Pale called for civil servants from all over the region to gather vehicles. It didn’t matter what sort of vehicle it was, not the shape nor the original intent behind its make, as long as it could carry something, it was a vehicle that would do. And they would be lent to the humans, mostly the merchants; with a fee, they would be sent to the front lines with supplies.
Dispatched under the authority of the prime minister, that order reached the former kingdoms, the feudal lords, and the rising powers, and these people all took the initiative to carry it out.
The Governor-General of the Western Capital, Yoshu Fagarmia, encouraged the merchants to compete with one another by offering a prize for the fastest from the western capital. Of course, this was on top of the compensation for the goods they would bring.
The prime minister of the former Elrain Kingdom, Elbert Noen, the general manager of the guilds, Helen Meer, and the person that originally oversaw all of the supplies of the expeditionary force, Ganon Latosh, also participated.
With almost everyone that has distinguished themselves under the rein of the goblin king collectively making an effort, it was evident that the only result could be success. Arlodena’s attempt to gather their forces at any cost was praised to be able to make the impossible possible.
This was the first time since the founding of Arlodena that the goblins – despite their confusion – were packed with their equipment into carriages and driven to the front lines in a zealous frenzy.
One of the three great nobles of the former Holy Shushunu Kingdom, Kushunora, even invested so much that he risked putting his whole family into the red. One reason for that was because of the debt they owed to Pale for saving from Gi Za’s plot to gradually destroy them, but it was also because the head of the Kushunora, Sharnei Kushunora, saw this as an opportunity to revive the family’s dying fortunes.
This was a big decision for the timid Sharnei, a decision made despite the protests from within the family. Economically speaking, their influence was still much greater compared to the Ririnoie and the Agarmua.
It was not only the merchants that Pale raised that dominated the economy. There were rival merchants cooperating with Alrodena too; a testament to Pale’s achievements and abilities as a prime minister.
Moreover, Helen Meer, the general manager of the guild, declared that she would purchase good equipment for the adventurers regardless of expense. The weapons and armor gathered for those fighting at the frontlines were passed onto the goblins, while hunters, adventurers whose skill is certified by the guild, were given jobs to explore dungeons and recover treasures.
It needn’t be said that word was sent to the relevant departments of the famous clans, such as the Red Moon Clan, the Leon Heart Clan, and the Valkyria Clan, but they sent word even to the distant Swallow Clan. All so that they might gather the best weapons across the continent and send them to the frontlines.
A small group of reinforcements also came from the snow demons (Yugushiva) and Lili’s northern territory.
It was then that the Goblin King woke up. The first thing he did was to take responsibility for their defeat and ascertained the present situation, then he showed his intent to fight another decisive battle with the hero.
He promised the Gaidga that they would be able to receive the same protection and rights that they have enjoyed until now even though Rashka has died. He also patted Pale on the shoulder and told her that it wasn’t her fault.
The Goblin King did not appear perturbed and only nodded even when he was informed that Reshia had been lost.
“Nothing can affect me anymore. Our march will not end unless we defeat the hero in the decisive battle and take over the world!”
The goblins renewed their allegiance upon seeing the Goblin King like that, and the other races too were reassured by the presence of such a powerful king.
But the one most encouraged was none other than Pale herself.
She fought in the king’s absence and retreated with their army at great losses, yet the Goblin King had nothing but gratitude and praise for her. She apologized to the king for all the problems that occurred during his absence, particularly the death of Rashka and the loss of Reshia.
Despite having reached this stage in the war, the Goblin King refused to resort to mass mobilization. That was partly because of Gi Za’s advice and partly because of his own thoughts.
“I have no need for soldiers that won’t fight to the death.”
Gi Za’s words as a tactician were cold and ruthless, but there was no denying that he understood the enemy. The gathered goblin soldiers would be subjected to rigorous training. They would be so thoroughly trained by the generals that the training they had in the Forest of Darkness would look like heaven in comparison, and only after enduring all that would they be acknowledged as soldiers.
As for the Goblin King, he believed that wars were meant to be fought by soldiers and warriors. It was true that conscripting peasants to fight would increase their numbers. An overwhelming army was a kind of power itself, but the price for that power was a decline in coordination and a great number of casualty that would affect later governance.
As someone who has defeated armies many times their own repeatedly, the Goblin King preferred quality over quantity.
Goods appeared from all over the kingdom as though they had been waiting for the king to recover.
From the Forest of Darkness to the west came equipment made from Blue-Silver Steel(Srilana) or Jewel Steel(Orichalcum). This was made possible by the mass production system established by the Koro Toku thanks to the full support of the sylph, the most populous among the elves.
They also presented a great sword to the Goblin King, the last work of the greatest swordsmith of the small metal workers (koro dwarf), Dumble Davie David.
When the Goblin King saw the inscription that read: Dark Sun(Aldia), he knew that Dumble Davie David had passed.
There was a wave-like pattern on the blade. The clear color of steel would turn jet black when passed through by ether and become extremely conductive. A swordsmith’s masterpiece that perfectly blended the special properties of srilana and orichalcum. False God Metal(Fi Raga) or False God Metal(Fi Raga) was a synthesized material that just took too long to make, so just one blade for the king’s use could be made for the final battle.
“Thank you. Send my regards to Kurt Bild Dash.”
The Goblin King stood on the tallest spire of Elfa and turned to the east – to that place where the enemy he must defeat was, to that place where Gi Zu yet fought, and to that place where that person he had to rescue was.
One month passed and soldiers from the west gathered in Elfa. They numbered roughly 30,000. Among the goblins from the distant Forest of Darkness was Alashd to represent the former chief Aluhaliha.
“I didn’t think you’d come,” Gi Ga Rax said.
“Elder Aluhaliha would never let me hear the end of it if I didn’t come for something this important,” Alashd said.
Gi Ga Rax was friends with Alashd, who once saved him from danger. That friendship held strong even now that their classes were far different.
There was only one more month left to train all the gathered soldiers and make them fit for the coming war.
◆◇◆
The enemy, which was a perfect example of mass mobilization, had already set their course for Fort Bandigam.
Rashka and the Gaidga Tribe’s suicide attack had succeeded in stopping the march of the hero’s army.
The hero never came out to the frontlines because of the wound the God of War(Vaishura) left him. As a result, the young girls that have been turned saint that were close with him also never appeared in the front lines. The volunteer soldiers alone would be fighting the goblins. From the distant east of Altigand, from the small town inns, or even from the great cities in the borders, all the citizens took a weapon in hand and zealously marched for the west.
They numbered roughly 300,000.
So great a number was that that one couldn’t help but wonder if what Rashka stopped was nothing more than a small advance party. The volunteer soldiers were made up of men, women, children, and even the elderly. They abandoned the fields they ought to plow, the items they ought to sell, to pick up a weapon and march as they chanted the name of their god.
Husbands and wives walked hand in hand, as did their children with their friends, and even the nobles raced for the war ahead.
“That is the will of our god!”
At the head of this terrifying march were the bishops of the eastern church.
One reason they appeared here despite having the holy knights was because Eleanor and the others have already withdrawn from the front lines. They were mentally unstable due to the effect of the hero’s will on them, so they decided to withdraw for the time being.
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In their place came the bishops burning with zeal.
These bishops knew not the first thing of war. No strategy nor tactics woven by them could amount to much. True enough, their so-called strategy was to send their forces to plunge head straight into enemy lines, erecting mountains of corpses until they exhausted them dead. No matter how strong the enemy might be, if 300,000 soldiers were to throw themselves at them repeatedly, eventually, they would tire.
This was the Reconquista of Altigand, and it was none other than Gi Zu Ruo, who would be first from Alrodena to face it. When Gi Zu first learned of Rashka’s death, he couldn’t accept it at first. There was no way that that proud Rashka would easily keel over.
But the one that informed them was Gi Ga Rax, and there was no way he would lie. So the emotion that appeared in him next was anger.
Rashka was someone he was supposed to surpass. But now, that goal would be forever out of reach. Gi Zu’s eye split wide as frustration tore him from inside.
“Burn me if he still treats me like a brat in hell! Damn you, Rashka! How dare you die as you please!”
Gi Zu Ruo fell to the ground and raved and beat at the floor. That’s why it was only a given that he would accept Gi Za’s proposal.
“Bite your finger in hell and watch as I serve the king, Rashka!”
Sazanorga was a gathering of the goblins from the brawler faction fascinated with Gi Zu. With their superior physique, Zu Ved and the rest of their brothers would follow Gi Zu through fire and water.
On the fifth year of the king’s calendar, in the height of summer, Gi Zu stood atop the spire of Fort Bandigam and watched as a cloud of dust rose up from the 300,000 volunteer soldiers approaching.
