After confirming that the enemy's strength had diminished, Earl Valbi realized that this truly was an opportune moment.
If he could lead the East Sea Alliance Army in Stone Mountain City out to fight the depleted Vela Army, he genuinely had a chance of victory.
If he could achieve some success, such as destroying part of the Vela Army, the pressure on Stone Mountain City's garrison would ease considerably, allowing him to spare troops to reinforce other friendly forces along the East Sea Alliance Defense Line.
The East Sea Alliance would then have a much better chance of holding the entire defense line and stopping the Raine–Vela allied army's offensive for good.
But Earl Valbi would not act without firm proof. Worried that there might still be a trap, he ordered the East Sea Alliance's Spy Organization to intensify its intelligence gathering in Vela-occupied territory.
Only after the Spy Organization reported that the Vela Army had begun suppressing the civilian unrest, deploying more than a hundred thousand troops, did Earl Valbi finally make up his mind.
Earl Valbi began organizing his forces and selecting elite troops, ready to lead them out of the city to seek battle when the opportunity arose.
Unfortunately, cautious as Earl Valbi was, he still underestimated the cunning of the enemy in Vorka City.
Although Victor had only three legions at his disposal, he had gained two more auxiliary legions by reorganizing East Sea Alliance prisoners and civilian laborers within Vela-occupied territory.
To the spies, it appeared that the Vela legions in Vorka City had mobilized at least four or five legions' worth of troops.
In reality, aside from the troops left behind to hold the city, Victor had dispatched only two and a half Vela legions and one and a half East Sea Alliance Auxiliary