Chapter 82 fifteen profund nascent cultivators

Chapter 82: 82 fifteen profund nascent cultivators

82

fifteen profund nascent cultivators

She pointed toward the mountains.

"But every passing day allows that difference to decrease because of their preparation and the advantage of the terrain on their side."

No one answered.

Around them, the other cultivators remained distributed among the troops. Tharok advanced carrying his double-headed axe.

Velka watched the road with her longbow in her hands.

Zarek remained among the heavily armored soldiers.

Nyra kept her eyes turned toward the sky.

Khoran walked while holding his enormous sword.

Veyra smiled as she observed the soldiers.

Drazek checked the formation of a spear unit.

Shaara remained farther away, her green eyes silently following every movement.

Among the more than thirty thousand who were there, the fifteen cultivators possessed presences at the same stage, but they were not there merely as warriors.

They were part of the structure that supported that enormous army. Varkhan looked at Rhaena again.

"How long until our army reaches the Medusas’ territory?"

"Eight days at most."

An officer placed a map on an improvised table. Rhaena pointed to their current position.

"If we continue maintaining this speed, we will arrive there in eight days at most."

Varkhan looked at the map and then at the mountains.

"Eight."

He remained silent for several seconds before shaking his head and saying:

"No."

Rhaena raised her eyes. Varkhan placed a finger on the map.

"We must reach the Medusas’ territory in five days."

The silence was immediate. Gorvak frowned.

"Five days?"

"Yes."

"With this army?"

Varkhan looked directly at him.

"With this army."

Kareth approached.

"That will increase the troops’ exhaustion, not to mention the supplies, beasts, and other things."

"I know that very well, but..."

"The carts will also have difficulty keeping up if we increase our speed to shorten the journey by as much as three days."

Rhaena replied:

"Then we will reduce the rest stops, stopping only to eat and sleep."

Maeron observed the map.

"The soldiers in the last columns may lose their pace and ruin the formation."

"Then we will reorganize the columns."

Seryn spoke for the first time.

"And the scouts?"

Rhaena answered:

"They will be divided into several groups searching for better routes so that we do not encounter spiritual beasts hostile to us."

Nyra took a step forward.

"That will reduce our ability to react if we encounter resistance."

Rhaena looked at her.

"That is why you will advance farther ahead."

Nyra nodded.

"Understood."

Gorvak tightened his grip on the hammer’s handle.

"We are discussing too much."

He pointed toward the mountains.

"If we know they are preparing, we should simply attack and be done with it. It’s not as if there is enough preparation that can stop our army."

Kareth replied:

"An army of this size cannot simply run to reach the mountains quickly."

Varkhan raised his hand, and everyone fell silent. He then slowly closed the map.

"We do not need to arrive rested."

His yellow eyes swept across the commanders.

"We need to arrive before they are ready. Even though we have numbers, we cannot afford to lose several soldiers to traps."

This time, no one answered. Rhaena turned toward the officers.

"Transmit our orders."

One of them immediately approached.

"What order, sir?"

Varkhan replied:

"We must reach the Medusas’ territory in five days."

The man widened his eyes, then turned and began to run. The order spread throughout the army.

First to one messenger, who then passed it to another, forming an endless chain.

The drums began to beat. Soldiers who had been resting stood up and quickly gathered their weapons.

Shields were adjusted, spears were raised, trainers prepared the beasts, and the carts received new orders.

"Advance!"

"Reorganize the column!"

"Do not leave any gaps!"

"Scouts to the front!"

"Move the carts!"

The voices crossed the formation. The footsteps became faster, and the wheels of the carts began to turn with greater speed.

The beasts were led forward, and the ranks began to reorganize. One column disappeared behind a mountain, the next crossed a valley.

The third emerged from among the trees, and when it seemed that it was the last... more soldiers appeared.

Thousands upon thousands continued to march.

From the top of a slope, the true scale of that force could finally be understood.

The road, the valley, and the passages between the mountains were occupied.

It was impossible to see the beginning and almost impossible to find the end of the procession.

More than thirty thousand combatants advanced toward the Medusas’ territory.

Soldiers, cultivators, commanders, scouts, trainers with their beasts, and countless carts moved forward.

Everything advanced in the same direction. Slowly, the forest began to react. Herds of animals fled between the trees, and birds took flight.

A young Lizardman looked behind him without saying anything, his eyes merely sweeping across the endless ranks.

The more he looked, the more men appeared on the horizon. He then turned his face forward, and beyond the mountains lay the Medusas’ territory.

The soldier tightened his grip on his spear. An officer ran past him.

"Five days!"

The words traveled through the column.

"Five days!"

Another voice answered.

"Five days!"

Soon, thousands began to repeat it.

"Five days!"

The sound spread along the road.

"Five days!"

The mountains returned the echo, and the army continued advancing.

The war, which for days had existed only on maps, reports, and meetings, had now begun to march.

Part 2

After the order to accelerate the advance, the army had completely changed its pace. The drums continued beating at regular intervals.

The soldiers advanced in increasingly organized columns while messengers crossed the formation carrying new orders.

But the farther the march advanced, the harder it became to see the entire army.

There was no single road large enough to accommodate all those soldiers at the same time.

The force had spread across the terrain. One column crossed a narrow gorge while another followed along a slope.

The third advanced through the forest, and much farther behind, more troops continued to appear.

Varkhan walked among one of the main columns of Beastmen. The soldiers immediately made way. No one needed to give the order.

The presence of that cultivator was enough.

He advanced slowly, observing the ranks as hundreds of warriors passed before his eyes. Some carried spears, while others held axes.

Some had swords attached to their waists, while others carried heavy weapons over their shoulders.