"We’re going to attack immediately?"
Rick asked Verc again after hearing his words.
And Verc, he just nodded his head to confirm it.
He didn’t turn around to look at the human mercenary, keeping his eyes fixed on the distant bonfires of the wolf-kin rtibe.
"But we haven’t rested from the march yet."
Rick said.
He stepped closer, his brow furrowed as he voiced his legitimate concern as a veteran fighter. In human warfare, rushing into a battle directly after a march was considered an absolute tactical suicide.
"Are you tired?"
But then, Verc asked him that.
The question was spoken so casually that it caught the mercenary completely off guard. Rick was confused by the question, but he shook his head.
He took a brief internal assessment of his own body, noting the steady rhythm of his heart and the lack of soreness in his joints.
He feels fine at the moment.
Seeing his answer, Verc pointed behind Rick, and opening his mouth—
"Look around, do any of them seems tired?"
He followed with that.
His voice carried a quiet confidence that demanded Rick’s attention.
"Huh?"
Rick looked behind him, and there; he saw the warriors—they were in full energy, none of them are showing any sign of fatigue.
The orcs were quietly checking the straps of their iron chestpieces, their breathing steady and deep. The gnolls were efficiently stringing their crossbows without a single hint of sluggishness, while the dark elves stood like statues, their eyes sharp and focused in the dark.
"Because of Scally and Skul leading us to the easiest and shortest paths—we saved a lot of our energy. Also, everyone, including you, had been training everyday for the past weeks."
Verc explained, his eyes scanning the ranks.
"None of you would be tired with just marching for a day straight."
Verc stated.
Before suggesting that they attack tonight immediately, he had already spread his mana throughout the surrounding and scanned the condition of his warriors.
If he had sense that they’re tired and can’t launch an attack—he wouldn’t even think about it.
He wasn’t someone reckless who would throw his people into a meat grinder for the sake of speed. He knew exactly what his army was capable of enduring.
"..."
Rick was silent after this.
He swallowed his remaining arguments, realizing that his traditional human military logic simply didn’t apply to the enhanced monsters and trained fighters under Verc’s command.
Then at that moment—
"Tell the others that we’ll be attacking immediately. Call Groo, Pwyll, and Bernia for me too."
Verc said that.
He gave the order with a slight tilt of his head, his tone indicating that the discussion was officially over.
Rick just nodded his head, and without a word; he walked away to follow Verc’s words.
He slipped back down the slope toward the main body of the force, his mind reflecting on how much his life had changed in such a short amount of time.
He had only been under Verc’s rule for about a month and a week, but during that time—he and the new slaves came to know that Verc’s a vampire, and he’s the 14th demon king.
The initial shock of the revelation had long since faded, replaced by a deep sense of awe.
Rick had also seen him train sometimes, and he know how powerful Verc was.
He had witnessed the sheer speed that left craters in the earth and the absolute control Verc held over his massive reserves of mana.
And because of that, he became loyal to Verc, and acknowledges him as his lord now.
He wasn’t serving a monster out of fear anymore; he was serving a true leader who provided safety, purpose, and a chance at a new beginning.
*****
As Verc instructed, Rick let the warriors know about the plan to attack immediately; the orc family heads helped him in doing so.
He also informed Groo, Pwyll, and Bernia that their Lord was calling for them.
The three individuals left their respective squads, moving silently up the rocky incline until they stood beside the dark figure of their Lord.
Verc was still looking down at the clearing, at the wolf-kin tribe.
Verc told them to prepare, because they will be taking the vanguard along with the family heads and Rick.
"We are going down the southern approach. The terrain is flat enough for our armored lines to maintain their formation."
He said.
"Our objective tonight is submission, not slaughter."
Verc added that, saying they should restrain the enemies as much as they could, and only kill them if they show no sign of giving up.
"If a warrior drops his weapon or falls to his knees, do not strike them down."
"I know you all can do it, because you all are strong enough to do so."
With the superior iron armor from Kuma’s forge and the extensive tactical training they had practiced, his vanguard possessed a massive defensive advantage over the unarmored wolf-kins.
Verc needed the wolf-kins’ numbers, their exceptionally sharp senses, and their physical power to bolster his kingdom’s overall strength before the next human expedition arrived.
The three nodded their heads at Verc’s words.
"Understood, My Lord. We will manage the lines and ensure the men hold back their lethal blows unless absolutely necessary."
Groo murmured, his hand resting on the hilt of his battle-axe.
Verc then declared that he will personally handle the leader of the wolf-kins.
"Once I draw out their chief, the rest of the tribe will likely lose their coordination. Focus on locking down the perimeter and preventing any escapes."
He instructed.
And with that short meeting done—they started their plan.
... ... ...
... ... ...
... ... ...
*****
At the wolf-kin’s tribe...
Their night was going as usual—peaceful with no disturbance and worry.
The clearing was filled with the heavy aroma of roasting meat and the loud, boisterous sounds of a successful community at rest.
The warriors had already came back earlier, and they started feasting on the monster meats they got from hunting.
Massive carcasses of forest beasts were propped up on wooden stakes over the open flames. They roasted the meats on the big bonfire in the middle of their clearing and are eating viciously.
They tore into the food with their sharp teeth, completely unconcerned with manners or stealth within the safety of their own home.
They were laughing and celebrating the bountiful hunt, they even started talking about attacking the near monster tribes to make them slaves and eat some of them.
"The weaklings to the east have been getting too comfortable."
One large hunter growled, wiping grease from his chin.
"We should march through their borders next week and show them who truly owns these woods."
"I agree, let’s do that before they escape like the gnoll tribe!"
"Those bastards ran pretty quick."
The ambient noise of the celebration drowned out most of the forest sounds... but the natural biology of the predators could not be entirely turned off.
And as their celebration was happening—
TAP.
They heard a footstep from far away.
It was a singular, deliberate sound, completely undisguised and echoing clearly past the edge of the clearing.
The boot landing on the grass just outside their territory made their ears twitch!
The sudden vibration cut through the casual chatter like a knife, causing several of the seated warriors to freeze mid-bite.
"?!!!"
All the wolf-kins turned their heads toward it, they all stood from being sat on the ground—BAM!
Then they all hurried to where they heard it; especially the warriors!
A crowd of nearly fifty fighters moved toward the boundary line, their eyes glowing faintly in the dark as they sought out the source of the intrusion.
And once they arrived near where they heard the sound—
"..."
They saw an individual standing still, just barely inside their territory.
He stood perfectly straight beneath the shadow of a massive tree, his hands resting loosely at his sides, showing absolutely zero fear in front of the gathering horde.
That person was looking at all of them like he was waiting.
His gaze was calm, completely unfazed by the low snarls beginning to rumble in the throats of the surrounding hunters.
"A human...?"
One of the wolf-kins asked seeing that person.
He stepped forward, his eyes scanning the stranger’s features with a mixture of confusion and immediate hostility.
Long black hair, sharp red eyes, pale skin, and wearing a human outfit.
The clothes were finely tailored, completely unlike the rugged armor of the previous humans they had encountered in the past.
Humans sometimes stumble inside the [Cursed Forest] for various of reasons, so the wolf-kins know what they look like.
They had hunted down lost merchants and rogue mercenaries before, but the individual standing before them carried himself with a level of authority that didn’t fit a regular traveler.
And from this specific person they’re looking at, they can feel something weird from them.
A heavy, static feeling began to accumulate in the air, making the hair on the back of their necks stand up.
An inkling feeling that makes them think he was similar to them.
It was the unmistakable aroma of a supreme predator, an entity that sat at the very top of the food chain, looking down at them not as dangers, but as simple subjects.
Then, as they were just staring at this person—
FWOOOOSH—!
A strong, predatory aura suddenly burst out of him, and it covered the whole clearing!
The sheer volume of the mana was staggering, dropping the temperature of the immediate area as a suffocating weight slammed into the chests of the gathering wolf-kins.
"...!"
The aura they felt was strong, maybe as strong from their chief!
The wolf-kins were taken aback, and unconsciously, they all took a step back!
Their primitive instincts shouted at them to retreat, their legs moving on their own to put distance between themselves and the pale stranger!
The person smiled seeing them be wary of him, and opening his mouth—
"Where is your leader? I want to talk to them."
Verc asked that.
But instead of answering—
The shock of the aura quickly transformed into a fierce, defensive rage among the proud warriors.
"GRRRR!"
SHHHK—!
The wolf-kins bared their teeth and flexed their sharp claws, their piercing eyes watched Verc carefully, and if looks could kill—Verc would’ve been mauled by the wolf-kins by now!
They lowered their bodies into combat stances, the muscles in their legs tensing as they prepared to tear the arrogant intruder to pieces regardless of his strange power.
Though, before the wolf-kins could attack—
A massive shift occurred in the center of the village, a secondary force rising up to challenge the intrusion.
SWOOOOOOOSH~!!!
An aura that could rival Verc’s suddenly exploded from the center of 200 wolf-kins preparing to attack Verc!
The sheer density of the new energy rolled across the clearing, stabilizing the pressure around and answering Verc’s challenge with equal ferocity.
BAM!
A specific wolf-kin then jumped up in the sky—BOOM!
And he landed in front of Verc!
The physical impact of his arrival sent a shockwave through the dirt, kicking up a massive cloud of dust and loose leaves.
The ground below them cracked, but Verc didn’t even move an inch, he just stared up at the towering 2 meter tall wolf-kin in front of him.
He kept his expression perfectly neutral, his eyes measuring the thick musculature and the heavy battle scars covering the chest of the giant creature.
That specific wolf-kin smiled seeing Verc’s reaction, then with his teeth showing and smiling—
He let out a low, rumbling chuckle, his sharp fangs fully exposed in the firelight.
"My name is Lunar; the chief of the wolf-kin tribe."
The wolf-kin declared that.
He stood with his chest puffed out, his presence commanding the absolute obedience of every single warrior standing behind him.
"What do you want from me?"
He then asked Verc, not even asking for his introduction or anything.
He didn’t care about the name of a stranger who dared to march into his camp alone, only interested in the purpose behind such an blatant display of power.
Not that Verc minded.
He adjusted his collar slightly, his tone remaining entirely conversational.
"I’m planning to conquer the whole [Cursed Forest]."
He started with that, then with a casual shrug of his shoulders—
He laid out his terms with the absolute indifference of a merchant discussing a simple trade agreement.
"Anyway, I’m not going to beat around the bush—if you surrender and submit under my rule; I will protect and take you all in, but if you don’t—then I will have no choice but to attack this instant."
Verc declared that, his eyes staring directly at Lunar’s.
The statement hung in the quiet air of the clearing, a direct ultimatum delivered right into the heart of the strongest tribe in the western sector.
"KAHAHAHAHAHAHA—!!!"
Lunar started laughing when he heard that, even his subordinates behind him.
The roaring sound of their collective amusement echoed through the valley, the wolf-kins clutching their sides as they listened to what they considered the most hilarious joke they had ever heard.
"You’re planning to attack the us, the Wolf-Kin Tribe, at night? Are you lost in mind?"
Lunar asked, he was smiling, but a strong murderous intent was oozing from him.
"We are the strongest at night. Now, if you have nothing else to say—it’s time to die."
Lunar said, he was getting ready to rip Verc’s head with his barehands.
He dropped his weight, his long claws expanding slightly as his muscles expanded, targeting Verc’s throat for an immediate, decisive kill.
And seeing that, Verc let out a sigh—
He shook his head gently, a look of mild disappointment clearing his features.
"I guess it can’t be that easy."
He whispered that to himself.
Before going here to try and talk it out first, he left a signal for his people.
He had arranged the system with Scally, Skul and the archers back on the eastern hill to ensure perfect coordination.
If he raised his right hand, the talk was successful, and no fight will happen.
The army would have simply marched down to formalize the integration.
But if he raised his left—
"Attack."
Then it’s a signal to attack.
SWIIIIIIIIIIIISSSHHH—!!!
As soon as Verc raised his left hand, arrows came flying down from the hill where they were before!
The sharp, whistling sound of dozens of projectiles cutting through the wind filled the sky, a black rain descending rapidly from the dark summit of the eastern hill!
And seeing that—the wolf-kins were surprised!
They hadn’t expected a ranged ambush to materialize out of the darkness so quickly, their attention having been entirely focused on the lone figure of the vampire lord.
PHUCK—!
"GRGH?!!"
The arrows started raining down their village, they could’ve tanked it with their sturdy body, but unfortunately for them—
FSSHHH~
A strange, purple vapor began to hiss from the entry wounds, reacting instantly with their bloodstream.
"GRAAAA—!!!"
The arrows were laced with poison made by Grainne and the agriculture group!
The paralytic agent worked with terrifying speed, dulling their reflexes and causing their muscles to seize up within a matter of seconds, stripping them of their legendary night mobility.
"!!!"
Lunar immediately realized this, and looking back at his people—
He saw his proud hunters stumbling into the dirt, their limbs locking up as they tried to pull the toxic shafts from their bodies.
"DODGE THE ARROWS!!!"
He exclaimed that.
His roar cut through the panic, commanding the warriors to disperse into the shadows of the tents.
BAM!
Even he had no choice but back away as some arrows were about to hit him.
He vaulted backward with a fierce snarl, his eyes locking back onto Verc with an absolute, burning fury as the battlefield completely erupted into chaos around them.