The Count’s Youngest Son is a Player

Whish.

A magical screen appeared over the front of the tent. A map coloring the entirety of the western forbidden area was displayed.

“We have reached the first advance line. There have been approximately 50,000 player casualties. Among our soldiers, there are less than a thousand serious injuries, with no reported deaths.”

“Tch, where could they even get injured, ugh.”

As Kane briefed, Jake clicked his tongue upon hearing the number of injured soldiers.

“Driving back that wide range of monsters without any casualties would be greedy. Make sure to appropriately compensate the injured soldiers and players. How is the current front line situation?”

When Raul asked, Kane pointed at the map and continued his briefing.

“We’ve securely reached the edge of the Monster Forest. The follow-up team is clearing out the remaining monsters, while the main force is resting and guarding the forest’s borders. And.”

Kane’s hand pointed to the northeast.

“As per your instructions, we are forming a defensive line by linking B-Grade or higher outposts in the northeastern forest. The distance to the Empire’s advance fortress is over 10 kilometers, making direct conflict unlikely.”

Next, the southern map was zoomed in.

“Due to Operation Tidal Wave, the southern to southeastern defense line’s scale has increased. The current defense line now stretches from the south to the northeastern forest borders, so with proper management, monster infiltration should be minimal.”

Thanks to nearly fifteen days of non-stop crossing through the Monster Forest, a vast pioneering area was secured. As a result, the monsters in the forest were driven out to the Monster Plains, starting a mass migration.

Mixed within the migration of predators and prey, the existing monster habitats were destroyed, and once started, the flow spread uncontrollably.

“Footage from the scouts is coming in!”

“Display it on the screen.”

Swoosh.

The front line was being cleared, and some players with flying summons (such as Han Seohyoun) set out for aerial reconnaissance. The situation in the monster plains and the northern forest began to display on the magical screen, captured from above.

“This is more than I expected.”

“The effect is tremendous.”

In the vertical division of the Monster Plains, the central part was occupied by the Orcs. However, now, two-thirds of the central plains were taken over by monsters, pushing the Orcs to the west. Especially, the south had been completely pushed to the west, while the northern forest border remained intact.

This was due to the forces being concentrated in the north because of the war with the Empire. Thus, overall, a diagonal line formed, positioning from the center to the southwest.

“This is a more ideal situation than anticipated. If things continue like this, we won’t clash with the Orcs even if we advance into the plains.”

“Indeed. The Orcs that were north of our defense line have fled entirely to the west.”

“What shall we do? Should we proceed immediately?”

Raul looked at the map, lost in thought for a moment.

“Things have turned out better than expected.”

The primary reason for conceptualizing Operation Tidal Wave was to secure the plains without getting entangled in the war between the Empire and the Orcs. Both forces were locked in a tense, exhausting standoff, with no telling when the balance could be disrupted.

Moreover, dragging out the situation could allow the Orcs to fully settle in the central plains. Thus, they created a monster wave to push the Orcs westward. Fortunately, the initial step was successfully executed.

‘But the real challenge begins now.’

Until now, they had been concealed in the forest, hidden from enemy view. However, advancing into the plains would make their presence known. Of course, it wouldn’t be easy for those engaged in the war to suddenly change direction and attack this side.

However, too much movement could provoke unforeseen changes.

‘Therefore.’

“Prepare the troops for advance. The keyword for Phase 2 of the operation is ‘blitzkrieg.’

“Finish everything before they catch on!”

“Yes, Master!”

Phase 2 of Operation Tidal Wave commenced.

*

“Is this for real? There’s an endless plain beyond the forest?”

“Wow, was the true frontier hidden here all along?”

“The guilds struggling in other forbidden areas must be so jealous, hahaha. What? The forest has no expandability? The jungle has more resources? Well, unlucky people just get their nose broken even when they fall backward.”

The players were awestruck by the vast and fertile land they faced after traversing the Monster Forest. All the struggling to secure small pioneering areas surrounded by the forest seemed pointless now.

“Hey, but can we actually pioneer this?”

“Well, we do have a decent number, but… looking at that is kind of intimidating.”

Of course, not everything looked smooth. The vast expanse of the plains was filled with numerous monster colonies and medium to large monsters roaming about.

To make matters worse, these monsters were agitated from being pushed back by the players. Some were seen engaged in bloody fights since their territories were not secured, while others were already forming new groups and settling down.

This meant that if they were to secure the area, they would have to engage in battles with these creatures again.

“This doesn’t look easy at all.”

“Probably not. Anyway, it felt like it was time to start showing our skills.”

“Come to think of it, it’s good. The more credit we earn, the more land we’ll be allocated.”

“Yeah, if you think about it, it’s an opportunity.”

Just as the players were bracing themselves for the challenge, orders came down from the commanders.

“From now on, we will move in combat formations, not in long lines! Players, please join your guilds and parties to form your positions!”

“There are no ‘Pioneering Points’ in these Monster Plains! That means the land we secure itself becomes our pioneering area. Follow the orders to clear monsters from the designated zones!”

Now that they had entered the plains area, it was a contest of pure strength. In the restricted space of the forest, it was easier to leverage formations for numerical advantage.

However, in the plains, everything was laid bare. No matter how much they stretched their lines, the monsters could easily tell that there were few reinforcements at the back.

Even with a force of 2 million, the front line was so extensive that the number of troops deployed to any one area was limited. Combat was inevitable.

“Hey, but aren’t we just cannon fodder?”

“Really, we’re gonna exhaust ourselves in the front while the First Knight Order reaps all the rewards later.”

“Damn, the best way to earn credit is by getting the last hit. This way, only those at the rear benefit.”

Given the large numbers involved, there were bound to be complaints. And as they mentioned, the players deployed to the front lines were mostly those who had joined late. However, their complaints were soon silenced.

Thud, thud.

“Step back. Make way for the Knights and Cavalry!”

The First Knight Order, known as the continent’s strongest, and the Knights of the traditional noble House of Marquis Ashton. Moreover, the elite cavalry from the Count of First and Marquis of Ashton.

Contrary to previous operations, NPC elites were now assigned to the front lines, beyond the players.

“Wait, really?”

“Wow, this is incredible. It’s my first time seeing the Knights in person. Is this what they call an aura of intimidation?”

“Hey, is that really Lady Kaylee, my goddess?”

“Where? Is that the continent’s first female master, Ken?”

As the players had mentioned, the 5th Battalion of the First Knight Order was positioned at the forefront, with Combat Group Leader Ken and Vice-Combat Group Leader Lansen standing side by side.

The scenario of the kingdom’s civil war and subsequent events had already made the superhuman members of the First Knight Order widely known. Naturally, a fan base admiring their strength and charisma had formed.

Among them, lady Ken (Kaylee) of the Greer Marquisate was one of the most revered. So it was only natural that players would cheer upon seeing her in person.

“Hey, I’m gonna rank first in combat points today!”

“Get lost, I’ll be the one making the biggest impact!”

“Don’t get yourself killed, and leave the glory to me.”

As a major quest, players who ranked high in combat points each day would be called to the command tent for rewards. Today’s top performers would rank if they made it.

“I can actually talk to Lady Kaylee in person!”

Fired up by this thought, countless players fueled their determination, with the fervor now extending beyond the forest to envelop the plains. At the forefront of each sector, the elite forces of the Ashton-First alliance had advanced.

Since Raul had emphasized a blitzkrieg, they needed to secure their target spots in one swift strike.

“Prepare for battle!”

“Form ranks!”

“Once the Knights finish their charge, it’s our turn! Don’t slack off and let any monsters slip through; deal with them decisively!”

Thud, thud, thud.

The drumbeats echoed through the air.

Blare!

With the trumpet sound signaling the charge, the knights and cavalry sped towards the plains.

“Waaah!”

“Let’s kill them all!”

Soon, the excited players followed suit, advancing rapidly.

“Grrroar!”

“Raaah!”

“Die, humans!”

Upon seeing the humans, the monsters also began to charge, their numbers overwhelming.

“Commence firing!”

Ratatat, swish!

The first attack from the knights employed crossbows and arrows for long-range sniping. Being essential training for the First Legion Cavalry, every knight was well-versed in horseback archery.

Mana-infused arrows and bolts tore into the monsters’ bodies, rapidly diminishing their momentum. As the distance closed, the knights swapped bows for throwing spears and axes.

“Throw!”

Whoosh, thunk!

The thrown spears and axes, enveloped in various magical glows, unleashed a different level of destruction compared to arrows. Monsters found their heads or hearts pierced by spears, or their skulls shattered by axes.

The finale was the knights’ charge, known for its unparalleled destructive power.

“Spears ready!”

Whirr, thunk!

Frontline knights, aided by their inventories, and the rest, who had long spears from their saddles, now aimed forward.

Rumble!

A massive charge barrier enveloped the entire knight battalion.

“Prepare for impact!”

The knights rapidly closed in on the monster horde.

“Charge!”

Boom, crash!

Master Kaylee led the tip of the formation, colliding head-on with the monsters. The brilliant charge barrier crushed intermediate monsters like they were nothing, while even high-level large monsters were destroyed by the aura spears from Kaylee and Vice-Commander Lansen.

Though the plains were swarming with monsters, none could withstand the knights’ charge. Any monsters lucky enough to avoid the knights’ charge faced players eager for glory and combat points.

“Die!”

“Hyaah!”

“Don’t break formation! Even if they look weak, they’re formidable one by one!”

Boom, splat!

Players launched themselves at the monsters. Though their power couldn’t match the knights’ charge, their spirit was undiminished. In terms of individual skill, players were outclassed by the knights.

The minimum level requirement for this expedition was 30, ensuring significant prowess among the participants. Compared to that, the monsters in the forbidden zone were at least level 50 or higher.

However, it was the monsters that were overwhelmingly falling in battle. No matter how low-level the players were, they knew their capabilities.

“Spread out their focus!”

“Just buy time, and the strike team will clean them up!”

“Everyone, watch out for yourselves! A single hit could finish you off!”

Anticipating such circumstances, they had appropriately distributed high-level and low-level players within each formation. As a result, despite the direct confrontation, player casualties were not as severe as expected.

“We’re almost there! Only 300 meters to go!”

“Damn it! Can’t you see I’m out of breath?”

“Just hold on a bit longer! The Knights already took down a bunch!”

As they pushed forward for quite a while, even the monsters could not easily charge at them anymore.

“Form a defensive line! We’ll stop the monsters’ approach here.”

While the allied forces formed a defensive perimeter and took a breather after securing the initial target spot, the Knights, along with a group of players and soldiers, gathered behind the defensive line.

“We don’t have much time. Start working immediately! Mages, level the ground and engineers, assist them.”

“Move the supplies over here!”

Thud. Thud.

A dull noise resounded across the Monster Plains.

(To be continued)