Chapter 62
Chapter 62
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 62
Chapter Title: Rushing to the Rescue
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“Kill…… I’ll kill you all……!”
The guy’s condition had suddenly turned bizarre.
I hadn’t thought he was normal to begin with, but now…… it was like……
‘He’s rampaging, almost berserk.’
Unrefined mana surged chaotically throughout his body.
On top of that, having climbed the cliff while exerting excessive force, his aura had visibly diminished.
“Kill……!”
His eyes lacked any focus, yet his gaze was fixed on Lian.
But Lian didn’t even register Altomers.
Lian’s eyes were locked solely on Derek, collapsed on the ground.
“Derek…… Squad Leader.”
He wasn’t even twitching anymore.
Just the amount of blood pooling around him made it clear he was dead.
Not even a High Priest, the pinnacle of healers, could save him now.
Nothing in the world could revive the dead.
In that instant, memories of his first meeting with Derek flashed by.
-You’re Lian? Let’s get along from now on.
-Lian! Hurry up and keep up!
-As expected of Lian!
-Congratulations, Lian. Or should I call you 100-Man Commander Lian now? Haha.
And how joyful their reunion in Bieltuna had been.
The realization that he’d never see him again ignited a mad surge of rage.
“You bastard……! I’ll kill you!”
Lian sprang to his feet and grabbed his bow.
He quickly reached for his quiver, but there wasn’t a single arrow left.
Boom!
At that moment, Altomers charged toward Lian.
Leaping like a bolt of lightning, Altomers swung his sword down at Lian.
It was a desperate moment where even dodging seemed impossible, but then Raymond jumped in front of Lian, raising his sword.
Clang-!
“Brian, Holun! Run with Lian!”
Raymond shouted after blocking Altomers’ attack. Lian’s eyes trembled slightly at the sight.
‘H-how……?’
How had he blocked an attack from Altomers, who was wielding aura?
The reason became clear right away.
“A-Aura?!”
A faint aura flowed along Raymond’s sword.
Of course, it was minuscule compared to Altomers’ overwhelming power.
But it was the first time anyone knew Raymond could use aura.
“Hurry! Head to the castle and bring reinforcements, now!”
Raymond forcibly repelled Altomers and leaped back.
Seeing this, Brian drew his sword.
“How are you supposed to hold off a monster like that alone? I’ll fight with you.”
Holun drew his sword as well.
“Lian, you can run now, right?”
“Huh?”
“Go, get reinforcements. We’ll hold out here somehow!”
“No way. How are you supposed to fight a monster like that? I’ll fight too!”
Lian shouted.
If he picked up the intact arrows scattered on the ground, he could join the fight.
But Holun yelled at Lian, who refused to leave.
“Go! In your current state, you’d just be a hindrance!”
Lian flinched.
He couldn’t argue with Holun’s words.
His actions right now were nothing but impulsive.
No matter what Lian did, he wouldn’t be of much help, just as Holun said.
Grit.
Lian bit his lip hard.
Then, looking at Holun and the others fighting, he shouted.
“I’ll be right back! Don’t die—hold on!”
“Who’s gonna die? That monster’s the one dying!”
Holun shouted back and charged at Altomers.
Lian immediately turned and ran for his life.
Tadadadadak!
His body had recovered somewhat thanks to the potion, but not fully.
Every step still brought agonizing pain, like his body was being torn apart.
But the pain wasn’t what tormented Lian most—it was the miserable feeling.
‘This feeling again……’
He’d thought he was getting stronger continuously.
And he’d spared no effort, not resting a single moment to grow stronger.
Yet every time, an even taller wall blocked his path, snatching away the precious people around him.
If only I were a bit stronger.
If only I’d made sure to drop that guy off the cliff and kill him for good.
A whirlwind of complicated thoughts filled his head, weighing him down.
“Huff! Huff! Huff!”
His breathing grew ragged, his heart pounding like it would burst.
Upon reaching Bieltuna, Lian dashed straight into the castle.
“Deputy Commander Lian?”
“Lord Lian!”
Inside the castle, fierce battles raged between the soldiers and the barbarians.
But numerically, Bieltuna’s soldiers had completely seized the advantage.
Tatak!
Lian rushed to a nearby soldier, grabbed a handful of arrows from his quiver, and stuffed them into his own.
Then he nocked an arrow and fired at a barbarian warrior ahead.
Screeeeech! Thunk-!
With a dull sound, the arrow embedded in the guy’s throat.
The struck barbarian staggered, then collapsed with gurgling noises.
Lian then sprinted up to the ramparts and shouted.
“Brandt! Kyle! Where are the Arrowhead Unit’s 10-Man Commanders!”
“Deputy Commander!”
As Lian called out, Floran, who’d been fighting nearby, rushed to the base of the wall where Lian stood.
Lian looked at Floran and asked.
“Where’s the Arrowhead Unit?”
“They’re split in half, fighting here and on the west side.”
“What about Captain Varus?”
“Lieutenant Lian!”
Just as Lian finished asking, Varus appeared from afar, calling his name.
His body was covered in blood, but fortunately, it didn’t seem to be his own.
Gripping his bloodied sword, he approached Lian.
“Are you okay?”
“More importantly, something serious has happened.”
“Something serious?”
“A Master-level user has appeared.”
“……I heard about that. But Altomers is really using Master-level aura?”
Varus’s eyes shook.
His grudge with Altomers ran deeper and longer than anyone could imagine.
He thought he knew everything about him, yet suddenly wielding Master-level aura.
To Varus, it was like a bolt from the blue.
Lian nodded at Varus’s question.
“I don’t know what’s going on. But right now, the important thing is that Raymond’s company members are fighting him.”
“……!”
“Something strange we don’t know about is happening. How’s the situation here?”
“It’s wrapping up. But something we don’t know……”
At those words, Varus felt like a puzzle piece clicking into place.
The barbarian warriors who’d breached Bieltuna had seemed off.
Their strength had surged immensely, but it was like their reason had flown away.
At first, their reckless tactics—pushing forward with brute force—had thrown them into disarray.
But once they got used to it, they became much easier to handle.
“I’ll take the Arrowhead Unit. We have to rescue Captain Raymond and the squad leaders.”
“Don’t worry about here—go! I’ll handle the rest!”
“Thank you. Floran, head west, gather the Arrowhead Unit, and bring them here. I’ll rally the troops here.”
“Got it!”
“Hurry!”
At Lian’s shout, Floran dashed off.
It was the first time he’d seen Lian this desperate.
Once Floran vanished, Lian quickly scanned the surroundings.
He could see soldiers still fighting, but he couldn’t account for everyone right now.
“Hup……!”
Lian drew up his mana, took a deep breath, and bellowed.
“Arrowhead! All units, finish your current fights and assemble here immediately!”
Roooar-!
The mana-infused roar was so massive it reached every soldier around the east gate.
At the sound, Arrowhead Unit members fighting nearby turned toward it.
“Lord Lian?”
“It’s the Deputy Commander’s voice!”
“Get lost, you bastards!”
Stab!
Jedron thrust his spear into a barbarian’s chest and looked at Semut beside him.
“Semut!”
“I heard it!”
“Let’s go!”
Jedron and Semut led their squads toward the east gate.
Soon, unit members began gathering one by one.
And among them was Isaac.
“Isaac?”
“Deputy Commander, are you alright?”
Lian looked shocked at Isaac’s question.
“Your arm? Is it okay? Wait, more importantly, your mana……”
Lian caught himself mid-sentence.
Isaac raised the sword in his right hand.
“Something weird…… but it feels a bit better.”
Had his body recovered through the mana cultivation technique?
It was rare, but possible when affinity with mana was exceptionally high.
‘……What the hell are you?’
But there was no time to ponder.
Floran was already rushing back from the west with the Arrowhead Unit.
“Deputy Commander!”
“Lord Lian!”
They were all battered from battle, but their eyes burned sharp.
Once the Arrowhead Unit had assembled, Lian spoke.
“Captain Raymond is in danger. We’re heading out right now to rescue him and the squad leaders!”
“Then we’ll go too!”
“Squad Leader’s in danger? Take me with you!”
Eagle Company members who’d gathered with them spoke up. Lian shook his head.
“You all stay here and follow orders to finish up. I’ll definitely…… bring them back safe.”
Then Lian descended and turned toward the ramparts.
“Arrowhead, follow me at max speed.”
“Yes-!”
With their response, Lian took off running.
Facing a Master-level aura user like Altomers head-on with this numbers was impossible,
‘Just hold on a little longer……!’
But their goal wasn’t killing Altomers—it was saving those fighting him.
Lian’s eyes gleamed with killing intent.
He had no intention of letting the one who killed Squad Leader Derek off easy.
‘I’ll definitely…… definitely……!’
Lian’s expression as he ran mixed desperation and fury.
* * *
“Raaargh-!”
With Holun’s roar, his sword slashed toward Altomers’ side.
Whoosh-!
It should’ve been a blind spot since he’d circled slightly behind, yet Altomers dodged effortlessly.
‘Damn it……!’
The three were unleashing a fierce barrage, but they weren’t gaining ground—they could barely avert crisis.
Holun furrowed his brow and quickly widened the distance.
“Whew…… Everyone okay?”
“Guess we’re fine since we’re not dead yet.”
But Brian and Holun were in no state to sound casual.
Brian’s sword was broken at the top third, and Holun’s was heavily cracked, on the verge of snapping.
That wasn’t all.
Whether from Altomers slamming the ground to hurl rocks, their bodies were torn in places, with red bruises swelling.
Only Raymond, who could wield even a trace of aura, was slightly better off—but he was struggling just the same.
“Grrrrrr……!”
Amid it all, Altomers still hadn’t regained his senses, growling beast-like at the three.
Oddly, though his reason was gone, his combat style was precise and detailed.
If he’d relied solely on aura’s power, the three might’ve had a chance.
But he gave no openings, slowly pressuring Raymond, Brian, and Holun until now.
In a way, that had bought them time,
‘……This is the end.’
Raymond knew they had no more strength left.
Above all, minor wounds had accumulated, dealing too much damage to their bodies.
They couldn’t move like they had at the start.
If he attacked now……
‘One of us three will definitely die.’
“Raaargh!”
In that moment, Altomers roared, kicked off the ground, and leaped.
The sword aura rippling on his blade now resembled the scythe of the Grim Reaper.
At that instant,
Screeeeech-!
A single arrow flew from afar, streaking toward Altomers.