The Letman tribe was slaughtered as soon as they were encountered.
Starting with the encirclement formations centered around the knights, the Iron Fist was deployed to handle the guerrilla warfare unfolding within the forest. They threw the Letmen hiding in the woods into a state of panic. Simply by stabbing their spears into the creatures as they emerged, the suppression of the Letmen proceeded steadily.
The reservists experienced actual combat alongside the main force, handling the disposal of the corpses as they appeared. Everything functioned organically.
From that point on, even the knights had no choice but to acknowledge him.
‘He even has a talent for command.’
‘Is it just talent? At this level, he’s a natural.’
‘I heard he hasn’t even been properly taught tactics yet… Incredible.’
No one raised any further objections to the fact that Rayrn’s ability to lead troops was outstanding. The suppression seemed to be proceeding as effectively as in previous years.
However.
“Advance! We are moving further North.”
At some point, Rayrn began to move in a different manner than Earl Opern had in the past.
“If we continue moving North like this, monsters will remain on both of our flanks.”
“I am aware.”
In the first place, the Northern suppression was not intended to annihilate every single monster. Even if they were all wiped out, monsters further North would simply move down and establish new homes. Because of that, the focus had to be on reducing their forces.
The essence of the suppression was to sweep away the monsters surrounding the Northern fortresses. Under no circumstances would one advance in a straight line toward the North like Rayrn was doing now.
It was only an advance of several kilometers, but considering the Northern Mountain Range, this was a significant distance.
‘We’ve come too far.’
‘This is near the final destination of last year’s suppression.’
Red flags went off in the knights’ heads. While it was good to sweep away monsters with overwhelming firepower, they had to consider their line of retreat.
Expressing their concern, the knights offered their opinions to Rayrn.
“This could be dangerous. The surrounding monsters could all swarm us at once.”
“Shouldn’t we go back and continue the suppression now? Even if we turn back, it might be faster that way.”
“Even with the current strength of the suppression force, it is dangerous if we are hit with a concentrated attack.”
“The suppression continues as planned.”
But Rayrn ignored all their opinions.
“Advance!”
He simply led the suppression force and marched forward in silence.
In the meantime, they crossed the territory of the Letman packs and reached the region inhabited by Goblins. This was a sort of borderland, an area where Goblins and Letmen preyed on one another.
Only after arriving there did Rayrn come to a halt.
“Hmm… This distance should be about right.”
To the north was the territory of Goblins, and behind them was the territory of the Letmen; they were right in the middle. It was about 3 hours away on foot in a straight line from the Fmier Fortress where they had started.
It was a short distance, if one considered it short. However, considering they had to move through monster territory, it was by no means a short distance. Depending on how one moved, it could take days or even weeks to reach the fortress.
While surveying the geography of the area, Rayrn pointed to a single spot. The place he pointed to was a calabash-shaped terrain with steeply rising piles of rocks behind it and a narrow entrance in front.
‘It’s just as I heard. This will be a good place to proceed.’
Pointing toward that spot, Rayrn silently called for the Iron Fist.
“Iron Fist. And Birence.”
“Yes!”
“Begin.”
He issued the command. At his unhesitating order, the Iron Fist moved immediately.
***
The Iron Fist was currently divided into several different units.
The groups led by Gajei, Hoden, and Sian all had different characteristics. Their respective traits were silent, secretive, and combative.
Uniquely, there was one group that mixed all those traits together. Specifically.
“You brats! Move faster. How are we supposed to finish at this rate? Faster!”
“Understood!”
It was the group led by Birence.
Before his martial prowess, Birence possessed a talent as an architect, and he had completed the Underground Fortress long ago. The current Underground Fortress was riddled with magic traps in every corner with Rayrn’s help. It was designed so that a Jinbeop could be deployed whenever Rayrn desired.
Deep beneath the Ophern Holy City was a natural fortress that even Rayrn could not easily breach. The one who had personally designed that city was Birence, and those who executed his plan were the Iron Fist members under him.
Their construction abilities were even more significant than their combat power.
‘They are combat engineers the likes of which this world hasn’t seen.’
*Thud. Thud.*
The ground revealed its inner flesh every time a shovel struck.
“It’s falling!”
*Cr-crash!* Felling trees was nothing to them.
There were even unusual individuals who used swords to cut them down instead of axes. Each had their own quirks, but the important thing was that everyone was fast.
“Stick it in, hurry!”
“…I told you not to say it like that. Heave!”
*Thud. Thump.* The fallen trees were driven straight into the leveled ground they had dug.
“Bury it again!”
“Yes!”
Once the fallen tree was buried about one-third of the way into the ground, they covered it with soil again to fill the hole. Thick wooden pillars were erected in no time.
“W-What is this…?”
“What are they building? Is a wooden fence being made?”
Several days had already passed since the Iron Fist began moving.
As time went on, the entrance was blocked by thick logs. Several layers had already been created. By this point, the knights and soldiers who were initially flustered could finally figure out what was happening.
This was not at the level of a campsite to be used for one day and then abandoned.
It was made of wood, but it was thick. A wall was being built at a height that would be difficult for most to climb over. A wall like this could be used like a fortress depending on how it was utilized.
“Commander. Are you really trying to build a fortress?”
“That’s right. It’s the beginning of the foundation.”
“That makes no sense. There is no point in building a fortress meant for ten thousand people in this manner.”
“I know.”
The number of soldiers Rayrn had brought was 10,000. If one added the 600 mercenaries, the Iron Fist, and the knights, the total number exceeded 11,000.
Building a fortress where all of them could stay? No matter how much Birence was spearheading the effort, it was impossible for the moment.
Because this was calabash-shaped terrain, defense was easy. It was even quite spacious. For that reason, it was a place often used as a campsite during suppressions. However, it was rare for something to be built in this manner.
“If something like this is built, the monsters will target it and come here. You know this, don’t you? Their instincts, I mean.”
“That is exactly what I intend to use.”
“Pardon?”
“…They’ve arrived just in time. Watch.”
Just as Benson was about to ask what he meant, a loud voice was heard from outside.
“Monsters!”
The monsters had arrived.
Monsters possessed several instincts. Instincts such as hating humans from birth or preying on their own kind appeared regardless of the species. Among them, an interesting one was:
‘Destructive Nature.’
It was the instinct to destroy everything that caught their eye.
They did not plow fields, nor did they build castles. While the smarter Orcs among them were a bit different, other monsters had almost no concept of making something.
As if jealous of the fact that they could not create anything themselves, monsters took pleasure in destroying things that were made.
When they invaded to target human food supplies, they did not simply take the food.
*Skreeeech!*
They would let out horrific shrieks while destroying villages and ruining fields. They destroyed everything they came across without leaving a trace behind.
It would have been different if it were a war between humans for a Spiritual Land. Unless it was a special case, one would not completely devastate a place that might become their own territory to rule.
That was why monsters were terrifying. The damage was immense.
*Skreeeek!*
Rayrn intended to use that filthy instinct of the rushing Goblins.
“Prepare!”
“He says to prepare!”
The Iron Fist members, who had been holding shovels and erecting the wooden fence, picked up weapons instead. Most used swords, though a few held heavy weapons depending on the individual.
*Clang. Clatter.*
They stood between the gaps of the wooden walls they had built.
“Preparations are complete.”
“Good.”
There were gaps deliberately left between the walls made of wood. An Iron Fist member stood at each of those gaps. By their presence, the wooden wall was completely filled.
*Skreeeeech!*
*Skreeek!*
As soon as they completed their preparations, the Goblins began to charge. They rushed forward to attack the humans who had entered their territory.
*Skrii!*
To the Goblins’ eyes, the humans were only partially visible through the gaps in the wall. To the Goblins, who judged an enemy’s strength by numbers, they looked like delicious prey.
However, the moment the Goblins ran out and reached the wooden fence.
“Cut them down!”
*Kyeeeh!*
*Crunch!*
The Iron Fist was merciless against the Goblins. They cut down the charging Goblins one by one, turning them into corpses.
“Clear this side!”
They weren’t simply building a wall.
Here, the Iron Fist had not just driven wood into the ground. This wall was a collaboration between Birence and Rayrn.
‘It worked perfectly.’
The placement of the wall was meticulously calculated and built from the beginning, assuming various situations.
“A lot entered on the left. Block it off. Open the right side again!”
“Got it!”
Under those calculations, the Iron Fist moved organically.
In places where the monsters’ momentum was fierce, they opened the entrance and let them pass through. In places where their momentum was weak, they blocked it by deploying additional Iron Fist members.
Moving like flowing water, they adjusted the monsters’ momentum and controlled their movements.
“Stab! Here!”
“Next!”
*Crunch! Boom!*
*Skreeeeech!*
Under that control, the Goblins, who charged relying only on instinct, had no way to hold out.
An artificial structure made by humans. This place, which they had rushed to with a destructive nature to destroy it, was—
“H-How is this happening?”
“They are creatures that only know how to charge stupidly. It would be even stupider not to utilize that.”
It was a perfect trap that utilized that very instinct.
“It’s not that other people haven’t had this idea. But they’ve failed every time.”
“I know that as well.”
Just as Benson said, there had been many such attempts. Digging a trap using the instincts of rushing monsters was, in a way, an obvious attempt. However, success was rare.
‘Because they don’t have this kind of combat power.’
People like the Iron Fist were rare. There weren’t many who possessed strength exceeding that of ordinary soldiers while also standing at the front lines.
And for such strong individuals to—
“Support here!”
“Got it!”
It was even rarer for them to move organically, regardless of dignity or reputation. At best, troop types like rangers could move similarly, but they were weak in such frontal confrontations.
‘They also lack the ability to dig traps with this kind of calculation.’
A trap dug after calculating the terrain. The power to execute it. The force to crush the enemy.
If even one of those was lacking, a trap utilizing monster instincts could not be made. On the contrary, if one failed to use the instinct correctly, it would only result in attracting more monsters. If even one thing went wrong, a trap intended to catch monsters would become a trap that killed humans.
Rayrn had accomplished that difficult feat quite easily. And that meant—
“Step one worked.”
“Pardon?”
“Now we can move on to step two.”
It meant that Rayrn’s foundational work for this suppression had only just begun.