Book 2-4.3 First Campaign
At a location approximately one day’s distance from the Large Oasis, the large armies of Pareia and Shuarei were moving closer to each other.
There are no infantry in desert war. Everybody rides a pirma.
In the continent, they call the soldiers who ride horses the cavalry, and they are considered a very important part of the army. But in the desert, man or woman, young or old, everybody has their own pirma. Because there were enough pirmas that people with many pirmas could even have up to ten pirmas, learning to ride a pirma was basic knowledge and everybody used them for war.
You could almost call this gathering of approximately 40,000 pirma riding warriors in this wide desert a parade. Other than the last few years, these two tribes had always been at war, but a large scale battle like this had not occurred since the war about 10 years ago.
Since Yulian’s official title was that of the Commanding Officer, he was looking out to them from the center of the formation. However, the majority of the orders were issued by the Greatest Warriors. Yulian listened carefully to their orders and asked questions regarding their commands to learn and remember the ways of the commander.
“Glow, I’m sure the Glow has thought a lot about it, but you do understand that thinking about it and experiencing it first hand are extremely different?”
Yulian nodded his head at Egane’s words.
“War is something that is more different than what I just said. Especially in a situation like this where over 10,000 warriors are facing off against each other, it will become a complete mess similar to the Fiery Hell that Neo Latin-nim has described. I’m sure you have imagined and can understand blood flying, but watching flesh being flung away and internal organs flying around, that’s something you can’t understand until you see it for yourself. It’s even possible for your enemy’s brain or eyeball to end up in your mouth as you fight without having a moment to think.”
“You are trying to scare me quite a bit.”
As Yulian put on a faint smile and answered, Egane shook his head and continued on.
“That is not what I am trying to do. I am just telling you to solidify your heart. No matter the warrior, after their first battle, they grow restless. It is the job of the veteran warriors to help calm them down. Even though around 1,000 of our warriors are heading into their first battle as well, the Glow calmly being here will give them a great boost.”
Egane looked toward Yulian as if he was concerned.
War had a magic power that tends to make people go crazy. This is not a question of strong or weak, talented or not. Even if you firmly set your resolves, war can make you go crazy.
Egane had mentioned all of this because he was fearful that Yulian would end up chaotic during the battle.
“Do not worry. I have firmly calmed my heart. You must be worried that if I show fear, the other warriors will show fear as well.”
“I am not too worried, but it is the old man in me coming out.”
“It is a war we cannot avoid. In that case, we might as well do it properly and do it well. If war is where blood splatters and flesh is flung, then I need to make sure that I am the one slashing the enemy’s flesh and spurting their blood.”
Egane nodded internally at Yulian’s words and let out a sigh of relief. Having that type of mentality was actually better. If your heart becomes weak, or your mind gets clouded and you start to enjoy slashing people rather than fearing it, it will become a problem.
“I must have worried for nothing. But you are shaking a bit, right?”
“Hahaha~! To be honest, I am. I am not afraid, but I am indeed shaking a bit.”
“That is normal and good. Being too calm or too frazzled when the enemy attacks are both bad. The right amount of concern with the right amount of confidence is the best.”
“I will take heed of your words.”
While Yulian and Egane were talking, the 20,000 warriors on both side stopped 500m in front of each other, as if they had made a deal to do so. They then started to fix up their formation.
“In regards to our formation, as we mentioned before, 15,000 warriors will get in the Triangle formation. You know about this formation I presume?”
“It is used for a safe progression, and has fast movement speed and overwhelming ability to adapt to changes.”
“Yes, that is correct. Although it cannot pierce through as quickly as the Arrow formation, our goal is the enemy’s retreat. That is why we will start with the Triangle formation in the beginning, and then change to the T formation which can pressure the enemy back. The remaining 5,000 warriors will go left with Trebol, and will attack the enemy from behind in four lines. Just like his name, his ability to breakthrough is well-known.
Yulian asked about the Shuarei’s formation.
“It looks like the Shuarei are in the Rectangle formation. It seems like they are planning on breaking through our ranks as well.”
“It is the best formation to use. It makes it easy to change formation while in the middle of battle, and is the formation Greatest Warriors who enjoy changing things up enjoy the most. But I question whether Recharei has the abilities to properly use that formation.”
“What formation does Venersis enjoy using?”
Egane stroked his short beard with two finger before starting to draw a picture in the air.
“He likes to divide his troops as he moves. If he has 10,000 warriors, he will divide them into 3 groups of approximately 3,000, if 5,000, 3 groups of 1,500 and the remaining warriors will roam around. Although it is a dangerous formation where one of the divided groups may end up perishing, they have been trained well to the point where they will quickly change based on a single movement of his hand. If you look at its foundation, it is the basic Rectangle formation with three of them horizontally next to each other and the remaining troops moving around slowly.”
“It’s amazing.”
“I’m embarrassed to say this, but I can confidently say that there are no Greatest Warriors throughout the desert that can take on him on their own. Even if you are careful, he can instantly change from the 3 rectangles to a free-form formation before suddenly changing formation and surrounding you.”
“It must have been hard on you.”
“When our Pareia was defending against Venersis, three Greatest Warriors took their individual armies to fight against each of Venersis’s smaller formations on our own. Of course our numbers had to be greater than theirs as well. It was difficult to just defend against them.”
Even though he was the one saying it, Egane seemed to be embarrassed as he started to scratch his beard again.
“Even though he is our bitter enemy, he is a warrior deserving of respect.”
At Yulian’s words, Egane nodded his head in agreement.
“He is amazing. Honestly speaking, if he was the Greatest Warrior leading their army, I would never use a method like this of pushing forward. It is because it is Recharei that we can divide our troops into two and use a pincer attack.”
Yulian thought about it for a bit before asking.
“Won’t the enemy Greatest Warrior realize our plan? Even if Greatest Warrior Egane is confident, as a tribe’s Greatest Warrior, shouldn’t he notice at least that much?”
“We will push forward so quickly that he will not have time to realize what we are doing, as well as give him a bait that’ll take away his attention.”
“What?”
Egane laughed as he pointed at Yulian.
“Don’t we have the Glow with us? All the Glow has to do is get a feel for the battle with the Red Storm warriors from near the battlefield. How the formation changes, when and how to push forward, experience it with your own eyes from close up.”
“Are you telling me not to fight?”
Egane nodded his head.
“Today is not the day to show the Glow’s might. It is a day to see what war is like. Please do not get involved and just watch. If you consider me, the Large Spear Egane, as your mentor in war, please follow my request.”
Seeing Egane saying it so seriously, Yulian could only nod his head yes. There must be a reason for him to be saying this.
“While you are moving around, please move while wearing the traditional outfit of the Glow.”
“What?”
“I trust that you have the clothes with you.”
“Of course I brought it with me but …..”
In a war where the Glow is in the frontline, they always carried the traditional outfit of the Glow with them. It was a custom that a war the Glow was involved in meant that they were planning on taking over the enemy’s oasis, and if they successfully took over the oasis, the Glow would be courteous and put on the outfit as he went around comforting the residents of the oasis.
He recalled laughing about how Grace had meticulously thought about this custom and stuffed the Glow’s traditional outfit onto the pirma.