Chapter 81

With the addition of 15,000 more troops, the Margrit Kingdom's army, totaling a staggering 60,000 men, immediately advanced toward the fortress where Helmut was holding out.

"Just hold on a bit longer."

Before leaving the fortress, Otto encouraged Helmut.

"The Duke's army will surely repel the enemy's assault. Don't worry too much."

"I'm not worried at all."

Despite the overwhelming 10-to-1 odds, Helmut smiled.

It was not just a smile of confidence in battle, but one of a man who fears no death.

"I have every confidence in repelling them. The king's lackeys are nothing but a rabble. No matter how many there are, they can't match our knights and soldiers."

"Is that so?"

"Even if they have undergone intense training, they are still mere newbies with no real combat experience. They've probably only dealt with monster hunts. But we are different. Even the lowest-ranking privates are veterans who have seen many battles. I have no fear at all."

Those words were true.

Thanks to Helmut's efforts in defending the border region and the Haber Plain, the Margrit Kingdom's army had very little combat experience.

"Besides, didn't you tell me about the secret of this fortress? The power of that artifact will aid our army. We will hold out. I am confident of that."

"Yes, I believe you."

"I will rely on you, so please do your best."

"That's nothing to worry about."

"Still, it's rather bitter."

"What is?"

"The peace Margrit Kingdom has enjoyed for the past 250 years has been due to the blood shed by our family, knights, and soldiers. Yet, the reward for our loyalty is just this..."

"Haha..."

"Being loyal isn't easy. I thought it was just a matter of being loyal to the ruler and, further, to the people."

"Politics and power work that way."

Otto said with a hint of disgust.

"Making even the most capable, loyal, and necessary subjects doubt and kill them."

"What an ironic reality. If the ruler trusts his subjects, they rebel. If the subjects trust the ruler, the ruler eliminates them."

"That's human nature. People hurt each other, even those close to them."

"A hundred times true."

"Let's put aside such idle thoughts and focus on revenge."

"That's also true."

"In a week, I'll see you. Then..."

Otto took a step forward and smiled at Helmut.

"I'll come with heavy hands full of gifts, not with hostages or threats."

"I'll be waiting."

"You can count on it."

With those words, Otto immediately left Helmut's fortress and headed west toward the capital of the Margrit Kingdom.

"Otto de Scuderi... the king of Iota... If he's such a person..."

Helmut watched Otto's retreating back, about to say something, but then closed his mouth.

As Otto said, now was the time to prepare for the coming battle, not to indulge in idle thoughts...

* * *

Meanwhile, Togril, who received 2,000 troops from Helmut, launched a full-scale offensive with 25,000 troops to completely annihilate the Konyrat tribe.

He knew all too well that a continued passive response would only accumulate more casualties.

"Brother, what should we do?"

Amukan, after receiving a report, sought advice from Karios.

"We can't win in a direct confrontation."

The Konyrat tribe had suffered tremendous losses while Amukan was away, and they lacked the military strength to engage in a large-scale war with the Kerait tribe.

However, Karios, seemingly indifferent to Amukan's desperate situation, continued to do push-ups.

"Brother! Please! How can we... Gah!"

Amukan was knocked down by a sudden kick.

"Dare to interfere with my physical training?"

"Brother..."

"You seemed like a man, but you're just a big coward."

"That's not it..."

"What do you mean? A real man should be calm in any situation! How can anyone follow a chief who is so anxious? Tsk. Batu was a man I could respect, but his descendant is like a whining dog. Can you even call yourself Batu's descendant?"

"Brother, I'm fine with everything else, but that lie is too much..."

At that moment.

"Here."

Camille approached and handed a piece of cloth to Amukan.

"What's this for?"

"You might need it."

Camille said and then left the tent, telling the guards.

"Take a 30-minute break."

"Ah, yes."

After the guards left.

"Gahhh!"

"You dare to call me a liar?"

"Ahh! Brother! Ahhhh!"

"I'll crush you to pieces!"

"Ahhhhh!"

Amukan had to endure being beaten to near death by Karios for exactly 30 minutes.

"Brother... if you've calmed down... please give me some advice..."

Despite being battered, Amukan still sought Karios' advice.

"If we continue like this, our tribe will be destroyed..."

"What's the crisis? Why would your tribe be destroyed?"

"The enemy is too numerous... No matter how well we fight, we can't do anything about it..."

The reason Amukan was desperately seeking advice was due to the geographical characteristics of the Haber Plain.

The Haber Plain is very flat and vast.

Therefore, if there is a significant difference in troop numbers, winning a battle is almost impossible.

There were almost no strategic strongholds that could provide a geographical advantage.

The soil density is low, and there are few large rocks, making it difficult to build fortifications.

As a result, the Haber Plain had almost no siege tactics.

The only tactics were to use the cavalry's speed to gain advantages in small-scale skirmishes or to overwhelm the enemy in a single large attack.

This was completely opposite to Helmut's ability to handle large-scale forces with a smaller number of troops.

"You foolish and ignorant man. If you can't win, just run away. If I were you, I would have packed my bags and fled long ago."

"Are you telling me to run away instead of fighting the enemy who is invading?"

"If you don't like that, die then?"

"That's not it... If we run, we might save our lives for now... but..."

"What more do you want? Isn't that enough?"

"Brother, people fight to the death to protect their homeland. Even if running extends their lives temporarily, without a homeland, they will eventually die."

"You know that?"

"This place, Ulanbator, might seem desolate and worthless to you, a continental person, but to our tribe, it is precious... Gah!"

This time, Amukan was knocked down by a punch.

"Will Ulanbator disappear if you run?"

"Wha...?"

Amukan, holding his jaw, opened his eyes wide.

"Will Ulanbator disappear just because you leave for a while?"

"That's not the case."

"Of course, the Kerait tribe might turn it into a wasteland and set it on fire out of anger. But the likelihood is very low. They need this place, so they will try to take it. How many fools would wage war and shed blood for nothing?"

"!"

"Even if, for the sake of argument, they turn it into a wasteland and burn it, what changes? You can always set up new tents and build new homes. Isn't that your specialty?"

"!"

Amukan was taken aback by Karios' insightful comment.

He was a nomad.

A people who live by moving around the grasslands with their livestock.

As long as there is water to drink and grass for the livestock, nomads can make any place their home.

In other words, Karios was reminding Amukan of the fundamental nature of nomads and helping him reaffirm his identity.

"Think of Ulanbator as temporarily lent. Have the tribe gather only water and dried meat and evacuate immediately. There's a mountain nearby, right?"

"Yes."

"Once you hold out in the mountains for a few days, the rest will be taken care of by Punsil."

"Oh!"

Hope appeared on Amukan's face.

He thought the tribe would be annihilated by the Kerait tribe's large-scale attack, but after hearing Karios' advice, he felt it wasn't such a big deal.

* * *

Late at night.

The Konyrat tribe immediately began to evacuate.

The evacuation included everyone, regardless of age or gender.

The tribe was very anxious about leaving their homeland, Ulanbator, and abandoning all their property, including their homes, tents, and livestock.

They couldn't understand why they were only taking water and dried meat and fleeing to the mountains.

"Don't worry! This is a strategy! It's to make the Kerait tribe relax! Trust me! I will retake Ulanbator within ten days and sweep away the Kerait tribe, then take control of the Haber Plain!"

To calm the anxious tribe members, Amukan even made empty promises and personally led the evacuation.

'I am going on a special operation, so take the tribe and flee quickly.'

'I will go too!'

'You foolish man!'

'What...?'

'Can a chief leave the tribe and go to battle?'

'...!'

'As a chief, you must be a strong pillar to prevent the tribe from becoming anxious and restless.'

'Ah!'

'Even if you flee to the mountains, it doesn't mean there won't be any battles. Take the warriors and protect the tribe members well.'

'Yes, Brother!'

Amukan learned the true qualities of a chief from Karios.

As a former emperor who once ruled a third of the continent, Karios understood leadership better than anyone.

His teachings on leadership were applicable to anyone, whether a chief, a ruler, or even a neighborhood leader.

'Even though I have lost my position as chief and am now a subordinate, I am still a commander who must lead cavalry into battle. I must deeply engrain and practice Brother's teachings.'

Through Karios' advice, Amukan achieved spiritual growth and became a true leader.

He learned and understood the leadership skills a true leader should possess, not just the nomadic style of leadership that emphasizes violence and pressure.

* * *

The Iota Kingdom's army marched at an incredible speed, advancing northward rapidly.

The speed of the Iota Kingdom's army was several times faster than that of an ordinary army.

They were elite troops trained by the legendary instructor Spunner with intense training and physical conditioning, giving them extraordinary mobility.

Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!