Chapter 111. Meaning of shoveling (2)
To-do-du-du-du….
The earth rumble comes from the east.
Over the stems of the lofty Eastern Mountains.
Along countless valleys between peaks and peaks.
Through rugged mounds and unknown rocks under the ridge.
Along the hunting grounds at the foot of the mountain range, the mine logging area, and the road vegetable garden, a strange but heavy rumbling echoes through the ground.
Finally, through the horse’s hooves, through the stirrup and the saddle, it hits the waist and chest.
“They showed up.”
“Mmm.”
Sir Blanc, the commander of the White Lancers, nodded at the adjutant’s words.
His green eyes turned towards the eastern mountains.
A lofty mountain range to the east of the Prontera Territory.
From there, a strange and heavy earth rumble came from there.
“Is it really a mastodon?”
Suddenly, Sir Blanc remembered what happened last night.
Did Lloyd, the eldest son of Baron Frontera, who came to visit him say this?
‘Maybe tomorrow or the day after tomorrow, the mastodon will attack our territory.’
So he asked himself.
how do you know that
Then, Lloyd just smiled incomprehensibly and answered, ‘It’s obvious’.
‘It’s obvious. How can you expect such a thing so obvious?’
I didn’t understand.
As far as he knew, the man named Lloyd hadn’t even sent a separate reconnaissance to the Eastern Mountains.
I’ve only supervised construction here for the past few days.
But acting as if it had separate winged eyes.
To be honest, it was hard to believe his predictions.
It was like that until early this morning.
He even laughed while eating and washing his face.
In my heart, I also had the thought, ‘Look, nothing is happening’.
But what do you see now?
His suspicions were wrong.
It was because at about noon, as if it had been promised, a low, heavy trembling began to be felt from far away in the mountains to the east.
A distinctive ground tremor made by a group of heavy creatures moving at once.
A roar that shattered all the trees and rocks in the way.
It was clear that there was a herd of large herbivorous monsters, Mastodons, living in the wilderness.
‘Judging by the approaching momentum of the ground tremor, it will appear soon.’
He was 4 meters tall, like a mixture of a rhinoceros and an elephant.
Hundreds of such hordes will come.
‘Because that’s the way the Mastodons move.’
Whoops!
Sir Blank grabbed his lance.
In my heart, I predicted the aspect of the battle in the future.
‘The Mastodon group will rush westward from the east and rush into the Baron’s territory. If so, the most effective countermeasure that can be performed with all our strength right now would be a frontal charge of force against force.’
I will stand at the head of the White Lancers.
I will charge head-on at the rushing mass of mastodons.
I would stick a lance into the joint of my forelimb, avoiding their tusks and horns.
‘Because it’s the most important thing to stop the leading mastodon like that. The ranks of the whole group will be stagnant and confused by the leader who collapses and blocks the path. Then their rush will naturally stop.’
From then on, it maneuvers around the mastodon group that has stopped in place and spins around.
Traumatize them with mounted shooting and javelins.
Like peeling an onion.
From the outside, slowly tighten your breath.
That’s how you annihilate the whole group.
‘Enough is possible. It can be done if the foot soldiers in the Prontera Territory provide proper support and keep their ranks.’
Sir Blanc predicted the outcome based on the battle aspect that came to his mind.
‘The Mastodon herd is annihilated. Our White Lancers…I’ll lose a minimum of twenty to a maximum of thirty.’
20 to 30 casualties out of a total of 500 people.
It would have been a pretty big damage.
But Sir Blanc kept his mouth shut.
‘Does not matter. If it is the result of doing your best, you will be satisfied. Because that’s our honor.’
It is a battlefield that has been launched under the command of the king.
It is to protect the land of the country from the attack of a group of monsters.
Death on such a battlefield was never feared.
“Prepare all forces. We will wait here and when the signal goes down, we will charge all at once.”
“yes!”
The 500 White Lancers stationed in the center of the territory responded loudly.
All at once, they raised their white lances into the sky.
But that was then.
A messenger came running in a hurry from the baron’s mansion.
And he delivered an unexpected order.
“Huh uh huh huh. This is the baron’s order. All White Lancers, please leave your current position and wait at the border of the Marez Clearing to the south, armed with lances and shovels.”
“what?”
Sir Blanc’s beard twitched.
“What do you mean by that? wait in the south Then what about the assault?”
“He said never to make a frontal charge.”
“Then how….”
“Do you see that white rock on the eastern ridge over there?”
“I see.”
“Lloyd-sama is over there.”
“Lloyd Frontera? Why is he over there….”
“You said you would lead the operation from there. Sir Blanc waited for the designated position in the south, and when the blue flag was raised on that rock, he gave the word to advance ‘slowly’ to the north.”
“slowly? Against those Mastodons? Not sprinting or charging?”
“yes. That’s right. He also told me to move forward, smoke as much dust as possible, and bang the lance noisily with the shovel.”
“No what the hell….”
Sir Blanc’s expression hardened.
It was an order that made no sense.
It wasn’t to stop the charge by blocking the mastodon group from the front, but to advance slowly. Create dust and noise instead of charging cries.
“Are you sure you got your order right?”
“That’s right. sure Oh, and there is a message that Master Lloyd asked me to convey to Sir Blank.”
“You must tell me. What a message.”
“It was the word that the time of shoveling for six days has finally come to see the light.”
“….”
Sir Blanc’s mouth fell shut.
It was because he suddenly remembered the shoveling he had done for the past six days.
“…Got it. Please follow orders.”
“thank you. then.”
The messenger bowed and withdrew.
Sir Blank led the White Lancers that way.
He tilted his head all the way to the south as ordered.
‘Will this operation really work now?’
A memory that suddenly comes to mind.
Was it the night seven days ago?
Lloyd’s shovel.
The fierce momentum pouring out of the shovel.
A storm of mana shot up into the sky and soared tens of meters.
It was the first time I had seen such a sight.
It felt more powerful than the sword master’s aura I had seen a few times.
It was after losing the bet.
At Lloyd’s request, he gladly took up the shovel.
He also made his subordinates carry shovels.
So he moved according to Lloyd’s instructions.
‘And we…I just shoveled for six days.’
I was really just digging.
Crack as you ask.
Dig as you dig.
moved the soil piled up compacted
At first, I couldn’t even guess what kind of construction it was.
After three days, the outline of the structure was revealed.
‘It was a super-large relief piece installed on the ground.’
150 meters wide.
100 meters in length.
Was it a straight foundation with a high 15-degree slope to the west?
After that, the shoveling continued.
The ash was moved onto the earthen foundation. covered compacted
Then I scraped or made it thicker where Lloyd indicated.
Sometimes it hardened by pouring water on it.
As a result, a huge shape was gradually created.
It was the appearance of Megarania, a super-large carnivorous monster living in the wilderness.
‘So I went for it. I asked.’
It shouldn’t be like this.
What kind of defense is this?
I was openly questioning it.
Then, what was Lloyd’s reaction?
‘It will have a much better defensive effect than an earthen wall built up with the same amount of soil. This time for sure…I probably said.’
Of course I didn’t believe it.
To stop a group of Mastodons with just a relief carved on the floor like that.
‘Besides, you can’t even charge like this. What are you thinking?’
All the way to the south Sir Blanc was overcome with anguish.
The timing of the cavalry charge does not come out at any time.
Especially if the opponent is a non-human monster.
But for some reason, Lloyd was just trying to throw away such a precious opportunity to charge.
‘I don’t think he’s doing this because he believes in superstition.’
Sir Blanc licking his lips.
His worried eyes turned to the white rock where Lloyd was.
‘Will this method really work?’
♣
“Effect? Of course it is.”
Lloyd put on a smile.
Of course, the situation in the future will go as you expected.
Just as he clearly predicted that the monster that would raid the baron for the second time would be a mastodon.
“Are you sure of this?”
“uh.”
Lloyd nodded.
Xaviel asked.
“How are you so sure?”
“Simple. Because you’re smart.”
“….”
“It’s a joke. I rummaged through some data.”
“You mean the material?”
“uh. this.”
Tuk-tuk.
Lloyd picked up an old booklet and dusted it off.
Xaviel could find the title ‘Eastern Wilderness Monster Encyclopedia’ on the leather cover of the booklet.
“It was in the study of the mansion. Looking at this, the list and habits of Eastern Wilderness monsters are all organized. So I analyzed and referred to it.”
“Is that the conclusion of today’s operation?”
“uh.”
Lloyd nodded again.
actually?
It wasn’t.
To be honest, it’s a lie.
It is true that he referred to the book, but the book he referenced was not the only guidebook of monsters in the Eastern Wilderness.
‘Actually, there is another book that is very useful. It’s called Iron Blooded Knight. haha.’
The encyclopedia of the monsters you have displayed.
In fact, I didn’t even dare to come up with a plan based on the contents of that encyclopedia.
Even so, there was a reason for lying about this.
‘Because I need clear grounds and reasons to look smart.’
No wonder.
baseless genius.
Just a smart doctor.
It’s hard to see it that way.
What if you show that you know everything about this place even though you don’t have any data?
What if I didn’t even do reconnaissance, but I guessed the future while cosplaying Jegal Gongmyeong?
At first you may be praised.
But later it will be different.
‘You’d be suspicious. People here are not fools either.’
So, Lloyd thought it was important to present the ‘minimum data that the people here would understand as the basis for the operation’.
‘Because it’s easier to live without suspicion.’
estate without a doubt.
Daily life full of trust.
With that spirit as his motto, he was a Lloyd who vigorously teased his tongue today.
“I would have told you. This is what happened because of the monster domino phenomenon. Then, what monster will attack this place next to the locus locust? It’s obvious. They live in groups, have good mobility, and are at the bottom of the food chain. He’s strong enough to cross the eastern mountains.”
“It’s a mastodon.”
“That’s right.”
This is exactly what he referred to in the ‘Eastern Wilderness Monster Encyclopedia’.
What are your next preparations and operations?
‘Of course I referred to the Iron Blood article.’
he is not a genius
Of course, Jegal Resonance is absolutely not.
They just have slightly more information than people here.
‘Anyway, the hunting customs of the Orcs briefly mentioned in the Sangvis Iron-Blooded Knight helped a lot.’
It reminded me a little of what was in the novel.
When hunting Mastodon, the Orcs use a huge stone slab engraved with Megarania’s image. Then, the stupid and vigilant Mastodon runs to the other side and sees ‘for now’, suspecting that the slab’s Megarania may be real.
Boundaries first, judgment later.
Orcs took advantage of that habit.
By setting traps in the direction in which the mastodon ‘once’ runs away.
“So the trap starts now. Look Carefully.”
Lloyd pointed to one side with his chin.
At that moment, the ground shaking grew louder. got closer
Hundreds of trees swayed. fell down
Finally, a group of mastodons appeared.
“Quoooooooo!”
Kwajajak! Do-do-do-do-!
4 meters tall.
A mastodon, a herbivorous monster with the horns of a rhinoceros, the ivory of an elephant, and the head of a bison.
Hundreds of them ran down the foothills of the Eastern Mountains.
It passed through human hunting grounds and lumberyards and trampled on vegetable gardens.
In particular, Mastodon, the leader of the pack that was running at the forefront, thought while snorting excitedly.
It’s nice to see a flat place after crossing the mountain range.
In addition, unlike the wilderness, it is even better because you can see green grass everywhere.
So, if you roam freely here for a while and graze the grass, you won’t have to worry about the next breeding season.
Captain Mastodon glared at the Baron with a bloodshot gaze.
I finally witnessed it.
“…Quo-o-ok?”
In the middle of the manor.
The figure of the celestial enemy was seen there.
It was the appearance of the terrible monster, Megarania, who used them as their stock.
An elongated mouth like a crocodile.
Teeth protruding from it.
Armor-like scales that do not even contain horns.
Even claws specialized in tearing the stomach skin of prey.
Even the size of Megarania standing over there was at least three times larger than the figure of the natural enemy he knew.
Besides, he was crouching towards us.
It was Megarania’s unique deadly hunting stance!
“Quo oh quo ok!”
Captain Mastodon was taken aback.
Why is Megarania here in the human habitat?
I couldn’t believe it.
But I couldn’t help but believe it.
That’s how realistic the shape of Megarania, carved like a relief with soil and volcanic ash on the floor. It looked as if it would attack here at any moment and sever its own waist in one bite.
It was scary.
Maybe that’s fake, though.
Still, I was afraid to think of the case.
I didn’t want to die.
In the end, Mastodon, the leader of the pack, made a decision to pursue safety first, as was his habit.
“Quo-o-ok! Ook!”
Kwagwagagagak!
Stopped the rush to the west in sight of Megarania.
So did the whole group that followed behind.
That’s how the Mastodon group lost their way and was thrown into chaos.
It was then.
“now! Listen to the blue flag!”
Lloyd shouted.
Xaviel held up a large flagpole.
A blue flag fluttering over the white rocks.
It was clearly visible to Sir Blanc, who was waiting at the beginning of the clearing in the south of Marez.
“….”
Hopefully the operation will work.
‘I didn’t think the Mastodon would really stop charging because of the shape carved on the floor like that….’
I really didn’t know.
It was the same even though I directly participated in the construction and shoveled it.
‘Maybe it’s because it was made by tilting the ground at an angle toward the east.’
Maybe a 15 degree sloped foundation.
And the viewing angle of a mastodon looking down as it descends from a mountain range.
Perhaps the combination of the two angles made the appearance of Megarania in the relief feel more realistic to Mastodon.
Suddenly, I even had that thought.
But now is not the time to be lost in thought.
Sir Blanc shouted, recalling the order he had received earlier.
“Forward at a break! Raise your shovel and lance!”
Multi angle! Multi angle!
500 White Lancers under his command moved.
They advanced in various directions at trot speed.
As ordered in advance, he smoked a lot of dust.
He did not forget to collide the lance and shovel he held in both hands.
Caang! Kang! Caang!
It moved slowly to the north with a loud noise.
Then the group of mastodons reacted unexpectedly again.
“Quoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!”
Captain Mastodon gave a long howl.
He turned north and started running away.
‘Is the threat going to work?’
It really was.
Sir Blanck did not know it, but if he had made a quick charge as he had initially wanted, the mastodon pack would have reacted the opposite way. Feeling the defensive instinct of excessive threats, they would have attacked fiercely.
But now?
It moved slowly, putting moderate pressure on the mastodon with dust and noise.
It worked.
The sense of fear given by the appearance of the nemesis Megarania in the distance.
In addition, dust and noise approaching step by step from the south.
That was what prompted the escape of the herbivorous monster Mastodon.
‘for a moment. But in the direction they run away…There is a large dug north-south, and a continuous passage has been made. No way.’
Sir Blanc finally realized.
The place where the mastodon now turns and runs away.
It was a place where he and his crew had been shoveling like crazy for the past six days.
Of course, they didn’t shovel something intentionally.
He just did what Lloyd told him to do.
If it’s black, black it.
Dig if you’re digging.
That’s how I just dug up the soil to make the foundation for the Megarania relief.
But what about the result?
There was a passage in the form of a wide, long pit, like a canal or moat.
‘But that pit…The southern and northern ends almost touched the river that flowed next to the Marez clearing…. Could it be that this is so?’
A feeling of foreboding flashes in my mind.
The pieces of the puzzle that I passed by without thinking.
fit one by one
designed sequentially.
The true nature of the trap finally reveals itself.
The realization gave Sir Blanc a chilling goosebumps.
I turned my head.
I looked at the white rocks at the foot of the eastern mountain range.
There, as if answering his premonition, a large white flag fluttered.
At the same time, water balloons of enormous size, or phantom species, were rolling furiously toward the Mastodon group from the south.
“Hamang!”
It was the beginning of the water attack.
