Ghislain often explained to everyone why ambushes were so important.
He had won most of his battles through ambushes and charges. When it came to ambushes, he was arguably the continent's greatest expert.
"The key to an ambush is to completely defy the enemy's expectations. The success of an ambush depends on three factors."
Everyone listened intently, their eyes gleaming.
"First, absolute stealth. You must never be detected while approaching. You need to control everything—sound, movement, even shadows."
"Wooooow!"
"Second, overwhelming force in an instant. The goal of an ambush is to leave no room for the enemy to respond. You must push them back immediately."
"Wooooow!"
"Third, precise information. To ensure the success of an ambush, you must gather intelligence through thorough scouting. A single mistake can ruin the operation."
"Wooooow!"
"An ambush is a double-edged sword. If it succeeds, you gain a massive advantage, but if it fails, we could end up in a disadvantageous situation. That's why you need to have a plan for failure as well."
"Wooooow!"
Whenever he had time, Ghislain taught his party not only the essence of ambushes but also military strategy.
They had to lead the allied forces of humanity in the future, so they couldn't neglect military studies.
The three companions continued exclaiming in awe as they listened to Ghislain. Military strategy was a high-level subject that could only be learned at academies or by nobles.
Astion had never taught such things. To be precise, he didn't know them himself.
Unfortunately, no renowned commanders had ever possessed his body.
The three companions became completely immersed in Ghislain's advanced military knowledge, learning and absorbing it diligently.
"Now that you've learned so much, let's put ambush tactics into practice."
At Ghislain's words, the three nodded with determined expressions. Unlike before, this was their first attempt to apply what they had learned about military tactics.
And now—
They were learning, painfully, what happens when an ambush fails.
"Kill them!"
The bandits, clearly former soldiers, had set up watchtowers around the cliffs for surveillance.
They knew that skilled knights or mages could approach via the cliffs.
Watching the charging bandits, Yulian asked in a panic, "Isn't this supposed to be an ambush?"
Ghislain straightened his back and replied, "You learn best when failure leaves an impression on your body and mind. We failed to maintain stealth and gather accurate intelligence. Ah, I didn't expect them to have guards here too."
"....."
Everyone was left speechless by Ghislain's shamelessly confident attitude.
But he was right about one thing—they had definitely learned their lesson. It was now permanently imprinted in their bodies and minds.
The bandits charged fiercely. The three companions drew their weapons and prepared for battle. Despite being exhausted, they had no choice but to fight with all they had.
Kyle glanced at Ghislain and asked, "Uh... didn't you say we should prepare for failure too?"
"Good question. Of course, I did. I'm always a man with a plan."
"W-What is it?"
Their faces lit up with hope. Ghislain turned to them, grinning widely.
"We haven't overwhelmed them yet. We just need to crush them with force."
"......"
Wasn't that something you'd do after a successful ambush?
While everyone froze in disbelief, Ghislain stepped forward.
"Alright, let's get started."
Ghislain couldn't use spells, but he could manipulate mana.
Fwoosh!
Spear-like mana constructs glowing a brilliant blue formed around him. The color was noticeably different from the mana spears he usually used—probably due to Astion's mana.
"A 5th-circle mage, huh? Still, that's a decent amount of mana."
Over ten mana spears floated around Ghislain. The sight made the bandits shout loudly.
"It's a mage!"
"Kill him first!"
"Get him, now!"
The bandits focused on Ghislain. After all, leaving a mage unchecked was too dangerous.
Ignoring his tense companions, Ghislain charged forward.
"What kind of crazy mage charges in first?"
The bandits sneered as they approached Ghislain.
Zap!
In an instant, the mana spears shot out in all directions. Some of the more skilled bandits managed to block them, but the weaker ones were struck directly.
"Gaaah!"
Several bandits collapsed in an instant. However, the others weren't fazed. Instead, they used the opening to close in on Ghislain.
Ghislain didn't care. He pushed even farther forward.
For a mage to get so close to enemies—anyone would call it reckless.
Yet Ghislain still wore a grin, full of anticipation.
"Time to warm up a little."
Ghislain's staff was smooth and straight, covered with magic inscriptions.
It was a weapon designed to amplify magic, but Ghislain didn't know that.
Instead, he just swung it like a club.
Thwack!
The nearest bandit took the blow to the face and fell instantly. Another bandit raised his sword high and charged at Ghislain.
"Die, you bastard!"
Ghislain's staff moved like lightning.
Thwack!
"Urgh!"
The end of the staff struck the bandit's chest, making him spit blood as he was thrown backward.
Three more bandits rushed in from both sides to close the gap. Ghislain raised his staff vertically and slammed it down on one bandit's head.
Thwack!
Then he spun the staff, striking the knees of the other two. They collapsed, screaming in pain.
Thwack-thwack-thwack!
Ghislain's staff moved like a flash of light.
Bandits tripped, dropped their weapons, or had their limbs struck.
Whenever there was the slightest opening, Ghislain's staff mercilessly pummeled their bodies and heads.
This content may violate our usage policies.
"Aaargh! What is this guy?!"
"He, he's not a mage?"
"He's not a mage! It's a trick! Everyone, get him!"
In the chaos of the melee, someone's shout gave the bandits courage, and they swarmed Ghislain.
Suddenly, mana spears formed around him again and shot outward.
Shwaaak!
The bandits who had lunged at him were struck down by the spears once more.
"Arghhhh!"
"He is a mage! He's definitely a mage!"
"Then what the hell are we supposed to do?!"
The bandits were being pummeled relentlessly by Ghislain's staff and mana spears. They couldn't even get close.
"What the... what the hell is this...?"
The bandit leader, who had arrived late, gaped in disbelief.
What kind of mage moved like that?
No matter how he looked at him, Ghislain didn't exude overwhelming strength. He looked weak—short, skinny, and clearly someone who had spent more time studying than training.
Yet his men were being beaten down one by one.
"W-What kind of technique is that...?"
Ghislain's movements were nothing short of extraordinary. He defended against attacks without pause and countered instantly.
The staff spun in his hands, deflecting weapons and striking weak points to bring enemies down.
Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!
The staff moved as if it were an extension of his body, combining offense and defense effortlessly.
Sometimes he gripped it in the middle to thrust at close-range enemies, and other times he used the end to strike those farther away.
"This... this is impossible..."
The bandit leader was stunned. As a former knight, he could tell how refined and deadly Ghislain's techniques were.
No, it was more accurate to say that his skills were so advanced that the leader couldn't even begin to gauge their level.
And the bandit leader wasn't the only one left speechless. Ghislain's companions were too busy gawking at his performance to act.
"Whoa..."
"Astion could move like that?"
"Even if someone else is controlling his body..."
To use techniques like that, the body had to be well-trained.
But Astion hated physical effort and always preferred using magic to make things easier.
Yet here he was, moving with agility and precision despite his frail body.
Thanks to the length of the staff, his short limbs weren't a disadvantage.
Instead, his small frame allowed him to dodge nimbly, making it impossible for the bandits to close in.
"Amazing..."
Everyone watched with their mouths agape. His movements were on a completely different level from what they had seen before.
"Forget military tactics—he should've been teaching us this!"
Kyle muttered, and the other two nodded in agreement.
But as the three stood there dazed, the bandit leader's face turned red with rage, and he shouted,
"Kill those brats first! No, take them hostage!"
"Yaaaaah!"
The bandits in the camp, all of them, swarmed toward the three companions.
Even aside from those already fighting Ghislain, dozens more remained.
The three tensed, gripping their weapons. Now wasn't the time to be admiring Ghislain's skills.
Clang!
Yulian stepped forward first, blocking a bandit's axe.
His body was still shaky after climbing the cliff, so mistakes were not an option.
'If I slip up, I'll die.'
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Each clash of weapons made his body tremble. But Yulian forced himself to focus, pushing his limits.
To survive, he had to sharpen his senses to the extreme.
The same went for Deneb and Kyle. They had never fought this hard in such an exhausted state before.
Until now, they had always tried to conserve their strength, wary of sudden dangers during their travels.
But thanks to Ghislain's reckless(?) plan, they had no choice but to give it their all.
Clang! Clang! Claaang!
"What the hell are these kids?!"
The bandits pressed the three hard but were shocked by their skills.
Despite looking young, the three were far from ordinary.
Even so, the bandits had the advantage. The trio was barely avoiding being surrounded, but they were steadily taking hits and getting pushed back.
'Is this it?'
Yulian bit his lip.
Despite the struggle, this fight felt different.
By pushing himself to the limit, his mind felt light, almost detached. He couldn't even tell how his arms were moving.
The pain had been overwhelming, but now it was fading. His mind grew clearer.
But there were too many enemies. Wounds began to accumulate, and the situation grew increasingly dire.
'What should I do...?'
Yulian stepped back, desperately searching for another way out. A little longer, and he wouldn't be able to hold on.
Just then—
Something burst through the bandits. There were dozens of them.
Flap! Flap! Flap!
"Ugh! What the hell is this?!"
Dozens of blue sparrow-like creatures flitted through the bandits, disrupting their ranks.
And they were noisy.
"The great me has arrived!"
"A s-sparrow that talks?!"
Some bandits froze in shock.
"Hiyaaaaa!"
Thwack!
Seizing the moment, the sparrows rammed into the bandits' faces.
"What the hell?! Get these things off me!"
The bandits panicked, swinging their weapons wildly to drive the birds away.
They couldn't ignore the sharp beaks pecking at their faces.
Unlike the bandits, the trio remained calm.
They already knew about Dark, Ghislain's familiar. Though they didn't expect it to be smaller due to mana depletion, they weren't surprised.
Thanks to the sparrows and the trio's efforts, the bandits' numbers began to dwindle.
'We can do this!'
Yulian's determination flared as he swung his sword. He didn't worry about the others—he trusted Kyle to handle his side.
Stab!
Yulian drove his sword into the last bandit blocking his path and let his guard down for just a moment.
There were no more enemies in front of him.
And then—
From behind the falling body, the bandit leader's distorted face emerged.
Deneb cried out in horror.
"Yulian!"
The leader's sword, filled with rage, sliced through the air toward Yulian's neck.
[T/L: I need your support, dear readers. I will give discount to all those who will buy the rest of the chapters all together, so please support me the reader on my webnovel platform and read ahead chapters on my ko-fi page "RevengerScans" : https://ko-fi.com/revengerscans ]