Chapter 97: Human Slaves

“It can’t be helped.”

A cold resolve appeared in Zrakan’s ferocious eyes.

It was not the time to think about the future.

He had to solve the immediate problem of reality.

He had to remove the ‘fated enemy’ who invaded his territory and blocked his ambitions.

“From now on, we enter war preparations.”

“Yes, Lord Zrakan!”

***

Three days later, the Earth once again announced the presence of intruders.

As soon as the warning message appeared, Sang-woong ran at full speed with Aria and Monk.

“The numbers are quite formidable.”

Zrakan mobilized all the monsters and subordinates existing around his castle, and even the human slaves he had dragged along, for the war.

He thought that since a war was going to break out, gathering as many troops as possible to lead an overwhelming victory was the way to reduce damage.

However, Sang-woong had not been playing idly in the meantime.

He used up all his remaining points to purchase Golems in large quantities.

And he quickly installed a Palisade before Zrakan’s forces arrived.

The Palisade stretching long along the boundary of the Earth established a solid defensive line in an instant.

“What is he doing?”

Zrakan could not understand Sang-woong’s actions.

He couldn’t fathom what that human’s intention was, or the meaning of setting up the Palisade.

“Is he trying to put the Golems in front and safely conduct long-range attacks from inside the Palisade? I thought he was a strong fellow for a human, but in the end, he wasn’t a warrior.”

Zrakan snorted at Sang-woong.

After finishing the installation of the Palisade, Sang-woong began to take out heavy Golems one by one from his Inventory.

Kong, kong, kong, kong, kwong!

With each Golem that was added, the muscles on Zrakan’s face stiffened.

It didn’t take long for his stiffened expression to turn into astonishment.

Golems were pouring out endlessly.

“That, just what is that fellow.”

Only now did Sang-woong’s strategy become faintly understandable.

If there were that many Golems, there was no reason to jump into the fight directly.

Moreover, while he had subordinates to replace him if they died, the Owner of the Land was a being whose death would determine the outcome of this war.

So, using such a strategy could be seen as rational.

However, contrary to those thoughts, even after setting up the Palisade, Sang-woong just stood at the very front of the Golems and did not enter inside the Palisade.

At that sight, an unknown ominousness surged over Zrakan.

“He clearly seems to intend to fight along with the Golems… no, more than that…”

It was then.

At the very moment Zrakan harbored doubts, something shot out like a flash through the narrow gaps and arrow holes of the solidly built Palisade.

Hwiiiiing! Chang! Pung!

A new noise cut through the battlefield.

Those unidentified things flew with powerful force and embedded themselves in the bodies of the monsters and subordinates in front of Zrakan.

Kwak!

“What is this ?!”

The monsters collapsed screaming, and wounds opened up with sharp friction sounds even on the subordinates’ armor.

In an instant, five or six monsters and subordinates rolled on the ground, spraying blood.

Zrakan’s eyes widened as if they would become bloodshot.

He rubbed his eyes and stared toward the Palisade again.

‘Arrows .….? Impossible! Who… who is shooting arrows from there?!’

He hadn’t even imagined that there would be troops inside the Palisade.

He thought it was just a place for Sang-woong himself to hide while putting the Golems in the front, and never dreamed that there would be separate troops shooting arrows.

Moreover, the power and accuracy of the arrows were not at the level of ordinary human soldiers.

The arrows flying with powerful energy seemed ready to pierce even the sturdy armor of the Demon Tribe.

At that moment, a beautiful Elf with blue hair fluttering appeared above the Palisade.

It was the Elf Chieftain, Astilbe.

Beside her, hundreds of Elves could be seen taking their positions in an orderly fashion.

In fact, Sang-woong had no intention of deploying the Elves in this war.

How long had they lived in hiding to avoid the Demon Tribe while breathing air full of Magi.

Sang-woong could fathom how painful and difficult that time must have been.

To him, the Elves were precious beings to be protected, just like the Ahoa Tribe or the Kahuka Tribe.

However, the Elves’ thoughts were different.

They knew better than anyone that this precious Earth was their last bastion. That if this Earth fell, they would have no more strength to endure.

The Elves were originally warriors.

Previously, even if they wanted to fight, they couldn’t because they knew it would be a dog’s death. But now it was different.

Under the protection of the World Tree, they quickly recovered their physical strength with the good food ingredients provided by Sang-woong.

“Owner of the Land. This fight is also our fight. So please let us fight as well.”

Sang-woong could not bring himself to refuse Astilbe’s earnest request.

Instead, he devised a strategy to minimize their sacrifices.

It was the Palisade. It was a method where he and the Golems stood firmly in the front, and the Elves were placed on the safe Palisade to handle long-range attacks.

”Elves .….? And that many elite Elf archers?”

Zrakan could not hide his astonishment.

Elf archers were one of the most troublesome opponents on the battlefield.

With excellent eyesight, accuracy, and powerful Mana Arrows, they could inflict fatal damage from afar.

‘Damn it! Not only Golems but even Elf archers?’

Zrakan realized that the situation was turning unfavorable for him in an instant.

The Golems would block the frontal breakthrough, and the Elf archers would continuously inflict damage from the rear.

At this rate, his forces would inevitably be ground down unilaterally.

“Burontal, we must fight together. The target is the Elves on the Palisade.”

Zrakan also had archers.

The Demon Tribe were warriors, and they had basically handled bows.

The problem was the level of proficiency and the number of arrows they possessed.

The subordinates tried shooting bows together, but it was difficult to achieve the same accuracy as the Elves.

Moreover, because of the sturdy defense called the Palisade, it was impossible to see a great effect.

And before long, they ran out of arrows and were in a situation where they couldn’t attack even if they wanted to.

“Dammit.”

Zrakan’s mind raced.

How could he block that lethal shower of arrows.

His gaze turned toward the human slaves who were forcibly dragged to one side of the deployed troops.

“Humans to the front!”

Zrakan ordered coldly.

As the order fell, the Demon Tribe began to push the human slaves, who didn’t even have decent weapons, to the very front of the forces.

Terrified, the humans were forcibly dragged toward the Palisade where the arrows were flying, pushed by the Demon Tribe.

They screamed in terror or trembled all over.

“Pl… please save us.”

“We have committed no crime!”

The cries of the human slaves echoed across the battlefield.

Zrakan thought while ignoring their screams.

‘Those fellows won’t have an infinite supply of arrows. And if I use them as shields, the Elves won’t be able to attack easily. Trifling humans, it is only right to serve the master even in death .’

Standing in front of the Palisade, Sang-woong saw the human slaves being dragged forward while screaming.

Their fear and despair entered his eyes clearly.

Sang-woong’s face turned cold and stiff.

“Demon Tribe!”

Sang-woong shouted, putting energy into his voice.

His voice echoed across the battlefield and was heard clearly by every soldier and every human.

“You consider humans as mere consumables! But it is different in this Earth!”

Sang-woong shouted while gesturing toward the Elves behind the Palisade.

“Elves, do not fire arrows at the humans!”

Following Sang-woong’s command, the Elves who were aiming their bows from atop the Palisade withdrew the arrows they had aimed at the human slaves.

And Sang-woong reached out his hand toward the humans longing for salvation.

His voice was full of anger, but at the same time, it was firm and reliable.

“You humans suffering over there!”

Sang-woong shouted toward the human slaves standing in front of Zrakan’s forces.

“There is no more need to be bound to the Demon Tribe! Come to my Earth! I will end your suffering and give you freedom!”

The eyes of the human slaves, trembling in fear, all turned toward Sang-woong at once.

“Freedom? The end of suffering ?”

It was a word they had never heard from the Demon Tribe.

A faint light of hope passed through their parched eyes.

Sang-woong shouted with energy so that his voice would resonate throughout the battlefield.

“Come to me! You will be safe once you enter inside this Palisade! I will ensure you no longer suffer from the Demon Tribe! I promise you a new life!”

At his words, a small commotion broke out among the human slaves.

Zrakan quickly shouted toward the battlefield at the development that was different from his thoughts.

“Shut up! That fellow’s words are lies! If you fall for his nonsense, I will kill all the humans remaining in the castle! So you fight! Fighting and winning is the only way for you and your families remaining in the castle to live!”

At Zrakan’s shout, the commotion of the humans subsided rapidly.

Although he was clearly human, they couldn’t unconditionally trust the words of Sang-woong, whom they were seeing for the first time.

Moreover, thinking of their families left in the castle, they couldn’t bring themselves to move.

“Do not be afraid! Do you believe the words of that cowardly Demon Tribe? They have no intention of protecting you or saving you. They only exploit and use you! The one who will save you from suffering and give you freedom is me!”

Sang-woong shouted as if making a declaration, aiming directly at Zrakan.

“I will surely kill that fellow with my own hands! Do not worry and come to me!”

At Sang-woong’s last shout, Zrakan’s face contorted hideously.

How dare he call him cowardly and say he would ‘kill him’!

However, more than Zrakan’s anger, the desperation of the human slaves and Sang-woong’s promise were stronger.

A few among the humans who were conflicted between fear and hope took courage.

“Re ….. really ?”

A human asked in a trembling voice.

Sang-woong nodded firmly.

“Believe me! I promise!”

Seeing that, the other humans also did not hesitate anymore.

Zrakan’s subordinates tried to block them, but the fear of death and the hope for salvation were stronger than their orders.

At first, one person, then two. They moved their steps toward Sang-woong.

Zrakan’s subordinates brandished whips or pointed swords at the escaping humans, but the Elves’ timely arrows blocked their actions.

Soon, dozens, then hundreds of human slaves began to run desperately toward the Palisade where Sang-woong stood.

They ran to find salvation, to live.

Sang-woong opened the path leading to the Palisade wide for them.

The humans were able to approach the Palisade while being welcomed by Sang-woong and the Golems.

“Come quickly! This way!”

The Palisade gate opened wide, and several Elves shouted toward the humans from the inside.

Sang-woong stood firmly in front of the Palisade and watched as the humans safely entered inside.

After confirming that all the human slaves had entered the Palisade, Sang-woong took one last look at Zrakan.

Zrakan’s mouth fell open at the unbelievable sight unfolding before his eyes.

The human slaves, who were the most important labor force and were intended to be used as shields among his troops, had surrendered to the enemy without a single one left!

And that too, right in front of his eyes!

His face turned dark red like the boiling Magi and contorted hideously, and a fierce roar of anger that could not be described burst out from his mouth as if to shake the heavens and Earth.