Chapter 177: Your Majesty, Shall We Retreat?
Roger’s task for Tasika was to cry, but after careful consideration, she believed simple crying wouldn’t achieve the best effect. Thus, she opted for a more nuanced approach to her tears.
Instead of detailing the losses suffered by the Kingdom of Terra, she focused on how this battle would slow down the production of the Totem Bracelet and the troubles the Blissful Illusion was encountering.
She portrayed herself as a young empress, enduring hardship with resilience. Perhaps her kingdom wasn’t yet powerful, but despite her grief, she had not abandoned hope and was steadfastly supporting its continued operation.
This image, far more than that of a girl simply crying pitifully, was more likely to earn her the recognition of the great powers.
After all, the rulers of great powers possessed intellect; they were not the disorganized mob on social media, easily swayed by fabricated stories only to face personal tragedies later.
Every national investment was aimed at recouping costs, and the underlying motivations were inevitably profitable.
Tasika’s act of playing a pitiable young girl evoked sympathy, while her transformation into an unyielding empress would inspire investment confidence from the great powers.
Perhaps this was Tasika’s true nature all along.
However, with the help of Roger and the empire, her process of rebuilding the nation had been too smooth, denying her the opportunity to display true iron-fisted tactics.
A young girl who had experienced the shattering of her faith and the brink of her nation’s collapse, finding hope amidst ruin and welcoming rebirth in darkness, possessed a far more resilient spirit than ordinary monarchs.
This was also Old Josda’s training for Tasika.
By revealing the world’s most brutal truths to her, if his arrangements were successful, the consolidated Orc Kingdom, even upon his return to the Divine Realm, would be a thorn in the empire’s side led by Tasika.
Unfortunately, Old Josda’s strategies were several moves short. Not only did his plans remain incomplete, but he also pushed Tasika directly into opposition with the Goddess of War, making her a willing pawn of the empire and raising a banner of defiance against the gods.
However, from the perspective of the great powers at this moment, Empress Tasika’s true identity remained a secret; she was the Orc fiercely most resentful of the Azurevine Empire.
Those with true foresight had already sensed the potential of the Kingdom of Terra and recognized Tasika’s own burgeoning capabilities.
With her youth and personal strength, living for another three hundred years was not an issue.
Such a young and talented empress, harboring an unyielding hatred for the Azurevine Empire, if cultivated…
Wouldn’t she become the first line of defense against the Azurevine Empire for everyone?
Moreover, the Kingdom of Terra could now acquire Mimic Soul Bracelets, which the empire refused to export. Who knew what more interesting technologies she might develop next? Such an ally was surely worth supporting.
Thus, the support from the great powers indeed arrived. They dispatched true powerhouses and elite troops, bringing with them numerous precious magical artifacts. Everyone was willing to spend dearly to help the Kingdom of Terra survive this onslaught.
The Elven Empire directly sent Mo’ye Moon Dancer, the beautiful young lady who served as a translator for the God of Nature standing on his shoulder.
She brought one hundred Royal Sharpshooters and the artifact Sunlight Star, which guarded the Moon Shadow Temple, equivalent to an army of fifty thousand.
Concurrently, the Elven Prince expressed his intention to seek a marriage alliance with Empress Tasika.
Other nations, unwilling to be outdone, sent their elites and considerable treasures of heirloom quality.
In the Magical World, amassing a large number of top-tier powerhouses was far quicker than deploying soldiers. The latter was primarily for territorial occupation.
The grand display of support from the great powers showed no intention of being discreet, aiming to outshine each other in Skrena City.
Their ostentatious display was also intended to deter the Azurevine Empire.
Although Empress of Eternal Night had previously stated she would not participate in this conflict, who knew if that madwoman would intervene if the battle became too dire?
A woman’s words were as reliable as a deceptive ghost.
They believed that no matter how strong she was, she couldn’t possibly fight against so many powerful individuals alone. However, if the battle resulted in heavy losses, no one wanted their own powerhouses to be struck by a meteor shower.
Therefore, if the situation could be resolved through deterrence, it would undoubtedly be beneficial.
The major races conferred and announced the formation of a hypothetical “Nine Allied Forces” supporting Skrena City, showcasing their apparent strength. Their intelligence would undoubtedly be reported back to the Azurevine Empire’s scouts in Naito City.
However, General Duncan saw the news and showed no intention of retreating, continuing his swift advance towards Skrena City.
With Sophie’s courage, she was completely unfazed: “Elites? I’m here to fight elites!”
Zhao Cai Mao, glancing at the legendary mages behind her and the Magic Towers and Golem Legions they had deployed, stated that they were on par in terms of powerhouses.
Given the strength of mages, could one mage handle two opponents?
With the empire’s rising national strength and the mass production of magical equipment, along with seemingly endless printing of magic scrolls, the mages’ morale had reached an unprecedented high.
A mage’s combat effectiveness was thirty percent their own magical skill and seventy percent their accumulated wealth.
The development of magical industrialization had first lifted the mage class, naturally altering their mindset from the past.
So what if the great powers offered support?
Her own Empress had single-handedly held off a six-nation allied force. Replicating that feat now shouldn’t be too difficult, right?
…
…
In the Kambasac Desert, the Daffia Canal was under construction.
This was one of the Kingdom of Terra’s ambitious projects to transform the desert into an oasis. It involved channeling icebergs from the northern snow mountains to build semi-underground artificial canals, reducing evaporation through special means, and establishing new cities at designated locations.
According to Tasika’s plan, this colossal canal project would be one of the pinnacles of magical civilization in this World, built in five phases, eventually becoming a water network spanning the entire desert, connecting the Kingdom of Terra’s important cities via waterway.
The water transport that Tasika had once envied from the banks of the City of Mysteries might truly appear in the desert in the future.
Currently, the first phase of the canal was still under construction, having completed only over 500 kilometers and establishing a medium-sized settlement. This settlement would become a magical industrial city within two years, providing materials for the vast Daffia Canal project nearby.
This location was temporarily named Daffia Settlement One.
General Duncan was currently leading his troops towards Daffia Settlement One.
Compared to the rebuilt, tall, and sturdy Skrena City, attacking a construction site was easier to achieve, and the resulting destruction would be no less significant. If successful, it would undoubtedly sting the Kingdom of Terra.
His options were limited. Without reinforcements and with finite supplies, this was his only opportunity to strike.
If he failed, he would have to slink back to Naito City and face the ridicule of his peers.
The Orcs had also detected General Duncan’s intentions. The scattered troops from before, along with the reinforcements personally led by Tasika, were converging towards Daffia Settlement One.
The strategy of trading space for time had succeeded, holding out until the great powers’ support arrived, allowing them to confront the Azurevine Empire head-on.
The battleground was expected to be on a sand dune approximately twenty kilometers east of Daffia Settlement One. Empress Tasika had arrived earlier and established sniper positions.
Within the camp, where ten thousand Orcs were consolidated, Empress Tasika arranged the great powers’ reinforcements to the rear, asking them to wait for her command to enter the battlefield once the fighting began.
The reinforcements were somewhat surprised. They had expected to be used as cannon fodder, absorbing the enemy’s initial fierce assault. They hadn’t anticipated this empress being so generous.
Perhaps this could be seen as a display of her confidence?
Although they were prepared to be sacrificed, not being sacrificed was naturally preferable, which improved their impression of Tasika somewhat.
Tasika deployed the strong warrior Orc races to the front, establishing standard defensive positions. On the flanks, they constructed a new type of altar that could significantly enhance the spellcasting abilities of shamans.
At that time, they would harness the power of these structures to fully counteract the enemy’s superior magical power.
It was likely that this altar was also stolen by their “spies.” With minor modifications, it could amplify shamanistic power, and it would undergo its first practical demonstration here.
“You only need to hold for half an hour, and victory will surely belong to Terra,” Tasika exhorted the Orc warriors, her gaze shifting to a much smaller cohort of only one thousand people.
They were the Snak Snake-people, distinguishable by their crimson eyes and scaled tails. Their racial talent was mutated claws, and they were particularly adept at digging.
This Snak Special Operations team wore black form-fitting armor, were generally tall, carried bulging packs on their backs, and their eyes were resolute. They saluted Tasika with a Terra military salute: “May Terra be blessed!”
The Snaks dove into the sand like swimmers. Any magical fluctuations would only be detected by a slight tremor in the ground as they rapidly closed in on Duncan’s troops.
This desert was, after all, the land where the Orcs had lived for ages. There were always some home-field advantages waiting to deliver a surprise to those arrogant imperialists.
…
…
The Orcs adopted a resolute defensive formation, while the imperial forces, after deliberation, decided on the simplest tactic:
Frontal assault, all forces engaged!
It wasn’t that Duncan was foolish; facing Orcs who presented an impenetrable defense and refused to engage proactively no matter the provocation, he had no better choice.
The young empress seemed to have foreseen their limited supplies and the impossibility of protracted conflict. She showed no haste in reclaiming lost territory, opting instead to wear down Duncan’s forces until he was forced to retreat.
Now, General Duncan understood. The Orcs had deliberately retreated to trade space for time, forcing him to deal with a long supply line.
The territories near the empire were vast deserts, with their main population and cities located far from the empire.
Unless another full-scale war was waged, it would be difficult to deal with these cunning Orcs.
“This should be our last battle. I implore Lady Sophie to show no restraint and inflict as much damage as possible on those Orcs,” General Duncan said solemnly.
“Rest assured, General. Empress Tasika herself is present. Our objective is, of course, to take her down,” Sophie’s eyes flashed with fierce coldness as she impatiently rubbed her fingers.
Merchants valued harmony to foster wealth, but Tasika had blocked her path to fortune, making her exceptionally vengeful.
In terms of bloodline, she was also considered a Kate Orc.
However, the Kate tribe had already been wiped out by other tribes in tribal conflicts. She had fled with her entire family to the empire. Over generations, she had long since lost any attachment to this desert and identified herself as an Imperial citizen.
Later, she simply became a cat chasing after gold coins. Therefore, anyone who obstructed her from making money, regardless of their race, could be considered an enemy to be decisively defeated!
Thus, the imperial formations slowly advanced towards the Orc First Army’s defensive line. Mages chanted spells and summoned magical constructs to enhance their assault power.
In the sky above, the cloaked Empress of Eternal Night surveyed the battlefield and sighed softly, “Must we lose this battle?”
She couldn’t bear to send her army into a battle fraught with traps. However, this battle was orchestrated by Roger from beginning to end. She understood that certain pains were necessary for the empire to grow.
But seeing Sophie bring out so many precious mages, it was like parading with her beloved jewelry in the streets. The Empress couldn’t help but follow.
“Your Majesty, rest assured, the situation is under control,” Roger said, standing beside her. “Sophie is not a fool. She has brought means of self-preservation and will protect the mages of the Arcane Society.”
“I understand, but I am simply unwilling. Has the era of mages come to an end like this?”
“The era of mages will never end; it will simply shine in new ways.”
“But I always desired to shine on the battlefield…”
The Empress of Eternal Night looked at Terra’s defensive line. Tasika projected a golden phantom of the Goddess of War, bestowing the “Holy War Blessing” upon the heavily armored warriors of the first line.
This was a divine art comparable to a forbidden spell, consuming immense Faith Power. Only true believers deeply favored by the little darling would be qualified to wield it.
That Tasika could now use it demonstrated the Goddess of War’s satisfaction with the current Kingdom of Terra.
Meanwhile, the Empress of Eternal Night, possessing the power to turn the tide, could only watch as the empire’s forces gradually fell into a bitter struggle.
The “Holy War Blessing” provided the Orc warriors with immense magic resistance. Combined with the shamans on the flanks continuously weakening the mages’ attacks, much of the empire’s superior magical power was nullified. Many direct damage spells from the Evocation school were temporarily ineffective.
Helpless, the mages were forced to significantly increase their summoned creatures and deploy large War Golems, Puppets, and other alchemical products into battle, charging alongside the valiant imperial soldiers against the Orc First Army’s defensive line.
However, the border troops were primarily heavy infantry, trained for defending fortresses. Previously, they had dominated the Orcs with magical power, but now, facing them head-on with brute force, they were being pushed back by the strong warrior Orc races.
Clearly, they would not be able to break through the defenses within half an hour.
And if they couldn’t break through and were bogged down by the Orcs, Tasika’s previously laid traps would come into effect.
“Your Majesty, I am sufficient for this side. The empire still has much work for you,” Roger said, cautiously observing the Empress of Eternal Night’s darkening expression, knowing she was extremely averse to failure.
Even if it was a staged failure.
However, not staging this particular setback would not be conducive.
The Empress of Eternal Night clenched her fist, looking at the great powers’ reinforcements eagerly waiting. She said with hatred, “Next time we meet, I will not let them leave alive.”
Her figure dissipated into the air, ultimately accepting Roger’s advice and not witnessing the predetermined outcome of this battle.
The stronger they were, the more stubborn they became. Without the lessons of bloodshed, they would not embrace the new era.
