Chapter 701: Chapter 5: Letting Go of Micromanagement Is a Form of Wisdom

The attack of the Mayflies came as Richard had anticipated.

According to frontline reports, the Galaxy Mayflies deployed ten Third Level and a Half battle groups this time,

among which two battle groups attempted to cut off the Wizard’s northern salient, four battle groups attacked from the center in an attempt to further stretch the front lines. In the south, four battle groups attacked, but the intensity was low, seemingly just a feint.

The Mayflies’ battle groups are divided into five levels, ranging from First to Fourth Level. The Fourth Level is nominal, representing the Mayflies of an entire world, so the highest level of the battle group is Third Level and a Half.

And these ten Third Level and a Half battle groups are roughly equivalent to a hundred Third Level battle groups. If these battle groups are all fully staffed, the total number of Mayflies deployed should reach one billion.

This is also the first time Richard felt so directly the plight of the Wizard Civilization on the battlefield.

“One billion… and this isn’t even their full force.”

Looking at the comprehensive analysis from the Staff Department, Richard couldn’t help but rub his forehead.

“There must be a considerable number of Mayfly reserves. Even in the best-case scenario where this is a full military press by the Mayflies, the Galaxy Mayflies have at least about 1.3 billion combat personnel.

And with the war going on for so long, their incubation pools are probably constructed and in production.

Which means, if left unchecked, this number will continue to grow.

World Purifying Fire Great Wizard, you’ve truly left me a ‘great situation’.”

But complaints aside, the situation was as it was, and no amount of complaining would change it. Richard now could only do his utmost to prevent the situation from worsening.

But… besides reinforcing, what else could he do?

Frankly speaking, relying on the Wizard Army, he basically had no chance of launching a proactive attack.

Hundreds of thousands of Elite Wizards were Richard’s insurance and could not be used lightly. And relying on those filling wizards…

“Alas.”

Richard sighed helplessly.

After understanding the education those filling wizards received, Richard had no hope for their offensive capabilities.

Six years of basic quality enhancement and general education, and three years of regular Wizard education, that’s all the education filling wizards could undergo.

This is even simpler than producing a knight in the mortal world.

Even so, the Truth Council still thinks it’s not fast enough. According to what Richard heard from Jimmy, the Physique Crown’s Evolution Road Research Institute is currently studying Magic Potions with no or micro side effects to accelerate the growth of mortal children.

Receiving education at five years old is already too late; if growth can be accelerated, the Wizard Civilization could produce more Wizards before the End of Magic Era arrives.

This is of great significance for enduring the End of Magic Era.

But from Richard’s perspective, this is nothing more than quenching thirst with poison.

Wizards undergoing such education could no longer be called Wizards; they are just large Wizard Apprentices. No matter their numbers, they are merely bloated.

Simple education enables them to perform Magic Concentrated Fire, but only just that. Their age doesn’t allow them to master Magic Power skillfully, which means joint casting will be extremely difficult, and Legion Witchcraft is almost impossible.

Unable to perform joint casting, not proficient in Legion Witchcraft, such a Wizard Army in the era of plane expeditions would be considered a joke if spoken of.

Even the newly established White Wizard Academy and White Wizard Army wouldn’t be so deficient.

“I hope my experiment succeeds,” Richard muttered to himself.

If the idea of the Mixed Species Army could succeed, then these filling wizards would at least have offensive capabilities.

“Commander, a communication has come from the Northern Battlefield joint command,” Abel approached Richard and said in a low voice, “They wish to consult about the next actions to avoid disrupting your grand plan.”

“Grand plan?” Richard chuckled, “I only have a direction, where’s any grand plan.”

“Then what’s your intention?” Abel tentatively asked.

Richard waved his hand: “Let them act according to their thoughts; I only ask one thing, preserve as much of the living strength as possible.”

Abel nodded solemnly: “Understood.”

…

Northern Battlefield Joint Command

“… The legion is under your full command. The headquarters only requests one thing, try to reduce personnel losses.”

Reading the instructions from the command, Torria rubbed her eyes, confirming she had not misunderstood.

“Have those guys at headquarters changed their temperament?”

Beside Torria, a Wizard dressed in black robes and appearing like a tree man exclaimed in surprise.

“Who knows. With the sacrifice of the World Purifying Fire Great Wizard, headquarters certainly sent a new Great Wizard over. This could be the intention of that new Great Wizard,” said an Undead Wizard. He was sitting opposite Torria, and as he spoke, the pale Soul Fire in his eye sockets flickered continuously.

“It must be Master Richard’s idea.”

On the left of the Undead Wizard, an Alchemy Wizard, whose entire body had been transformed into an Alchemy Machine, spoke.

“Master Richard? Watt, do you know this newly arrived Great Wizard?”

The Alchemy Wizard called Watt had a somewhat helpless tone.

“Don’t you guys care about the change in the overall commander? Our current boss is someone from our era, the very Master Richard who created the small Floating City back in the day.”

Upon hearing this introduction, the older Wizards instantly knew who Richard was.

“That Master Richard!” Torria exclaimed, “I remember he was missing, wasn’t he? How is it that now…”

Watt’s eyes glowed red for a moment.

“Only heaven knows. All we need to understand now is that this Master is extremely brilliant. He has already realized that preserving land is useless; preserving personnel is the real path.

And… he doesn’t micromanage.”

Upon hearing Watt’s last words, the Wizards present paused for a moment and then burst into laughter.

“Indeed, everything else doesn’t matter as long as he doesn’t meddle in the battlefield,” the Treeman Wizard said, “Not everyone has the talent of the Great Wizard of the Sword of Victory, who can effortlessly command a battlefield even thousands of kilometers away.”

When the Treeman Wizard mentioned the Great Wizard of the Sword of Victory, several Wizards nodded in agreement.

The Great Wizard of the Sword of Victory is a rising star among Wizards of this era. To metaphorically express his brilliance, his status among lower-level Wizards is akin to Richard’s status among Alchemy Wizards.

Any Wizard Army is willing to join under the command of the Great Wizard of the Sword of Victory because he always manages to bring them victory.

But some Great Wizards always feel they can also attempt to emulate the micromanagement of the Great Wizard of the Sword of Victory.

The result is heavy casualties among front-line Wizards, further straining the already scarce Wizard forces.

“Master Richard, who created the small Floating City, truly has wisdom and reason beyond an ordinary Wizard,” the Undead Wizard sighed, “If the Great Wizard of the World Purifying Fire had Master Richard’s rationality, he wouldn’t have perished alongside the King of Mayfly.”

“There’s no point in talking about the dead.”

Torria waved his hand and stood up.

“Since the command has given us the freedom to command, the upcoming war is up to us.

Let’s initiate the Joint Defense Circle Plan.”

…

BOOM!

Countless fireballs exploded in the air, rippling the joint Energy Barrier of the Mayflies.

In the sky, the Wizard’s aerial combat legions continuously engaged with the Mayflies. After absorbing Pioneer technology, the Wizards’ technology grew significantly.

Small metallic spheres orbiting a large metal sphere, with their core being a Pioneer Crystal Floating Cannon. The attacks of these Floating Cannons are formidable, and they possess joint casting abilities. Through special training, Wizards controlling these metal Floating Cannons can even achieve the effect of a Mayfly battle group.

The Floating Cannons congregated, forming a massive pseudo-Magic Model. Subsequently, a bolt of white lightning pierced through the sky, breaking the Mayflies’ Energy Barrier in an instant and turning thousands of Mayflies into char.

In retaliation, beams of light shot out from the Mayfly battle group like a rainstorm, each beam targeting a metal Floating Cannon.

But in the instant after launching lightning, the Wizards maneuvered the Floating Cannons to dodge. Capable of three-dimensional movement, the Floating Cannons are a vexing enemy for any non-tracking attack.

The massive rain of light fell like a meteor shower. After this torrential downpour, only a portion of the metal Floating Cannons were destroyed, and most could continue fighting.

Thus, a new round of battle began.

On the ground, huge swarms of Horned Mayflies surged towards the fortress groups like tidal waves. Behind them were swarms of Hunter Mayflies; these possessed a demon-resistant shell, superior strength, speed, reaction or coordination, are nearly every lone wizard’s nightmare.

“Release the Earth-sinking Trap.”

Following the order of the battlefield commander, runes suddenly lit up beneath the Horned Mayflies near the fortress groups, and then ground over 500 meters wide and 10 kilometers long suddenly turned to mush.

Even though Horned Mayflies have wings allowing short-range flight, in such a sudden assault, many Horned Mayflies still got caught in the mud.

But that was only the beginning.

The muddy ground suddenly emitted an energy wave, and then rapidly hardened, instantly trapping the Horned Mayflies within it.

Next, the saturated witchcraft from the fortress group rained down upon the collective, reducing tens of thousands of Horned Mayflies into ashes because of the trap.

Inside the War Fortress, young faces peered through observation ports, watching the distant swarm with fear or anger, as they operated the Alchemy Gun Towers like wrathful dragons, furiously unleashing their rage continuously.

But despite the saturated witchcraft assault, some managed to slip through the net.

A Horned Mayfly, with half of its shell carbonized, continued to charge forward recklessly. With a “bang,” the Horned Mayfly surged forward, its demon-breaking ram horn piercing into the fortress wall.

But that charge consumed his last ounce of strength.

Before dying, its vocal organs emitted a low hum.

“Everything for the Mayflies!”