Chapter 42
Chapter 42
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 42
Chapter Title: Genius Divine Archer Who Became a One-Man Legion
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The Arrowhead Unit managed to arrive safely at Bieltuna.
But the soldiers of the Arrowhead Unit who had reached Bieltuna couldn’t hide their bewildered expressions.
“Is this Bieltuna?”
“What the hell is this place?”
“What’s this? No welcome even for the relief unit?”
As they entered Bieltuna, the soldiers looked around restlessly.
They were first shocked by how much smaller the fortress was than they’d imagined, and second, by the lifeless eyes of the people.
Most looked malnourished and gaunt, and one person was seen murmuring while cradling a baby reduced to skin and bones.
Lian stared with a hardened expression at the man who had come out to greet them, in a village that resembled one of the dead.
“You’re the Arrowhead Unit?”
“I’m Lieutenant Lian, commander of the Arrowhead Unit.”
“The unit stationed here in Bieltuna has no name. We just call it the Bieltuna Unit. I’m Lieutenant Homel. Follow me.”
At his guidance, the ten-man squad leaders furrowed their brows.
What kind of place treated a relief unit with such rudeness?
But since Lian said nothing, they could only swallow their frustration inwardly.
The place Homel led them to was a sight to behold.
“What is this?”
“It’s all... wrecked.”
The soldiers’ reactions were understandable.
There wasn’t a proper barracks in sight—not even something that could be called a makeshift tent.
“This is where you’ll be staying. Fix up any inconveniences yourselves and make do.”
“No, this is...!”
Unable to stand it any longer, Kyle shouted at Homel. But,
“Kyle.”
“...Ugh.”
Kyle vented his frustration and stepped back. Homel smirked and said,
“Bean powder unit, huh.”
With that, Homel turned and walked away.
Once he was completely out of sight,
“Hey, you idiot!”
Brandt, who was relatively close to Kyle, yelled at him.
Kyle looked flustered before bowing his head to Lian.
“I’m sorry, Commander.”
“Don’t do it again. More importantly... we need to deal with this place first.”
There were far too many things needed.
Lian addressed his unit members.
“I admit the environment is one that can’t help but breed complaints. But we can’t just sit around whining about it, can we?”
He subtly pointed in the direction Homel had gone.
“You saw it earlier, right? That power play.”
The ten-man squad leaders in front of Lian nodded silently. Lian smirked and said,
“Show them. Show them we’re not intimidated by a dump like this.”
“Yes!”
“Brandt, take the lead and repair this place first. Isaac, you come with me.”
“Yes.”
At Lian’s orders, the unit members sprang into swift action.
It was a worse environment than they’d imagined, but just as Lian said, they had no intention of being cowed by something like this.
Seeing the unit’s revived morale, Lian went to find the commander of this place.
“...Looks like the vibe’s the same here.”
The commander in charge of Bieltuna was Captain Barus.
He headed to Barus’s tent, but it was only patched up—the situation wasn’t much better.
Lian looked at the soldier guarding the tent entrance.
“I’m Lieutenant Lian, commander of the Arrowhead Unit, here as relief forces. I’ve come to see Captain Barus.”
“Please wait a moment.”
The soldier went inside and soon returned.
“You may enter.”
At his words, Lian and Isaac entered Barus’s tent.
Inside sat a man with dark brown hair and an eyepatch over his left eye.
He wasn’t particularly large, but he exuded a strangely intimidating aura.
Lian and Isaac greeted him.
“Lieutenant Lian, commander of the Arrowhead Unit.”
“Isaac, vice-commander.”
“Hah?”
Barus wore an incredulous expression at their greeting.
His ambiguous expression—somewhere between a smile and blank—soon erupted into booming laughter.
“Krahahahahahahaha!”
Isaac’s brow furrowed slightly at the near-maniacal laugh. But Barus, unconcerned, looked at the two and said,
“Now they’re sending brats like you?”
Bang-!
Barus’s face, laughing just moments ago, twisted into a demonic scowl.
He kicked the table in front of him, smashing it to pieces.
Isaac bristled, about to say something, but then,
“Not a word, or I’ll smash that trap shut right now.”
His bloodshot eyes seemed to radiate murderous intent.
Barus slumped into his chair and pulled a palm-sized bottle from his pocket.
Gulp, gulp.
The stench from the open lid marked it as potent liquor.
Downing the rotgut like water, Barus glared at Lian and Isaac.
“Get out. I don’t even want to look at you.”
“...”
Lian silently observed him.
His bloodshot eyes radiated profound exhaustion.
The furrowed brow conveyed superhuman endurance.
“Let’s go.”
Lian said curtly to Isaac and turned around.
Once outside the tent, Isaac vented his anger.
“What kind of bastard is that?”
“Why?”
“You saw it! How can anyone be so rude to the commander of a unit that came all this way to help?”
“What did he seem like to you?”
At Lian’s question, Isaac glanced back at Barus’s tent.
“Just a hopeless, despair-filled remnant. I don’t know how we’re supposed to fight alongside a guy like that.”
“Is that so? I see it a bit differently.”
“...Pardon?”
Isaac tilted his head at Lian’s words.
Lian told Isaac,
“I think there’s still a glimmer of hope in him.”
“Hope?”
As Isaac looked puzzled, Lian stopped and turned back to Barus’s tent.
Lian knew a bit about men like him.
Those who, through repeated despair, unwittingly drowned in it.
Many in such despair and defeat ended their own lives.
War wasn’t something one could endure with a sound mind.
Especially not in a place like this.
‘But...’
He was different.
It felt like he was desperately clinging on somehow.
Lian considered it fortunate that it wasn’t too late.
“Isaac.”
“Yes.”
“Go back to the barracks first.”
“What about you, Commander?”
To Isaac’s question, Lian turned and headed back toward Barus’s tent.
Isaac called after him, but Lian just waved dismissively, gesturing for him to go ahead.
Entering Barus’s tent again, Lian looked at the seated man.
“Captain Barus.”
“What? Didn’t I tell you to get out?”
Ignoring his gruff response, Lian sat in the chair opposite.
Barus’s one good eye narrowed as he stared at Lian. Lian spoke.
“I know what kind of place Bieltuna is.”
“Hah! You know Bieltuna? A punk like you?”
“Yes, I do. And knowing that, I volunteered to come here.”
By now, Lian’s gaze toward Barus had grown heavy.
Barus, who had been sneering, flinched and met his eyes.
‘What the...?’
What kind of brat’s eyes gleamed with such ferocity?
Just from the gaze, it resembled that of a seasoned general who’d rolled in battlefields for decades.
Even Barus, who’d seen every kind of hell in Bieltuna, felt momentarily overwhelmed by Lian’s presence.
As Barus fell silent, Lian continued.
“And on the way here, I made a firm vow.”
“...What was it?”
“That I’d return home within a year.”
“What the...”
“Within a year.”
Barus tried to speak, but Lian cut him off.
His voice, paired with chillingly sunken eyes, felt like it constricted the body.
Barus simply stared at the young punk before him.
He seemed larger than before.
Drip.
Sweat trickled down his cheek unnoticed.
Fully immersed, Barus quietly awaited his words.
And Lian declared to Barus,
“Within a year, I will completely uproot the barbarians rooted in Porhen Gorge.”
* * *
Isaac waited anxiously for Lian.
He worried a fight might break out inside the tent. But then,
Flutter!
Lian emerged, pushing aside the tent flap. Isaac hurried over.
“Commander!”
“...Hm? I told you to go ahead. Were you waiting?”
“Are you hurt anywhere?”
“Why would I be hurt?”
“Or maybe...?”
Isaac’s eyes widened as he glanced at the tent.
Lian chuckled and lightly smacked Isaac’s head.
“Cut it out. Nothing happened.”
“Ow! I really thought something went down.”
“I just talked a bit.”
“About what?”
“I’ll tell you on the way.”
Lian wiped the complicated expression from his face and forced a smile.
It wasn’t empty words,
‘But I’ve done something outrageous.’
No one had accomplished it in the past decade or so. Yet he’d declared he’d do it in just one year.
“...”
It was like sobering up instantly.
How long had it been since he felt this way?
[Within a year, I will completely uproot the barbarians rooted in Porhen Gorge.]
He wondered if he’d misheard.
Barus’s lips slowly curved into a grin.
“Kekekekekeke.”
The laugh escaping his lips soon swelled uncontrollably.
His shoulders shook, and soon maniacal laughter burst forth.
“Krahahahahahahahahaha!”
“Captain Barus?”
“Uhahahaha! Uhahahahahaha!”
Homel, who had entered the tent, called out, but Barus kept laughing like a madman.
Watching the laughter, which seemed endless, finally subside, Homel couldn’t help but flinch.
Unlike his laughing face, a thick killing intent now flickered in his one eye.
“Homel.”
“Yes, sir!”
Just hearing his name sent chills down his spine.
With a tense expression, Homel replied, and Barus looked at him.
“He says he’ll uproot the barbarians in Porhen Gorge within a year.”
“...Pardon?”
“The next year will be fun. If the kid doesn’t pull it off in a year...”
Flinch!
Homel shuddered and took a step back.
It had been too long since he’d seen Barus like this.
The look from his days steeped in madness.
Barus murmured lowly to Homel.
“I’ll cut off all their heads and parade them to the kingdom. Tell them this place has no more meaning.”