Dawn Architect

Chapter 73: Big Obtacle

"Hmm, as always, bringing shocking information."

"..."

"Actually, most of what you said we already knew. I don't know how you were so quick, but there are new things in your report, so I'll keep that in mind since it's not something that can be ignored."

Now that I have the trust of the highest authority in the kingdom, everything is easier. Once Hayato received my information, he took it seriously and adjusted the plans accordingly.

The first campaign was against the ogres, where there were about 5,000 enemies. We started with a siege. The soldiers, lined up in formation, began firing the magic cannons.

Though crude in appearance, these cannons possessed the destructive power of a five-star warrior. The thunder of the shots echoed through the air, and smoke rose in dark clouds as the projectiles struck the walls of the ogre fortress.

After more than 15 minutes of intense gunfire, a breach was finally made in the wall. The fortress, which had initially proved surprisingly resilient thanks to the demonic spells protecting it, began to shake.

With the walls now down, the soldiers advanced with determination. Surprisingly, Hayato, the leader of the army, led the charge. Although his action was dangerous, it was necessary to boost the morale of the troops.

The sight of their leader at the front, sword in hand, instilled courage in the hearts of the soldiers. As expected, morale soared and the 50,000 soldiers easily overwhelmed the 5,000 ogres.

The fortress, despite its small garrison, was conquered with only a few casualties in our ranks. Hayato, along with the elite, personally took on the five-star orc leader, a confrontation that sealed our victory for good.

After conquering it, the battles continued for a few days everything went smoothly until we reached halfway into a canyon that was in the way and was the only way for an army of this size to reach the rift.

The scouts reported that there were many monsters at the exit of the canyon, in a siege and makeshift fortress, which put us in a difficult situation. We could go straight ahead applying pressure, but that would require the sacrifice of thousands of soldiers and is a situation that will put us in a tight spot.

The canyon was a narrow, winding gorge, with rock walls rising on both sides, creating a natural funnel that facilitated defense. The echoes of our army's footsteps echoed off the rock walls, amplifying the sense of enclosure and vulnerability. The long shadows cast by the high canyon walls seemed to move with a life of their own, creating an oppressive and tension-laden atmosphere.

As we approached the exit of the canyon, the vision of the makeshift fortress became clearer. It was constructed of large logs and rocks, fortified with barricades and defensive traps.

The monsters were moving restlessly inside the fortress, preparing for the inevitable confrontation. We could see ogres and other demonic beings sharpening their weapons and reinforcing their defenses.

The passage through the canyon was so narrow that no more than fifty soldiers could advance in formation at a time. This meant that any frontal advance would become a bottleneck, where our soldiers would be exposed to intense crossfire and ambushes from the heights.

In addition, the makeshift fortress was strategically positioned to maximize damage to our forces as we tried to get out of the canyon.

The situation was difficult. We knew tha a direct assault would result in huge casualties. Lower-ranking soldiers, those with no special skills or little training, would be the first to fall. Even if we placed our elite units at the front, the human cost would be immense and would leave us weakened for subsequent engagements.

We were at a crossroads. We needed a sound and viable strategy to overcome this natural barrier and enemy strength without compromising the integrity of our army.

...

In a strategy meeting with the Shogun and power figures within the army, they were discussing what to do and which part of the army we should command first.

The discussion continued while I was analyzing everything I could. I looked at the map on the table and noticed a river northwest of the location of the fortress at the end of the canyon.

I wondered if it was feasible to use it in any way. There was no sign of rain to cause an overflow and there were no mages or water magic strong enough to purposely provoke it, but I had to see the terrain to assess if some other strategy was possible.

Before I could give my opinion, the Shogun silenced everyone and began to speak authoritatively.

"We can't use the soldiers as cannon fodder. We need solid, workable ideas."

"But Shogun-sama , this is the only way and the canyon is narrow. No more than 50 soldiers can go through it at a time. If we put the elite in front, we'll be losing war power anyway. It's better to sacrifice the unranked and one-stars to invade their fortress," replied one of the Daimyo, in charge of part of the army.

"we can also put some mercenaries, so as not to sacrifice our soldiers," suggested another person, ignoring the fact that I am one, also note that the person to whom the blood moon guys are subordinate was Daimyo Nero who was also a five star like Hayato, and had the support of the temple to be the leader of this raid, but in the end it didn't happen.

"no, the mercenaries are not fools, if we ask something like that we are looking for an internal revolt." Replied Kuro Hayato's right hand man and also a Daimyo.

The discussion continues with the scoop that a part of the army had to be sacrificed to overthrow the fortress.

"since it is improvised, if we provide some magic bombs, we can destroy it if someone manages to get there," added another, his tone anxious but full of uncertainty.

"Hey, have you lost your mind? If they explode before we get there, we'll only be hurting ourselves," someone else interjected, the tension in the room rising with every word.

"Do you have a better idea?" was the response that echoed, underscoring the general frustration.

"Magic bombs?" I exclaimed as I noticed the new variable discussed.