<h4>Volume 3, Chapter 220 - The Cunning of Fanzel (2/3)</h4>


    Ever since the reinforcements led by Ra Gilmi Fishiga arrived, the forces at the border have been responding to the provocations of the enemy.


    “People of the fang! Do not fall behind!”


    “Anyone who loses to those centaur bastards shall have a taste of my iron fist!”


    The ones responding to the provocations of Germion Kingdom’s cavalry were none other than the two fast demihuman tribes. Mido of the fang bellowed out a howl as he ran with the gray wolves to pursue the enemy cavalry, knocking them down and incapacitating them. Tianos of the centaurs drew his bow and aimed it at the back of the human cavalry. His skill in the bow did not betray the reputation of the centaurs as hunters.


    The werewolves and the centaurs fought as if they were trying to outdo each other. In the few skirmishes they had, the ones disadvantaged were the humans. The demihumans were originally better than the humans physically. Unless misused, there was no way for them to lose to them.


    In the morning, the demihumans would fight in the cavalry skirmishes. In the evening, the goblins would deal with the night scouts of the humans. It was in this way that they were able to push the scales of the war toward their side. As the fighting spirit of the goblins gradually grew, so did the impatience of the humans be stronger.


    As if Gilmi had seen through that, he ordered the soldiers in the evening to provoke the enemy even further.


    At one point, they even attacked the area right next to the enemy encampment and broke their fences. Being so daring, it was as if they were saying that there was nothing the humans could do against them. Despite that, Gilmi never allowed an all-out battle to ur and firmly held the reins on Gi Zu and the others. In one sense, the tactics he showed were even more subtle than that of the humans as he drew a line on the battlefield.


    After about 20 days since Gilmi arrived, the humans no longer sent scouts and cooped themselves up inside their camp.


    Shumea, Gilmi, and Bui used that opportunity to set up a huge trap inside their own camp.


    “…It should be time soon. We need to reduce their strength.”


    Gilmi’s suggestion was to cut away at the strength of the human forces. A challenge to push the scales of war even further toward their side.


    “You think they’ll bite? Technically, they are still the regr army of Germion Kingdom.”


    “It’s precisely because it’s simple that it’ll be hard for them to tell.”


    Shumea tilted her head, but Bui was rather confident.


    “They may be prey, but they’re also predators. If we make a mistake in choosing the time to hunt. We’ll be the ones eaten. That’s why we should cut their strength here.”


    “Well, that’s true, I suppose.”


    After Shumea gave her permission, Gilmi asked her to write a letter.


    Victory and defeat will be decided by tomorrow morning!


    That letter was delivered to the army of Germion Kingdom by way of an arrow, and when they read it, they opened a war council and fiercely discussed the issue.


    “We must decide the battle here once and for all or we will never again be able to grasp victory!”


    In the end, they decided to fight a magnificent battle.


    ◆◆◆


    “…I can’t believe they took the bait. I guess nobles really do care about their face.”


    “They’re also in a pretty bad situation, though, so maybe they just had no choice but to risk it?”


    “A hunt should only be carried out after sufficient preparations have been made.”


    Footmen could be seen at the frontmost row, while on the second row were archers, and on the third row were the cavalry. A three row formation. Even from a distance, it could easily be seen just how devoted Germion Kingdom’s army was to the basics.


    On the goblins’ side, the orcs and Gi Zu Ruo’s toon took the frontmost row, while the second row was taken by the Ganra tribe and the humans, and the third row was taken by the demihumans. They too utilized a three row formation.


    “Don’t risk yourselves trying to kill the enemy! Focus on defense!”


    At the frontmostline of the goblin forces. Because the orcs had equipped themselves with the armor they received at the western capital, they towered over others like a lump of iron.


    But the attack of the forces of Germion Kingdom, which had been driven into a corner, was fierce. The line of footmen wielding long spears andrge shields pushed onto the tenacious flesh of the orcs. But the orcs dodged the humans as they thrust out with their spears and held their shields aloft, then they thrust out with their own spears, preventing the footman from nearing them.


    Despite that the humans had the advantage in spirit and it was difficult to overturn their offensive. Presently, the goblins led by Gi Zu Ruo was gradually starting to fall.


    “Damn it! We’re being pushed!”


    The subordinates of Gi Zu the Mad Dragon had a strong affinity for taking the offensive, as they have learned from none other than Gi Zu himself, who stood at the peak of the brawler faction. Fighting by unleashing the true nature of the goblins and exterminating the enemies could be said to be the defining trait of goblins which were known as monsters.


    But when defending, what was more important was the power to endure and be patient.


    Enduring the enemy’s attack can be said to be even more draining mentally than when attacking. Gi Zu was strong, but he was weak at defending.


    The goblins and orcs were the two wings of the army. If one side fell, the other would have no choice but to also fall. If one wing insisted on standing their ground, they would immediately be surrounded and exterminated.


    Bui knew that, so he allowed his forces to back down alongside Gi Zu’s.


    As such, the forces of Germion Kingdom slowly pushed back the goblins.