Looking at his army, Damiond knew he was safe… at least much safer than before. But it was still nowhere near enough. It was easy to get distracted when commanding your own monsters, but luckily, this wasn't his first time in a leadership role.
And because of that, he knew one thing clearly—he stood no chance in a direct, head-on battle. The best option? Guerrilla tactics.
Thankfully, he didn't need to attack his enemies directly. He only had to defend himself for now.
But as he thought deeper, the flaws of that plan became clearer. Defending meant staying in one place. And it would make it far easier for his enemies to locate him. They were bound to investigate anything unusual… and a bunch of monsters suddenly appearing at random spots, guarding territory? That was more than unusual.
As Damiond's thoughts spiraled, he realized even guerrilla tactics weren't a perfect choice.
He leaned back against a rock near the small fire, the warmth barely fighting off the cold that crept under his clothes. His mind ran through every possibility.
First option: A full-scale assault. It could damage the enemy forces—maybe even scare them—but there was no way to completely destroy them. They would recover eventually… and come back stronger, angrier, and more organized.
Second: Sabotage. Disrupt their supply lines, launch hit-and-run attacks, slow them down. But that came with its own dangers. His monsters would die off over time, leaving him vulnerable. And if a large group of soldiers stumbled across him while his army was away… he wasn't confident he could survive alone.
Then came a third idea: Distraction. Send monsters to guard some random, unimportant location to lure the enemy's attention away. Let them waste resources investigating. But after thinking it through, he realized this might be worse.
Having his army elsewhere left him exposed. More importantly, it would reveal his biggest weapon—surprise.
No one truly understood his power yet. But showing his hand early would only make his enemies more cautious. Stranger monster behavior? They'd connect the dots eventually. Even if he managed to escape this place, they'd have a trail to follow. Life was unpredictable. Sooner or later, he would be forced to use his powers again… and if they were prepared, he'd be the one hunted.
Damiond exhaled deeply, resting his head on a small, smooth stone as he sat by the fire, its weak flames crackling in the cold cave. He knew he'd be here for a while… thinking.
In short, he needed a plan that was precise, lethal… but most importantly, left no evidence that he was behind it.
A small smirk crept across his face. He might not be the strongest or most talented aura master of his generation, but when it came to tactics? He was among the best—if not the best.
Sadly, being a skilled tactician earned little recognition. Soldiers followed strength, not strategy. Every man valued his life, and following someone weaker, even with perfect planning, always carried more risk of death. And if they lost? Their fate was sealed.
But monsters… they were different. They had no will of their own. Even those few with some fragment of intelligence showed no disobedience. That made them perfect.
Damiond could experiment with tactics no human army would ever tolerate. No questions. No hesitation. Only obedience.
After thinking for some time, he finally came up with a plan.
Simple, but effective.
He would hide his ground monsters for now—keeping them in the cave they already lived in. Meanwhile, his aerial monsters would scout the area and attack any Zephyraunt they came across—so long as they weren't heavily guarded.
Flying monsters were harder to track. Attacking supply lines would slow the enemy's movements. And their scouting would keep him informed.
His limited number of air monsters was actually an advantage—so few in number, they weren't even worth noticing. And keeping his ground monsters in reserve meant he could react to emergencies instantly.
He wasn't in a rush to attack anyone. His goal was simple.
Escape.
As his mind calmed, satisfied with the plan, he prepared to give the orders. But then… something caught his attention.
The snowstorm outside.
It had been quiet for a while—too quiet.
His eyes narrowed as he focused, noticing how the wind had shifted. It wasn't over.
It was the silence before the storm.
As darkness settled over the snow-covered mountains, the realization hit him.
"…Shit."