The Archmage’s Destruction Strategy - Chapter 108

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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#108. Procurement

Sung-jun’s proposal to advance eastward to eliminate the apocalypse-class Corrosion Entity that appeared on the American continent was conditionally adopted after intense re-discussion.

First, they would recover the tanks and armored vehicles remaining at the Sierra Army Depot in Herlong, California, then decide whether to proceed with the advance based on the quantity secured.

It wasn’t a bad plan for the Western Defense Forces either.

Whether they advanced eastward or prioritized reclaiming the western region, retaking the Sierra Army Depot, one of the few remaining core logistics bases of the U.S. Military, was tactically a sound choice.

The problem was the enemy.

“This is our target recapture point, the Sierra Army Depot.”

General MacFarlane pointed to a spot on the widely spread map.

“And these points marked with X’s are where the ‘nests’ are located.”

“Nests…”

“Just because there are many enemies doesn’t mean all those Corrosion Entities are actively engaging in external activities. In the first place, there isn’t enough food lying around for all those Corrosion Entities to eat, and after the western region’s residents were massacred, they couldn’t maintain their forces with living humans alone.”

“If that’s the case, then the nests are strongholds for a kind of hibernation?”

“Exactly.”

Usually, the majority of Corrosion Entity legions spend their time in a dormant state in underground burrows they’ve dug.

Then, when their kind active outside face danger, they collectively awaken from dormancy to eliminate the threat.

“The number of those active on the surface normally isn’t trivial, but the number that swarms out during crises is terror itself.”

“What are the approximate numbers?”

“At least 30,000 per nest. For medium and large-scale nests, it can exceed 100,000.”

“30,000…”

Since it was difficult to accurately gauge the scale of the nests from just the X marks drawn on the map, Sung-jun pondered for a moment before asking General MacFarlane.

“Do you know the condition of the equipment remaining there?”

“About 2,000 M1 tanks, and if you include Bradley armored vehicles and armored cars like Humvees, over 26,000 vehicles are stored there, but not all that equipment is in operational condition. Originally, they were stored in broken condition with the purpose of repairing and deploying them in emergencies.”

“Then the quantity immediately operational is…”

“About 1,500 units. Of course, I’m saying this under the assumption that the enemies didn’t bother destroying the abandoned tanks…”

Sung-jun began simulating the battle situation in his head.

Following the allied surprise attack, hundreds of thousands of Corrosion Entities would pour out from all nests near the depot, and while blocking those Corrosion Entities’ attacks, they’d have to find equipment that would start among the 26,000 abandoned pieces of equipment, break through the enemy’s defensive line, and escape.

Faced with such a grim situation that seemed like nothing but a suicide mission, Sung-jun was establishing a new battle plan by strategically dispersing the forces he could mobilize to the right places.

“First, I have about 20,000 undead soldiers I can control. And I can control 5,000 ghost mercenaries in soul form. I can additionally deploy 8 Achritches who are field commanders capable of leading undead legions, and 2 undead with combat power equivalent to what you classify as level 7 Corrosion Entities. With the premise of additionally operating these forces, let’s create the best operation to recover as much equipment as possible.”

When Sung-jun waved his hand, 20 small dolls shaped like skeleton soldiers created by magic appeared on the spread map.

10 ghost mercenary-shaped dolls that looked like translucent glass, 8 Achritch-shaped dolls holding death scythes, and finally one doll in a suit reminiscent of a butler and one knight-shaped doll on horseback.

These were a kind of chess pieces that represented all the undead forces Sung-jun could currently summon in doll form.

“This is…”

“Please think of each skeleton doll as representing 1,000 skeleton soldiers, and each ghost mercenary doll as representing 500 ghost mercenaries. Since understanding of the operation will be necessary for actual participation, let me call the field commanders here.”

When Sung-jun snapped his fingers, 8 Lich Archs were summoned inside the meeting room.

Along with Argen, the Count of the Funeral Night, who was fidgeting with his wrist while wearing white gloves, and Exterminator Knight Carsserion, who was summoned to the meeting room wearing only armor without saying a word.

“From now on, you will work with General Seth MacFarlane here to establish a plan for recapturing equipment from the Sierra Army Depot. The goal is to recover the equipment on site in as intact a condition as possible.”

“Argen, the Count of the Funeral Night. I shall obey my lord’s command.”

“Exterminator Knight Carsserion. I accept my lord’s command.”

After giving orders to his subordinates, when Sung-jun stepped back, General MacFarlane said.

“Don’t you plan to participate in the meeting, Sung-jun?”

“It would be better to leave the operational planning to the experts. I think I have other things to do right now.”

Sung-jun bowed and left the meeting room, asking to be called once the operation was decided.

To do the ‘groundwork’ for reinforcing the allied forces, who lacked not only armored power but even transport vehicles.

***

The distance from JBLM in Washington state to the Sierra Army Depot in California was about 788km in a straight line.

Even traveling by road, they would need to cover nearly 1,000km, making transport vehicles essential for the allied movement.

Moreover, the situation had Corrosion Entity nests positioned as if forming an encirclement around the destination, the Sierra Army Depot.

The Western Defense Forces command, given full authority by Sung-jun, divided their already insufficient forces into three with the help of Sung-jun’s subordinates Argen and Carsserion to achieve this operation’s objectives.

“The core of this operation is our lord’s presence. Only our lord can recover the enormous equipment from the Sierra Army Depot into subspace with near-unlimited capacity. So the first step of the operation is getting our lord to the target point so he can recover the equipment remaining there.”

The briefing that began with Exterminator Knight Carsserion’s explanation was continued alternately by General MacFarlane and Argen.

“To achieve that goal, we must split our forces into three in this operation and charge toward the target point simultaneously from three directions. Since the enemy deployment surrounds the target point in a circle, a single-point breakthrough through the center risks being surrounded.”

“What’s important is that we must prevent allied force losses as much as possible in the process. Even if we succeed in recovering all the equipment there, it would be meaningless if the soldiers to operate that equipment are annihilated.”

Then Sung-jun, who had been listening to the three’s explanation, lightly raised his hand and asked a question.

“So, how do you plan to compose each force?”

General MacFarlane’s explanation in response to Sung-jun’s question was as follows.

First, the undead legion of 25,000 would take charge of Assault Group 1.

The undead legion, which could be infinitely restored as long as their cores remained intact even if over 90% were damaged, and could be recovered into subspace from a distance even if left on the battlefield, was powerful enough to handle one axis of attack by itself.

Assault Group 2 was assigned to the Western Defense Forces’ Awakened power.

Their mission was to divert the enemy’s attention with a force of about 300 people, gathering all Awakened forces including the entirely Awakened 3rd Search Team and all other Awakened personnel.

“However, since Assault Group 2 alone would have difficulty blocking the enemies’ offensive, Assault Group 2 will be accompanied by two of Sung-jun’s undead subordinates, and his companions Yeonse-a and Shirasaki Miyu.”

“So all Awakened forces except me belong to Assault Group 2.”

Finally, the remaining Assault Group 3 was the alpha and omega of this operation, composed of Sung-jun who would recover the equipment and 3,000 regular soldiers armed with equipment enhanced by Sung-jun.

“Actually, I’d like to deploy all remaining forces, but the problem is movement. Even mobilizing all armored forces remaining at the base, we can’t transport all soldiers. We decided to mobilize all vehicles remaining at the base for this operation. We gathered every rideable vehicle – armored cars, Humvees, tanks, pickup trucks.”

Sung-jun’s assessment of force priority was: 1st priority – the 25,000 undead legion including 8 Achritches, 2nd priority – Awakened forces including Argen and Carsserion, and last – 3,000 armed troops aboard armored vehicles.

And Sung-jun himself was the core force included in that weakest group of 3,000 armed troops.

When asked why the unit composition was arranged that way, Argen stepped forward to answer Sung-jun’s question.

“To protect the soldiers. Except for our lord, the great archmage, there’s no one capable of protecting 3,000 ordinary soldiers who aren’t ability users while carrying out the operation.”

Actually, considering only Sung-jun’s abilities, it would be possible for him to infiltrate the target point alone.

The problem was that personnel were needed to guard Sung-jun’s surroundings while he recovered equipment into subspace.

The 3,000 civilian soldiers Sung-jun had to protect were, conversely, also escort forces who would guard Sung-jun’s side while he performed recovery work.

***

The recapture operation that held the fate of the American continent began with a surprise attack by Assault Group 1, composed entirely of undead.

25,000 undead forces charging in unison under the command of 8 Lich Archs.

Watching the legion of death rushing forward roughly with the sole intent of tearing apart the enemies before them, the sleeping earth began to writhe violently.

-Kwaaaaang!!-

Dirt and rocks shot into the air as countless monsters sleeping underground revealed themselves.

Those terrible beasts that looked like half insect and half reptile mixed together fought against the skeleton soldiers invading their territory with unrestrained movements despite having just awakened from long slumber.

-Kaddeuddeuk! Kwajik!-

When a giant beast’s lower jaw bit into a skeleton soldier’s body like a hydraulic cutter, the armor the skeleton soldier wore was torn apart like aluminum foil.

Then the two skeleton soldiers on either side of the bisected skeleton soldier simultaneously thrust their swords toward the monster.

-Kang! Kakang!-

The skeleton soldiers, unable to penetrate the Corrosion Entity’s thick hide despite being armed with magically enhanced swords and armor, climbed onto the enemy’s body as if throwing themselves to block the enemies and began slashing frantically.

As if trying to search for fatal weak points hidden between the hard hide.

When one skeleton soldier’s sword penetrated the joint area of an insectoid monster, black light flashed in the eyes of 20,000 skeleton soldiers.

Experience sharing.

The ability to instantly share information and enemy weaknesses acquired by each of the 20,000 skeleton soldiers.

When the soldiers who had identified the physical weaknesses of enemies they were facing for the first time persistently targeted only the enemy’s weak points with acrobatic movements, the battle situation that seemed to be pushed back by the enemy’s momentum was instantly reversed.

“Kuweeeeeeeek!!”

Screams bursting forth and body fluids spurting out.

Every time a giant body over 10 meters tall collapsed to the ground, new monsters emerged from underground.

Even more monsters in numbers exceeding those they had defeated.

And at the same time, a small group incomparably smaller than the 25,000 undead legion that had started the attack first was steeling themselves for the second attack.

“It’s almost time. Everyone prepare for battle.”

When Captain Cooper, who was in charge of commanding the operation, drew the spear on his back, the 300 Awakened soldiers guarding behind him all drew their weapons in unison.

“As you all know, this operation isn’t our originally planned western recapture plan, but a new operation to eliminate the apocalypse-class Corrosion Entity that appeared in the east. If we succeed in this operation, we’ll be deployed in the next operation that’s dozens of times more dangerous than now.”

Captain Cooper said, gripping his spear tighter.

“That day, we believed we could sufficiently block the enemies’ attacks with the power we had. Back then, our equipment was incomparably better than now, and we had an abundance of troops. But we were defeated. We lost precious comrades and had to helplessly watch our birthplace trampled under the feet of monsters. And now, we must face more and stronger enemies with fewer forces than then. So is this a reckless operation?”

The soldiers behind shouted in unison at the captain’s question.

“No sir!”

“Compared to us that day, the equipment and numbers we have now are overwhelmingly inferior. Nevertheless, this operation isn’t reckless?”

“That’s right!”

“Why is that?”

“Because we are much stronger now than we were back then.”

“You’re right. Our resolve is firmer now than it was back then, and our minds are sharper now than they were back then.”

Captain Cooper said.

“Let’s make those damn bugs learn exactly what the United States’ revenge looks like.”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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