NOVEL NEXT Chapter 526
Chapter 526. Badger Strategy
――Outside the fortress.
“Ugh… ugh…”
There was a demon girl, doubled over and retching, hands braced against the wall.
“It’s so gross… too gross…”
With a sound that no girl of her age should be making, it was none other than Spinethia, the Fifth Demon Lord’s Prince. It was inappropriate behavior for a high-ranking demon, yet she looked like she was about to burst into tears.
“Ah, Your Highness, um, here, please…”
Koshigin, in a surprisingly formal manner, offered her a cream puff.
Casting glances aside, right next to Spinethia was a huge—gaping hole in the fortress wall.
It had been gouged out completely.
It was nothing compared to the hole made by the Anoitus tribe’s spear. Moreover, the edge of the hole clearly bore marks that could only be described as ‘bite marks’, as if a colossal giant had taken a huge chomp out of it.
“…”
Koshigin gulped, a mix of tension and fear written all over his face.
(Demon yet so sociable) Spinethia was indeed a part of the upper echelon of demons, carrying the royal blood—
“Mmm… thank you…”
She stared at the cream puff for a moment with a haggard face before reaching for it.
With a muffled munch… slurp… she stuffed it into her mouth, swallowing it whole.
“Delicious…”
Spinethia savored the taste, literally relishing the flavor, it was too good that it brought tears to her eyes. Sniffling, she allowed herself to gulp down one cream puff after another as they were offered to her.
“Hoho. You’re as extravagant as ever, Spinethia.”
As she indulged, Panmoarus ambled over, laughing heartily.
“… And yet you, Lord Panmoarus. Munch. Are among the most flamboyant of the Demon Lord’s army. Nngh. I’m still not on your level. Munch.”
Stuffing snacks into her mouth, Spinethia glanced behind Panmoarus.
——There it was, the giant statue of Panmoarus once again. However, it was not being animated by the powers of [Stone Manipulation] or [Imitation] at present, standing frozen in place with a spear in hand as if seated on the ground.
A giant stone statue of a demon, smiling softly in a kind manner, sat deeply ingrained in the Dwarf Alliance’s mountain range. It was quite a bizarre sight, with onlooking beastman soldiers and ogre soldiers gazing up in awe, exclaiming, “Wow!” “So big!”
For the Korvto tribe, it might have been a familiar sight. Such was the aftermath of Panmoarus’s past involvement that giant statues of him remained at battlefields throughout the land.
“Well, I might use it again sometime, so it’d be a waste to destroy it just like that.”
Panmoarus chuckled heartily. Due to this excessively flamboyant stone statue, he sometimes got whispered about by other tribes as “excessively attention-seeking,” yet he seemed completely unbothered by it, almost embodying a ‘waste-not’ mentality by leaving it alone.
——By the way, thanks to this [Imitation] arm, there was also a giant statue of the current Demon Lord Goldgias created in Orgi’s territory, reportedly becoming a local landmark.
“According to reports, it seems half of the Anoitus tribe’s vanguard, out of ten, were killed in action.”
With a slightly serious expression, Panmoarus spoke.
“Apparently, they were splashed with molten iron as they charged in.”
“Yikes… that sounds bad.”
Spinethia grimaced, while Koshigin muttered, “Well, at least half survived…” but, being among upper demons, didn’t interject any further.
“Looks like the Anoitus tribe deserves the first-class honor for this siege. They broke through the defenses with spears, took the lead, and died heroically, no complaints about that!”
“I have no objections either. Munch munch. I support Lord Panmoarus. … Koshigin, another serving!”
“I’m sorry, Your Highness! It’s completely empty!”
While apologetically shaking an empty backpack, Koshigin looked quite remorseful.
“… Oh, there’s a meaty beastman right here!”
“I’ll get it right away!”
Koshigin spun on his heel and dashed away. He jumped onto the Korvto tribe’s slide, incredibly speeding back to the command center.
“… The slide looks pretty good.”
“It seemed fun. I should try sliding down on our way back.”
Spinethia and Panmoarus watched him go with cheerful expressions, but then they turned back to face each other again with the same expression.
“The warriors of the Anoitus tribe will surely find this rewarding.”
“Seems they wanted a chance to redeem their honor. We are not that starving, and there are other opportunities to gain merit. It’s best to let those who desperately wish for the honor of the first spear keep it.”
——The role of the first to break into an enemy’s well-prepared defenses was undoubtedly the most perilous.
While the Korvto tribe and Sauroe tribe advanced leisurely, it was equally true that the Dwarf’s interference was fierce, thus they weren’t exactly in a hurry.
“And now… is it just a formality from here on?”
Noticing the sounds of battle coming from the fortress growing gradually quieter, Spinethia wondered aloud.
“Reports indicate that the dwarves have built multiple lines of defense within the fortress. It’s likely that this first melted iron was just the beginning, and the insides are probably littered with traps to wear down our forces. I’ve advised our kin to be well-prepared against fire and heat.”
At Panmoarus’s words, Spinethia turned her gaze toward a Sauroe tribe sub-commander who was a demon.
“We’ve already sent similar notices, my lady.”
“Impressive.”
With a smile toward the capable subordinate, Spinethia found herself being fondly observed by Panmoarus as well.
“I hear the dwarves are burrowing deeper underground. They probably plan to escape through the underground passages in the end, but… compared to the fortress itself, those passages are assumed weak against magic defenses. No matter how impenetrable the doors may be, it’s merely a matter of digging a detour and connecting them. Our Korvto tribe may well take center stage there, hoho!”
Panmoarus broke into a cheerful laugh—
There were plenty of other opportunities to gain achievements.
“So, disabling the traps and breaking through is our Sauroe tribe’s specialty. We are the clan of barrier techniques trusted by the Demon Lord.”
Spinethia responded, unwilling to back down. … Though in truth, both of them wore smiles, playful banter between familiar companions.
†††
While that light-hearted atmosphere flowed above ground, the situation in the fortress was far from relaxed as they attempted to suppress it from the inside.
“Damn it, another trap!”
“Fall back! Fall back—!”
The corridor that had seemed to have all traps neutralized collapsed into a scalding hot hell, while toxic gas heavier than air flooded a section, creating regions of death—all caused by the dwarves’ cunning traps and well-honed experience, resulting in considerable damage.
Yet for the dwarves, this trap-infested space was like their backyard. The smith warrior group retreated systematically while employing delaying tactics, fighting resiliently despite being at a disadvantage, to the point that the demons had sustained casualties even in ordinary combat.
“Such a pain!”
That was the consensus on the scene—just a complete hassle. The dwarves, although slow, could effectively negate their apparent disadvantage if they dragged their feet, being tough and durable, attacks from finely crafted weapons were threatening even to the upper demons.
And then on top of that, they were caught in a storm of deadly traps.
Maybe it would be simpler to just stop chasing and smash the fortress with magic instead—there were quite a few demon warriors thinking along those lines, but they had their reasons for holding back.
“What’s going on, Demon Lord’s army? Is this really all you’ve got?!”
While commanding the smith warrior group, someone taunted the demons.
A young, tough dwarf dressed in extravagant gold armor reminiscent of a bear swung a high-quality hammer—
“Here lies the head of your general! I am the son of the holy craftsman and King of the Feretoria Kingdom, Sassen! Is there no valiant warrior among you willing to claim my head? Hahaha!”
It was none other than Prince Sassen of the Feretoria Kingdom personally leading the defense.
Since it was self-proclaimed, the demons had no way of verifying it, but given the flashy armor adorned with the bear emblem of the Feretoria Kingdom and the unity of the smith warrior group guarding it, there was credibility to it.
“The head of your general… surely I want it!”
“That’s mine!”
The demon warriors on the scene avoided wild area attacks and base destruction, trying to somehow take his head, and that was precisely why. If they destroyed the fortress completely, no one would know who had taken it, or which one was the prince—!
If possible, they wanted to capture him alive; otherwise, they still desired his head! Overwhelmed by such desires, the demon warriors pressed deeper into the fortress—
“Give me your head!”
Another reckless demon warrior charged in.
“How bold. Here you go!”
In response, Prince Sassen hefted his hammer.
“[Roar—Gryolnir]!!”
The hammer unleashed bolts of purple lightning.
Named after the old word for “thunder,” [Gryolnir] brightened the dim fortress interior with a tremendous sound. It was like a flash of lightning; too fast to follow, the charging demon was obliterated in a single strike, and his armored head met the same fate.
“Hahaha!”
And the hammer, having circled back, returned to Prince Sassen’s hand, spinning around.
“Now, who’s next?! Ordinary demons won’t be a match!”
Wielding his hammer menacingly, Prince Sassen waved [Gryolnir] around.
With the ironclad defense of the smith warrior group behind him and the formidable thunder hammer looming, even the demon warriors craving battle fame found their momentum faltering.
(It’s about that time—)
If this continued, retreating would become a bother, and Prince Sassen was eyeing for a good time to wrap things up when—
“I heard the scene was struggling quite a lot; is this why?”
With soft steps echoing from the depths of the hallway. Footsteps from behind the demons.
“… Who is it?! It can’t be just some demon!”
Gleefully pondering if they’d caught something big, Prince Sassen queried.
What appeared was— a young demon with reddish-brown hair.
“Sekihankus, Marquis of Sauroe. Commander of the Northern Army.”
With an audacious grin, Sekihankus introduced himself.
Prince Sassen’s eyes widened, and even the smith warrior group buzzed in surprise.
—Who knew that the enemy general would come stomping into such the heart of their fortress!
“You are Prince Sassen? Do not assume you can flaunt the head of your general before an upper demon and get away with it.”
“Ha! And you, do you think you can withstand a strike from my hammer?! I’ll crush your head just like any other demon!”
Prince Sassen raised [Gryolnir] high—
“Interesting. [I accept your challenge.]”
Sekihankus’s smile deepened with that declaration.
“[Now—come at me whenever you’re ready.]”
He spread his arms wide, standing proudly.
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