077. Erymanthian Boar Subjugation 2
From the highlands down to the lowlands, long furrows gouged into the earth stretched out in a line. Viewed from afar, they resembled an enormous 'S'. This was the result of the hard labor from the 7th Division knights and the skeleton soldiers.
Clop. Clop.
Horse hooves echoed from the opposite side of the dug trenches, drumming against their ears. Atop that horse rode Fifty Captain Hite. Several knights rode alongside him, and behind them swarmed a massive herd of Erymanthian boars in hot pursuit.
These were the beasts Hite and the knights had gathered over hours of wandering, baiting them with buckets filled with food scraps.
"Squeeeeal!"
"Snuff. Snuff…."
The boars let out monstrous shrieks as they rampaged forward. The knights fled frantically from the chasing horde.
Clop. Clop.
"This is getting annoying as hell…."
"No time to chat—keep riding!"
The knights exchanged words briefly, but Hite scowled and raised his voice.
"Don't drop those reins! Lure them straight into the trench!"
"Yes, Fifty Captain!"
The knights responded in unison. Still, with the boars closing in from behind, their hearts pounded with dread. One slip from their horses, and they'd be trampled flat under the herd.
"Squeeeeal!"
"Snuff. Snuff…."
Amid the boars' deafening cries, Hite and the knights reached the trench. They promptly hurled their buckets of food scraps into it.
Thud.
With that sound, the boars surged into the furrow without hesitation, shoving and screeching at one another in a frenzy.
"Squeeeeal!"
Pre-placed food scraps tempted them from within the trench—an impressive pile at a glance. But for 180 boars, it was woefully insufficient.
The boars that had piled into the trench sniffed frantically and jostled about.
"Snuff. Snuff. Snuff…."
"Snuff. Snuff. Snuff…."
They devoured the scraps in a mad rush, gulping them down without chewing for fear a neighbor might snatch them away.
That was when every last boar had entered the trench. Flames erupted from the piled firewood on the ground above, sending thick smoke billowing into the sky.
This was exactly as Bin had instructed.
In the highlands where the great river was dammed by a wall of ice, Bin's eyes hardened with resolve as he spotted the rising smoke.
'Time to begin.'
Bin drew the greatsword from his back and swung it with full force at the ice barrier blocking the river.
The moment the silver-gleaming blade met the ice—
Tang!
Crack. Crack.
Cracks spiderwebbed across the ice. It shattered like glass, and raging waters poured through the fissures.
Whoosh!
Whoosh!
Whoosh!
The river surged into the trench dug by the skeleton soldiers and 7th Division knights, filling the deep 'S'-shaped furrow in the blink of an eye.
Splash!
It flowed like a azure dragon racing across the sky. Before long, the waters reached the 7th Division knights' position.
Splash!
The knights stared in stunned silence. Only then did they grasp Bin's strategy.
"No way…!"
"The river's heading straight for the boars…."
Just as they said. The dragon-like torrent roared toward the boars, who were too fixated on the scraps to notice.
Splash!
The water's roar battered their ears, and then it engulfed the herd.
Squeeeeal!!
"Squeeeeal!"
"Squeeeeal!"
"Squeeeeal…!"
The boars shrieked in panic, thrashing as the flood swept them away. All 180 were carried off in an instant while distracted by the food.
They flailed their legs in the current, desperate to survive, but the torrent was too fierce to escape. They could only surrender to its merciless flow.
Squeeeeal!!
The boars battered their heads against nearby objects as they tumbled, their minds growing foggy. One by one, they rolled their eyes back in daze.
The knights watched, speechless.
"180 boars… all at once…."
"This is the plan our Hundred Captain Bin devised…."
Not a single injury among them, and the mission complete. The knights could scarcely believe it.
They knew Bin, as pure-blooded Bascon, possessed an exceptional physique and swordsmanship. But they hadn't expected such ingenious tactics too.
Chills ran down their spines at the extraordinary schemes brewing in his mind.
Even Hite, watching the boars get swept away, was dumbfounded.
"…."
If it had been him, he'd have brute-forced the boars into submission. But his superior Bin's intellect surpassed his expectations.
Was this what it felt like to see the forest, not just the trees?
Hite pondered Bin with a blank expression. Younger than him, yet superior in body and relentless effort—he already respected him as a leader.
But this strategic brilliance exceeded even that. Perhaps he'd misjudged.
'Maybe he's even greater than I imagined….'
Moments later, the waters drained from the trench. Piles of boar carcasses lay heaped on one side.
The 7th Division knights checked them, swiftly finishing off any still twitching.
Just as they thought the mission concluded—
"Squeeeeal!"
A single boar burst from the corpse mound. Two heads on one body, its bulk three or four times larger than the others.
It shook its heads side to side, flinging off water. Then it fixed its gaze on the nearest knight, stamping its forelegs twice.
Thud!
Thud!
Poised to charge at any moment.
Hite appeared before it.
"You're facing me. Everyone, fall back!"
At his shout, the knights scattered. With no casualties so far thanks to Bin's plan, he had no desire for needless sacrifices.
The instant Hite locked eyes with the boar, his pupils trembled.
A gray rune was embedded between its two heads.
'So that's why it's so massive.'
Hite glared, then whipped his spear.
"Eat this!"
Swoosh!
A piercing triangular sword wind sliced through the air toward the boar. A long gash appeared at the edge of its right head's mouth.
Sizzle.
A smirk tugged at Hite's lips.
"How's that feel?"
But the wound sealed in an instant, tentacles-like flesh knitting it shut.
Hite's eyes widened in shock.
'H-High-speed regeneration.'
A rune-bearing monster. Its power amplified beyond normal.
No easy prey.
As the boar's mouth healed, it bellowed and charged Hite.
"Squeeeeal!"
Swoosh.
Movement swift beyond its size. Hite thrust his spear tip before him defensively.
But it meant nothing to a rune beast.
Crack!
The spear shattered against its fangs. The opposite head lunged at Hite's flank.
Crunch!
Blood poured from his abdomen; he dropped to one knee.
"Urgh…!"
As Hite grimaced in pain, the 7th Division shouted.
"Fifty Captain!"
Hite yelled back at them.
"Stay back!"
'I'll follow Hundred Captain's orders—no one dies on my watch….'
He scanned his surroundings for a usable weapon.
But the Erymanthian boar wouldn't miss the opening. It charged straight on.
"Squeeeeal!"
Hite tried to dodge, but its speed outmatched him. Its fangs closed in—
Swoosh.
A black shadow leaped through the air, clutching a greatsword. It tucked and rolled forward, the silver blade spinning 360 degrees toward the space between the boar's heads.
Hite watched, slack-jawed.
'Captain?!'
Flesh tore with a gruesome rip.
Slash!
The massive Erymanthian boar cleaved in half. The 7th Division and Hite's eyes bulged.
"…!"
Crucially, no regeneration this time.
Their gazes turned to the shadow.
"H-Hundred… Captain…!"
Relief washed over the 7th Division at the sight of their reliable Hundred Captain Bin.
In a mansion at Plentel Castle, several Bascon Hundred Captains gathered around a long dining table.
Left of the table sat the 4th and 5th Divisions; right, the 6th and 7th.
4th Division Captain Herion, scanning the room, spoke up.
"Chimeras have been rampant around Plentel Castle lately."
The other captains nodded in agreement.
Herion frowned.
"We can't just sit idle."
6th Division Captain Alenda replied softly.
"Do you have a good plan, perhaps?"
"A good plan? Of course. Strike their heart—Pirenchi Castle."
"P-Pirenchi Castle?!"
The captains' eyes flashed wide.
Pirenchi Castle. Known as the Monster Castle.
Long ago, a family had fallen there, and monsters claimed it as their lair. Swarming with 3rd-class assassins to boot.
Herion continued, gauging their reactions.
"Indeed. I'll assign two divisions to scout it."
….
Silence filled the room.
The 5th and 6th captains muttered inwardly.
'P-Pirenchi….'
'This feels off….'
Even as 3rd-class knights, facing hordes of 3rd-class killers was daunting.
As they pondered, a hand shot up from behind.
The captains turned.
"…!"
'Young Master Bin….'
It was Bin. He looked calmly at Herion.
"May I volunteer?"
The 5th and 6th captains gaped at his boldness.
'Where does that confidence come from….'
'Into a place crawling with 3rd-class assassins….'
Herion smiled warmly.
"7th Division Hundred Captain. Excellent attitude."
As everyone reeled in surprise, Bin's eyes sharpened.
'I can't miss this chance.'
From his past life's memories, he knew of the supreme weapon hidden there.