4/5

The 7th Army Corps vs the Multiple King Alliance battle occurred at exactly mid-day.

The opponents numbers are 10000.

If we fight them directly there's no chance of victory in the first place.

The veteran manticore Kushana advises me.

“We should launch a night attack here shouldn't we?”

No, I shake my head.

“Humans are used to battle with the Maou Army. The preparations for the battlefield should have been adequately done. There should be magicians that use 《Illumination》Lightand《Detection》Searchexpertly.”

“That's true.”

Kushana agrees.

“In addition, we have a large number of people too. The enemy army should have completely grasped our movements. They're probably on alert and lying in wait.”

I mutter my prediction, but that prediction proves correct.

There's a report from Lilith who I sent out as a scout.

“Ike-sama, as expected the enemy army has completely grasped our movements.”

They're coming to attack in this kind of battle formation.

So she appends.

The shape of the battle formation Lilith shows is U shaped.

“I see, the crane wing formation.”

“Crane wing formation?”

“The crane wing formation is formation to encircle the enemy.”

“Is it a strong formation?”

“Well yea, it's the basics of basics of war.”

“……that's troubling.”

As expected even Lilith speaks quietly.

Due to seeing ten thousand troops nearby I suppose, she became a little timid.

It's not to relieve her, but I explain that formation's weak point.

“The crane wing formation is powerful. That they're using that means that the enemy commander is not incompetent. However, this formation has a weak point.”

“A weak point?”

“Ahh, the crane wing formation must become U shaped. This formation's strong point is encircling a small number of enemies and easily annihilating them.”

“……a small number, that's our 7th Army Corps isn't it. Our army corps' numbers are 2000 soldiers. At this rate it will be as the enemy expects won't it?”

“Like I said there's a weak point. This formation is for encircling the opponent, so inevitably the U's bottom portion will become thin.”

“I see, if you deploy soldiers uniformly it'll turn out like that. However, how is that and the weak point connected?”

“In other words this. If you pierce the U's bottom portion, the enemy will be split in two.”

Even though she heard that, Lilith frowns.

As expected this girl isn't the ingenuity type leader, it seems she's a military power type.

“Good grief”, the aged manticore Kushana supplements.

“In other words, Ike-dono is saying that he'll pierce the bottom of the U, split the enemy in two, throw them into chaos, and defeat each of the enemy army that was divided in two.”

Hearing Kushana's supplement, Lilith at last, “I see” and claps.

“That's our brigade, the Undead Brigade's duty, right.”

Kushana who heard that knit his brows. And as he turns to me, with a solemn expression he asks me.

“However, even if we pierce the the bottom of the enemy army, is just Ike-dono's brigade alright? Ike-dono's brigade's numbers are 500, even if it's temporary, you'll be encircled by a ten thousand enemy army.”

As for that I could only state, “It's fine”.

I've said it numerous times, but a general's timidity will be transmitted to the soldiers.

I can't show a timid att.i.tude here.

In addition, declaring as such connects to my “Own” encouragement.

Honestly, even if temporarily, stopping 10000 soldiers with just 500 soldiers, attempting to break through the center, it's something an idiot would do.

Throughout all time and places, regardless of other worlds, I've never heard of something like challenging an armed force of 10000 with just 500 soldiers.

The deed I'm going to do now, would be scorned as a foolish move from every world's famous commanders.

----however,

I think to myself, I have resolved myself.

Even with just 500 soldiers it's not something I can't do.

After all, I have the strongest weapons, the ouroboros cane I inherited from Jii-chan and the matchlock.

As I convince myself, I lead the Undead Brigade, and charge into the enemy line.

What do the enemy soldiers think, seeing a brigade of just 500 soldiers come charging I wonder.

Once again the Maou Army foolhardy warriors are thoughtlessly charging, they might be misunderstanding like that.

There are those kinds of places in the Maou Army.

Generals who have intellectual thoughts.

However, if they think like that, then that'll be favorable for us.

“If you're being negligent, for as much as you're negligent. If you're making light of us, for as much as you'll make light of us, I'll be thankful.”

While saying that, I straddle my favorite horse, and cut through the vanguard.

Lilith who sees that speaks.

“Undead Brigade members, follow Ike-sama!”

Together with those words, the Undead Brigade lot follow my back.

As I confirm that, I cast a giant 《Defensive Wall》Barrier magic in front.

I'm familiar with human tactics after all.

First long range firing with bows, that's their usual way.

Last time I defended with 《Wind Storm》 magic, but this time it's a regular army.

I antic.i.p.ated that they prepared the stronger magic like “Fixed Battery”Barista, and chose 《Defensive Wall》 magic.

However, barrier magic is unexpectedly difficult.

Making a protective barrier on the individual level is easy, but spread a protective barrier for the army, powerful magic power, and chanting time, in addition having a knack is necessary.

Making a giant barrier, time to concentrate is necessary.

During that time, the arrows shot by the enemy draw an arc and head here.

“……will it be in time?”

I thought like that, but it was somehow in time.

In front of me a giant barrier spread out.

A pale retina like thing spread out.

Due to that barrier, one by one the arrows shot by the humans divert their orbit.

“W-what, just what is that giant barrier? Not just bow and arrow, it's repelling even the barista?”

It seems the humans' voice can be heard all the way here.

If I could explain to them, I would answer like so.

“If it were an ordinary defensive wall, then it couldn't defend against a barista.”

Like that----.

I applied a little trick to the barrier I spread.

I didn't just spread a flat barrier, I made the barrier curved.

If I do that, the power of bows and arrows would be weakened, and their trajectory would change to a different direction.

In the case of a flat barrier that power is concentrated in a single point, and there's a chance of it being destroyed, but if it's fine to just divert it, then a sphere is very effective.

This is also influenced by my previous life's memories.

A story of the field of physics.

Among the other demons there are those that keep stronger magic power than me, but when it comes to putting magic to practical use, aren't I the greatest in the Maou Army?

----no, that's conceited, huh.

There's always someone better, if I don't think like that, someday I too might become the defeated.

As I caution myself so, Lilith the adjutant throws cold water on me.

“As expected of Ike-sama. I never thought you would magnificent magic like that. ----ah, no, naturally I thought it, but it was beyond my imagination.”

“Even if you flatter me, it'll get you nowhere.”

When I say so, she, “Che” sticks out her tongue.

The next one to call out to me is the orc staff officer Jiron.

“Boss, the gun squads have finished preparations, do you mind if they shoot already?”

Which reminds me, I completely forgot I brought this guy along to the battlefield.

Unusually, he came to make a staff officer like proposal, so I was surprised, but stick out one hand,

“Not yet, it's still early.”

and command him.

“However, the enemy army has approached that close. Those matchlocks will reach about 400 meters won't they?”

“They'll reach, but if they don't hit it's meaningless.”

The thing called a matchlock doesn't have that much a difference in power with modern guns, but it's effective range is far shorter.

If you're going to make effective use of matchlocks, then the limit of that range is at most 50 meters.

In short, if the enemy doesn't draw near, there's no meaning.

However, concerning that point, I'm not worried.

I perfectly understand the response of the enemy who's understood that bow and arrows aren't effective.

If you observe, the enemy army is approaching before our eyes.

The enemy that discerned that bow and arrow attacks were useless, seems to have immediately changed attack methods.

As far as knight orders are concerned, the strongest attack means, a lance charge.

Raising clouds of dust the knights approach.

All of them are outfitted in heavy armor.

In their hands they each carried a charing use long spear.

“amazing.”

As Jiron says that, he gulps.

Certainly, I'm admiring it too.

A charge of that scale is something you don't see very often.

If this were a scene in a movie, I'm sure it would be enjoyable, but from the point of view of the side receiving that charge, it's out of this world.

In reality, a lot of demons have lost their life due to that charge.

However, this time such a thing shouldn't happen.

No, I have no intention of imitating such a thing.

The matchlocks are for that sake.

As I once again order my subordinates, “Draw the enemy soldiers until the very limit”, I wait for the knights to come before my eyes.

In an extreme case, an established tactic is to wait until for a distance where you can hear the knights' breathing, but this is the first implementation.

I decided to shoot with a margin.

When the enemy soldiers entered within 30 meters, I swing down my right hand that's raised overhead,

“Shoot!”

and give the order.

A thunderous roar echoes in the vicinity.

In an instant, the knights tumble down.

Without exception those that were hit by the bullets like that fell on the spot, those who's horse were hit were thrust from their horse.

The moment I saw that sight, I was convinced of this battle's victory.

In place of the gun squad that had finished shooting, the next gun squad replaced them.

Sandan-uchi.

Aiming at those who were lucky and didn't get hit, the knights who merely fell from their horses, the second shot, and third shots were released.

Each time knights fell.

The horses that lost their owners neigh on the spot.

The surviving knights as well, seem to have already lost their fighting spirit.

The gallant knights who lorded over many battlefields strived to be first and began to escape.

In other words, the bottom portion of the U shaped formation collapsed.

With this my objective was accomplished.

All that's left is for the remaining brigade commanders to pincer attack the enemy army split in two.

Naturally, during that I don't plan to mess about.

Though I plan to turn to covering for my allies, take a time to take a breath was made is the truth.

From far away I look a the enemy line.

Intense pillars of fire, and being struck by lightning could be seen.

“……come to think of it, the commander was directing the right flank.”

No wonder a flashy battle is unfolding.

She's surely rapid firing forbidden cla.s.s magic.

On top of being the battle formation being split in two, the Maou Army's foremost witch is making war. No doubt the enemy is falling into a panicked situation.

“----in that case.”

As I speak, I decided to head towards the left flank.

On this side, the manticore Kushana and the werewolf Beio should be commanding.

Though the enemy is split in two, and they've fallen into a panic, for them it might numbers that are a lot to shoulder.

I who thought so order the staff officer Jiron and the adjutant Lilith.

“Let's head to cover the left flank.”

The two simultaneously nod, “Yes!”

The Undead Brigade subordinates follow after me in perfectly ordered ranks.

A few hours later, the split knight orders began to rout almost simultaneously.

Like this hereafter, being called from the Maou Army side,

“The miracle of a.r.s.enum.”

from the human side,

“The humiliation of a.r.s.enum.”

the fight ended.

In short, it was our overwhelming victory.