Chapter 556: Politics and Compromises

The Berserkers and Warlock Centaurs pursued the last survivors of the enemy army before they returned to have someone tend to their wounds.

In the meantime, Michael was given the corpses of all Awakened that had been killed in today's battle. That was one of the terms Michael had given to the Trilance. If they wanted his support, the Trilance had to separate the corpses of all Awakened slaughtered in the Regional War and hand it over to him. It was one of the major reasons Michael contemplated helping the Trilance, in the first place.

Their help was substantial, so it was no wonder that Michael and his subordinates were permitted to collect the corpses of the enemies they'd killed as well. It was not like Michael was in dire need of their corpses, but he would be stupid not to take them. Summons might drop less loot than most monsters, but with Extraction, Michael could still plunder a considerable amount of goods nonetheless.

The aftermath of the battle wasn't that bad. Two of the strongest Blessed Squires in Michael's team died, and one Holy Knight lost his weak arm. Michael was a bit bothered about the deaths but he knew that he had never forced anyone to join him. He told the Blessed Squires to rethink their decision and to be careful because they were only 1-Star Summons without decades of experience.

Unfortunately, that was not enough of a warning. Too many Summons who'd been promoted to 1-Star or 2-Star Summons were excited to test their powers in a real battle. They didn't act foolish but their imagination was wildly different from the cruel reality.

Unfortunately, that was not enough of a warning. Too many Summons who'd been promoted to 1-Star or 2-Star Summons were excited to test their powers in a real battle. They didn't act foolish but their imagination was wildly different from the cruel reality.

Michael thought a bit about the deceased, but his mind drifted swiftly to the occurrences on the battlefield and the effect of actions of his subordinates, the Trilance's forces, and the Council of Xylon's small army.

Since he could see much more than others through his Spirit Eyes, Michael had an easier time connecting the dots and concluding the actions of every party in addition to their reasoning.

'I can still enhance a lot,' He mumbled in his mind, comprehending the mistakes he committed and how to use the unique characteristics of the Berserkers and Warlock Centaurs to his advantage. Michael was certain that he couldn't change the Berserkers and Warlock Centaurs. Their traditional values were sacred to them. Forcing changes upon them through the Links of Loyalty might be possible, but it would shatter their trust and it might harm their souls because he certainly knew that they would fight against any order that went against their principles.

Pulling them out of their frenzy and battle-rush once was already frowned upon, and Michael did not really want to repeat the same procedure over and over again.

Instead, it would be better if he studied the Berserkers and Warlock Centaurs intently and guided them in the right direction to use their full potential. There was no need to impose anything upon them. Michael could show them what they had to do to get stronger and they would naturally adapt. In the worst case, Michael would allow the Berserkers and Warlock Centaurs to let loose where they could cause the least chaos. He would give them what they desired the most by throwing them into the battlefield with Stinger's help.

Michael had a lot to think about and he was given some time for himself, to recall everything about the battle to analyze and to study the Soul Grimoire.

His presence on the battlefield hadn't been as obvious as usual, but Michael was still an active participant. In fact, Michael had the highest contribution in today's battle. He killed close to 2,500 enemies while experimenting with the Pyrocle Spear, Soul Glacicle Bullet, and various other attempts to make full use of the Soul Grimoire's Soul Tears.

As a Tier-3 Lord fused with a Peak Tier-2 Pseudo-Mythical Elemental Empress that had a lesser affinity with all elements, and a mythical fire affinity, Michael didn't need to put much effort into his attacks to kill Summons and Awakened at a lower rank. He wasn't in an all-in fight against Superior Races such as the Tekur with tremendous power and Soul Techniques. His adversaries were a small army, a fraction of a messed-up kingdom with hundreds of small territories. The territories had been squashed together to gather enough numbers to fight against the Trilance. Yet, the Trilance didn't crumble even after several weeks of constant fighting against a very large horde of attackers. The Trilance might have lost a big portion of their territory, but their military might was still standing strong. That uttered more than enough about the Council of Xylon and their lack in military might. They had the numbers to threaten the Trilance but not the power to conquer them. "How did they even survive this long? If I was that weak, I would have been crushed by the monsters of the Untamed Jungle the moment the beginner protection barrier lifted," Michael mumbled even though he knew the answer.

"It's politics. Most of these smaller territories border four, if not more, other territories. Attacking one of them means that you leave an opening for the other Lords to stab you in the back. That's also why none of their armies have thousands of Peak Tier-3 Awakened in their rows, and why their numbers don't surpass 100,000 Soldiers either. Even though the Council of Xylon works together, none of the Lords trust each other enough to dispatch their strongest forces to overwhelm us," Zira explained to Michael, who nodded absentmindedly.

He figured that the Council of Xylon would crumble the moment the Trilance perished. One Lord would attack his neighbors the day the Trilance ceased to exist. Thereafter the Council of Xylon would be destroyed and the intensity of the Regional War would elevate to a completely new height.

Michael didn't care about the smaller territories, but he was unwilling to let the Trilance perish. His bond with them was not exactly strong, but Michael would rather have familiar neighbors who could be reasoned with than new neighbors, who may or may not attack his territory at any given time. The Trilance knew how strong he was, and after today's battle, they would understand that the military might of his territory had been reinforced. Michael and his subordinates were not the same as before. They couldn't be played with anymore. Plus, they were still in the game only because of his generous help.

"You mentioned that this is one of the smaller battlefields. How much larger are the other battlefields?" Michael asked, still deep in thought.

"Most battlefields are a little bit larger, but they're not as massive as you think. The dispatched forces of the council usually reach 30,000 to 50,000 Soldiers. Most of them are 1-Star Summons who have already advanced to Tier-2, but they have a considerable number of Tier-3 Summons and Awakened as well. Most Tier-3 Summons have special abilities, and their Awakened are also a little bit annoying," Zira explained.

"There are many battlefields along our borders these days. My mother and the other Lords concluded that the Council of Xylon was trying to claim our lands to cut off our supplies and finances. Once we lose most of our territory, they will siege our main settlements, create an indomitable Gate Blockade to block all attempts to leave the Origin Expanse through the Runic Gates, and let us starve to death." The plan of the council was not extraordinary, but for a temporary coalition of more than a hundred smaller territories, it was feasible. There was no need for special tactics that relied heavily on the combat prowess of individuals or teamwork with the numbers of the Council of Xylon.

If Michael's memories of the Kitsun Lord and others were not failing him, the smaller territories had more than two settlements with more than 100,000 citizens. Most smaller territories had a population crossing 300,000, which, in retrospect, meant that Michael's territory was tiny with a population below 150,000 citizens. He was not even close.

But then again, Michael could initiate a massive population expansion at any point. It was just that he didn't think it was necessary right now. He focused on the quality of his subjects rather than quantity. That was also why he hoped that the Advanced Sacred Knight Temple, the Hunter Academy, and a few more places would be completed before he began expanding his territory a bit more.

One way or another, the Trilance was in a tricky situation. Since the patchwork kingdom had the numerical advantage while also maintaining a decent quality of soldiers that rivaled the Trilance's forces, it was easier to spread their armies across the borders, forcing the Trilance to compromise.

If the Trilance wanted to protect their entire territory including every single inch of it, they would have to spread their forces equally along the borders. However, they didn't do that. The Trilance chose to protect certain parts of their territory while giving up other parts. It was a painful decision, but also the reason they survived this long.

Michael discussed the Regional War with Zira for a while. Listening to the young Valyr provided a massive influx of information. It was enough to decide that it was about time to join the next battle when Zira received a notification about another attack near the Laprix Lord's border. Only six hours passed since the last fight ended. That was not a lot, especially with the additional work everyone had to complete after the battle. Most couldn't rest for more than three hours, yet another wave of adversaries was about to arrive near their border. Fortunately, three hours of rest was enough to replenish most of their stamina. Being at the 2nd and 3rd Tier decreased the need for rest. They could fight again, though their mental power was still drained.

But that was hardly an issue for Michael and his subordinates. They were well-rested and could fight for quite a while before exhaustion would take them out.

"Lead the way to the battlefield!"