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Chapter 3: Surprise Attack
“WHAT a big fat pain… I should’ve planned for the unforeseeable.”
Isla silently tried to guess what her master was thinking based on his muttered words.
It all started with the Barbarians plaguing their ally nation, Phon’kaven. Their sporadic raids had suddenly turned into a huge horde bearing down on them. And if that wasn’t bad enough, they originated from an entirely different game.
It was foolish to apply common sense or typical tactics to this situation, but there was too little to go off at this point to make an appropriate judgment call. And their enemy wasn’t going to wait for them to make their move.
Enemy forces were currently marching closer to the heart of Mynoghra, its imperial capital, threatening their peaceful way of life. They were in a dire situation, if there ever was one.
Еn̊üm а .іd
“Indeed, we never expected them to discover our location so soon… It’s only a matter of time before we clash. However, taking the initiative and striking the Demon Lord’s Army was a wise first move, my master.”
Isla casually tried to sound out the reason for her master’s decision. She thought Takuto’s military orders were a tad hasty, regardless of the results. She understood speed was of the essence when dealing with an enemy with so many unknowns. She also understood the need to defend Dragontan from attack until the bitter end.
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What she could not wrap her head around was his decision to open hostilities at Dragontan before having a firm understanding of their opponent’s nature and origin. His decision had directly resulted in defeating one of the enemy generals and repelling enemy forces from Dragontan.
Isla believed he must’ve possessed some external information she did not that led him to make that judgment call, and she wished to know what it was.
“I guess…you could say that. But it was a botched operation since it ended with the enemy invading our main base.”
If memory served her right, Takuto was the cautious type. He was unique in his desire to put peace and Domestic Affairs first to the point he avoided conflict whenever possible. The Takuto Isla knew should’ve been so careful in his decision-making that he would’ve considered abandoning Dragontan if it benefited him.
Wе̇ b̀n о̂vе̃ l Е̂ num а
So, why did someone like that fire the first shot?
That was the question that plagued her.
“I’m just glad that their strength was about what I’d expected. We should be able to handle the Demon Lord if his generals are all that weak,” Takuto muttered to himself.
The information from Atou’s telepathic message fortunately gave them an approximate idea of the general makeup and strength of the Demon Lord’s Army. They weren’t in dire straits yet, and they now knew that they could get out of this pinch as long as they didn’t botch their next move.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
So, Isla locked eyes with Takuto, her concerns still needling away at her. She didn’t know what calculations were being made behind those unreadable eyes of his, so she decided to come right out and openly address her suspicions.
“Forgive me for speaking out of turn, but I can’t shake the idea that the leader of our enemy forces, the Demon Lord, might be a player like you. What are your thoughts on that, my master?”
W е b̄ n̆ ŏv̊еĺ Е ṅ û m̈ а̄
Isla had one damning concern: were they up against another player like Takuto? If they were, then their foe’s strength was incalculable. They might even be a veteran player on par with Takuto.
Just because he’d become Mynoghra’s Commander in this world didn’t mean it wouldn’t be hard on Takuto to wage war against someone from his homeland. It didn’t seem like a bad idea to change directions and call for a temporary truce to gather more information and probe what their opponent was really after, especially if they prepared for the potential fallout.
Isla had that in mind when she made her query, but she was completely off the mark.
“The question you’ve got to ask yourself is: even if they are another player…another person from the same world…does that make them an automatic ally? It doesn’t, right?”
Isla sucked in a sharp breath at his casual dismissal. His words were punctuated by an invisible pressure that rejected any objections. His lips curved into a soft smile that didn’t reach his eyes.
What is my master thinking?
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
Not even Isla, a Hero who’d conquered many worlds alongside him, could get a read on Takuto. Perhaps he’d be more open with Atou, who he trusted more than anyone else, but she was unfortunately away defending Dragontan. And so, Isla showed her willingness to follow the king’s policies by wordlessly bowing her head.
She didn’t really have another option available to her. Even if she did, she had no intention of ever going against her king.
Just as the Dark elves felt a certain kind of dread and alienation toward Isla and Atou, Isla found herself standing in the same position when it came to the being known as Takuto Ira, and there was still much about him she didn’t comprehend.
“…Either way, our course of action is clear,” Takuto said firmly. “Whether we’re up against another player or something else entirely, rapprochement isn’t an option. We aren’t equipped to idly sit by and watch what move they make next, which leaves us with one option: to crush them with everything we have.”
“Yes, yes, indeed. It is exactly as you say, my master.”
Given their current situation, it was a waste of precious time to raise further doubts. Moreover, Mynoghra’s King Takuto had chosen this course of action. In which case, it was his subordinates’ job to carry out his will no matter what.
Е́n̊ um̈à .ĭ d̄
Isla completely changed her perspective on the matter, gave a big nod, and bowed in the way unique to Mynoghra’s vassals.
“Unnecessary hesitation has a way of coming back to bite you. One of the keys to a successful strategy is not meaninglessly rehashing the details after you’ve already decided.”
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“You are absolutely right, my master.”
Takuto ran several strategies through his head. He dug up old memories, traced through the countless battles he’d played, and considered the most effective and efficient strategy for the current situation. Of course, he’d already taken unknown factors into consideration too.
This wasn’t the world of Eternal Nations. There was an ocean of unknowns and even more potential for things to go wrong.
Takuto felt his heart race with unexpected excitement at the prospect of it all. He found it kind of strange and exhilarating how much he was enjoying what should be a bad situation.
Wе ḃ ňо́ v́е l̄ Ѐ n u m̄ а́
◇◇◇
“BAD news, Your Majesty! Enemy troops are en route to Mynoghra’s Imperial Capital!”
One of the Dark Elf runners stumbled into the Throne Room with a look of abject horror on his face. This was around the same time Takuto had settled on his next move and was beginning to send orders to the Warriors with his Commander skills. With his ability to grasp the whereabouts of every citizen, Takuto already knew about the invading forces the Warriors had discovered.
However, Warrior Captain Gia had sent a messenger just in case.
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“I know.”
Entering the Throne Room without permission under normal circumstances was a criminal offense. But the situation being what it was, Takuto raised a hand to stop Isla from saying anything and briefly spoke to the messenger himself. Seeing the scared messenger sharply suck in a breath at his king’s words, Takuto signaled Isla with his eyes.
Е nu̇ m̈ а̄
Knowing exactly what her master wanted from that simple signal, Isla offered the man several words of praise for his work in a softer voice than usual, then gave him his next orders.
“His Majesty knows about the invading army. He has already sent orders to Captain Gia and the others himself. We will now leave the Palace and move to City Hall to take command of the situation. Hurry back to your station as well.”
“Yes, ma’am!”
The telepathic communication system between units out in the field and back at base was operating perfectly. Eternal Nations’ Commandersystem, which allowed Takuto to grasp the situation surrounding each unit and give direct orders, made it possible for him to move his army like his own limbs. Warrior Captain Gia’s first response was satisfactory—he had gathered the Warriors to help the citizens evacuate and took up a basic defensive position before Takuto even gave the order.
The Brain Eaters’ ability to maintain public order was also working to Mynoghra’s advantage. It allowed them to quickly squash any chaos that might ensue from citizens panicking over the sudden evacuation.
Takuto was actually impressed that he possessed limbs that moved a hundred times better than in the game. He didn’t know how many units the enemy had, but they couldn’t bring a massive army into the Accursed Lands with its poor footing and low visibility. In addition to that, Forests buffed Dark Elves, and Cursed Terrain buffed every citizen of Mynoghra.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
They were in a crisis, but not one they couldn’t overcome.
“Though I hate to admit it…”
“…It’s a fact that they got the drop on us,” Isla finished Takuto’s quiet utterance.
It’s considered the height of folly to let the enemy into your home base. If they were in the audience at an Esports tournament, booing would shake the stands. If someone were playing the game, they would chuck their controller around this point. Unfortunately, this was their reality, and that was precisely why Takuto was prepared to make the hard decisions.
“All right, why don’t we turn a disadvantageous situation to our advantage, eh?”
Their opponent likely didn’t know a thing about Takuto Ira—about the young man who’d commanded Mynoghra and conquered Nightmare difficulty in Eternal Nations.
Ё n ú m̀ а̇
He sneered.
It was time to educate these fools about what it meant to go up against the man who broke records and set a precedent for the impossible.
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Takuto quietly rose from his throne with an expression that lacked humanity.
◇◇◇
MYNOGHRA’S Palace was built a slight distance from the city area where the Dark Elves resided. Takuto formed a strategy in his head as he walked down the simple paved road carved through the trees with Isla as his guard and escort.
“Let’s run through what we have to work with. First, we have 100 Warriors under Gia’s command. Their strength doesn’t even compare to one of Mynoghra’s units, but their morale is top-notch. And then we have 3 Brain Eaters, who’re critically important for both offense and defense with their ability to heal and buff others.”
Еnu m̊ а
“Don’t forget about the Larva I’ve spawned,” Isla added. “They’re more meant for manual labor, but they should put up a decent fight with my buffs.”
“How many total?”
“About 200. They can be split into four stacks.”
“Now that’s a reliable force. I can see why you’re called Mynoghra’s strongest Hero, Isla. Labor Larva generally have a Strength of 0. But your buffs boost them to 2 Strength, making them capable of defending our home base…”
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Takuto glanced down at the level path beneath his feet.
A good amount of time had passed since he’d summoned Isla. The Labor Larva units she’d produced with her Breeder skill had already demonstrated their usefulness in construction and cultivating new land. While 2 Strength was on the weaker side, they could still be counted as a part of Mynoghra’s military forces. They should be easily capable of squashing Goblins and would make for the perfect frontline assault troops to clear out the weaklings.
E n̊u_m̂а . іd̃
Isla was putting her dual abilities to spawn and buff to good use.
“We would’ve had a solid defense if I’d only spawned Combat Larva, too,” Isla lamented. “Disasters always strike at the worst time, don’t they?”
“It’s actually kind of a relief to think this is the worst it’ll get.”
They were definitely in a disastrous situation, but Takuto was encouraged by Isla’s presence. He would’ve been more melodramatic if he hadn’t summoned her in time. To him, Mynoghra’s Hero units were who he could rely on the most in this world, showing just how much the time he’d spent with them during his past life had stuck with him even after death.
“Yes, yes, you couldn’t be more right. Now then, my master, how’s Gia faring?”
Isla’s question spurred Takuto to switch gears and telepathically check on how things were faring domestically. He needed to use the cards he had on hand to win the round, given that Atou wouldn’t be able to make it back on time. He couldn’t overlook a single thing. One tiny mistake could become irrecoverable damage, eventually leading to his empire’s downfall.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
“The situation in the city isn’t too bad,” Takuto said. “Non-combatants have been evacuated to the government buildings, and our soldiers have already taken up a simple defense formation to protect the city.”
“We also have the upper hand with bonuses from the Cursed Terrain and Forest Terrain, making it easy to defend and difficult to attack,” Isla added. “It would’ve been a perfect opportunity to earn some experience points if we had the time to properly prepare our forces and national power.”
The standard figure for a successful attack on a dug-in/fortified defender is 3:1. Thus, by a general rule of thumb, an attacker would require three times as many numbers as the defender, all other things being equal. This theory not only applied to Eternal Nations but was modified for the defender to have a greater advantage thanks to the various buffs granted by the fantasy game elements.
However, that only applies when the proper preparations are made.
In Mynoghra, where the national power and troops were still scarce, and even the construction of defensive facilities was postponed, it was hard to say that the situation was optimistic, even though there were powerful terrain bonuses in their favor.
“Gia sent me a message…” Takuto said. “About 1,000 enemy troops have entered the Accursed Lands. Hmm, there’s definitely an enemy general leading the invasion, and we still don’t have a firm grasp on what the RPG monsters are capable of. This will be a tough fight if there ever was one.”
W ẽ b̆n ǒvе̄ l Ẽn_ũ mа́
“But you’ve already thought up the perfect strategy, haven’t you, my great and talented master?” Isla queried, although she already knew everything she needed to. She knew her master had the answer to the problem despite the crisis they found themselves in.
If things went south and they felt the empire was at risk, they could just retreat toward Dragontan with the Dark Elves. They still didn’t have many citizens, and the Dark Elves should have enough of an advantage in the Forest to make a clean break for it. Moreover, joining up with Atou, Elder Moltar and the rest of the Mages under him, and Dragontan’s Defense Force would be the safest and most effective way to take out the enemy.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
The capital might get burned to the ground, but the Accursed Lands were ripe with building supplies. The city was still in the development stage, so it’d be easy enough to get back to this point.
But Takuto’s decision was the opposite of retreat—he planned to repel the enemy. As it stood, he didn’t call Atou back to Mynoghra but ordered her to pursue the army that had tried to invade Dragontan. He was clearly hiding enough aces up his sleeve to be confident he could win.
Takuto grinned at her amusing question as if he were pleased she asked. Then he laid down the law.
“We’ve got Mana stored up for times like this. If their side can make monsters appear out of thin air like a cliched RPG, then it’s time for us to show them the true nature of a strategy game.”
Ẁе̊b̆ nоv̀ѐ_l̇_ Е̄_n ú m̀ а
“Hehehe. It’s fortunate that there’s no limit on how many units we can produce with Emergency Production. Being able to produce as many units as we want as long as we have Mana is quite the game-breaking rule in our favor, if I say so myself.”
Simply mentioning the word Mana cued Isla in on exactly what kind of tactics her master had in mind.
During normal gameplay, Emergency Production had a set cool-down period before you could use it again. But they had discovered through rigorous testing that no such restrictions existed in this world. With that in mind, the obvious tactic would be to mass-produce as many Long-legged Bugs—the cheapest units—as their Mana reserves allowed.
Buffed to 3 Strength by Isla’s passive skill, the Long-legged Bug now boasted impressive stats that combined its new Strength with its high mobility and speed as a Scout unit. Plus, they made it easy to check on the state of things with their long-range vision.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
After calculating how many Long-legged Bugs they could spawn with Mynoghra’s Mana reserves, Isla determined that they could indeed overtake the enemy general if he showed up as she’d feared.
However…
W̊ ӗḃn о̊ v_ĕl Е̄ n u̇ m а̊
“Isla, I hereby grant you all of Mynoghra’s stored up Mana. Level up as much as you can and defeat all our enemies. This is an order.”
For a moment, Isla’s mouth fell open as if a mental attack had struck her. If she were Humanoid, she’d likely have a dumbfounded expression on her buggy face.
A moment later, her mind caught up to reality. What came next was a rush of sheer delight.
“Ha! Hahaha! Ahahahaha!! My, my, oh my! What a mean and spiteful person you are, master! I never imagined you would give me such an order!”
Isla figured it all out from that.
Takuto was essentially saying he’d leave this entire nightmare situation that involved wiping out the threat to Mynoghra’s Imperial Capital…to Isla.
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There had to have been a dozen other tactics he could’ve picked from, including mass-producing the Long-legged Bugs like Isla had considered. And yet he pushed those countless options aside…
King Takuto Ira had given her the order to do it.
What faith he had in her! What an honor it was! She could feel the tremendous trust he placed in her from every angle she viewed his order.
Takuto showed no signs of having made this decision out of the heat of the moment, a grim resolve, a philosophical stance, or some weird resolution. When you get right down to it, he made the decision because it was the obvious thing to do. That was all there was to it, and that fact filled Isla with great joy.
“You know that Atou has already defeated one of the enemy generals, right?” he asked. “I haven’t confirmed how it works yet, but be cautious of any attacks based on RPG mechanics.”
“Hehehe. Oh yeah, little Atou had the wool pulled over her eyes at the end there, didn’t she? Let me assure you that I, at least, won’t let your concerns become a reality, my master.”
Е̂_nù m а
“Ooh! That’s some big talk right there.”
“I’m only stating a fact. Yes, yes, you can bet your bottom dollar that this is a pure, unadulterated fact and not arrogance or pride speaking. I’m just saying how it is, pure and simple.”
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
Takuto silently nodded in response.
No sane player would dump all their Mana into leveling up a single unit during a normal game session. Doing so is incredibly inefficient, especially since Mana is needed for many things the same way Currency and Resources are, such as Upkeep, unit production, and research. That’s why every player in Eternal Nations carefully allocates their Mana while constantly monitoring it.
Takuto’s tactic ignored the usual way of doing things by investing everything in one go. It was even crazier to invest it all in leveling up a single Hero unit instead of using it for Emergency Production. The outcome would be an oddity, to say the least—whether it would have the same success as an early game unit rush or would end in utter failure was yet to be seen.
If Takuto was going to put his absolute trust in the Queen of Bugs, then she was the only one with the right to honorably live up to that trust. And it goes without saying that Isla was a Hero with the ability to meet his expectations.
Е n̊ûm̈ а̂ . і̄ d
“Isla.”
“Yes, my master. I can gain two Distinct Features with this level up. What abilities will you bequeath upon your humble servant?”
“Predation and Parasitic Eggs.”
Isla let out a high-pitched gichigichi laugh. It all made sense now. She knew exactly where Takuto was taking this battle and how he intended to show their enemies hell.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
Hero units can gain more Distinct Features as they level up. Each Distinct Feature grants unique skills and status effects, strengthening already powerful units. Players can showcase their skills by skillfully selecting and managing the Distinct Features only Heroes can have.
Takuto’s choice was the most effective and vicious set Isla knew of.
Wеb̈noṽе̊ l̆ Ё n̆ um̆_ӑ
“Did you know that that tactic was once dubbed by the players of Eternal Nations as the Bug Rush and was despised and feared by all?” Isla asked.
A gichigichi creaking hiss came from Isla’s insect body as it rattled. Her muscles bulged from the sudden level-ups and the new powers accompanying them. Her old exoskeleton began to split down her back, and she slowly slid out of the unneeded skin. Her new exoskeleton looked twice as deadly with unique patterning, visually showing that the power hidden within her had increased.
Takuto looked up at Isla with a hint of awe. Maybe he was moved by getting to witness one of his Heroes leveling up. Glee seemed to tinge his otherwise nebulous expression.
“Yeah, I know it well,” he answered. “I was one of the players who was despised for using it often, after all.”
Every drop of Mynoghra’s Mana was poured into Isla.
Isla, who’d grown into an entity worthy of having the nickname of Queen of the Unending Swarm, spread her wings wide and let out a mighty roar. Her bizarre cry echoed to every end of the Accursed Lands, inciting dread in all who heard it.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
Mynoghra was ready to go.
Why are Heroes considered units that can turn the tides of battle and are the most trusted and hated by every player in Eternal Nations?
“Hehehe, then please accept this power that is the ultimate annihilation tactic belonging to Mynoghra and is where the name Queen of Bugs hails from.”
The time had come to make that reason clear.
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