Chapter 13

Maukt from nearby, I scan the strategy wiki for bosses.

The closest boss monster to Maukt seems to be in the northern part of Maukt.

Come to think of it, Liam mentioned before that there was a forest inhabited by orcs in the northern part of Maildaria.

Still, I thought the boss would be an Orc King or some kind of orc leader, but it's different.

After all, the monsters in the forest are not just orcs.

Liam might not have known that part yet.

Considering the level of the monsters, it seems to be the right level for me now, and the boss monster is even stronger.

Actually, compared to other bosses, the boss monster here seems to be at a lower level.

It's not strange that I didn't know this.

Well, it's time to log in and progress the game.

The army has been formed and it's the fourth day of the march.

No foolish bandits or monsters have attacked the army of over two thousand, and the journey has been smooth, with the forest inhabited by orcs now in sight.

Currently, the army is taking a short break to recover from the fatigue of marching.

Realistically, it's nothing short of a miracle that they could move this fast.

This is due to the high level of training of the kingdom's army, the fact that the order to exterminate orcs was only a matter of time, and the speed of the march thanks to the support magic of the mages in the kingdom's army.

Furthermore, it's fortunate that about 200 adventurers have gathered.

Among the adventurers, there are those who have actually carried out orc extermination before, and many of them have a sense of crisis about the orcs becoming tougher than before.

These experienced adventurers will be useful in this battle.

However, it's difficult to command adventurers who lack experience in large-scale military operations, so they are assigned to the kingdom's army battalions.

Still, Rafael is puzzled and tilts his head.

What has happened to the orcs we are going to exterminate this time?

Why have the orcs become so tough and launched such a fierce attack that they have wiped out villages?

In recent years, monsters have been active, and the kingdom's army has been busy responding every day.

Indeed, some monsters have become tougher.

However, it has been more about the skill level of individual monsters or the increased number of monsters making them tougher.

There are monsters that act in groups, but on this scale, it is limited.

Then why is this happening?

One possibility is that there is a leader among the orc groups.

Orcs are a race that follows their instincts, so they might be following a much stronger leader.

If this is true, then conversely, if the leader is defeated, the group will lose control, and our chances of winning will increase.

But how strong would a leader of a group of a thousand orcs be?

"Commander, what are you thinking about?"

The adjutant asks. Rafael stops thinking and shakes his head in response.

"Nothing, really. I might have been a bit complacent because everything has been going too smoothly."

"That's true. Indeed, the journey has been a bit too smooth, but it's better than having problems."

Rafael smiles and nods.

He and this adjutant have been working together for seven years.

Due to the difference in rank, they cannot have a casual conversation in public, but in private, the adjutant can speak freely, making him a trusted presence for Rafael.

"By the way, I heard that a new potion has arrived from the Academy. Is it usable?"

Rafel changes the topic, remembering the new drug sent by the Royal Magic Institute, commonly known as the Academy.

"Yes, it's called a spirit potion, and it seems to be well-received. Apparently, it can provide the effects of both a healing potion and a mana potion simultaneously. A few mages have tried it, and it seems to have a moderate effect."

"Hmm, that's good to hear. It's a shame that there wasn't enough time to secure a sufficient amount."

The practicality of a new drug that can heal injuries and replenish mana simultaneously is high.

Especially for the knights who are on the front lines, it is important.

Mana is not something that only mages and mages use.

Originally, mana is something that all humans and demi-humans can use.

Mages and mages convert mana to perform various miracles, but there are techniques to enhance one's physical strength and reinforce weapons using mana.

Therefore, mana potions are essential for knights.

For the knights, who are prone to injuries, the existence of a spirit potion that provides the effects of both a healing potion and a mana potion is significant.

To them, the people of the Academy seemed like a bunch of mysterious people who did things they couldn't understand, but now their evaluations are so high that they are praised.

Rafael himself is impressed by the kingdom's improvement in drug manufacturing technology and feels proud to be part of the same kingdom.

As they were discussing this, the sound of galloping horses echoed.

"Commander! The scouts have returned!"

It seems the scouts sent ahead have returned.

"That's right. But it's a bit early... Something must have happened. We need to hear their report."

Rafael sends his adjutant to receive the report.

"Good to see you back. But it's strangely early."

"Yes, sir! That's what's strange."

"Strange?"

Before reprimanding the young knight for his unclear response, Rafael couldn't help but ask.

"I didn't see any orcs. It was quiet except for the rustling of the trees, as if no one was there."

"What?!"

Indeed, the forest is vast, but it's impossible that a thousand orcs couldn't be found.

Perhaps they noticed our movements and are hiding.

(…Maybe they are lying in wait.)

The enemy is like an army. It's highly likely that they are lying in wait, taking advantage of the terrain.

Moreover, since this is their territory, they have the advantage.

I have a bad feeling. Our strength lies in numbers.

In a forest with many obstacles, our movements will be restricted.

If possible, I want to lure them out of the forest where we can use cavalry and deploy our forces more easily, and turn it into a field battle favorable to us.

(Should we burn the forest to drive them out?)

We don't need to fall for their strategy, but this might drive out other monsters as well.

The most troublesome would be something like a dragon.

Among the higher-level dragons, there are some that are friendly to humans.

I've never heard of such a presence in this forest, but dragons live in places that are out of sight, so it's not impossible that they inhabit the depths of the forest.

If one were to exist, indiscriminately setting fire would be seen as a clear act of aggression, and they would attack us.

There was a country that mistakenly attacked a dragon's nest during a war and had its capital burned to the ground.

If it were a weak dragon, we could deal with it, but if we were caught off guard and attacked by the orcs, defeat would be inevitable.

Moreover, nearby towns and villages likely depend on the forest for their livelihood.

Burning the kingdom's resources would be inhumane.

It's frustrating, but we have no choice but to fall for their strategy. We need to inform the troops of the possibility of ambush and proceed with caution.

(I hope nothing happens.)

Shaking off the bad feeling, he dismounted and began the march into the forest.

As the scouts reported, the forest was quiet.

However, although no orcs were visible, he felt as if he was being watched.

(Indeed, they are lying in wait. Observing us from a distance?)

In any case, as long as the enemy is not visible, we have no choice but to go deeper into the forest.

The trees were so dense that they blocked the view, and the forest was slightly dark and cool, creating an eerie atmosphere.

They advanced on a path wide enough for the army to march, which seemed to be a game trail.

The forest, where the enemy's presence was felt but not seen, made the knights and adventurers tense and mentally exhausted.

It's strange—Rafael was puzzled.

They had been in the forest for nearly an hour.

It's strange that the enemy hasn't attacked, but the problem is that they have been under constant surveillance.

They have been under surveillance for an hour since entering the forest, but the location of the surveillance is unknown.

Is it possible to hide from 2,200 people and keep them under surveillance?

Moreover, he felt multiple gazes, not just one.

Are there orcs skilled in stealth?

He looked in the direction of the gaze.

But the orcs were not visible, as they were hidden by the leaves from above the trees.

"Captain, look at that!"

He followed the adjutant's finger and saw a group of orcs waiting ahead.

There didn't seem to be a thousand, maybe a hundred at most.

While the path is wide enough for a battle, it's too few to be effective.

They are probably trying to delay us temporarily and launch a surprise attack from the trees and shadows.

He gave orders to prepare for the surprise attack—when it happened.

At this moment—no, if there had been even one elf, known as forest dwellers, in the army, they might have noticed the forest's abnormality and led to a different outcome.

But there are almost no elves in the kingdom, and none in this army.

—This led to a tragic result.

Boon—A large object slicing through the air sounded behind Rafael.

Sensing the danger, he quickly crouched.

Looking up, he saw no ugly monster with a pig's face, but a thick tree branch slicing through the air.

(Tree branch? A trap!?)

Screams rose one after another.

Looking behind, he saw tree branches and vines attacking the soldiers.

(Trap... No, this is!)

"Uwaaaaaah!!"

A soldier was hit in the stomach by a tree branch, spitting blood and collapsing.

"No! No! Someone, someone help me!"

Terrified by the anticipated future, a soldier screamed and struggled to escape the tree but was thrown and died with a broken neck.

"Agh... gah..."

A soldier, bound by multiple vines, groaned in agony.

"This... this... aaaaaah!!"

A soldier, fighting valiantly to cut down the attacking tree, was crushed by the tree roots.

The trees, with a clear will, attacked. Yes, these were—

(Damn it! These are monsters disguised as trees!)

The enemy was not invisible.

It was natural that they were under constant surveillance.

They were always visible.

Monsters disguised as trees have not been confirmed in the kingdom.

That's why no one imagined that trees would attack.

Rafael was angry at his own carelessness.

However, standing by would only increase the damage.

"Stand firm! Form a tight formation! The enemy is the trees. Mages and archers, use fire! Healers, heal the wounded! Others, fortify the defenses!"

He raised his voice and issued orders.

His words seemed to reach the troops, and they began to move according to his instructions, breaking out of the initial shock of the surprise attack.

Not all the trees were monsters, and there were few of them.

Only ten were visible in Rafael's line of sight.

But the giant tree monsters moving from both sides of the path were a threat on their own.

"Hmm!"

Using mana, Rafael temporarily enhanced his strength.

He climbed the tree monster, using the trunk and branches as footholds.

"Haahaaa!!"

He leaped and swung his sword with all his might.

The single strike split the tree monster in two.

The severed monster toppled over.

"See! This is not an unbeatable enemy! Attack without hesitation!"

Cheers rose at the sight of the commander of the kingdom's army, and morale improved.

The offensive increased, and fire spells and flaming arrows from the archers flew.

As expected, the monsters, being plants, were weak to fire. They let out agonized cries and, in their final moments, fell onto the path, taking soldiers with them.

The soldiers, naturally, split to the sides to avoid being caught in the collapse.

—Suddenly, a war cry rose.

In place of the fallen monster, the orcs, who had been lying in wait, let out a war cry and attacked the kingdom's army.

(Damn it, the orcs were waiting for this moment!)

Considering the actions of the tree monsters and the orcs, it was not a coincidence that they attacked at the same time.

It was a coordinated attack. Yes, everything was a coordinated action.

Rafael realized.

The tree monsters did not just fall to take out the soldiers.

(Damn it! The soldiers are divided by the fallen tree monsters. This means—!)

Orcs attacking from all sides, the kingdom's army forced to fight in small numbers, at a disadvantage.

This is a divide and conquer strategy.

The goal is to defeat the divided parts of the kingdom's army.

—The suffering of the kingdom's army has only just begun.