The Author's POV

[Demon Domain, Kuzma City]

"Attack!"

"Charge forward!"

"Raise your shields and charge!"

The orcs charged forward, their roars echoing through the air as they attempted to breach the demon city.

Rumble! Rumble!

The sound of their footsteps reverberated across the ground as they ran toward the towering walls. The walls themselves were fortified with layers of thick stone, with towers and battlements dotting the top, bristling with weapons and soldiers.

The orcs brandished their weapons - crude axes, spears, and swords - and began pounding against the walls with all their might.

Clank! Clank!

The sound of metal on stone rang out as they smashed their weapons against the unyielding surface, hoping to make a crack in the demon's defenses.

The demons atop the wall retaliated with volleys of different spells and arrows, raining down on the orcs like a deadly hailstorm. The twang of bowstrings mixed with the screams of dying orcs as they fell to the ground below, their bodies broken and lifeless.

"Argh!"

"Akh!"

"Continue to charge!"

But the orcs were undeterred, their sheer numbers giving them unrelenting momentum as they continued to throw themselves against the walls, stepping over their fallen comrades.

"Charge!"

They had no regard for their own safety, only a fierce determination to break through the defenses and conquer the city.

As the battle raged on, the orcs tried everything in their power to breach the city's walls.

They brought forward battering rams, hoping to smash through the gates, but the demons were ready for them.

The rams were met with a rain of flaming arrows, igniting the wooden frames and sending them crashing to the ground.

Boom―! Boom―! The walls of the city shook every time the orcs rammed against them, but as if they were made out of the sturdiest of materials, they didn't budge an inch.

"Continu-ahgh!"

The orcs continued to ram the walls, but it proved to be a futile endeavor.

Not only were they unable to break through the walls, but with each passing second, they suffered an increasing number of casualties as well.

"Khhh…khhh… This is not good."

Brutus muttered, overlooking the entire battlefield from afar.

He wielded a massive war axe in the palm of his hand. Because it was so heavy, the ground beneath the axe began to slope downward.

Brutus took his time as he brought the axe up to rest on his shoulders, all the while keeping his eyes fixed on the walls off in the distance.

"Commander…"

he turned his head, his eyes focused

"What is it… strategist."

"About that…"

glanced at the

as he realized how serious the circumstance was, he turned his attention back to

could you do something

"That's impossible."

request. The face of the strategist turned pale, and

"But why!? If you-"

"I said that's impossible."

head once more, his

flinched at the gaze

that he was out of

you think I want to stand

of a sudden,

"Yes?"

you really think I'm someone who would just stand idly and do nothing while my brethren

"N,no."

strategist shook his head, processing

should know that if I'm not acting, it's not because I don't want to, but because something is preventing me from

"Preventing you?"

the impression of having comprehended something, and he hurriedly

there something that's preventing you

thought occurred to the

"That's correct."

himself as he nodded his head, content that the strategist had finally grasped the concept

that were to happen, and

but the losses that would

didn't think of

strategist hung his head in

strategist for this conflict; however, in reality, he was not nearly as intelligent as the strategist who represented the other races. He was head and shoulders above those of his own race, but when

should've seen

had failed as

"It's alright."

maintained a fierce expression, the level

not impossible for us to

"You mean…"

eyes of the strategist lit up with excitement, and he quickly raised

for us to win the war.

the fire that was already present in the mind of the strategist, and he immediately began running

short while, he raised his head

was also a noticeable shock and unwillingness to

"Commander!"

did, go ahead and carry out

with a knowing look, the

the end, he

"…I understand."

strategist spun around with his shoulders hunched and walked briskly in the direction of one

change immediately after the strategist turned

before murmuring something to himself

the only