novelraw Chapter 136 : Chapter 136
Chapter 136 : Chapter 136
Chapter 136
The main content of 『Lost Chronicle』 is ‘Defense’.
And a strategic defense where one must simultaneously perform resource gathering, construction, development, and defense in an overwhelmingly disadvantageous situation.
If you are a ‘Locke’ player, you should at least have a monster encyclopedia in your head.
Not simply for combat.
To win in combat, it would be more beneficial to construct highly versatile strategies and forces that can be used regardless of the enemy’s race.
In fact, the reason most players focused on heroes and skills is that ‘Hero’ is a highly versatile force and a strategy in itself.
Then why bother with monster information, you ask? It’s simple.
Information is money.
And information on monster byproducts is gold.
As the war progresses, human territory gradually shrinks, and production in various places decreases.
This is an unavoidable fact.
Since it’s natural for the productive population to decrease as much as the troops sent to war.
Naturally, all resources are bound to become critically scarce, and what is needed at this time is information on monster byproducts.
Knowing that Drake’s saliva is similar to oil can reduce oil consumption, and knowing that Serpent’s scales are similar to iron can reduce iron consumption.
‘The characteristics of a Red Orc are tough skin, thick bones, and strong will. High fire resistance and physical resistance. On top of that, since even the Legion Commander stepped forward, physical resistance would have increased further.’
Here is the problem.
If Legion Commander synergy is added to Red Orcs, which are hard to catch even with just ‘tough skin’ and ‘thick bones’, can soldiers catch them?
‘Let alone arrows, even most javelins won’t work. Unless they bring a ballista or something.’
If such guys clash with the Royal Army, the result is obvious.
Unless the entire Royal Army consists of 3-star soldiers, it would have ended before they could try anything.
“…Are you saying mere Orcs are that dangerous?”
When I explained briefly, the parachuter team leader asked back as if he couldn’t believe it.
A stupid question as expected.
“There are no non-dangerous monsters in the world.”
In a world where even a knight dies from a stone thrown by a Goblin if a critical hit lands on a lucky shot, a non-dangerous monster indeed.
Instantly, the parachuter’s gaze turned to the squirrel gnawing on a magic stone on one side.
How would he feel if he knew that squirrel might be stronger than most Knight Orders?
I thought about telling him but shut my mouth.
Actually, I didn’t really have anything to say.
It’s not like I saw the squirrel hunting, so what could I say?
The squirrel is hiding its power? Bow down on your own seeing it dig into forest trees?
If what’s attached above his shoulders isn’t decoration, he’ll judge on his own, well.
“Understood for now. Since we decided to help the Young Duke until other contact comes from the main camp.”
As the parachuter team leader moved saying he would check the rangers, Hoodwock reported as if maintenance was finished.
“Commander, preparations are complete.”
“Good. Tell the Special Mission Unit to hide behind the trees where luminous pearls are installed, and tell the Royal Army rangers to move to the standby point mentioned beforehand.”
Now, it’s time to deliver a surprise gift.
* * *
Swaaaaaaaa!
The Royal Army’s parachuter, no, Team 1 Leader Dexon fell into the worry of a lifetime listening to the sound of rain ringing loudly above his head.
‘Is that really possible?’
Calling rain isn’t terribly surprising.
I heard that intermediate spirit summoners, who receive treatment similar to knights in the west, can overturn the earth and make the sky cry.
Some wizards seen on the battlefield even called storms, not just rain.
Swaaaaaaa!
The surprising thing is that that isn’t magic.
‘No, since they used magic stones, magic is magic, but…….’
The trap originally set by the Royal Army was simple.
Dig a deep ditch on the path Orcs are likely to pass and fill it with water using magic stones containing the water attribute magic ‘Aqua’.
Just before the Orcs pass, use the electric magic ‘Thunder’, and it’s done.
It’s a quite famous combination showing power close to 4-star magic using 1-star and 3-star magic whose magic stone prices aren’t expensive.
To the point of being counted as a defense essential along with moats in domains where territorial wars are frequent.
Moreover, magic stones containing the highly versatile ‘Aqua’ are sold over ten million annually.
‘I’ve never heard that Aqua can call rain.’
No matter how much I think about it, it makes no sense by common sense.
Calling heavy rain with ‘Aqua’ used on the ground makes no sense either, but casting magic on the ground to call heavy rain from the sky above the trees.
‘Using magic stones outside the designated range is absolutely impossible.’
Magic stones containing magic are literally storage.
Storage containing a wizard’s magic.
Unless the person taking it out is a wizard, calling out the stored magic right in front of the magic stone is the limit.
No, even if a wizard from the Magic Tower came out, I don’t think they could show such casting range.
If that were possible for anyone, this world would have been ruled by the Magic Tower, not the Royal family.
Whoever starts a rebellion anywhere, if they cover their face with Aqua, they would die, so wouldn’t the construction of a sole empire be possible too?
Swaaaaaaaa!
As the raindrops heard above his head became stronger, Dexon’s head also became complicated.
‘Assigning a strategic value to heavy rain of this level is a stupid act. It would be possible to create advantageous battles in any situation.’
Let’s assume the Royal Army targets Moner right now.
At least a month for the 1st and 2nd Armies to depart and arrive at Moner. Spending that month in heavy rain.
All sorts of food and supplies would spoil and have to be thrown away, and the Kingdom’s elites stained with colds and fatigue wouldn’t even be able to lift spears properly.
If what’s needed to create that overwhelming situation is just a magic stone ‘Aqua’ containing 1st circle magic.
‘No, isn’t it the same for siege warfare, not just defense? If rain can be called in a specific place, doesn’t it mean one can make it rain only for a month?’
Crops cultivated with sweat die and the city is submerged in water. Since there is no city that made drainage channels thinking such heavy rain would continue for over a month.
Swaaaaaaaa!
In the intensifying rain, Dexon regretted dedicating himself to the Kingdom for the first time.
‘…Damn it.’
Even when the mercenary group of commoner origin became rangers, practically the elite of the Royal Army, he thought he couldn’t have picked a better line.
‘To think the Royal family couldn’t even grasp Moner’s power. It was a properly rotten line.’
Just looking at the soldier shooting the Knight Slayer, he seemed two, no, three levels higher than the ranger unit.
Comparing the two in terms of strategic value itself is laughable.
Seeing soldiers pulling Knight Slayers with strength, he genuinely felt fear.
While he was repeating regrets and worries in the rain.
“Team Leader, I see the bastards over there.”
A nearby colleague awakened his mind.
“But, leaves are blocking all the rain, will this really be effective?”
At those words, Dexon, opening his eyes wide, glared forward.
‘Right, if human, mistakes are bound to happen. There is no such thing as a perfect human in the world.’
Creating heavy rain with a 1st circle magic stone itself is surprising, but calling heavy rain in a forest isn’t the best choice, is it.
Since most rainwater is blocked by leaves, digging a ditch and preparing a trap would have been more effective.
‘I was scared for no reason by the name Moner; the Young Duke is that famous scoundrel. Naturally, there can’t be no mistakes.’
More dangerous than a stupid commander with conviction is a stupid noble with conviction.
Just momentarily forgot the opponent was a scoundrel because the impression when first meeting was too strong.
“Team Leader? The bastards are passing by.”
“Wait.”
Dexon, swallowing hard, looked at the Orcs in front.
“Are you really going to follow that scoundrel’s plan? If we don’t block that guy called Legion Commander or whatever here, the Royal Army won’t even be able to run away?”
“…We just follow the side with priority in command rights.”
“Crazy, since when did we care about such things.”
“Be quiet.”
As said, Dexon wasn’t stupid enough to care about such things on the battlefield.
Whoever has command rights, if he didn’t follow the order of the side that seemed to have a higher probability of living, he would have died.
It’s the same this time.
‘Those bastards, they are heading exactly to the Royal Army camp.’
Even if the Royal Army evacuates, it didn’t seem like those guys would give up.
If lucky and evacuated, they would fight at the fortress, and if unlucky, they would be hunted in the forest like last time.
‘And our unit is a good card to discard among them.’
While Dexon looked at the battlefield with a hardened face, the Legion Commander moved further away.
“Still?”
“Wait until an order comes from Moner side.”
“Those guys wearing red armor look really dangerous…….”
“Splitting heads is the same whether it’s those guys’ red axes or the crude axes behind.”
“Pfft-”
Just imitated the Young Duke’s words, but a few surrounding rangers burst into small laughter.
“So, how do they contact from Moner? We used all our magic stones already, what number flute is it?”
“Not a flute…….”
Dexon, shaking his head, pointed his chin to one side of a tree.
“Contact came over there.”
Squeak!
A squirrel raising one hand confidently.
A cute red piece of cloth was fluttering at the fingertips.
“That is the contact? Whether Young Duke or whatever, isn’t he really crazy?”
“You stupid bastard, if you teach pigeons well they deliver letters too, and squirrels are smarter so they’ll do better.”
“Letters are because they are letters! Where is a crazy guy getting ink and pen to write letters on a battlefield?!”
As the unit members seeing the squirrel whispered noisily, Dexon glared.
“Quiet. The contact method is naturally not a letter.”
“Look! It can’t be a letter!”
“Mm? Then……?”
Squeeeeeak!
As the squirrel, crying as if dissatisfied with the impudent humans not focusing on it, stomped its feet, the rangers’ gaze turned to the squirrel.
“Well, they said we’d know when we see it.”
Simultaneously, Slap! The squirrel’s hand going down and the piece of cloth fluttering following the hand.
“……?”
“……?”
Squeak! Squeak! Squeak!
At the sight of the stupid humans, the squirrel hurriedly flapped its hand as if saying now, but the rangers just looked at each other awkwardly, no one moved.
‘That?’
‘Eh, no way.’
‘Mm, surely not that.’
Squeak!
As the squirrel, flapping on the ground with irritation, shouted with all its might.
Rumble-crash!
Dozens of lightning bolts fell on the Orc Legion.
- Graaaaaaack!
- Kwaaaaaack!
- Hurts! Hurts! Pain!
Simultaneously, screams echoing through the forest and the smell of roasted meat.
It was clear traps were activated first on the other side.
“…Activate the trap.”
As Dexon spoke nonchalantly, the rangers quickly threw the prepared magic stones on the ground and shouted.
““““““Thunder!””””””
Rumble-rumble!
Simultaneously, dozens of lightning fragments flowing backward up the improvised waterway on the ground.
- Kraaaaaack!
- Enemy! Enemy attacks!
- Bastards are hiding in the ground!
- Hurts! Hurts! Pain!
Amidst the echoing Orc screams, the silent rangers’ gaze turned to the squirrel.
Squeak— squeak.
Shaking its head as if pathetic, the squirrel trotting back.
“Were we just ignored by a squirrel……?”
Probably so.
Since it was an obvious flag signal no matter who looked at it.
“Wake up. Divide in half, one side grasp the situation, the other half move to the next location.”
While moving according to words, a member who was blank asked.
“…Team Leader, aren’t you amazed that a squirrel is a flag bearer?”
“Didn’t we see things more amazing to the point of being sick of it on the battlefield.”
Although they were a ranger unit priding themselves on having experienced so much it was boring, they had no choice but to nod silently at the member’s following words.
“No, no. I’ve never seen anything that amazing.”
Because they had never seen nor heard of something like a squirrel fluttering a cloth like a flag bearer.