"Precisely."
The number was important. To devise a strategy, we had to know the enemy's numbers.
"Thirty-five. Including our chieftain."
Sharp Tooth answered immediately, without hesitation. It was likely an accurate number.
"I heard you formed an alliance with the Viper Tribe. When did that happen?"
I asked the next question.
"...How did you know?"
Sharp Tooth was startled. His eyes widened, and his mouth fell open. He seemed shocked that we already knew.
"We have sources. We conduct reconnaissance too."
I answered calmly. It was a lie. I had only heard it from Swift Wind. But I exaggerated to shake the enemy.
"Right. We formed an alliance recently. Our chieftain and the chieftain of the Viper Tribe met and swore a Blood Oath."
Sharp Tooth nodded as if resigned.
"An oath? What is that?"
I asked.
"A blood alliance. A ritual where they mix their blood and drink it."
Sharp Tooth explained. A primitive tribe's method of alliance. Once blood was shared, they became one family. A sacred ritual. Not easily broken.
"How many warriors does the Viper Tribe have? Do you know the exact number?"
I asked.
"Between fifteen and twenty. I think I heard it was eighteen."
Sharp Tooth answered.
"Combined, that makes roughly fifty to fifty-five."
I calculated. If it was eighteen, then the total was fifty-three. We had twelve. Almost five times fewer. An overwhelming numerical disadvantage.
"Right. In numbers, we are overwhelming."
Sharp Tooth nodded. Confidence was buried in his voice. His tone suggested that he was certain of victory.
"When do you plan to attack?"
This was the most important question. Timing. Time. When they came would decide everything.
"I do not know exactly. But I know it will be soon. The Chieftain told us to prepare."
Sharp Tooth answered.
"Soon? How soon?"
I pressed him. I needed a concrete time.
"Within fifteen days. Maybe sooner."
As expected. Swift Wind's information was correct. There was no time. Truly no time. Two weeks. No, perhaps even less than one week remained.
"The attack route? Where will they come from?"
I asked.
"...I truly do not know that. I am only part of the scouting party. Only the Chieftain knows the operation. He does not tell us."
Sharp Tooth shook his head. Truth showed on his face. He truly seemed not to know. A scouting party was only an executor, not a planner.
"What kind of bastard is Blood-Soaked Claw? What is his personality? His combat style?"
I changed the question. I had to know the enemy commander. I had to know the opponent I would fight.
"He is cruel. He enjoys torturing prisoners. And he likes fighting. He enjoys seeing blood."
Sharp Tooth's face twisted. It was an expression mixed with disgust and fear. He must have seen it himself. A battle maniac. A cruel leader. The worst combination.
"Why is he trying to attack us? What is the reason? Simply for territory?"
I asked.
"Because of hunting grounds. And...."
Sharp Tooth trailed off and bit his lip. He seemed reluctant to say it. There was something more.
"And?"
I pressed him. I raised my voice and extended the sword forward.
"Women."
He spoke in a small voice. It was almost a whisper. He seemed ashamed.
"Women?"
I narrowed my eyes. Surely not. The worst possible scenario....
"Blood-Soaked Claw is trying to raid other tribes for women. An illness spread last winter. Many women died. So now there are not enough women to bear children."
Sharp Tooth explained.
Rage surged within me. Hot and violent, fire blazed inside my chest. My fists clenched on their own. My nails dug into my palms, and it hurt. But the anger was greater.
"So he is targeting our village... our women."
I gritted my teeth. Mother. The women of the village. The children. He was trying to plunder them. To make them slaves. I could never forgive that.
"I am sorry, but that is reality."
Sharp Tooth lowered his head. He did not look comfortable, and his expression suggested a guilty conscience.
"...."
I suppressed my rage. I inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly. I had to stay calm. If I was swept up in anger, I would lose my judgment.
"We heard that the women of your village are young and healthy. Blood-Soaked Claw covets them. The scouting party reported it. They said your village has at least twenty young women."
Sharp Tooth added.
Twenty women. The future of our tribe. The people who would give birth to the next generation. He was trying to take them away.
I clenched my fist. My nails dug into my palm, hard enough to draw blood. But it did not hurt. My rage had swallowed the pain.
"I will kill that bastard without fail. I will never forgive him."
I spoke low. My voice was low and cold. Like ice.
It was resolve, and it was an oath.
Sharp Tooth looked at me, and there was sympathy in his eyes. He understood my anger. As a fellow man.
"You? Alone?"
Sharp Tooth asked. Skepticism was buried in his voice. His tone said it was impossible.
"Yes, me. With my own hands."
I spoke firmly. There was no hesitation.
"It will not be easy. Blood-Soaked Claw is strong. He is the greatest warrior in our tribe. No one who has fought him has ever won."
Sharp Tooth warned me. It seemed to be a sincere warning.
"How strong? Be specific."
I asked. I needed concrete information.
"There is even a rumor that he beat a bear to death with his bare hands. I did not see it myself, but many people say so."
Sharp Tooth said.
A bear with his bare hands? It was probably an exaggeration. But I could not ignore it.
"That must be exaggerated. A bear with bare hands? That makes no sense."
I snorted. I had killed a bear too. But I had a weapon and the system's help. With bare hands, it was impossible.
"Maybe it is not true. I did not see it myself. But that bastard's strength is abnormal. Once, he lifted a cow by himself. That I saw with my own eyes."
Sharp Tooth shook his head.
"A cow? That makes no sense."
I narrowed my eyes. A cow weighed more than three hundred kilograms. A person could not lift one.
"Hmph."
I snorted. But inwardly, I grew tense. It had to be an exaggeration. But what if it was true?
'How high is his Combat Power? Is 40 enough? Or do I need to raise it further? Should I invest more Technology Points into combat?'
I felt uneasy. I could not be certain. But I had to do it. There was no other choice.
After sending Sharp Tooth away, I opened the system window.
I stretched my hand into the air, and a transparent window appeared.
Ding!
『Current Status』
→ Level: 6
→ Combat Power: 40
→ Technology Points: 5
→ Completed Quest: Dawn of the Bronze Age
→ Known Technology: Smelting Technology Lv.1, Exploration Technology Lv.1, Combat Technology Lv.1
Five Technology Points. I should raise Combat Technology further. If I had to fight Blood-Soaked Claw, Combat Power was essential. My personal Combat Power was the key to survival.
Ding!
『Technology Tree』
→ Combat Technology Lv.2 (Cost: 3 Points): Combat Power +5, Reaction Speed +10%
→ Smelting Technology Lv.2 (Cost: 3 Points): Metal smelting efficiency +40%, smelting time -20%
→ Defense Technology Lv.1 (Cost: 2 Points): Damage Reduction +10%
→ Command Technology Lv.1 (Cost: 2 Points): Unit Combat Power +5%
Some new options had appeared, and some had disappeared.
'Command Technology appeared.'
Unit Combat Power +5%. It meant the warriors would become stronger. Since I was not fighting alone, this was needed too. War was not fought alone. The strength of the entire unit was important.
Twelve warriors. Each with a Combat Power of about 15. If it increased by 5%, that was 0.75 each. A total Combat Power increase of 9. It was not a small number.
'Let's acquire Combat Technology Lv.2 and Command Technology Lv.1. Both will help in battle.'
A balanced investment. Individual and unit.
Ding!
『Technology Acquired: Combat Technology Lv.2』
→ Combat Power +5, Reaction Speed +10%
→ Combat Power: 40 → 45
→ Technology Points: 5 → 2
A change came over my body. My muscles became harder, and my reflexes sharpened. I clenched and opened my fist. Faster. Far faster than before.
Ding!
『Technology Acquired: Command Technology Lv.1』
→ Unit Combat Power +5%
→ Technology Points: 2 → 0
New knowledge entered my mind.
Military knowledge. A commander's instinct. Formations. Tactics. Chain of command. How to deploy soldiers, how to give orders, and how to raise morale.
And my Combat Power had become 45. Almost four times the beginning. From 12 to 45. Tremendous growth.
'With this, can I fight Blood-Soaked Claw?'
I could not be sure. I did not know that bastard's Combat Power. But I was prepared. I had done my best.
'In any case, we need to make more weapons.'
If we had more bronze weapons, our overall strength would rise. Individual Combat Power was important, but unit strength mattered more. War was not an individual fight, but a group battle.
Starting the next day, we began full-scale weapon production.
"Smelt all of this copper ore."
I gave Hot Hands the order and pointed at the pile of ore. Blue stones were stacked like a mountain.
"Understood. How much should we make, and what should we make?"
Hot Hands lowered his head. He examined the ore, calculated, counted them one by one with his fingers, and estimated the weight.
"As much as possible. Twelve knives, twenty spearheads, and fifty arrowheads. We need to arm every warrior."
I answered. Full armament. All twelve warriors. That was the goal.
"That many? That is an enormous amount!"
Hot Hands was startled. His eyes went round, and his mouth fell open.
"There is no time. We have to finish within ten days. War will break out within fifteen days."
I spoke firmly. The deadline was two weeks. No. For all I knew, it was likely even shorter than that.
"Ten days? That is... impossible. Even if we work as fast as possible, it will take a month."
Hot Hands shook his head. His expression said it was impossible.
"We can do it. I will help. We only have to work day and night. Resting in shifts."
I spoke firmly.
I personally stood before the smelting furnace. The effect of Smelting Technology Lv.1 had raised our efficiency. Heat pouring from the smelting furnace burned my face. It was hot. It felt as if my eyebrows would burn. It was hot even three meters away, and sweat flowed.
"Chieftain, you are too close!"
Hot Hands shouted. His voice was worried.
"I am fine."
I waved my hand.