Chapter 32
Chapter 32
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 32
Chapter Title: The Commander's Resolve
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Everyone thought it was reckless. The men of the Red Wolf Mercenary Corps under So Gun-ak were no exception.
Only one person, Jake, wore a faint smile. So Gun-ak had massacred twenty Red Rose Knights. Compared to them, the knights of Raitz City were little more than a ragtag bunch.
"I'll make you regret this!"
The knights, led by Bolt, charged all at once. So Gun-ak rushed forward to meet them, swinging his staff.
It was a show of force to enforce strict obedience. He couldn't afford to injure them and weaken their combat strength. But facing off against fifty knights was no easy task either, so he had no choice but to hold back appropriately.
Thwack! Thud!
"Kaaack!"
Bolt, who had charged first, took a staff strike to the back of his knee and crumpled in dizzying pain. But it didn't end there—So Gun-ak's kick landed squarely on his back, slamming him face-first into the ground.
"Kaaack!"
"Uwaaack!"
Bolt's ears, buried in the dirt, filled only with screams. When he finally gritted his teeth against the pain and lifted his head, all he could see was So Gun-ak's back.
"Ugh... ughhh."
It had all happened in a mere five minutes. Fifty knights lay groaning on the ground.
Some had collapsed without even realizing what hit them, others before they could draw their swords. Most had grimly drawn their weapons, only to be struck down by the staff before they could even graze So Gun-ak's robes.
The watching soldiers didn't dare utter a word. They simply stared wide-eyed, intently following So Gun-ak's every move.
"Treat them."
"A-ah, yes, sir!"
The mages standing off to the side hurried over at So Gun-ak's command and began healing the knights. Though it wasn't them who'd been struck, the overwhelming display of power had left them utterly cowed.
Thanks to the mages' swift healing, the knights recovered their wounds in no time. So Gun-ak had targeted vital points but hadn't struck with full force to break bones, allowing for quick recovery.
They all averted their eyes, unable to meet So Gun-ak's gaze. Even Bolt, the guard captain, was no different.
"I don't care if you don't trust me. But in this battle, you will obey my orders without question."
So Gun-ak shifted his gaze from Bolt to the other knights, then to the soldiers standing rigidly behind them.
"This will be the last time you look at me. But if you want to see your families alive again, obey my commands absolutely!"
Six hundred people held their breath, eyes fixed solely on So Gun-ak. Who else could command such sway over so many in so short a time?
So Gun-ak stared at Bolt. Feeling the gaze, Bolt fidgeted uncertainly. A cornered rat lashes out in fury. It was time to step aside and open a path.
"I know your grievances."
So Gun-ak spoke softly. It wasn't loud, but neither was it too quiet to hear.
His low yet clear voice reached the ears of everyone gathered there precisely.
"I know your faith in me is lacking."
It was only natural. How could they entrust their lives to some outsider who appeared out of nowhere?
"But what matters is—!"
So Gun-ak's voice rose. As all eyes focused on him, his powerful words resonated in every heart.
"—that my desire to defend Raitz City burns just as fiercely as yours!"
Bolt's eyes wavered. So Gun-ak's words struck him deeply. That was the most important thing—defending Raitz City!
Wasn't So Gun-ak's lack of ties to the city proof that he had thrown himself into this unrelated fight of his own will?
Bolt felt regret.
What did it matter whose orders they followed? Why had he stirred up pointless hostility over his position as guard captain...?
"Raitz City, the Magic Tower, and your families—I will protect them all. Help me... do it."
So Gun-ak's tone softened again. Bolt collapsed to his knees as if crumbling. What more was there to argue? Kneeling on one knee, he acted just as he had before departure.
"Just give the order!"
His actions rippled through the six hundred assembled. They too had heard So Gun-ak's earnest plea.
They were all gathered here out of desperation to protect Raitz City from the orcs.
"Give the order!"
Their unified voices rose, followed by the soldiers, the Red Wolf Mercenaries, and even the mages swept up in the mood, all dropping to one knee.
"Give the order!"
The Red Wolf Mercenaries marveled anew at So Gun-ak's dignity. Among them, the simple-minded Capone was even moved to tears.
'Ahh, to think our captain is such an amazing man.'
And Jake, the mercenary group's strategist, felt conviction solidify.
'He's the one who will usher in a new era.'
Irina, gazing at So Gun-ak's back with curious eyes, felt her intrigue intensify.
'Just who is this man?'
People have an aura about them. It's that subtle atmosphere—of refined grace, etiquette, or dignity—naturally ingrained from their upbringing.
So Gun-ak exuded the bearing of a noble long accustomed to commanding underlings, or even a king beyond that. How could someone seemingly from the East handle people so effortlessly?
Unbeknownst to herself, So Gun-ak's presence grew ever larger in Irina's mind. Her thoughts were filled with him all day.
She hadn't yet realized it. That her mind, brimming with So Gun-ak, was slowly seeping into her heart as well.
So Gun-ak organized the city's maze-like streets. No matter which way the orcs advanced, all paths converged on a wide open plaza, blocked by building rubble. It was a plan to funnel them into one spot.
The plaza was fully enclosed by debris, with wooden structures atop them serving as palisades to prevent escape.
Infantrymen armed with bows were stationed there as archers. Mages were deployed alongside: half to unleash destructive spells, the other half to sow illusions and confusion.
Horant's crow scouts revealed some four thousand orcs approaching from the north, now just two days away.
Knowing your enemy's numbers and position is crucial in battle. Even orcs knew this and sent out scouts.
According to Horant's crows, three orc scouting parties were nearing the ruins.
While the archers and mages trained, So Gun-ak led three hundred cavalry, including the Red Wolf Mercenaries, to eliminate the orc scouts.
The orc scouts made perfect live training dummies. In short order, the cavalry synced up their movements.
Cavalry's strength lies in mobility. The core of cavalry tactics is powerful breakthrough charges.
To maximize charge power, a tight wedge formation is best. Simple in theory, but maintaining it without collisions at close range is notoriously difficult.
The Black Dragon Corps, raised together since childhood through countless drills and battles, moved as one. But this hastily assembled three hundred struggled just to hold formation, let alone sync. A formation without shape lacks power.
So Gun-ak split them into three groups of a hundred and drilled nothing but charges and turns.
'The cavalry is key. If they fail, all preparations are for naught.'
The orc shamans supposedly dispelled death energy. But Horant was here. The orcs would surely bypass the city. Luring them in was the cavalry's job.
Horant had unwittingly complicated the plan, but So Gun-ak had no intention of discarding him. Acquiring Horant was a stroke of luck. Knowing the orcs' movements like an open book let him give the troops ample rest before battle.
The training lasted just one day, but it solidified the soldiers' trust in So Gun-ak. His unparalleled prowess played a part, but repeated drills convinced them the plan would succeed.
By the time he activated the fog formation in preparation, their confidence had evolved into certainty of victory.
As the orcs drew within half a day's march, So Gun-ak readied the troops and prepared to sortie.
Irina watched So Gun-ak rush his preparations, her face etched with worry.
"It won't be too dangerous, right?"
The plan's success hinged on So Gun-ak and the cavalry luring the orcs into the city.
Orcs had archers too. Crude bows with poor accuracy, but their strength amplified the destructive power.
Charging straight at such a force alone seemed impossible from the start. So Gun-ak's feats so far were astonishing, enough to believe in him, but this felt truly undoable.
Before mounting Mu-yeong, So Gun-ak gazed steadily at Irina. He knew her concern, but his heart wasn't moved by her in that way.
So Gun-ak chuckled and patted her head.
"Wh-what are you doing?!"
Irina startled, cheeks flushing red as she flailed in indignation.
"No need to worry."
As So Gun-ak withdrew his hand with those words, Irina felt embarrassed yet oddly wistful. Despite being treated like a puppy, she felt no insult.
So Gun-ak pressed the buckle on his belt.
Shhhk!
Hundreds of small metal plates unfurled from the belt amid flashes of light, enveloping his body. When the glow faded, So Gun-ak stood clad in scale mail.
"Y-you have a Magic Suit too?!"
Irina was genuinely shocked; she hadn't expected him to have one. A Magic Suit rendered enemy arrows meaningless.
So Gun-ak smiled contentedly at the snug fit of the Magic Suit.
It was an armor that organically molded to the wearer's body, seamlessly integrating with his existing breastplate as if made one.
He could easily draw the dagger from his breastplate, the sword at his waist, or even the greatsword and staff from his back.
"Wh-what about the horse?"
Mu-yeong wore no barding. So Gun-ak hopped onto his back and patted his neck.
"Arrows won't hurt it. Worry no more."
Irina was at a loss for words.
Clop, clop.
As So Gun-ak rode away, Irina pouted amid her worry.
"Tch, since when are we close enough for informal speech?!"
Irina grumbled, clutching the mana stone he'd given her when assigning her the fog formation duty.
Horant, beside her, smirked.
"Heh, you like the master, huh."
He'd become So Gun-ak's loyal servant, but his personality hadn't changed—only his blind devotion.
"What did you say? Go do your job!"
Horant chuckled and moved off with Dullahan Macaron. His smug face infuriated her, turning her cheeks scarlet as she fumed.
"Ugh, that jerk—I can't even hit him."
She'd improved, but fear of the dullahan lingered. And she couldn't playfully blast Horant with magic either.
Horant played a major role in this operation. His forbidden undead research would shine in the chaos. Macaron's sturdy, arrow-proof bulk was equally vital.