Second World

John stopped the guards from attacking, but he asked them to keep the ethereal at a safe distance. Wease had the assassin class. He might have used the class' speed and the invisibility from Vanish to sneak here.

John didn't think the enemy send only one person to take out their command post. He had a few scouts near the command post make another sweep to check if there were other enemies nearby.

As for the lone ethereal, John called out to him, "You have half a minute to deliver the message. After that, you will be executed."

Wease seemed to be fully aware of his possible demise. He was wearing an amulet of rebirth on him.

"Here," Wease took something out. It was a circular plate.

"What is that? Is it a bomb?" John asked.

"Does it look like a bomb?" Wease asked back.

"I don't know. Does everything look like anything in this frigging game world?"

"I'm going to put this on the ground and activate it," Wease decided to not waste his precious half-minute by arguing pointlessly.

"Why do you want to activate it? Is it a bomb?" John asked again.

"For f*ck sake! It's not a bomb…!!!" Wease yelled. "It's an image transmission device that allowed a projection from a distant place. My leader wants to talk to you?"

"Your leader? Master is fighting up there. I know you are lying to me. It is a bomb!"

Wease's face went red in annoyance. He decided to not say anything further and just activated the device.

John sent the order to attack. Wease was quickly killed by a barrage of attacks, but he had activated the circular plate on the ground. A holographic image of a woman appeared above the plate.

"Oh, it is truly a transmission device. I guess I owe that player an apology," John said nonchalantly, but he then turned tense when he noticed that he recognized the woman in the projection.

"You…!" He exclaimed. "You are the one controlling the Liguritudum army? It's no wonder…"

"How are you doing?" Linda asked.

"I'm doing swell," John answered.

"Doesn't look that well from what I'm seeing."

"The battle has not yet ended. Aren't it a bit too early for you to come to gloat?"

"I am not gloating. I'm offering you a chance to come over and join me."

"Hahaha, very funny. I am a leader here. Why do I want to go over there and be someone's lapdog?"

"It's better being a lapdog but well fed than being a leader but poor."

"Let's agree to disagree."

"I'm serious here. I'm throwing you a lifeline. You can be my second here. All we have to answer to is only Master. When this world is his, we will have a say in this world."

"You mean as long as we please him. What happened if we displease him?"

"Then we don't displease him."

"Hahaha. Do you truly forget whom you are talking to? Can you imagine me in his court and not doing or saying something that displeases him? Do you seriously think that is possible?"

Linda was silent upon the question. After a while, she said, "You are not a true leader, whether in your guild or your country. You also serve someone. Why waste your time serving losers when you can serve a God?"

"Oh? These losers that you mentioned let me do whatever the hell I want. Do you think your God will give me the same privilege? I bet you can't even shit without his say-so."

Linda was irritated. She knew talking with John wasn't easy.

"Okay, tell you what. If you tell me how you caught my army by surprise, I will consider your offer," John said.

"Really?"

"I want to know how I get bested," John said.

"… All right. From the time the Hydrurond army stopped roaming around checking for allies and instead marched straight in a direction, I know you are up to something. All I need to do is find a location along that direction where you are most likely to place an ambush."

"So, you already expected me to place an ambush here?"

"The terrains around this Daboga Marshland are the most ideal place. It has a natural barrier that forces an army to go through a choke point. It is a holy grail for strategists. No way you will ignore such a perfect place. After determining where you will take action, it is easy for me to make a counter plan, like sending a small team with fast steeds in advance to lay some traps."

"Hm… I admit I have been had. If only I know you are at the opponent's side."

"What is the first thing I taught you about strategy?"

John shrugged. "Knows your opponent."

Linda nodded. "You have grown too lenient from the few victories after arriving in this world. All you have warred against are opponents who are forthright in their war plans. You are still assuming the same in this battle. You should have used all your resources to find out who is the one making the plans for the enemy, then only can you react accordingly. Without knowing, I am in the dark while you are in the light. It is only natural that you lost."

"My ears are hot from all this lecture. You should come and meet an old man we have here. His name is Domon. I bet you two will get along quite nicely."

"That brute who only knows how to fight? Oh, please. You know I despise such a person."

"Now then, tell me how your army can cross into this plain without going through the road along the cliffs. Even if you know I lay an ambush here, it doesn't explain how you do that."

"It's quite simple. The problem with the marshland is its high-level monsters. We have a unique-grade consumable that drives away monsters in a large vicinity for a few hours, even against high-level ones. We picked a part of the marshland where its span is the narrowest and use that consumable. We then walked straight through the marshland."

"Damn… That's cheating," John uttered.

"Why is it a cheat? If you don't know the existence of such a tool, then it's your fault. When firearms first entered a war, is it a cheat? When planes are first used for war, is it a cheat? The losers of those wars might think so, but historians will simply consider the winners as more advanced and prepared. It is the same case here. We are simply more prepared and more knowledgeable than your side."

"Whatever you say, mom," John said.