Chapter 78

It was near dusk that day. On the Salt Road, the dragon extermination force led by General Pujol, having successfully joined forces with reinforcements, was transitioning to the next phase of the operation.

On the flat ground that the engineers had leveled by cutting away a corner of the road, numerous temporary barracks made of earth magic stood in a row. While calling it a "fortified position" might be a bit of an exaggeration, the scene clearly revealed General Pujol's intention to settle in and focus on the operation.

Thanks to the breeze from the forest and the shade provided by the earth walls, the camp was not overly hot even during the day.

On the leveled grass, military sheets were spread out, and soldiers sitting cross-legged on them were enjoying simple games with card-like objects in their hands. Of course, these soldiers were on break, while the others were fully armed, securing the perimeter of the camp and preparing for a sudden dragon attack.

In this camp, maintaining a delicate balance between relaxation and tension, General Pujol was receiving a report from a scout who had just returned.

"Hmm. No sign of the dragon swarm itself, but there are traces of their presence, such as droppings, correct?"

Sitting on a simple seat with a thin cushion placed on an earth-magic chair, the bulky general listening to the report twisted his lips.

"Yes, the hunter who examined the state of the droppings and the claw marks on the tree trunks is certain that the dragon swarm is hiding nearby. The droppings are at least from within the last half day."

"Within the last half day, huh."

General Pujol nodded and cast his gaze down to the map on the table. The large parchment map depicted the terrain around the Salt Road. Of course, due to the immature surveying methods, it was far from the kind of map a modern person might imagine.

Without contour lines or a proper scale, it was a rather unreliable map, but it was marked with several characters and arrows that seemed to have been added later.

"Is this the location you went to this time? Just to be sure, I'll confirm with a 'Shashin.'"

"Yes, I understand."

Taking out a sturdy pouch from his waist, the young scout carefully retrieved a 'digital camera.' It was a device brought by the knight Natalio Maldonado, who was among the reinforcements. Of course, General Pujol had been taught the basic handling of the device by Knight Natalio.

Zenjiro had provided the item with the idea that "if we can record the roar of the dragon swarm, it might be useful for guiding them," but after learning about the full capabilities of the digital camera, General Pujol saw its value in a completely different way.

"Please confirm."

Taking the digital camera offered by the scout, General Pujol, still somewhat awkwardly, operated it to display the images taken over the past few days on the back display.

"Hmm, it seems to be correct. You advanced into the forest perpendicular to the road from this point, correct?"

The image showed the scout unit stepping into the dense forest from the Salt Road. The scars on the tree trunks by the roadside were in the Western language of the Southern Continent. The reconnaissance into the forest from the road was conducted at multiple points, and these clear marks were left to avoid confusion later.

Of course, the same characters were written on the corresponding points on the map, like "Point A" and "Point B."

"Yes, the next Shashin is the location where we advanced into the forest. We tried to go straight, but the hunter said we were slightly to the north."

"Hmm, so it's around here, then."

The image was dim due to the dense trees, but a large rock about waist-high was visible on the left side. The scout probably chose this rock as a clear landmark and took a picture of it.

"The next Shashin is the location where we found what we believe to be the droppings of the dragon swarm. We discovered them a little after noon. We tried to go straight, but the hunter said we veered further north along the way."

"I see. So, it's around here. And the dragon swarm is within a half day's range from here, correct?"

"Yes. The hunter is certain that, based on the dryness of the droppings and the freshness of the claw marks on the tree trunks, they are from within the last half day."

"Um-hmm."

The bulky general nodded solemnly, picked up a dragon bone pen, and began adding information to the map. Upon closer inspection, these writings were not just from today.

Arrows were drawn all over the map, with notes like "Dragon swarm traces, within half a day" and "No traces of dragon swarm," along with the dates they were written.

"Hmm, now we have a rough idea of their location. Their nest is likely around here."

General Pujol said this with a voice that conveyed confidence, and then circled a corner of the map with an ellipse using the dragon bone pen in his right hand.

Since the reinforcements joined, General Pujol's strategy had been to conduct thorough on-site investigations.

If the dragon swarm had selected fifty for the attack force, there must be a "base" somewhere where the main force of the swarm is hiding.

Originally, dragon swarms are nomadic, moving around their territory like herds, making them difficult to track. However, if they are operating separately as an attack force and the main force, it is highly likely that the main force is staying in one place.

They don't have radios or cell phones. If both the attack force and the main force were constantly on the move, it would be extremely difficult to regroup. No matter how excellent the dragons' noses and ears are, relying on scent and roars to regroup would be highly inefficient.

Even if the main force is not as mobile as the attack force, it is undoubtedly much slower due to the large number of females and newly hatched young.

Given these circumstances, General Pujol prioritized finding the location of the main force. To determine the location of the main force, it was necessary to investigate the range of the attack force. The attack force, after satisfying their hunger, would deliver the remaining prey to the main force. Assuming this, the nest of the main force should be near the center of the attack force's range.

Based on this assumption, the repeated efforts of sending reconnaissance units into the dense forest have finally borne fruit, and now the map in front of General Pujol clearly shows the location.

"Once we know the location of the main force, all that's left is to prepare thoroughly and launch an attack. However, there is one concern... perhaps we should seek the opinion of an expert."

The general, resting his chin in his hand, muttered something, but it was clearly a monologue, so the scout standing in front of him simply waited for the general's thoughts to solidify.

After a moment, General Pujol raised his gaze and declared in a firm tone.

"We are entering the final phase of the operation. Gather all the unit commanders at the temporary headquarters. Oh, and tell Lord Javier to have the hunters accompany them."

"Yes, understood!"

The young scout saluted with a sharp movement, his right fist hitting his left chest with a slight sound.

After the scout left, General Pujol silently looked at the large map he had just written on and the digital camera that stood out next to it, and a smile twisted his lips.

"Hmph, Lord Zenjiro has quite an interesting device. This has the potential to significantly change our future strategy."

Saying this, the general poked the digital camera with his thick index finger.

This time, in the context of exploring an unknown dense forest, the use of the digital camera for taking photos was limited to providing clear visual information from the reconnaissance units. However, if this were a war against humans, it could be extremely effective.

For example, photographing a road leading to the enemy country from a hill or other high place. Taking a photo of the face of an important figure in the enemy country. Taking photos of the exterior of fortresses or castles from all angles.

Of course, information about roads, fortresses, and castles is military secrets in each country. If someone without permission were to hold a paintbrush near a castle or fortress, they would be beheaded on the spot. Even without any tools, just stopping for a long time in front of a fortress would attract the attention of the guards.

However, with a "digital camera," the process is literally instantaneous. Soldiers in this world, who are unaware of the existence of digital cameras, would not have time to be suspicious before the photo is taken.

General Pujol, momentarily narrowing his eyes at the vision of such a future, quickly returned his thoughts from the convenient future to the current reality, as befits a seasoned general.

"Even if it's not dramatic, this operation has already achieved significant results."

The detailed information written on the large map in front of him. Most of this achievement is due to the work of the reconnaissance units, primarily local hunters, but it is undeniable that without the digital camera, it would not have been possible to gather such detailed information so quickly.

For example, the probability of discrepancies occurring when describing the characteristics of a landmark rock or tree verbally versus sharing it as visual information through a photo is significantly different. The smoother the information sharing, the faster the reconnaissance can progress.

Furthermore, even if the reconnaissance unit does not have a hunter, with a digital camera, they can take photos of claw marks and droppings and have the hunter confirm them later.

Most importantly, by taking photos, information can be re-verified in a safe rear area, not just at the site.

Even experts like hunters and trained scouts are human. In the depths of the dense forest, where dangerous creatures like dragons and venomous snakes can appear at any moment, it is not always possible to maintain a perfect observational eye. There will inevitably be oversights.

By calmly reviewing the photos in a safe rear area, these oversights can be caught. Of course, the amount of information obtained from reviewing photos later is significantly less than being on-site, but the mere fact that there is an opportunity to catch oversights is significant.

In fact, the accumulation of such advantages is reflected in the detailed information written on this map.

"All that's left is the final details. It would be optimal to crush both the main force and the leader of the dragon swarm in one go."

While waiting for the unit commanders to gather, the general spent the time quietly contemplating the future operation.

◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆

The next day.

The dragon extermination force led by General Pujol began its full-scale activities. Of course, this does not mean that their previous activities were not full-scale. It means that the preparation phase is over, and they have entered the final phase of the operation.

All soldiers, except for non-combatants like engineers and their guards, were spread out along the "Salt Road," waiting for the moment to step into the dense forest.

The open road was bathed in bright sunlight, strongly illuminating the soldiers. The sunlight, which is usually just annoying, now felt somewhat reassuring. They were about to step into the dim, dark dense forest where direct sunlight barely penetrates, and engage in battle with the dragon swarm. The presence of sunlight seemed to mark the boundary of "human territory."

General Pujol, standing before all the soldiers, showed no sign of hesitation under their collective gaze and spoke calmly.

"Each unit, do not neglect regular headcounts. If you feel you are about to get separated, do not hesitate to call out. A temporary slowdown is far less problematic than a full-scale disaster. After all, this is a group action in an unfamiliar dense forest. No matter how careful you are, there will always be stragglers. This is not a matter of ability or motivation. It's a matter of luck or misfortune. I will not hold anyone responsible for being unlucky. Understood?"

"Yes, sir!"

Just before departure, the soldiers, fully armed and lined up, responded in unison to General Pujol's words. Despite being fully armed, the dragon archers and all cavalry had left their mounts at the camp, as riding in the dense forest was impossible.

While the reconnaissance units had cleared some of the undergrowth and cut away obstructive vines to some extent, there was no gap wide enough for a running dragon. At best, it was a path that was "a bit better than an animal trail."

"March begins."

At the signal of the general's deep, resonant voice, the entire army stepped into the dense forest, parting the undergrowth with a rustling sound.

The final operation to reach the base of the dragon swarm.

Of course, it would not be completed in a single day. The location of the dragon swarm's base, as determined by previous reconnaissance, was about half a day's journey by dragon from the point where the reconnaissance units had ventured into the dense forest.

It was impossible for a human army to cover that distance in one day. In conclusion, the dragon extermination force had no choice but to spend a night in the dense forest. Of course, the reconnaissance units had already identified a relatively open and flat terrain, but it was still in the middle of a dense forest. It was far from an ideal place for camping.

Unlike the area near the Salt Road, which is closer to human territory, if the terrain were to be leveled using earth magic in the depths of the dense forest, it could potentially provoke other dragon species. There are even more fearsome and aggressive dragon species in the depths of the dense forest. In that sense, making a fire is also a significant risk.

While wild dragon species fear fire to some extent, they can also be attracted by the curiosity of some species. However, in complete darkness, the soldiers would be easy prey for nocturnal dragon species. The soldiers took care to prevent the fire from spreading to the surrounding vegetation, lit small campfires, and took turns tending to them.

The soldiers who were not on fire duty needed to rest their bodies as much as possible for the next day. However, without the use of fire, their food was limited to portable dried meat and sugar lumps, and the water ration was minimal as there were no water sources. They had to lie down on thin waterproof sheets spread over a narrow, bumpy grassy area. Of course, they could not let go of their weapons, as they did not know when a dragon species might attack.

Young Commander Javier Gajir, like the other soldiers, was lying on a thin sheet.

"..."

The dense forest's trees blocked out the moonlight and starlight. Even with his superior night vision, which far exceeded that of a modern Japanese person, Javier could not tell the difference between having his eyes open or closed in the pitch-black darkness.

The only light in the darkness was the small campfire visible when he tilted his head slightly.

"...Phew."

If he dropped the spear he was holding, he might never be able to find it again. With this thought, Javier gripped the spear tightly with both hands.

Javier's concern was not entirely unfounded. The darkness was so intense that he could only see the outline of his hand when he brought it close to his face. If he dropped the spear on the ground, it would be a significant challenge to find it by touch.

Certainly, if he heard a report of an enemy attack and then frantically searched for the spear, it would be too late.

"..."

He needed to sleep for the next day. Even though he knew this, it required considerable courage or "habit" to fall asleep in such a situation.

"Damn it...!"

Despite being aware of his youth, Javier, who was a proud adult warrior, found it humiliating to admit that he was "shaking with fear." Javier had killed a few dragons, both with his bow and in close combat with his spear, but that was in the human territory of the Salt Road during the day. Being vigilant for a potential attack in the dragon territory of the night forest was a completely different matter.

Struggling with fear, helplessness, and self-loathing, the young commander was approached by a seasoned knight.

"Commander Javier, can't you sleep?"

At the calm voice of Knight Josep, Javier, who had momentarily trembled, turned his face in the direction of the voice and responded.

"Josep, can you see me?"

While he could tell it was Knight Josep from the voice, Javier, who could not even see the outline, propped himself up from the tree root he was using as a pillow and exclaimed in surprise.

"I can't see you clearly, but I can make out your general outline. You just raised your body, didn't you?"

"Yes, that's right. Impressive. Is that from training, or are you naturally that good?"

The young commander, who expressed his admiration sincerely, saw a small smile on the seasoned knight's face in the darkness.

"Well, I'd say it's more from training. There are individual differences, of course. The trick is to look at your own shadow on the ground while facing the distant campfire. Once you can see the outline of your shadow, try looking a bit further into the darkness. If you can make out something in the shadows, look even further. Gradually, your night vision will improve."

"Interesting."

As Javier was about to try it immediately, Knight Josep gently reprimanded him with a smile.

"Commander Javier, what you need right now is not to improve your night vision, but to close your eyes and fall asleep as soon as possible."

"...You're right