Going through Kentucky brought us too close from the Hector forces at Tennessee. If other races got a whim about my current place and destination, then it was logical to assume Hectors also had the same tip.

“Just make sure our boys will evade any town and city,” I found lots of towns stretching in this state, even more than any other state I visited recently. “I don’t want them to get entangled with anything to delay our advance.”

“Ok,” Wryly seemed to want to ask about something but he refrained.

In fact I wanted to create a buffer zone as large as possible before my army would pass. The army size was the problem, and they were moving at a slow pace till now.

I didn’t want to push them to run, as I didn’t want to exhaust them early on. But right now we had no other choice but to do that.

After half an hour of flying, Wryly seemed to notice the direction I was heading to.

“Isn’t this… A little too close to the south?” he asked and I nodded.

“Make the army keep pushing to the West from now on,” I said, “we have something else to do.”

“Are you sure?” Wryly sniffed that I was going to do something crazy.

“Don’t tell me you are afraid!” I looked at him in doubt and he shrugged.

“Just fighting big battles makes me excited. But we are moving away from the army.”

“We’ll return to them, don’t worry,” I reassured him, “but this will be a little risky. If you don’t want to, then you can just go with the army.”

“I…” he hesitated for a long moment before shaking his head without adding any more words.

He made up his mind to stay here and help me in whatever I was going to do.

In fact I was going to risk doing something bold and crazy. But it was the only thing I had to make a change to this battle.

The crucial step wasn’t related to me, it was related to the army. If the army couldn’t run away fast enough, then everything I’d do here would turn up against me.

Tell me you already crossed half of Kentucky after another hour I sent the jumper.

I’m staying behind he sent this weird message, I sent most of the army to the centre of Kentucky as you asked

Then… What are you doing?

I’m setting an ambush to the incoming forces

That dude… He wanted to act as a decoy. Did he have zero trust in my plans or what?

Ok, you can set up an ambush at the triangular area between the three states I could only sigh and resign to his desire. If he wanted to fight, then I’d say no to another helping hand here indeed.

I already stopped my chariot in an area that wasn’t that far from the southern borders of Kentucky with Tennessee. I looked up at the lands here, feeling it was wide enough and suitable for my next move.

Where are the enemy? Where are you now? but before doing anything, I first contacted Fang. That dude was like my eyes over the incoming army.

They are in Ohio. They moved to West Virginia direction first before changing it to head towards Kentucky

How long before they would arrive?

Almost an hour or two before crossing Kentucky border

And you?

I’m staying back in West Virginia for now he paused for a long moment while I was sending another message to someone, Do you need my help?

I want you to move to the south of West Virginia I thought before adding, Be ready to invade Tennessee

What the hell…?!!!

I knew what I said didn’t make any sense to him. But I knew what I was talking about.

You are aware that that state is controlled by them, right?

Just go and be ready to move when I give the signal I didn’t explain much as another message came from the person I just messaged.

“Great,” I read that message and grinned evilly. From the side I could see Wryly standing in hesitation, wanting to ask but refraining from doing so.

“Do you want to go south as well?” as I closed the chat with Fang, I turned to Wryly.

“It’s suicidal,” Wryly muttered, “but all this time I knew you, I know you won’t do anything without a reason. Tell me… Is there a sort of miracle you are planning to create here?”

“Indeed,” I only nodded and his expression turned more serious.

“Then let my boys also fight for such a chance.”

“Are you sure?” I didn’t agree at once.

“I can’t let that arrogant dude take all the credit for himself.”

“But it won’t be an easy fight,” I warned him, “Hectors aren’t pushovers, you know that, right?”

“If you trust Fang’s ability to do it, then I as a berserker won’t see myself not able to do it.”

“Ok,” under his burning gaze I couldn’t say no. In fact what he proposed worked best in my favour. “Go now, join with your forces at the southern west border of Kentucky. Wait there and when the time is right, I’ll send you the signal.”

“Don’t forget me, please,” he seemed on the verge of pleading here, “my paragon isn’t putting his trust in me. Such a battle will bring his attention back to me.”

I looked up at him, stepped up a few steps before patting him on the arm. “I want you to aim higher. Take down all the other archlords and make them pale in comparison to you.”

“But…”

I knew he lacked any trust about his chances in keeping his post. But I had to think much further than this.

Fang and Wryly were like my own arms and legs in their races. At this moment they weren’t up to much. But after a year? And with my constant support from the shadows? They’d both turn into mighty figures in their races.

Even becoming paragons wouldn’t be an overstatement. I had to plan this far, as when they’d be paragons, I’d have more support from them than now.

Then I’d help them to control their entire races here, leaving only the Dragons and those uninvited Hectares to remain here.