Total War 3

A vast army densely covered the ground, appearing on the horizon.

Excluding the might displayed by the Imp forces at the Battle of Muspelheim, it was an army of unprecedented scale in history. Anyone could see that the Demon Lord’s forces had committed their full power to this single battle.

Literally, it was a total war between the Alliance and the Demon Lord’s forces.

In contrast, the Alliance’s numbers were sorely lacking.

Marching through demonic realms is exceedingly perilous. The Alliance did possess reserves of a million troops, but to deploy that many forces in the demonic realms and have their supply lines severed by the enemy would ensure complete annihilation. Self-sustainment was absolutely impossible in those realms.

Hence, the Alliance forces moved with at most a hundred thousand troops. Though still a formidable force, it paled in comparison to a true total war mobilization.

However, they had brought the Alliance’s strongest hundred thousand, comprised of over thirty percent paladins and an unmatched elite force.

Of course, this was the decision of Doyun, the sole commander adept at northern campaigns in the current era.

Despite his forces amounting to less than a tenth of the enemy’s, Doyun gazed at them with composure.

“…”

He did not cower at the numerical disadvantage. It was only natural.

He was the grand commander against the Demon Lord’s forces, having already achieved victories under similar circumstances numerous times before.

Doyun did not doubt their victory.

The six warriors had ascended the walls and arrayed themselves behind him. Their expressions were uniformly grave, facing the decisive battle.

As the vast army continued to pour in from beyond the horizon, they asked him:

“Lord Enoch. What shall we do?”

“Wait.”

Doyun recited the familiar answer.

“Battles against the Demon Lord’s forces change dramatically depending on the Vanguard Commanders involved. Identifying them takes precedence over establishing tactics.”

The warriors nodded. Doyun silently glared beyond the horizon.

Once the seemingly endless march of the massive army ended, the Vanguard Commanders finally revealed themselves.

Three Vanguard Commanders were visible.

First, familiar faces: Oz and Lilith.

Doyun swiftly calculated:

‘[The Inaugural Guildmaster]’s condition buff will mitigate Lilith’s wide-area mental attacks. As for Oz, the Lion King is present.’

However, a cause for concern was their location outside the Holy Stones’ barrier.

Unlike the previous Battle of Muspelheim where their power was suppressed, they would unleash their full might here.

Lilith, who had struggled against Brudhild’s mental assault, would now harass every warrior on the battlefield.

Oz, whose activities had been frequently hindered by the Lion King, would now force the Lion King to commit his full power to contend with him alone.

But that was not all.

‘Two more.’

He sensed two remaining Vanguard Commanders’ auras.

For now, one was the being floating beside Lilith.

‘A new Vanguard Commander.’

A newcomer Enoch had not encountered even a hundred years ago. Perhaps a case like Verde.

Its appearance resembled a human-shaped mechanical doll, closer to a mannequin than a robot.

However, instead of two arms, it had four elongated spears gripped in each hand.

It wore a thin armor that outlined its body’s contours. The crimson armor with a glossy sheen appeared extremely thin yet remarkably sturdy.

‘A melee-type wielding four spears.’

With the magic-types Oz and Lilith alone, the combination would be incomplete, so it was likely this type.

Doyun studied the crimson being intently.

It did the same, mechanically turning its head to scan their side before fixing its gaze on Doyun.

Its eyeless sockets emitted an artificial green light. The emerald, unfocused eyes stared at Doyun as if analyzing him.

‘…No.’

It was not ‘as if’ – the being was indeed analyzing Doyun. Sensing this, he frowned.

Apparently, it would not be wise to give that one too much time or turns.

It would undoubtedly engage him at the vanguard, so he needed to unleash his full power and swiftly dispatch it. Doyun formulated a plan.

Three Vanguard Commanders were visible. The remaining one would likely be Satan.

But something was amiss.

‘…Where’s Satan?’

There were no Imps among the enemy forces. Satan’s presence was nowhere to be seen. Only an additional Vanguard Commander’s aura could be sensed.

Doyun found this strange.

‘His Authority is the Authority of the Army. But where are the Imps…’

However, before he could complete that thought, an anomaly occurred in the enemy ranks.

The dragonkin forces moved, creating an open space in the rear. From afar, it appeared small, but calculating the distance revealed a clearing wide enough to accommodate an entire mountain.

Lilith floated a fist-sized gemstone in the air above that space. After retreating, Oz began forming hand seals directed at it.

[—, —, —]

Dokkomuyoung stroked his chin, and Heineken drew out one of his spears.

“…What are they doing?”

“Shall I snipe it?”

“No, it’s pointless.”

The enemy was not foolish. To display it so openly meant they had prepared anti-sniping countermeasures.

However, Doyun narrowed his eyes, observing Oz’s chanting and the gem absorbing the ambient demonic aura.

‘That gemstone…’

A sense of familiarity arose, as if he had encountered it in his past lives.

Soon, Oz completed the ritual or ceremony and extended both arms, shouting an incantation.

[—!]

Woooooo—!

The gemstone emitted a black radiance. Then, an astonishing event unfolded.

Countless tree branches explosively sprouted from the gemstone, intertwining upward and downward to form a massive tree trunk.

The tree extended both upward and downward. As the base touched the ground, thick, numerous roots violently burrowed into the earth. When the trunk reached the sky, thin, dense branches explosively covered the heavens.

The splitting earth cried out as if violated, and the sky lost its light.

The Alliance warriors and soldiers craned their necks skyward, their mouths agape.

“Th, This is…”

“Damn…”

It was enormous. Truly gargantuan.

The roots became the earth, and the leaves became the sky.

Despite the tree’s distance, the dense spread of its roots extended far beyond Doyun’s sensory range, even behind his back and beneath his feet. The roots had already occupied over fifty percent of the battlefield ground.

The lush foliage and branches had formed a ceiling, completely blocking out the sky. The world had grown as dark as night due to the sheer density of the canopy.

Doyun frowned at the unbelievable sight.

‘…This is troublesome.’

Based on the information from Verde and the revived Lancelot, he had anticipated the possibility… but he never expected that one to be revived as well.

Dokkomuyoung swallowed hard and asked:

“…Lord Enoch. Surely that cannot be the very one recorded in history…”

“Yes.”

The surface of the tree trunk, with a thickness akin to a mountain’s base, began to undulate.

A bizarre, grinning expression appeared at the center, and a chilling, Santa Claus-like laughter echoed across the battlefield.

[Oh, ho ho ho ho~!]

Gugugugugu…

The ground trembled from the thunderous, demonic aura-infused voice, causing the soldiers to stagger.

This was the ‘Pillar Upholding Evil,’ a being more specialized in warfare than even Satan, which had once reigned as a nightmare on the battlefield.

“The Vanguard Commander. The Black Duskroot, Yggdrasil.”

[Oh, ho ho ho ho~!]

Its roots resembled blood vessels, and its branches resembled spears. The undulating, bulging trunk, discolored and lumpy like a phallus, exuded an eerie pulsation that instilled a primal sense of revulsion in onlookers.

No, it was not merely due to its unsettling appearance. It was a tangible curse.

Abruptly, a shower of rain poured down from the sky. The viscous, suspicious raindrops instantly drenched the Alliance’s camp.

“….What is this?”

Brudhild sensed the abnormality and tasted the raindrops on his fingers.

The sensation they experienced soon manifested as a system message before their eyes.

Ding!

[You have entered the Black Duskroot’s domain. ‘Yggdrasil’s Curse’ reduces all abilities by 10%.]

The soldiers stirred. Their bodies had grown abruptly heavier, like water-logged cotton balls.

A whopping 10% ability decrease right before the battle – what was the meaning of this?

Even the Lion King sensed the gravity, his expression turning grim.

“Hmm! This is no ordinary debuff!”

“Do not worry.”

“Hmm?”

At Doyun’s reassurance, another system notification appeared.

Ding!

[You behold your Lord’s back. On the battlefield alongside your Lord, you unleash your utmost capabilities.]

[The ‘Inaugural Guildmaster’ trait buff resists the debuff.]

“Hmm!”

The Lion King let out a vigorous grunt. The strength had returned to his body.

Though a sluggish feeling lingered, the debuff was estimated to be around 3% at most. While still a terrifying effect, it was negligible compared to the initial 10%.

The wavering ranks stabilized as they turned their gazes back to Doyun’s back.

After all, what was the Black Duskroot compared to having the warrior who had vanquished the Demon Lord by their side?

The Alliance forces managed to avoid a complete morale collapse.

However, the terror of the Black Duskroot, the nightmare of the battlefield, did not end there.

The earth, violated by the roots, had transformed. The soil, devoid of any hint of life force, had become muddy and soupy. With each step, their stances faltered.

The rain-soaked walls emitted a sizzling, corrosive sound. Creaking noises, as if the fortress would collapse at any moment, rang out from various sections.

Heineken grimaced:

“This is dire. Defensive fortifications seem impossible now.”

As he placed his hand on the rampart, the railing crumbled apart. This happened without him exerting any force. The fortress had become incapable of fulfilling its purpose.

A generation that had only known trench warfare against the Demon Lord’s forces, the commanders were greatly dismayed by this unprecedented situation.

“Th, Then… are we forced into open field battle?”

“Even if the infantry can manage, what of the rearguard magic and support units? It’s impossible to protect them without the fortress!”

“The cavalry is also completely impeded by the ground’s deterioration…”

Doyun, arms crossed, continued staring ahead impassively. Soon, his calculations were complete.

“Grandmaster.”

He turned and addressed Dokkomuyoung.

“Have you studied the tactics sections in my records?”

“Of course.”

“Good. We’re changing our strategy. You will take command.”

“Me, you say? Then, Lord Enoch… Ah! Could it be?”

The capable Dokkomuyoung quickly deduced the ‘strategy’ Doyun was proposing.

“All forces, stand by.”

After the order, Doyun leapt down from the walls. Landing lightly, he walked alone towards the enemy ranks.

“Lord Enoch!”

The warriors who moved to follow were halted by Dokkomuyoung.

“He ordered all forces to stand by!”

Having received command authority, he bellowed.

“Master Dokkomuyoung?”

The soldiers and warriors alike were dumbfounded. Issuing a stand-by order to the army while the Supreme Commander advanced alone?

Unlike their bewilderment, Dokkomuyoung gazed at Enoch’s retreating figure with eager eyes.

The tactic Lord Enoch had employed a hundred years ago when the enemy forces held an overwhelming advantage. But a tactic that had completely fallen into disuse after Enoch’s demise, a tactic only Lord Enoch had been capable of using in history.

‘That tactic… I witness it with my own eyes!’

Doyun’s casual muttering carried clearly to everyone’s ears as he walked away with a nonchalant back.

“Take a little break. Come on over slowly when you’ve regained your strength.”

Thump, thump. With leisurely strides, Doyun headed towards the battlefield, drawing out one of the spears from his back.

Shinggg—

Thump, thump.

The Alliance forces gripped their weapons tightly as they watched his back, advancing alone towards the million-strong enemy forces.