Ch.177177. Invasion: Preparations (2)

Amidst the wailing of druids who had struggled to move the massive bulk of the Behemoth…

“Finally, we’ve arrived…”

“My body feels so stiff, ugh…”

At last, at last, we too had arrived at the rear of the battlefield where the great Orc invasion was taking place.

“…It’s noisy.”

“Is it? Would you like to come in for a bit then?”

“Yes, please.”

It was rare for Robo, who was usually energetic, to be irritated by the noise. The rear area had long been in chaos with commotion and disputes as people gathered from across the entire western continent.

Forces from historically conflicting territories meeting each other, mercenary groups encountering troops from territories they had previously plundered—when different factions gathered in one place, such conflicts were somewhat inevitable.

Of course, this had little to do with us, as we had somewhere specific to go.

“This way… right?”

“I think so.”

Walking along a well-paved road that faintly emanated magical energy—perhaps an ancient imperial road—I could finally see the city hall at the end, which was currently being used as the allied forces’ headquarters.

[It feels tingly…]

[…The world is vast indeed. So many mortals, so many powerful people.]

[There’s an unusual energy here.]

As Corin, Cretius, and Gretel spoke in my mind in that order, I too began to feel something akin to tension from the presence of multiple ‘superior’ life forces emanating from the city hall…

“Ex-excuse me! Pardon me! Might you be Successor Aleinos and Lady Sophia?”

At that moment, I turned my head toward the voice of someone who approached us, stumbling over their words.

There stood an apprentice druid in ceremonial attire, radiating a low-level life force, looking at us both with trembling eyes.

“Yes, that’s right. And you are… a messenger sent by the Assembly Leader?”

“Yes! The Assembly Leader instructed me to escort Gregory Aleinos, so I’ve come to find you!”

“…The Assembly Leader?”

As I immediately voiced my suspicion, the apprentice druid confirmed it. Upon hearing the messenger’s words, I could roughly guess what this was about.

“Do you know what this is regarding?”

“I’m sorry! I was only told to deliver the message!”

I could reasonably infer that it probably concerned my future position, but seeing the messenger’s almost convulsive reactions made me feel bad about asking further questions.

“Very well, please lead the way.”

When I stopped questioning and gave that answer, the apprentice druid’s face momentarily lit up before quickly trying to maintain a neutral expression as they led me to a small nearby residence…

“…Our proud junior has arrived.”

“Come in, both of you. To the druids’ temporary assembly hall.”

The residence, though small, had a certain classical charm and had long since been converted into a temporary assembly hall for the druid leadership.

I had previously familiarized myself with the faces of the assembly’s leadership: the representatives of the Nature and Celestial Assemblies, four Superior-rank druids, and Drona Malkaden, the Grand Assembly Leader who also served as the Wild Assembly Leader.

“Introductions are unnecessary, so let’s get straight to the point.”

“Ah, yes.”

Perhaps because time was pressing? Normally, the Assembly Leader would have smoothly introduced us to each other to break the ice, but her abruptness naturally heightened my tension. I swallowed hard and focused on her next words…

“Look here.”

“This is a map, I see.”

What the Assembly Leader’s finger pointed to on the conference table appeared to be a map created to provide an overview of the current battle situation in this area.

As a magical projection resembling a hologram displayed the actual terrain proportions, my attention was immediately drawn to a particular fortress where forces were noticeably concentrated.

After examining the map for a moment, I understood why both sides had amassed their troops at this location.

“If this falls… it’s all over, isn’t it?”

“Yes, it would be the end.”

In this era where governance mostly consists of points (cities) and lines connecting points (villages, other cities), the concept of battle lines as depicted in territorial wars we typically imagine doesn’t exist.

In an age where non-human territories exceed human ones, war with orcs is essentially about capturing and defending cities.

In the eastern great plains, where even shrubs are rare and rivers are mere streams, territory is a highly fluid concept. What’s more important are the cities that can exert influence over the surrounding lands.

Bluntly put, no matter how well you fortify positions or block passages, bypassing them is too easy. Therefore, occupying cities becomes fundamental for claiming actual territory…

By the same logic, defending that city will likely determine the outcome of the current war.

Built at the precise junction where two mountain ranges meet in the eastern part of the western continent—an area famous for its otherwise flat terrain—this city might as well have been created by the gods specifically for defense.

With nothing but plains stretching behind it, if this place falls, the green plague will spread straight to the rear. To bypass the mountain ranges would require traveling a circuitous route of ‘at least’ hundreds of kilometers.

And to cross the mountain ranges directly would require climbing several vertical cliffs hundreds of meters high—something the lower-ranked troops that make up the majority of the army couldn’t possibly accomplish.

And here came the real point.

“Gregory, as you requested, the guerrilla unit has been successfully established.”

“A guerrilla unit… Is that the only way to change the tide of battle in the current situation?”

“That’s right.”

Originally, my condition for participating in the war was to establish an independent guerrilla unit with autonomous operational authority, and to appoint me as its commander with full authority.

Those who heard this condition initially thought it excessive, but the moment they learned I was Superior-rank, they immediately changed their stance.

That’s roughly the power held by a Superior-rank—a living, human-scale strategic weapon.

…Of course, the inside story is a bit more complicated.

They couldn’t simply parachute me—someone without formal military education—into a high position befitting a Superior-rank, but neither could they place me under another military command.

To put it bluntly, if an unhinged Intermediate-rank went on a rampage, one would have to prepare for casualties in the tens of thousands at minimum. And the influence of Superior-ranks who survived such damage couldn’t be overlooked either.

The problems that could arise from placing a Superior-rank under an Intermediate-rank’s command are each profound, so the leadership seems to have reached this conclusion after deliberation among themselves.

Of course, the strategic value of this arrangement can’t be ignored either.

Though called a guerrilla unit, the damage that someone like me—who has reached Superior-rank—could inflict by deliberately infiltrating and wreaking havoc in the enemy’s rear would be devastating, to say the least.

Disrupting supply lines, attacking rear bases, striking at leadership, and even annihilating enemy reserves.

These are just the immediate possibilities, and I’m a fairly orthodox druid, close to the standard form of an all-around magic user.

To put it extremely, I could cause severe damage just by releasing pre-extracted hydra venom into the enemy’s water supply.

Perhaps because both political and practical reasons aligned, the formation of the guerrilla unit I proposed seems to have proceeded quite smoothly, but…

‘…Hmm?’

Why did I feel something unsettling about the druid assembly leadership before me? I simply couldn’t hold back from raising an objection.

“Um, I was wondering… Are there additional conditions?”

The moment I voiced the most plausible assumption that had come to mind…

“…Yes, there are.”

The Assembly Leader opened her mouth with what seemed like a deeply troubled expression, then continued with a look that conveyed clear reluctance.

“Actually, the Allied Forces High Command has imposed one condition.”

“A condition… regarding the establishment of the guerrilla unit?”

“…Yes, that’s right.”

With an expression strongly conveying ‘how should I put this,’ the Assembly Leader paused briefly, then after a short but intense deliberation, very cautiously opened her mouth…

“In exchange for guaranteeing your command authority, they’ve decided to increase the size of the guerrilla unit.”

“…Ah.”

Faced with the blatant intention to dump all troublesome elements into one place, I was at a loss for words.

‘Isn’t this turning into a suicide squad?’

Though I felt a certain unease about this decision reached by the world’s top figures—a decision I couldn’t possibly overturn—I kept those feelings to myself.