewn around but soon understood why she was called. Before In-gong could call her name, she pulled the broken spears out of Vandal and started to cast special druid recovery spells.

‘Master!’

Green Wind called out to In-gong and used Protection of the Wind. The green wind wound around In-gong and Caitlin, while White Eagle and Black Eagle continued spinning around him.

“9th Prince.”

In-gong turned back at the quiet voice. The completely bloody Vandal was making an excited smile. Despite the fact that he was dying, he raised his hand slowly, extending only one finger.

There was no time. Conquest had pushed War back, but White Eagle and Black Eagle couldn’t block all the barbarians forever.

However, In-gong still approached Vandal. He grabbed the finger lightly like they were shaking hands.

That’s how things were.

The white light of Below the King’s Flag spread to Vandal, who nodded toward In-gong. In-gong let go of the finger and turned to Caitlin.

“Please look after Vandal and Karma.”

“Leave it to me, and be careful.”

“Noona as well.’

The two exchanged a small smile and shared their aura through the quad-core. Caitlin stood beside Vandal with her white and blue aura, while In-gong called White Eagle and Black Eagle to him. A single white shield was placed on In-gong’s left arm.

The result caused a gap. The barbarians noticed this and shouted with glee. They rushed toward In-gong from all sides.

‘Master.’

Green Wind said. Caitlin’s aura was transformed into the dragon style in In-gong’s body.

‘Dragon Blood.’

Dragon style was then invoked…

And all that power was devoured by one thing—

“Black Specter.”

In-gong chanted amidst the barbarians’ roars.

With Violent Kaltein’s equipment, he triggered Night Watch’s super special move.

Night Watch fluctuated. It moved around In-gong like there was wind blowing. Night Watch seemed like a dark blue liquid. In a short burst of time, the blue colour grew closer to the dark end of the spectrum.

It was just in the blink of an eye.

In-gong and Night Watch disappeared into pitch darkness. An abundant black smoke took their place, exploding and spreading out everywhere.

It was like an angry wave. The black smoke swallowed everything within a 20-meter radius of where In-gong had previously been standing.

In-gong had become the black smoke, and he recognized everything within the black smoke. The moment In-gong struck, black blades formed from the smoke.

Padadadada!

Hundreds or thousands of birds seemed to take flight at the same time, and the black smoke shook with a terrible sound. The barbarians screamed as their blood gushed out.

If In-gong were to classify it, the attack would be a wide area attack. It was a technique that had the high maneuverability of the black smoke and the black blades which smashed into the enemy!

The black smoke exploded again with a popping sound.

In-gong turned back into his original shape, and all the barbarians in his range fell down.

Karma, who was in the middle of curing Vandal, stopped at the sight. Caitlin’s mouth dropped open as well. The barbarians outside the range were astonished and tried to run away.

In the void on the battlefield, In-gong raised the flag of light. At that moment, Caitlin sensed something. There wasn’t much time left to move among the barbarians who were frozen with shock. So, she moved hurriedly.

“Shutra!”

Caitlin shouted loudly. In-gong turned back reflexively and saw Caitlin lifting Vandal with both hands. Vandal was very heavy, but his limbs were being drawn off the ground. The sight of the slender Caitlin lifting Vandal was amazing.

“Caitlin is awesome.”

In-gong spoke unwittingly, and Caitlin just frowned before urging In-gong again. Her arms and legs were trembling.

In-gong smiled and pushed off from the ground. He approached Caitlin and grabbed her waist with his left arm.

Then Blink!

A blue smoke exploded. After using Night Watch’s power, In-gong appeared in a location that was over a dozen meters away.

The barbarians regained their spirit, but it was already too late. Some of them threw spears hurriedly, but White Eagle and Black Eagle blocked the attacks easily.

‘Master!’

Green Wind called out to In-gong, and he understood what she meant. If this continued on, he wouldn’t be able to leave the battlefield with Vandal. Caitlin’s arms were trembling, but she couldn’t abandon Vandal in the middle.

In-gong crossed the space once again with Blink. He landed among Vandal’s troops instead of among the enemies.

As soon as their feet touched the ground, Caitlin put Vandal down. In fact, she almost dropped him, but it couldn’t be helped.

In-gong released Caitlin and planted the flag of light into the ground once again. Although the shockwave didn’t spread like the first time the king’s flag was activated, light gushed towards the sky and gave the power of Conquest to those around him. The energy of War around the barbarians was also blown away.

“Arararararai!”

The surviving ogre guards cried out loudly. Thanks to the power of Conquest, they rushed forward instead of approaching In-gong. They smashed the barbarians in front of them with their fists and weapons.

It was the same for the other soldiers. They had gained the power of Conquest and were beating up the barbarians.

The barbarians were confused about losing the power of War, but they didn’t break down. They shouted angrily too and attacked Vandal’s troops. Living in the cold land beyond the limit line, they were powerful warriors even without the power of War.

It transformed into a melee.

In-gong added power to the flag of light instead of fighting. Karma healed Vandal as much as she could, while Caitlin smashed the barbarians approaching them.

At the same time, White Eagle and Black Eagle were working hard. In the midst of all this fighting, In-gong kept an eye on the mini-map. He watched the battlefield from high in the sky and was delighted when the time he was waiting for finally came.

“They’re coming.”

Those who rushed toward the pillar of light… Those who would crack the balance of the two armies…!

Caitlin finally realized it. Her keen hearing could sense the sound coming from the earth.

It was coming from the left side of the battlefield—the north when considering the orientation.

Dracos were running forward with all their strength. Dark elves and lycanthropes were riding on those dracos which were running at three times their speed.

It was a group which had tried repeatedly to catch up to In-gong.

Kaparang, who was riding on the draco with Alita, took a deep breath. He looked at the battlefield and shouted,

“Beast Form! Go!”

Kaparang’s flesh swelled greatly. He became a silver werewolf and leapt off the back of the draco. The draco stopped running and almost collapsed from exhaustion. Alita jumped down from the top of the draco to stroke and praise it, then she raised her head and saw the battlefield.

The lycanthropes were covering the sky, while 200 animals were piercing the sides of the barbarians with sharp teeth and claws.

Alita pulled out a sword. The dark elves didn’t participate in this battle just as a means of transportation. Most of the dracos couldn’t fight, but that didn’t mean the dark elves were unable to.

“Let’s go, support the fools from behind.”

Alita said with a laugh, and the other dark elves pulled their weapons. With the strength of their powerful magic, the dark elves helped the lycanthropes.

The total number of these troops was slightly less than 400. In a battlefield where thousands were tangled together, it was just a small handful.

However, they broke the balance of the battlefield. They confused and broke the barbarians.

Like a tightly pulled thread being broken, the battlefield changed at once. The barbarians were now on the defensive.

Then the finishing blow arrived.

“I am a little late!”

Carack shouted from far away. He came with all the soldiers from the fifth, sixth and seventh bases.

Approximately 2,000 people walked forward instead of charging. Their slow march towards the battlefield was somewhat different from a ferocious dash, but the effect was similar to increasing the pressure on the barbarians.

Some of the barbarians looked back. As soon as some of them started to run away, this feeling spread and the barbarians were suddenly escaping.

In-gong realized that the time had come, and it was time to pursue the barbarians.

“Green Wind.”

White Eagle and Black Eagle came smoothly at In-gong’s call.

‘Master.’

Affection mixed with worry filled Green Wind’s voice. In-gong smiled and got on top of White Eagle. In some ways, it was like a white horse.

It was good to fight, but right now, In-gong’s role was something else.

In-gong raised the flag of light and shouted with the power of Conquest,

“Full force! Charge!”

He waved the flag with a clear command. White Eagle increased in altitude gently so that everyone could see In-gong.

The soldiers responded to his cry.

The ogre guards voiced their unique battle cry, while the lycanthropes, who had occupied three bases with In-gong, roared, and the dark elves quickly added to the lycanthropes’ cries.

The mixed reinforcements of dark elves, lycanthropes, the troops of three bases and Vandal’s troops…

All of them became one under Conquest’s flag. They rushed in according to In-gong’s words and overwhelmed the battlefield.

In-gong looked at their charge while holding the flag up high.

Caitlin stayed with In-gong instead of going to fight, and Felicia collapsed with Daphne, gasping for breath after all the recovery magic she had to do. Nayatra, who was guarding Felicia, stared at In-gong on the white shield with shining eyes.

Carack wielded his axe. Caitlin’s aide, Seira, assisted Carack while Delia gazed at everything from far away. Amita, who was standing next to her, cheered them on.

Karma finally pulled out the last spear from Vandal’s body, and she used her last recovery magic on Vandal. Despite the desire to fall unconscious, he resisted and kept his eyes on a certain point.

‘9th Prince.’

Vandal gazed at In-gong, and there was an unknown smile on his face.

&

The pursuing army had been destroyed.

It took a while for this fact to be reported.

The barbarian king’s main army had already reached the fourth base, so the distance between them and the ones who pursued Vandal was considerable. If the pursuing army was in perfect condition, they would be able to convey the news. However, the army was in a shattered state.

The unsuccessful army scattered, but Evian was an unfamiliar land for the barbarians. It would take more imagination than they had to return to the fourth base to search for the barbarian king.

Paratus, who almost fainted at the sight of the empty fifth base, decided to wait there for orders from the barbarian king. The surviving barbarians were reaching their limit as their food supply would run out in just a few days. They were fighting against starvation, not the army from Evian.

In-gong won the battle and moved to the second base, while Vandal’s soldiers swept away the remnants of the barbarians.

Two days after the battle with the pursuing army…

After the barbarian king left the fourth base and headed toward the fifth base, the barbarian king changed the direction of his march.

Paratus, stationed at the fifth base, commenced an attack on the south.

At the same time, the remnants of Vandal’s defeated army started to move.

&

“It is late but happy birthday. This is my gift.”

“The ebb and flow of peace.”

“A short peace.”

It had been a day since arriving at the second base and two days after the battle with the pursuing army.

The remnants of Vandal’s army had been able to gather. There were Vandal’s original soldiers and the handful of soldiers belonging to the third base which had collapsed. They had saved approximately 2,000 troops, and Vandal still had approximately 2,000 troops when In-gong saved him. So, it was around 4,000 in total.

‘Vandal originally had an army of 9,000… This is moderately good.’

It was nearly half of his army.

It was a significant achievement considering General Vandal had been defeated by the barbarian king. Moreover, it had only been two days, and this many soldiers had already been recovered. As time passed, more troops were gathering, so In-gong could expect that number to grow in the next few days.

“It is a short but precious peace. Why don’t you rest for today? You were moving around a lot yesterday.”

Carack offered with a smile, and In-gong nodded his head slowly.

In-gong had been busy circulating around the second base yesterday and helping with the scattered troops. Thanks to sharing Green Wind’s gaze and the mini-map, he had been able to achieve significant results, but the fatigue had accumulated. Come to think of it, he hadn’t had a proper night of sleep since he first left Takar.

“Yes, I want to relax today.”

Of course, he couldn’t really afford to relax. However, he needed to rest to restore his spirit.

In-gong answered and stretched out on a long chair. In-gong was currently at the second base, which contained fairly high quality accommodations as they were for generals to stay in.

Unlike the sixth and seventh bases, which were closer to supply points, the second base was truly a fortress, so the scale was different. The walls were high and durable, and there were many rooms in the base.

Carack looked at In-gong lying down, and he sat down on one of the empty seats. It was similar to a reception room, so there were plenty of chairs beside the one that In-gong was lying on. Carack was as tired as In-gong, so the two of them rested in silence instead of talking. After many minutes passed… there was the sound of knocking.

“Shutra, I’m entering.”

Felicia’s voice was heard from outside the door. Before In-gong could reply, the door opened and Felicia and Delia entered the room, with Caitlin and Seira following them.

“Did you get some rest?”

Felicia asked as she saw In-gong lounging on the long chair. It was obvious that she was asking for a seat, so In-gong lowered his legs and got up into a sitting position.

“Somewhat. Noona, aren’t you tired? You look a little thin.”

Felicia sat down at the end of the long chair and scoffed at In-gong’s words.

“Someone drove me harshly day and night.”

“I know that I am a bad guy.”

“Yes, you have a conscience.”

In-gong and Felicia stared at each other and then laughed.

“Well, it was still my choice. It is my natural duty as a princess.”

Felicia had exhausted her magic until she had been on the verge of fainting almost everyday for a week. In-gong’s super fast plan would have failed from the beginning if it hadn’t been for Felicia’s painful sacrifice.

“Daphne is ill, but she is also very satisfied. Not only did we manage to save three bases, but we managed to save General Vandal as well.”

Felicia made a very pleased expression. She had a lot of pride because she rescued a lot of people, including Vandal, but she also liked Daphne’s attitude.

In-gong nodded in agreement, then he took a potion from his inventory and handed it to Felicia.

“Now, you should take this. I will need you tomorrow as well.”

It was a white potion for restoring fatigue. Felicia received the potion bottle reflexively and stared at In-gong with a pout.

“Aren’t you really too much?”

She looked at Caitlin for support. Caitlin nodded and replied with only one word,

“Shutra.”

Many things were implied in that word, and Felicia laughed.

“That’s right. It is Shutra.”

“I’d prefer if you stop that.”

Caitlin laughed at In-gong’s request and sat down beside Felicia. Felicia hugged Caitlin and said to In-gong,

“Here, take this.”

“Huh?”

In-gong asked, and Felicia glanced at Delia before giving a signal. Delia approached In-gong with a long box in her hands.

“It is late but happy birthday. This is my birthday present.”

It was moderately luxurious, so it didn’t seem to be prepared in a rush.

In-gong made a surprised expression, and Caitlin explained,

“I heard Baikal orabeoni’s words at the tea party that it would be Shutra’s birthday soon. So, when we were in Takar, I went shopping with Unni.”

The tea party had been right before their departure, so there had been no way to prepare a present in the Demon King’s Palace.

“Oh, is that so?”

“Uh, yes. I wanted to buy you a present, so I agreed to go there.”

Felicia said with a laugh.

In-gong understood what had happened in Takar. He had thought it was a bit odd that they separated with just Carack watching In-gong, but he had never thought there would be a reason like this.

“This is my gift, and Caitlin has a separate one. Open it quickly.”

Felicia prompted, and In-gong quickly accepted the box. His heart was throbbing.

“Open it quickly.”

Carack urged In-gong like he was curious. In-gong opened the box and blinked.

“Uh, a drink?”

Inside the black box, there was a bottle of classy, dark blue wine.

“You are 15 years old, so you can drink now.”

He didn’t know if it was based on dark elf standards, gandharva standards or the standards of the Demon King’s Palace.

Felicia explained further,

“The first alcohol must be learnt properly. I also learnt to drink with this wine. It is a great drink, so learn well from it.”

When she finished talking, she winked softly. It seemed like Felicia wanted to learn with him. However, it wasn’t just Felicia. Carrack also had a similar expression.

In-gong saw both of their faces and laughed. He didn’t like alcohol, but he was thankful for Felicia’s intentions.

“Shutra, open my gift.”

Caitlin spoke hurriedly, and Seira handed him a very large box.

In-gong opened the box and tilted his head.

“Uh… pillow?”

It really was a pillow. It was also very big. The pillow was wrapped in a luxurious purple cloth, and its surface was as smooth as silk.

“Yes, it is a pillow for a good night’s sleep. Not only is it excellent for fatigue, but there is a really cool hidden feature. Do you know what the feature is?”

Caitlin asked with a bright laugh. It seemed like she wanted to surprise In-gong, rather than actually expect him to know.

In-gong touched the pillow, and just like when he touched other items, several phrases popped up.

[Lucid Dream Pillow]

[It is a magic pillow that gives the owner whatever dream he wants, once every three days.]

[You can design the background and characters in the dream.]

[* The dream has a strong impact, so be careful because it can affect your reality.]

[* The dream time is controlled in order to prevent overuse.]

[* It is possible to use up to a maximum of 10 times.]

Caitlin said it wasn’t just a pillow. It was a pillow that allowed him to dream whatever he wanted once every three days, but it was also limited to 10 times.

“A magic pillow that lets me dream what I want?”

“Um, how did you know?”

Caitlin’s startled blue eyes shone. Felicia clicked her tongue and said to Caitlin,

“Shutra.”

It truly was a universal answer. Caitlin was convinced, while Felicia narrowed her eyes.

“I’m telling you in advance, but it is a type of mental drug. So, it is harmful to use it continuously. It might be difficult to distinguish the gap between dreams and reality. And also -”

“Also?”

“Isn’t it really expensive and difficult to obtain? It really isn’t cheap. Caitlin was lucky enough to stumble across this among some relics from a ruin. The owner of the store didn’t know its proper performance. Otherwise, it would’ve sold at a very high price at auction. It is good enough among items of the same series.

“A vivid dream that feels more like reality than reality.”

The salesperson had been unaware of its true worth, but Felicia and Caitlin had recognized it.

Caitlin nodded.

“Yes, yes. We were quite lucky. Shutra is truly watched over by the heavens.”

Caitlin said with a warm smile. In-gong patted the pillow and said,

“Thank you, it is really good.”

“Yes, then tell me later about what you dreamed.”

Caitlin said innocently. Then Carack bolted upright and cried out hurriedly,

“Princess, you shouldn’t ask that. Prince is not in his prime.”

“Huh?”

Caitlin asked with confusion, and Seira and Delia avoided her gaze. Both of them were blushing.

‘No?! I don’t need such consideration!’

In-gong howled inwardly, but Carack just gazed at him with a strange smile.

In the midst of the chaos, Felicia opened her fan. However, he could see that the tips of her ears were red.

“Anyway, do you know about General Vandal’s status? I am nervous about the barbarian king’s movements.”

Vandal’s injuries were really severe. Despite drinking recovery potions for two days, he still wasn’t fully healed. However, the vitality of a blood ogre was flowing through him, and Vandal was also a master of aura. He would be able to stand up in the next day or two.

He felt sorry toward Vandal, but the most important thing right now was the barbarian king, not Vandal’s status. The barbarian king had been informed about the demise of the pursuers and changed his movements.

“The result of Nayatra’s questioning should come out soon.”

It was the result of interrogating the pursuers, not the barbarians caught at the fifth, sixth and seventh bases. They were the ones likely to have new information about the barbarian king.

‘The power of War.’

The red aura that the barbarians had been surrounded with… What was going on? Was the War Knight cooperating with the barbarians? Or was it possible that the barbarian king was the War Knight?

He needed a little bit more information. So, be had no choice but to wait for Nayatra.

“Okay, is it time to go?”

Felicia stood up from her seat, and Caitlin immediately followed suit. In-gong got up after placing Felicia’s and Caitlin’s gifts in his inventory.

Right before she left the room, Caitlin grabbed In-gong’s hand and said,

“Shutra, you’ve grown taller.”

Originally, he had been level with Caitlin’s height, but he was now slightly taller. In-gong laughed and nodded.

“Sooner or later, I may even be taller than Felicia noona.”

“Omo, can I look forward to that?”

Felicia replied exaggeratedly. Carack came forward.

“Prince will grow much bigger in the future.”

“Of course. He is the man who will become the demon king.”

Felicia said mischievously, but there was a serious tone behind it as she left the room quickly. Instead of talking further, everyone left the room. It wasn’t just Feliica who felt this way after fighting for days and nights.

Everyone who had fought under the banner of Conquest shared the feeling.

Soon after, In-gong’s party headed to meet Vandal at the base. Then a lot of people hurried to report to them.

There was news about the barbarian king.

&

“It is an unexpected move.”

The barbarian king departed from the fourth base and headed toward the fifth base, but it was literally just for a moment.

The fugitives joined up with the barbarian king, and he headed towards the north again. It was a move that showed indifference to the second base.

“It is an unexpected move.”

Vandal, who was lying in bed, raised his upper body and greeted In-gong’s group. He was four meters tall, so despite lying down, In-gong wasn’t eye level with him.

The barbarian king was ignoring the troops stationed at the second base and heading north. The fifth, sixth and seventh bases were already empty, so Vandal could only presume that the barbarian king’s destination was Takar.

It was truly an unexpected move.

However, Vandal didn’t share Felicia’s and Caitlin’s quandary. Of course, the barbarian king’s policy of leaving troops behind him and going to the north was strange, but he understood it.

Vandal noticed the two people’s confused states and explained,

“The barbarian king destroyed my army before heading north. There are two reasons for this. One, he was concerned about a rear attack. The other is to buy some time in order to block the road.”

“Block the road? Is it the way back over the Eastern Limit Line?”

Vandal nodded at Felicia’s question.

“That’s right. It is due to geographical reasons. It is impossible to cross the Eastern Limit Line toward Takar without going through Evian. There is something blocking the way beyond the limit line.”

An unknown land was beyond the limit line. They could guess based on the barbarians they saw, but there was no clear reason.

This time, it was Caitlin who asked,

“General Vandal, the barbarians fear… Are they worried about the reinforcements from the Demon King’s Palace?”

“That’s right. The barbarians are afraid the captains will interfere. Burning Takar means that Evian’s defenses have been breached. The captains are more likely to intervene.”

The Demon World was very wide, and the army captains were generally stationed in the north. Therefore, the captains rarely appeared at the boundaries, but there were incidents where it had happened. If Evian were broken through and Takar were taken, the captains were likely to move.

Vandal thought the barbarian king would lead the army and advance to the second base.

Only then would it be possible to create an easy situation to fight or escape the later reinforcements from the Demon King’s Palace. From the standpoint of the barbarians, it would be the worst situation if the troops of the second base joined with the reinforcements of the Demon King’s Palace.

Nevertheless, the barbarian king left the troops of the second base and headed to Takar.

“They aren’t lured here…”

In-gong muttered in a small voice. It was almost a knee-jerk thought.

The second base was a solid fortress. The walls were high, and there was even a moat. It wasn’t easy to occupy the fortress, especially when the old defense forces, Vandal’s army and the troops led by In-gong, totalled to almost 8,000. Therefore, it was the best for the demon king’s side to fight at the second base, while it was the worst from the standpoint of the barbarians.

Carack grasped In-gong’s words and frowned.

“Indeed, is this them taking the initiative in a big fight? Instead of going to a disadvantageous battlefield, they are forcing us to make a choice.”

The barbarian king was in the north. The intervention of the captains or reinforcements from the palace were all future events. When looking at the second situation alone, the troops of the second base were placed at a crossroads of choice.

Felicia frowned and said,

“We have abandoned three bases… It isn’t an exaggeration to say that the fourth base isn’t far from Takar. If we leave this alone, Takar really will be captured by the barbarians. We can’t allow that situation to happen.”

“But if we leave the second base in order to fight them, they would force us to fight in a place that is suitable for them.”

Currently, it was estimated that the barbarian king had between 13,000 and 14,000 troops. It was almost twice the size of the troops stationed at the second base. Moreover, the elite cavalry, which the barbarian king led, exerted great power when fighting on the plains. Fighting on the plains should be avoided as much as possible.

It was a dilemma.

If they let Takar fall, the Evian defense mission would fail. However, if they moved north from the second base, they would have to fight the barbarians in disadvantageous terrain. The barbarian king couldn’t let the initiative slip away. Instead of being dragged by In-gong’s momentum, he headed north to Takar first.

How should In-gong respond to this?

Vandal didn’t given an opinion. He just gazed at In-gong with calm eyes which didn’t seem to belong to an ogre. He seemed to be waiting for In-gong’s answer.

Felicia and Caitlin also looked at In-gong. Then all the people in the room, including Alita and Kaparang, focused on In-gong.

What would be his choice? How would 9th Prince handle this situation?

In-gong exhaled, then he answered in a quiet voice,

“Fight.”

“Shutra?”

In-gong laughed at Caitlin’s surprise. He raised his eyes higher and gazed into Vandal’s eyes.

“We can’t let Takar be captured. If they want to make it difficult for us, then we just need to overcome it.”

The basis of the strategy was to make it difficult for the opponent. The more difficult they made it, the less of an advantage the enemy would have.

“9th Prince, the plan?”

Vandal asked. Alita and Kaparang also made interested expressions. It was because in this situation, In-gong couldn’t just come up with a simple solution.

“Don’t let the barbarian king take the initiative. Force the opponent to make difficult choices.”

In-gong replied in a calm tone.

&

The second base’s forces departed.

They numbered approximately 8,000. That was virtually Evian’s total power, except for the minimum needed to defend the bases.

The barbarians were willing to face the demon king’s army. So, instead of rushing, the barbarian king kept a normal speed. Since the starting points were different, there was a distance between the barbarian king’s army and the demon king’s army. In order to narrow the gap, the demon king’s army maintained a fairly fast speed.

The distance between the two armies gradually narrowed. By the time the barbarian king joined up with Paratus near the fifth base, the distance was narrowed to only half a day.

However, it was just up to there.

The demon king’s army remained exactly half a day away from the barbarian king’s army. They didn’t get any closer or further away. Whenever the barbarian king’s army stopped or reversed, the demon king’s army also did the same thing.

This happened in real time, so the barbarian king couldn’t force them to move closer.

Moreover, the difference in maneuverability was great. The demon king’s army didn’t bring a supplies unit, so it was one of the main factors that increased their speed. The soldiers didn’t have to carry supplies. Thus, their movements were slightly lighter. The demon king’s army stayed firm despite the barbarian king’s attempts to narrow the distance.

This time, the barbarian king was in a difficult situation. If he continued north, he would reach Takar, but the demon king’s army would be behind him.

Takar was its own area. It was a city that had the power to protect its huge wealth from the outlaws. So, naturally it had its own defense force. It was relatively easy to deal with Takar’s army, but it was a different story if the barbarian king had to deal with both sides at the same time.

The barbarian king was forced to choose: fight the battle at Takar in the north; or go to a place other than Takar and stop there.

Both options weren’t good. In particular, the latter method was a waste of time and materials. However, it wasn’t bad for the demon king’s army. From the outset, the purpose of the army was to protect Evian, not destroy the barbarian king.

Moreover, according to the results of Nayatra’s questioning, the barbarians were lacking supplies. It was because the leader of the fourth base had burnt all the supplies right before it had been occupied.

Although the barbarian king’s attacks were a success, he had gained few things from the third and fourth bases, while In-gong had taken all the supplies of the fifth, sixth and seventh bases. It was a type of field tactic.  The basis of the strategy was to make it difficult for the opponent. In-gong didn’t miss this fact and the barbarian king was forced to choose.

Confronted with such a demand, the barbarian king responded once again.

&

“They are moving.”

In-gong said as he shared Green Wind’s gaze and looked at the mini-map.

The barbarian king was heading straight to Takar. He was increasing the speed of his advance, like he had made up his mind.

It was good that the entire Evian area was a wilderness. It was a wide wilderness without any particular obstacles, so it was possible to see far away. If it were a place other than Evian, he wouldn’t have been able to see the movements of the barbarian king’s army, even with sensory sharing and the mini-map.

Felicia and Caitlin, who explained every situation with ‘Shutra’, accepted it easily, but Vandal was different.

Unlike the two people who knew about his inventory ability, Vandal really didn’t know anything. Therefore, the ability to see a distance using the mini-map, and the ability to store enough food and water for 8,000 people was literally thought to be ‘great magic’.

In the end, Vandal just admired In-gong, like Alita and Kaparang.

The 9th Prince was a sleeping dragon. He had been hiding his claws for years, but he was exposing them now.

Carack remarked on In-gong’s words,

“Did the barbarian king decide to fight at Takar?”

“Perhaps.”

If he stopped his army here, he would have to go back without any profit. Therefore, the barbarian king chose the unfavourable battle at Takar. If so, this was also good.

Carack delivered In-gong’s command, and the demon king’s army increased their advancing speed.

Then the next morning…

The barbarian king’s army arrived at Takar.

&

The sky was high and the winds were strong.

The barbarian king looked at Takar from the back of a giant, black horse. Next to him were Paratus and several other barbarians.

The barbarian king turned his head and looked back. He saw the demon king’s army which was a far distance away.

It was exquisite distance control. Although the distance was shorter than half a day, it wasn’t a distance in which the barbarian king could strike them suddenly. Additionally, they wouldn’t narrow that distance until the barbarians attacked Takar.

9th Prince…

He had defeated the forces of the barbarian king at the seventh, sixth and fifth bases. Not only had he rescued General Vandal, he had also smashed the pursuing army. 9th Prince was an interesting enemy. According to Paratus and the survivors, he was still a young boy, so the barbarian king was curious about him.

‘I will find out soon.’

The barbarian king—Karatus turned with a smile. He was 2.5 meters tall with an athletic body, and he carried a large mace on his shoulder. Its size and weight were really great, so it wasn’t an exaggeration to call it a siege weapon.

The barbarian king’s eyes narrowed. He exhaled, and at the same time, a red aura appeared around him—the mighty power of War.

“Ara, the demon king’s army. Let’s fight hard.”

The barbarian king no longer looked back. He ran straight towards the gates of Takar like a black flash.

The 13,000 barbarians roared simultaneously. They pulled out their weapons and followed their king.

With a strong wind blowing, the battle for Takar began.