Translator: Raizu
Editor: Shirayuki
Chapter 135 – Conquering the North part 6 ~Counterattack~
[The Fire tribe has defected to the enemy camp!]
[Reporting! The Sand tribe has also defected to the enemy!]
News of defection continued to arrive in the Barbaric King Amqa’s lap one after another . Naturally, Amqa was irritated by this .
[Reporting! The Hill tribe has surrendered!]
[Gaaaaaaah!]
Amqa finally couldn’t hold it anymore, throwing the cup on his hand at the messenger .
[Hiyaaaa!]
The messenger was caught off guard and could only react with a scream .
[Fuck it all! What is actually going on?! Haaa!?]
Amqa turned to the black-cladded man standing next to him angrily . But the man in question didn’t want any of it .
[What do you mean by that… Obviously, isn’t it because you didn’t get rid of the Wind tribe on your first chance?]
[What did you say!?]
[Because you only listen to your dumb head and your dick . Can’t you tell that all this happened because you didn’t listen to me?]
The man in black let out a huge sight afterward .
[… . . kuh! That’s!]
The man in black did indeed tell Amqa to immediately kill this man named Batu .
[That man’s eyes… People with that kind of eyes tend to always get in our way . And look, it’s just as I thought . ]
「… . . 」
There were two reasons why Amqa chose to not execute Batu immediately .
The first being that if he killed Batu, then he won’t be able to legitimately claim the 『Ran』title . Secondly, he wanted to make Batu’s wife, Klan, known for being one of the most beautiful women in the northern grassland, to submit to him .
Amqa thought that he could get rid of Batu anytime he wanted as long as there was a hostage . However…the inlanders’ surprise attack took away this bargaining chip from him .
He originally used Batu’s forces as an advance party to significantly reduce the Wind tribe’s power . But the result was otherwise .
[You must’ve told me to kill him so that we would end up destroying each other apart, haven’t you, Bogdan!?]
Amqa said as he glared at the man in black… Bogdan .
Bogdan suddenly appeared before Amqa one day . It was thanks to Bogdan’s counsel…that a savage like Amqa was able to come a step closer to claiming the title of Ran . But everything he had worked on so far was crumbling to the ground as they speak .
Amqa and Bogdan glared at each other, until the latter finally relented first .
[Whatever . Anyhow…I need to make do . ]
His finger pointed to a certain spot on the map .
[Judging from our position, the decisive battle can only be held on this hill . We need to take action at once . ]
Bogdan then took out a small box from his pocket .
[That is?]
[I didn’t want to use it in this kind of timing… But, no matter what happens, the 『War God』must be eliminated…]
[Oi…Bogdan…?]
Bogdan ominously laughed . Meanwhile Amqa was left oblivious to what just happened .
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Ares and Batu began the operation to defeat Amqa .
The plan that the military staff member Shion had concocted was as follows .
[Let’s try to sway as many tribes as possible to defect from the Iron tribe . There should be many which unwillingly submitted just like the Wind tribe . ]
The first army led by Ares, the second army led by Sigurd, the third army under Roland’s command, and lastly Batu with the Wind tribe riders took to the field . Shu also participated as a lieutenant . Batoru and Mukasa naturally were there as well .
The four armies marched through the grassland .
Ares chose to strike the area where the Fire tribe was taken hostage first .
They swooped in to attack the guards in the darkness of night . They couldn’t afford to allow the hostages to be hurt, therefore they had to rely on stealth and get rid of the guards one by one in their confusion .
[They are men who had committed violence against the hostage . Kill them all without mercy . But… if there is any hostage who is willing to vouch for any of them, then we’ll spare this person… . although I doubt the possibility . ]
And thus Ares’ forces freed the hostages, while at the same time conveying the news to the related tribes, convincing them to defect .
And slowly but surely, more tribes started to switch sides . A few weeks later, Ares’ forces were reinforced by a large number of northern riders of various different tribes .
[Amqa’s forces, along with the rest of the hostages, have converged at the Gayag Hill . The number, approximately tens of thousand . ]
Zekka came forth with the intel when Ares was discussing the battle strategy with the leaders of the allied army .
[My my, so they finally realized the stupidity in dispersing the hostages…]
Dispersing the hostages actually gives little benefit, as this means your forces would be spread out and the enemy would be able to free them one by one . Apparently Amqa finally realized this .
Shion nodded in agreement .
[Apparently they’re planning to challenge us into a decisive battle . We have to be careful of when to strike . ]
[This is how I like it . If we rout them here, the grassland will shift to us all at once!]
Mukasa, who was standing beside Batu, responded to the discussion in a loud voice . But Batu himself was calmer .
[However…they have the remaining hostages with them this time . Most likely they’ll use the hostages as meat shields . If we aren’t careful…we’ll end up hurting the hostages, and the tribes related to these hostages will bear a lasting grudge to us . ]
[Not to mention that the trust from the other defecting tribe would be affected as well, which will lead to a further delay to Batu-sama’s inauguration as a Ran…]
Batoru also added .
[Big bro… . . Do you have any idea?]
In response to Batu’s question, Ares turned to Shion .
And Shion smiled in return
[Good grief… Milord should think this through yourself next time…]
He complained .
[Well, what’s the point of having a vassal who could think faster than me then?]
Unable to refute, Shion could only sigh before finally starting to relay his strategy .
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[Bogdan! We should be alright this time, shouldn’t we!?]
Amqa barked at Bogdan .
The guy didn’t even bother to use his own brain . Truly an incompetent ruler .
Bogdan inwardly thought . Amqa stupidity gave him difficulties to operate properly after all .
The first time Bogdan met Amqa was when the latter was in the middle of his savagery .
The ambition, strength, and ferocity in Amqa was what Bogdan needed .
[With my wisdom, you can even become the king of the steppes . Do you want to join me?]
Fascinated by the mention of 『King of the Steppes』, Amqa instantly agreed .
Afterward, Amqa would move according to the direction that Bogdan gave, and he soon rose to become the ruler of the majority of the grassland .
He even earned the nickname 『Barbaric King』 . Personally Bogdan felt that it really fit Amqa .
For Bogdan, Amqa was the key to obtaining his wish .
Which is also the wish of the 『Snake of Darkness』 .
『Chaos』
Once Amqa fully conquered the grassland, Bogdan planned to urge him to turn towards Grants, and many other places . Raiding, plundering, and slaughtering . He would instill the northern riders with fear, massacring any who dare to oppose him .
Amqa did exactly as Bogdan wanted .
[Don’t worry . With the hostages on the frontline, they won’t dare to attack head on . And then… once they attack from behind, that’s when our victory is set in stone . ]
[And that guy?]
[They’ll help us . ]
After that short remark, Amqa finally understood what Bogdan was planning . He let out a ferocious smile .
[So that guy has decided to move this time, huh!?]
[It’s supposed to be that way . ]
[Great! Well done, Bogdan . ]
Amqa stood up and laughed .
[Yosh! Then let’s inform the army . Put the hostages at the front to become a 『meat shield』for us . Station those who are most likely to defect, like the Spear tribe, on the second row . Our Iron tribe will wait at the very back!]
In a good mood, he also added .
[I don’t give a damn about those inlanders…but Batu and the Wind tribe, also those defecting tribes, they must be annihilated . I’ll make sure they’ll suffer before killing them . ]
Amqa left the tent with a laugh . Meanwhile, Bogdan murmured quietly .
[By any chance, if this measure didn’t work…I’ll at least let you satisfy your savagery . To the very, very end…]
An eerie smile crept up on Bogdan’s face as he said so .
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The 『Spear tribe』was led by a man named Bort . He was also an old friend of Batu, having the commonality of becoming a tribe leader at a young age .
The Spear tribe was said to have the greatest offensive power amongst the northern riders . Their equestrian skill allows them to be more mobile than other tribes .
When Amqa attacked them, they were quick to recover and fought back calmly . Until…
That guy showed up .
Bort, atop his horse, went around on his own .
His eyes caught the sight of several iron tribe soldiers enjoying themselves with booze and snacks . Bort bit his lip and turned away .
[If it weren’t for that strange looking guy back then, I won’t be here amongst this wretched…]
When Bort’s Spear tribe cavalry engaged Amqa’s forces, they were attacked by other forces from the flank .
Bort still remembered the face of the attackers clearly .
A bull headed warrior leading a squad of magic beasts .
His troop collapsed after being attacked from the flank . His father, the tribe patriarch, along with many of the tribe cavalry died, swallowed the stampede of the magic beasts .
As a result, the entire tribe was captured and turned to slaves . Bort and what remained of his troops became Amqa vanguard, running around the eastern grassland at Amqa’s behest .
[That Batu, is he okay…??]
According to the rumour he heard, Amqa also managed to defeat the Wind tribe and made Batu his henchman .
While Bord was wondering about the fate of his old friend, something hit him in the head .
[Who’s that!?]
He should be alone right now . When he looked around, he only saw a crumpled paper on the ground . This must be what hit him in the head earlier .
With suspicion, Bord picked up the crumpled paper and carefully unfurled it . As it turned out, it was a letter .
Batu and Bord could actually read and write, which was a rarity among the northern riders . Bord casually started reading the letter, then his eyes stopped on a sentence .
[『To my old friend, Bord』… . . isn’t this Batu’s handwritings?!]
He looked around, then carefully read the letter silently this time . A mysterious glint appeared in his eyes .
Both sides had finally come face to face in Gayag hill . Unaware of each other’s strategy, the battle between the two was about to begin .