Chapter 35
Chapter 35
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 35
Chapter Title: How the Rank 1 Hero Protects the World
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As I came down from the tower, the sun was already high in the midday sky. The knights, including Elisa, who had been standing around the round table, were waiting for me.
Elisa gave a brief report.
"The enemy has advanced after the announced time passed. They've finished their review and appear ready to begin the battle soon."
"And the deployment of soldiers on the walls?"
"As you instructed, we've focused on the front lines and the forward walls with the full army. We've prepared as many weapons as possible."
Once Elisa finished her report, one of the knights standing beside her spoke to me with a worried expression. He was an older knight with snow-white hair.
His name was Miguel Boyle.
"But is this really okay? With this strategy, the captain will bear a heavy burden..."
His words were starting to lengthen, so I shook my head to cut him off.
"There's no other way."
Given the castle's current situation and the mission's time limit, my options were severely restricted anyway.
This castle's walls were tall and mostly flat, backed by mountains that made it good for defense, but the weakness was that the walls were too long to cover with our manpower.
With only 6,000 soldiers, it was impossible to defend every section perfectly.
Even mobilizing the civilians wouldn't allow for flawless defense.
If the enemy crossed the moat with their 100,000-strong force and started scaling the walls, there would definitely be a breach somewhere.
If we allowed even one break and let them into the inner castle, it would be over in an instant. Forget two days—they wouldn't last two hours.
That would spell total disaster in every way.
Not only would we fail to lay the grudging ghosts of the dead to rest, but the hunters here, including Lee Seon, would likely die too. And the people still alive back in Sinchon, South Korea, would start dying as well.
Professor Kim Suk-ja and Lee Woo-yeon, who trusted and entrusted this to me... they wouldn't die, but they'd suffer greatly.
So, no matter what, we had to succeed in defending the castle.
To do that.
"I'll go out."
Elisa stepped forward, cutting off another knight who seemed about to speak. Her forest-green eyes blazed intensely as they glared at me.
Whoa, she looks ready to stab me.
"I understand the captain's will. Then let me go with you. Please allow it."
"Then who will command in an emergency? The vice-captain? Don't say nonsense."
I could see Elisa biting her lip. But she didn't argue back. In the current situation, this was indeed the most efficient method.
What mattered most right now was to step forward at the front and block the enemy crossing the moat, reducing their numbers reaching the walls as much as possible—even if we couldn't stop them all.
In other words, we needed elite forces to plunge into the heart of the enemy after crossing the moat and disrupt their movements.
That's why my chosen strategy was to lead 500 swift soldiers myself and sweep through the enemy from the front.
The number was regrettably small, but taking more would leave holes in the castle's defense.
From the enemy's perspective, crossing the deep moat after we destroyed all the bridges was a huge burden anyway.
So, it was crucial to break the momentum of their initial charge toward the castle.
Of course, we were overwhelmingly outnumbered.
But in war, the momentum at the start is always key.
To crush the enemy's spirit with overwhelming force—whether in actual power or symbolically—the knight captain, me, had to go out.
If there had been time, or at least information, there might have been other options... but I was completely blocked by the system.
No matter how I thought about it, the place I'd end up was the familiar battlefield.
Well, this works for me too. Simple—no complications, just swing the sword.
If the original knight captain hadn't surrendered, he surely would have made the same choice.
I flashed a grin at Elisa.
"Don't make that face. Guard my back. Then I can return to the castle alive."
Her green eyes, on the verge of tears, met mine, but I turned away.
The one who should be beyond that gaze isn't me anyway. I have to mimic just enough. I'd clearly realized that atop the tower just moments ago.
"Captain, your horse and armor are ready."
Sir Miguel said quietly.
"Right, let's go."
The knight captain's armor was full plate with chainmail joints. It was good armor, but it didn't suit me well, so I decided to pass.
I shook my head at Sir Miguel, who seemed about to protest.
"What I need right now is mobility."
Besides, they didn't know, but I had plenty of excellent gear in my system inventory. No need to insist on heavy plate.
In the end, Miguel backed down.
"You won't refuse the horse too, will you?"
"Of course not."
The knight captain's warhorse was a sturdy black steed with a magnificent mane. I stroked its neck, and it snorted.
Whether it knew I wasn't its master or not.
As I tried to mount alone, Damon O'Neill, who had approached quietly, knelt beside me and offered his thigh.
"Step up."
"...I don't have a taste for stepping on other men's thighs."
"Please."
His initial frivolity was gone; his gaze was so solemn that I ended up stepping on his thigh to mount.
After helping me into the saddle, Damon stood and grinned.
"I'm not even the vice-captain, so I can come along, right? You know I'm the fastest knight in the order, Captain."
"Who taught you to ask me after the deployments are set?"
"I'm sorry!"
As if the solemnity had never been, Damon made a pitiful face and bowed his head. Miguel chuckled beside him, while Elisa didn't smile to the end.
That guy...
The black steed carrying me began to walk slowly. I worried about my lack of mounted combat experience, but thanks to the knight captain's memories, we synced well.
The path from the inner castle to the outer gate.
Everyone in the castle had come out into the streets.
They all stared at me and the knights following behind.
At first, they just bowed silently, but from the quiet streets, someone's voice rang out loudly.
The faint voice, too small to hear clearly at first, grew louder and swelled.
The formless chorus of countless voices gradually organized into one.
Someone hauling stones to the walls straightened up and shouted; someone gripping a sword looked to the sky and yelled.
Even the knights following me began to open their mouths.
Soon, everyone was repeating the same short song.
It was a brief tune.
An unfamiliar melody, unfamiliar lyrics.
By the time we reached the gate, the song had repeated countless times.
It might be their final words, yet they sang on as if of one mind since earlier.
It was like reciting a prayer.
As if, even if it was their last words in life, there would be no regrets.
O God,
Here is the child You have overlooked.
I now offer this wretched life.
This arm, to swing the sword.
This sword, for the innocent lives.
This life, for noble sacrifice.
Thus, may this life
"...Thus, may this life."
I murmured along with their repeated song.
"Prove wholly mine."
The gate was slowly opening.
The 500 deployed soldiers stood with resolute expressions, clearing a path for me.
Soldiers gathered atop the gate and walls, waving their hands. They were ready to open the gate and lower the moat bridge.
The gate began to open.
"Hya!"
I spurred the horse, and the black steed raised its head with a mighty neigh.
I was the first to charge through the opening gate.
A wind different from Nymph's Wind brushed my forehead, and I felt my high-tied hair whipping.
As the gate opened, the first thing visible was the enemy beyond the moat.
As if waiting for the battle to start, the enemy's first line with arrows nocked came into view.
Their leader raised his hand.
I could see them all drawing their bowstrings at once.
It was still out of range, but they were firing a warning volley.
They wanted to seize the initiative too.
Yeah, human thinking is all the same.
My black steed galloped across the sole narrow bridge over the moat, just as the enemy's arrows rained down like a storm from the sky.
I drew the Apex Light Sword.
Now was the time to show them directly.
Even if thoughts are the same, actions can differ entirely!
- The Apex Light Sword responds to your will!
- The Apex Light Sword evolves into a Holy Sword!
My longtime partner answered my call first.
- The Apex Holy Sword has reached its limit.
- Your mana is rapidly depleting!
System messages floated in my vision, but it didn't matter. A single swing was enough anyway.
The holy sword's blade, extended as if to cleave the sky, struck down the countless arrows embroidered like stars in the heavens.
I could clearly see the enemy knight, standing loftily in their ranks, panic in his eyes.
This is how you seize the initiative, you fool!
"What the hell is that?!"
The arrows, sliced by my swing, lost power in the air and fell limply to the ground. Amazement erupted—whether from the enemy side or ours, I couldn't tell.
But what I awaited now was a different voice.
There, the stage is set.
Now it's your turn to answer me.
I saw enemy knights rushing through their ranks to restore order amid the chaos.
The second line swapped with the first, nocking arrows, while spearmen advanced to reform the lines.
As the fearless black steed boldly advanced one more step toward death.
- The wills of all heroes existing in the world respond to your soul.
Finally, the voice reached me.
- A hero's soul possesses your body! Hero class corrections apply to your stats. Check your status window.
No need to check. I could feel the power returning to the arm wielding this sword.
With sword in hand, I shouted to the soldiers watching from behind.
"Battle begins!"