Chapter 2
Chapter 2
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 2
Chapter Title: Genius Divine Archer Who Became a One-Man Legion (2)
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Phelon Gorge, centered around the entrance, featured a gentle sloping hill on the left and a steep, high cliff on the right.
Climbing the steep cliff wall posed a significant risk even for those attempting it, and there were hardly any places to hide.
The gentle slope, however, had terraced formations midway up and indented spots here and there, making it the perfect place for an ambush.
If they had to judge by the area that needed investigating, the left side's gentle slope covered far more ground than the right.
"As you all know, the left side has plenty of spots for ambushes, so there's a lot to check. How about sending five teams to the left and one to the right?"
"Sounds good."
"Climbing up there lets you see everything at a glance anyway, so one team should be enough."
It was 1st Squad Leader Paront, the most senior among the thirty scouts, who spoke.
The other squad leaders muttered their agreement while exchanging glances.
After all, it meant one team had to climb the steep cliff.
At that moment, Lian quietly approached Squad Leader Tauran and whispered.
"Squad Leader Tauran, I know a way to easily climb the right cliff. Let me volunteer our team for it."
"What? You crazy rookie. Don't you know when to butt in and when to shut up?"
It must have seemed absurd from Tauran's perspective.
A fresh recruit who had just enlisted was stepping forward like he knew something.
But such threats were laughable to Lian. Besides, the squad leaders who once seemed gigantic now looked like mere chicks.
'Bunch of clueless idiots.'
Back when he was a lowly soldier, squad leaders and platoon leaders had seemed like they possessed some special abilities.
But they were all the same.
In a crisis, they were just soldiers who lost their nerve and did stupid things.
Lian didn't back down.
"I really know this area well. Volunteering like this could earn us big points later, right?"
"...You're from around here?"
"I've lived in Royl Village for over ten years."
"Fine, I'll trust you. But if it's a weird path, you're dead meat."
"Don't worry."
At Lian's words, Tauran cleared his throat and spoke to Paront.
"Ahem! Looks like this side's path is rough, so we'll take it."
"Oh, Squad Leader Tauran, you'll do that?"
"But you have to report this merit to the platoon leader."
"I'll make sure to mention your exemplary leadership. Alright, everyone, let's move out!"
Worried Tauran might change his mind, Paront hurriedly led the other soldiers up the left hill.
Tauran then turned to Lian.
"You said it's an easy path? Lead the way."
"Yes, sir. I'll take the front."
Lian had been to Phelon Gorge not just for his first battle, but several times.
He wasn't intimately familiar with every inch, but he knew the terrain well enough.
Of course, he also knew a slightly easier route up. Slightly, that is.
"Huff... huff... huff..."
After about twenty minutes of quick movement, his breath rose to his throat.
Now that he thought about it, this wasn't the body he had before dying—it was a pathetic, callus-free wreck.
His heart pounded like it might burst, but Lian didn't stop.
He regulated his breathing as best he could while forging ahead.
'Just a bit further and we're there.'
Lian spotted a tree hunched to one side.
It grew bent like a crooked spine, and he remembered the tales of it being over two hundred years old.
"Just a little more, huff... haa...!"
"You little shit... you're dead when we get up there."
The rookie kept climbing without stopping, so the others followed, but they were struggling just as much.
They had trusted his word that it was easy and come this way, but Tauran's legs were already starting to tremble.
Lian clicked his tongue at the sight.
'Tch! A squad leader huffing and puffing at this.'
Not that he was in any position to talk.
But soon enough, they reached the top of the right gorge.
Unlike the gentle left side, once you crested here, you could observe everything below.
"Hoo...!"
Catching his breath with a deep exhale, Lian scanned the surroundings.
As expected, with no ambush, there was nothing to see.
Just bushes and trees swaying gently in the wind.
"Hey, Lian!"
"Yes, Squad Leader Tauran. Impressive as always. Even on an easy path with a decent slope, you don't show a hint of fatigue."
Lian approached Tauran, who was shouting as he caught up from behind, and let out a gasp of admiration.
He then clutched his chest and groaned.
"I thought I was going to die climbing up. If I'd been alone, I would've collapsed, but thanks to you, I pushed through. As expected of the veteran squad leader picked to lead the scouts!"
"Uh, ahem. Well, my stamina's pretty good."
Tauran cleared his throat awkwardly at Lian's fluent flattery and muttered softly.
Meanwhile, Lian turned to look down into the gorge.
"If we search east, west, south, and north from here, we can cover the whole area at once."
"Hmm, yeah, you can see pretty much everything from here."
"Yes, so how about the four of us spread out, and you direct from here, Squad Leader Tauran?"
Tauran glanced at the slopes in the scouting directions.
They weren't as bad as the climb up, but there were still plenty of spots that sloped sharply forward and to the sides.
He was already exhausted enough to drop dead—going down there again...
"Good idea."
Tauran nodded.
Lian smiled faintly at his words.
He had dealt with types like Tauran plenty in his past life until he was sick of it.
Give them just enough face, and they followed along.
Tauran said.
"Take one signal flare each. Fire it if anything happens! I'll coordinate the overall situation from here."
"Yes, sir!"
Lian replied loudly and pointed toward the path leading deepest into the gorge.
"Then this seems like the toughest route, so I'll take it!"
With that, he bolted off without looking back.
If they told him to go somewhere else, the whole plan would fall apart.
Thud!
His thighs and calves trembled from the steep ascent, but Lian hurried onward.
Once he was a bit distanced from Tauran, he calmly assessed his current state.
'Ugh... what a pathetic body.'
He hadn't had exceptional physical prowess before, but this was rookie-level through and through.
Just twenty minutes of fast hiking on mountain paths, and his legs were screaming.
Not to mention, his hand gripping the spear was already going numb.
Grip!
But that's why he gripped the spear tighter and put more strength into his legs.
Rustle!
It wasn't ambush territory yet, but just in case, he scanned the surroundings as he ran toward the gorge's end.
The gorge itself was a short path, just over three hundred meters, so there were no major issues getting there.
"What the hell? Where's that guy running off to?"
But Tauran couldn't hide his bewilderment at Lian sprinting like a madman.
'They're definitely here in this place.'
The Fierce Tribe.
The Artian Kingdom faced off against the Baroque Kingdom to the east and the so-called Fierce Tribe to the north.
With the Baroque Kingdom, there was at least a truce or some political exchange to manage things.
But the Fierce Tribe was different.
Though they possessed vast plains, these nomads from the cold, infertile lands constantly eyed and raided the kingdom.
The kingdom treated them like mere monsters,
'But the Fierce Tribe... they're strong.'
Lian had fought them for decades.
Mostly as a lowly soldier, but he knew one thing for sure.
You could never underestimate the Fierce Tribe.
Tadak!
Reaching the gorge's end, Lian hid behind a nearby rock and caught his breath.
'From here on, it's their territory.'
Unsure exactly where or how they were ambushed, he had to be cautious now.
Peek.
Lian cautiously poked his head around the rock to look ahead.
Just an empty bushy area.
Bushes reaching thigh height, scattered rocks and trees—that was it.
No one would think to set an ambush here.
But the Fierce Tribe was a thorough warrior clan.
'That's when they started digging into the ground to hide.'
A method the kingdom wouldn't even consider.
They couldn't imagine enemies dirtying themselves with soil to hide.
'Where are you... where are you hiding?'
Lian focused intently, scanning the surroundings.
They were human too—they couldn't hold their breath forever.
Besides, with the army not yet entering the gorge, their guard would be lax.
After about a minute,
Lian spotted bushes shaking unnaturally at the gorge's end.
'Found you!'
His eyes gleamed.
Right at the gorge's exit—the start of the plains from their perspective, they had set up an ambush.
But Lian knew.
These were scouts to confirm their main force passing through the gorge.
The main group was near where three hundred allied troops would enter the plains and get surrounded.
About five hundred meters past the gorge's end.
'Fierce Tribe scout teams are usually three per group.'
So, at minimum three, up to six at that spot.
The best move would be to go back and fetch the others...
'Who'd believe a rookie's word...? No way.'
He'd probably get called crazy and slapped.
To make it certain, he needed clear 'proof' above all.
And nothing proved it like the heads of ambushed Fierce Tribe warriors.
"Hoo..."
Could he do it?
With this chick-like, worthless body?
If he had a bow, maybe, but these downy hands without a single callus held only a spear.
Snicker.
But suddenly, he laughed.
'It's not "can I"—it's "I must."'
The first step to changing the future and becoming a great general.
If he couldn't even do this, better to die now.
If he failed here, this life would be no different from the last.
'I'll do it.'
He could.
Grip.
Strength entered his spear hand as his heartbeat quickened.
The boiling excitement before a life-or-death fight. But soon, the excitement settled, and his vision sharpened on the surroundings.
Lian held his breath and slowly moved toward their position.
About thirty meters away.
They were buried underground anyway, with poor visibility.
'Quick and decisive.'
Not a bow, but nearly twenty years of spear experience didn't vanish.
Closing the distance stealthily, Lian hid about ten meters away.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
His heartbeat raced faster, strength filling his spear hand.
Up close, their ambush spot came into clearer view.
'With this body, a sprint would take about two seconds?'
He had to kill at least two in one breath.
'Going.'
His mind was made up.
Lian, flattened low, sprang like a spring and charged—rustle!
Swoooosh—!
In an instant, he launched toward the ambush spot, his spear thrusting straight ahead.