The Ramallon Imperial Expeditionary Force consists of four major military units. Namely, the main army led by General Callies, the commander-in-chief, the first army in front of the main army, the second army on the left wing, and the third army on the right wing.
General Callies was in a deep state of worry. Zizeu, the commander of the 2nd Army, who boasted of his superior command ability in defending his own position, was provoked by the enemy and moved his army.
The left flank of the 2nd Army's position also borders the Jucan border. Many warders had been deployed there in case the Great Demon King's army appeared, but half of them had been killed.
"I say again. You will not move your army without my order. Especially the Third Army.
Sheba, the Third Army's deputy general, bows his head apologetically.
With his staff sent back to their positions, Callejes, now alone, sighs as he looks at the sunset-tinted Imperial Army unfolding below him.
General Callies and Commander Almond have contrasting attitudes toward the battle. General Callies believes that a general must calmly analyze the war situation from the back row and issue appropriate orders, and that everything ends when the general dies. Therefore, it is out of the question for him to go to the front himself. On the other hand, Commander Almond, on the other hand, believes that it is impossible to fight a battle unless he is in command of the front line, encouraging his soldiers and raising their morale by risking his own life.
This is the difference between the desk-oriented approach and the field-oriented approach of Caries, who received a gifted education at the Imperial Military Academy, and Almond, who has worked his way up from an armful of experience, but unfortunately there was no one in the army to connect the two. This was a major weakness of Lamar's army.
Both sides have a good point. However, this makes the story more complicated. General Callies, who was well aware of this, was pondering how to move Commander Almond, who possessed an incompatible but exceptional generalship.
The sun is setting. Shall we get started?
I look to Knogen.
"Well, I'll go get ready."
Thank you.
I see that Kunogen has disappeared into the forest, and I turn to Sadakichi, the Fairy Dragon, who is waiting behind me.
>
Sadakichi and 20 other Fairy Dragons fly away. I create a mist toward the river flowing from the Irbezi River to the Juka side and the mountains on the other side of the river.
"Hm? What is that? Fog?"
Nagesi, a captain in the 2nd Ramallon Army, noticed something unusual in the border area on the Jukka side.
They were lighting bonfires in their camp at this time of day, when the sun was setting and the area was rapidly enveloped in darkness. In the dim light, the dimly visible mountains are rapidly enveloped in white smoke. Just as they were about to leave the area to report to the corps commander, a voice comes from another soldier.
"What the hell is that! The river is... burning?"
When he looked, he saw that the river was shrouded in fog, but there appeared to be flickering flames at the end of it. Moreover, it was huge. There was a flickering pillar of fire several tens of meters high. And it seemed to grow in proportion to the speed at which the sun was setting.
"Hey, come on! I don't care how many hands you have to pull out, just do it!"
Beyond the fog, Knogen was blasting his men.
"Well~ even when you're told to cut corners, it's surprising how hard it is to cut corners."
"Whatever, just get on with it! It's about to start!"
Knogen's troops had built a huge tower on top of the logs over the river. The towers were built in a number of rows across the entire width of the river. The fire was set from the place where they were built.
"Don't let the fire spread to the forest. If you're not careful, the whole mountain will be burned to the ground!
"Well, there's no wind, so it should be fine."
"Stay alert until the operation is complete. Burn them where they stand! You guys better get together quickly or you'll burn to death!"
The Knogens were as happy as children as they continued their work.
On Lamaron's side, there was unrest. The upper reaches of the river were turning red. Just when everyone began to feel that the rumored Great Demon King had arrived, the soldiers of the Second Army heard an unfamiliar sound.
"What's coming from the Juka side? That was... Geez!"
Suddenly, all hell breaks loose on the left flank of Lamaron's army. A herd of 30 Egnimos, huge bulls 3 to 4 meters in length, had emerged from the mountains on the Jukha side and were charging across the river toward the Lamaron army.
Egnimos are characterized by their large horns, which are shaped like the letter T. They charged with their horns, easily smashing through the fence that Lamaron's army had built, and sent the soldiers around them flying.
It's the Demon King! The Demon Lord is attacking!
"Run! We have to get out of here now!"
"Whoa! I don't want to die!
Such voices can be heard everywhere. Catching on, the soldiers of the Second Ramallon Army fled one after another. One Egnemo chased after the fleeing Lamarong soldiers, and another ran into the neighboring First Army.
"Hi, suddenly a huge Egnimo appeared from the Juka side and rammed into the Second Army! Moreover, it has penetrated through the second army and is running into the first army next door!"
What is the current situation?
"Egnimo of the First Army has been killed. But the other Egnimos are chasing after the soldiers of the Second Army!
"Egnimo is a cowardly demon... I can't believe he would attack a man..."
General Callies struggles to keep his head clear of the confusion and tries to maintain his composure.
Some of the soldiers are saying that a great demon king has appeared, and there is widespread unrest!
"I want each of you to give strict orders not to leave your posts until I give the order. Soldiers who run away may be cut down!
"Ha!"
General Callies was frantically thinking about his next move as he watched the back of the messenger as he walked away.
<<< Well done for spreading your scales deep into the enemy's territory. Thanks to you, we were able to inflict a heavy blow to the enemy. Thank you for your hard work. You may rest now.
"....... Marquis! It's a success here, too!"
While he was talking with Sadakichi, Knogen's men returned. They were the ones who had followed Egnimo across the river.
"Unrest is spreading on the enemy's left flank!"
"Yes! Well done!"
"The Great Demon King is out! Run! I went around shouting, "A lot of soldiers are running away.
"Good for him. You guys get back here as soon as you can. And tell Knogen and the others to come back as soon as possible.
"No problem, sir!"
I sighed deeply as I watched Kunogen's men disappear into the darkness.
At that moment, a tremendous shout of victory came from the imperial side.
""""Wow! !!!!""""
"""" oooooh!!!!""""
The soldiers of the whole army were shouting loudly, using megaphones made from thousands of thick sheets of paper that had been handed out during the day. Some of them climbed on top of trees and screamed, others went out to the very edge of the enemy's attack and shouted loudly.
"Bollocks, get them out of here!"
Feed me!
"Mother!"
"Julia, I love you!"
Some soldiers join in with the victors and shout whatever they like. Their voices bounce off the mountains, creating an indescribable noise. Checking the map, it seems that many soldiers, especially those on the left wing, have fallen.
"This must be breaking Ramalon's heart. As usual, you are doing a great job."
Lafayence, who had been watching the whole thing, speaks to me in an exasperated voice.
"That's a strategy that even the Great Demon King would have thought was too risky. No, I'm impressed. My hat's off to you.
"If there is a Great Satan, perhaps it is the weakness that lives in the human heart."
I stared into the darkness, trying to catch sight of the returning Knogens.
"...Are you insane, Almond?"
General Caries, his brow furrowed, looks at the Commander of the Legion of Almond.
"The left wing, the Second Army, has been decimated. There is unrest among the soldiers. We must pull back now. Before the imperial army launches a full-scale attack.
"I do not agree with the idea of the Third Army serving as a lord. Almond, you're going to die.
The Imperial Army is more important than me. The important thing now is to get as many of our men out of here unharmed as possible. If we can rebuild the army and lure the Heedatian army into the Imperial Palace, we will have a chance to win.
"... Okay. Don't die, Almond. We can rebuild the army as long as the general is alive. But without the general...
"I understand. Leave it to me."
"...call the staff. Now!
Under the command of General Caries, the Imperial Army of Lamarone dared to make a quick retreat in the darkness.