Dagorlad, a vast open plain directly facing the Black Gate in northern Mordor.
It's called the "War Plain" because several major battles that influenced Middle-earth's course occurred here.
For example, the War of the Last Alliance at the end of the Second Age. The Last Alliance of Elves and Men fought their decisive battle with Sauron here, ultimately defeating him at the cost of two High Kings and many of their guards, seizing the ring from his hand.
This battle mobilized almost all free peoples' forces in Middle-earth, including Lindon, Arnor, Gondor (Rohan hadn't been established then; that land belonged to Gondor), Moria (Khazad-dûm), Lothlórien (Golden Forest), Mirkwood...
All elite forces of dwarves, elves, and men gathered here.
Their opponents were Sauron's orc armies and Black Númenóreans, plus other evil creatures, including various monsters. Their numbers were recorded as 'countless.'
The magnificent free peoples' army and countless dark creatures of Mordor thus clashed on this ash-filled plain.
This battle lasted seven years.
Even so, despite fighting to Sauron's doorstep, the Last Alliance couldn't breach Sauron's Dark Tower. They were helpless against that magically reinforced fortress.
If Sauron hadn't emerged alone to face the army and carelessly fallen, he might have held out longer.
Honestly, given the situation then, even replacing Sauron with present-day Levi might not guarantee survival.
Of course, assuming he didn't use his various abilities to prepare in advance and just charged in recklessly.
After all, setting aside the armies, just the opposing leaders included multiple High Kings plus elven lords wearing Rings of Power with various miraculous abilities.
Not to mention numerous guards, each with adult Aragorn-level combat power, assisting. That would be truly difficult.
From this perspective, Sauron had it pretty tough too.
After the War of the Last Alliance came the Third Age battles between Gondor and the Easterlings, when the Easterlings were so strong they nearly conquered Rohan...
The wagons kept rolling forward across the road surface.
Levi lay atop the cargo pile, looking up at the sky, recalling events on this vast, gloomy plain. Thinking about it, he inexplicably grew drowsy.
With occasional small bumps from below, he soon closed his eyes and slowed his breathing.
Though unnecessary, couldn't sleep sometimes serve as entertainment and relaxation?
In northern Mordor, a magnificent gate of steel bars and black stone stood here, blocking the only smooth entrance to Mordor.
Except for this spot, all of Mordor's territory was surrounded by the high, dark 'Mountains of Shadow.' Ordinary means couldn't cross them. This was a natural massive barrier providing Mordor security.
Normally, entering or leaving Mordor required passing through this gate. The garrison numbers and security level were imaginable.
Usually, no one dared pass by here.
But then...
Clatter, clatter...
A series of cargo-laden wagons swaggered down the road, making no attempt to hide their noise.
"What's that?"
Seeing the unhurried human caravan passing before the gate, the orc sentries almost wondered if they were hallucinating from not eating meat too long.
Those maggot-infested loaves really harmed orcs.
"Am I seeing things?"
Just as the first orc to spot the convoy doubted himself, a patrolling orc nearby also spoke up.
"I think I see a human convoy full of cargo traveling the main road, not far from us. Over there."
He pointed ahead.
Clatter.
At this distance, they could faintly hear wheel-rolling sounds.
"They don't look like our allies."
Both orcs stared wide-eyed.
Commotion erupted.
Boom!
The massive steel gates cracked open slightly as a fully armed orc squad charged out, with several steel-armored giant Olog-hai as vanguard.
Caravan guards raised weapons in formation, tensely preparing for impact.
Several couldn't help trembling.
These things looked much harder to deal with than previously encountered enemies, even Rohirrim cavalry. Even those orcs' equipment was better than before. Compared to this, Eriador's orcs wore pure rags.
The atmosphere grew heavier as the distance gradually shortened. Just as the Olog-hai were about to charge over and overturn the wagons...
A figure sat up from the central cargo pile and glanced this way.
The orcs suddenly stopped as their leader quickly gestured to halt his followers.
Only the Olog-hai kept stupidly charging forward.
"Idiots, come back!"
Swoosh!
An arrow ignited one of them. Levi threw an ender pearl while jumping from the wagon. As the orcs tensely watched his movements, purple particles drifted down. Levi had appeared atop another Olog-hai, raising his sword to thrust through armor gaps.
Schlick!
Massive amounts of dark blood gushed out, making Levi's armor gleam.
"Roar!!"
The Olog-hai roared, grabbing Levi and hurling him skyward with its strength. But the next moment, looking up again, Levi's figure had vanished. Familiar purple particles fell as he stood atop the third Olog-hai, once again raising high that sword gleaming with azure light.
"Urgh ahhh!!!"
In moments, three Olog-hai were crippled. The remaining one stopped charging, looking at Levi with some fear.
Thud!
Just as it retreated, darkness shrouded its heart, reinforcing its will.
"For the master!"
A dark language popular only among Mordor's evil creatures was shouted, carrying evil magic that made even the orcs break through fear's shackles momentarily, stirring restlessly.
That language was created by Sauron... the same kind carved on the One Ring.
Not good.
"Shut up!"
Levi quickly threw a pearl to teleport over, slashing the Olog-hai's tendons through armor gaps, forcing it to half-kneel, then charged up for a second to activate armor-breaking damage to vital areas before finishing it with several swift strikes.
The other three clueless Olog-hai raised war axes or clubs wider than standing humans and charged at Levi for close combat.
Levi neither dodged nor avoided, relying on his shield to withstand these steamroller-like attacks, enduring the group beating while finishing off the most severely wounded Olog-hai.
Boom!
The shield shattered, triggering the belt's emergency mechanism. A shockwave burst forth, directly toppling the remaining two Olog-hai.
Since they'd already fallen, their fate was predictable.
The last Olog-hai went silent.
As one of Mordor's few unit types that could threaten Levi, they'd done their best.
The shield slowly recharged, covering his whole body again.
Actually, whether war-mumakil or Olog-hai, with slight maneuvering and kiting tactics, he could achieve hitless elimination. They might not even touch Levi before dying.
Unlike that Nazgûl at the crossroads. That time he couldn't avoid attacks even if he wanted to, making hitless combat impossible. It was completely different from this pure strength confrontation.
Hitless enemy killing was certainly good, but how could it compare to the shock of direct confrontation?
Swish.
Drawing his sword, Levi again looked at those orcs stirred by the Black Speech.
After seeing Levi withstand Olog-hai's massive steel axes and heavy hammers without dodging, they immediately behaved.
Crack.
The Olog-hai's head with helmet was severed, black blood spraying everywhere.
This was brutal intimidation.
He pointed his sword at the orc leader: "If you don't want me to break open this gate and clear out everything moving inside, get back obediently."
The orc leader swallowed, gesturing to his followers while keeping eyes on Levi, slowly retreating until entering the gate.
Clang!
The massive black iron gates closed, blocking everything outside again while isolating what lay within.
"Let's go."
Levi sheathed his sword and got on the wagon.
After thinking, he told caravan leader Charlie:
"You were right. We shouldn't pass through here next time."
This action lacked consideration.
Mordor's true elite, like those Olog-hai, would never fear anything as long as Sauron lived, unless facing opponents like hundred-meter fire dragons or Balrogs with complete ecological dominance.
The Black Gate. Passing through alone was indeed fine. If intimidation didn't work, he could just fight.
But not for his people.
Like just now, if he'd used hitless tactics while fighting Olog-hai and dodged a few times, they might think he was showing weakness. Then if all the orcs charged together... he couldn't split himself to block them all simultaneously.
Too reckless.
The relaxed feeling of always acting alone nearly made Levi forget something.
Mordor was never something to trifle with.