Shrekheimer shook his head as if trying to cast off a memory.
"Are the rest of the party safe?"
"Kasim and the other members arrived safely at the main camp. Well, though we did pick up a tail……."
"A tail?"
Damon smiled and told him that Illumina had come to the main camp following Mitchell.
He also informed him that Mitchell had become the object of envy for all the soldiers of the punitive expedition force thanks to Illumina's beauty.
"That Mitchell lad has finally had his wish fulfilled. He chased after her so doggedly……."
"I suppose so. Even among the elves, who are renowned for their beauty, Miss Illumina is said to be an exceptionally beautiful woman."
Shrekheimer nodded as if satisfied. He had been so wary of unions between elves and humans, but Mitchell was an exception. If it was him, he would be able to take good care of Illumina, who had left her tribe. At that moment, the most important issue came to Shrekheimer's mind.
"But what happened to the portal?"
Damon's face hardened stiffly.
"Regrettably, it was destroyed."
At those words, Shrekheimer's eyes dimmed. He looked greatly disheartened.
Damon consoled him in a gentle tone.
"Count Perustein has prepared meticulous countermeasures, so do not worry too much."
"Could I know what kind of countermeasure?"
An explanation flowed from Damon's mouth. At the explanation that they had extracted the human slaves managed by the orcs, procured food with their labor, and also supplemented a considerable number of troops, Shrekheimer nodded as if it sounded plausible.
"It is the best choice under the current circumstances."
"Moreover, the dwarves have promised to supply weapons. Of course, the condition is that payment will be made after victory in the war. Ah, and speaking of which, there is something I must tell you."
"What is it?"
"That vile bastard Berkis burned the Lumineus tribe's forest to the ground."
Shrekheimer was shocked to his core.
"Th-that such a thing……."
"Burning the forest, which is everything to the elves—truly cruel and ruthless bastards. But do not worry. The dwarves have agreed to provide temporary shelter to the Lumineus clan. And Count Perustein has also made a promise. If we are victorious in the war, he will recognize all the lands east of the Pelucia Mountains as elven territory……."
Shrekheimer's face brightened considerably.
"That is truly welcome news. Cooperation with other races is something desperately needed, not only for the conduct of the war but for what comes after as well."
"At any rate, only by leading the war to victory can everything become reality."
Damon's eyes flashed as he laid out the plan he had devised.
"First and foremost, the most important thing is to deal with the Dragon Lord. We must eliminate him and break the Silver Dragon's curse to be able to call in the million-strong army waiting in Arcadia. I would like to have it out with that Berkis bastard myself, but it seems we must endure. While he continues to raid the punitive expedition's strongholds, we must gather all our strength to deal with the Dragon Lord."
Shrekheimer nodded as if assenting to Damon's opinion.
"It is true that dealing with the Dragon Lord is the more urgent matter, as you say."
"It is a stroke of fortune that the number of dragons participating in the assault is fewer than expected. Though the three of them, led by Berkis, are running rampant, the damage is not as great as expected, so let us endure and wait. We must aim for the moment when they lose patience and disperse."
"Understood."
In the eyes of the two men who nodded as they faced each other, a light of resolve blazed.
Around that time, Berkis was meeting Gedenhide at the orc army's main camp. Having destroyed several of the punitive expedition's strongholds together with Renius and Ryushike, he had flown straight to the orc main camp.
Gedenhide had already moved the million troops deployed for the coastal blockade day and night to assemble them near the battlefield. If they joined in, the tide of war would clearly change dramatically.
When three dragons appeared out of nowhere, the orc warriors trembled violently and guided them to Gedenhide. Gedenhide, meeting his master after a long time, bowed his head as if overjoyed.
"I greet my master. Though the humans' momentum runs high, since you have arrived, it will not be long before you reduce them to a total rout."
Berkis looked at Gedenhide with a blank expression.
"You talk too much for someone who couldn't even handle the task he was given. Gedenhide."
At those words, Gedenhide flinched. He had prided himself on having done his best, but Berkis was not at all satisfied.
"F-forgive me. This one's abilities are too lacking……."
"Hmph. If you know you are lacking, is that how you handle your affairs?"
Berkis let out a cold snort and walked away with heavy steps. But Gedenhide could not get a single word out and stared blankly at his retreating figure. A moment later, Gedenhide mustered his courage and spoke with difficulty.
"Since you have arrived, please relieve me of this heavy burden now. The position of overseeing millions of orc warriors is too much for me."
Berkis cut him off coldly.
"Not yet. I have something I must do first, so maintain your position for now.
By the way, are the humans extracting slaves on a large scale?"
"That is correct. They have deployed a large number of knights of outstanding skill, so we have lost many slaves. At least in terms of troop quality, they are far superior to the Truvenian bastards from 500 years ago."
Berkis snorted as if amused.
"Their final death throes.
Well, to procure supplies, they'll have to scrape together anything they can get their hands on."
Berkis stood up as if his mind was already made up. Since there had still been no contact from the Dragon Lord, he needed to step in himself and blunt the humans' momentum.
"Deploy the troops. The target is Arcadia's vanguard camped across the river."
"Eh? The preparations are not yet……."
Feeling Berkis's cold gaze, Gedenhide swallowed his words and bowed his head.
"Understood. I will see it done."
"Tell the warriors that I will support them."
"Understood."
Gedenhide obeyed without another word. If the dragons joined the battle, it was no different from a fight already won. No matter how elite the humans' army might be.
"They're coming."
The body of the white-haired, aged general stiffened with tension. His name was Pedain. He was the supreme commander of the 4th Legion, composed of soldiers from Terbia. He stared intently at the numerous orc warriors crossing the river.
Though the distance was considerable, to one who could control mana, the orcs crossing the river appeared as close as if right before his eyes. Watching the orcs' advance, Commander Pedain shook his head as if unable to understand something.
"Strange. For the river's water level to have dropped so much in a single day……."
The river blocking the space between the orc great army and the 4th Legion was not very deep. But neither was it shallow enough to cross without effort. One had to swim to cross it, so it had naturally become a boundary line.
But now the orcs were leaping into the water all at once, as if committing mass suicide.
He watched carefully, but no orcs were sinking into the water. Despite being shorter than humans. Because the river was not very wide, the orc vanguard was already nearing this bank.
"It is strange, but it cannot be helped."
Commander Pedain set aside his thoughts and gave the order.
"Each battalion, prepare for battle. The attack begins when their first wave finishes crossing the river."
At the order, the soldiers of the 4th Legion began to move busily. The soldiers of Terbia, trained by the ambition of Rosimus I, found themselves ironically placed in a situation where they had to fight orcs on the distant continent of Truvenia, thousands of miles away. But Commander Pedain thought this was rather a blessing.
"Killing orcs is a hundred times better than fighting fellow humans."
Since its founding, Arcadia had seen innumerable wars, and through them, humanity had accumulated tremendous combat experience. Terbia in particular was a kingdom that had fought an unusually large number of wars. Because of this, the soldiers of the 4th Legion could be considered elites among elites, harshly trained. Looking around at the aides preparing to face the orcs, Commander Pedain took a deep breath and explained the strategy.
"The vanguard will be handled by the heavy knight division. They will shatter the enemy formation, after which we will charge in sequence. If the heavy knights do their part, we can drive every last one of the orc bastards into the river. Tell the heavy knights to escape through the river after breaking the orcs' lines. Since the river is shallow enough for orcs to cross, there is no need for concern."
An aide who heard the outline of the strategy immediately acknowledged.
"Understood."
The orc warriors were crossing the river, gasping roughly. It was an unsightly spectacle, their weapons raised high to keep them from rusting. The orc vanguard deployed in the first wave had already climbed onto the riverbank and was reforming its ranks. Behind them, orc warriors who had crossed the river revealed themselves one by one. Seeing this, Commander Pedain gave the deployment order to the heavy knight division.
"Knight division, all units, advance. Drive every last one of the cursed orc horde into the water!"
"Waaaaah!"
As the order fell, the heavy knights began their charge all at once.
Thudududu.
The heavy knight division, clad in steel armor and advancing in perfect ranks, emitted a terrifying momentum like a black tidal wave surging forward. The fearsome cavalry legion, which had shattered countless orc battle lines until now, ruthlessly stormed toward the orc warriors who had yet to finish their preparations.
"Kweek."
At the sight of the heavy cavalry division storming violently toward them, the orcs visibly stirred. Perhaps frightened by the fierce momentum, several warriors involuntarily stepped back. Cavalry on horseback, by virtue of their height alone, gave infantry an oppressive pressure beyond words.
Then one orc who appeared to be a squad leader stepped forward.
"Kweek. Do not be afraid. Lord Berkis is with us.
As long as he watches over us, the humans can never defeat us."
Hearing those words, a ferocious light began to rise in the orc warriors' eyes.
"Kweek. That's right. Our ancestors did it 500 years ago; there's no reason we can't do the same."
As one warrior chimed in agreement, the squad leader grew even bolder.
"Kweek. Let's kill every last one of the humans and hold a grand feast with their flesh. Let us fight, O brave warriors of Tazar!"
Orc warriors swept up in fighting spirit hurriedly began to form an anti-cavalry defense formation. To stop the heavy cavalry division's charge, they raised wooden stakes at a 45-degree angle, and a team of warriors clung to them to hold them firm.
Behind them, archers who had just crossed drew their crude bows taut and nocked their arrows.
Anti-cavalry obstacles made of bound logs were installed here and there. Unlike the orc unit annihilated earlier, these at least possessed crude anti-cavalry defensive weapons. But in the eyes of the charging heavy knights, a light of ridicule was rising.
"Such a pathetic anti-cavalry formation……."
"How did weaklings like these occupy Truvenia?"
Though the orc warriors had set up a defensive formation with all their might, the heavy knights looked at them with pitiful eyes. They could break through that level without difficulty. They were all knights thoroughly seasoned in battle.
Besides, when fighting in Arcadia, there had been countless precedents of breaking through anti-cavalry defenses far more powerful and troublesome than what the orcs had deployed. Of course, they couldn't break through without casualties, but the heavy knights did not doubt for a moment that the orc battle lines would crumble in a single blow. A heavy knight who appeared to be the leader shouted, brandishing his spear.
"O honorable knights of Terbia, let us pierce through the orcs' defensive formation in a single breath!"
The heavy knights at the front lowered their posture and prepared to charge into the orcs' formation. They were determined to ruthlessly trample the orcs blocking their way with spears and horseshoes. But unexpected events have a way of occurring in any situation.
Kwaaaaahr.
A sudden roar erupted and the ground shook. But the galloping knights failed to notice the signs immediately. The noise and vibration from the horseshoes and heavy armor were simply too great.
However, it did not take them long to notice the ominous signs.