Chapter 73
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 73
Chapter Title: Ten Years
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Kiaren stared at the document before her, her expression quite grave.
A decision not to be made lightly.
“……What do you think?”
Kiaren asked, looking at Edmon standing beside her.
“His assessment seems to be correct.”
“What? Are you saying we have to do exactly as he says?”
Kiaren snapped in response to Edmon's answer. But Edmon shook his head.
“No, that's not it. I mean that this is a matter that no one but you, the Legion Commander, can decide.”
Just a sergeant.
It was such a difficult issue that he had to bypass all the other officers and submit his proposal directly to the Legion Commander.
Because no one else would have the authority to make a decision on this matter.
At Edmon's words, Kiaren furrowed her brow.
“Ten years……”
Was it really worth that much?
No, setting aside its value, was this even possible?
“He says he'll end the war in Maxstry with the criminals already there, without needing any additional troops.”
Kiaren looked at Edmon and asked.
“Edmon, what do you think?”
“It's impossible.”
Edmon answered immediately, as if there was no need to even think about it.
To that, Kiaren said.
“This just looks like a suicide mission.”
“I see it as... a willingness to try, even if it means defying death.”
That was putting it in the best possible light.
But Kiaren still stared intently at the document, as if she couldn't accept it.
“No matter how I think about it, I don't understand. What does he gain from this?”
The criminals there would be happy, I'm sure.
Whether they lived or died, their lives were set to end there anyway.
But Demian was different.
To put it bluntly, by retaking the base once, he had already proven everything he needed to.
He had passed Kiaren's test.
Honestly, the order to completely secure the gold mine was a bluff.
She had just thrown it out there.
How could it be possible to retake a gold mine base with men like that?
“If he had just stayed quiet, I would have observed him for a bit longer and then returned him to the Kaion Unit.”
If he had, the captaincy of the Kaion Unit would have been his.
It was just that sending him back after only a month seemed ridiculous, so she had been watching him a little longer.
But this guy went and shot himself in the foot.
And quite spectacularly, at that.
“Is it confidence… or recklessness…?”
They say there's a fine line between a genius and a madman, and she couldn't for the life of her figure out which one he was.
Kiaren finally let out a small sigh of resignation.
“……I guess we'll find out.”
Her hand was already gripping a pen, scribbling her signature on the document.
***
The approval came through.
‘I can't believe... she actually approved it.’
Kiaren was known as an eccentric even within the military.
Of course, the term 'eccentric' only really applied in times of peace.
‘The moment the Empire started the war, her reputation changed completely.’
A true hero of the kingdom.
To exaggerate slightly, military experts assessed that without the 6th Legion Commander, the kingdom might have fallen within five years.
The amount of time she bought for her allies by holding back the Empire's advance was immense.
Of course, that didn't mean she could defy the tide of war.
The wall that was the Empire was simply too vast for her to hold back alone.
But…….
“In any case… can I say this has created an opportunity?”
I hope this works.
Demian took the document bearing the Legion Commander's signature and walked out of the barracks.
“Everyone, assemble on the training grounds. You have five minutes.”
“F-five minutes?!”
When Demian told Hemus, he started spreading the word, running as if it were an emergency.
Assembling over 150 men in five minutes was an almost unimaginable task.
But these guys pulled off that incredible feat.
Exactly five minutes.
“Pant… pant… pant….”
Their formation was a bit messy, but the unit members had assembled in fourteen columns.
Demian looked at them with a somewhat serious gaze.
Presently, Demian spoke.
“It's been two months since I came here.”
*Swoooosh.*
A cool breeze swept past in the silence.
Seeing Demian's unusual demeanor, the unit members watched him, tense.
Demian continued.
“Well, do you think you've changed at all during this time? Squad 1 Leader.”
“Yes, sir!”
“What do you think?”
“I believe I have changed a great deal, sir!”
“For the better?”
“Yes, that's right!”
“And Squad 2 Leader?”
“The same for me, sir!”
Hearing their answers, Demian scanned the unit members and said.
“Is that true for everyone?”
“Yes, sir!”
The answer echoed thunderously.
Demian nodded at that.
“I think so, too. Two months ago, you were all trash. I thought redemption was impossible for you.”
Of course, there were still a few who were like that.
They were just cowering because they were afraid of Demian, ready to revert at any moment.
But Demian could guarantee one thing.
At least half of them had changed.
He could tell by their actions.
They took initiative, became diligent, and were dreaming not just of surviving tomorrow, but of a more distant future.
Of course, he had no intention of glorifying their past mistakes.
But once they had paid for their sins and changed, shouldn't they be allowed to move forward again?
*Shhk!*
Demian held up the document he was carrying.
The text was minuscule, so they wouldn't be able to see it.
Demian said.
“This document has been formally approved by the Legion Commander. If, in one month, we seize the gold mine base, hold it for another three months, and end this war with our own hands….”
Demian paused for a moment.
He hoped this would serve as motivation for them.
Demian continued.
“Ten years will be cut from your current sentences.”
“T-ten years?”
“Ten years off our sentences?”
“Huh? I've only got… nine years. Does that mean…?”
In an instant, a murmur went through the entire unit.
And just then.
“Everyone, quiet down!”
The Squad 1 Leader in the front row shouted loudly.
The Squad 1 Leader glanced back and said.
“The Unit Commander isn't finished speaking.”
At his words, the men fell dead silent.
Demian let out a small chuckle at the squad leader's action.
‘In a moment like this, it's okay to show a little excitement.’
But this was good in its own way.
Demian, his expression serious once more, spoke to them.
“So, what do you say. Will you end this war with me?”
“We'll do it, no matter what! Ah, it's not because you're reducing our sentences!”
The Squad 1 Leader shouted.
The men behind him burst into stifled laughter at his follow-up comment.
“I'll do it, no question! I'm sick and tired of this place!”
“Hey, you haven't even been here a year. I've been here for over two.”
“That rookie is already sick of it, he says.”
The atmosphere lightened in an instant.
Demian looked at them and asked again.
“Will you end this war with me!”
At that, the squad leaders looked at one another.
After a moment of exchanging glances, they turned back to Demian.
“Yes! We will!”
The unified voice of the Maxstry unit members echoed throughout the base.
Demian looked at them and said quietly.
“Starting tomorrow, consider yourselves dead.”
***
Another month passed.
Just as Demian had said, the past month had been tougher than the previous two combined.
*Kwang!*
“Kuaargh!”
“Next.”
At his word, a team of three men with shields stepped forward.
Demian looked into the eyes of the men holding up their shields.
Every one of them had a grimly determined expression.
It was only natural; though it was training, it was no longer just training.
They were training with an intensity comparable to actual combat—no, perhaps even greater than fighting soldiers from the Iren Kingdom.
Demian gathered his mana, focusing it into his spear.
“Get used to this impact. It'll make things much easier when you face the soldiers of the Iren Kingdom later.”
“Yes, sir!”
“I'll keep doing this until you can block it, so stay sharp. I won't let you get by with half-measures.”
“Yes, sir!”
The three unit members pressed close together and raised their shields.
And in that moment.
*Pabat!*
Demian kicked off the ground and charged at them.
And the moment he thrust his spear, aiming for a gap between the shields.
*Kwang!*
Watching the spear's trajectory, the men slightly twisted their shields and blocked it head-on.
“Kuaargh!”
“Uwaaagh!”
Of course, they still couldn't help but be thrown backward, sprawling on the ground.
“Again.”
Demian said.
He had slightly reduced the speed of his spear for the attack.
‘Their focus has improved to the point where they can watch the spear until the very end and defend.’
No, to be precise, they had grown accustomed to combat.
For the past three months, they had continued training at an insane intensity without missing a single day.
A month ago, he had raised the training intensity to a level comparable to actual combat.
It was a situation where they couldn't help but get used to it.
‘I can now say they've reached the level of average regular soldiers overall.’
But even with this, he couldn't be confident that they could end this war completely.
‘One more month…….’
I need to raise these guys to the next level. And…….
‘Me, too.’
Demian had also been training every day since coming to Maxstry.
The physical abilities enhanced by Bard had grown even more solid, and his Delft Mana Cultivation Method was on the verge of reaching the 5th Star.
He just hadn't been able to overcome that final wall to reach the 5th Star.
‘Just a little more…….’
It wasn't easy to do while also looking after the others.
But he had no intention of giving up.
His work in Maxstry wasn't the end for Demian.
This place was just a stepping stone.
There were still so many things he had to do.
“……I wonder if he's doing okay?”
Suddenly, he thought of the seed he had planted before coming here.
***
“You… son of a bitch.”
Dianal, collapsed on the floor and trembling, couldn't hold back a curse.
Every single day consisted of an unbelievably grueling training regimen.
No, it was too harsh to be called training; he was covered in injuries.
“If you want to stop, just say the word. We can stop anytime.”
“Not yet.”
Dianal raised his head.
Blood was already trickling down the two swords gripped in his hands.
The blood from Dianal's clenched palms was running down the hilts and dripping to the floor.
“……”
Leonhard watched Dianal get back on his feet without a word.
‘What incredible obsession.’
It's impossible to endure this level of training with an ordinary mentality.
What on earth is it that's pushing him this hard?
*Pfft.*
What does something like that matter?
The important thing is that he's enduring it right now.
“Focus again. On the battlefield, you must fight with the resolve to shove your sword into the enemy's throat even on the brink of death.”
“Under…stood.”
Staggering, Dianal raised his swords.
His eyes, now cold and sunken, held a menacing killing intent.
The knight standing opposite Dianal suppressed his surprise and raised his sword again.
He was a knight Leonhard had brought as Dianal's training partner.
He was a knight from the Monster Knight Order, but he was far stronger than Gerard, the one Demian had fought in his test.
“……Instructor. At this rate, he could really die.”
“But he's the one who says he wants to continue.”
Leonhard said nonchalantly. The knight sighed softly in response.
He was too skilled to go easy on, even if he wanted to. Besides…….
*Wooooong.*
Faint, but there was mana imbued in Dianal's swords.
Seeing the two swords emanating a chilling aura, the corners of Leonhard's mouth curled up.
I wonder what kind of face he'll make when he comes back and sees Dianal.
“Kekekekek, who knows, the captain's position might just change hands.”
Leonhard muttered as he watched Dianal.
And in that moment.
*Pabat!*
Dianal once again threw himself fiercely at the knight before him.