Depending on the size of the forest and the type of trees within it it will take years to cut down the forest with just an axe and it will be almost impossible to remove the stumps.
You can burn stumps but I don't know how practical it is if you don't have some kind of blower device to keep the fire going.
So you cut down for a couple of months. Then start to plant around the stumps and while the wheat grows start to cut down against. Next season you use your bigger lot to plant and while it grows start to cut down more against and repeat.
The most effective way would be to use the axe to cut down the master and flee.