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[2 hours after news of war],[Dimorth Kingdom’s Throne Room]

Sitting on my throne,I was hurriedly reading the recent reports…

Thankfully the [Hunters] that informed me of the enemies also sent people to recall everyone outside back to the town,which means I dont have to worry about not being able to utilize my entire population to defend.

Immediately after receiving the news, I sent a few scouts to observe our enemy’s precise numbers,equipment etc,and they just returned,hence me reading their report right now.

Apparently,our enemies are approaching from the south,currently around 6km away from [Dimorth Town],which means their ETA of arrival is in 1 hour.

Their army numbers around 1250,which means we’re facing a combined force of [Kobold Federation] and [Oldmoor Tribes],which was further confirmed by a window appearing an hour ago:

War Event: [Dimorth Kingdom] - [Kobold Federation],[Oldmoor Tribes]Mission Difficulty:A+Success Conditions:Failure Conditions:Kill 90% of enemies OR Negotiate Peace OR [Dimorth Town] under enemy control OR 90% population deadSuccess Consequences:Base Reward:,,2000 CPLeader Bonus:UnknownFailure Consequences:GAME OVER

As for the make-up of the enemy soldiers, around 65% are lighly-armored [Kobolds],with the remaining 35% consisting of 15 [Ogres], five dozen or so [Trolls] and around 100 heavily-armored orcish wolf riders, with each commanding additional three similiarly wolf-riding [Goblins].

Despite the fact that [Ogres] are the strongest individually,the army commander is supposedly a [Troll],which honestly doesnt surprise me at all...well I’ll make sure to kill him this time.

Their total estimated combat strength is 650 [SUR]

On our side,we have my hastily rallied defensive army consisting of 296 [Humans],including myself,consisting of:

-5 Academy elders,25 inner,47 outer disciples(Averages of 1,4,1,29,1,17 [SUR] respectively)

-76 [Hunters],[Warriors] and [Archers],averaging 1,2 [SUR]

-142 either classless or with non-combat oriented classes,averaging 0,96 [SUR]

As for why the information is so precise on our side,its because we kept track of each individual’s [CPR] rating,updating the data every month.

Anyways,the estimated military value is 323 [SUR[,less than half of our opponent’s.We are outnumbered more than 4 to 1 though...thankfully we have walls,and with our stockpiles of food,water as well as bows and arrows we should be able to somehow survive a siege.

Lets just hope they don’t have effective siege weapons…

Our combat plan involves mainly static-defense along the walls,under the leadership of myself and academy elders...I’m not a brilliant strategist after all…

Valuable time quickly passes...

[Around Noon,Day 5,Month 10 of 100 DC]

I’m standing on top of [Dimorth Town]’s [Southern Gate],looking towards the horizon…

What would normally be a peaceful-looking mountain-valley scenery is now disturbed by an enormous army standing around 1km from the town...the hour is nearing.

Suddenly,a goblin walks from within enemy ranks,carrying a parchment.As it’s obvious that he’s not a danger but rather some kind of messenger, I tell the archers to hold their fire for now,after all its only a single goblin.

When he gets around 50m close to the walls,he abruptly stops,takes a deep breath and announces:

Goblin Messenger - Ma Lard overz ya e altenatuum - carrander ar di-

His shout is interrupted by an arrow piercing his neck...as it was obvious the enemies weren’t going to negotiate,there’s no real need to spare a messenger...one less goblin may decide victory after all,we never know.

Suddenly the entire area is silent with the only audible sound being the goblin’s corpse slowly falling onto the ground...the silence didnt last long though-

A familiar-looking Troll suddenly appears:

[Troll Voodoo Shaman] - Urgakh zand indrush zer! Gardioz noruk sar! TORESH PORSH!

Enemy army - PORSH PORSH! PORSH PORSH! PORSH PORSH!

As it was obvious that they were yelling something similar to “Kill Kill”,we raised our weapons...it begins.

The swarm of ogres,trolls,orcs,kobolds and goblins began charging straight at us...i know they’re not that intelligent,but...a frontal assault?Seriously?

The kobolds were running with ladders,while the ogres carried large boulders..orcs and goblins dismounted the wolves and sent them forward together with kobolds,themselves forming phalanx-like formations,slowly advancing forward while covered with their large shields.Trolls,together with the army commander started chanting,a giant circle suddenly appearing on the ground…

The first ranks of kobolds died from arrows,but for every one that fell,ten would advance forward.They swarmed the wall’s vicinity and utilized their ladders...they were more like small wooden bridges though.Why use something like this?The answer quickly came-hundreds of wolves charged forward!

Some “ladders” were pushed back onto the ground,killing and wounding dozens of enemies,but the majority held.Defenders switched to spears to keep the wolves at bay-

[BOOM]

A fiery explosion filled the sky,blinding many, on our and their side alike...the wolves’s recovery time was the shortest though,as they relied mainly on senses other than sight.

As the sky returned to normal,they were already on the walls,quickly gaining ground.

This was,however not what caught my attention...in the middle of the now non-existent circle,surrounded by corpses of dozens of trolls was a giant creature,about 8m in height,with a huge red eye in the middle of his forehead…

[Boss-class monster,Red-Eye Cyclops has appeared]

Just at this moment,the now around-dozen Ogres arrived at the city walls.They threw their boulders at the city gate,on which cracks started to appear,and then charged straight at it,hitting it with their hands.

As I realized that its now or never,as the defense was crumbling on all sides,I raised my spear and released all the Sacred Wind energy that I’ve been storing in it all this time.

A brilliant light filled the area,and in a circle around 50m from my position(I was standing on top of the gate), all enemies were pushed back a few feet,which in some cases caused them to fall down the walls,while also receiving slash wounds.On the contrary,those that i deemed allies had their wounds slowly mend and their energy return.The light gradually started to dim down-

A red beam of light suddenly flew in my direction...by pure reflex,I evaded to the right,as the energy pierced the tower wall behind me,passing right through it and exploding on the streets.

I looked towards the beam’s source,and there it was the [Red-Eye Cyclops],except now its previously bright-red eye was dim.

Not having any more time to spare,I quickly rushed into melee,fighting kobolds and wolves,as the orcs and goblins didnt enter the walls yet,at least to my knowledge.

…

As my 22nd opponent fell,I glanced around...and to my utter shock,[Trolls],[Orcs] and [Goblins] were starting to swarm the streets….I glanced at the town gate...it was still intact but...open.

Quckly making my decision-

Eldrith - RETREAT TO THE INNER WALLS!

As much as I wanted to keep fighting,the outer walls were already lost to the sheer amount of enemies.As my troops ran away, I tried my utmost to act as their rearguard, to limit the casualties.

Only when the majority already left did I finally disengage,covered in multiple,shallow and deep wounds...without afterimages and the movement technique I would’ve already died.

During the entire fight,the red “laser” was fired at me twice,fortunately it didnt hit,as it was just a bit too slow.As I was retreating to the “castle”,I felt a familiar mana disturbance to my right…

I quickly evaded to the left,as the darkness-covered fist hit my mirror image.Not even looking back,I ran even faster than before,only hearing the angry troll growl behind me,deciding not to give chase,this area was already covered by my soldier’s ranged weapons after all.

As i entered the castle, the gate behind me quickly shut,just in time to block yet another laser beam.People inside were clearly tired,covered by wounds and bruises,some even missing limbs,others lying almost dead in a pool of blood,owing their life to their comrades that risked life to take their strength-less bodies with them…

Overall,the atmosphere this place gave off was an atmosphere of death,decay and defeat…My own mana pool was almost empty,which didnt stop me from trying to heal the wounded...as my energy completely emptied,I willed myself to still somehow pull out more...and more…

Energy Center(Mana)(Passive)Capacity: 0/1416 ManaThe Energy Center is a normally-hidden reservoir of energy located at the Dantian area.The affinity cap is raised to 20%.Allows purification of mana in order to refine it into Qi.

I, however didnt hear nor see the window before me,directly falling onto the ground, exhausted.

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[Some time later]

[BOOM]

…..

..up-...d

….

[BOOM]

….

wa.e..u.-lo.d!

[BOOM]

As the last explosion reverberated through my head,I finally started regaining

consciousness...as i opened my eyes,the first thing i noticed was a tingling feeling of energy that I’ve never felt before...noticing the still opened notification I forced myself to read it…

A nearby soldier noticed me waking up-

Random Soldier - THE LORD IS ALIVE!

Only after hearing the shout did I come back to my senses...thats right,we were in a middle of a siege...I looked around...I saw my people desperately fighting orcs, someone thrusting a spear into an ogre head,someone else desperately holding off three goblins...someone’s head getting crushed by a club…

Was this the end?...Did I come back just to see my people dying?...no…NO

Suddenly,I felt my aura expand...5...20m….soon,the divine-like aura covered the entire inner castle...then it happened...a goblin started screaming,followed by an orc...finally,the ogres also screamed...my people were stupified by the light,shocked by their wounds quickly healing and the enemies screaming…

One voice was louder than all others…

An ogre - HUMAN?WAT? WHERE BE ME?W’ERE IS DA TROL…

The ogre’s complexion turned incomparably ugly and he roared:

TRUSH KAVOSH ANDOR!!TRUSH...PORSH!!

All the enemies looked at him,their expressions showing just how stupified they were...but they soon turned angry as well…

TRUSH!!PORSH!!

Hundreds of bellows echoed through the ruined town…

The defenders,shocked,stopped attacking...because the shouts were not aimed at them...nor were they directed at me...they were all targetting a lone troll figure in the distance…

The [Troll Voodoo Shaman].

At this moment,the dark shroud around his body has already started dissipating,his body gradually turning old...his eyes revealed shock,fury,helplessness,finally followed by fear...the troll turned and tried to run…

I quicky catched up,and hit him with the back of my fist…

He didnt dodge...or rather,couldnt.

thwack

The [Troll Voodoo Shaman]’s unconconscious body fell onto the ground..I picked it up and threw it at the ogre.

Describing the whole situation took many words,but in reality,less than 10 seconds passed between the boundless light appearing and the present moment.

The ogre looked at me,his eyes revealing mixed emotions...I knew he didnt blame me for what happened though...and in this moment i realized- neither did I...it was all that damned troll!As i glanced at him...

His body was now a shadow of its former self,horribly mutilated by wounds all over, he looked as if he was incomparably old….If i didnt know him before,I would’ve looked at him with compassion...now I knew better though.

The ogres,a few surviving trolls,orcs,goblins,kobolds and humans all looked at him hatefully.

At the end of the day, one thing was certain-he would not be given a swift,clean death.

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[1 week later,Day 12,Month 10 of 100 DC]

Ogres and orcs decided to stay in our town...the losses on both sides were just too great,and as they didn’t actually feel any hatred towards us,and neither did my people...with no families to return to,as well as ashamed of being controlled by the troll,they felt that joining our town was what they should do.

As for the goblins(along with wolves,as they were tamed by them),kobolds and the few remaining trolls,they all left.The first two felt that they wouldn’t be accepted by humans and viewed as inferior...as for trolls,their reasoning was that they would be endlessly blamed for what their shaman did.

Altogether,only 182 [Humans],7 [Ogres] and 62 [Orcs] lived to see the next dawn after what came to be known as either the [Miracle of Dimorth] or [Dimorth’s Shame],for humans and ogres/orcs respectively.

Out of the academy’s members,all elders have died,but as for disciples,the losses were not that great - 17 inner and 37 outer disciples survived.The ones with most accomplishments were appointed [Elders],while the empty spots were filled by ogres and orcs,they needed to be represented as well,after all.

Oh,by the way,did I mention why is the battle called a [Miracle]?Well,those are the screens that appeared after the troll’s death:

Battle Conclusion: VictoryCodex Entries Acquired: Kobolds,Goblins,Ogres,Orcs,TrollsYour nation gains combat experienceYour nation now believes in the [Divine Wind]Allies:Enemies:Dead: 180 Injured: 181 (NPC), EldrithDead: 504 [Kobolds],108 [Goblins], [8 Ogres], 38 [Orcs], 44 [Trolls], 214 [Gray Wolves]

War Event: [Dimorth Kingdom] - [Kobold Federation],[Oldmoor Tribes]Objectives:Put a stop to [Troll Voodoo Shaman]'s mind control (Hidden) - SuccessMission Rewards:Base Reward: Ogres and Orcs join your nation(Hidden), Indomitable(National Trait), 2000 CPLeader Reward: 2000 PP, Basic Language Profficiency(Ogre,Orc)

Divine Wind ReligionReligion type:PantheismSpiritual Representation:Requires more faith energyPrinciples:Belief:Belief Value(of total):The [Divine Wind] element is the purest manifestation of the Divine50%Everything is Divine and Divine is Everything50%Believers Attribute Bonus:Attribute:Bonus Value(of total):Vitality Growth:25%Intelligence Growth:30%Agility Growth:30%Strength Growth:15%

Apparently i was unanimously chosen as the religion head(Chosen of Divine Wind)...which isnt that surprising honestly…but I got an upgrade out of it: