Of course, the teleportation didn’t care about my wish. One moment I was surrounded by glowing magical circles, and the next, I found myself in a completely different location.
I blinked, taking in my surroundings. Tall stone walls loomed around me, and people stood atop them, scanning the horizon. Unlike my soldiers, who were decked out in futuristic, cybernetic armor, the soldiers here wore classic medieval armor, shining breastplates, chainmail, and helmets that made it feel like I had truly stepped back in time.
Yep, no doubt about it. We had arrived at World #C-9013.
World #C-9013 was another independent nation, much like the Ember Empire. However, instead of a futuristic fantasy setting, it was more rooted in a medieval era. Their weapons were also from medieval times, though some were infused with magic. The primary reason for this backwardness was a deep-seated mistrust between the nations, preventing them from advancing in more unified or modern ways.
The worlds are all connected and each one has their own unique dimension filled with wonders and mysteries. However, just because they are connected doesn’t mean they share the same level of technology. Some worlds are buzzing with advanced machinery and shiny gadgets, while others stick to ancient magic and basic tools.
With so many worlds connected with each other, it creates a lot of possibilities, where unexpected conflicts can break out at any moment even with the Harbingers. Each world is eager to protect its secrets, just like Earth does. They guard their advancements like treasures.
As I mentioned before, there are a total of four teleportation points in each world, each one connecting to a different world. It works like a spider web, but on a much larger scale. Vast and seemingly endless. Teleportation allows someone to travel to a location near a teleportation gate, or directly to the gate itself. However, it’s important to know the destination is within allied territory, as enemy interference can disrupt the process. Once used, the teleportation system requires a full day to cool down before it can be activated again.
Anyway, as soon as we arrived, a man who looked like he was in charge stepped forward to greet me. He was tall, easily in his thirties, with long, dark hair that fell to his shoulders. He wore heavy armor that clinked with every step, though something about him seemed off for a man of his size. Then I realized it, the two small swords strapped to his back. Given his build, I would have expected a massive greatsword or axe, but instead, he carried those nimble blades. It was clear that appearances could be deceiving, and this man likely moved with a speed that contradicted his size.
"Major General William," he said, giving me a glare without much of a bow. His voice was deep. "I am Commander Alaric, in charge of this sector of World #C-9013. Welcome to the front lines."
His tone was professional, but I could sense the tension. He was sizing me up, probably wondering what someone with William’s infamous reputation was doing here.
“William Von Dakeon, Fifth Prince of the Ember Empire and Major General who is here to aid you in battle.”
Alaric just looked at me strangely before shrugging off, probably thinking that I had eaten something strange and I was playing the role of a military officer without a care in the world. Yep, it must be what he is thinking.
Though I didn’t care much about getting evaluated or improving my reputation. I came here to battle after all, and made a goal to have as many survivors as possible for the upcoming battles. I scanned the area again now that I grasped the situation. Upon closer inspections, the state of the walls was in poor condition, with dents and damage indicating recent battles.
“When will the enemy attack again?” I asked.
“Around two weeks, give or take,” Alaric replied with a sigh. “Every wave of goblins attacks this place on average every two weeks.”
“No,” I said, locking eyes with him. “The goblins will attack in one week.”
“I beg your pardon?”
“You heard me right. The goblins will attack in one week.”
Surprised glances passed between the soldiers on both sides. Alaric looked at me as if I’d lost my mind. It was already unusual for William Von Dakeon to be on the front lines, given his lack of military training. Now, to claim that the goblins would attack a week earlier than expected seemed even more absurd.
If I was Alaric, I would react the same way as him. Though I had confidence where I had my sources from because it was right in front of myself and Alaric, but he couldn’t see.
TUTORIAL
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[Stage 0]
Preparation Time: 1 Week
———————————————————————————
You are inside a Tutorial! Learn how to:
Place or heal troops
Set traps
Fix the fort
Craft equipment and artifacts
Manage resources
If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
Upgrade defenses
Coordinate with allies
Strategize for battles
Form Parties
I, of course, dismissed this notification since I already played the tutorial a hundred times and knew this more than the tutorial actually did. I just looked at the preparation time which was one week. Instead, I focused on the next screen that popped up.
STAGE 0
———————————————————————————
Preparation Time: 1 Week
———————————————————————————
Enemies:
??? Lv. 60
?
Goblin King Lv. 50
20
Goblin General Lv. 35
1,000
Goblin Knight Lv. 20
24,320
Elite Goblin Lv. 10
92,273
Goblin Lv. 5
560,023
‘Yep, we were doomed.’ I thought, looking at the screen. Goblins; green-skinned, weak, unintelligent, and worst of all, high birth rate. A single goblin at level 5 was laughable, and a single soldier could take out ten of them with ease. But the sheer number, over 550,000, changed everything. And that didn’t include the Elites, Knights, Generals, and the Goblin King. Worst of all, I already knew who the final boss was. The Goblin Emperor, who hadn’t even revealed himself yet. This wasn’t a battle; it was a massacre waiting to happen.
“What are our numbers?” I asked Alaric, trying hard not to let the dread from the screen show on my face.
He didn’t answer my question. Instead, Alaric glared at me and said, “Why would the goblins attack in one week? That’s not what our scouts have reported. To me, you’re just spouting nonsense.”
Beside me, Arion’s face turned red with anger. “How dare you ques—”
“Stop,” I cut him off, my voice sharp.
I knew this was coming. Of course they would doubt me. If someone suddenly said the attack pattern had changed, anyone would be skeptical. Especially when their scouts reported the goblins were behaving as usual. Explaining it all would be a pain, particularly when they didn’t have the system knowledge like I did. So there was only one way to deal with this.
“Tell me, Alaric,” I said, my voice turning cold. “What rank are you?”
“Brigadier General,” he replied, his voice still tinged with frustration. “But that’s not—”
“And I’m both a prince and a Major General, correct?” I continued, stepping closer, my eyes narrowing into a glare. “That makes me your superior, in both military and politics. What kind of soldier questions his superior?”
“Yeah, right. I heard all about how you back in the capital, how you waste money like water and how you only cared about money and women. I’m supposed to follow orders from the likes of you?”
I wouldn’t, to be fair. I wouldn’t trust the original William, but I couldn’t say that outloud. I need some way to convince him,and it has to be right now or I would lose my chance.
“And have you seen me doing it? Have you seen me playing around?”
“Of course not. Why wou-”
“That explains it. You didn’t even see me, and you believed those stupid rumors. I thought you were supposed to be a commander, and don’t you know that information is the most important thing when coming to battle?”
Alaric’s face turned red, his eyes bulging with rage. Without warning, he drew his sword and charged at me, screaming, “If my soldiers are going to die because of you, I’ll make sure you die with me!”
I expected shouting, maybe even some rebellious remarks, but this? Was he out of his mind? Attacking royalty in broad daylight was practically signing your own death warrant! Treason was punished by the most brutal forms of torture and execution. Naturally, I was stunned.
But being surprised didn’t mean I was defenseless. Just as Alaric swung his sword, Arion stepped in front of me, blocking the attack with his own weapon. Alaric, however, wasn’t finished. He wielded two swords, and with his free hand, he slashed at Arion’s exposed side.
Arion, ever sharp, saw the second strike coming. Before Alaric's blade could land, Arion surged forward, grabbing Alaric’s sword arm with his free hand. Without hesitation, Arion delivered a bone-crushing headbutt to Alaric’s face.
Alaric staggered back, blood trickling from his nose, dazed from the impact. Then, with precision and restraint, Arion swung the flat of his sword, knocking the towering man unconscious. A heavy thud echoed through the fort as Alaric, Brigadier General and commander of the fort, lay motionless on the cold stone floor.
The silence that followed was thick, as every soldier turned their gaze from Alaric to Arion, then to me. The tension hung in the air, and I could feel the weight of their stares.
“You didn’t kill him, did you?” I asked, half-fearing the answer.
Arion sheathed his sword calmly and replied, “No, my lord. I would never take a life so recklessly, especially without your command.” His voice was steady, reassuring. “I merely subdued him. We still need him to lead and to answer for his actions, but I will not act in a way that stains your name or dishonors the crown.”
A wave of relief washed over me, knowing Arion's actions were meant to protect me, but the unease among the soldiers was still palpable. Alaric’s men looked torn, unsure whether to arrest Arion for attacking their commander or to turn against Alaric for attempting to kill a member of the royal family. The tension was thick, but I had no intention of doling out punishment. Every man was valuable, and I couldn’t afford to lose even one.
“You there,” I pointed to one of Alaric’s officers, a stern-looking man with a furrowed brow. “Give me a status report on the fort.”
He hesitated for a brief moment, glancing at the unconscious Alaric, before snapping into a sharp salute. “Yes, my lord! Currently, we have 15,000 soldiers ready for deployment, and with the reinforcements, we now number around 25,000. The fort is undergoing repairs. Our engineers are working as quickly as they can. As for our defenses, we have 400 standard cannons, 20 magical cannons, 300 ballistae, 15 magical ballistae, 100 catapults, and 10 magical catapults prepared.”
I nodded, trying to appear confident despite the grim situation. It wasn’t much, especially considering the numbers I had seen on the enemy side, but it was something. We'd have to make every resource count.
However, there was still one major concern gnawing at the back of my mind. During the tutorial, there would be succubus who would infiltrate the minds of soldiers in the fort. They would manipulate them, forcing acts of sabotage to weaken our defenses before the battle even started.
It was one of the cruel twists of the game, turning an already desperate situation into one of complete hopelessness. The thought of my own men potentially betraying us from withins made my stomach churn. I needed to act fast to counter that threat, before it shattered whatever slim chances we had left.
“You,” I said, pointing to a different officer. “Show me who is in charge of making artifacts or equipment.”
“Yes my lord!” The officer said, leading me and Arion to them.