Ignored by the adults engrossed in their battles, Valred and his group of young companions approached an unused combat simulation platform. Two of the quicker boys took the lead, seating themselves on opposite sides of the device, ready to begin.
The rules of the game were straightforward. Each player was allocated a standard 5,000 points, which they could spend to assemble undead units commonly found in Sylvania, equipping them with various weapons. More powerful units and better equipment required more points. Once both sides had made their selections, they chose a battlefield terrain, and the simulation platform would generate the environment and armies.
The commanders—requiring a basic level of magical ability—could then mentally connect with their units, commanding them as if they were real undead forces. The winner would continue, while the loser would step down, allowing the next challenger to take their place.
Additionally, for training purposes, the machine boasted a degree of artificial intelligence and stored data on the military units of other nations, as well as famous historical battles. This allowed for solo training, where players could pit undead forces against other factions to hone their strategic skills.
"Come on, hurry up and start!" the slower children urged, gathering around the platform. Fortunately, vampire etiquette prevailed, and with a few quiet words from the older kids, the group fell silent.
"The chosen terrain is a plain, and both armies are undead. Any objections?" asked the twelve-year-old cousin seated on the left.
"None," replied the thirteen-year-old cousin on the right. After a few minutes of deliberation, both had finalized their armies. With the assistance of mana crystals, they used minimal mental energy to control their sizable forces. Once the simulation platform processed all the data, the battle commenced.
In Sylvania, vampire children began formal education at the age of eight, with military training being a cornerstone. These two boys had spent several years in the academy and, while not exceptional, were competent enough to outperform complete novices. Their tactical applications were adequate, though unremarkable.
"Expensive units are considered superior, favoring elite and flashy forces without considering cost-effectiveness. They're still just children," Valred thought, sighing inwardly.
"Moreover, they're too impatient—both the attacker and the defender. Their timing is off, often resorting to simple charge tactics. They also rely too heavily on cavalry."
Despite feeling a sense of superiority, Valred kept these thoughts to himself. While the younger children watched with excitement, Valred simply stood by with a calm, knowing smile. Thankfully, the kids' attention was too focused to notice his detachment.
Without the limitations of fatigue or morale common in living armies, undead battles could stretch on indefinitely. In real warfare, assassinating the commanding vampire was a viable strategy, but in a simulation, such tactics were impossible. If both sides were evenly matched, the fight could drag on until the last soldier fell.
The two competitors, aged twelve and thirteen, were at best middle school level in terms of strategic ability. Apart from their initial formations, which were somewhat orderly, the rest of the battle devolved into chaotic brawling.
After over an hour of stalemate, the thirteen-year-old managed to exploit a few weaknesses in his opponent's formation. Utilizing Black Knights for several successful charges, he reduced the enemy's forces by 40% and severely disrupted their lines. Seeing little chance of victory, the twelve-year-old conceded.
"Thankfully, they were only commanding small-scale armies of three thousand. A medium-sized battle of ten thousand or a large-scale one of thirty thousand would have taken twice as long," Valred mused, noting that some of the younger children were starting to doze off. As the youngest was carried away to a guest room, Valred considered stepping in, only to find he was too late—another child had already taken the seat.
The new contestant was only nine years old—neither particularly bright nor dull, just an average student in his first year of academy training. His unit choices were flawed, notably relying on Grave Swordsmen as his main force on open plains. His loose formation was quickly overwhelmed by the opponent's Black Knights, and he left the platform in disappointment.
The third child fared even worse, opting to spend all his points on a single undead dragon. While it wreaked havoc for a few minutes, its mana reserves were quickly depleted, leaving it vulnerable. After losing a wing to a combined attack from necromancers and skeleton archers, the dragon crashed to the ground and was torn apart by the enemy army.
Winning three consecutive battles gave the victorious boy a sense of pride, while the others hesitated to challenge him. Seeing no one else step forward, Valred took the seat opposite his cousin.
The children erupted in quiet cheers, eager to see Valred in action. He was undefeated in simulations, a fact that cemented his position as the group's leader.
Though only six years old in this world, Valred's previous life as an eight-year veteran and a graduate of a federal military academy gave him an edge far beyond his peers. While the tactics of interstellar warfare differed vastly from the melee-focused battles of this world, the underlying principles of strategy were universal. Coupled with an adult's mindset, Valred had no trouble outmaneuvering these untested youths.
Watching Valred take his seat, his cousin grew cautious, quickly finalizing his army and contemplating his strategy. Valred, in contrast, remained calm and composed.
Closing his eyes, he extended a strand of mental energy to connect with the platform. Though he saw nothing with his eyes, his mind was filled with a detailed interface marked with icons representing various unit types, each labeled with its name.
"My choice… this will do," Valred decided, and soon the platform generated the battlefield—a plain with two miniature armies facing off. His opponent's composition mirrored his previous victories, heavily investing in Black Knights, with necromancers and Grave Guards as support, supplemented by a few Gargoyles for aerial reconnaissance. It was an army built for offense, with little emphasis on defense.
Valred's approach was markedly different. The core of his army consisted of vast numbers of low-tier skeleton soldiers. Armed with spears and shields, they formed disciplined phalanxes, showcasing the undead's unwavering discipline. Interspersed within these formations were skeleton warriors wielding halberds and greatswords for close combat.
His high-tier units were limited to a small number of necromancers. Notable absences included the Grave Guards, Cairn Wraiths, Banshees, and other flashy but effective units like Crypt Ghouls, Ogre Zombies, and Troll Zombies.
Instead, Valred relied on massive blocks of skeleton troops, each formation exceeding a thousand units—more than his opponent's entire army. His ranged forces were not dominated by necromancers; instead, he recruited hordes of skeleton archers equipped with simple bows rather than powerful composite bows or crossbows due to their cost.
These archers were strategically placed between the phalanxes, supported by a few necromancers.
Valred's army was a stark contrast to the popular choices among his peers: large in number, modestly equipped, and of lower individual strength. Instead of the highly favored Black Knights, he selected only a small squadron of fifty. His cavalry core comprised skeletal horsemen—cavalry on skeletal mounts, typically used as scouts.
Thus, Valred's unconventional strategy was set. The battlefield awaited the clash of these contrasting forces.