Two days later.
When the Reconnaissance Unit retraced its route, it was greeted, just as Jinovan had expected, by the main force, which had finished establishing the Base Camp.
“Jinovan Edmiller. I have returned after completing the reconnaissance mission as ordered.”
“Oh, Lord Jinovan! You made it back safely!”
Baron Dortagon, a nobleman plump enough to be considered rather corpulent, welcomed Jinovan.
Standing beside him were two Knights who, like Jinovan, had graduated from the Imperial Military Academy.
“This is a Totem we discovered in the northeastern forest.”
“Hmm! Just as we expected!”
Jinovan handed over the strangely shaped Totem.
Baron Dortagon grimaced briefly at the horrifying sight of a young goblin’s severed head dried beneath the sun.
“By the way, Lord Jinovan. You returned earlier than expected?”
“Indeed. Was the mission perhaps simpler than anticipated?”
The two Knights pretended merely to ask Jinovan questions while attempting to diminish his accomplishment.
Baron Dortagon soon asked much the same thing.
Jinovan had, after all, returned roughly two days earlier than expected.
“That is true. Lord Jinovan, has your ability improved by leaps and bounds? Hahaha!”
“The mercenary I hired was an excellent guide. More importantly…… I discovered this Totem near the very entrance to the northeastern region, Commanding General.”
“Hmm? Ah, haha! I see. Those goblins must have expanded their territory rather quickly.”
The Commanding General, whose expertise leaned more toward politics than professional military training, did not attach much significance to the fact that the Totems had appeared from the very edge of the region.
The other two commanders reacted similarly.
It was not necessarily because they were incompetent.
Unlike Jinovan, who had personally experienced the severity of the situation in the field, they simply lacked information.
Reading the mood, Jinovan seemed to come to a decision and spoke.
“Commanding General. May I say something?”
“Oh, Jinovan. What has made you look so serious?”
At the Commanding General’s question, Jinovan carefully opened his mouth.
“I suspect…… that the Goblin Lord may be an Irregular.”
“Senior. Do you think Lord Jinovan will be able to convince them?”
Jun made an ambiguous expression at Aiden’s question.
“They won’t dismiss him outright.”
The Commanding General of a Level 1 fortress was someone who had only recently arrived after working in central imperial politics.
Naturally, his detailed military knowledge could not compare to that of commanders who had graduated from the Imperial Military Academy.
That was precisely why he did not casually disregard the counsel of the people beneath him.
“But they probably won’t take it that seriously either. I’m more worried about the other two commanders. They’re the ones who’ll actually be commanding the soldiers in the Assault Forces.”
“Ah…… Still, do they not need military accomplishments as well? They are graduates of the same Imperial Military Academy as Lord Jinovan.”
“Well, that’s true. But in reality, incomplete knowledge sometimes makes things worse.”
People who placed absolute faith in imperfect knowledge were dangerous.
At Jun’s words, Aiden seemed to realize something and nodded.
“Indeed…… The other seniors from before were much the same.”
“Right. That’s exactly the kind of case I mean.”
Why had their mercenary company been annihilated during the previous goblin subjugation?
They had put blind faith in their superficial knowledge of goblins and died after being struck by paralytic poison far more potent than they had expected.
“I don’t know what the other two commanders are like, but judging from Lord Jinovan’s reaction…… I’m not optimistic.”
The two commanders probably would not reject Jinovan’s opinion completely.
There was always the possibility that he was right.
“Just in case…… we should make our own preparations.”
Things unfolded just as Jun had expected.
They did account for the possibility that the Goblin Lord was an Irregular, but they took no additional measures.
There was no consideration of increasing supplies or requesting additional troops.
At most, they advised the soldiers not to lower their guard.
Even that was fortunate.
It was better to be mentally prepared than to be caught completely unaware.
‘Even this is probably only because Lord Jinovan failed during the last subjugation.’
The other two commanders might dismiss and compete against Jinovan, but they had graduated from the Imperial Military Academy alongside him.
Naturally, they knew what he was capable of.
They would assume there had been a genuine reason behind his defeat.
As a result, the other two commanders assigned to the Assault Forces did not take the situation entirely lightly.
The real problem lay elsewhere.
“The mercenaries seem strangely excited as well.”
“Well, from their perspective, this must feel like an unexpected windfall.”
Simply participating in a Goblin Lord subjugation would already be an impressive addition to their records.
And now that Goblin Lord might even be an Irregular!
Mercenaries risked their lives to raise their own value, so excitement outweighed nervousness among them.
“Honestly, it isn’t strange for them to be that optimistic. The difficulty might be higher, but we have three commanders who are Knights.”
Knights held a uniquely prominent position even within the world of <Blackout>.
And Knights trained at the Imperial Military Academy were people who stood at the pinnacle of natural talent.
“No matter how much of an Irregular the Goblin Lord is, it still has the innate limits of its species. The chances of the Knights losing are practically zero.”
“Because of Aura?”
“Right. Even if a Goblin Lord becomes an Irregular, that doesn’t mean it can use Aura.”
Aura.
It was the aspiration of every Warrior and the very embodiment of the Warrior class’s romantic ideal.
Having raised a Warrior back when he was ‘Lee Jeong-jun,’ Jun knew better than most just how destructive Aura could be.
‘Before learning Aura, a Warrior feels more like a tank. After learning Aura, though, they become practically all-purpose monsters when it comes to combat.’
That was why most of the mercenaries seemed more interested in the rewards they expected to receive afterward than in worrying about the coming battle.
“From the mercenaries’ perspective, they’ll still just be clearing out fodder, except now they get to say they participated in the subjugation of an Irregular that hasn’t appeared in seventy-two years. Their records will look much more impressive.”
It was easy enough to understand why they were so excited.
“But a Field Boss becoming an Irregular isn’t nearly as simple as they think.”
“What exactly changes?”
“Usually, when a Field Boss appears as an Irregular, it possesses a unique Aura Effect. Sometimes it strengthens nearby allies, and other times it weakens its enemies.”
If the Goblin Lord was a Champion-Type, it would strengthen goblins within a certain range.
If it was a Shaman-Type, it would instead emit a Curse Aura that weakened the physical abilities of its enemies.
“Truthfully, I’m not worried about the commanders themselves either. They’re elites, whatever else you might say about them.”
They were Knights capable of wielding Aura.
There was virtually no chance that they would fall to a mere Level 1 Field Boss.
And there were three such Knights here.
‘A Champion Goblin’s sword would snap like a toothpick against a Knight’s Aura, and a Shaman’s sorcery would be cut apart like paper.’
But Knights were still human.
A stray stone to the head could kill anyone.
If they wanted to kill the Lord hidden among hundreds of goblins, the soldiers supporting them would be the most important part of the operation.
‘Besides, these Knights only just graduated from the Imperial Military Academy. They can probably maintain Aura for thirty seconds to a minute at most.’
The soldiers and mercenaries would therefore have to open the path.
If things began going wrong from that stage onward, even the Knights would eventually reach their limits no matter how powerful they were.
“And if the commanders can’t keep the mercenaries firmly under control…… the battle is going to become difficult.”
“I-is that so?”
“Well, it should still be fine. It isn’t as though we only have mercenaries here. There are soldiers too.”
Jun expected the battle to be considerably more difficult than everyone else seemed to think, but there was almost nothing he could do about it now.
He could not simply interfere with the command structure because he wanted to.
‘Then what I can do right now is…….’
Jun ran his tongue over his lips as he watched Jinovan emerge from headquarters.
“I suppose I should give our fresh-faced rookie a little bait.”
That evening.
Everyone was busy preparing for the march scheduled for the following day.
Jinovan, however, visited the comparatively quiet command headquarters.
“Commanding General. I have something to request.”
“Oh, Lord Jinovan. What is it?”
“Once we begin engaging the Goblin Lord in earnest, could you assign my unit to the rear?”
“The rear? You, Jinovan?”
Baron Dortagon tilted his head at Jinovan’s unexpected request to be assigned to the rear forces.
“Is there really any need for you to volunteer for the rear?”
“Of course, I would also prefer to draw my sword on the front line, but the sheer breadth of the goblins’ territory troubles me.”
“Hmm…….”
The fact that an Irregular Goblin Lord had appeared for the first time in seventy-two years certainly sounded dramatic.
Even so, it was still only a Goblin Lord.
Having three Knights present already seemed excessive.
Moreover—
“Commanding General. Lord Jinovan has a point. According to the Reconnaissance Unit’s report, the goblins’ territory is extensive. There is a possibility that another force may attack our rear while we are engaged with the Goblin Lord.”
“That is correct. Lord Jinovan should be more than capable of keeping you safe from the rear, Commanding General. I support his proposal as well.”
The other two commanders eagerly supported Jinovan’s decision.
Naturally, the fewer people with whom they had to share the glory, the better.
Furthermore, both commanders were confident that the two of them alone would be more than enough to kill the Goblin Lord.
At their words, Baron Dortagon smiled broadly.
“Is that so? If both of you agree, then I suppose I should consider it seriously. It would certainly be troublesome if our rear collapsed. Indeed, quite so! Lord Jinovan, you truly think matters through carefully!”
“……Thank you, Commanding General.”
Jinovan bowed in gratitude at the decision.
Faint exhaustion rested on his face.
Political conversations like this were rather far removed from his natural disposition.
‘Still, things unfolded exactly as that man predicted. I can only hope the rest goes according to his plan as well.’
It was not as though Jinovan lacked ambition for accomplishments.
He was simply placing his trust in the advice of one particularly cunning Mage.
A force numbering nearly one hundred and fifty advanced through the Black Forest.
The Reconnaissance Unit led the way and cleared the route.
Whenever they encountered an opponent too difficult to handle alone, they naturally signaled the main force to deal with it.
“We’re advancing faster than I expected.”
“Yes. Lord Jinovan’s Reconnaissance Unit is performing quite well.”
Perhaps because Jinovan had volunteered for both reconnaissance and rear-guard duty, the other two commanders were now willing to acknowledge his accomplishments to a reasonable extent.
Once they defeated the Goblin Lord as the Assault Forces, Jinovan’s achievements would naturally be overshadowed anyway.
“Hoho! Lord Jinovan has certainly worked hard. I should reward him properly afterward.”
“Ahem!”
“Lord Jinovan will surely feel honored by your recognition, Commanding General.”
In truth, Jinovan’s Reconnaissance Unit had been performing so well that the phrase unstoppable advance would not have been an exaggeration.
Much of that was thanks to Jun and Aiden quietly assisting them behind the scenes.
As time passed, even the soldiers began to recognize the pair’s importance, and whenever they were given a break, they could hardly stop praising them.
“I never knew having a Mage with us could make things this much easier.”
“Exactly! I cannot understand why you’re working as a mercenary!”
“Shh! Be quiet. He must have his own reasons.”
Meanwhile, Jun himself—
“Senior, are you all right?”
“Why does this damned forest road refuse to get any easier no matter how much I walk……?”
His miserable physical endurance had reduced him to drinking Vigor Potions while looking as though he were on the verge of death.
As they approached the northeastern edge of the Black Forest—
The Reconnaissance Unit gradually realized that the atmosphere of the forest was changing.
At some point, monster encounters began decreasing, while an eerie silence settled over the entire forest.
“It seems the goblins have noticed us.”
“With nearly one hundred and fifty troops moving together, I suppose that was inevitable.”
When they had first entered the region to conduct reconnaissance, they had avoided even lighting fires and focused on erasing every trace of their passage.
The main force, however, had no intention of concealing its presence.
Accordingly, Jinovan organized a separate detachment.
“Jun. Could I borrow your companion?”
“Tell me what you need.”
“I intend to send part of my force forward with your companion. I suspect the goblins may attempt an ambush.”
Rather than answering immediately, Jun looked at Aiden.
“Aiden. Can you handle it?”
“Yes, Senior! Leave it to me.”
Aiden had already been diligently fulfilling the duties of the Reconnaissance Unit, so he made his decision without hesitation.
Not long after the detachment departed—
“Hmm.”
Jinovan enhanced his vision with Mana and spotted a bird rising between the trees.
A long red ribbon was tied to its leg.
It was the signal that an enemy ambush lay ahead.
Jinovan immediately informed command headquarters, and the force split in two to wipe out the enemy in a single sweep.
Following a route the Reconnaissance Unit had identified on its return journey, one of the Knights commanding an Assault Force led his troops around the flank.
Meanwhile, the Reconnaissance Unit made first contact with the goblins lying in ambush.
The main force led by the Commanding General then surged in immediately afterward and shattered the goblins’ formation.
When the human offensive proved far more ferocious than expected, some of the goblins attempted to flee.
But the Assault Force that had circled around their flank arrived at precisely the right moment, cutting off even that possibility.
Annihilation.
It was a flawless victory.
The morale of the soldiers and mercenaries soared toward the heavens.
Baron Dortagon’s hearty laughter mingled with their triumphant cheers.
“Hahaha! Your abilities are truly impressive, gentlemen!”
“You flatter us, Commanding General.”
“Surely it was only possible because of your excellent orders, Commanding General.”
“Thank you for placing your trust in us.”
The commanders’ modest flattery sent Baron Dortagon’s shoulders rising as high as the morale of his troops.
“It pleases me greatly to hear you say so! Lord Jinovan in particular. I had no idea your reconnaissance ability was this impressive.”
“Thank you.”
In truth, Jinovan himself was somewhat surprised.
He had not expected the operation to proceed this smoothly.
Yet he did not believe that it was solely the result of his own abilities.
‘That Mage’s knowledge is proving this useful.’
Jinovan might have been an elite graduate of the Imperial Military Academy, but he was still human.
This was his first year inside the Black Forest, and all his knowledge of monsters had come from books rather than actual experience.
Naturally, he had expected them to struggle to some extent.
Yet contrary to those expectations, the operation had proceeded remarkably smoothly.
‘Commander. There is blue mold all throughout this area. It appears we’ve entered Plant Undead territory.’
‘If you look at this tree, you can see a territorial marking left by an Outer Wolf. Judging from the trace, it was made recently.’
‘That over there is a Corpse Flower…… Currow Bees are fond of that plant.’
‘Hmm. Do you see where those plants have been torn away? It looks like goblins harvested them to make poison.’
Whenever they entered the territory of a new monster, the Mage beside him would somehow offer advice almost immediately.
Of course, Jinovan knew most of those facts himself in theory.
But he could not recognize the signs anywhere near as quickly as the Low-Rank Mage he had hired.
‘No matter where I look, it all seems like the same forest. Apparently, that Mage sees something entirely different.’
Perhaps it would have been less significant under ordinary circumstances.
But now, with the appearance of a Field Boss causing monster territories to shift on a massive scale, each piece of advice Jun offered was invaluable.
Because of Jun’s casual warnings, Jinovan could prepare his soldiers in advance, and the number of wounded had fallen dramatically as a result.
Now Jinovan understood why Chloe, the treasured young lady of the Gilenne Trading Company, held that Low-Rank Mage in such high regard.
‘If I had an Adjutant like that…….’
A hint of desire rose within him.
It was the natural desire of a commander for talented personnel.
But Jinovan quickly suppressed it.
‘He is a Mage backed by the Gilenne Trading Company, of all organizations.’
Even if Jinovan was an elite graduate of the Imperial Military Academy, he possessed nothing of his own at present.
Even without Jinovan, that Mage would surely spread his wings someday.
‘Still, there would be no harm in building a relationship with him.’
Not only the Mage himself, but also the Gilenne Trading Company backing him was worth watching.
The Gilenne Trading Company had traditionally been rooted on the surface, but recently it had begun gradually turning its attention toward Blackout.
In any case, the subjugation force continued its advance.
As they drew closer to the northeastern region, battles with goblins became increasingly frequent.
Before they realized it, they had entered goblin territory in earnest.
And then—
SKREEEEEEE!!
KREE! KREE! KREETUGA!
KIKIKIKIKIKIKI!
When they finally arrived at a goblin village, they found themselves facing an enormous horde of goblins.
There was only one problem.
There were twice as many as they had expected.