Starting the Strategy from Frieren

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"Dad, are you planning to go to war against the demons? Take me with you. I can help."

Faced with Zanze's eager request, Ivan hesitated. "The battlefield is full of unexpected dangers. I might not be able to protect you."

"It's fine. I'm actually pretty strong—strong enough to protect myself, at least. That's why Mom felt comfortable letting me go out and explore. And if I ever face an enemy I can't handle, I can just crush this protective charm, and she'll come straight to me."

"Oh, you can summon a deus ex machina? Well, that settles it. You're coming with me." Ivan then turned his gaze to Frieren. "Are you planning to stay here and watch the house, or are you coming to kill some demons?"

"I've been lounging on the couch for too long. It's time to stretch my legs." Frieren tossed aside the blanket she had been wrapped in and headed to her room to change into her usual combat outfit. Though her expression remained unchanged, subtle movements in her body language betrayed her excitement. "I can't miss out on killing demons."

This time, nearly 80% of Suiyue City's soldiers were mobilized, totaling over 2,000 troops—roughly the size of a regiment. This was a significant increase in numbers thanks to Ivan's efforts to bolster the army. Additionally, there was a special zombie task force of over 300 members, composed of nobles, bandits, and gang members.

Since the main army consisted of living soldiers, Ivan kept the zombies far from the main force, assigning them to high-risk roles like scouting and rear-guard duties. To avoid frightening the regular soldiers, Ivan thoughtfully equipped the headless zombies with prosthetic heads, each adorned with a comical yellow emoji mask. The result was a bizarrely absurd sight.

As the saying goes, "An army marches on its stomach." In war, logistics are crucial to maintaining an army's combat effectiveness. Normally, preparing for a campaign would take a long time, but Ivan's spatial ring eliminated the need for transporting supplies, allowing the army to mobilize quickly. Not wanting to wait for the king's messenger to deliver a reprimand, Ivan promptly set out once preparations were complete.

One advantage of having eliminated all opposition beforehand was that Ivan could leave only a minimal force to maintain order in the city while taking the rest of the troops to the battlefield, without worrying about rebellion or internal strife.

During the march, Ivan opened a magical scroll sent by Flamme, quickly mastering the contract magic inscribed on it. This magic, derived from the Obedience Scale, allowed him to form master-servant contracts with animals weaker than himself in magical power. The greater the gap in magical strength and the lower the animal's intelligence, the easier it was to succeed.

Ivan contracted a white-headed eagle to serve as a scout. At first, the dual vision was disorienting, but he soon adapted, using the eagle's eyes as if they were his own.

Suddenly, through the eagle's vision, Ivan saw a large group of human soldiers being chased by a horde of demons. The fleeing soldiers—around 700 in number—were heading straight for his army. The ground soon began to tremble from the approaching chaos.

"Halt the march! Shield bearers to the front, spearmen behind them, archers ready! Form a wedge formation. Kill anyone who charges at us, human or demon!" Ivan's orders, amplified by magic, reached every soldier instantly, allowing the army to move with remarkable speed.

If the fleeing soldiers broke through their formation, casualties would skyrocket. Ivan couldn't allow that. As the panicked allies came into view, he used his loudest amplification spell to shout, "Anyone who approaches will be killed! If you want to live, go around us!"

But the fleeing soldiers, terrified by the demon horde, ignored Ivan's warning and charged straight ahead. Reluctantly, Ivan gave the order to attack. Arrows felled a group, and spears took down another. Only then did the remaining soldiers regain some semblance of reason, diverting around Ivan's forces.

They tried to continue fleeing toward Suiyue City, but Ivan had already stationed zombies to block their path. He sent Douglas with a team to temporarily take them under control. The sight of the grotesque zombies, with their emoji masks and rotting flesh, left the fleeing soldiers too terrified to resist, making Douglas's task surprisingly easy.

"Sir, we've gathered information. They're the city defense troops from Vinewall City. They were defeated in a frontal assault and fled here."

"That doesn't make sense. Why would they leave the safety of their defensive barrier to fight the demons in the open?"

"Their city lord was captured by the demons. His son, desperate to save his father, fell into the demons' trap and led the troops out. Several mages were forced to leave the city and were killed. Now, the defensive barrier is on the verge of collapse."

"…Unbelievable."

While discussing the situation, Ivan didn't waste time. With a necromancy spell, he resurrected the sixty or so fallen allies, turning them into fearless, painless soldiers—far more formidable in death than they had been in life. In the world of Type-Moon, this would have been an A+-ranked skill for replenishing troops.

The soldiers of Suiyue City were already accustomed to such sights. Though they felt a natural revulsion, none dared to question Ivan's methods.

"My army has only one kind of soldier: those who obey my commands without question."

This was a phrase Ivan often repeated, and it held true. Anyone who disobeyed orders would soon find themselves among the ranks of the obedient dead.

Of course, ruling through fear alone wasn't sustainable. Taking inspiration from ancient strategies, Ivan implemented a generous military merit system. While not as comprehensive as the Qin dynasty's twenty-rank system, it still offered substantial rewards. Soldiers who killed enemies could earn houses, farmland, and even noble estates—luxuries previously reserved for the elite. For commoners, this was a dream come true.

As for where these rewards came from… well, let's just say the nobles' "generosity" was greatly appreciated. And if Suiyue City's resources ran out, there were always other cities to "thank."

Note: So far this story is published up to chapter 59 on my patreon go take a look.

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