Chapter 1643 The First
Luckily, Dyon's weapon's master array made him incredibly sensitive to a person's affinities for weapons. The same way he was able to tell Yandevere used a sword and not a whip, he was able to see what weapons individuals would be inclined toward. Though the feeling was fainter here, he could still feel it, nonetheless.
He began to organize them as he saw fit.
Seeing the weapons Dyon brought out from thin air, the tribesmen were astonished once more. Their idea of a weapon was a fallen tree branch they might luck across, when had they ever seen such things?
Dyon wasn't able to give everyone their optimal weapon. This was in part due to the fact that not everyone had such an innate affinity, and more largely due to the fact he wanted a balanced army. He couldn't have strong imbalances occurring without reason.
In the end, he gathered together 50 archers and 150 warriors for a heavy infantry. Each of the heavy infantry warriors were equipped with a large shield. 100 of them used spears while 50 used swords.
The remaining 50 individuals Dyon set aside for high maneuverability. Dyon didn't give them dwarf diamond weapons or armor, the substance was simply too heavy. Instead, he planned to use them for decoys and feints. They looked equipped to the same extent as everyone else, but their weapons and armor would shatter with a single blow.
As for auxiliary units like scouts and medics, Dyon have no need of them. If someone was too injured for an essence grade holy type stone to heal them, Dyon would have to harden his heart. As for scouts… Dyon was the scout.
Like this, a campaign the likes of which hadn't been seen on the Ancient Battlefield for countless years ensued.
Dyon swept through named tribes with ease, accumulating more than a dozen in an instant. His army didn't know rest or sleep, these were individuals with bodies bordering on the dao realm, they had no need of such things.
Though food and water was necessary since they didn't have qi, they only needed minor amounts.
Whenever Dyon conquered an appropriate terrain, he built another fortress and moved on. The astonishing part was that he didn't even leave anyone to protect these fortresses. His actions were truly baffling.
In just half a month, Dyon's army had swelled to almost 5000. He had 6 Fortresses, 18 Named Tribes and 364 Numbered Tribes under his control.
The Upper Tribe only just began to notice that something was amiss. Their tributes had suddenly come to a grinding halt, and that was something they couldn't accept.
Unfortunately for them, Dyon had already turned his gaze toward their lands. Today would be the day he conquered his first Upper Tribe. It would be his first large clash within the Ancient Battlefield.
...
The Upper Tribes. It was a generic term to describe those below Clans who had been powerful enough to keep their family's original legacies, but were good enough to have named Tribes under their control.
While normal named tribes wouldn't have more than 50-80 individuals within their territory, Upper Tribes took a large leap forward, housing hundreds to even tens of thousands depending on their ranks.
There were three main divisions of Upper Tribes. Inferior, Medial and Superior, with the superior upper tribes being direct subordinates of a Clan.
This tribe was ranked within the inferior tier, but compared to the living arrangements of the named and numbered tribes, they lived like kings.
The female population was overflowing, leaving at least 3 per male. The first instance of grass in this endless forest was seen, giving the area a lush and vibrant feel – respectively, that is. Even the structures were more developed. Weaved of twigs and leaves, it gave the area a minimalistic but warm atmosphere.
Compared to the 'luxury' one was used to on the Mortal Plane, this place would be considered a nameless, poor village. But within the Ancient Battlefield, it was an embarrassment of riches.
Deep within the 'luxurious' territory, a slightly sturdier treehouse stood, resting upon the strong branches of three adjacent trees.
BANG!
A man's fist collided with a throne of vines. Despite his strength, the armrest only bent slightly, reverberating his strike through the dimly lit abode.
"Those tribes dare?!"
"Chief, this matter can't be simple. All 18 named tribes couldn't have simultaneously decided to turn their nose up at us. I suggest that we send someone to investigate. Another Region might be declaring war…"
Within the Upper Tribes gathering place of elites, a collection of 12 sturdy men sat. They were getting on in years, deep within their middle ages, but their bodies, despite the greying of their hair, were akin to ancient oak trees.
They glistened with a healthy deep bronze color and their movements shook the air. They were individuals that would have been capable of fighting a bull-bird head to head without being at a disadvantage. This wasn't necessarily because they were more talented than those of the numbered and named tribes, but was in large part due to their better nutrition.
Cultivators had little need for food, but this was very much different for body cultivators, especially body refinement cultivators. To them, food couldn't be more important.
Those who cultivated qi could ignore the need for food and even water with its help, but body refiners relied on the energies of the food they ate to grow. Even in Dyon's mortal world, there was nothing more important to a body builder than their nutrition.
Thanks to their status, these men had more than their fill of food and could thus grow over time. Though they were lacking in comparison to the leaders of medial and superior upper tribes, and definitely far below true clans, compared to their subordinate tribes, they were gods.
"Another Region?..." The Chieftain calmed his anger. The words spoken gave him reason to pause.
Warfare was rare on the Ancient Battlefield, as ironic as that may sound, but it wasn't as though it never happened. Every so often ambitious individuals would surge up. This was especially so when the time for the battlefield to descend approached.