Paper Mache

Editor: Joker

We contemplated our plans before engaging the enemy army . Specifically, we looked into slowing them down and figuring out if we could make our lives easier through some sort of preemptive action .

“What now, Master?” Fran asked . “Make walls? Dig holes?”

“Hmmmm…” I stroked my figurative beard as I contemplated her suggestions . They were legitimate options . In fact, the best case scenario would be one in which we built a wall capable of keeping the black catkin safe and the monsters out . The ideal wall would also come armed with a nice deep moat, and make it so that it would be impossible for any monster, weak or strong, to cross it .

Of course, creating such a structure was but a pipe dream . Neither Fran nor I had the mana or ability to do such a thing . The only mage in the country that could was on the Basharian front .

The largest hole we could possibly make was only three meters wide, three meters deep, and five meters long . Of course, it was possible for us to use the spell over and over, but crafting something in such a manner would take hours, hours we didn’t have . The army was sure to arrive before we finished . That said, I wouldn’t have suggested such a flawed method even if we had enough time to actually carry it out . Creating countless large holes would exhaust both Fran and I, and draining oneself of magic right before engaging in a large scale battle was naught but a fool’s errand .  And that’s not even factoring in the fact that it could just end up splitting the army in two . Having the two halves each a.s.sault a different place would be bad . Really, really bad .

I recalled my old world as I thought about the many strategies we could potentially employ . I barely knew anything about the military tactics they used back there . The only military-like word that I knew off the top of my head was guerrilla warfare—the tactic in which a smaller group wore down a larger group through the use of traps, ambushes, and other similar techniques . The tactic was powerful in the sense that it was able to slow the larger group’s movements by forcing them on guard . Soldiers on the receiving end of the guerrilla tactics would become anxious . They would fear the fact that they could be subject to an attack around every corner, and through said fear, lose their morale .  Or at least that’s how it tends to go in novels and movies .

But again, the option was unavailable to us . Our trap creation skill was too low a level to ma.s.s produce anything useful .  We could go around dropping pitfalls everywhere, but I have a feeling that’ll cause more harm than it’ll prevent .

It was impossible for us to remove every single hole we created, especially if we camouflaged them by covering them with dirt . In other words, we were bound to leave at least a few lying around and anything we failed to clean up would be to the black catkin what landmines were to the vietnamese .  Yeah, can’t have that . Gotta learn from history’s mistakes, not repeat them .

“Well . It looks like our only real choice is to dive right in . We’ll probably need to start with something flashy so we get the army’s attention . ”

“Got it . ”

That said, we weren’t about to actually just march right on in . We were still going to do something, and I had just the thing in mind .

“Alright Fran, Plan B . ”

“Nn . ”

The two of us began casting the Stonewall skill over and over to produce a series of large, rocky blocks . They were a bit flimsy because we traded thickness for overall size, but they more than served our purposes .

The two of us began casting the Stonewall skill over and over to produce a series of large, rocky blocks . They were a bit flimsy because we traded thickness for overall size, but they more than served our purposes .

“Master, good enough?”

“Yeah . The whole thing’s got a pretty good feel to it . You can even see the windows . ”

“Nn . ”

“Alright, I’ll handle this next part,” I said, as I activated Earth Control .

I used the skill to maneuver the stony walls and close the gaps between them . Before long, we had ourselves a makes.h.i.+ft fortress . Located in the middle of the forest north of Schwartzekatze, the building was large enough even to be seen from afar . Its gate was so large that it almost seemed to resemble the Arc de Triomphe . Appearance wise, it was perfect . But durability wise, it may as well have been made of paper mache . The entire construction was hollow, through and through .

Still, it was good enough . It didn’t need solid defenses . We hadn’t planned on using it as a point of defense . It was a weenie, a landmark . The whole point of it was to tower above the forest such that it could be seen from afar .

The monsters would be unable to leave it alone . They would have to attack it else risk getting flanked after they pa.s.sed it by . In other words, it provided us a method to predict their actions .  I’m not actually sure how effective it’ll be, but they should at least notice it . And if they notice it, they’ll probably at least be wary of it .

“That’s that . ” All the building needed now was a couple soldiers . Of course, I didn’t actually have any soldiers under my employ, nor were there any nearby willing to risk their lives in a fort doomed to fall . The only solution was therefore to make them ourselves .

“That’s that . ” All the building needed now was a couple soldiers . Of course, I didn’t actually have any soldiers under my employ, nor were there any nearby willing to risk their lives in a fort doomed to fall . The only solution was therefore to make them ourselves .

I retrieved ten corpses from my inventory . I didn’t look for anything in particular . I just chose the ten humanoids in the best condition, so there ended up being goblins and stuff thrown into the mix .

“Alright Urus.h.i.+, do your thing . ”

“Woof!”

The wolf cast spirit magic and instilled force and will into the lifeless corpses laid before him . All ten reanimated bodies soon rose to action and immediately readied themselves to receive his orders . I grabbed a couple random worn out bows and handed them to our makes.h.i.+ft soldiers such that they could fire arrows at any monsters that neared . As I only had five, I armed the remaining undead with broken swords and spears .

Silhouette wise, they looked exactly like soldiers, and the monsters would likely be deceived so long as they continued moving around atop the fort .

And with that, our preparations were complete . Everything was perfectly in order .

“Fort’s done, Fran . ”

“Then, let’s go?”

“Yeah . Let’s go . ”

“Fort’s done, Fran . ”

“Then, let’s go?”

“Yeah . Let’s go . ”

We enchanted ourselves with all sorts of support magic before flying off into the sky yet again . As we didn’t want our enemies catching wind of our actions, we made sure to climb until we hit an alt.i.tude at which they would be unlikely to spot us .

“Ugh . ” I groaned as I looked down on the army .  “The way they’re swarming is kinda gross . ”

“Looks like garbage,” added Fran .  I know, right?

“Alright, let’s do this . Let’s. .h.i.t them hard and make it as flashy as we can while we’re at it . Once we’re done with that, we’ll charge right in . You ready?”

“Nn!”