Building A Human Empire By Creating A Clan [EN]: Chapter 167

Skirmish

###

The drum sounded loudly, so loudly it seemed about to burst. It was the sound of 1,000 cavalrymen colliding with 19,000 Lizardmen.

“Charge! Charge!”

The cavalry approached at a trot from several hundred meters away. When the enemy fired muskets from beyond effective range, they sped up. As the distance closed to 50 meters, they charged at full speed.

*Thwack——*

The long spears pierced the Lizardmen’s scales, skewering three or four Lizardmen with each thrust. In a single charge, over 2,000 Lizardmen likely met their end.

“Y-you humans!”

“R-run away!”

Surprise, fear, and anger spread through the ranks.

The front lines were instantly wiped out, causing some to flee in terror. Others froze, unable to move even as spears aimed for their hearts. Still others, enraged that mere humans dared to attack them, burned with fighting spirit.

“Break through! Don’t stop, keep running!”

Colonel Motier of the 6th Regiment shouted, spurring his horse. Following him, the regiment pierced through the enemy lines. Even though the remaining enemies outnumbered them seventeen to one, the breakthrough was easy because they were not properly formed.

“Kuaaaaak!”

Like forcing open a closed door, they passed through the blocking enemies.

“The humans are running away!”

“Don’t let them get away! Chase them!”

The Lizardmen broke formation and chased after the regiment.

“Run away? You foolish lizards.”

Motier scoffed at the Lizardmen’s shouts.

“They say the mutants are stupid, and it seems to be true.”

The Lizardmen gathered here were mutants who had grown by consuming the magic of the Old Gods. Like the Orcs and Goblins who had been baptized, the Lizardmen had also received help.

Lizardmen are born from eggs, and the eggs are raised in places rich in magic called spawning grounds. But what would happen if the magic of the Old Gods were to dwell in the spawning grounds?

The Lizardmen eggs, which should have grown by absorbing natural magic, grew by consuming the magic of the Old Gods. As a result, their growth time was halved, and their appearance changed. Workers were taller than warriors, and warriors were as large as Ogres.

“Uooooooo!”

The Lizardmen warriors’ steps shook the ground. Their massive size and heavy steps caused those around them to lose their balance and fall.

“Human! Kill! Eat!”

The warrior rolled his bloodshot eyes and drooled. He looked like he was high on drugs. He might not actually be on drugs, but his state was the same as a drug addict.

That was the characteristic of the mutants created by the Old Gods.

“How amusing!”

Motier sneered at the warrior.

“It doesn’t matter how big you make them if their heads are empty, don’t you think?”

“······.”

The lieutenant colonel running beside him remained silent, not even glancing at the colonel.

Unlike Motier, who often joked and muttered to himself, the lieutenant colonel and other members of the regiment were not talkative.

“No fun.”

He gripped the reins tightly in his right hand and looked at the sky.

A flock of birds was chirping noisily in the clear sky, fighting with their wings spread wide, aiming for the corpses that would be rolling around after the battle.

But one eagle was separated from the flock, circling not over the place the regiment had swept through, but flapping its wings to chase after the regiment.

Motier suddenly erased his indifferent expression and shouted.

“Brothers!”

As always, the members of the regiment did not respond to the colonel’s shout.

“Did you think we were running away because we were running too fast!”

The members of the regiment widened their eyes. The lieutenant colonel, who was running right next to him, finally turned his head to look at Motier. His calm and peaceful expression was replaced with bewilderment.

“What are you talking about, Commander?”

The lieutenant colonel asked, considering that he called himself the commander of the knights.

“My father asked me! Are you running away now!”

“W-wha… what?”

“Nonsense! Who’s running away?”

The lieutenant colonel was lost for words, and the members of the regiment reacted violently.

“Is that so? Are we faster than when we hit those lizard bastards?”

“Don’t be ridiculous! Do you think you’re the only one who communicates with Lord Edar!”

“Even if you’re the commander, I won’t let you get away with talking nonsense!”

Motier stopped sneering and grinned.

“Well! My father says the 2nd and 8th Regiments are coming to help us! Isn’t it because he doesn’t trust us enough!”

“Damn it! Turn around now! You bastard Motier!”

A barrage of curses poured onto his back. He was delighted and laughed even louder as he looked at the eagle.

“Are you watching, Father?”

At his words, the eagle cried out. The eagle was the Emperor. From the Imperial Palace in Ollimuse, the capital of the Empire, the Emperor used his will to watch over his vassals [loyal subjects] with the eyes of a raptor.

“Watch over us. I will dedicate this glory to you.”

Motier pulled the reins with all his might.

“Let’s go!”

“Kill them all!”

“Tell the other regiments to get lost!”

As the regiment turned around, a faint light enveloped them. The horses, exhausted from running hundreds of meters, regained their energy, and the wounds on their bodies healed.

“T-the humans are coming back!”

“Cough…!”

The Lizardmen who were chasing them cried out in terror.

As the Emperor’s magic dwelled in the vassals, the magic of the Old Gods within the Lizardmen reacted. A dark, murky magic began to escape from their bodies like steam.

“M-my power…!”

“N-no! Don’t leave!”

The regiment charged as they struggled to hold onto the escaping power, unable to offer any resistance.

“What are you doing! Stand up! Stand up and try to fight!”

The Lizardmen had mistakenly thought the regiment was running away. So they broke formation and chased after them recklessly, but now they were in chaos as their magic suddenly escaped.

At this moment, when the regiment turned around and launched a second charge, they could not offer any resistance.

“Where is your god! Call your god! Cry out to the race you trust without doubt to protect your power!”

The vassals pierced through the enemy lines again.

Each time a thud sounded, a Lizardman was impaled on a lance. Seven Lizardmen were impaled on Motier’s spear before it snapped with a crack.

If he were an ordinary human, his arm would not have been able to withstand it before the spear broke. But he was a vassal. The ones who couldn’t withstand it were the horse and the spear. The horse became sluggish, and the spear broke.

“Tsk.”

Motier discarded the broken spear and drew a two-handed sword. It was a greatsword that was 2 meters long, and three Lizardmen were torn apart with each swing.

“Again!”

The regiment repeated the charge two more times.

The reason the charge stopped at four times was because the horses were too exhausted. Unlike the vassals, the horses, which were not wearing armor, were consumed with each charge.

If the horses had been fine, they would have repeated the charge many times. The enemy was that foolish. Even if the same tactics were repeated, their response did not change. They simply threw themselves at the vassals, entrusting themselves to their fighting spirit, as if chasing a rolling ball.

*Bang!*

Occasionally, muskets or cannons would fire, but that was useless as well. Musket bullets were deflected by armor made of orichalcum [a mythical metal], and the cannons were too slow.

“This is more like hunting than a battle.”

###

“The enemy is retreating.”

I looked at the map in the command post. A spindle-shaped blue mark was trapped inside a circular red mark. But as the guards said the enemy was retreating, the red mark began to scatter like fragments in all directions.

“The 6th Regiment is beginning pursuit with the goal of annihilating the enemy.”

The blue marks also scattered, chasing after the blue marks.

“It’s over.”

Julia Rozenne sighed softly.

“What are the casualties? Can we check immediately?”

“Out of a total of 977 men, 131 have died.”

The seriously wounded would be twice that number, but they were not counted. The seriously wounded would take time, but they could be treated. Therefore, the actual casualties were only 131 deaths, and the result was 20,000 Lizardmen.

“At this rate, we can push straight to the capital.”

An exchange ratio of 1:150.

Julia clicked her tongue at the amazing result.

“I knew His Majesty’s knights were amazing, but I didn’t know they would be this overwhelming against Orcs and Goblins…”

“The difference in equipment between the two sides was too great. Even if the Lizardmen’s scales are tough, they are only about the difference between steel and leather compared to orichalcum.”

It was also fatal that I shook the enemy’s magic flow.

“Julia, go to Thessaloniki.”

At my words, Julia blinked at me.

Salonica was a small fishing village in northeastern Wallachia. The vassals in the command post cleared the existing map on the table and spread out a world map. I sent magic to mark Salonica.

“The 7th and 15th Divisions are waiting in Salonica with transport ships. You will command them to land in southern Theocal Kingdom and join the 6th Regiment.”

“Is the goal to conquer the Lizardmen’s kingdom?”

“No. Annihilate the Lizardmen’s kingdom with the 6th Regiment.”

Julia narrowed her eyes and looked at the map.

“Annihilate…”

I placed two marks on the Mycenaean Empire as well.

It was a regiment dispatched to help Tiamar of the Holy Relic. [a religious artifact]

After Vlad lost his center of gravity, Mycenae was virtually over, but the Holy Relic was waging guerrilla warfare while changing bodies. According to Nuadil’s report, they were achieving quite a good result, so I supported them to keep the flame alive.

“The 2nd and 8th Regiments dispatched to Mycenae will also join. The two regiments have reduced their strength due to fierce battles, but it will be enough to carry out the operation.”

“What if… the Avatar appears?”

“Avoid engagement and retreat to the homeland. The reason for annihilating Theocal and Uakan is to bring the two Avatars back. If the Avatar appears before you, you have achieved your goal.”

I moved the magic again to mark the world map anew.

Starting from the Empire’s coast, the Oroko Great Plains, Germania, Wallachia, as well as the Nerup Plains and Pantonia, and the Sumontema kingdom of Theocal, the Imperial Army was in or heading to all places except the territories of Elves and Dwarves.

“Now, look.”

I added arrows to the marks.

It was to show where each mark was heading if it was moving.

Horatio’s expedition fleet set sail from Tishredon to the Naga’s base, the 2nd and 8th Regiments from the Mycenaean Empire to Theocal where the 6th Regiment was, and the other arrows were all directed to one place.

That was the garrison in southern Pantonia.

I added another mark. This time it was a red mark representing the enemy. The marks of all races aimed their arrows at Pantonia, just like the Imperial Army.

“The Old Gods have summoned all the races they enslaved, including Elves, Dwarves, Nagas, and Lizardmen. Their purpose is to conquer us humans.”

Julia and the other humans hardened their expressions.

“Is this the great disaster that His Majesty mentioned before?”

I shook my head.

“It started when they woke up. We are already living in a disaster. However, I am just preventing you from feeling it.”

“······.”

“The battles with the Lizardmen and Nagas are skirmishes.”

“Skirmishes…”

“Skirmishes for the final battle between humanity, the Old Gods, and Tiamar.”

The Council is not the main player in this fight.

They are mistaken in thinking they are free. They do not acknowledge that their lives and souls have been mortgaged from the moment they released the Old Gods and embraced their magic.

“The other races are now less than slaves, and are merely consumables used by the Old Gods to reduce the number of humans before they fight me.”

The reason Etimos baptized the Orcs and Goblins, improved the Lizardmen’s spawning grounds, and helped Aleon create the High Elves was simple.

Who would they be served by if they ruled the world?

The other races who rebelled once again as slaves?

‘To them, the Elves and Dwarves are filthy races who dared to rebel against their former masters, and the other races are inferior creatures tainted by the Lord. They are not a subject of compromise. At best, they are just fertilizer to create slaves to serve them.’

What’s next after winning victory from humanity and Tiamar?

If there is a ruler, there must be a ruled.

‘The reason Etimos received help from Karkas and other Old Gods is there. His role is the most important slave production for them.’

Etimos had to create slaves to serve the rulers.

That was why he was obsessed with vassals.

Because they would be the best slaves they wanted.

‘That’s why I saved Etimos.’

Because he is there, the fall of other races is accelerated.

Because he pretends to help other races and corrupts them.

‘You will fail anyway.’

I have never seen Etimos succeed even once.

Will this time be any different?

“Then…”

Julia hesitated for a moment and asked.

“When will the battle with the Elves and Dwarves begin?”

“Well.”

I closed my eyes for a moment. I sent my consciousness in Ollimuse north. I passed the Nerup Plains, passed southern Pantonia, and connected my consciousness with the migratory birds flying at the northwestern end.

As the bird’s five senses were conveyed to me, I felt a bitter cold. Snow was falling with a gentle breeze. Because it was close to the Old Gods’ base, because the tower was not built, the climate change caused by their magic raged.

I flew west through the snow. Soon I saw a group walking on the white earth. It was an Elven army advancing towards Pantonia beyond the high walls.

“······.”

One Elf in the procession raised his head.

The Elf’s skin was bloodless and bluish. His hair was also faded and white without gloss, and even his eyes were so light in color that the pupils and irises were almost indistinguishable from the whites.

It is said that the appearance of an Elf is like a sculpture carved by God, but this appearance was more eerie than beautiful.

Not all Elves were like that. Only one in dozens of Elves had this appearance. But each of them was emitting such an intense aura that it swallowed the presence of those around them.

*Swish…*

The Elf looked at me flying and stretched out his right hand. Magic gathered in his hand, and the body of the bird connected to my consciousness exploded.

“A High Elf.”

The Elf who caught the bird is a High Elf. It is the upper race of Elves created by Aleon with Etimos. One of the processes to create a perfect being like Lord.

‘You fool. You have only enslaved your race.’

I smiled inwardly and looked at Julia.

“I’ll say it again. Julia, your role is the same as Horatio’s. Attract attention. Keep biting and dragging so they can’t unite. Destroy everything you see until they retreat, just like the Council did to us.”

I should be the one to say that.

###

*Drip… Drip…*

The sound of water droplets echoed in the huge hall.

Water droplets formed and fell from the cracks in the ceiling, and because there was more than one crack, they flowed down the walls.

*Trickle…*

The flowing water passed over the murals, wetting the dry walls. The murals were painted on plaster walls, and the pigments had seeped into the walls and dried, so they would not be erased even if they came into contact with water.

Trickle, trickle, the water continued to flow.

The murals recorded the history of ten thousand years ago. It depicted the dignified being who revealed his appearance in front of the other races who were the livestock and slaves of the Old Gods. It was the figure of a radiant dragon and the other races praying to him.

*Trickle…*

The flowing water flowed under the eyes of those who were praying.

The original meaning of the murals was praise, but if someone who did not know the meaning saw the murals now, they would interpret them differently.

Because there were only a few candles guarding the fire in the wide and huge hall, because there were cracks between the dignified being and those who were praying, it was like confessing sins and asking for forgiveness in a severed relationship.

“······.”

Aleon was looking at the murals.

He was passing through the hall when he stopped walking without thinking, and silently scanned the murals with his yellow, vertical pupils. Just as the murals, which had made viewers feel awe, now evoked different emotions, his appearance had also changed.

A horn grew on his left temple, his long and pointed ears drooped, and his skin was filled with pockmarks and wrinkles. If beauty is a condition of the Elf race, then he would not be an Elf.

*Drip—*

Aleon moved his steps again and headed to the conference room.

“Have you arrived?”

There were ambassadors from the four races: Elves, Dwarves, Nagas, and Lizardmen. The ambassadors distrusted and glared at each other, but when Aleon entered, they stood up from their seats.

“What’s going on? Is it urgent?”

Aleon did not receive the greetings and immediately asked the main point.

“The humans have moved. It’s more serious than before.”

“Serious… When wasn’t it?”

As he sat down with a snort, the Elf ambassador shook his head.

“It’s not something to laugh off.”

“Hmm?”

The Elf ambassador stretched his arm to the map hanging on the wall. His left hand touched the Naga’s base, and his right hand touched the Lizardmen’s territory.

“Both places have been attacked at the same time. The Nagas have had 9 islands adjacent to their base occupied, and the Lizardmen have had the capital of Theocal occupied.”

Aleon stopped laughing and frowned.

“What did those morons do to get beaten so stupidly?”

“The humans have created ships with steel hulls. Etimos’ sea monsters are said to be useless. Because they even put cannons on them, they have completely taken over the sea.”

The ambassador moved his hands to express that the humans had invaded the two territories through the sea.

“Huh, steel hulls?”

He blinked in disbelief.

“What kind of magic did they use again?”

The Dwarf ambassador also shook his head, saying he didn’t know.

“As you know, the Queen and the Avatar’s main forces are coming to Pantonia. Because of that, there are not many military forces left in the mainland. If they can occupy the capital of Theocal… it may not be impossible to conquer the entire kingdom.”

“That’s right.”

Aleon tapped the table with his index finger and pondered, then asked.

“Is that all? What are their movements after occupying the base?”

“They are destroying everything. After occupying the capital of Theocal, they have been destroying it for several days, and they have destroyed nearby cities in the same way.”

“They are doing exactly what you did.”

“Yes.”

“Okay, what do you want me to do?”

The Elf ambassador glanced at the Nagas and Lizardmen. Then the Naga carefully moved forward and said.

“Mother wants a retreat.”

“Hmm…”

“In fact, we have already withdrawn some troops. I apologize for not informing you in advance about the news that the spawning grounds were attacked.”

Aleon looked at the Lizardmen.

“We haven’t made a decision yet. Because the two heads are saying different things… However, we have also withdrawn some of the expeditionary forces. Like the Nagas, the spawning grounds—”

“I do not allow the retreat.”

He stopped speaking and looked at the two ambassadors.

As magic surged in his bright yellow eyes, they cowered.

“Tell them clearly. I will understand the troops that have already been turned around, but I will not allow any more than that. Join Pantonia without hesitation.”

“B-but…”

The Naga stammered under the pressure caused by Aleon’s magic.

“T-the humans are targeting the spawning grounds intensively. If we leave it alone, the damage will increase uncontrollably. Considering the future of the race, stopping them is…”

“That’s exactly what they want.”

He hit the table with a thud.

“They are doing exactly what you did. Don’t you have anything to feel even after seeing this? Remember what they did when you targeted them.”

“······.”

“Think in reverse. They are struggling to prevent our unity. The more this happens, the more we must ignore it and fight the final battle. Think of it as they have divided their forces to disperse us.”

The ambassadors closed their mouths at his scolding. The Nagas and Lizardmen still did not seem convinced, but they dared not stand up to him.

“How many are rampaging?”

“It seems to be at least tens of thousands each.”

“That can’t all be pure humans.”

“Yes. There will be at least thousands of the Emperor’s dolls [artificial beings].”

Aleon smiled.

“Good. Isn’t it better? If we don’t take the bait, they have cut their own forces. There can’t be more than 10,000 creations, but they divided it.”

Even the High Elves created by manipulating the World Tree are few in number.

Can the human Emperor create more vassals than that?

‘The Emperor’s creations are perfect products that even the Old Gods covet. There’s no way he can make them more easily than High Elves.’

The number of vassals has increased rapidly since the establishment of the Empire, but that must be because the facilities and resources have increased that much.

“Ignore it. They are destroying the future of your race? You have to endure that much. You can’t achieve great things without sacrifice.”

The ambassadors were silent.

“I will not accept any objections. Go and tell them what I said.”