Chapter 251: Bloody Battle (5)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 251: Bloody Battle (5)
Today was another peaceful morning.
However, there was no sound of chirping birds or rustling leaves in the wind. It was the dead of winter.
Wooooosh.
A bleak, biting wind swept through the area. In front of a lonely platform stood countless heroes—warriors drafted from all around the world for the Permush Subjugation War.
“Gathering us so early in the morning... Looks like today’s D-Day.”
A man muttered, scratching his bearded chin. Another man standing beside him casually picked up on his remark.
“Tell me about it. Chilly breeze, overcast sky... Just the kind of weather demons go crazy for.”
“You... seeing as your armband is green, you must be a Senior-rank hero like me. What unit are you with? I don’t recognize your face.”
“Japan 1st Battalion.”
“Ah, no wonder you have a bow slung over your shoulder. Must be nice being in the rear guard.”
“When you're facing a Corps Commander, what difference does front or rear make? If the frontline falls, the rear will be wiped out in less than five minutes.”
“Fair point.”
The bearded man chuckled, finding something amusing. The two were complete strangers who had never met before, yet they bantered back and forth with the friendly familiarity of old pals.
Such was the nature of heroes. They had the guts to crack jokes right before a battle. That was why people called them heroes, showering them with both respect and envy.
“At any rate, take a good look at the handsome back of my head and make sure you don't hit me. Dying to friendly fire would be the ultimate disgrace, wouldn't it?”
The bearded man turned his head to show the back to the archer and patted it. The archer narrowed his eyes, then grinned.
“Thin hair makes it easy to spot. I’ll be sure to remember.”
“Hey now! You shouldn't make fun of a balding man!”
“Haha, no offense intended. By the way, why were we called here?”
The bearded man shrugged.
“Well, the usual stuff. You know how commanders love giving cliché speeches before a massive battle like this.”
“Ah, I see.”
“I’ve been working as a hero for over thirty years, but honestly, I never got why they do that. We’re not Academy cadets anymore; do we really need to sit through a lecture at our age?”
“That's true as well.”
The archer nodded quietly. The bearded man pressed on with his complaint.
“Rather than boosting morale, it might just kill it. Besides, the commander-in-chief for this subjugation is some wet-behind-the-ears kid. I’m worried sick as it is.”
The bearded man grumbled with a dissatisfied look. The archer glanced around, checking their surroundings, then brought his mouth close to the bearded man's ear and whispered.
“Watch your mouth. Too many eyes around.”
“All the better. Means there are plenty of ears listening, too.”
The bearded man let out a dry snort. Unbothered by the archer's warning, he continued.
“Being a great hero isn't just about strength. On the battlefield, the ability to lead people is far more important. And that usually comes from experience. But a seventeen-year-old having what it takes to command all these heroes? I have my doubts.”
“I get what you mean... but still, he is one of the Seven Stars.”
“What’s so special about the Seven Stars? In the eyes of a Corps Commander, the Seven Stars and the rest of us are probably all the same anyway...”
It was right then.
Step, step.
Everyone’s eyes followed the sound of footsteps ascending the stairs of the platform. A boy wearing a black uniform with a white robe draped over his shoulders—it was the Heavenly Sword, Kang Geomma.
The bearded man swallowed hard. His dark Adam's apple, framed by his beard, bobbed heavily.
'...Even after talking all that talk.'
The bearded man was astonished all over again.
A spine-chilling presence that instantly commanded the attention of even those at the very back. A pitch-black aura so intense it made him wonder if the boy was a Majin.
Only then did the heroes hurriedly straighten their ranks. The relaxed air that had lingered in the venue vanished, instantly replaced by suffocating tension.
Step.
The Heavenly Sword stood at the center of the platform. The Sword Emperor, who had followed him up, stood to his left, while the Spear Saint stood to his right. It almost looked as though the two veteran masters were serving as his aides.
The Heavenly Sword scanned the crowd with indifferent eyes. The heroes felt their bodies tense up and shrank back, avoiding his gaze. The bearded man, who had been talking so loudly just moments ago, practically kept his eyes glued to the ground.
“...”
When total silence fell over the crowd, the Heavenly Sword let out a deep sigh. At that, every hero stiffened like stone.
What is it? Is he looking down on us? Is he about to pull the classic 'I'm deeply disappointed in you' routine?
Step.
The Heavenly Sword took a step forward. One step, then another. Soon, he stopped at the very edge of the platform—a precipice where half a step further would send him falling off.
The Heavenly Sword plunked himself down right there. With his legs dangling off the edge, his eye level aligned with the standing heroes.
Looking down at the heroes who hardly dared to raise their eyes, the Heavenly Sword spoke. His dry yet unmistakably warm voice cut through the silence.
“Thank you all for gathering here at the crack of dawn.”
Surprised by Kang Geomma's unexpected humility, the heroes reflexively raised their heads.
“To be honest, gathering you all here wasn't my idea. It feels burdensome, and I know full well that coming from a kid like me, anything I say won't carry much weight.”
The Heavenly Sword scratched his head vigorously with one hand while shoving his other hand into his pocket.
“Still, they told me it's tradition... so I'll keep it short. I'd appreciate it if you could bear with me since I'm not much of a public speaker.”
The heroes thought to themselves: The way he chooses his words feels surprisingly human.
“I won't say things like 'fight with your lives on the line.' You are heroes, after all. Naturally, you came here prepared for that.”
At the same time, there was something about his voice that commanded everyone's attention.
“So by that same logic, I won't tell you 'don't die,' either. That would be completely irresponsible. Nor will I say something weak like 'please lend me your strength.'”
His diction was neat, his sentences short and concise. The pauses he took between words added weight to his speech.
“Because I know that the responsibility for your lives rests on my shoulders. That's why I refuse to show weakness.”
Kang Geomma had intentionally lowered himself to their eye level. It was an act of setting aside his authority, if only for a moment.
“I am extremely young. I could probably be your son's age. It's only natural that you might not trust me. But please remember one thing.”
And at the same time, it was a declaration of his intent to fight alongside them.
“I am not someone who turns away from my responsibilities. Though I am young, I take pride in being strong enough to carry a burden of this scale. Well—it seems I've talked longer than I intended. I guess standing up here does that to a person. At any rate, my point is simple.”
Kang Geomma dusted himself off and stood up. He brought his speech to a brief close.
“Let's win.”
Kang Geomma turned smoothly around. Two words burned into the retinas of everyone looking up at his back.
『Heavenly Sword』
Behind Kang Geomma as he walked back to his position—
Waaahhhhh!
An ear-splitting roar thundered. Moved by his sincere speech, the heroes' morale surged tenfold.
The heroes raised their weapons as if to pierce the sky. The thrumming of drums synced with their heartbeats, and banners fluttered under the clear sky.
“...It feels like watching a hero out of myth, wouldn't you say?”
The bearded man asked the archer as if talking to himself.
“You're wrong.”
The archer replied, baring a canine in a sharp smile.
“He is already a living myth.”
* * *
As soon as the speech ended, we marched out. The Sword Emperor, the Spear Saint, and I led the advance from the vanguard. Not only did it serve to boost morale, but we also agreed it was only right for those of us with experience facing Corps Commanders to be on the front lines.
'If anyone without serious resolve met a Corps Commander face-to-face—especially one tearing through the Demon Realm...'
They would foam at the mouth and pass out unless they had a heart of iron. Furthermore, if the boss unleashed its Fear, our ranks could collapse in an instant. No matter how you looked at it, we had to take the front.
Accordingly, the other commanders—General Remi, Director Seong, and the Association executives—led their respective units from their designated positions.
After marching for an hour, we finally arrived right in front of the Gehenna Gate. Plastered with hideous statues like oozing pus, the Gate itself was a grotesque sight to behold.
'Well, it's nothing compared to the monsters that are about to appear, though.'
We took time to reorganize our battle stance. To be precise, it was to split the single massive army into positions: Top, Mid, Jungle, and Bottom.
Even though the system had only been introduced yesterday, the heroes moved with swift agility. They didn't panic for a second as they dispersed, falling neatly into formation.
'I guess they really did draft only the best of the best veterans. They're impressive.'
Relief washed over me as I regulated my breathing. It was almost time. The 4th Corps Commander, Permush, would soon tear through that Gate—at full power, bursting with mana.
'It won't compare to Agor or Vesna.'
Humans naturally feel fear toward the unknown. I had never fought a Corps Commander at full strength before. It was only natural for my palms to sweat.
“Heavenly Sword.”
Before I realized it, the Sword Emperor approached and lightly patted my shoulder. The Spear Saint was beside him as well.
“Your expression is dark, unlike you.”
“Ah, yes.”
I hesitated for a moment before asking them.
“Aren't you two afraid, Sword Emperor, Spear Saint? You lost three of your comrades here half a century ago. If it were me, I would have hesitated to come back. And Sword Emperor, you even lost an arm to Agor just half a year ago.”
At my words, the Sword Emperor and Spear Saint looked at each other. Bitter rivals though they were, in this moment, they shared the exact same expression. The Sword Emperor turned his gaze back to me.
“Dying on the battlefield is the virtue of a hero. It would be a lie to say I'm not afraid at all, but at least today, I feel less fear than I did forty years ago.”
The Spear Saint chimed in.
“Back then, we didn't even have an army of heroes organized. But what about now? Warrior-ranks, Senior-ranks—everyone has gathered here with one mind and heart, haven't they? Besides... Heavenly Sword, just thinking about fighting alongside you gets me excited. My body is itching for combat!”
Ah, I see. It seemed I had unwittingly underestimated these people called heroes.
Thinking back, even in the game, heroes were never shown trembling and running away. At the time, I thought they were just chunks of data moving according to the player's commands.
But that wasn't it.
They were heroes. Superhumans who had undergone the grueling education of Joaquin Academy, warriors who considered it an honor to fall on the battlefield.
On the other hand, I was an Otherworlder who had arrived here barely six months ago. Because of that, I had unconsciously judged them through the common sense of an Earthling.
'I still haven't shaken off Earth's mindset entirely.'
When I let out a light chuckle, the Sword Emperor and Spear Saint smiled along with me. I wasn't entirely sure what their smiles meant, but they brought great comfort.
Right at that moment—
Rumblllllle...!
A heavy rumble slammed against our eardrums. Everyone turned their heads toward the Gate. Cracks spread across the creepy giant doors, shedding showers of stone debris.
A familiar chill. Anyone could tell what was happening. That the Gehenna Gate was about to burst open, and that Permush would step out from beyond it—it played out vividly in my mind like a movie.
“All hands, prepare for battle!”
The Spear Saint's thunderous command rang far and wide. The tank heroes—dubbed "Top"—lowered their visors and raised their heavy shields.
Kiiiiing.
The Sword Emperor drew his sword and held it upright. The blade concealed half of his wrinkled face.
Thump!
The Spear Saint slammed the butt of his spear against the ground. The road shuddered faintly. Standing side by side, the Spear Saint spoke to the Sword Emperor.
“If I happen to lose an arm in this fight, you had better grant me a spar, Nibelung.”
The Sword Emperor burst out laughing. Meanwhile, pure white particles of light shimmered along his blade. It was the Sword Saint's Aura.
“You barely qualify as my opponent even with both arms intact. So take good care of them. Who knows? If both arms stay attached, I might just feel generous enough to humor you.”
“Kahaha! Good, good!”
The Spear Saint laughed fiercely. Lowering his stance, he gripped his spear shaft short.
KABOOM!
At that moment, a roaring explosion shattered the Gate doors into pieces. Visibility was limited, but shadows could be faintly seen walking out through the swirling dust cloud.
The Sword Emperor and the Spear Saint—the two battle-hardened veterans—called out my name, their backs turned to me.
““Kang Geomma!””
And so, I answered.
“Sword Control.”