Chapter 86

Two days later.

"How long do we have to endure this?"

"Damn it! We're going to starve to death!"

"Mom… When are we going home?"

The complaints of the Konyrat tribe members exploded.

After being trapped in the mountains with nothing to eat for almost two weeks, their patience had finally reached its limit.

"Damn! What does it matter if we're the Konyrat tribe or the Kerait tribe! It's better than starving to death here, peeling tree bark to eat!"

"Screw this endurance!"

Tribespeople who lacked patience began to leave the tribe and descend the mountain.

"Chief! The tribespeople are deserting! Not many have left yet, but soon everyone will be descending the mountain to surrender to the Kerait tribe!"

"Is that so."

"Chief! If this continues, even the warriors might start to surrender! We can't let this happen!"

Leaving the tribe in the Habar grasslands is a matter of life and death.

The tribe does not let those who try to leave go easily.

They track them down and kill them.

If there are any family members left behind, they are flayed alive and thrown to the wolves as a terrible punishment.

That's the law of the grasslands.

However...

"Let them go."

Amukan didn't seem to have any intention of stopping the deserting tribespeople.

"Excuse me? No, Chief! The tribespeople..."

"It doesn't matter. There's no need to stop them from leaving, and no need to chase them down and kill them."

"Why are you doing this? Have you forgotten the law of the grasslands?"

"We will win anyway."

"…!"

"Reinforcements will arrive soon. It won't be long. The Kerait tribe will be crushed by the reinforcements. Then, the dominance of the grasslands will be ours. There's no need to waste effort on those who leave. They will eventually return to the fold of our tribe."

"Is that really true?"

"I am a warrior before I am a chief. Why would a warrior like me hide in the mountains and show my back to the enemy? If I had no confidence, I would have died fighting. Isn't that the honor of a warrior?"

"Chief…"

"If you trust me, conserve your strength. We will soon be able to fight. It would be a shame if you couldn't fight due to lack of strength."

Amukan, who had lost a lot of weight over the past few days from lack of food, still had a fierce look in his eyes.

Because of his firm belief in Oto, he was able to maintain his composure even in the worst of situations.

* * *

"Hahahaha!"

Toghril burst into laughter as the Konyrat tribespeople began to surrender one by one.

"They're finally giving up. Amukan, you bastard. I'll see how long you can stay holed up in the mountains. Hehehe!"

In Toghril's view, Amukan had two choices now.

Continue to hold out and starve to death in the mountains.

Or come down the mountain on his own and die in a final resistance.

"To think I would gain dominance over the Habar grasslands so easily... without spilling a single drop of blood…."

Thanks to the Konyrat tribe willingly becoming like rats in a trap, he was about to win the war without a large-scale battle, which would have been strange if he felt bad about it.

However, there was someone who poured cold water on Toghril's good mood...

"However... something seems a bit off."

A general cautiously spoke up.

"What do you mean by 'off'?"

"Amukan is a warrior among warriors. It's hard to understand why he would lead the tribespeople to flee. He would rather die fighting than show his back to the enemy, wouldn't he?"

"So what?"

"Moreover, there's a problem with our reconnaissance. Scouts and reconnaissance troops are continuously disappearing or being found dead. It's clear that the enemy's special forces are desperately trying to blind us. Perhaps... we've fallen into a trap…."

"You damn fool."

Toghril leaped up, drew his sword, and cleanly beheaded the general.

Splat!

Blood spurted out like a fountain.

Thud...

The general's head rolled across the tent floor.

"I clearly said not to be swayed by the movements of the enemy's special forces."

Toghril spat out coldly.

"At a time when we are on the verge of achieving our great goal, we can't afford even the slightest waver. To be scared by such an obvious trick? This fool was in charge of commanding our tribe's warriors! Everyone, listen carefully! Our great goal is as good as achieved! If we waver here, we'll only give the enemy a chance to escape! Understand?"

"Yes! Chief!"

The Kerait tribe's leadership, who were in the tent, answered in a high-pitched, almost hysterical voice, terrified.

If they dared to contradict the strongest and most ruthless Toghril in the Habar grasslands, they would end up like the dead general, with their heads rolling.

"You damn fool, your blabbering has ruined my appetite. Tsk!"

Toghril spat and left the tent.

And that morning.

The words of the beheaded general became reality.

"Chief! Chief!"

"…What is it?"

Toghril, who had been sound asleep, woke up with a look of displeasure.

"What is so urgent that you dare to wake me?"

"Disaster has struck! The Margrave Kingdom's army is launching a large-scale invasion!"

"What? The Margrave Kingdom's army...?"

Toghril blinked in confusion.

"The Margrave Kingdom's army couldn't break through Helmut's defenses, right? I heard they retreated after suffering heavy losses."

"I don't know the details, but it's true that tens of thousands of Margrave Kingdom's soldiers are approaching!"

"No."

Toghril was confused and couldn't understand.

"Why is the Margrave Kingdom's army approaching here? Why are the continent's forces helping the Konyrat tribe?"

"I don't know…."

"And what were our scouts and reconnaissance troops doing while tens of thousands of enemies were approaching…."

At that moment.

'Oh no.'

The words of the general he had beheaded a few hours ago flashed through Toghril's mind.

"It's not just the Margrave Kingdom's army! Helmut's army is also among them!"

"What? Helmut's army too…?"

At that moment.

"AAAAH!"

"Kill them!"

A commotion began outside the tent.

"Chief! The reinforcements sent by Helmut have rebelled!"

"What?"

"It's a melee! Our warriors and Helmut's reinforcements are mixed up, making it difficult to prepare for the attack by the approaching Margrave Kingdom's army!"

"Could it be... Helmut and Amukan were in cahoots from the beginning and tricked me?"

Toghril couldn't grasp the situation even as things had reached this point.

Where did things go wrong?

What exactly happened?

But he was certain of one thing: they had fallen into a trap. Toghril picked up his spear and left the tent.

* * *

The Margrave Kingdom's army stormed into the Kerait tribe's camp, and a fierce melee ensued.

Kairos, Camille, and the swordsmen watched the battle from a distance, taking a break.

They were too exhausted from hunting the Kerait tribe's scouts and reconnaissance troops to participate in the battle.

"Tsk! As expected, it's a dirty trick. Sending the Margrave Kingdom's army instead of the Iota Kingdom's."

"Another underhanded scheme, no doubt."

Kairos and Camille didn't know exactly what had happened, but they could tell that Oto had somehow manipulated the Margrave Kingdom's army into being his puppet.

Otherwise, there would be no reason for the Margrave Kingdom's army to be here.

"My army! Destroy them all!"

The fact that even Helmut had appeared leading his own army clearly showed that Oto's plan had worked.

"Finally!"

On the other hand, Amukan, seeing the battle raging below, realized the time had come.

"Look! Konyrat tribe! Reinforcements have arrived! The time of suffering is over! It's time to crush the Kerait tribe!"

The Konyrat tribespeople and warriors were greatly surprised when Amukan's words became reality.

They had thought they would starve to death in the mountains, but they never dreamed that reinforcements would actually come.

"Warriors!"

Amukan, as if he had been waiting for this moment, shouted to the Konyrat tribe's warriors.

"The time has come! This is the perfect opportunity to crush the Kerait tribe! I know you are all exhausted! But I cannot miss this chance! Those who still have the strength to fight, come with me now and let's descend the mountain to crush them! The Konyrat tribe cannot be absent from this battle!"

"AAAAH!"

The Konyrat tribe's warriors roared and followed Amukan, gripping their weapons.

These warriors, who had been so exhausted by hunger that they couldn't move a finger a moment ago, now seemed like a different group of people.

Adrenaline surged at the word "battle," overcoming their hunger.

With the Konyrat tribe joining, the battle took on a peculiar shape.

The Margrave Kingdom's army, Helmut's army, and the Konyrat tribe.

Three forces that had been fighting each other were now united against the Kerait tribe, creating a very awkward scene.

"Die, you... not that."

The Margrave Kingdom's army, startled.

"You almost got me! You bastard!"

Helmut's soldiers, brushing off their shock.

"You fools! Stay focused!"

The Konyrat tribe's warriors, bellowing at the Margrave Kingdom's army and Helmut's soldiers.

Without any joint training, uniform uniforms, or good feelings, it was natural for disharmony to arise among the three forces.

Friendly fire was common as they couldn't distinguish between friend and foe.

Moreover, all three forces were extremely exhausted, which significantly reduced their combat effectiveness.

The Konyrat tribe, who had been starving.

Helmut's army, still recovering from the intense battles.

The Margrave Kingdom's army, worn out from the forced march between the capital and the Habar grasslands.

None of the three forces were in a condition to fight.

As a result, the Kerait tribe, despite being outnumbered, did not falter.

"Don't be afraid! They are just a bunch of ragtag scoundrels!"

"Kill them all!"

"These weaklings! Hahahaha!"

Despite being ambushed while forming a siege, the Kerait tribe dominated the allied forces without being able to use their cavalry.

A well-fed, well-rested, and well-coordinated army can overcome numerical inferiority.

Moreover, the Kerait tribe had something the allied forces lacked.

The presence of an absolute force that dominated the battlefield.

"Alright! You trash! I'll sweep you all away!"

Toghril.

He was the chief of the Kerait tribe, the largest and strongest force in the Habar grasslands, and the most powerful warrior.

Unfortunately, the current allied forces had no one capable of stopping Toghril.

Kairos, Camille, Amukan, and Helmut were all too exhausted to fight, leaving no one to stop Toghril from dominating the battle and carrying out a massacre.