Upon receiving and confirming Rashka’s death in battle, Gi Ga Rax immediately commanded his forces to retreat, and they returned to the main force. With the goblin king still unconscious, the person most affected by his death was actually not the goblins but Pale.
He dove countless times into the enemy’s sea of iron and came back to life many times before finally being able to claim the head of the enemy general.
Thanks to Gi Ga’s full account of Rashka’s heroic battle and death, the main force kept their morale as they passed through Bandigam and returned to Elfa, during which Gi Za Zakuend proposed a plan to pale.
Leaving Bandigam like this was too dangerous. A general had to stay behind and buy them time, and Fort Bandigam was a key location on Elfa and Artigand’s border, a position that even the Kingdom of the Black Sun(Alrodena Kingdom) had to scheme to bring down.
“Leave the selection of personnel to me,” Gi Za said.
When Pale gave him her permission, Gi Za nodded.
“…You don’t hesitate, do you?” Pale said.
“Of course not. Death is ever a close companion to us,” Gi Za said.
“I see…”
Surprisingly, despite the death of a key general, Alrodena’s morale held strong. In fact, they did not mourn his death but praised his victory instead.
However, the humans, the elves, and the demihumans were discouraged. For better or for worse, Rashka was the symbol of Alrodena’s might on the battlefield.
His overwhelming and tyrannical power would many times vanquish the enemy and bring them victory. For those that have witnessed that, his death was an enormous loss.
Pale was not an exception to that, and the death of a comrade-in-arms, who has shared the battlefield with her many times, also hurt her mentally. A disturbed mind would not be able to plan as well as before. That’s why Pale accepted Gi Za’s plan.
Block the pursuit of Altigand, buy time and wait until the king recovers, and wait for reinforcements from the west and reorganize the army. That was the main purpose behind Alrodena’s retreat and battle, one effectively led by Gi Za Zakuend.
Rashka’s valiant efforts, though painful, succeeded in fending off the pursuit of the hero’s army, and now, Alrodena could begin the fortification of the mountainous area behind Fort Bandigam.
They attempted to recreate the fortification tactics they once used when they broke through Blanche Ririnoie the War Princess of Holy Shushunu Kingdom.
Layers of trenches to impede the assault of the enemy cavalry. Lumber and stones for any that dared climb up the slopes. And the ballistae to be positioned and aimed toward the sky just as Pale instructed. That was meant to counter not only the wyvern knights but also the flying warships.
They also had the battle slaves under Gi Gu Verbena create catapults. They didn’t know how effective they would be, but it should be better than nothing.
On top of repairing the fortifications, they also built underground shelters to deal with the flying warships. Elfa’s side was originally a mining area, so it had a lot of tunnels. They’d lent those to the new queen of the killer ants to serve as her nest, but now, they would be borrowing them and expanding them. The fortified underground area would become a shield against Altigand.
The general assigned would be none other than Gi Zu Ruo of the Thousand-Demon Army(Sazanorga). That decision was made partly because of the fervent wish of the person himself, but it was also because command believed that the forces of the four generals should be reorganized and preserved for the decisive battle.
Gi Ga Rax’s Tiger and Spear Army(Aransain) was in the midst of reorganizing its shattered forces.
Gi Gu Verbena’s Axe and Sword Army(Felduk) and Gi Gi Orudo’s Twin-Headed Beast and Axe Army(Zeilduk) had to be rejoined with the soldiers coming from the west.
That left the Bow and Arrow Army(Fanzel), but they had to ensure the stability of the rear. Gi Za still remembered the humiliation of being unable to replenish his forces during the war with the Holy Shushunu Kingdom when the rear was disrupted.
To make things worse, they were up against the mysterious hero. A warrior that could defeat even the God of War(Vaishura), someone that possessed an overwhelming power that could inspire all humans.
It was all too easy to imagine how much chaos he could cause if he were to be allowed to target their rear, and the only one up to the task of watching their rear was Ra Gilmi Fishiga, who could use both soft and hard tactics.
“If we fortify the mountainous area, the enemy will understandably look for a different path,” Pale said.
“Of course,” Gi Za said.
When Pale heard Gi Za’s plan, she pointed out that flaw, but Gi Za calmly answered.
“The first route that comes to mind is the southern passage.”
The place he pointed to was the transport route used during the battle between Alrodena and Elfa. Although the fishmen’s guerrilla warfare and the blockade of the transportation routes got them through that battle, the transportation routes themselves were still in good shape. The sailing charts were with the merchants of Altigand, so they weren’t something that could easily be procured by Alrodena.
“We’ll use the demihumans and the elves.”
The water, the fire elves, and though few in number, the earth elves were not too far, so calling them over shouldn’t be difficult, while the demihumans should prove useful according to their varied specialties.
Those that specialized in battle would of course be used as soldiers, but even those that didn’t could be used elsewhere.
Tanita, the chief of the long-tailed, would continue negotiating with the fishmen. It would be good if they could also teach them tactics. The lizardmen living in the river would be used as a coastal defense force.
The minotaurs would move from The City Where the King Sits(Revea Su) with their chief, Kerodotos. With their great strength, they could serve as a convoy that delivered many important things to the battle.
Fanfan would lead the mud-scaled ones to negotiate with the bugmen. They would take them from their homes and send them across the forest to the east.
The shell people would protect the forest and the plains that the important ones have passed, and the spider-legged people would protect the important cities. The winged ones would courageously fly at a low altitude to scout.
The elves would serve as messengers in the front lines and display their talents through the construction of fortresses. The water and fire elves have influential people talented in construction. They showed that talent during the construction of the imperial castle, but now they would use that talent in the construction of the fortress.
“They have the skies.”
“Of course, I’ve considered that too. The ryuu.”
No matter how well they fortified their position on the ground and the sea, the enemy could attack from the sky.
Currently, only Gawain the Wingless Sky Snake and his household could fight against the hero’s flying warships.
“I will negotiate with him.”
“If you’ve given it that much thought, then there’s nothing left for me to say.”
“There’s a job for you too.”
“…What is it?”
“No matter how hard we fortify the mountainous area, we won’t be able to hold for more than two months.”
“…True.”
The goblins were the main force of Alrodena’s army, and they were born in the depths of the Forest of Darkness to the west. On human legs, it would take 90 days to get to the Fortress of the Abyss from the front lines and only 70 days on goblin legs, but even that was too slow.
No matter how much they fortified the mountainous area, they wouldn’t be able to buy themselves enough time. That’s why Gi Za needed Pale to use her abilities to somehow reduce that time.
“How fast can you make it?”
“Two months.”
“…”
Gi Za’s glare grew sharper, so Pale spoke with conviction.
“In two months, the army will be fully reorganized. All the necessary materials, personnel, and weapons will be prepared.”
“Hmph, but of course.”
When Pale said that with decisiveness, something she hadn’t done sine Rashka died, Gi Za’s lips twisted into a smile.