Chapter 48: Facing the Battle
“What do we do next?” Tyr asked, as Dragon Slayer lowered her head, seemingly contemplating something. After kicking a stone with her dainty high-top shoes several times back and forth, she finally answered.
“We’ll see.”
“So, we’re playing it by ear?” Tyr, having no more inclination to grumble about her, could only voice his thoughts.
“How about we just keep running?”
“Who knows how long we’ll have to run. In a place like this with no food, I could go without eating for a month or two, but I’m afraid you won’t last,” Dragon Slayer said, but then their expression suddenly changed.
“What’s wrong?” Tyr knew that when Dragon Slayer’s expression changed, it usually meant trouble.
“That ogre seems to have caught our scent and is chasing us. It might be here in another five minutes,” Dragon Slayer said with a hint of impatience.
“Tsk, the persistent fellow. It should be thanking us for helping it become a fifth-level monster.” Tyr had gained a new understanding of the ogre’s tenacity, and Dragon Slayer seemed equally impatient.
“Ogres are a greedy and extremely vengeful species. We inflicted significant damage on it, so within its capabilities, it will surely come after us.”
“So what’s the plan?”
“There are two options. One is to hide inside the fortress and not come out. No matter how much that creature causes a ruckus, as long as we hide well, it won’t matter even if it turns everything upside down. The other option is to ambush it. Such an excellent opportunity won’t come again. What do you think, Mr. 123, which one do you choose?”
“Do you think this is a matter of choice?” Tyr retorted. It was impossible for Dragon Slayer, let alone Tyr himself, to cowardly hide inside the fortress given their character.
“What’s the plan for the ambush?”
“Well… on the opposite side of the fortress, there’s a surveillance post. You hide in there, and I’ll hide over here. Then, when it comes, we’ll ambush it all at once, catching it off guard.”
“Wow, that’s a really straightforward tactic.”
“I’m not particularly talented in this either, so why don’t you think of something?” Dragon Slayer rolled her eyes and pouted, showing some reluctance. Tyr could only respond with a helpless shrug.
“Alright, alright, let’s go with this plan then. I haven’t come up with anything myself.”
“It’s true. Occasionally, you need to use your own brain. Always asking me, sometimes if I can’t come up with an answer, it can be quite damaging to my dignity.
Dragon Slayer finished speaking and pointed with her small hand, saying,
“Go to the other side. The big guy is coming soon.”
“Okay.” Tyr disappeared from Dragon Slayer’s view in a flash. When she looked again, he had already dashed into the watchtower in one swift motion.
Dragon Slayer heaved a heavy sigh as she watched Tyr leave. She raised her right hand and caressed the five simple rings on her fingers, muttering to herself,
“I probably won’t need these.”
The Milik Kingdom boasts warriors who highly esteem martial prowess and merchants obsessed with wealth. These two professions have fostered the thriving kingdom we see today.
“The Tifimia Great Tunnel was built at the urging of numerous merchants, and as a result, it facilitated better and faster trade among merchants, with almost one hundred percent safety.”
However, recently, due to an attack by a demon king on the tunnel, Tifimia has been paralyzed and blocked off during this time, and although the kingdom of the demon king has declared sending troops to eliminate the threat, the rails, due to the severe damage, must undergo repairs lasting for six months, which is causing great urgency among the merchants, who, while cursing the long-deceased demon king, are trying various ways to take shortcuts through the outskirts of the Funeral Forest to trade with other countries, but such risky endeavors have resulted in the deaths of many merchants, although they have not yet reached a level to shake the kingdom of Milik, it is still a profoundly sad situation.
The Tifimia Grand Tunnel, the segment requiring closure spans from Rum City all the way to the Poplar Mountains, measuring nearly 1000 kilometers in length.
“On the side of Rum City, local mercenaries are dispatched to enforce a blockade similar to a semi-annual mission. On the other side of the Flowing Mountains, however, it’s the military; heavily guarded, preventing any idle individuals from approaching. Mages, a formidable individual with ‘Imperial’ level strength. Not only has he attained the title of ‘Military-grade’ mercenary, but also the highest leader of this army, holding the status of a Viscount. Yet, what the higher-ups value in sending him is not merely his strength or position. It’s his meticulous attitude towards everything.”
“At this moment, Mages is in his office, reviewing a series of recent expenditures within the army and the conflicts arising among soldiers in various units. Since wherever there are people, there will inevitably be disputes, this is a fact that Mages must acknowledge. The conflicts among subordinates in various units shouldn’t ideally be minor matters he needs to intervene in. However, completely ignoring them would probably chill the hearts of those below him.”
“Although he hasn’t heard any negative comments from his subordinates by chance, although he hasn’t heard any negative comments from his subordinates by chance, Mages hopes he can do better. Even in such a leisurely and idle underground tunnel, he must still give it his all.”
“Hmm?” Mages furrows his brow suddenly, looking out the window.
“The tremor of dark magic.”
“Captain Mages, did you notice?” Suddenly entering through the door is a man with short blue hair, dressed in a neat uniform, evoking a favorable impression at first sight.
“Marlon, your timing is perfect. This tremor seems to originate from within the sealed tunnel, possibly indicating a collapse. You understand, I presume, that with both ends completely sealed off, it’s highly unlikely for any other beings to appear within the blockade zone.”
“…Captain Mages, I’m willing to go ahead and investigate.”
“Alright, but this is of utmost importance. I’ll go with you. You go ahead and command the follow-up troops to prepare for immediate departure.”
“Yes!”
