“Oh...” Claude couldn’t hold back a hollow laugh, realizing that reasoning with Ghislain was, once again, futile. He’d expected as much. So, what now? Ghislain answered his question directly. “Well, we know there’s no point in more talk. Let’s get things moving.” Claude sighed, pointing to various locations on the map. “Yes, yes. I figured as much. As you predicted, the nearby tribes have mobilized, converging along the route of our movements. They’re sending scouts to track us, but they’re so sloppy that we spot them every time. Stupid brutes.” Each day, Claude sent out scouts to survey the surrounding areas, gathering information to update Ghislain. Since the barbarians moved periodically, Ghislain couldn’t pinpoint their exact positions without continuous scouting. This task usually fell to Lowell, the intelligence officer, but Ghislain had brought Claude along instead. Having worked together in a past life, it felt more natural for him to rely on Claude than Lowell. Claude was an exceptional tactician and strategist. Although he didn’t seem to realize his own potential, having focused mainly on logistics for years, Ghislain planned to fully tap into his abilities now. “Alright, the next target will be them. Can you predict their movement?” Ghislain knew the answer but asked to start drawing out Claude’s hidden talents. Soon, Claude would be the one planning and commanding the battlefield in his absence. Claude scratched his chin thoughtfully. “Well... it’s predictable, really. Most of them will charge in blindly, but the chief of the Soribaram tribe is said to be smarter than most.” “Usually, it’s the ones who ‘try’ to be clever that end up the most foolish.” “True... Still, their numbers are overwhelming. They outnumber us by more than two-to-one. What’s the plan? Should we stick to defense?” “There’s a particular strategy I like to use.” “Pursuit, ambush, and annihilation?” “Exactly. But this time, we’ll adjust it a bit.” “How so?” “Deception, encirclement, and annihilation.” Claude stifled a laugh, his shoulders shaking. “With our smaller numbers, how do you plan to encircle them?” Ghislain chuckled in response. “Encirclement doesn’t mean blocking all exits. Just cut off key routes, and they’re as good as surrounded. Now, let’s start devising the strategy. These brutes are strong but simple-minded, so anything will work.” * * * Kustu’s suggestion to seize the fortress didn’t win unanimous support from the other tribal chiefs. They knew they were at a disadvantage in siege warfare. They’d tested the fortress’s defenses before and understood the difficulty of breaching it. And, as leaders of their own tribes, each one saw himself as supreme, resistant to following anyone else’s ideas. “Why attack the fortress at all? We can just track down their main force and kill them!” “Exactly! They’re only a few hundred men, right? We should just chase them down and crush them!” “We don’t even have siege weapons, do we?” Amidst the noisy objections, Kustu frowned. These fools knew nothing of tactics or strategy. Kustu considered himself different from them—not only was he strong, but he knew how to use his head. Thanks to his cunning, Soribaram had grown into a great tribe, challenging for dominance in the north. If not for Ferdium, the Soribaram tribe would already be trampling the others underfoot. “Think it through. Sure, the main force is only a few hundred, but every one of them is a knight skilled in combat, as powerful as any of our great warriors. They’ve already wiped out two thousand warriors without taking any losses. Imagine the casualties we’d suffer if we faced them head-on.” “But we have over five thousand on our side! Are you saying we can’t defeat a few hundred? You’re no true warrior—let go of your fear!” “Even if we win, we’d lose at least half our warriors. Maybe even more. That’s what knights are like.” Kustu’s assessment would have been correct if he’d known the full story. The Fenris knights packed an incredible punch but had limited endurance. Against an army of five thousand, they wouldn’t last long enough to eliminate even half before tiring. 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶 But since none of the other chiefs knew this, they held their tongues. Losing their warriors meant losing their ability to survive in the north. As leaders, they had a duty to protect their people. “Fine, then what do you suggest?” “I’ve already told you.” “Seize the fortress? And you think there’ll be no losses?” “There will be. But it’ll be far less than facing those knights directly. It’s a small fortress. With their main force gone, only a weak garrison remains. Imagine five thousand warriors descending on it. How could they hold?” “Oh...” The other chiefs began nodding, realizing he had a point. No one had ever attacked the fortress with such a massive force before. If they surrounded the small fortress on all sides and their warriors climbed the walls quickly, could the reduced garrison truly defend it? It was impossible to block ten fingers with one hand. Eventually, gaps would open. The idea of an unstoppable assault grew increasingly appealing. “Alright, but what about the forces that went out on patrol?” “What do you think? Once we’re entrenched in the fortress, what can they do? We’ve heard it has plenty of food stores. They’d have to flee into the kingdom without resupply.” “Oh... You really are clever.” “Yes, we just need to use our heads. Once we take the fortress, their smaller numbers and lack of siege weapons will make them helpless.” “Exactly! If they have no base, they’ll be forced to wander aimlessly!” “Plus, breaching the fortress would make it easy for us to raid the northern lands of the kingdom. So, does anyone still object to my plan?” After a moment’s hesitation, the chiefs nodded in unison. “Fine, we’ll go with your plan! We’ll gather all our warriors and seize the fortress!” “Yes, that’s the way to get the most from this fight.” Kustu wore a self-satisfied grin. Clearly, he was the smartest one here. ‘Heh, they can all die on the front lines. Once we take the fortress, my warriors will swallow up their tribes.’ If they took the fortress and gained its resources, the Soribaram tribe would grow stronger. Kustu was leading them into this siege precisely for that reason. Once the fortress fell, he’d be able to crush the other great tribes opposing Soribaram. This was the perfect opportunity, a chance to rise even higher despite the current hardships. Clenching his fist, Kustu was filled with ambition. ‘I’ll be the one to unify the north.’ * * * “They’re on the move. Looks like they’ve brought all their knights. The numbers match what we had estimated.” Kustu and the other chiefs had sent scouts in all directions, monitoring the fortress’s surroundings for days. They confirmed that hundreds of knights, rumored to be Ferdium’s best, had left. Studying the map, Kustu nodded. “Good. They’re heading in the direction they usually patrol. They’ll reach Steel Thorn Tribe soon. It’s time for us to advance.” The allied tribes waited half a day before marching on the fortress, accounting for the time it would take for the knights to engage other tribes and then return. In that window, they planned to overwhelm the fortress with its depleted garrison. “Move quickly! Show the enemy what we’re capable of!” *Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!* Drums made of animal hide and bone sounded loudly. To the rhythm of the drums, over five thousand barbarian warriors advanced on the fortress. Rarely had so many tribes united under one purpose. Though they carried no siege engines, their sheer numbers would overwhelm the small fortress. They were furious, and they felt threatened. “At last, it’s time to take that fortress!” “Warriors! Avenge our fallen brothers!” “Victory will be ours!” At the cries of their great warriors, battle cries erupted from every corner. These were warriors who loved combat. With such numbers, they feared nothing. Once they took the fortress, they could even raid several impoverished territories in the northern kingdom. Small territories with little manpower wouldn’t stand a chance. The term “barbarian” didn’t come about by accident. They cared little for consequences. “Oooooooh!” Their war cries shook the very air around them. Clad in skull helmets, the barbarians were imposing on sight alone. With thousands charging forward, even the seasoned soldiers in the fortress couldn’t help but feel tense. Though they were experienced in fighting barbarians, they had never faced such overwhelming numbers at once. Watching the approaching barbarians, Zwalter’s composure slipped for a moment. ‘Is this really the right move? Was this decision a mistake?’ He couldn’t pinpoint where things had gone wrong. Despite the opposition from his advisors, he’d allowed his son to proceed. Over time, he had come to trust Ghislain’s instincts. Yet, faced with this enormous force, he began to doubt that decision. He wasn’t alone. Randolph, the knights, and the soldiers felt the same. ‘Their numbers are overwhelming. We won’t hold out for even a day.’ ‘Even if we can defend, it’ll be a bloodbath.’ ‘So this is the true danger when the barbarians unite.’ Despite their long-standing hatred, fear began to creep in. The numbers were simply too vast. This overwhelming threat was precisely why the kingdom and Ferdium had abandoned any hope of eradicating the barbarians. Push them, and they unite in response. It was easier to let them fight each other and hold off the occasional raids. If the fortress fell, the entire northern region of the kingdom would suffer. Swallowing nervously, Zwalter shook his head to clear his thoughts. Now wasn’t the time for doubts. They had to repel the barbarians. And do it with minimal losses. “Signal the beacon and launch the catapults!” Black smoke rose from beacons throughout the fortress, sending a message to Ghislain. *Screeeech.* *Boom! Boom!* Two catapults launched stones at the advancing barbarians. *KABOOM! KABOOM!* The charging barbarians staggered. But the damage was minimal. True to their warrior nature, they saw the stones coming and quickly dispersed. While it disrupted their formation somewhat, that was all. *KABOOM! KABOOM! KABOOM! KABOOM!* As the barbarians drew closer, the catapults became less effective. Zwalter clenched his teeth, assessing the situation. ‘Their morale is unbreakable. They’re advancing faster than expected.’ Fueled by madness, the barbarians charged, convinced that victory awaited them if they reached the fortress walls. “Ooooooooh!” “Raise your shields!” “Ascend quickly!” Once outside the catapults’ range, the barbarians lifted their shields, bracing for the next wave of arrows. They set up makeshift ladders, crudely crafted from wood and designed to reach the fortress walls. What they hadn’t noticed was the lack of archers on the walls. Instead, they fixated on charging headlong toward the fortress. Watching the swarm of barbarians, Zwalter shouted loudly. “Open the gates!” *Screeeech!* The gates, which had never opened against barbarian attacks, began to creak open. The barbarians stopped in their tracks, looking on with a mix of surprise and suspicion. An empty fortress opening its gates? Was this an invitation? Surrender? Whatever it was, they welcomed it... This scene was beyond their wildest expectations, and their battle cries fell silent. In the brief lull, chieftains and warriors shouted from all directions. “Perfect! Forget the ladders and just charge through the open gates!” “They’re scared and trying to surrender!” “Accept no surrender! Kill them all! Leave no one alive!” The warriors, regathering their spirits to resume their charge, heard one of their own mumble. “Wait... why are they coming out?” *Waaaah!* From within the fortress, Zwalter and the remaining Ferdium knights stormed forth.