At the entrance to the Black Lake.
The Goblin Legion had surfaced from the depths, avoiding the usual routes frequented by monsters and circumventing the teleportation gate traps.
Once the troops regrouped outside the lake, Kali-Alexander wasted no time in attacking the teleportation gate.
Success came as they shattered the gate covering the lake's entrance.
Only then could the forces retreat in proper order.
"Sigh..."
Surveying the significantly diminished legion, Kali-Alexander let out a sigh, not one of lament but of relief.
"Fortune smiles upon us."
A full third of their forces had been senselessly lost from the onset.
It was a devastating loss, yet Kali-Alexander's thoughts were contrary.
"Had I led the legion from the front as usual, we would have been ensnared by that trap without fail."
If the Orc Legion hadn't rebelled.
If Nameless had been properly marked by the Orc Legion as planned.
If the Goblin Legion had mobilized as usual. If Kali-Alexander, as was his custom, had led his kin from the front.
They would have advanced to the surface, oblivious to the trap, and been sucked into the teleportation gate, meeting a screaming demise.
Without their leader, the Goblin Legion would have disintegrated like a flock of lost migratory birds, as they had hundreds of years ago.
"How unpredictable life is, to turn a misfortune into a blessing."
The Orc Legion had rebelled,
A void was left in the forces meant to mark Nameless,
Necessitating Kali-Alexander himself to lure out Nameless,
Preventing him from taking the lead, and thus, avoiding the trap.
A series of coincidences allowed Kali-Alexander to survive the human trap. The conquest war continues.
And for this, the lives of fifteen thousand common goblin soldiers were a trifling price to pay.
'The entire legion nearly perished to this one trap.'
When shaking off Nameless at close quarters, a primal fear chilled him to the bone.
But this time, the impact of Ash's trap felt different. The lack of reality meant the shock didn't fully register.
As he barely accepted the absence of the vanished troops in his mind, a sharp pain raced through his head.
'Knowing our monsters couldn't use the teleportation gate, to flip it on us instead...'
Kali-Alexander looked north.
The humans' forward base was visible not far away. The enemy commander who had set this trap would be there.
'...You'll do anything to win, won't you, Ash?'
But, however.
Ash's strategies and tactics, though they may twist and overturn the rules, did not abandon them. In the end, they still operated within the existing rules.
Still human, after all.
'I wonder, Ash. To protect your world... how much further can you go?'
Stepping over the debris of the destroyed teleportation gate, Kali-Alexander pondered.
The face of the enemy commander who recited poetry to him.
The tender expression of the young man who still bore the warmth of humanity.
'For your world, for your kin, can you... become like me? To wallow in the mire, to bury your soul in darkness, to become a monster?'
Now he would learn the answer.
Whether the last guardian of human lineage who knows the beauty of poetry can remain human to the end, or...
Behind his mask, the Goblin God-King sneered bitterly.
And he swung his arm wide.
"Entire army, fall in! We march northward-!"
***
The sound of the horn blares harshly across the land.
The goblins are preparing to advance. With a bitter taste in my mouth, I lowered the telescope from my eyes.
The supersized teleportation gate we'd toiled to install at the lake's entrance over the past weeks was completely destroyed.
But it was a profitable deal. Not a single soldier was injured, and with just the investment of money and manpower, we were able to annihilate 15,000 goblins.
'I do regret not being able to take down more of their elite forces.'
However, fretting over missed opportunities won't make up for the loss of points that aren't there. The task at hand is to repel the remaining enemies with maximum efficiency.
"All troops, prepare for a defensive battle!"
I surveyed my heroes and soldiers lined up on the walls and shouted.
"Do as we've trained!"
The heroes clutching their weapons and the soldiers who had finished loading the cannons and artifacts looked at me with tense faces.
"After pouring out all our firepower! Once the goblin scum breach our defenses and reach the forward base, everyone will retreat through the teleport gates to Crossroad!"
The strategy here is simple.
We deal as much damage as we can, then abandon the forward base entirely and retreat.
Since we're going to retreat anyway, there's no point in holding back.
Fire the cannons until the barrels melt down, shoot the ballistae until the bowstrings snap, and activate the artifacts until the magic cores shatter.
"When I give the signal, begin a barrage! Got it?"
"Yes!"
"Good! Prepare for battle-!"
"Prepare for battle-!"
"Wait for His Majesty's signal-!"
The soldiers relayed my command with resounding voices.
I looked southward again. Now, even a telescope was unnecessary. I could clearly see the teeming green wave approaching.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
The march was on.
The army of Greenskins.
Packed tightly on the roads, they spilled over like a breach in a dike, a flood of water pouring out.
'...Despite taking out 15,000, they're still this many?'
As a child, I used to read "The Romance of the Three Kingdoms," which often mentioned armies in the hundreds of thousands.
Before coming to this world, I somewhat underestimated the scale of a few thousand, a few ten thousand troops.
But once I arrived in this world and stood on the battlefield, I realized the truth.
A few thousand is an enormous number. The sheer size is suffocating.
And a few tens of thousands? It's an insane number that fills your entire field of vision.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
A goblin legion of 32,000.
The enemy intel didn't list them accurately, but a standard goblin legion consists of various types of troops.
Archers armed with crossbows.
Spearmen gripping long spears.
Cavalry mounted on goats.
Charioteers drawn by massive buffalo.
And the most numerous, shield troops with shields as large as themselves in formation.
The goblin Janissaries are scattered among them, led by the goblin Amirs, who are commanded by the Goblin God-King.
Booooom!
Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!
Kicking up a storm of dust, they quickly positioned themselves to the southwest, south, and southeast of the forward base.
I had thought they would just rush in recklessly, but they didn't. These creatures knew how to exercise their rights as attackers.
The right to choose the timing of the attack.
They plan to enter after completely organizing their siege camp.
"..."
Suddenly, I remembered back to Stage 2.
The defense against a swarm of 3,000 rats. That time when the Margrave of Crossroad had thrown his life away to protect the city.
Since then, we've developed overwhelmingly, both in quality and quantity.
But—what's gotten stronger is also true for the monsters.
Watching them equip themselves with fine gear and forming their attack lines in an orderly manner, I couldn't help but mutter.
"Shit, why are you guys playing a different game..."
This is a defense game, you monsters. Don't enjoy your strategy simulations amongst yourselves...!
Then, a different sound came from the ranks of the creatures.
Dong! Dong! Dong!
The sound of drums.
Suddenly, the goblin camp fell eerily silent, then,
Whoosh!
The Goblin God-King standing at their center swung his arm.
Following this gesture, their flags fluttered, and
Booooom!
A horn sounded, longer and more majestic than ever before, filling the battlefield.
It was the signal.
Kyyyyaaaaah!
Krreek! Kiririk!
With horrific screams, goblin legions surged from three directions in the south all at once.
The discipline they had maintained until now was not characteristic of goblins at all. This was their true nature.
Their eyes burning red with the intent to kill, they rushed towards the frail walls that shielded humans, eager to slaughter—
Tens of thousands of goblins in a great horde began to flood toward the small forward base like a tsunami.
"..."
I'll admit it.
For a moment, I froze.
I was struck dumb by the sight of these monstrous bastards creating waves and rushing towards us.
Could we really take them down with a normal exchange of blows? That was the first thought that circled my head.
Can we win?
Really?
Against this number?
"Master!"
Lucas called out to me urgently, and jolted back to my senses, I swung my arm forward, a half-beat too late, but hastily.
"Turn these monsters into meat scraps—! All troops! Fireeee!"
My heroes and soldiers had also been frozen.
But while people may freeze, machines operate just fine.
Click.
The vanguard of the Goblin legion stepped on a mine we had laid.
Boom!
With a spectacular explosion, the green monsters were blown to bits, scattering in all directions. This first blast served as the signal.
"Fire!"
"Fire—!"
We hadn't brought many regular soldiers to the forward base. It was a retreat operation anyway, and too many would be cumbersome.
Bang! Bang!
Boom boom boom!
I had brought skilled artillery and archers, seasoned from numerous defenses. The soldiers fired cannons and ballistae smoothly.
Ziiiiing!
Artifacts densely installed along the forward base walls all emitted light simultaneously.
They were mostly N-grade and R-grade artifacts, which are a bit more expendable, but when you have dozens of them, it's a different story.
The artifacts spat fire, shot ice, buffed our firepower, and debuffed the enemy.
And then, the hero parties.
Tatatatatata!
The Shadow Squad fiercely launched explosive arrows and spears.
Thwack! Thwack thwack!
The Holy Grail Seekers, all five armed with longbows, released arrows without pause.
Bang! Bang! Bang bang bang...!
Damien's sniper party, all armed with magical guns, laid down a barrage of fire.
Lastly,
Tatatatatatadong!
My defense towers, automatic turrets that I had installed.
Firepower, firepower, firepower! More firepower!
The Korean military traditionally obsesses over firepower. I, too, carry that bloodline and share the sentiment.
I prefer to sweep them all away with overwhelming firepower before the enemy can even approach—crossfire.
But, yet—
'There's too many.'
Fuck.
'Too many.'
It's a mad number's violence.
The goblins' eyes turned a bloody red, drooling from their mouths—they meticulously maintained formation, neatly marching towards the forward base walls.
Our firepower was tremendous. Each time the turrets fired and the heroes unleashed their skills, monsters burst by the dozens and fell.
But—there are more behind them.
Tens of thousands more.
Undeterred by death, scattering red murderous intent—these nimble creatures swiftly surged toward the forward base.
"These motherfuckers..."
Biting down hard, my lips trembled slightly before I twisted them into a smile.
"Do you know one of the greatest thrills of a defense game...?"
There are many thrills in defense games, but one of them is.
"Defending the line until the very end with precise hits, you monstrous brats...!"
Just before the monster wave could touch the gates.
It was all about breaking them down with sharp damage calculations...!
"Junior-!"
I looked back at the party of mages, still conserving their strength amidst the chaos.
"It's time to show the true essence of the mage party! Are you ready?!"
Junior and the young mages under her command nodded in unison.
It was time for the fantasy world's strategic weapons to unleash their power.