Chapter 5 - The Battle Intensifies

[Ranking Announcement!]

[As every ruler has their own characteristics and strategies, the ranking system also has different categories and overall strengths. As a rising star, Ethan Smith has successfully become first in resource ranking, military power ranking, and wealth ranking. Congratulations to Ethan Smith and good luck to other rulers.]

[Resource Ranking:

1. Ethan Smith

2. Jane Silver

3. Min-ji Park

Military Power Ranking:

1. Ethan Smith

2. Haruto Yamamoto

3. Benjamin Martinez

Wealth Ranking:

1. Ethan Smith

2. Min-ji Park

3. Bjorn Hansen

As of right now, there are none who have researched any technology, so its ranking is n/a at the moment.]

After announcing my name to this new world, my PMs flooded with messages as everyone wanted some benefits from me. Dismissing unnecessary thoughts, I turned my attention back to the battle that was taking place in front of my base.

When two thousand soldiers arrived, the tide of the battle changed. This time, we attacked them more aggressively than their attacks. My ranged soldiers retreated to rest and replenish mana points, but new fighter-class soldiers kept attacking without backing down. Not wanting to leave it to chance, I started two hundred fighter classes in one barrack and two hundred mages in another barrack. With the multiplier, I will get a total of 4.000 soldiers.

My initial recruitment capacity increased by a hundred thanks to my new title. Now, with this extended capacity, my intention is to recruit soldiers as much as I can. Although I say that, another batch of soldiers will raise my total soldier number to ten thousand. It will be enough for me, and if necessary, I can build a few more barracks and recruit hundreds of thousands of soldiers. Though accommodation will become a problem, it's not something I couldn't handle.

While I was thinking about what to do next, my soldiers, who were pushing back the ravagers, started getting pushed back. This was something I expected because the enemy had great numbers. Even though my soldiers were strong, standing against thousands of soldiers became tiring.

Then I remembered the new skill I had.

{War Cry: After activating, your soldiers will receive +25 ATK, +25 INT. %25 chance of the fear effect on enemy soldiers.}

Deciding to check it out, I activated the skill and looked at my soldiers. My soldiers, who were getting pushed back, suddenly let out a war cry, and their bodies started glowing with red light. After getting additional attributes, each punch from one of my soldiers killed one enemy soldier. It seems like massive amounts of stats gained early weren't enough to overpower the enemy, but this additional stat changed that quickly.

It sounds ridiculous, right? But let's think from the perspective of a front-line soldier holding the line. You are on a narrow path, standing at the front, facing directly at the enemy. You can only use your bare hands because you don't have any weapons. You punch the incoming enemy, but it doesn't kill him with one punch; he staggers, and another one takes his spot, and this loop continues because you can't take out one enemy with one punch. But now they can do that, and because they can, the loop that tired my soldiers becomes useless.

Ten minutes passed as we kept holding the line while they kept attacking without retreat. But I could feel that their fighting will was about to break. If we hold the line for five minutes more, the incoming reinforcement can easily smash through the enemies while advancing forward. I could feel it, victory was coming.

------- POV Takima Yuji -----

"Hold the line!" I heard one of my friends screaming behind me. We were facing thousands of enemies trying to break in and ransack our home.

I saw one enemy soldier approaching me, he was carrying a sword and had leather armor on his chest. He also had an iron helmet on his head. Raising his arm, he pointed his sword at me while rushing forward, aiming for my heart. After he got close enough, I punched the sword with right hook. On collision, the sword broke apart, and he stood there dumbfounded. Not giving him any chance to snap out of it; I rushed forward from my spot and punched his face.

When my punch reached his face, his head exploded, and blood splattered everywhere. Me and my friends had already gotten used to it, but enemy soldiers were terrified of what they were seeing.

The same scene happened all over the battlefield as we killed every one of the enemy soldiers who came here. My blood boiled as we overpowered the enemy. We were taking our revenge, we were avenging our fallen brothers and sisters.

"AAAHHHH!" Not being able to hold it in, I let out a war cry unknowingly. My friends, after hearing me, joined in too. Thousands of soldiers screaming in unison shook the hearts of enemy soldiers.

--------

Another five minutes had passed, and my soldiers were able to overpower the enemy for a straight five minutes, which was good and bad because any more of this could end with my soldiers losing their strength because of fatigue.

Thankfully, I had already recruited more soldiers, and they were about to arrive in a second.

*Ding! The host has received 400 Superhumans*

*Multiplying ten times..*

*Success..*

*Congratulations, The host received 4.000 Superhumans.*

After notification and the bright light that blinded everyone died down, a total of 4,000 soldiers appeared in front of me. Quickly ordering them to join in the battle, I turned my attention back to the battlefield. I could see that my soldiers were getting tired with each passing second.

With another war cry, my brand-new soldiers rushed to the battlefield. Moving through their friends, they quickly arrived at the frontline and sent others back to rest. Right now, I have a total of 2.000 fighters and 2.000 magic-user-ranged soldiers on the battlefield. As they were brand new, they easily pushed the enemy back and kept advancing, even getting out of the entrance of our base.

After getting out, they spread open in line, advancing forward as they kept killing enemy soldiers. Ravagers, even though they were able to attack until this moment, right now was their breaking point.

My soldiers, who had just arrived at the battlefield, easily dominated it. Ranged soldiers kept bombarding enemy soldiers while my fighters killed footmen with one punch. 

The battle went on for another five minutes until the Ravagers retreated. Upon their withdrawal, my soldiers screamed at the first victory they won. 

Even though we had won the battle, we had lost so many good men and women. After the battle ended, we started the most painful process. Collecting the dead bodies of our own and our enemies'.

This process went on for a whole hour until we had cleaned the battlefield. I could see some of my soldiers crying as they dragged the dead bodies of their friends. I was naive. I thought that I'd be safe with just that many soldiers, but I was really wrong.

This world is dangerous itself, but now there are humans who are players of various races. Some of them will crush me easily if I don't get ready quickly. Now I know I have to get stronger without stopping. I had to play this game with everything I had until I could stand at the top.

While my soldiers were dragging dead bodies and washing the ground with water brought from the river, I went inside my house and jumped on my bed. Everything I saw today was too much for me to handle. I lived in a world where wars happened less frequently and were less brutal.

Shaking my head and trying to dismiss those thoughts, I opened the world chat section.

[Gerald Viva: Who the hell is attacking me!]

[Guest74881: Please, I need help. I can't fight back against them!]

[Guest00127: I can protect you if you become my vassal.]

[Guest74881: I accept! I accept! Sent request!]

I saw the familiar name once again, Guest00127, the man who gave advice to me. I guess he's really strong enough to take people under his wing.

[Min-ji Park]: I offer a hundred golden coins to those who can protect me! We can discuss the details later!]

Min-ji Park, I remember her name on the wealth ranking and resource ranking. I don't want my people to die, but the golden coin is an important currency in this game. You can buy various things once the marketplace opens.

From what I remember, there were skills from each element or piece of equipment with blessings and enchantment. A hundred golden coins will become a thousand for me and it's worth no matter what happens. At that time, without knowing I had already adapted to the game.

[Ethan Smith: I can help you but I want two hundred golden coins, after all leading all these soldiers isn't something easy.]

I texted her and waited for her response. It took much longer than I expected. I think she considered other choices first before returning my text.

[Min-ji Park: Agreed. I'm in the rainforest next to a mountain and river. Can you check the map? How long it will take for you to arrive?]

Rainforest? Lucky me, she was just right next to me. Smirking, I texted her back and called my soldiers around me.

[Ethan Smith: Ten minutes at top. You're lucky that I'm close by.]

After my soldiers gathered around me, I began with my speech.

"My people, I know you have lost your loved ones today. I know you have lost your best friends. Some of you might think, we won but at what cost? Don't ever dare to think something like that! Don't ever disrespect their meaningful death! You have avenged them, you killed the enemies who hurt your close ones." I said and swept my gaze on my soldiers. Some of them had relieved expressions, some had visible anger on their faces and some of them were still crying.

"I know what I'm going to say might sound like nonsense, but we need to help others. We have survived thanks to our strength but what will happen to those without strength to deter the enemy? At times like that, we will step forward, we will help them, and we will be the light of hope you all wished to see while fighting! Gather around my soldiers, we are going to help people in need!"