Chapter 68: The Flying Bow Tribe (2)

It was as if a sudden whirlwind had swept across the sky, stirring up gusts of wind and catching the soldiers on the city walls off guard. Reacting quickly, they shielded their faces with their arms.

“What’s happening?”

“Make sure the flags don’t get blown away!!”

The guard wasted no time and rang the alarm bell, its toll reverberating in all directions, the sudden appearance of a dark shadow displaying the urgency of the situation.

In response, the soldiers below quickly organized themselves, each bearing the same emblem of a white dragon as on their flags—a symbol reserved for the imperial soldiers. Their sharp gazes indicated their well-honed skills and discipline, even among the ranks of common soldiers.

“Everyone, back to your positions!!”

“Hold the line! Archers, remain on standby!”

“Shields to the front!!”

At the commanders' orders, the soldiers on the city walls formed a formidable wall with their large tower shields. Positioned at an angle, the shields had small openings through which archers skillfully nocked and drew their arrows.

Hundreds of arrows were drawn back, taut, and ready to be fired. If one were to look from above, the sight of these preparations might have been daunting.

As the initial chaos subsided, the soldiers ceased their bustling movements and directed their attention toward the colossal airship passing overhead.

“We've done our part,” the defense captain stationed in the watchtower spoke, breaking the silence as if he had been waiting for this very moment. He turned to his deputy. “Report immediately to the imperial palace.”

“Pardon me?” the deputy replied, taken aback.

“You know who they are. Since the Emperor himself summoned them, inform them to lower their guard and prepare the city gates.”

All were aware that the only airship capable of flying over the continent belonged to the Guidance Mercenary Gang. Yet, despite their fearsome reputation, they wouldn’t dare to target the empire without provocation. Though the defense captain had been informed of their arrival in advance, he had still rallied the soldiers as if preparing for battle when the airship entered their firing range.

The reason was simple. It had to be done this way. Regardless of their friendly relations, the mercenary gang was, at the end of the day, just that—a mercenary gang. The very act of an airship entering the empire's territory, let alone flying overhead, was a direct challenge to the empire's prestige.

With the tolling of the bell, 800 soldiers had assembled on the city walls, while 500 cavalry and 1,700 infantry soldiers behind the walls stood ready for action. A total of 3,000 soldiers. Although it might seem a small number, they had assembled in less than 30 minutes.

“If they were aboard the airship, they would have seen our soldiers below the walls. It’s better to be prepared like this.”

The imperial knights and soldiers stationed outside the capital remained motionless. Keeping a reserve force also served as a form of pressure. Every move was calculated. It might seem unnecessary or merely for show, but such demonstrations were vital in maintaining the dignity of the empire.

It is just as what the Chancellor said, the real concern lay not in the audience with His Majesty the Emperor. Rather, it was the question of who would seize the initiative—the First Prince or someone else, I wonder...?

Lost in thought, the defense captain watched as the airship attempted to land.

I wonder how Prince Olivurn will react... Which of the two will succeed in establishing a connection with the Guidance Mercenary Gang? It could become another factor in the ongoing struggle for imperial power.

“The empire is going to be tumultuous,” he muttered under his breath.

***

“Are you serious? You must be out of your mind?” Aidan muttered, quickly covering his mouth under Mikhail's scrutinizing gaze.

But soon enough, his smirk returned. “The tribes here have been fighting over the Great Plains for decades. And what do they have to show for it? Nothing. There’s a reason for that. It’s not as simple as it seems. If one side gains an advantage, they’ll end up devouring each other.”

“You seem to be quite well-informed,” Karyl responded, his tone hinting at amusement. “Are you interested in these kinds of matters?”

“No, it’s not like that...” Aidan hesitated, scratching his head in a way that betrayed his unease. He felt as if he was being tested, nevertheless, he couldn’t help but speak his mind. “Among the remaining three tribes, the Tu tribe is particularly notorious. I’ve heard rumors that they even resort to cannibalism.”

“Is that so? There’s little known about the southern tribes. Did you look into it?” Karyl teased, seeming to anticipate the potential embarrassment his next question might cause. “Don’t worry. The rumors of cannibalism about the Tu tribe are exaggerated. However... it is true that they have a tradition of slicing off a piece of their thigh and consuming it as part of a coming-of-age ritual.”

“Pardon me?” Mikhail interjected, taken aback by Karyl’s statement.

“It’s nothing out of the ordinary. Similar practices exist in the north as well.”

“I see...” Mikhail nodded, a bit uneasy.

“Aidan, as you mentioned, the reason the four tribes haven’t resolved their dispute over the Great Plains is because none of them can make the first move. But why is that?” Karyl chuckled.

“Because the balance must maintained?”

“You’re half right, half wrong. Think a bit more. If you consider the geography, the answer becomes clear.”

“Hmm...” Aidan pondered, encouraged by Karyl’s challenge.

Mikhail spoke up first, more confident than usual. “It’s because of the monsters,” he explained. “Monsters from various dungeons behind the Great Plains pose a significant threat to the tribes. Dealing with them is costly, and waging war with monsters at their back is reckless.”

“Correct.”

“Moreover, compared to the other three, the Lahu tribe has less territory in the Great Plains and relies on hunting monsters for survival. A full-scale extermination would be detrimental to their livelihood.”

“Have you been to the south? How do you know so much?” Aidan was surprised by Mikhail's fluent response.

“I was in the south for a while restocking supplies for the airship, so I picked up a few things.”

“Well done.” Karyl praised, making Mikhail feel pleased and elaborate unnecessarily.

“The empire probably pays less attention to the south tribes compared to the north because it’s harder for them to unite.”

“Exactly. That’s why this is an excellent opportunity to determine the true ruler of the Great Plains.”

“Hmm...” Karyl turned his gaze to Aidan, as if expecting an answer from him.

After careful consideration, Aidan spoke up. “Are you suggesting that we’re the variable in this equation?”

“Correct.”

“So you’re proposing that we target the tribes that are immobilized due to the monster dungeon?”

Despite Karyl’s formidable reputation, Aidan couldn’t help but feel a surge of anxiety. There were only three of them, while even the weakest tribe, the Lahu, boasted a force of nearly 800. Aidan swallowed nervously. The idea of three people taking on hundreds, especially when each warrior was a Southern equestrian. It was quite literally a life-threatening proposition.

“If we add the soldiers from the other two tribes, that’s easily 2,000... That means each of us would have to...” Mikhail muttered, his fingers mimicking the calculations in the air. He quickly shook his head, a gesture that conveyed the sheer absurdity of the situation. It wasn’t that the math was hard; it was simply an impossible task.

“Don’t worry. We won’t be dealing with them directly.” Karyl chuckled.

“Then...”

“What I meant by “variable” is that we’re capable of handling the monsters without them having to.”

“So, we’ll be taking on the monster dungeon for the tribes?”

“Exactly.”

“But wouldn’t that just give the tribes the freedom to focus on the Great Plains? Wouldn’t that be disadvantageous for us?” Aidan voiced his confusion.

“Don’t worry. Even if we clear out the dungeon, they won’t move so easily. It’s like catching the monsters without actually catching them.”

Still, both Aidan and Mikhail looked skeptical, yet Karyl just smiled ambiguously.

***

On this vast continent, where humans coexist with orcs and lizardmen in the mountains and fields, the presence of monsters in dungeons holds a certain fascination. These dungeons, unlike the naturally spawning field monsters, are twisted spaces created by a core. It is within these twisted spaces that dungeon monsters are born—artificial beings that defy nature.

Now that I think about it, these dungeons might be a type of Pharel. Of course, there’s a drastic difference in the monsters they spawn.

What had once been taken for granted now appeared in a new light as time was rewound. Up to this point, no kingdom had ever successfully eradicated a dungeon, as unlike the dungeons in the south, most of those in the north had fallen into a state of dormancy.

Normally, dungeons, much like volcanoes, have alternating periods of dormancy and activity. Most of the dungeons in the north were presumed to be dead, having been inactive for hundreds of years.

In fact, the emperor had ordered multiple investigations into these dungeons. Led by Count Isaac, the expedition team scoured dungeons across the continent five times, each time reporting back that they found nothing.

Well, it wasn’t a complete lie.

Karyl couldn’t help but grimace with a bitter smile. Indeed, there were no monsters at that time. However, after the Revelation of the Oracle and when monsters poured out from the Pharel into the human realm, these empty dungeons were used as passages.

The Tarak instantly destroyed a third of the north and rushed towards the empire...

The largest dungeon on the continent was the Crimson Cave, located to the west of the ancient northern ruins of Tramel. Little did anyone know that it would later become the Tarak’s first stronghold.

But, that’s a problem for another time.

Karyl resolved to seal off all the dungeon entrances in the north in this life.

***

As they approached the dungeon, Aidan and Mikhail's expressions darkened. Among the several dungeons scattered across the Great Plains, the one Karyl was leading them to was a place they were all too familiar with.

"Has anyone heard of this dungeon before?"

"I've never seen it in person, but... I've heard its name countless times. Those two rocks facing each other... could it be the Twin-Headed Eagle's Nest?"

"Right." Karyl nodded at Mikhail's words. Upon hearing this, both of them let out deep sighs, as if to say, “Just as we expected.” The Twin-Headed Eagle’s Nest was renowned as the second most difficult dungeon in the Great Plains.

"The area with the strongest monsters lies beyond, at the Stinging Nettle Rolling Hill, a bit further from here..." It was one of the two dungeons that even the tribes who faced monsters regularly dared not touch. The monsters dwelling within were that formidable.

“Exactly. In the current situation, the Twin-Headed Eagle's neck would be a more valuable trade item than the Sand Serpent that rules the hill."

"Ah...!" Aidan gasped, having finally grasped the meaning behind Karyl's earlier words.

"So, “catching monsters without actually catching them” means that we leave the stronger ones intact to trade with the tribes."

"Exactly. And the Twin-Headed Eagle is one such monster that even they can't handle. If we can conquer this place and return with its head, it would not only prove our strength also prove but also change the dynamics of the Great Plains."

"...I see."

Attacking the Twin-Headed Eagle's Nest was a form of warning. Even if the trade does not come to fruition, the mere fact that someone capable of killing the Twin-Headed Eagle sided with the Flying Bow Tribe would completely change the dynamics of the Great Plains. It would signal to others that the sword turned against monsters might be turned towards them.

Conquering a single dungeon could possibly win us the Great Plains...

Of course, it was by no means an easy feat, but it seemed far more feasible than facing an army of thousands. And, this was particularly true for the three of them.

Why didn't we think of this before?

Aidan couldn't help but marvel at Karyl's strategic brilliance. Whether Karyl was aware of his thoughts or not, he calmly spoke upon reaching the entrance of the dungeon.

"We're going in."