After a brief rest, the imperial forces stationed on the beach immediately began to analyze the current situation.
In the largest military tent within the camp, a group gathered to discuss the next steps for the Imperial Ruscia Expeditionary Force.
Attending were officers from the Imperial vanguard, including Captain Richard.
Imperial General Alaric, hailing from Reikland.
Imperial Hunter General Erik von Schanger, from the hunting party of the famous Imperial Hunter Marshal, Markus Wolfhart.
Since Markus Wolfhart was appointed as the Imperial Hunter Marshal by Karl Franz, he was granted the authority to recruit his own soldiers. This powerful Saint-level figure was considered one of the Emperor's most trusted confidants and personally established the Markus Wolfhart Hunting Party.
The elite hunters in this group were handpicked by Markus from across the Empire, representing the best hunters from every province. Despite the fact that hunters from Middenland often looked down on those from Averland for having easier hunts (while Averland hunters scorned the Middenland hunters for being poor), and Reikland hunters regarded those from Stirland as uncultured country folk, under Markus Wolfhart's leadership, these top hunters from various parts of the Empire gradually united through war and hunting, quickly forming close camaraderie and eliminating their mutual discontent and regional differences.
Thanks to their efforts and the strong leadership of Hunter Marshal Markus Wolfhart, the Wolfhart Hunting Party quickly became the Empire's most formidable monster-hunting group. Whether it was the clawed beasts of Stirland, the ice dragons of Ostermark, the giant-horned bulls of Drakwald Forest, the four-armed minotaurs of Reikwald Forest, or the Chimera beasts that roamed the Black Mountains, the Wolfhart Hunting Party successfully completed every hunt. This earned them honor and status, and Emperor Karl Franz frequently commended these exceptional Imperial hunters, even promoting some of them to the rank of Hunter General.
In this Ruscia Expeditionary Force, the nobles of Reikland not only provided some military supplies and summoned provincial soldiers and militia, but they also knew that conquering Ruscia with just these basic forces would be very difficult. However, mobilizing the elite Imperial forces came at a high cost, requiring not only the Emperor's approval but also substantial amounts of gold to hire them, which was not worthwhile for an expedition with no immediate gains.
Therefore, the Reikland nobles decided to first assemble an expeditionary force to explore Ruscia, establish a few outposts, and attempt to search the jungle for ruins and rich rewards. If the expedition could prove to be lucrative for the Empire, then naturally more elite reinforcements would be sent.
Some Reikland nobles even hoped that the Hunter Marshal himself might join the expedition, but that was clearly impossible. As one of only two top-tier Saint-level figures directly under the Emperor (the other being the Standard Bearer Ludwig), Karl Franz would never allow Wolfhart to personally venture to Ruscia for such a mission—unless the Emperor or Wolfhart himself had lost their minds.
As a compromise, the Reikland nobles paid a hefty sum to hire one of the generals from the hunting party, offering an annual salary of 1,000 gold marks to persuade him to join the Ruscia expedition.
Inside the tent, the three officers stood around a large wooden table, studying a map.
"Although the expeditionary force has established an outpost here, our situation is far from ideal," Captain Richard said, pointing at the map. "Look, we only have one base on the coast. We lack sufficient food supplies and strategic depth. Although the Ashen Legion soldiers previously came to intimidate us, some of what they said was not without merit."
"What do you mean?" asked Hunter General Erik. "How much do you know about the current situation?"
"Since our arrival, we've sent out many scouts—a lot of them," Richard explained, placing his finger on the map. "We are currently in a location known as the Toccan Temple, but the ruins we discovered are still 60 kilometers away from the coast."
"To the east, according to the Ashen Legion, lies vampire pirate territory. We're not sure if that's true, because none of our scouts sent there have returned—not a single one."
"To the west, as they said, there are signs of orc tribes. These orcs are unusual—some are entirely blue and quite formidable. As for the south, our scouts only managed to enter the temple ruins, scavenged some treasures, and retreated, but we still lost half our men."
"As for the north, the Ashen Legion currently occupies three coastal towns—Skogji, Raider's Port, and Marsh Town—across the sea from us," the Captain continued. "After several reinforcements, the Ashen Legion now has nearly 40,000 soldiers and about 100,000 civilians. They seem to have some sort of understanding with the Lizardmen, as they rarely venture into the jungle, and the Lizardmen have entrusted them with managing these coastal ports. Both sides have set up several trade points near the jungle where the Ashen Legion trades seafood, livestock, grains, and pottery with the Lizardmen for gold, silver, top-quality medical supplies, and magical trinkets. The Lizardmen even supply them with tamed cold-blooded lizards."
"Damn traitors!" General Alaric, visibly upset, slammed his fist on the table, grinding his teeth in anger. "One day, we must bring all these places under the Empire's control! We are the ones who bring civilization to these ignorant and backward lands!"
The Hunter General and Captain were equally envious of the immense profits involved. Erik took a deep breath and was about to speak when Richard quickly intervened: "We can't go to war with the Ashen Legion now. When we first arrived, they provided us with guides, and since we currently lack enough food supplies, we're dependent on what we buy from them!"
Both Erik and Alaric frowned simultaneously. After hearing this, Erik hesitated for a moment before suggesting to the Captain, "How about sending someone to Raider's Port to tell Legion Commander Fugen that if he surrenders all his forces and towns, I could propose to the Emperor to make him an Imperial Baron?"
Captain Richard chuckled wryly. "General Erik, if you were in his position, would you agree?"
The Hunter General paused for a few seconds and then shook his head with a hint of self-deprecation. "Alright, then there's no need to say more. We've sailed for months from the Empire to this place, losing many troops and soldiers. If we don't gain anything, how can we meet the expectations of the nobles who support us and the people of the Empire?"
Thinking about the immense wealth and vast army that the Ashen Legion controlled, and the fact that once the Lizardmen were defeated, these towns and residents who refused to submit to the Empire would inevitably be defeated and forced to hand over their wealth, Erik shook his head. We are the elite Imperial forces, not some ragtag group of conscripts and weak mercenaries like you.
"Let's put everything else aside for now. The first thing we must do is secure enough gains. We'll rest for one more day, and then I'll lead 2,000 men south to raid the Toccan Temple and seize all the wealth in these ruins. We'll deal with the rest later." The Hunter General made his decision.
"Yes, sir!" With that, the meeting concluded, and the three officers left the tent.
Captain Richard led the Hunter General to an open area within the camp. "Take a look at this, General. It will be ready by today, and it will definitely help you in this war!"
In the clearing, Imperial craftsmen were finishing their work on a wooden chariot, assembled from planks, undergoing final testing.
"An old Imperial chariot, long replaced by steam tanks, but it turns out to be quite useful in the jungle." Captain Richard said to the Hunter General. "We don't have enough warhorses to form a powerful cavalry, but we can make use of local resources, mixing pack horses and warhorses. The musketeers can stay relatively safe on the chariots, which helps with maintaining firepower and retreating."
"Excellent," Erik nodded repeatedly. "Let's get ready!"
"The only regret is that the expedition knight left," the Imperial General said with some disappointment. "He was a powerful Legendary hero."
"Don't count on those Bretonnian knights. Throughout history, we haven't always been friends." Erik sighed. "In these dark times, we can only rely on ourselves."
"This is the Empire!"
…A day later, in the northern forests of Ruscia, along a forest trail…
Over 2,000 Imperial troops were slowly advancing through the tropical rainforest.
Muddy ground, humid air, annoying mosquitoes, and dense vegetation.
Green, endless green. Towering giant trees reaching into the clouds, extremely lush shrubs, and sticky, wet moss made the Imperial soldiers, accustomed to the climate of the Imperial Black Forest, feel extremely uncomfortable. Although it was November and not too hot, almost all the Imperial soldiers were drenched in sweat.
Hunter General Erik, holding an enchanted longbow, walked at the front of the column, followed by ranks of Imperial spearmen, archers, and crossbowmen, then Imperial swordsmen, and finally two Imperial chariots.
"Attention! Do not attempt to pick any fruit. Do not eat anything that looks edible." The Hunter General kept issuing orders: "Stay together, don't get separated. No one knows what might be in the forest. Stay alert!"
"Yes, sir!" The Imperial troops were very cautious, carefully watching their surroundings. Many of the soldiers had never seen such an environment before and naturally didn't dare to act recklessly.
"It's eerily quiet." After marching for several hours, the entire army hadn't encountered any enemies. Erik took a few deep breaths, gripping his bow tightly, which made him feel a bit better.
According to the Empire's intelligence, Ruscia was home to many carnivorous plants and animals. Predatory vines, bloodthirsty spore clouds, and thorny plants all sought careless victims. Large feline predators, man-eating primates, and swarms of giant buzzing insects roamed the jungle. Even more deadly were the ancient beasts in the forest—these reptiles were thought to have gone extinct long ago, but in reality, they still roamed the jungle, reigning at the top of the food chain.
As a Hunter General, Erik was eager to face these legendary beasts in battle.
However, everything was quiet. Massive banana leaves, vines, and shrubs filled the Imperial army's field of vision. The difficult climb through ancient vines and dead branches, the shadowy and damp conditions where sunlight couldn't reach, and the overwhelming greenery engulfed the soldiers' sight and minds. The scent of fresh wood mingled with the smell of decay. In this forest that had existed for millions of years, time seemed to stand still. Occasionally, rays of sunlight would filter through the dense leaves, slowly moving across the forest floor covered with fallen leaves.
"Rustle, rustle..." Deep in the forest, something seemed to be moving. An Imperial hunter, alerted, immediately turned and drew his short bow, aiming toward the direction of the sound: "Who's there?"
Nothing. The forest seemed to quiet down again, and a mist began to rise, making everything appear hazy.
"There?" The Imperial hunter turned to check another direction, but before he could react, a blow dart suddenly flew from the treetops, piercing his back. The hunter let out a cry, trying to fight back, but his body was quickly overcome by paralysis.
"Poison…" The skilled hunter managed to utter his final word before collapsing, dead on the spot.
"Ambush!!" The Hunter General shouted a sharp warning, and the Imperial troops, panicked, immediately woke up. The spearmen and swordsmen formed two lines, while the archers and musketeers fired in the direction the blow dart had come from. Hundreds of arrows and dozens of bullets whistled into the forest.
But nothing happened. They only managed to knock down some shrubs and pierce a few leaves.
The treetops swayed under the attack.
Then, silence returned. Faint whispers echoed from deep within the jungle. The Hunter General drew his bow several times but couldn't find a target and had to lower it. "Keep moving!"
He didn't notice that, not far away, a chameleon on the treetops watched the human army continue to advance. It flicked its tongue, holding a hollow tree branch. With a light jump, it pulled out two more poison darts and disappeared into the canopy of another giant tree.
"Thud…"
"Ahh!" Another Imperial soldier was struck by a poison dart! The lethal toxin claimed his life instantly.
"Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!" The Imperial troops, terrified, fired wildly again, but once more, to no avail.
And so, for the next two hours, soldiers continued to fall, struck by blow darts or poisoned darts, dying in agony from the venom. The troops grew increasingly anxious, their morale plummeting. In the dense jungle, this unfamiliar environment took its toll. Although the casualties were not massive, the constant fear and uncertainty left everyone on edge. Soldiers huddled together, fearfully eyeing their surroundings.
It seemed that every tree, every shrub, even every vine, had become a deadly threat!
"Hiss… hiss…" The low whisper of reptiles echoed through the forest, sometimes close, sometimes distant, always faint.
"Form a tight formation, stay vigilant!" By now, Erik was drenched in sweat. He could constantly feel that something in the jungle was watching them.
That gaze sent chills down his spine.
Fortunately, after a long march, the Lizardmen's ruins were finally in sight. The legendary Toccan Temple appeared before the Imperial soldiers, just as described in the legends. The ruins were filled with gold, silver, enamel, and various gemstones. Moss and vines covered the ruins, along with collapsed walls and trees. It was evident that this was once a magnificent temple, though the reason for its downfall remained unknown.
"Oh! My god, so much gold! Lady of Wealth above, I've never seen so much gold in my life!"
"Sigmar bless us!"
"We've struck it rich!"
"Wonderful! This piece of gold is mine!"
"This is enamel! I love this!"
The Imperial troops, upon seeing such a staggering amount of wealth, immediately lost all composure. After two hours of suffocating tension, the soldiers could no longer restrain their madness. They desperately stuffed anything valuable into their bags, pockets, even their armor. Many soldiers, overloaded with loot, couldn't even move and simply discarded their weapons. The once orderly military formation quickly disintegrated, as all the soldiers were busy looting, even fighting among themselves.
The Hunter General tried to stop the chaos among his men, but he was powerless. At this point, the soldiers' eyes were filled only with gold and gems. Even Erik himself couldn't resist digging through the ruins. A nugget of gold larger than his fist made him grin with delight. "The Emperor will love this."
"Roar~ Awoo~~~" Just as the Imperial army was in total disarray, greedily grabbing the wealth from the ruins, a series of roars echoed from deep within the forest, growing louder and louder.
The next second, dozens of giant beasts charged at the ruins from all directions! These beasts included terror lizards, armored dinosaurs, carnosaurs, and fire-breathing salamanders!
Following these giant beasts were thousands upon thousands of Lizardmen! They roared with primal fury, wielding shields and clubs, and joined the battle!
"Roar~ Destroy these warm-bloods for the Great Plan!" Surrounded by hundreds of temple guards, the Great White Lizardman, Gor-Rok, and two Skink Priests watched in satisfaction as the human army fell into their trap. Gor-Rok, holding the sacred hammer U'Luka and the Shield of the Ages, pointed at the Imperial troops still busy looting the ruins and gave the order: "Advance! For Itza, for the Great Plan, for Lord Kroak!"
His command was answered by roars that could be heard ten kilometers away.
The jungle trembled, the lush forest swayed, and the shaking didn't stop for a long time.
The Imperial army was surrounded by the Lizardmen.
It wasn't until the first terror lizard crashed through and crushed several Imperial spearmen that the Imperial troops even began to react.
Seeing the Lizardmen's army surging from all directions like a tidal wave, only one thought remained in Hunter General Erik's mind.
"The hunter… has become the prey."
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