C25 The Battle of the Three Primitive Tribes on the Beach

Prince Ostia had barely settled into his role as the lord of the Bloomfield Domain when he was met with a grave challenge to his authority. Within a week of his arrival, the New Lord's stay in the tribe was disrupted by an attack from another tribe. Though it was unclear whether the assault was specifically aimed at him, it provided sufficient cause for war.

Reasons for war are plentiful; any excuse will suffice for those eager to engage in battle. The Hidden Treasure Tribe launched a night raid on the Twin Tribe, despite both tribes, hailing from Nolan Tias, having coexisted peacefully for years without meddling in each other's affairs. The timing of the incident, coinciding with the New Lord's lodging, led Ostar to suspect that he was the intended target.

As Bloomfield Territory's new lord, Ostar's resources were limited. Apart from his three personal maids, including Chris, he had virtually no military might at his disposal. The only allies he could count on were the Underground Tribe and the Twin Tribe, both of which had openly endorsed his rule. Together, they numbered just over seven thousand—a figure less than half the size of the Hidden Treasure Tribe.

The opposition was a formidable force, boasting over twenty thousand warriors equipped with gear far superior to Ostar's. While his side was armed with primitive stone and bone weapons, reminiscent of the Stone Age, their adversaries donned full metal armor. In terms of sheer numbers and equipment, they were outmatched. Without the intervention of an external third-party force, victory seemed unattainable.

After the previous night's raid and the subsequent "Exorcism of Light," which scattered the Hidden Treasure Tribe, Ostar meticulously examined the abandoned weapons and armor. The attackers had fled without their gear. Although he couldn't identify the mysterious metal used to craft the black armor he now inspected, Ostar was certain of one thing: the durability of these arms and armor far surpassed that of the Oberiske Empire's most elite unit, the Royal Guard, and their finely wrought iron weaponry and defenses.

The difference was clear to the touch—the Royal Guard's armor might as well have been made of paper compared to the other side. It was undeniable that the weapons and armor here were far superior, boasting craftsmanship well above the West Continent's average.

Upon witnessing the stark disparity in equipment, Prince Ostar was dumbstruck for quite some time. If this gap in gear were to be the benchmark, even the elite royal guards of the Oberiske Empire might not stand a chance in battle.

Emperor Augustus VIII, Ostar's father, had led his troops on an expedition to the Middle Continent but never reached the Miquusd Mountain region. Thus, he never truly clashed with the Hidden Treasure Tribe. Had he done so, the first to have his worldview shattered would undoubtedly have been Emperor Augustus himself.

"Brother Lord, even if our two tribes unite, we'd barely muster seven thousand warriors—not even half the number of our adversaries. Clairna, Claia, you must realize that even combined, we stand no chance against Mira."

"Rosie, we're well aware of our limits, but we sisters are unwavering in our support for the Lord. Whatever decision he makes, we're behind him."

"This... You two... What are you trying to say..."

"Rosie, are you questioning the Lord's capabilities?"

"No, it's not that, Clairna, Claia. Please don't stir up trouble between us and the Lord's brother!"

At a makeshift pavilion near Marianath Beach, Prince Ostar, in his capacity as the lord of the Bloomfield Region, convened an emergency war council. His plan was to ally with the Underground Tribe and the Twin Tribe to strike at the Hidden Treasure Tribe, aiming to coerce them into acknowledging his lordship and authority.

The tribal chieftains were in attendance: Rosie, the "Mouse Girl" of the Underground Tribe; sisters Clairna and Claia of the Twin Tribe; and Gonias, the White Witch, the titular leader of the Nolanthias people.

The three primitive tribes embroiled in the conflict were all Nolanthias clans. Typically, the Sarachanim and Lornos Beer clans would not get involved in such internal strife, as it bore little consequence for them.

Remaining aloof and observing the conflict from afar was the optimal strategy. Watching the Nolanthias tribes weaken from civil war presented an advantageous scenario for both observing powers.

Rosie's expression was one of sheer astonishment as she observed Clairna and Claia, the mischievous lolita sisters known for their pranks and unruly natures, sitting dutifully on either side of Ostar. She struggled to grasp why they were suddenly so compliant, almost like devoted fangirls, their genuine warmth seemingly unfeigned. What on earth had Ostar done to earn such loyalty from them?

Not being a foodie herself, Rosie simply couldn't fathom the mindset of one. Despite her reservations about Lord Ostar's decision to go to war, she ultimately concurred. The entire Twin Tribe, numbering over six thousand, was mobilized. Clairna and Claia appeared indifferent to the potential loss of life, leaving Rosie feeling compelled to commit her own Underground Tribe's forces, over a thousand strong.

Ostar had gleaned the basic structure of the tribes from the three lolita chieftains. Although the claim was that the entire tribe would fight, in reality, only the men were battle-ready. With the women, elderly, infirm, and children remaining behind, the two primitive tribes could field only around three thousand warriors.

The Underground Tribe could muster a mere five hundred, while the Twin Tribe's contribution peaked at just over three thousand five hundred. This was their limit. These men were vital to their respective tribes' labor force; a total defeat would deal a catastrophic blow to their very foundations.

Rosie's initial hesitance, her "Mouse Lady" caution, stemmed from these concerns. She hadn't fully trusted the New Lord Ostar and had only entertained the potato farming initiative out of respect for Gonias, the White Witch of the Nolanthias. The prospect of such a high-stakes gamble, a desperate all-or-nothing bet, was not something she was prepared to risk.

Yet, it was the influence of Clairna and Claia that ultimately swayed her decision. The Twin Tribe had vowed to supply the Underground Tribe with food, primarily fish and coconuts, until their potato crops were ready to harvest.

This assurance was significant to Rosie. Observing the sisters' deep-seated devotion to Ostar, she surmised that withholding her agreement might mean not making it back home at all. Worse still, the Twin Tribe might even turn their sights on her Underground Tribe first.

When the time comes, we'll forcibly integrate the Underground Tribe before launching an assault on the Hidden Treasure Tribe. Even if Clairna and the Claia sisters have pledged allegiance to New Lord Ostar's rule, their temperaments remain unchanged. There's a high likelihood they'll make such capricious decisions.

"Rest assured, I'll devise a strategy that minimizes casualties for your people. I am your lord, after all; I have no intention of betraying you—that would serve me no benefit," Ostar reassured.

Ostar turned his attention to Rosie, aiming to soothe her concerns first. Of the three young female chieftains, Rosie was the only one still wavering. In reality, the Hidden Treasure Tribe couldn't possibly muster a fighting force of over twenty thousand. Like the Twin Tribe and the Underground Tribe, not every member was a warrior. Discounting the elderly, infirm, and women, the Hidden Treasure Tribe could field, at best, around twelve thousand combatants—no more.

Ostar had another ace up his sleeve: the pirate fleets of Queen Liana and Belrose. Each Pirate Queen commanded an exclusive fleet, with a combined force of around ten thousand pirates, each leading over five thousand fighters.

These pirates were essentially combat-ready, with no elderly, weak, sick, or disabled among them. Their only drawback was a reduction in combat effectiveness once they landed, a common issue among seafaring raiders. Once ashore, their prowess was significantly hampered by the terrain, rendering them less effective than the Green Forest Bandits or the Snow Tundra Bandits. Consequently, their influence was confined to the Coastal Domain, unable to penetrate deeper into the Middle Continent's interior.

After weighing his options, Ostar decided against seeking aid from Liana and Belrose. Their fleets would require a makeshift dock to come ashore, and with a travel time of at least three days, they wouldn't arrive in time for the battle Ostar had scheduled for tomorrow night.

Ostar's only option was to rely on the Twin Tribe and the Underground Tribe for the upcoming conflict. Fortunately for him, the Hidden Treasure Tribe members who had failed their nocturnal raid on the Twin Tribe were scattered by Sofia's divine secret technique, "Light Banishment," leaving behind a vast cache of weapons and equipment that they couldn't carry off.

Arming the Twin Tribe and Underground Tribe's allied forces with these weapons and equipment was more than sufficient. When the battle commenced, the two sides would be evenly matched in terms of armaments. The real differences lay in the size of their forces and the personal abilities of their commanders.

Ostar held the position of supreme commander on our side, with Clairna and Claia, the sisters, firmly backing Lord Ostar's leadership in the conflict. Rosie, even if she had reservations, would be outvoted two-to-one, ensuring Ostar retained command. Without further objection, she took the opportunity to also voice her support for Ostar's command and leadership.

The White Witch Gonias was a leader in name only, wielding little actual power and lacking a tribe of her own. Her ability to assist in the war was limited. For Ostar, having Gonias by his side as a maid and female aide was help enough; he had few other demands.

"Lord Brother, I nearly forgot to mention—the potatoes you instructed us to plant have already sprouted after being sown yesterday. Is that supposed to happen? They're growing already."

"No problem at all. Once we've dealt with the Hidden Treasure Tribe, I'll visit your tribe to inspect the farmland."

As the joint operations meeting drew to a close, Rosie seemed to recall something she had overlooked and posed some questions to Ostar regarding the potato cultivation. Initially hesitant, Ostar quickly regained his composure and managed to provide a temporary response.

On Earth, potatoes typically require around six months to reach maturity. However, the soil on this Strange World Continent is extraordinarily fertile, to an almost unnatural degree—it's as if a cheat code has been enabled. The crops here mature at an astonishing rate, a phenomenon that even Ostar himself couldn't fully explain.

During the Prehistoric Civilization Period on the Middle Continent, the influence of Transmigrators was evident. Those who specialized in agriculture had clearly altered the land, exchanging points from the Transmigrator system for golden soil that could support rapid growth for a wide array of foreign crops.

After the enigmatic collapse of the Prehistoric Civilization, the golden soil lay fallow, its secrets of proper sowing unknown. Ostar stumbled upon a stroke of luck, making use of the "cheat codes" previously laid down by his Transmigrator predecessors. No longer was there a need to wait six months; the planting cycle was drastically reduced to roughly two months, enabling crops to be harvested six times a year.

It wasn't just the crops that thrived; all plant life in the Middle Continent grew at an astonishing rate, particularly the trees. The rate of growth was so rapid that the primitive tribes couldn't cut them down fast enough. The golden soil's potential had been obscured for years following the vanishing of the Transmigrators. It took Prince Ostia, a fellow Transmigrator, arriving in the Middle Continent to slowly unravel these long-buried secrets.