Chapter 484: Trolls’ Predicament

Following Alaric's orders, the Alliance army advanced through the jungles of Zul'Aman in a sweeping, methodical campaign, operating in regiments of over a thousand soldiers each. 

Their approach was slow and deliberate, ensuring a thorough search-and-destroy mission.

Faced with the Alliance's invasion, the Amani trolls initially dismissed it as yet another futile war waged by the high elves. 

Confident in their traditional methods, they believed they could repel the enemy just as they had in the past.

But they were wrong.

This time, they weren't up against the sparsely numbered armies of the high elves alone, but a grand coalition of three races, forming a force tens of thousands strong.

Against such overwhelming numbers and tightly organized formations, the Amani trolls' usual tactics—stealth and infiltration—proved utterly ineffective.

They quickly realized that while many of their enemies were indeed unfamiliar with jungle warfare, they compensated with extreme caution. 

The Alliance forces advanced steadily, not in haste, but methodically, ensuring no opportunity for the hidden trolls to strike. 

They moved like colossal sieves, combing through the dense jungle from the borders inward, flushing out even the most well-concealed trolls.

Some troll hunters, unwilling to accept this reality, attempted to outmaneuver the invaders using their superior stealth techniques. 

However, their fate was either death or capture. As the search continued, infantrymen stabbed their weapons into any suspicious area—thick bushes, caves, even streams.

If a troll did manage to ambush the infantry, they might succeed in killing one or two soldiers at first, but the ensuing response was immediate and overwhelming. 

A swarm of infantry would surround them in an instant. 

Even a troll as powerful as Zul'jin would find himself forced into a desperate retreat.

Unfortunately for the trolls, even escape was not an option.

The gryphon riders patrolling the skies ensured that no fleeing troll could remain undetected. Any sign of movement would draw their immediate attention. 

The trolls who attempted to run were relentlessly pursued from the air, and the devastating Stormhammers would come crashing down, shattering their skulls.

Despair began to take hold among the trolls as they watched their territory shrink, inch by inch.

Desperate, they considered launching a large-scale ambush, leveraging the terrain to trap the advancing Alliance forces. But this, too, proved futile.

If the ambush force was too small, it could not inflict enough casualties to cripple the Alliance. 

At best, they could kill a few unsuspecting infantrymen with spears and throwing axes before the enemy retaliated in force. 

The high elf rangers, positioned behind the infantry, would quickly eliminate any exposed trolls with pinpoint precision.

A larger ambush, however, fared even worse.

Unlike a mage's invisibility spell, the trolls' stealth abilities—whether through shadow-walking or natural camouflage—did not physically bend light to make them invisible. 

Instead, they relied on shadows, cover, and misdirection to evade detection.

Against the ever-watchful gryphon riders, such methods were almost useless. The moment one or two trolls were spotted, the entire ambush was compromised.

With their traditional tactics rendered ineffective, the trolls were left with only one choice—a direct confrontation with the Alliance.

But could they truly hope to win in a head-on battle?

The Amani trolls of today were a mere shadow of their former empire.

Even against just the high elves, they had been forced into guerrilla warfare, retreating into the jungle after sustaining heavy casualties. 

How could they possibly withstand a direct engagement with the full might of the Alliance?

The high elves, being few in number, had always been cautious with their forces, unwilling to suffer high losses. But humans were different.

As cruel as it sounded, the simple truth was that, compared to high elves, human soldiers were expendable. 

If a battle resulted in a one-to-one casualty ratio between humans and trolls, the Alliance would consider that a profitable trade.

To put it bluntly, the primary role of human infantry in this war was to serve as cannon fodder.

They bore the brunt of the jungle warfare, while the true executioners—the high elf rangers—dealt the fatal blows.

This was precisely why Alaric had devised a mixed-force strategy, integrating high elf and human troops.

He had anticipated that human forces would sustain losses due to the trolls' skirmishes.

By using human soldiers to lure out the trolls, the elven rangers could swiftly eliminate them.

Though no one else understood his reasoning, this was the true purpose of his battle strategy.

Yet, to Alaric's surprise, after an entire week of fighting in Zul'Aman, there had been no significant casualties.

Aside from the initial struggles—due to inexperience with jungle combat and tactical adjustments—daily losses had not exceeded fifty men.

According to reports from the front lines, after suffering several failed ambushes and major defeats, the Amani trolls appeared to be abandoning their hit-and-run tactics.

Aside from a few scouts, a large number of troll hunters had withdrawn to their stronghold, seemingly preparing for a final stand against the Alliance.

At first, Alaric found this hard to believe—this went completely against the nature of the trolls.

But after a moment of thought, he realized that this outcome actually made perfect sense.

The reason for this shift in troll strategy was none other than the high elves' previous plan—capturing Zul'jin alive instead of executing him.

And now, it was clear that the plan had succeeded.

Without their revered spiritual leader, the Amani trolls were left leaderless, ruled collectively by Zul'jin's trusted subordinates, witch doctors, and priests.

Had Zul'jin remained in command, he alone would have dictated all military strategy. If he had died, the trolls would have elected a new leader to replace him.

But now, with Zul'jin captured but still alive, the trolls found themselves paralyzed under a council of multiple leaders—none of whom dared to claim full authority.

The reason was simple: if one among them displayed ambition and tried to lead the entire Amani tribe, what would happen if Zul'jin returned one day? How could they justify their actions then?

As a result, decision-making became slow and overly cautious.

When multiple leaders had to vote on every decision, none wanted to be held responsible for failure. The safest, most conservative choices always prevailed.

And so, the Amani trolls had arrived at the most conservative decision possible—abandoning their failed guerrilla tactics and concentrating their forces for a final battle against the Alliance.

But was this truly the best strategy for them?

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