Day broke.

The baroness formed forces composed of 50 cavalry and 1000 infantry, and transferred the baton to Knight Ramatio.

Having a city occupied by a mere 100 orcs was humiliating, but mobilizing most of the soldiers available in the barony was also humiliating.

But since the dungeon's existence was confirmed, they had to become an army retaking Zabiyaba while also being a subjugation force that would subjugate the dungeon. Mobility was meaningless, and most of the troops were infantry with iron one-handed swords and wooden shields.

Since it was such a rear area, there were many weapons assuming territorial warfare, but no good weapons for dealing with monsters coming from dungeons. Knight Ramatio, receiving the baton from the baroness, quickly led the troops toward Zabiyaba.

"Adjutant. Have you faced orcs before?"

"No, sir."

"Normally you wouldn't. Orcs aren't mainstream monsters either. But each one is strong. Usually you need three soldiers per heavily armed orc to have a chance. Adjutant, according to reports from surviving guards, what was the orcs' armament state?"

"So embarrassingly naked you couldn't bear to look, wearing barbaric clothing that only covered their groins."

Among the refugees were guards who fled alive, and they immediately reported the enemy force composition. Judging by the orcs' quantity and quality, they were clearly a vanguard and disposable pawns.

"They're poorly equipped. And stupid too. And our soldiers number a full thousand. Adjutant, is this about quality?"

"No...."

The adjutant trailed off. Confidence was good, but most of the troops were soldiers not even properly trained. Just mobilized from farming, untrained.

"Don't worry. Our numbers are overwhelming. Why so worried? Let's go."

Knight Ramatio pulled the horse's reins to speed up the march. The troops were certainly overwhelmingly numerous, but the adjutant couldn't help being anxious.

'They don't seem like just regular orcs.'

The orcs reportedly exiled humans without killing them. Then naturally they must have some scheme, but as a squire, the adjutant wasn't in a position to offer separate opinions.

'Please let nothing happen.'

Did the goddess hear his desperate wish? They arrived at Zabiyaba far too safely.

"Fuck."

Knight Ramatio spat curses the moment he saw Zabiyaba's condition.

"Just barbaric orcs?"

The orcs were currently climbing watchtowers aiming bows at the subjugation force. Even wearing equipment almost identical to the subjugation force's.

"Are those really the Demon King's army?!"

The orcs greeted the subjugation force fully armed with human weapons.

***

"Hehehe, they're properly flustered."

I can't see directly with my eyes. But through simple hand signals sent by orcs in the watchtowers, I could clearly tell how enemy forces were moving.

"Enemy cavalry 50. Troops...roughly a thousand? They don't look like elite soldiers."

"More than I thought."

I thought they'd bring at most five hundred, but they dispatched more soldiers than expected. But there was absolutely no problem. If those forces would become enemies later anyway, fighting right now posed no problem whatsoever.

"Watch carefully."

I drew a battlefield map using tree branches and pebbles on a mat spread wide on the ground. My subordinates could roughly recognize our Ras Vegas at a glance.

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Currently, the enemy's position (★) was to our north. We (☆) watched the situation from the city center to respond to either side. The structure had a river (∬) to the west and the main gate (△) to the south.

"Arthur, think about how many ways the enemy can conduct a siege."

"...Simply attacking the southern main gate, using ladders to climb over the northern fence if they have equipment, and third, coming up the river."

"Right. Neither choice is easy. Our forces to stop them are limited."

To check the enemy, 30 at the watchtowers, 40 at the main gate, 20 at the riverside.

Thus, not even 10 remained at the park. Depending on what choice the enemy leader made, my troop deployment had to change in real-time.

"But Arthur, would the enemy bring ladders to climb over a fence just a few meters high?"

"No. They probably came in light armor to retake the city as quickly as possible."

"Right. Then Arthur, would they swim across that deep river?"

"...Isn't it possible? If they float planks to land, the current is sufficient for that. If they advance with arrow shields in front, nothing's stopping them from crossing."

As Arthur said, the river was calm. If I were conducting a siege, it was perfect current to entrust myself to the river at night and land where the waterwheel was.

"Right. But that's when the siege is difficult. But like now, when the troop difference is overwhelmingly different?"

"...From the front?"

"Normally, yes."

I could clearly hear cavalry going out to scout beyond the fence. I instructed the orcs not to waste arrows, and thanks to that, the enemy very easily confirmed the orcs in the watchtowers and returned.

"Lune, which side are enemy forces at now?"

"Beyond the fence opposite the main gate."

"If the commander's calm, he'll siege the main gate, and if he's impatient, he'll take to the river. Heh, either's fine. Being pushed in quantity can be covered with quality and tactics."

For that, I deliberately opened a portal to Ras Village, right in front of my dungeon. Residents were currently gathered at the government office, and I'd finished all siege warfare preparations. I grabbed drumsticks rolled with string at the end.

Boom boom boom boom boom boom!

Drum sounds echoed everywhere. I didn't activate my tattoo while drumming lest troop positions be discovered. Just morale-boosting encouragement to raise battle excitement.

Boom boom boom boom!

Uwaaaah!!

As if answering my drumming, the human horde fired roars toward the fence. Their throats must've hurt considerably from shouting, and I beat the drum harder.

Boom boom boom boom boom boom!

Uwaaaaaaah!!!

My drumming and the humans' roars had become a battle of spirits. And I added the final beat.

"Waiting!"

Boom boom boom boom boom!

Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!

"End!"

I didn't beat the drum anymore after that. Roars filled with spite echoed through all of Ras Vegas, and I applauded their roars in amazement.

"Impressive."

"Master, didn't we lose the morale battle?"

"But I injured the enemy's throats. Hehe."

Plus put them in rage and excitement states. As soon as the drumming ended, murmuring sounds were heard. The humans seemed quite excited having won at shouting in pre-battle against orcs.

"Well, I made them move first, but how will they move...?"

Flutter!!

A flag started fluttering from the riverside. The flag of some blanket hung on a spear shaft for lack of cloth was a signal reporting enemy movement.

"Coming by river? Heh, perfect."

They must be quite impatient bastards. I grabbed one of the socks hanging abundantly from my waist. Socks looted from empty houses were too worn to wear, but were the best items for "use and discard" in this situation.

"The river will be dyed blood red."

Corpses would float around. I led my subordinates toward the riverside.

Rummmble!!

The ground shook and sounds of humans advancing were heard. The fence didn't simply end at the riverside but curved in a ∩ shape at the end, so they couldn't just enter. Therefore, if they came by river, it was actually easier to deal with.

"Just need to crush them before they land!"

I arrived at the riverside. And I could meet the enemy vanguard faster than expected. Though deep enough to submerge to the neck for walking people, the story was definitely different if riding horses.

"Crazy bastards are coming up the river on horses?!"

Neighhhh---!!

The cavalry's speed coming down the water was almost like running on land. They seemed to use the pushing force of the current to accelerate their bodies, and already got close enough to see faces from the riverside where we stood.

"These bastards taking people for idiots!!"

Their number was 50. They seemed to have brought all cavalry, and at the front stood a middle-aged knight with a fluttering mustache holding a spear. The cavalry he led looked ready to kick off the ground and land diagonally on the riverside.

"Uhahaha! I've lived only on this land for decades---!!"

The old knight who didn't even reveal his name shouted boldly. I spun the leather strap tied to the ankle of socks tied to my belt. The knight flinched in surprise at my action.

"St-stop!!"

"Too late, you bastards!! Everyone prepare slings!!"

The socks contained stone chunks as heavy as two human fists. Some had whole stone chunks, others had stone fragments. Not just socks but slings made by tying Andras feathers like thread to worn rags or cloth scraps were tied to all orcs' belts, not just mine.

"When David defeated Goliath, he also first struck with this!"

Whoooosh---

Orcs simultaneously started spinning strings. Threatening sounds rang out and stones gained acceleration, and orcs waited for my order to drop.

"St-stop--!! Run full speed---!!"

The knight's judgment was faster than expected. Since they couldn't go against the current or charge head-on, the decision to drift downstream was not bad.

But they'd still take damage. I stepped my leg forward and brought my hand behind.

"Sling-----!!"

I released the string toward the front. Thanks to knots made by Ras Vegas residents, the string didn't fall midway, and the sock with stone flew precisely toward the knight's helmet.

"Ugh!!"

The knight hurriedly lowered his head dodging the stone throw. But one light-armored cavalryman following behind took a stone chunk to his leather breastplate.

"Khuk!"

The cavalryman grabbed his chest and collapsed forward. Not letting go of the reins despite taking my sling was commendable, but unfortunately, flying rocks weren't just one.

Thwack thwack thwack!

Easily over twenty orcs threw stone slings randomly. After throwing one, they immediately untied strings from their waists to attempt second slings. Rather than half-assedly using bows, throwing like this had much higher accuracy.

Splash, splash! Wham! Neighhhh!!

Sounds of falling in water, hitting people, hitting horses—really various sounds rang out. Thanks to leather armor, impact would be mitigated, but completely avoiding slings thrown with intent to kill was impossible.

Swoooosh--

But horses also quickly crossed our defensive line following the current according to survival instinct. Orcs standing in watchtowers threw stones along the riverside, but the knight escaped like an arrow with cavalry. Only about ten cavalrymen lagging at the rear took stones to heads or chests and floated down the river.

"Ah, damn."

They dodged that. I deliberately threw lightly holding back strength lest strings break, and it was too easy to dodge. I reflected on myself and recovered cavalrymen's corpses flowing into the riverside.

"Damn. Lune, how many drifted down?"

"Seven. Don't know if they're dead or alive."

"Tsk. Then assuming alive, really only ten."

Killed too few for a surprise attack. I thought we could kill at least half, but looking closely, half were guys I hit in vital spots with stone throwing.

Shlorp!

I drove a looted dagger into cavalrymen's hearts. Cavalrymen vomited blood along with river water, and other orcs also confirmed kills following me.

"Tsk, really disappointing...hm?"

Aaaaah!!

Screams of humans were heard from afar. Checking beyond the riverside, it was screams of humans hurriedly trying to flee beyond the river seeing the cavalry's retreat.

"What, there were more behind too?"

We still had plenty of stone slings left. I shouted to my subordinates.

"Throw stones right now---!! Don't leave a single one, all of them---!!"

Dozens of stone slings flew in arcs toward the river.

In the opening battle, the subjugation force's riverside landing attempt failed.

Ras army's casualties were zero.

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