Chapter 59

"Can you really do something like that...?"

Garam asked Sōma in a daze.

"To be honest, I don't know," Sōma replied, deciding to speak the truth rather than put on a false front.

"It might just be a theoretical idea. But with this disparity in forces, I couldn't think of any other way to counter the enemy."

"What if the plan is seen through? Or, what if we simply can't break through the enemy's main force? What then?" Garam pointed out.

Sōma was momentarily speechless but then answered with resolve.

"Total annihilation."

The sound of someone swallowing saliva echoed unusually loudly.

"Victory or total annihilation..."

As Sōma said, if they couldn't break through the enemy's main force, not only would the Zoan who charged in be wiped out, but the main camp left behind would also be surrounded and destroyed. Garam couldn't easily agree to this plan, considering the enormous losses if it failed.

Zoog laughed, taking Garam's place.

"How exciting! We're going to charge into the belly of an enemy that outnumbers us many times over!"

He said this with a fierce smile, reminiscent of the days when he was frustrated and violent, worrying about Zoan's bleak future.

However, Zoog wasn't foolish. Garam could see in his smile the resolve that came with accepting the danger.

Dovarrin then spoke up.

"Make up your mind quickly. We need time to build the fortifications."

This was essentially an agreement to Sōma's plan.

The others felt similarly. Jahangir, for example, was already wagging his tail happily on the floor, tapping it against the ground.

In short, everyone was already on board.

Garam also steeled himself.

"...Alright. I'll take this gamble too."

Once the decision was made, things moved quickly.

Some began to polish their weapons, others to gather supplies, and still others to secure food, each rushing out of the room to do their part.

Sōma called out to Garam and Banuka, who were about to leave the room.

"Garam and Banuka, please stay. I have something to discuss with you."

The two exchanged glances, wondering what it could be.

◆◇◆◇◆

"We dwarves lived in tunnels where the sun never reached. A bit of moonlight is enough for us. Besides, time is precious."

Sōma sent the dwarves, including Dovarrin, ahead the night before, while he and the Zoan and Dinosaurians left the city the next day.

If everyone left the city at night, the townspeople might think they were fleeing in fear of the extermination army. Sōma held back his impatience, sending only the dwarves ahead and waiting for dawn for the others to move.

"We have no intention of turning this city into a battlefield. We will leave the city."

Sōma said this to the city's leaders, who had been summoned early in the morning.

Sōma thought his words sounded patronizing, but he deliberately put on an arrogant attitude. The leaders, of course, didn't challenge him. Everyone looked relieved that the city wouldn't become a battlefield.

However, their smiles froze at Sōma's next words.

"But once we defeat the extermination army, we will return immediately."

Sōma smiled.

"At that time, I hope we can be on friendly terms."

In other words, "We're leaving the city, but don't do anything foolish while we're gone." He then signaled Jahangir, who was standing behind him.

Jahangir led a group of Dinosaurians to the city gate, where they roared and attacked the gate with their weapons, shaking it and quickly bringing it down.

Jahangir, getting carried away, stomped on the fallen gate, breaking it into pieces and scattering them around.

In fact, the gate had been pre-cut and loosened to make it easier to break, to show the leaders that barricading themselves in the city would be futile. However, even Sōma was taken aback by Jahangir's enthusiasm.

But the intimidation was highly effective. The leaders, even the most composed, turned pale, and some even collapsed.

Sōma, thinking the intimidation was sufficient, left the city slowly to appear calm.

When Sōma and the others arrived at the planned fortification site, the dwarves, who had started working the previous night, were already transporting logs cut from the forest.

Looking for Dovarrin, Sōma found him sitting in a circle with other dwarves, who were especially skilled in civil engineering, discussing plans.

Dovarrin, noticing them before they could speak, walked over.

"Finally, you're here. We've been working all night, and you're taking your sweet time."

Sōma knew it was a joke and bowed slightly before asking.

"What kind of fortifications are you planning?"

Dovarrin scratched his head, looking frustrated.

"To be honest, we don't have enough time. We can only dig trenches, build an embankment inside, and set up a fence. The rest of the area will be leveled."

Sōma, recalling that military novels and comics often lack detailed descriptions of fortification construction, decided to leave everything to Dovarrin.

"Do it however you think best, Dovarrin."

"Alright! I'll take care of it!"

Dovarrin pounded his thick chest and then called out to the dwarves, who were watching.

"Alright, let's dig the trenches! Pile the excavated soil on the inside and compact it with boards to form the embankment!"

The dwarves responded with a short "Alright!" and picked up their shovels and picks.

In this world, dwarves often live in caves and tunnels they dig. Dovarrin's homeland, the Obsidian Kingdom, was built underground based on tunnels dug for obsidian mining. It's natural that dwarves, who are born underground and play with soil and rocks, possess unparalleled civil engineering skills.

Dovarrin and his team demonstrated their renowned skills.

With each swing of their shovels, an astonishing amount of soil was excavated. The soil was then thrown to form the embankment, piling up evenly as if measured.

Sōma and the others watched in amazement as the trenches were dug almost magically by the dwarves.

"Hey, you lot! Aren't you going to help?"

Dovarrin, noticing Sōma and the others standing around, called out irritably. They hurried to help but didn't know what to do. Dovarrin, shaking his head, called over a nearby dwarf.

"Hey! Take care of these guys."

Following the instructions of the dwarf with a braided beard, the Zoan and Dinosaurians joined in, digging soil and moving rocks.

Sōma tried to join in but was quickly chased away by Dovarrin.

"You're in the way. Go over there!"

It was understandable. Sōma's shovel barely scratched the ground, and his modern human strength was no match for the others.

Garam, seeing this, brought over two baskets.

"You can pick up rocks. Take these and go with Shemul."

While building the fortifications, they also needed to prepare for battle. Garam handed Sōma a basket for collecting throwing stones and nodded at him.

Sōma realized something.

He had something to tell Shemul but was struggling to find a way to bring it up. Understanding Garam's intention to create an opportunity, Sōma thanked him.

"Alright! Let's go, Sōma."

Shemul, carrying a basket like Sōma, headed towards the western foothills where rocks were visible.

Sōma, following hurriedly, found it hard to start a conversation as Shemul happily whistled and picked up rocks.

Eventually, it was lunchtime, and Sōma, sitting on a rock, still hadn't said anything.

Shemul, noticing his distress, asked.

"Hey, Sōma. I have a question—"

"…!? What? What is it?"

Sōma panicked, thinking Shemul had noticed his hesitation.

But Shemul's question was different.

"About your favor."

"Ah, my favor…"

Sōma, relieved, nodded.

"Yes. Last night's explanation wasn't clear. Can your favor only prevent you from being hurt or destroyed?"

Shemul, who needed to understand Sōma's favor to support him, had a valid question. Sōma, however, struggled to answer.

"…To be honest, I'm not sure myself."

After pondering how to explain, Sōma decided to demonstrate.

"Watch this."

He placed a large leaf with dried meat on the ground, grabbed a machete, and swung it at the meat.

The machete didn't even scratch the meat.

Showing this to Shemul, Sōma then picked up the meat and cut a piece off with the machete, eating it.

Shemul, watching Sōma chew, tilted his head.

"I don't get it. You can't stab, but you can cut?"

After swallowing, Sōma explained.

"I'm not sure either. It seems I can't stab, but I can cut for eating. Something like that."

"Still confusing."

Shemul, frowning, made Sōma laugh.

"Think about it. We don't call cutting food for eating 'hurting' or 'destroying.' Probably something like that."

"Quite vague."

Shemul sounded exasperated.

"True. I feel like using this favor to avoid harm might backfire."

"Aura seems like a thoroughly malicious being."

Sōma strongly agreed. This favor seemed like a deliberate prank.

However, Sōma felt more than just malice from the favor.

"I sense something more sinister from this favor."

Shemul's eyebrows furrowed.

"Is it just to keep you from leaving us?"

"If that was Aura's only goal, she could have done it differently. I had already decided to fight, and I was already unable to escape."

Sōma looked at his open palm.

"So, I think this favor has a different purpose."

"…I see."

Shemul threw a rice ball into his mouth, chewed, and swallowed before speaking in a bright tone.

"But isn't this like 'worrying about the quality of fur before catching the animal'?"

Worrying about the quality of fur before hunting is pointless. Similarly, worrying about something that hasn't happened is futile.

"Maybe…"

There was still much to learn about Aura and the favor. Thinking about it now wouldn't yield answers.

Sōma decided to stop thinking about it for now.

Feeling a bit lighter, Sōma realized Shemul had noticed his distress.

"So, Sōma, you had something to tell me, right?"

Sōma shuddered slightly.

"…You really know me, Shemul."

Shemul, who understood and cared for Sōma more than anyone, made Sōma surrender.

Shemul, nodding, said.

"Of course."

Sōma, looking serious, faced Shemul.

With strong resolve, he said.

"I want you to be the ambush force, Shemul."