I was flying in the sky as a giant eagle.
Hearing the report of the scouting elf, I also used the Metamorphosis spell and went out to scout myself.

A tranquil morning sky.
The rain clouds have already passed away, and the weather has turned clear.

However, this does not mean that all difficulties have passed and the future is bright.
Contrary to the weather, there is still a big obstacle in front of us.

That obstacle is now marching through the forest area below me in flight.
It was a horde of orcs, a sub-race with a huge green body.
At a glance, the number of these subhumans pushing forward in a gruff manner exceeded thirty, and might have reached forty.

(Have you thrown in a platoon's worth of force? .......) It's a surprisingly solid move.)

I look down at the Orc horde below me and assess the enemy's tactics as such.

They are a large force, estimated to be about a third of the Orcs' total strength.
As a result of the failure of a squad-sized force to return, sending a force equivalent to three times that size is a legitimate, if uninteresting, tactic.

The pack of Orcs had left the Elven settlement where Finola and the others had been living, and were heading in the direction of our current temporary base.

I don't know why they directed such a large force in that direction, but perhaps it was because the troops they sent in that direction didn't come back.
In any case, it was a pretty accurate move as a result.

(Now, what to do: ......)

If they had neglected the defense of the base and sortied all the troops, we could have rescued the prisoners by raiding the base, but it seems that they would not let us do so easily.

Enemies who take the proper approach are troublesome because they are proper.
It is only in exceptional cases that an unconventional strategy defeats the high road, and the high road of tactics is still a mass operation with a large force.

However, if that is the case, there is a way to confront them with the high road as well.

(If we're up against a platoon, a head-on collision might be the least risky.)

With that in mind, I tilt my wings to turn and change direction.
We're heading for the temporary base where Finola and the others are currently.

There are currently about thirty elven warriors gathered there.
Although they are not yet fully assembled, their request for support from the surrounding villages has been successful, and they have secured a much larger force than they had yesterday.

(That said, there was no reason to engage in an honest head-on collision. The challenge... is to win the battle with as little loss of strength as possible. Besides...)

If I were in the enemy's position, I would definitely give those Orc hordes 'certain instructions'.
I need to plan my strategy with that in mind.

That 'certain instruction' is 'if the hostile force is beyond our control, we must retreat immediately and report it'.

The Orcs probably do not have accurate information on our strength and location.
That will be a big advantage for us.

Even if the enemy is as intelligent as a human, it is impossible to take precise actions without accurate and sufficient information.
It is like playing a game of "chelt" without being able to see the opponent's pieces.
If you do not concede the information advantage, you will gain the advantage in the war.

Therefore, for the Orcs, if the opposing force is stronger than expected, it is essential to minimize the depletion of their forces and at the same time bring back information about the enemy.

And for us, one of the most important missions is to stop them.

You'll be able to find a lot more than 30 orcs to guide and surround you, eradicate them so that not even one of them escapes, and the damage to us should be zero.)

As I rode the wind, I pondered specific ways to achieve this.

As I logically constructed my thoughts based on my own abilities, the differences in strength and characteristics of my adversaries, and other factors, I quickly settled on a plan.
It was very different from a love affair.

(After all, there are certain things that people are not suited for. ......)

I laughed in my mind and flew up into the sky.