Ch.180180. Invasion: Preparations (5)

Anyway, after meeting with each of the groups that would become part of the guerrilla unit, including the Body Modification Research Society…

‘What am I really going to do…?’

The moment I considered having to manage these three distinctly unique groups, I grabbed my throbbing head and carefully contemplated my future, imagining the terrible trials that would stand in my way.

First of all, setting aside their personalities, these troops are flawlessly capable fighters.

The religious fanatics of the War God Sect are exceptionally skilled priest-warriors whose combat and warfare are essentially religious practices. They excel not only in direct confrontation but can also adapt to various situations using divine magic.

The dwarf warriors are also extremely capable and reliable frontliners who can serve as the most effective “anvil” in basic hammer-and-anvil tactics, while simultaneously being monsters who can strike opponents’ heads with the anvil using mortars and various gunpowder weapons.

Additionally, the private soldiers from the Body Modification Research Society of the Transformation School have more machine than flesh in their bodies. These soldiers, with their magically enhanced metal bodies armed with all sorts of magical weapons, possess truly exceptional combat capabilities.

The mages from the Body Modification Research Society are also formidable. Their transformation magic might seem unrelated to combat, but that would be a foolish assumption. What happens when you use magic that transforms human flesh into inorganic material—like metal—on someone’s head? This is why transformation mages are a force that cannot be overlooked; a skilled transformation mage can instantly turn a living person into a lead statue.

Furthermore, the mobility of each type of soldier perfectly suits a guerrilla unit.

The Magic Tower’s forces ride mechanical horses made of brass, iron, lead, and copper components. Though somewhat slow due to their weight, these mounts can run indefinitely with proper maintenance.

The dwarves, who seem like they’ve come from another era with their strong steampunk aesthetic, move in multi-legged armored transport vehicles that adequately compensate for their short legs.

Even the War God Sect’s priests, the only ones riding living mounts, pose no significant problem. With divine magic, they can easily dispel their horses’ muscle pain, discomfort, and even fatigue.

However… despite these capabilities that make them perfect for guerrilla warfare, each group was “unique” in various troubling ways.

The Body Modification Research Society consists of deranged mages intent on replacing their soldiers’ bodies and their own with machinery, suffering from something akin to body dysmorphic disorder where they view their physical forms as imperfect and flawed.

Joseph Malonson and his subordinates, who despite being dwarves overly attached to tradition and still clinging to old methods even after developing steam and diesel engines, have somehow created “multi-legged armored vehicles” that are centuries ahead of their time.

The holy knights of the War God Sect under “Bloody Sword” Kronima, second only to the most fanatical zealots, along with their “fanatical” priests, who are at least somewhat communicable.

And finally, two senior druids who, despite being nominally affiliated with various organizations, are essentially independent.

‘…This guerrilla unit is really just a dumping ground, isn’t it?’

No matter how I thought about it, I couldn’t deny my suspicion that the higher-ups intended to use this guerrilla unit as a trash bin.

The reality is that the unit’s members, while capable, all have some kind of defect, making them difficult to manage. It’s not hard to imagine someone deciding to just throw all these troublesome individuals together in one place.

Therefore, on the day we were scheduled to depart with the guerrilla unit:

“Members of the guerrilla unit, I ask that you please listen carefully to what I have to say.”

Before setting out, I stood before them and attempted to bind them together as a single army through a simple speech.

I wasn’t hoping for anything like deep camaraderie—I just wanted to instill some minimal sense of belonging to create a functioning military unit.

“From any perspective, we are a group composed of individuals that our superiors found difficult to manage, all thrown together in one place. If possible, they’ve placed us together with the intention of having us fight amongst ourselves.”

I began with a reality check—acknowledging the uncomfortable truth that we all knew but had been avoiding, bringing it into the open to remind them of our cold but honest situation.

“But… does that mean we need to obediently follow their demands? Do we need to create conflict among ourselves as those arrogant ones desire?”

[[[….]]]]

“I won’t order you to love or empathize with each other. We’ve all lived in different societies, and forcing indiscriminate admiration would itself be a form of violence.”

[[[….]]]]

“So I ask this of you: please acknowledge and respect the fact that we are different from one another. I ask nothing more than this.”

[[[….!!!]]]

—Murmuring.

—Whispering.

“(Is… is that really enough?)”

“….Hmph.”

“It would be dangerous for all of us to oppose each other with distrust and anxiety when we need to fight together with mutual trust. Therefore, I have just one request.”

[[[….]]]]

“I sincerely hope that, at least until this war ends—just until then—there will be no conflict among us. ….Thank you.”

—Clap, clap-clap-clap, clap-clap-clap-clap-clap-clap-clap—!!!

After the speech, the scattered applause quickly spread and grew more energetic, even generating some warmth…

‘….Thank you, Grand Master.’

[Yes, contact me again if you need anything else.]

The Grand Master, who had remotely cast the “power” that made my voice convey emotions more effectively, sent that thought message before cutting the connection.

※ ※ ※

The orc army deployed for the “Great Invasion” can be divided into three main groups.

First, the orc cavalry composed of the “warrior class”—the privileged class among orcs.

They make up about 20-30% of the orc army, an enormous force not just in numbers but primarily because every member of this cavalry belongs to the “warrior” class.

In a tribal nation that has advanced just one step beyond complete primitiveness, the warrior class consists of those who have mastered specialized combat techniques and, based on this military power, have seized privileges and authority as the rulers of tribal society.

Since governance based on military might is simple and convenient but loses effectiveness in the face of greater force, most orc warriors train in combat the way others farm or tend livestock.

Because of these characteristics, the combat ability of orc warriors cannot be underestimated.

Circulating magical energy through their bodies to strengthen themselves and coating their weapons with magical energy are basic skills. More than half of them have mastered the advanced technique of “imbuing arrows with magical energy”—a skill so rare in the Frankish Kingdom that finding even one practitioner in a domain would be remarkable.

Mounted on massive and ferocious beasts like “wargs” and monstrous boars that can easily support their over-two-meter-tall frames, these orc warriors possess overwhelming mobility, making them undoubtedly among the finest heavy cavalry of this era.

In contrast to these “ruling class” orc warriors are the “ruled class”—ordinary orcs. These common orc infantry make up 30-40% of the entire army.

Though they don’t neglect combat training and possess orc physiques, they have other occupations, naturally making their fighting ability inferior to that of orc warriors.

Of course, the orc race’s inherent physical prowess means they can still perform admirably even with this disadvantage.

Finally, the remaining 30% consists of the orcs’ slave races.

Some are despised, crude races used as cannon fodder, bullet catchers, or disposable cushions. Others are deliberately tamed and used as slaves.

For example, some powerful orc tribes capture young ogres or trolls, subspecies of giants, and process them into war machines through all manner of abuse and gaslighting.

And… in this orc army, a large war band centered around the “Blood Fang” tribe.

The leader of this group of warriors—which could not even charitably be called a unit—was the berserker chieftain of the “Blood Fang” tribe.

‘….Huff.’

The superior warrior wielding a massive double-bladed axe emanating a bloody aura, who had been defeated by and now served under the current Great Khan of the orcs, exhaled roughly and thought.

Or more precisely, one of the battle-tattoos engraved on his body was telling him:

‘….A worthy opponent is coming.’

Right now, a strong enemy who could satisfy his thirst for battle was approaching.