Chapter 141
Chapter 141: Adaptability
Well, I thought there was no way our training would end with a vibe like a picnic, and sure enough, Zilbagias was ambushed.
Countless arrows glittering in the dark night arched towards us—
“[No Stabbing Allowed]”
I muttered softly.
The rain of arrows clearly lost momentum and weakly fell to the ground. “Oh…!” exclaimed Kuvirtar and the others in awe. I was going to show it off in an actual battle anyway, and since it seemed like the enemy was our own people, I wouldn’t hold back.
I snatched up an arrow that swooped down in front of me, only to find it was a training arrow that had nearly flattened at the tip. There was no miracle or prayer behind it; it could easily be thwarted by the [Restrictions] spell. With the protective magic deployed and using our armor, we had a fortress-like defense against arrows.
—And then.
The bushes rustled with a rustling sound, and several white figures leapt out.
Armed warriors from the White Tiger Tribe. They were clad in light leather armor, equipped with claws and knuckles.
“There they are, demon kin!”
“Uwah—death to the dark ones!”
“Gosh… Demon Lord’s Prince, brace yourself!”
Contrary to their overly exaggerated delivery, their movements were swift. And look, Garunya was here! Unlike her usual maid outfit, her battle attire was refreshing. The large “Alliance Army” insignia on her back was a bit much, though…
While the beastmen lightweight fighters attempted to close the distance, aided by those pathetic arrows from [Restrictions], their movements slowed just a tad.
Why, you ask?
“It was wise to take a break on elevated ground.”
We were stationed on a slight hill. It wasn’t much of a height, just about the height of two grown men, but even this diminished the charge’s momentum, allowing the defenders to have an easier time.
“Were you really thinking that far ahead when you took a break here?”
“It was written in the military handbook.”
I responded curtly to Kuvirtar. I couldn’t just say it was something I did from my previous life.
While this was happening, our three musket-happy idiots collided with the beastmen.
“[Fall Back!]”
Albar Aoril cast a curse, and the leading beastman froze in place with a twitch. He seemed to forget about the [No Stabbing] restriction as his arm stiffened, and he blinked in confusion.
“Don’t injure them too much; it’s a training on maneuvering, not combat.”
I said that while stepping forward to intercept Garunya.
“Oniyaa!”
With a cute battle cry, she delivered a heavy strike that tore through the air. It was not a ‘thrust’, but a ‘punch’, and it clearly matched my magic as well.
But still, I needed more reach in hand-to-hand combat. I didn’t have any mysterious acceleration like the Sword Saint, and her low attack speed from the ground wasn’t enough.
“Here!”
I swung my spear-sword and struck Garunya’s torso with the blade’s flat side.
“Uniyaa!”
Garunya let out a final scream as she collapsed on the spot. Death judgment.
“Eeeh, this is too much!”
“Run away!”
A few were sent back in a counterattack (judgment), and the remaining beastmen zipped away.
“…What shall we do?”
Kuvirtar asked earnestly. It felt nostalgic, reminding me of when I was an apprentice hero back at the training academy.
“If we chase after them, surely there’s something waiting—a main force or a trap, right?”
I replied, tilting my chin towards the bushes where the beastmen had fled.
Honestly, it was a tactic the alliance often used, but there were various strategies like ambushing along alternate paths or holding a position in plain sight while the enemy moved. I had no idea how to deal with this on what level.
“How’s the magical detection?”
I asked one of Kuvirtar’s subordinates, who was supposed to be good at detecting magic. He had previously detected the approach of Emelgias’s dragon early in the Faravgi incident, and with a wry smile, he said,
“There are about five extremely powerful magical signatures deep in the bushes. One of them seems to be the judge, while the others may be a group of heroes or priests.”
I see. It looks like we’re about to witness the demon kin’s alliance military cosplay awards… just thinking about it makes me sick. The judge must be Platy.
“Tactically, I believe attacking with complete honesty would be a foolish strategy,”
I said, undecided, and sought Kuvirtar’s opinion.
“As a demon lord’s prince, should I not crush the alliance’s tricks head-on?”
“If it were a large-scale battle, that might need consideration. However, currently, this is an encounter in the mountains. I don’t think political judgment is necessary.”
“I see.”
As Kuvirtar and I exchanged our thoughts, the three fools stood with goofy ‘whoa’ faces, seemingly impressed.
“Then… shall we strike from the front?”
But the three fools looked at me, perplexed, as if to say “eh?”
“The beastmen quickly charged and retreated, so there shouldn’t be any major obstacles ahead. It’s standard to hit from the side here, so we should consider that the ambush paths are possibly already set. We didn’t pursue and are staying put, so charging has likely been taken off the table, resulting in the front being the weakest.”
I figured they were likely waiting on the left flank. The right side is a depression, so the height difference would make it tough to avoid. Anyone would understand I was paying attention to the terrain when we’re taking a break on such an elevated spot.
“If there are any opinions, I’d like to hear them.”
“I have no objections.”
As things started to get interesting, Kuvirtar nodded with a smile.
“…However, if this were a true confrontation, I’d prefer to fall back and regroup with the night elves’ reconnaissance unit. Their power is certainly needed.”
The thought of needing those night elves made me want to spit, but alas, their reconnaissance skills could not be underestimated.
“That is…”
Kuvirtar looked a bit uncertain.
“As a unit leader, that is a reasonable judgment. I doubt the lady would blame you.”
But… he said, casting a meaningful gaze deeper into the bushes.
“We just don’t know how the heroes will see that.”
How the guests would perceive my actions is the question. What a pain.
“Being from a noble background is more trouble than it’s worth.”
I shrugged and adjusted my visor.
“—All units, charge. Crush the hero unit.”
The fake hero unit, that is.
