After Being Sold Out By The Empire, I Decide To Assist The Demon King
Chapter 59 - 58: Ominous Prophecy

Chapter 59: Chapter 58: Ominous Prophecy

"Hiss~ Kalakapapa, the wrath of the Demon King will bring cataclysm to the Lizardmen!"

The elder Lizardman, whose scales were somewhat mottled, warned the Lizardman leader, Kalakapapa. He looked crazed as he issued the warning, running back and forth while shaking a bone vessel in his hand.

"Prophet... I don’t understand."

Kalakapapa frowned as he asked the Prophet Lizardman in front of him, appearing both annoyed and confused. He said, "Spring has already arrived for three days, but there hasn’t been any movement from the Demon King Territory. I don’t think they have any spare energy to deal with us."

However, under the watchful eyes of the leaders of dozens of Lizardman tribes, the Prophet did not answer the leader. He merely ran around the territory, glancing at the small holes in the vessel in his hand.

The vessel seemed to be a bone ball formed by fusing two bowls together, with three or four small holes of varying sizes. When shaken, it made a crisp sound, as if something inside it was striking the ball’s interior.

"Prophet!!"

Amid Kalakapapa’s angry voice, the crazed Prophet ran to the center of the hall. He glanced at the small ball in his hand and instantly showed a horrified expression.

*Thud*

The Lizardman Prophet sat on the ground, his face full of shock. The aged Prophet mumbled to himself, saying, "It’s over, it’s all over. It’s too late. Hahaha! Wah wah wah wah wah wah!!"

"..."

"What are you talking about? Prophet!"

Kalakapapa appeared irritated. He gripped his magic wand and struck the ground hard. Under the gazes of the watching leaders, his snake-like eyes flared with a fierce gleam as he commanded, "He has lost his mind! Take him away!"

The Lizardman guards, obeying the leader’s order, almost immediately entered the Lord Hall. They dragged the Prophet, who alternated between crying and laughing, away... or rather, they dragged him out.

The Prophet, tightly clutching his divination tools, did not resist. He allowed himself to be dragged while maintaining a position with his legs grabbed. He stared intently at the small holes in the object in his hand.

"..."

He seemed to see something for a moment, then let go of the divination tool without any attachment. He looked up at the Lizardman leader, his gaze as if he were looking at a dead object.

The profession of a Prophet always allowed them to see the most futures just before death, because the World Tree, omniscient and omnipotent deities, and ancestors knew... that this prophecy was beyond words.

Whether out of mercy or favor, the Prophets would always see more futures just before their death. So, what did the Lizardman Prophet see before Kalakapapa executed him?

...

A scarlet star sparkled, accompanied by some indistinct existence. A dark tide followed closely behind, entwining enough to form a consuming whirlpool.

——————————

The Headless Knights, forming the vanguard, led the way for the other infantry. They hadn’t broken into a full sprint to accommodate the other infantry units, but those units weren’t moving sluggishly either.

Because everywhere the Headless Knights passed, the ground manifested Mana resembling numerous wailing souls. The other troops marching on those patterns could advance swiftly.

The army triggered by the Path to the Netherworld, translucent with ghostly blue apparitions appearing on the marching formation’s outskirts, moved so quickly it almost seemed to fly, resembling an army from Hell.

"Clip-clop, clip-clop, clip-clop~"

As they neared the Lizardmen’s territory, the Headless Knights, under the guidance of their leader, quickened their pace, eventually breaking into a full-speed charge. The units at the rear, unable to benefit from the Path to the Netherworld’s aid, deactivated the ability to save some Mana.

Though it didn’t consume an excessive amount of Mana, saving any amount was still worthwhile.

This was all part of Yila’s prearranged plan. Although he excelled at improvisation as the best Governor, he also recognized the importance of pre-battle strategy.

The world’s approach to cavalry usage was quite... rough? No, not rough, just sometimes not flexible enough to capitalize on the greatest advantage.

Or rather, Yila didn’t agree with the all-out assault cavalry tactics that could be described as "Full Army Charge!" He believed that with cavalry’s mobility advantage, they should be tearing or interspersing.

Like an eagle circling, waiting to swoop down and tear off a piece of flesh from the prey.

However, from a large-scale battlefield perspective, the strategy of charging with absolute momentum all at once wasn’t wrong... At least this tactic, which greatly threatened the Empire’s rear mage units, left the Empire defenseless.

The formation would be shattered, and morale would be completely crushed.

The sight of endless waves of fearless, dark iron cavalry charging at full speed was something Yila had never seen even in his past world... After all, not all horses were the same.

Therefore, Yila would try to flexibly choose different tactics at different times... Though he lacked the talents of a Marshal or General, his ability to command—gleaned from experience and extensive knowledge—was still astonishing.

"The timing should be just right."

Yila smiled as he spoke. He had already shared his plan with everyone... A very simple plan, so simple it might seem outrageous, but extremely effective, no matter how one thought about it.

Or rather, it couldn’t even be called a "plan," just a crushing force leading to a crushing strategy... Additionally, Yila had grasped a key point.

"Actually, the Lizardmen’s people haven’t turned to betrayal."

Satan Ye seemed to have learned something. As she watched the Headless Knights racing forward with mechanical body parts, she said, "We can use this..."

"Yes~"

Nodding, Yila told Satan Ye the story, saying, "In any kingdom, when a general leads his subordinates to rebel and march toward the capital, he would never directly tell his subordinates, ’I intend to betray.’"

In her contemplative silence, seemingly recalling something, Yila guided Satan Ye exactly as he would have guided Isabella, saying, "Those soldiers would be deceived by claims of ’protecting the king! eliminating traitors.’ By the time they realized the truth, it would be too late to turn back."

"If that General had declared ’I have decided to betray’ from the start, his deputies would have beheaded him that very night for the reward... You can use this fact when necessary."

"..."

"Oh, I see."

Seeing Satan Ye’s understanding expression, Yila couldn’t help but marvel at her spirituality and obedience as a student... Unlike another former student, who always contradicted.

She used to call Yila nagging... That might have been her rebellious phase.

It was truly nostalgic.