Marionette?
719 Words
Instructing the Headless Horsemen to divide into inconspicuous small squads, transporting the golem parts near the Lizardmen's territory, allowing the constructs to self-assemble and then demolish the city walls...
It was that simple.
To be honest, this was a strategy Ira had conceived long ago...
Back when he was the Empire's Chief Consul, he had pondered the strategy of "If I were the commander of the monsters, how would I conduct a siege?"
However, until the end, Ira never witnessed such tactics from the monsters, rendering his premeditated countermeasures useless...
Ironically, he was now employing this very tactic himself.
By executing a precise timing maneuver, the destruction of the city walls and the arrival of the main army occurred almost simultaneously...
This wasn't a conspiracy, nor could it even be considered an overt plot.
It was merely an application of a simple strategy.
Although straightforward, it was effective.
"..."
"Fellow Lizardmen, I am Satania, your Demon King."
Satania spoke, seemingly having truly understood Ira's previous words and quickly applying them at this moment. She earnestly continued: "Perhaps you are not yet aware, but... the Demon King's domain has suffered a betrayal."
"..."
"How could this be..."
"Your Majesty..."
"Could it be?"
"..."
Doubt and panic led the Lizardmen to start whispering among themselves, momentarily forgetting about Ira in the sky...
Apart from the chieftain's faction, many Lizardmen only knew of Ira's appearance and terror but had never seen him in person.
This became their psychological support, allowing them to speak as usual.
Seeing everyone in this state, Satania's heart calmed down...
The personal presence of the Demon King wasn't as rare as imagined, as the previous Demon King often made appearances.
However, the Demon King remained a highly respected position, undoubtedly revered and admired.
It was also hard to imagine her sincerely conversing with everyone.
"This is a grand betrayal. When I look up, I see countless traitors, as if I only have the Demon King's domain left...
I don't like that; I dislike it very much."
"I don't like being alone."
Satania spoke, and the Lizardmen in the territory silently watched their Demon King, listening to her continue: "I'm actually very scared, afraid that all of you have betrayed me...
But fortunately, it seems that's not the case."
"Perhaps you were merely misled by the traitors or...
represented by the traitors into making mistakes."
As Satania spoke, all the Lizardmen looked toward the direction of the chieftain's hall. They understood Satania's implication and realized that the Demon King's personal visit was to judge something, to judge someone.
"..."
Karaka Papapa trembled with anger. At this moment, under the immense pressure exerted by Ira, he could barely make out the attacking forces...
A small number of elite units he held in contempt.
The more numerous troops were the weak little demons.
However, he couldn't fathom that Satania, as the Demon King, would play the emotional card...
Demon Kings were always accustomed to ruling through personal charisma; the previous Demon King had perfect leadership charisma.
Satania lacked such leadership skills but seemed to have taken a different path...
"..."
Ira quietly watched the Lizardman chieftain, who was shouting something, gathering troops, and observing the forces gradually assembling within the city.
It seemed that monsters were indeed unlikely to mutiny; even when facing the Demon King's army, they would still obediently assemble under the chieftain's orders.
Of course...
Perhaps they simply didn't know...
me.
At this moment, if Ira were to conjure a crimson spear, allowing the scorching mana to pierce through the hoarse Lizardman chieftain, then everything might be resolved right now.
But Ira wouldn't do that...
"Please, everyone, return to your homes and await the end of the battle. Innocent as you are...
you will not be treated unjustly."
Satania spoke words akin to a declaration of war, and soon...
As the wind blew tumbleweeds along the rubble-strewn streets, no civilian Lizardmen remained.
The hastily assembled Lizardman soldiers appeared to form about twenty phalanxes, each consisting of eighty-one individuals, totaling around seventeen to eighteen hundred Lizardmen.
Even though they trembled, even though they nervously held spears, large shields, and staffs, they still confronted the overwhelming little demons and those oppressively powerful insectoids and death knights.
They were indeed blameless.
"Oh, warriors of the Lizardmen, if you are listening..."
"
- Writer
