Three days had passed since the decisive battle in Australia.
The frontlines were always bustling with activity, but the schedule to celebrate the inauguration of the supreme leader was a grand event that brought everyone together.
The Yeonho Corps filled the training ground to the brim.
On the stage stood Frennila, who had ascended to the position of the leader of Australia, with representatives from each tribe and myself following behind her.
In the solemn atmosphere, Frennila turned her head to survey her surroundings.
“I am Frennila, newly ascended to the position of the leader of Australia.”
Despite her delicate voice, she exuded the charisma of an Amazonian warrior, captivating the attention of everyone present.
“Many events have transpired. Our brothers, the Spear Tribe, have been annihilated, and the Infectants who caused their demise continue to torment us on this front.”
The familiar landscapes of the highlands were lost.
The chief of the Bow Tribe, her father, had fallen in battle, and the brothers of the Spear Tribe had turned into monsters, now pointing their spears at us.
Many had felt the fear of death and despair, imagining that they too might one day become like them.
This was not just Frennila’s experience.
Everyone present had felt and lived through it.
But there was no time for tears or sorrow.
That would be the duty of the survivors after everything was resolved.
For now, all they could do was fight their best every day.
“But now, things will be different. Before I proceed, I would like to express my gratitude once again to Prince Kenneth, who has come all the way from the distant Empire to assist us.”
Frennila bowed her head towards me, and as she personally expressed her gratitude, many warriors followed suit, directing their thanks towards me.
I nodded slightly in response.
“Shortly, the second wave of reinforcements from the Empire will arrive. We have reorganized and will become a stronger force.”
Taking a deep breath, she declared,
“Now, we will break free from the humiliation of defeat, loss, and retreat. We will reclaim our homeland and liberate our brothers who have lost their will by granting them the release of death.”
Unlike the times when they were helplessly pushed back, she publicly announced that the northern situation would change.
“From now on, I, Frennila, declare that we will shift from defense to offense against the threat of the Infectants!”
“Under the power of the eternal sky!”
“For Saka!”
The cheers of the Cheonho leaders began, and the rallying cry of Tengri echoed throughout the military camp.
The various tribes, finding their roots, united under the name Saka.
Now, I could see glimpses of the invincible tribal army I once knew being recreated.
Whoever the mastermind behind this chaos was, they would pay dearly for their actions.
Just as the Empire and I had experienced through numerous regressions, they would regret their deeds amidst the ashes when faced with the continent’s greatest military force.
“Frennila, congratulations. And stay strong.”
I sincerely congratulated her on becoming the leader.
*
As soon as Kenneth’s party arrived, they reclaimed Partiaros, the frontline territory that had been lost.
Located at the center of the northern plains, it was called the heart of Saka.
Once thought impossible to reclaim while being on the defensive, that notion was now shattered.
The warriors of Saka had returned to the lost land.
“For Saka!”
“Huh?”
Crack! Shatter!
Though the Infectants had lost their thoughts and emotions, they seemed momentarily stunned by the unexpected attack from the warriors.
Shamans and archers unleashed their attacks.
The powerful barrage dismembered the Infectants, rendering them powerless.
The warriors at the front began to advance, cleaving the heads of the nearest Infectants with swords and axes.
The warriors, driven by the hope of avenging their friends, family, and brothers, and the possibility of eradicating the Infectants, fought with ferocity.
Though they struggled initially, they soon adapted to the new formations and began to understand the power of organized group actions.
Unlike before, where a single warrior had to perform various tasks due to disorganized formations, they were now divided into specialized groups: pushing units, strength units, and interception units.
Each warrior became an expert in their field, significantly enhancing their operational capabilities.
They maximized the enemy’s incapacitation with long-range attacks, executed hit-and-run guerrilla tactics, pushed back the Infectants when they got too close, and retreated to regroup.
In this repetitive cycle, their casualties decreased, and the number of Infectants dwindled.
Perhaps because of this, the once-overwhelming presence of Infectants on the frontlines had recently disappeared.
They were nowhere to be seen.
They must have gathered their forces to avoid being picked off one by one.
But Frennila was not fazed by the changed behavior of the Infectants.
The Empire’s second wave of reinforcements would arrive soon.
Moreover, the season of high skies and fattening horses was approaching.
When that time came, they would push back the enemy with even greater force.
Now, time was on their side.
*
They had believed time was on their side.
“Damn it!”
In a secret hideout somewhere in the Spear Tribe’s village, the man known as the boss spat out curses.
It seemed the prince had managed to bring the golden jasmine petals from the Empire, but it would take a long time before the next cultivation period.
Once the petals ran out, they could gather the Infectants scattered across the plains and launch a full-scale attack.
The damage might be significant, but everything would return to normal quickly.
But as time passed, the situation only worsened.
The barbarians, who had been barely holding on, now began to unlock their gates and counterattack.
Not only were they infused with the scent of golden jasmine, but they also fought with stronger weapons and more flexible guerrilla tactics.
It was incredibly difficult to counter their new combat style with the one-dimensional commands of the Infectants.
“If this continues, we will lose our influence in the northern plains.”
“You idiot, I know that! Come up with a solution!”
At the center of this sudden change was undoubtedly Prince Kenneth.
He needed to be dealt with quickly.
But the stupid underlings, who only knew how to fight on the frontlines, could do nothing but scratch their heads.
“You seem to be in quite a predicament.”
“Who are you?”
The command post of the Spear Tribe’s village, known only to a select few, was entered by an unfamiliar man who walked in casually.
“But it’s not time to give up and retreat yet. The main forces are still intact, and the barbarians are divided.”
For those not working on the frontlines, knowing this location meant holding at least a ministerial position in the homeland.
As the boss knelt and bowed his head, the underlings followed suit.
“Let’s take down the Shield Tribe first. Unlike the Staff Tribe, they are still at odds with the coalition.”
“Understood!”
“We need to expedite things. I’ll send word to the Empire and the homeland. Focus on capturing the prince and pacifying the north. If necessary, we might even test ‘those’.”
With those final words, his figure dissolved like black sand, disappearing.
This messaging, used by those who had mastered dark magic, clearly indicated that he was a high-ranking military official from the homeland.
For him to come here in person was both humbling and an honor.
“All officers, listen up. From this moment, we will launch a full-scale attack on the Shield Tribe.”
“Yes!”
With the decision made, a sinister energy began to spread from the hideout.
Growl!
The Infectant army, with their red eyes glowing, began to move towards one location.
The northwestern plains, the territory of the Shield Tribe.
Among the tribes, they had the largest single force, but after the tribal coalition was formed, they were considered the weakest.
By annihilating and subjugating them, the balance of power would be disrupted.
The death legion’s blade began to turn towards the Shield Tribe.
*
“Hold the line! We can’t let them push us back any further!”
“Damn it! Why won’t they just die!”
The Shield Tribe’s frontlines, which had been in a lull, began to collapse rapidly.
The number of Infectants had increased tenfold overnight.
To counter this, even young boys, elderly men who could barely lift shields, and even women were mobilized to the frontlines, struggling to hold back the Infectants’ onslaught.
The old chief’s thoughts deepened.
Perhaps they should have listened to the Axe Tribe’s child.
They were better off than the others, but they were not without their own struggles.
He knew it himself.
All his judgments were driven by stubbornness and were wrong.
The Staff Tribe had a new young leader who had broken away from the mistakes of the past.
But he, old and ignorant, had no heir and was still haunted by the scars of the past.
“Chief! We can’t hold on any longer! If this continues, the entire territory will collapse!”
“…Anes.”
The image of his daughter, who had left for a distant place, kept coming to mind.
If only he could send her a message, he might have no regrets.
“Grrr!”
Lost in thought, he barely dodged an Infectant’s attack.
Swinging his heavy shield like a club, he crushed the Infectant’s head.
Argin, the chief of the Shield Tribe, had to make a decision.
“…Abandon all villages. Retreat to Arsaces. Everyone who can survive must live!”
Arsaces, the farthest rear area from the frontlines and the historical capital of the Shield Tribe.
It was time to prepare for the final resistance.
Would they survive the enemy’s onslaught, or would the Shield Tribe meet the same fate as the Spear Tribe?
‘Anes, what choice would you have made?’
If only he could hear her answer, wise and brilliant as she was.
But it seemed that answer would never come.
Shaking off the Infectant’s blood and brain matter from his shield, he quickly began to retreat from the battlefield.