Chapter 29
Chapter 29
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 29
Chapter Title: Clash with the Captain
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Raymond's eyes finally locked onto the enemy captain.
But the 6th Squad blocking him was in a truly desperate crisis.
How could regular soldiers stop a warrior who could wield aura!
“Aaaah!”
And in the midst of it, a casualty appeared.
Isaac, who had charged in to block Garrel, collapsed after taking an axe to the shoulder.
“Hurry! Our comrade is dying!”
“Company Commander Raymond!”
Raymond spurred his horse forward without hesitation. Baron Biovan called out to him, but Raymond paid no mind.
Saving his subordinate came first right now.
But just before he arrived,
“Die, you brat!”
The enemy captain, who had gravely wounded Isaac, charged straight at Lian.
Lian was an excellent archer, but he couldn’t escape Garrel’s beast-like rush.
And the moment Garrel’s axe fell toward Lian’s head—bam!
“……!”
Raymond couldn’t believe the scene unfolding before his eyes.
However, Garrel was even more shocked.
Thuk-!
“Guh!”
The shock was brief; Garrel furrowed his brow at the arrow embedded in his thigh.
‘How did he move like that……?’
The guy had clearly been right in front of him moments ago.
It was an unavoidable strike.
He thought he’d analyzed all of the kid’s movements up to now.
Yet the instant he went to split his skull, the kid’s figure vanished as if retreating backward.
‘Did he use magic?’
Garrel shook his head.
Even across the entire continent, the number of mages was scant.
In a dire situation like this, one capable of casting spells swiftly could be counted on one hand.
Besides, if he could use magic, why bother with a bow?
Magic alone would yield far greater power.
Yet there was a faint trace of mana emanating from the kid’s body.
“Neoooom!”
Garrel bellowed in rage.
What the hell had he done!
Lian already had two arrows nocked and aimed at Garrel.
“Sorry, but how about watching your side?”
“……What?”
Hiiiing-!
With the horse’s neigh, Raymond’s sword surged toward Garrel’s neck.
Swish-!
As Garrel ducked to evade the sword, its blade grazed his hair and sliced through empty air.
Pababat! Kuku ku kung!
In an instant, a hundred soldiers surrounded Garrel and his warriors.
Their faces showed exhaustion from the frantic rush, but their eyes glaring at Garrel burned with ferocity.
Standing at the center, Garrel surveyed the kingdom’s soldiers encircling him.
Breaking through that thick ring wouldn’t be easy.
No, more than that, his eyes caught the two brats protected at the rear.
“Isaac! Isaac!”
“Hey, snap out of it!”
The 6th Squad members quickly pulled Isaac back behind the soldiers and gently laid him on the ground.
It wasn’t instantly fatal, but any more delay, and he’d die from the critical wound.
Seeing Isaac like that, Lian bit his lip hard.
‘If only I had a potion right now…….’
He didn’t regret giving it to Kyle, but in this moment…… Lian desperately needed one.
Even rushing him to a medic now offered no guarantee of survival.
‘It’s my fault. All my fault…….’
Isaac still needed much more time to grow stronger.
But Lian had equated the Isaac he knew from his past life with this young Isaac.
-Isaac could……
-Isaac might be able to do something.
That notion had taken root in Lian’s mind.
It was all because he himself was lacking.
Lian could only tear his clothes and press on Isaac’s wound to staunch the bleeding.
“S-Squad Leader…….”
“Is this guy gonna die……?”
Blood kept flowing over the wrapped cloth, staining his palm red.
In this situation where he had no idea what to do—
Flash!
A brief sparkle of light.
The ring on Lian’s finger blinked green, and suddenly Isaac’s bleeding began to slow.
“……Huh?”
No one knew what was happening.
Everyone stared at Isaac with wide eyes, baffled.
“U-Ugh…….”
Then a faint groan escaped Isaac’s lips.
The squad members around him jumped in surprise and called out.
“I-Isaac!”
“Are you coming to!”
Lian’s mind reeled in confusion.
The instant the ring flashed, Isaac’s bleeding stopped, and his consciousness returned.
“Are you Lian?”
Baron Biovan, mounted on his horse, approached Lian.
At Biovan’s words, Lian looked up and hurriedly dropped to one knee.
“Squad Leader Lian of the Eagle Company’s 6th Platoon, 6th Squad.”
“No need for formalities. Take your subordinate to the castle immediately. There’s a potion in my quarters—use it.”
With that, Biovan handed over a token etched with a crest.
“Show them this.”
Then he gazed toward Saleron Castle.
They had Garrel surrounded, but combat still raged around them.
“Can you make it to the castle?”
“……I will, no matter what.”
Lian clenched his fist.
What an opportunity.
‘I won’t let him die.’
Lian sprang to his feet.
It pained him not to kill Garrel himself, but now wasn’t the time.
Kyle was already beside him, carefully cradling Isaac.
“We have to protect him, no matter what.”
“Even if my body turns into a pincushion from swords, I’ll keep this guy safe.”
“Let’s hurry, Squad Leader.”
Gripping his bow like a lifeline, Lian broke into a run.
Brandt and the spearmen squad members followed close behind.
Now it was a race against time.
‘The ring’s power eased the wound a bit, but he’s still critical.’
The bleeding had stopped, but his lips were already blue from blood loss.
Without a recovery potion, Isaac could die.
Thwuck!
Lian’s arrow pierced the head of a barbarian warrior blocking their path.
The foes died without even noticing the arrow.
Watching, Brandt swallowed hard without realizing.
‘Is this…… even possible?’
In this frantic situation, the squad was sprinting at full speed.
Yet Lian killed enemies without a single miss using his bow—it was beyond impressive, into the realm of awe.
Truly inhuman concentration.
Of course, with so many enemies and allies clashing chaotically, they had to pause now and then.
But soon, the castle gates came into view.
“Just a bit further!”
“Brandt, follow me. We’ll get the gates open!”
“Yes!”
The swiftest, Brandt trailed Lian. Reaching the gates, Lian urgently held up Baron Biovan’s token and shouted.
“Open the gates! We have wounded!”
“W-What?”
“Who are those guys?”
Seeing Kyle and Isaac rushing up behind, the soldiers began raising the gates.
Lian glanced at the opening gates, then whirled around.
Barbarian scum nearby, as if waiting for this, charged toward them.
“Kyle, take this token and go straight to Baron Biovan’s quarters. He said there’s a potion there.”
“Aren’t you coming, Squad Leader?”
“I have to hold these guys off.”
Lian forced the token into Kyle’s hand and yelled.
“Go! Save him, no matter what!”
Then he turned, bow raised at the barbarians racing for the gates.
“Not a single one gets through.”
Because of my mistake, the kingdom nearly lost a hero for the ages.
‘I need to…… get stronger.’
Steeled in resolve, Lian released the drawn string.
* * *
The battle that began at dawn ended only after the sun had fully set.
The stench of blood was so thick, it felt like smell itself was numbed.
“……Squad Leader, you okay?”
“Squad Leader.”
Lian’s bow was already stained with blood.
Once arrows ran out, he’d bashed approaching barbarians’ faces with it and reused arrows pulled from their bodies.
In that fight, Lian was very different from usual.
Feral, as if wrecking his own body.
The atmosphere made it hard to even speak to him.
“……Hoo.”
Drenched in blood from head to toe, Lian dropped his bow to the ground.
Its frame was already snapped, the string dangling loosely.
“You okay, Squad Leader?”
“Let’s go to Isaac.”
At Brandt’s words, Lian replied flatly and turned.
Over two thousand five hundred had clashed in this massive battle.
More than fifty barbarians had died by Lian’s hand alone, and the blood-soaked armor and clothes wouldn’t lose their stench even after washing.
Lian casually wiped the blood from his body and headed to where Isaac lay.
Fortunately, they weren’t too late; the boy lay with a relatively peaceful expression.
“Squad Leader!”
Entering the tent where Isaac rested, Kyle jumped up from his vigil.
“Did he drink the potion?”
“Yes, he took the potion, and a medic checked him. It was serious, but the potion saved his life. He just needs to avoid strenuous activity for a month or two.”
“Saving his life without disability from that wound is blessing enough.”
Lian gazed at the sleeping Isaac.
He felt so sorry, yet so grateful.
‘I…… need to get stronger.’
So this never happens again.
As the entire 6th Squad gathered around Isaac, chatting idly,
“Lian, the Company Commander wants you.”
“Platoon Leader!”
Tyler came looking for Lian.
Lian smiled gladly.
Surviving that brutal battle was what mattered.
Tyler lightly patted Lian’s shoulder.
“But you should change clothes first.”
“……Yeah?”
The blood reeked fiercely.
* * *
“It’s Lian, Company Commander.”
“Come in.”
After washing and changing, Lian entered the Company Commander’s tent where Raymond was.
“Huh?”
Seeing Baron Biovan beside Raymond, Lian hurriedly placed his right fist over his left chest.
“Eagle Company, 6th Platoon, 6th Squad Leader Lian reports to the Supreme Commander.”
“Ah, no need for that.”
Biovan waved lightly, and Lian relaxed to at-ease, watching them.
At Lian’s stiff posture, Raymond chuckled softly.
“No need to be so formal. I just called to commend your achievements.”
“I only did my duty.”
“Heh, as you say, a boring fellow. Lian, was it?”
“Yes, Supreme Commander.”
“I’ve heard your exploits so often my ears are callused. From crossing the Isis River, ambushing to thin their numbers, to capturing the barbarian captain in what could’ve been my blunder.”
Baron Biovan gave a wry smile.
No matter how he hushed it, his misstep had cost many subordinates’ lives.
But Lian shook his head.
“You overpraise me. I merely did my utmost in my duties.”
“Heh, humble too.”
“But I have a question.”
“Speak.”
“What happened to the enemy captain?”
That was crucial.
If they’d let him slip away even slightly, he could regroup and attack again.
At Lian’s words, Biovan grinned.
“He’s dead.”
“Ah…….”
“Cut off his head and hung it at the gates. A big warning to the rest.”
Nothing dominated men’s emotions like fear.
Biovan said to Lian,
“Your contributions were immense. But I called you because I’m curious about something.”
“Please speak.”
“How did you do it?”
“Do what, sir?”
“In the fight with Garrel, that…… vanishing trick.”
For a split second, Lian’s pupils quivered.