The last five islands of Pisces archipelago were ‘man-made.’ They were the result of a mad arcanist's experiment. Or so it was written in the royal library of Kyros.
Now, Zyrus very much doubted that this was done by a mad arcanist. Five entire islands filled with a total population that numbered in millions– sacrificed just for an experiment. The scale was too big for the work of a mad arcanist.
Many past kings and historians guessed what the experiment was for. Some believed the arcanist wanted to create artificial mana attributes while others thought they were creating artificial elementals.
‘But they were all wrong,’
Zyrus had no doubts anymore. The experiment was done for the same reason as his– to understand the workings of laws.
‘They most likely stuffed entire islands with a specific attributed mana while keeping everyone alive.’
It was obvious what the result was. The experiment was a success considering that the natives were able to instinctively utilize the power of laws. But it was also a failure since the natives were nothing more than a husk of their past.
The power of will. It was the most crucial factor in handling the laws.
Zyrus was glad that his predecessor had gone above and beyond to assimilate laws with one’s body. Cruel or not, it was a valuable data. It would be a win-win scenario if he could digest the ‘experiments’ and set their wills free.
Doing so wasn’t an easy task. But what if he used thousands of eyes to observe everything? What if different species worked together to achieve a common goal? Even the mightiest task was manageable.
This was the reason why he shared the four basic runes with the players. Neither they nor the talismans made from them were the true goal. Their sole purpose was to serve as an example–an example of how they could use the power of runes.
The runes that flashed on the natives’ bodies and on their attacks weren’t just limited to 4. Neither the one who created this experiment nor Zyrus knew the full extent of the elemental laws. The first and perhaps the biggest hurdle for that was their inability to interact with the laws.
But now, in front of every player’s eye, the laws of metal were speaking through the runes.
No one understood their language. No one was able to read the meaning behind the runes.
Still, this didn’t prevent them from remembering the runes they saw. They memorized the patterns and came up with their own hypothesis on which runes did what.
They were no scholars who spent days and nights on understanding magic. They were but simple players who knew nothing except how to kill the foe in front of them.
Humans, ogres, trolls, rats, goblins, lions, monkeys…all of them saw a different version of runes and how they worked. Like thousands of eyes looking at the same thing, and yet, all of their perspectives were unique.
‘And soon, they will find similarities and differences with one another.’
Zyrus closed the chart and looked back at the players. The soldiers reported their findings to their superiors and they in turn would do the same. They were weak, but their instincts and intelligence weren’t to be belittled.
Like a giant pyramid the information on runes was getting more and more compact as it reached the top. It was simply a matter of time before it bore the fruit of success.
Zyrus believed that a race shouldn’t be judged based on the strongest. It was the weakest of one's kind that showcased their true status.
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The greatest example of this ideology were the dragons. Even the lowest of their kin, even the ones who possessed a mere strand of their bloodline, they weren’t to be looked down upon.
He knew what would happen if he was successful. The weakest player under him would have the right to held their heads high, even in front of a dragon.
Ria’s sudden voice brought him out of his thoughts. Zyrus had told the players to always leave a way out for the natives, and now, they were all trapped in a corner.
<…May I ask why?>
The fact that she was able to ask this question meant that the situation was in the player’s favor.
Zyrus decided to speak to everyone instead of just answering Ria. The players weren’t too pleased despite being on the winning side. They launched a surprise attack, they outnumbered the enemy’s true fighting force by dozens of times, and yet, they had this much trouble winning.
It didn’t require much thought to predict what would happen when they faced a true army and not a ragtag bunch of civilians. They knew by now that their leaders’ words were worth their weight in gold.
And sure enough, the following speech was something they’d always remember.
In a slightly different manner that is…
Zyrus spoke in a friendly tone, but the words that came out were anything but that.
< Let's ignore defense for the time being. When you’re attacking an enemy camp, a village, a castle…there is one thing you have to remember. Don’t let them give their all in a fight. Don’t let them burn their lives as a pyrrhic conquest is the last thing you want.
Then comes the question– how do you do that? How can you stop the enemies from giving their all when they’re fighting for their lives? It's quite simple if you think about it. Learn their motives for war. Understand what they’re fighting for, and use it against them.
Is it a righteous army fighting to protect the commoners? Grant the non-combatants a safe passage then. This will weaken their will to fight as there’s nothing to protect except their own lives. Is it an army led by evil and corrupt commanders? Use the common populace against them. Using the refugees as meat shields, spreading plagues via them, food shortage… use everything in your hands to break the enemy’s unity. They would be at their weakest where there isn’t a greater cause that binds them>
Every player was quiet on the battlefield. Whether they agreed with the words didn’t matter. From the start, they were trained to obey first and think later. Good soldiers didn’t have to be good people.
Zyrus didn’t care about their response and continued,
How do you stop them from going all out then? The answer is again simple. Don’t threaten their lives. Give them a false hope of survival. Leave a way out so they never think about perishing alongside you. Unless a day arrives when you can kill your foes without losing a single ally, do not forget these words.>
*Crrraackckk*
Zyrus’s words were right on time as the natives retreated from the other gate. They valiantly took the players' attacks because there was hope for their family to survive.
But he knew that this was just a fa?ade. The emotions they showcased were nothing but a mockery to life. No matter how realistic they acted, puppets would always be puppets.
Zyrus zoomed in on the hundreds of natives who were fleeing like ants. He wouldn’t be so cruel against any other opponents because first and foremost, he wasn’t a psychopath that enjoyed needless killing.
People were the biggest asset of any kingdom. No sane conqueror would mistreat them for short-term gains. He understood that using force was bound to create the seeds of rebellion. Winning their hearts was the key factor, even if it was achieved via manipulation.
‘But none of that is relevant here,’
The natives couldn’t really die even if they wanted to. Capturing them was dangerous because they were ticking time bombs– quite literally.
Thus, the conditions for victory were simple.
*Booooooom*
*Shuuaaa*
Thousands of spells detonated in an instant. Even the natural laws of metal were rendered useless in front of the vast surge of mana.
Fireballs, icicles, wind blades, mud field…every spell imaginable was used on the fleeing natives. The lucky few that survived the onslaught of mana were killed off by the Specter scorpions and the goblin riders.
[Congratulations! You have conquered an enemy space]
[Defend for half an hour to occupy this space]
[Enemy king has been given the priority in using a turn]
[They have forfeited their right]
‘Oh, they’re being cautious huh….’
Zyrus rubbed his chin as he thought over the possibilities. Things would be more difficult if the enemy took their time analyzing his troops.
But it wasn’t like he had no countermeasures against it.
‘Since they want to see my cards, then I’ll just show them,’
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