louisehourcade Chapter 165 - On Top of the Hill
Chapter 165 - On Top of the Hill
"Move out."
At that single order—a total of 64 warriors started heading west.
They consist of 30 orcs, 20 gnolls, 5 dark elves, 6 kobolds, and the three humans; Pwyll, Bernia, and Rick.
Each unit had been carefully selected for their specific combat capabilities and their ability to work under pressure. The orcs formed the heavy vanguard, while the gnolls and kobolds were arranged to handle the flanks and quick skirmishes, creating a versatile line that could adapt to any sudden ambush.
Verc isn’t stupid to put all his force into the attack they’re about to perform and leave their village empty.
He knew that a completely unguarded base was nothing more than an open invitation for opportunistic wild beasts to swoop in and destroy everything they had spent months building. Maintaining a strong defensive presence at home was just as critical as the assault itself.
He will personally leading the attack force, and while he was away—Mamon, Kuma, the seven kids, and the rest of the warriors will take care of the village.
Mamon and Kuma possessed more than enough administrative competence and defensive awareness to manage the daily operations. Tatum and the others, despite their young appearances, held supernatural sensory abilities and power that made them the strongest while Verc was away.
Anyway--
Groo and the orc family heads are joining Verc with the attack at the wolf-kin.
The veteran orc leaders marched alongside their kin, their massive frames projecting an aura of heavy discipline that kept the younger warriors perfectly focused and silent as they cleared the village perimeter.
The orcs are armed with axes and great swords, the kobolds with spears—while the gnolls are using bows and crossbows.
The weaponry gleamed faintly under the gray sky, freshly forged iron heads tightly bound to sturdy wooden shafts, and heavy steel strings pulled taut against the curved frames of the ranged weapons. The kobolds clutched their short spears with eager hands, their small bodies perfectly suited for quick, piercing thrusts beneath the guard of larger opponents.
The dark elves are obviously going to use the mutated plants.
They carried specially woven leather pouches slung across their shoulders, each container packed with the volatile, strange fruits they had harvested. They’re the only one who memorizes the mutations of the plants they bring, so they will be the most efficient to use them.
The three humans, Pwyll, Bernia, and Rick are knowledgeable about wars, so they will be useful that’s why Verc brought them along.
Their collective experience in large-scale human conflicts, military logistics, and battlefield command structures provided a level of tactical depth that raw monster instinct simply could not replicate. They knew how to read terrain, manage troop fatigue, and coordinate multiple squads during a chaotic engagement.
’Scally and Skul are going to meet us half-way there... If we’re going by this pace, then we’re set to arrived at the wolf-kin tribe in a week.’
Verc thought as he watches his army walk from the top of the gates.
His eyes tracking the long line of armored figures as they slowly disappeared into the thick foliage of the western path.
He frowned.
"That’s too long... But it’s needed if we want to make a surprise assault."
He muttered to himself, his voice barely a whisper against the wind.
It’s not really necessary, but Verc want’s to have as little casualties as possible.
An open, rushed march would create a massive amount of noise, alerting the sharp ears of the wolf-kins long before the vanguard could even reach their outer territory. By maintaining a slow, cautious pace and utilizing the natural cover of the dense undergrowth, they could approach the settlement completely undetected.
"Haaa..."
So after just letting out a sigh—FWISH~!
Verc just disappeared from the top of the walls and reappeared in front of the marching group.
"!!!"
There; Pwyll, Bernia, and Rick were leading everyone.
They were walking at the absolute front of the column, mapping out the immediate path ahead, when the air right beside them suddenly compressed with a sharp hum.
They were surprised seeing Verc appeare beside them out of nowhere, but they were able to regain their cool not long.
Rick’s hand had halfway traveled to his empty hip before he realized who it was, his mercenary instincts firing a brief alarm until he recognized the calm demeanor of his new Lord. Pwyll merely let out a low chuckle, while Bernia offered a respectful nod, her expression smooth.
Verc just smiled at them, then he rode at Bong—Rick was handling the horse earlier along with his.
He vaulted into the saddle of the large, dark beast with a fluid motion, taking the reins smoothly from the human mercenary to lead the column from the front.
And with that—they continued to their destination.
*****
Verc and his small army traveled for days... they only stop to eat and sleep.
The schedule was kept tight, with Pwyll and Rick managing the rotations to ensure the warriors maintained their strength. They woke before the morning mist could clear from the trees, packing their minimal gear in absolute silence and eating quick rations of dried meat before hitting the trail again.
But other than that, they didn’t rest and just continued marching.
They were attacked countless times by mindless monsters, but they were nothing but annoying bugs for their army.
So they pushed through thick brier patches, vaulted over mossy logs, and waded through shallow creeks, their boots constantly caked in dark, heavy mud. The forest around them grew progressively stranger and more hostile the further west they went, the shadows deep and unchanging.
Then on the third day—they met with the two kobolds; Scally and Skul.
The two tiny scouts materialized out of a thick patch of ferns near a rocky outcrop, their small bodies covered in dirt and leaves to blend perfectly with the environment. They bowed low before Verc’s horse, their tails wagging with a frantic, eager energy at the sight of their leader.
And since then, they started guiding the small army.
Skul took the absolute point position, moving a hundred paces ahead of the column to look for any signs of wolf-kin patrols, while Scally stayed close to Verc’s stirrup, pointing out the specific geographic features of the territory.
With their knowledge about the environment and their experience as scouts—the journey went faster than they had expected.
They didn’t have to guess which paths were blocked by unstable rockslides or which ravines were too deep for the heavily armored orcs to cross.
Not only that, it became easier. The two know the best paths around.
They guided the force through hidden game trails and naturally formed tunnels that completely bypassed the most difficult sections of the western vegetation, saving the army a massive amount of physical exertion.
Verc was really pleased with their help.
And so, just like that—they reached the wolf-kin tribe as the sixth day was just about to end.
The long, grueling march had shaved a full day off their original estimate, leaving the warriors relatively fresh and completely uninjured as they closed the final distance.
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*****
The moon was high, and the forest was already dark.
The pale silver light was barely able to pierce through the heavy surroundings, leaving the floor of the woods in a permanent state of pitch-black shadow.
Especially with the thick canopy of trees blocking the natural light.
Verc and his small army arrived on top of a small hill near the wolf-kin tribe.
The warriors crept up the slope in absolute silence, the orcs lowering their massive frames to keep their iron armor from clinking against the exposed stone of the summit.
And from where they are, they can subtly see the settlement of the wolf-kin.
The clearing opened up directly beneath the eastern face of the hill, a wide expanse of flattened land where dozens of wooden structures and primitive leather tents were clustered together.
Verc can even see better than the others, and he can see the wolf-kinds resting below—
His advanced vision cut through the darkness with perfect clarity, allowing him to count the individual figures moving between the structures as if it were the middle of the day.
He was able to confirm the information he got from Scally and Skul as well.
The population estimate was completely accurate.
They’re in a clearing with a lot of fire in their small village, and there are only few ones standing guard.
Large bonfires roared in the center of their common areas, casting bright, dancing orange light across the tents but completely ruining the night vision of the few sentries who were casually sitting near the perimeter. There were no defensive trenches, no stakes, and no walls to separate the settlement from the wild woods.
Verc thought that they were so arrogant that they look stupid now.
Their absolute reliance on their superior physical senses and their fierce reputation had blinded them to basic military sense, leaving them completely vulnerable to a coordinated tactical strike from the high ground.
Anyway--
Tap-
Rick then approached him at that moment.
"Lord Verc, the men are in position. Should we establish a defensive perimeter here on the hill and rest until dawn? A morning assault would give our archers the visibility they need."
And then he asked if they were going to make their camp on top of the hill for the night. The human mercenary crept up beside Verc, his eyes straining to read the dark layout of the village below as he kept his voice down to a low whisper.
But hearing that, Verc looked at him with questioning eyes.
"...?"
He turned his head slowly, his dark pupils fixed on the former mercenary with a look of genuine, calm confusion, as if the human had just suggested something entirely nonsensical.
Rick was surprised and confused by this, but before he could even ask what it was—
"What are you talking about? We’re going to attack immediately."
Verc muttered that casually. The look on his eyes were serious.
He didn’t shift his stance or lower his gaze, his hand already resting naturally on the pommel of the [Moon Blade] as his internal mana began to circulate through his limbs.
And seeing that—
"Huh?"
Rick couldn’t help but be in disbelief.
His jaw dropped slightly, his eyes wide as he stared at his leader, his mind completely failing to process why anyone would launch a full assault against a population of two hundred apex predators in the dead of night without a single moment of preparation.