Chapter 184 : Chapter 184

Chapter 184 : Launch (1)

Blaaaaaare──!

When I appeared after getting ready, the soldiers of the North were entering in front of Myeolji along with the sound of a horn.

Bitelleanus smiled faintly and held out a horn to me.

As if to respond, I also blew the horn with all my might.

Blaaaaaaaaare───!

Along with the sound of the horn stretching long, the expedition members who had already assembled laughed heartily.

To the enemy, the sound of the Northern soldiers marching in step would sound fearsome.

But to me, even the sound of heavy footsteps that seemed to weigh down the earth felt only reassuring.

The Archduke, Evernite, and his adjutant Baertz at the head, followed by the knights of the North, arrived in front of Myeolji.

The Archduke had already expressed his intention to join the expedition to Agamben, who took on the role of staff officer for the expedition.

I went out to meet the slowly approaching Archduke and faced him.

In the meantime, I achieved results such as rising to the King of the Inoe and succeeding in the name of the hero of the Adjak family.

However, the Archduke still looked like a giant to me.

I reached out my hand first to the Archduke and asked for a handshake.

Evernite smirked and held my hand tightly.

“The position does make the person.”

“Welcome, Archduke. You suffered a lot coming here.”

Evernite looked around at the expedition members standing behind me.

Even though they were non-humans, they knew well the fame of the Archduke who was counted as the strongest of humanity for a long time.

There were those who looked slightly nervous, and those who showed curiosity.

Among them, the Eastern Barbarian Chieftain Dvalic stepped forward quickly.

“Archduke! Let’s have a bout with me!”

It was truly a courageous declaration.

However, the Archduke just stared at Dvalic without any reaction.

At that time, Akuhata leading the Southern natives hit the back of Dvalic's head strongly and restrained Dvalic.

The ones who dealt with Barbarians best were those who were called savages just like them.

“Hahaha, haha! My skull is ringing!”

Even though he was hit mercilessly by Akuhata, one of the Twelve Swords of Adjak, Dvalic smiled brightly.

At that appearance, the tension disappeared like melting snow.

The corners of the Archduke's mouth also went up slightly and then returned to their original shape.

“Do you have a strategy?”

“We have to make one from now on.”

I looked back at the Archduke, and the heads of each group here and said.

“Whether the force is large or small, all heads gather at the barracks.”

“Yes!”

A resounding answer dozens, no, hundreds of times larger than my voice returned.

***

The strategy meeting took place in the barracks used by the head of the Crows until now.

It was incredibly spacious compared to what I thought, so it could accommodate many people at the same time.

‘Tayon also used this barracks.’

I imagined Tayon would have been alone in the barracks after fighting frequent battles in front of Myeolji.

According to Agamben's abacus, the probability that Tayon is still alive is as much as 12%.

Considering it was about 30% when he was just dragged to Myeolji, it decreased, but the fact that it wasn't 0% alone was surprising.

Imperial Army, Northern Army, armies of various kingdoms, chieftains of minority tribes, and various forces of Inoe participated in the expedition.

Even though only the heads gathered, quite a large number gathered in one place.

“Lord Agamben, would you explain the strategies you thought of first?”

“Yes, first the Southern and Eastern natives…….”

“Call the East Barbarians.”

Smack!

Again Akuhata hit the back of Dvalic's head. But this time no one laughed.

“I will continue. First, the two native groups stand at the vanguard and stir up the battlefield. However, the gap between the vanguard and the main unit has not widened. Because if the demons who saved their strength focus on fire, it will be difficult for them to endure. And…….”

Agamben's tactics were standard.

A strategy where the free-spirited and even brave Eastern and Southern natives shake the initial formation, and immediately Beastkin with large forces such as Lizardfolk and Wolf tribe support from behind.

While they engage in a melee, Paladins and Priests help with defense or support with healing, and the Fairy, Elf, and Mage corps pour out ranged attacks and push the war situation, which was the main point of the early battle.

In addition, if Gallajio aims for the rear with a time difference and succeeds in disrupting the demons' troops, increase the speed of advance.

It is a method of fighting while reducing the loss of expedition troops to a minimum.

“If high-ranking demons who are asymmetric forces come out, the closest heads must unite arbitrarily and fight in a way of attacking together. Keep in mind. This is not an honorable duel but a war. You must focus on annihilating the enemy by any means necessary.”

However, I was missing from Agamben's briefing.

As if finding that strange, Pasion raised his hand and asked.

“Which formation do the Expedition Leader and the separate unit led by him join and move with?”

“Polarin and the separate unit will save strength as much as possible so that they can pour all their strength into dealing with the Demon King. Crows, Remnants, and the North will escort the separate unit and advance to the front of the Demon King.”

“It’s a decent strategy.”

It must be a strategy Agamben made while worrying and calculating countless times.

To preserve the stamina of me and the separate unit and make us care only about the battle with the Demon King.

Sacrifice of many people will follow, but sacrifice was inevitable as long as we resolved for the Myeolji expedition.

Agamben bet on the move with the highest possibility of cutting the Demon King's head.

“For us, it is the best strategy. We modified the tactics of the Adjak Expedition explained by Lady Hike into our style.”

Agamben said as if driving a wedge. And his words succeeded in encouraging the heads of each group soon.

“Ohh…….”

“Is it following the legend of Lord Adjak?”

“We will also remain in history for a long time.”

As Agamben said, the main point of the strategy Adjak used in the expedition was also the same.

Because Adjak faced the Demon King in a state where he saved strength as much as possible while dealing only with a few high-ranking demons.

Like that, Adjak could barely succeed in cutting the Demon King's head.

However, even they couldn't completely root out the demons.

In other words, with Adjak's strategy, although the Demon King could be killed, Myeolji couldn't be completely conquered.

“Expedition Leader. Is it okay to proceed like this?”

Unlike when he explained the strategy confidently, Agamben's voice trembled when he asked for my approval.

He also wouldn't be unaware that Adjak's expedition was a half success.

But he must have reported the result of rolling the [Abacus of Fate] with his best.

“The purpose of this expedition doesn't stop at killing the Demon King.”

At my words, inside the barracks became silent.

“We do not follow the method of the Adjak Expedition. If we follow the method of our ancestors, our descendants will also spend years of pain like us.”

“B, but…….”

Someone tried to oppose, but Evernite stopped him with a gaze.

Thanks to that, I could continue speaking.

“I do not think you who gathered here fall behind those who participated in the Adjak Expedition at all. No, we are more cohesive, and stronger.”

“…….”

“We, the Polarin Expedition, will accomplish the achievement that Lord Adjak's expedition couldn't quite do.”

Evernite, who had been listening silently since entering the barracks, opened his mouth for the first time.

“What achievement are we aiming for?”

“Think of killing the Demon King as one of the processes. We will move forward aiming for the complete purification of Myeolji.”

The confusion cast on the faces of those gathered in the barracks was erased stealthily.

Our goal is clear, and we have the power to achieve it.

“So the strategy I propose is as follows.”

***

All those who wished to participate in the expedition arrived in front of Myeolji.

And items the expedition would use such as weapons or Tunes delivered from each group including Dwarves, Imperial Family, and Dragon's Vault were distributed in order to those who wished.

Those who would take a rest took a rest, and there were also those who moved their bodies vigorously to shake off tension.

However, once a day, there was a time when everyone had to stop their respective actions and move.

Blaaaaaare──!

The sound of the Northern horn, which had become the horn of the expedition before we knew it, rang long.

Then everyone started to move in perfect order with full preparations.

Just as I was about to go to the place where I would stand, Pasion came to find me.

“Expedition Leader.”

“Yes, Lord Pasion.”

Pasion, who had treated me comfortably all along since we first met, also showed respect by using honorifics to me after the expedition assembled.

But seeing Pasion's hardened face, I could notice he had something to say to me.

“……Are you really going to advance in a single line? If we are not careful, the war situation will be reversed quickly. It is no different from handing over the advantage we can have as the invading side.”

“The advantage we can have as the invading side?”

“You must have seen it in the Knight Competition too. The best way to deal with an opponent defending firmly is to pour attacks incessantly. We have to force them to defend. However, the attack plan of the expedition is loose. If the loose link is cut while advancing in a single line, and the enemy enters that space?”

“You mean in that case, we could be surrounded instead of being caught from behind. Not going with an all-out attack, we could be in a position where we have to do attack and defense at the same time.”

“……That is correct. Please reconsider.”

Pasion brought up the words with difficulty.

I knew well that he wasn't simply trying to refute my words.

His words were a correct argument, and he told me the result of agonizing so as not to put the expedition in danger.

However, I also had no intention of backing down.

While staying in Gullok, I agonized over the direction the expedition would move forward all along.

To achieve complete purification of Myeolji, all life with Demonic Energy inside this place had to be erased.

To do that, we had to move towards the complete purification of Myeolji.

I answered Pasion with a firm voice.

“Variables will exist throughout the expedition. The demons within the top 10 ranks will each be no different from a huge lump of variables. So we advance in a single line, but tolerate all individual actions according to the situation.”

“But leading these many troops with only the frame of such a big lump is…….”

“I believe we can do it. If somewhere is breached, others can help and block the hole. And I am not participating in the expedition to receive someone's protection.”

Pasion looked straight into my eyes.

Probably my eyes didn't waver at all.

Perhaps thanks to that, Pasion's pupils that were wavering in concern also gradually found stability.

“I understand. I will also go to my place.”

The huge purple dome covered over Myeolji.

As a result of calculating the Demonic Energy, about 2 weeks remained for the dome to open.

However, I didn't intend to wait for that day when the dome opened naturally after 2 weeks.

When the horn sound was heard, all expedition members gathered once a day, lining up in a long single line surrounding Myeolji.

Since it was a formation repeated several times, now they found their places well on their own without designating places to stand one by one to the expedition members.

They familiarized themselves with the faces of those beside them.

They will have to fight with their best and protect each other with their best.

I stood at my position.

It was the very position where Tayon was dragged in by Zenburga.

Traces of that day still remained on the dome.

I glared at those traces and shouted to the expedition members.

“Everyone ready!”

Expedition members holding up their respective weapons glared at the dome.

As soon as it was considered time that everyone finished preparations, I shouted with a loud voice.

“Attack!”

KABOOOOOOOOOOOM─────!

Attacks that seemed to tear the eardrums poured onto the dome.

I also swung Maron and attacked the dome.

Crack──.

Cracks started to appear on the dome that couldn't withstand the attacks.

Soon the crack that appeared once spread to the entire dome and caused a tremendous roar.

Cra-a-a-ack──!

The first step of the expedition for the complete purification of Myeolji.

It was the sound of the day of advance beginning.