After storing all the dropped items into his spatial bag, Paul said, "Now, it's time to discuss our main problem,outside the dungeon: the goblin horde."
He then pulled out a folding stool from his spatial bag and sat down, wearing a calm but focused expression.
Pulling out three more folding chairs, he handed them to Renya and said, "Renya, if you would..." gesturing for her to set them up for the others.
"Yes, Prince," Renya replied, taking the chairs and unfolding them one by one, placing them in a loose circle, one each for Kruger, Greta, and herself.
As Kruger and Greta took their seats, Paul pulled out a folding table. Without a word, Renya moved swiftly to open and place it at the center of the circle.
Once everything was arranged, Renya sat down. Paul then drew out a large piece of parchment, carefully unrolling it and laying it flat across the table. The edges curled slightly, resisting the tension of having been rolled for so long.
He glanced briefly at the illustration before looking up at Kruger.
"So, how do we exterminate the goblins? Based on what I observed through the drone's surveillance, there are about 500 settlements scattered across the forest—within a 300 by 300 area." He tapped the table lightly, one finger repeating a slow rhythm.
Kruger's expression hardened. "Just as you feared, Your Highness," he began, his tone grave. "This goblin force is... different. More organized. More dangerous. Because of that, we're planning to deploy a sizable force: around 1,800 soldiers and 200 adventurers for the operation."
He leaned forward to study the map, his index finger pointing to the two city icons marked at opposite sides of the parchment.
"We'll be advancing from two sides: the capital and Handelsfurt," he continued. "Each group will consist of fifteen people, moving independently toward the forest from these two fronts."
Paul's eyes narrowed slightly as he asked, "With so many split units, have you coordinated the location for convergence? The siege point?"
Kruger blinked, momentarily puzzled, until realization set in.
"You mean... the messengers?" he asked.
Paul gave a simple nod.
"Yes, we've implemented the coordination plan," Kruger confirmed. "Each unit receives instructions through drop-letter markers placed at intervals, just like the strategy you proposed yesterday."
Paul remained silent, only nodding slightly.
Kruger took that as a cue to continue. "After each squad advanced into the forest as directed, we synced them again, just like you ordered Gunther and Greta to deploy the devices."
He gestured to the parchment, pointing to locations where Paul had instructed the placement of radios and earpiece relays.
As Kruger pointed to the eight guard points outside the goblin settlement, Paul raised an eyebrow.
"Hoo… so that was your idea? Surrounding the entire settlement out of nowhere?"
His eyes lingered on the map, visibly impressed by the strategic encirclement forming before him.
Kruger nodded. "Yes. Each of the eight guard positions will be manned by 125 soldiers, veterans and new recruits alike, all of them familiar with the terrain."
He circled each marked point on the map with his finger.
Leaning in slightly, Paul asked with interest, "So… you'll be able to both attack and defend simultaneously?"
"Exactly," Kruger confirmed. "We'll send in 600 main troops, divided across these four assault vectors."
He tapped the four entry routes marked on the map leading directly into the goblin stronghold.
Paul examined the layout, then added, "And with 200 adventurers... that's 40 full parties."
He gestured in the air, mentally simulating the battlefield. But as he mapped the numbers, his brow tightened—his thoughts turning to the creature he had seen earlier through his drone.
"But… with that special monster among them…" he murmured, voice tinged with concern.
"Yes…" Kruger replied gravely. "Because of that special goblin you saw, I've ordered Gunther to request reinforcements from the nearest town—200 light cavalry, trained for forest combat."
He pointed to a smaller city marked further east on the map.
Paul nodded slowly. "So if the goblins try to break out or collapse one of the fronts… we'll have enough mobility to hit back from behind," he said, half to himself.
Hearing that, Renya, Kruger, and Greta nodded in agreement.
As the full scale of the operation took shape—troops moving into position, strategy laid out—Paul tilted his head and asked, "So… when exactly does this goblin extermination begin?"
Kruger responded immediately, "Once Gunther's reinforcements arrive. The plan is for all units to be in position by midday, and we launch the attack in the afternoon."
"Good," Paul replied with a calm nod. "At least my heat sensor still works. That should help spot stragglers or runners."
Then, turning to Renya with a more serious tone, Paul asked,
"How long will it take for your unit—the assassins—to locate the goblin hostages?"
Renya paused, thoughtful.
"If they moved as scheduled, they've just arrived," she said, tapping a finger lightly to her cheek.
"It'll take until noon to scout the area properly and confirm where the hostages are being held."
Paul accepted the answer with a nod.
"Alright then—we strike in the afternoon."
With that, he rolled up the parchment and secured it closed.
Upon hearing his final confirmation, Renya, Greta, and Kruger responded in unison,
"Roger."
After exiting the dungeon, Paul immediately sought higher ground and began setting up his equipment. He pulled out the Arcwave Relay 8 – Rune Relay Command unit and a compact portable table.
Without needing instructions, Renya quickly unfolded the table and placed the device on top, securing it with practiced ease.
Meanwhile, Paul deployed six drones, activating them in sequence. Kruger took control of their launch systems, while Paul—through mental link—guided the drones to begin circling the target area.
As the surveillance network came online, Paul focused on assembling the remaining components of the Arcwave Relay 8. Once fully connected, he powered it up.
A hum of magical circuits filled the air, soft lights blinking in rhythm across the panel. The system was live.
Paul stepped back, checked the signal display, then leaned toward the comms unit and spoke into the radio with calm authority:
"This is Iron Crown. Command Center broadcasting. Radio check. Respond in sequence. Over."
A brief hiss of static.
Then a crisp female voice answered:
"Iron Fist. Signal strong and clear. Standing by for orders. Over."
One by one, more voices joined in—the confirmation chain unfolding with steady rhythm:
"North Fang. In position. Standing by for orders. Over."
"South Fang. In position. Standing by for orders. Over."
"East Fang. In position. Standing by for orders. Over."
"West Fang. In position. Standing by for orders. Over."
Then came the Outposts:
"Outpost One. Communication stable. Already in position. Over."
"Outpost Two. Channel secure. No anomalies detected. Over."
"Outpost Three. Voice transmission confirmed. Standing by. Over."
"Outpost Four…"
"Outpost Five…"
"Outpost Six…"
"Outpost Seven…"
"Outpost Eight…"
Paul stood silently, eyes scanning the relay monitor as each report came through. With every voice, another segment of the operation locked into place.
He mentally checked off each unit—every piece of the battle formation now aligned. The grid was complete.
A faint breeze brushed against his coat, but Paul didn't move. His gaze was sharp, fixed forward.
The stage was set. The silence that followed was not of peace, but of anticipation.
The operation was about to begin.
As the voice came through the radio, Paul glanced at Kruger and remarked,
"Looks like Sis Brunhild—your daughter—is taking the lead at Front Command. You good with that, Kruger?"
He casually tossed the command headset toward him.
Kruger caught it with a practiced motion, his face calm but focused.
"It's not just okay," Kruger replied evenly. "It's better. Brunhild was trained to be a commander and a frontline fighter."
He placed the headset over his head, adjusting the mic with a flick of his fingers.
Paul raised an eyebrow, slightly surprised by the certainty in Kruger's tone.
"I see… I wasn't aware she was prepared for that kind of responsibility," Paul said thoughtfully, nodding with a hint of respect.
Kruger gave a firm nod in return.
"Brunhild's not just the daughter of the Head Guard. She's trained in tactics, formation control, and field communication. Sure, she's skilled with a blade—but she also thinks. She's earned her position."
Without waiting further, Kruger leaned toward the mic and spoke into the headset with clarity and command:
"This is Iron Crown.
We begin the attack this afternoon when the Raven Unit arrives.
Until then, all guard posts must remain secure and alert.
One more thing—every unit, listen carefully:
These goblins… they're not ordinary.
They're smart,organized, and strategic.
So don't underestimate them. Stay sharp.
Over."
The acknowledgments came in swiftly, each voice crisp over the comms:
"Iron Fist, acknowledged. Over."
"North Fang, understood. Over."
"South Fang, understood. Over."
"East Fang, understood. Over."
"West Fang, understood. Over."
"Outpost One, standing by. Over."
"Outpost Two, standing by. Over."
"Outpost Three, understood. Over."
"Outpost Four, all clear. Over."
"Outpost Five, on standby. Over."
"Outpost Six, awaiting orders. Over."
"Outpost Seven, ready. Over."
"Outpost Eight, in position. Over."
Kruger slowly lowered the mic, turning toward Paul with a firm expression.
"Now we wait for the Raven Unit. Then we strike."
Paul nodded silently, his mind already calculating timing, positioning, and fallback options.
The battle hadn't started yet, but every heartbeat brought it closer.