Chapter 197. The End of the Southeast War (1)

Translator: Master of Djinn

The Mobile Field Army that had been entangled by the imoogi and manticore’s strategy decided to take a gamble to break the deadlock.

Since the monsters were using the tactic of losing some in order to win [1], then they also had to use a strategy to break themselves free of that.

However, unless they were at the command, doing so was no easy feat either, as the monsters had much greater mobility.

To add to that, the monsters also had greater numbers.

In this situation where all the odds were stacked against them, the only thing the Mobile Field Army had the upper hand in was the master-level power.

And that was exactly what Iron decided to take advantage of.

“You must all have already recognised that continuing like this will do us no good. So we need to take some risks now.”

Iron spoke calmly through the communicator that was connected to the entire army. The soldiers remained silent as they waited for Iron’s next words.

“I will act as the decoy.”

“....”

The soldiers were rendered speechless at what he had said. They could only grit their teeth as they watched their commander sacrifice himself once again. They had all trained to within an inch of their life in order to be helpful during combat.

But eventually, when the time came, they could only depend on the commander.

“Everyone should know that time is not on our side.”

Iron continued with a serene look on his face, while looking towards command. He wished they had just a little more time, but unfortunately they were on the verge of ruin. They couldn’t continue to be satisfied with some trivial tactical wins while prolonging the battle. He had to make sure they were able to settle things in the southeast and move somewhere else before God’s orb broke.

Moreover, he did not like how they had racked up so much damage on their side.

The soldiers and commissioned officers he had trained with such effort were constantly dying.

Due to the monsters’ shocking reproductive rate, they could make up their numbers as soon as any of them died. But humans could not do the same. He had to put an end to the battle with one knockout move.

“To catch the enemy, you have to take an equivalent risk. So, just like we give our all during short-term battles, I will penetrate the enemy camp.”

At those words, the commanders clenched their teeth.

“Of course, those shrewd bastards will not appear until I have consumed a lot of my strength. So from the get-go, I will use all my power to sweep through their troops.”

A one-man operation of entering into a danger zone.

But, despite that, Iron did not waver.

“The main point of the operation is that you must exterminate all of the enemy troops completely before the imoogi and manticore kill me.”

Up till this moment, Iron had almost always played the leading role in the battle. He had taken the lead and won victory by virtue of his own strength on several occasions.

But this time was different.

It would not be an exaggeration to say that everything depended on the soldiers this time.

If things weren’t done this way, the clever imoogi and manticore would not take the bait.

They had to make sure that those two big fish could only open their mouths wide and bite the bait. That was exactly the point of the operation this time.

That was why he absolutely needed the soldiers’ help this time.

The moment they tried to step in and help him because he seemed to be in some danger, the operation would immediately fall apart. But it would also be a failure if Iron got too absorbed in his fight with the enemy and died.

“I know that the conditions are very difficult. But we must succeed.”

While he said that, Iron looked deeply at his communicator.

“Can you do that?”

The commissioned officers remained silent. Iron asked them again.

“Can you do that?”

-Yes, sir!

Hearing their answer, Iron had a satisfied expression on his face. Then he immediately started the operations meeting.

“All corps unite in one place and prepare for full scale war against the enemy.”

-Yes, sir!

The three division leaders simultaneously replied to Iron’s command. The three largest corps began to unite.

This meant they were gathering their troops for an all-out war. It also meant he would leave the three corps, with their large scale, as a diversionary tactic, and pick a different troop for defense.

“Knights Order, Storm troops, Raven and Rangers, aim for the enemy force’s rear.”

-Yes!

At his orders, the division-level commanding officers that would lead the defense replied. He had now made the most of the defense troops into a spear that would pierce the tail end of the monster army. However, there was a possibility that the manticore, astute as it was, would become aware of his.

That was why he had to turn their eyes on him instead.

“I will be the spearhead.”

Iron glazed at the faraway monster army as he spoke.

“While I am at the forefront, the imoogi and manticore will try to hit each division from the back. When that happens, you must endure.”

-I will take care of the right side, said Ariel, speaking up first.

Since her corp was the most balanced, they could handle any one that came, whether it was the manticore or the imoogi.

-I will take the left.

Saeriden stepped up to lead the left side.

Among the three corps, Saeriden’s 23rd Corp was the most specialized at defense.

And besides that, there was a reason why the two made such decisions.

The minute Iron ran into danger, the team that could reach him the fastest was the aerial force. And the corps with the strongest aerial force in the Mobile Field Army was Cardro’s 22 Corp.

At first, the 22nd Corp had been designated as defense, but now, because they would be at least two times better as an air force than as defense, they were more reliable in that role than anyone else. It was a good battle formation that would allow any of the two corps taking the rear to provide support if there was any danger.

And like that, the operation was decided.

If everything went exactly as planned, they could wipe out the enemy forces in one fell swoop with this formation.

Before the enemy forces attack the united corps, Iron would break through the heart of the monster forces using his fearsome firepower. And once the imoogi and manticore go to capture the tired Iron, the 23rd and 21st Corps would penetrate the enemy camp, while the 22nd Corp would move to help Iron. In the meantime, the defense troops would ambush the enemy from the back.

When fighting large-scale battles, maintaining the battle lines and morale was always critical. Once the monster army’s frontline collapsed, they would be forced to retreat. And if they also received damage from the back, they would all disperse like dandelions in the wind.

At that point, it would be easy as pie for the Mobile Field Army to wipe them up.

Bbuuuuu!

As a large horn trumpeted, the monster army began to move, as though they were starting full-scale war, with all the stakes up.

Except this time, every single member of the Mobile Field Army knew that the large movement this time was also a diversionary tactic.

While the monsters, including the giant worms, approached en masse, the great armored worm and the manticore’s guards that were the main targets began moving in another direction.

“Start the operation.”

“Yes, sir!”

The commanders began to move with one accord, once Iron gave his command.historical

The united corps began to prepare their camps. The 22nd Corp and the defense troops who were first in line, moved forward, while the 21st and 23rd corps delayed some as they spread out in two wings. At the same time, Iron got on Two Moons and flew towards the approaching monsters.

“Thunder.”

At Iron’s call, thunder fell from the high skies, as a storm began to rage. Following that, Phoenix let loose a fiery storm to stop the monsters’ advance.

“Owl, break through in one breath.”

-Buu!

Following Iron’s intentions, Two Moons released two beams with all its power, while moving forward.

Still, the monster army, worthy of being called a monster wave, joined forces to receive the two powerful beams. Regardless of how strong the divine beasts were, it was still impossible for them to stop the wave on their own.

But Iron continued to charge alone towards the monsters. Iron jumped down from Two Moons, who was flying above the monsters, and creating a huge aura blade swept through the center of the monsters.

Koooong!

Iron grinned as he watched a crater form and the monsters around it fall to their death, flattened into pools of blood.

“Let’s have some fun.”

The moment Iron spoke, the monsters surrounding him gathered all their strength and ran towards him. The lord-class monsters roared, giving orders to their subordinates. With no sign of fear at the appearance of a master like Iron, they ran coming, brainlessly.

This time, they had certainly staked their all on the fight, and were running towards Iron with no regard for their lives.

As Iron faced the gathered monster troops alone, as predicted, the imoogi and manticore came blazing from two directions.

“Do not back down!”

“Stop them!”

Like they had been waiting for this to happen, Ariel and Saeriden gave their orders and went forward to confront the master-level imoogi and manticore. At the same time, the 22nd Corp and the defense troops clashed with the united monster army, continuously slashing through them.

Because of the monsters’ large numbers, even after Iron had killed off a number of them, they were still fighting on equal footing with the main units of the Mobile Field Army. Seeing this, some units from the 21st and 23rd Corps went to support them to maintain the frontlines.

All the while, the Knights Order, Storm Troops, rangers and Raven that had moved to the rear of the monsters looked on. They looked at the real-time images through the Raven’s video crystal, watching for the right time to make their entry, and hoping that the imoogi and manticore would come out soon.

But the clever sons of a gun would never be reeled in so easily. Because they knew that, based on their overwhelming numbers alone, maintaining the current situation was advantageous to them. But there was something they could never have expected, and that was Iron’s power.

“It is still amazing, seeing it again.”

Rodem, the Knight Order’s leader, was tongue-tied watching the fearsome power the divine beasts exhibited as they fused. The fusion that had become much stronger than before was really ‘sweeping’ through the ranks of the monsters who were barely hanging on.

However, because Iron and the divine beasts were giving it their all, the longer the fusion held, the faster they grew tired. There was a limit to their power, even as Baep-sae continuously healed their vitality. They could see Iron grow weary as time passed, as he fought the monsters with his holy powers at the maximum.

It was at that moment that the ground vibrated, and a gigantic black figure appeared.

“Finally!”

Rodem clenched his fist, seeing the imoogi that had finally appeared. Before they knew it, the manticore came gliding through the sky and headed straight for Iron.

“Are we going in?”

Rodem shook his head at the knight’s question.

“Not yet.”

Constantly on the receiving end of the manticore and imoogi’s joint attack, Iron was becoming even more exhausted. But he could still withstand it. Seeing this, the monsters around began to gather at the center to help the imoogi and manticore.

“A little more.. just a little bit more....”

Rodem, Ludem and Nyx Cole waited anxiously for the monsters to leave their ordered ranks.

Finally, when the monsters gathered at the center to form a tight ring around Iron..

“Now.”

Once Rodem gave his command, the Knights Order attacked in a wedge formation, mowing down the monsters who were at the rear. The Storm Troopers also immediately began attacking the monster army from a different direction, while the rangers wiped out the remaining monsters, effectively cleaning the rear.

The big fish had taken the bait.

All that was left was a race against time.