Chapter 66
Chapter 66
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 66
Chapter Title: Genius Divine Archer Who Became a One-Man Legion
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"Kaen made a move...?"
Telpon's eyes shook violently at Hakimilson's report.
The name that slipped from his mouth in that instant was just too shocking.
Hakimilson nodded with a stiff expression and continued.
"Of course, I can't be 100% certain. But... according to the intelligence, the possibility of his involvement is extremely high."
"That's nonsense. Why the hell would Kaen go to Bieltuna!"
Telpon shouted.
It was because of the immense weight carried by the name Kaen.
Soon, he let out a deep sigh to calm himself before asking Hakimilson.
"And that circumstantial evidence... is it solid?"
"Yes. I was so shocked that I double- and triple-checked, but everything that happened in Bieltuna can't be explained unless it was him."
Kaen was an existence known only to the higher echelons of the military.
Hakimilson knew only a rough outline from Telpon and didn't have detailed information.
That was why he hesitated to mention his name.
He hadn't anticipated that investigating behind Second Prince Byron would reach as far as Bieltuna.
"When compared to what we know, it matches on a great many points."
"Hoo."
Telpon exhaled deeply.
His heart felt even heavier knowing Hakimilson wouldn't mention that name based on sloppy investigation.
'Why him...?'
Bieltuna was where he had sent Lian.
Could it be related to Marquis Dwayne keeping tabs on Lian?
'No, that's impossible.'
Telpon shook his head.
No matter how much Marquis Dwayne was watching Lian, involving Kaen made no sense.
To use an analogy, it was like using a sword meant for slaying an ogre to kill a chicken... no, even a pup wolf would be an overstatement.
Then why...?
Suddenly, something flashed through Telpon's mind, twisting his expression.
"Damn it, could they be targeting the Eagle Company?"
"Pardon? What do you...?"
Not long ago, Raymond had come to see him.
He had said he wanted to handle the escort for Bieltuna's supply convoys as a way to deal with their merits.
From Telpon's perspective, assigning the Eagle Company to escort Bieltuna supplies was a massive waste of combat power.
But he had permitted it as a form of vacation for the sorely tried company.
"If that's the case... it might make sense."
If they were after that, plus something else in passing, then it was possible.
An incident where one company fought and defeated battalion-level forces wasn't something that ended as mere happenstance.
The guys on Byron's side might even be thinking of completely eliminating the Eagle Company.
Telpon rose from his seat.
This wasn't something he could handle on his own.
"I'm going to Ramelan. Prepare a carriage right now!"
"Yes!"
Ramelan was where the 1st Division Commander, to whom 3rd Battalion Telpon belonged, was stationed.
Reporting to him would connect straight to the Legion Commander.
It was late, but now wasn't the time to care about that.
It was that important.
Hakimilson dashed out upon responding.
Telpon donned a neat uniform coat and gazed out the window.
'Raymond... Lian. Please, let nothing happen.'
He felt a strange sense of guilt, wondering if this situation was his responsibility.
With that odd guilt pressing on his chest, Telpon hurriedly left his office.
* * *
"Uwaaaaaah—!"
With a scream like a howl of rage, Benat pushed down hard with his hands planted on the summit.
His arms and whole body trembled violently, and his palms were already dyed red with blood.
Finally hauling himself up, Benat collapsed flat on the ground, breathing raggedly.
"Hahk... hahk... hahk..."
To exaggerate a bit, it felt like he might lose his mind.
His head spun from squeezing out every last bit of strength at the end, his vision blurring.
"Keuk..."
But it wasn't over yet.
He still had work to do.
Benat took off his bag and pulled out the rope inside.
Then the large iron spike and hammer in his hands.
Holding a spike as thick as his forearm, Benat hooked the looped rope onto its ring.
"Huuu..."
Could he drive this in?
But there was no time for such thoughts—he needed to swing the hammer one more time.
Clearing his mind, Benat immediately began pounding the spike.
Klang—! Klang—! Klang—!
Sparks flew each time the hammer struck the spike.
Though darkness blanketed the canyon summit, Benat wielded the hammer relentlessly with extreme focus.
Klang—! Klang—! Klang—! Klang—! Klang—!
Drip.
Blood trickled down his arms from wielding the hammer.
His hands were a total mess of wounds, but Benat gritted his teeth.
And after how much hammering?
Lost in just watching the spike sink, before he knew it, the massive iron spike was fully embedded in the ground.
Benat tugged hard on the rope.
"It's good."
Feeling the unshakeable stability like a great tree rooted deep, Benat gripped the rope and shouted downward.
"Rope's down! Everyone grab the ropes and climb up!"
Swish!
Soon, thick ropes dropped down and grew taut.
It meant his climbing companions had grabbed hold.
And shortly after, they began ascending to the summit one by one.
Benat hurriedly grabbed their hands and pulled them up.
"Hahk, hahk, hahk...!"
"Ugh, I'm dying!"
Soon, all five were gathered at the summit.
Benat looked at them and said.
"I'll go down and report. Hurry and lower the ropes!"
"Sorry, Benat. Feels like you're doing all the work alone."
"Keuk... I really can't move."
"Less talking, more moving!"
Benat watched them bustle about, then swiftly descended the rope.
Ascending had taken ages, but descending was over in a flash.
Yet Benat never lost focus until the end.
The fog made visibility poor.
'Coming soon, Lieutenant...!'
He would stand proudly before him, success in hand.
Suppressing his impatience, Benat carefully descended.
* * *
A fair bit of time had passed.
If it succeeded, there should be some action by now...
"Failed... maybe?"
"No, you heard it too. That sound earlier."
It was definitely the sound of pounding a spike. That meant someone had reached the summit.
And this sound now.
With things proceeding smoothly, Lian simply stared upward in silence.
"...Coming."
Lian murmured as a black shadow fell through the fog.
Thud!
Benat, leaping from above, crashed half-falling to the ground.
But he slowly rose and said to Lian.
"Preparations... complete."
Swish!
No sooner had he spoken than another rope dropped from the side.
Five ropes in total.
Lian looked at Benat.
Blood drops trailing from his fingertips to the ground.
It directly showed how grueling his efforts had been.
Lian placed a hand on Benat's shoulder.
"You've done well."
Then Lian turned to look behind.
The five waiting soldiers already shouldered bags like the one Benat had carried.
"Second squad, move out immediately."
"Yes!"
Safety measures created by Benat and the vanguard.
They looped the ropes through the rings at their waists and began climbing the wall.
With safety in place, there was no reason to hesitate.
They trusted the setup from Benat and the vanguard and climbed swiftly.
And shortly after the second group departed, five more ropes dropped from above.
Seeing the ten ropes at intervals, Lian said.
"Arrowhead Unit, all personnel—climb the canyon."
No reply came.
They simply all climbed the canyon.
Lian watched the soldiers ascend in a blink, then turned to Benat.
"If we win this war, it will all be thanks to you all."
With that, Lian gripped a rope.
What he had only imagined was finally becoming reality.
'Going.'
* * *
Bwooooooo—!
The sudden horn blast from atop the canyon made Barus's eyes shake as he waited at the canyon pass.
Raymond's lips curled upward beside him.
'They did it.'
Monsters, those guys.
They had pulled off another impossible feat.
Looking aside, Raymond saw Barus had already drawn his sword and raised it to the sky.
"Soldiers of Bieltuna—!"
Barus wheeled his horse and shouted to the troops.
Over a decade here, how much blood had been spilled.
Burying comrades in their hearts daily, fighting endless blood-soaked battles.
But now, that was coming to an end.
"Today is the final battle in Forhen Canyon!"
He turned his horse toward the canyon.
"We won't miss this chance that comes but once. All forces—charge—!"
""Waaaaaaaah—!""
A roar shook the canyon as if it would collapse.
Barus spurred his horse forward, cavalry and infantry following behind.
Raymond rode beside Barus.
"We'll avenge Derek here! Leave not a single one alive!"
Their momentum was tremendous, but the pass was too narrow for all to enter at once.
Barely twenty meters wide.
Ten mounted men abreast would fill it, so infantry followed in lines behind.
Seeing Bieltuna's charging soldiers, the barbarians had no choice but to raise shields unlike usual.
"AKRSMS! WLZLA-!"
"Uwaaaaa!"
"EKS GKSSHA! DKSQHSOA-!"
This was their desperate last stand for survival.
Their clashes of morale sparked like flint, heartbeats pounding wilder as distance closed.
But,
"Kuuaaaak!"
"Aaak-!"
Screams suddenly from the rear hardened the barbarians' faces.
Why screams from behind?
"WJR-! ENLDP WJR-!"
"DHKDRNR QUD CLDRHD-! AKRDK-!"
Shouts that enemies had appeared from the rear.
The barbarians' ranks shook in an instant.
And the ones attacking the barbarians from behind were none other than the Arrowhead Unit.
"Revenge for Leporin, you bastard dogs!"
"I'll kill you all!"
"You dare touch Squad Leader Derek— you uncivilized scum!"
The Arrowhead Unit struck the barbarians blocking the canyon, recalling past battles.
Many comrades had left them in Bieltuna.
But the barbarians' resistance was no joke.
"WNRDJ-!"
In the tangled narrow space, a barbarian shoved an Arrowhead soldier back with a shield, and an axe came whistling down on his head.
"Uwaaaaaak!"
The Arrowhead man curled up, screaming loudly.
Shieeeek—!
Thud—!
Then, a dull sound rang out, and the axe-wielding barbarian collapsed atop him.
An arrow was deeply embedded in the barbarian's head—Lian, now atop the canyon wall, held his bow.
"Archer squad, snipe the barbarians on the walls first!"
"Yes-!"
Gerard shouted, swiftly loosing arrows at barbarian warriors on the wall.
Their numbers were noticeably thinning.
And this was their final desperate struggle.
The battle, begun in the thick darkness of pre-dawn, dragged on until nearly daybreak.
And as the sun began to rise,
Drip... drip... drip...
Isaac panted softly, gripping his blood-dripping sword.
Their final resistance had been fierce beyond measure. But it couldn't change the fated outcome.
"...Lieutenant."
"Yeah."
Lian gazed at the barbarian corpses—not a single one left alive.
Hundreds of barbarian warriors lay strewn along the pass, as if their bodies paved the canyon path.
And at the end stood Barus and Raymond.
Barus slowly led his horse toward Lian, then said.
"Thanks. It's because of you."
Short words, but they carried a complex swirl of emotions.
The atrocities and battles here, the sorrow and rage of losing comrades—all mingled.
Barus's face, finally putting an end to it all, looked strangely serene.
Lian said to him.
"The most important... one thing remains."