Chapter 18
Chapter 18
The Iron Emperor — Chapter 18
Ung-sam surged forward and bisected the man at the very front at the waist as he passed. His blade should have been stained with blood, but it still flaunted its beautiful wave pattern.
"Damn it, everybody rush him!"
The moment another life vanished so pointlessly, more than ten soldiers instantly surrounded him.
"Get those bastards too!"
"Hut!"
At the fierce soldier's words, three soldiers dashed toward the ones who had clumsily raised their swords off to one side. But Ung-sam was not about to stand by and watch.
"Where do you think you're going!"
WHIZZ-WHIZZ-WHIZZ!
"Gah!"
Thwack, thwack!
"Grkagh!"
Three daggers flew out in an instant and buried themselves in the soldiers who had been charging side by side. Ung-sam slipped through the startled soldiers in the confusion.
"Watch out!"
Along with the soldier's warning, a spear thrust out, targeting Ung-sam. He spun around the shaft instead and simply struck the soldier's head away.
WHOOSH-WHOOSH-WHOOSH!
Slice!
"Heeek!"
Terror flickered in the eyes of a soldier who belatedly saw a body collapse, gushing blood. But Ung-sam's movement continued, carving an arc as it drove deeper between them.
"Die!"
SWISH!
The sword swung at Ung-sam's waist sliced only empty air. In that instant, the soldier who had lunged felt a hot sting in his chest.
"Uh, why is this...."
The soldier stared down at the thin blade that had pierced through the chest near his heart and let out a hollow voice, but that was all. He could no longer feel the sensation of the cold steel withdrawing from his body.
"W-we're no match for him! Run!"
"Aaauuugh!"
The three survivors stumbled backward, staring at Ung-sam with terror-filled eyes. That was when they saw Ung-sam's body blur.
"Hut! He disappeared...."
"Heok!"
"Behind you!"
The three each shouted, but when they saw Ung-sam, who had vanished from in front of them, already standing behind them and slowly sheathing his blade, they could say no more and crumbled.
Gulp.
The brief silence was broken by the sound of Darun swallowing. It was a small noise, but it rang out conspicuously loud. Beron had simply slumped to the ground, mouth agape, staring at Ung-sam.
"Let's go."
"Eh?"
"Yes, sir!"
The two, who had been standing in a daze, hastily began to follow after Ung-sam as he turned away as if nothing had happened. Not even a full minute had passed as he had cut down ten soldiers.
Behind them, only the hacked-apart corpses of the soldiers remained on the cold ground.
"Ku-ik?"
"......."
Ung-sam had taken less than ten steps before he was forced to stop. He saw an orc approaching, carrying the body of the soldier who had fallen off the cliff earlier slung over its shoulder.
"Ku-iiik!"
"Ku-ik! Human, ku-ik, here, human!"
"You've got to be kidding me."
There is a saying about things going from bad to worse. The two orcs spotted Ung-sam and immediately began shouting as if calling for their comrades. Fearing things would get troublesome, Ung-sam drew the blade he had just sheathed.
"Ku-ik!"
WHOOSH!
The moment Ung-sam drew his blade, an orc let out a battle cry—or something like it—and swung its axe. Ung-sam easily dodged the axe that came down as if to split him in half from top to bottom, and then the club of the orc that had been carrying the corpse flew at him.
"Whoop!"
Tuk.
THWACK!
"Kuuuuuul!"
Ung-sam ducked his head slightly and deflected the swung club, sending its force straight into the face of the orc beside it. Blood streamed from the struck orc's nostrils, and the one who had swung the club looked flustered by the situation.
"Ku-ik! Why, you hit, ku-ul, me!"
"Kuuuul...."
Ung-sam cut down the two orcs as they quarreled in front of him, oblivious to the situation, then clicked his tongue and spoke to Beron and Darun.
"Ah, seriously, talk about a shitty day. At this rate, I'll end up meeting every monster in these woods one by one. Let's go."
"......."
"Huh?"
But the answer he wanted did not come. Instead, Ung-sam's eyes fell on the two figures frozen in place. A sense of dread creeping over him, he slowly turned his head forward again and let out a horrified exclamation.
"Son of a bitch! What the hell is this freak show!"
Before them stood the king of land monsters, a Twinhead Ogre, holding an orc's hind leg in its mouth.
"Captain of the Guard!"
"What is it?"
The urgent voice of his deputy reached Dae Mu-deok, who was buried in administrative work. The deputy, who had rushed into the barracks, prostrated himself and quickly began his report.
"Smoke has been sighted rising from the northern watchtower."
"Smoke?"
"What's the matter?"
Yeon Hwi-garam asked as he entered. The deputy reported once more, and they promptly fetched the village chief and went to the watchtower. Sure enough, clearly visible smoke was rising.
"Village chief, do you know what lies over there?"
"Ah... gallo-e, another maunni...."
"Look, bring me some of those kids who can translate."
"Meomnegga?"
Mu-deok, frustrated by the slow language acquisition of the elderly man, gave the order to a soldier, but Buru and Uru, having sensed something was amiss, came by with Risel. As it happened, Risel had just gotten the ring back from Jin-cheon, so there was no issue.
Risel listened to the old man and began to translate. After relaying Hwi-garam's question and hearing the story, Risel explained.
"He says there is another slash-and-burn farmers' village over there. But seeing the smoke, he worries that something has happened."
"Another village? Its size?"
The ensuing conversation did not yield particularly useful information. According to the old man, he could not say how large it was. The villages were wary of subjugation parties, so they were reluctant to share each other's locations.
He said that they only had a rough sense of each other's existence because hunters occasionally bartered necessary goods at shared waypoints like log shelters.
Sensing the gravity of the matter, Mu-deok looked at Hwi-garam and spoke.
"First, have the soldiers ready to march. I will go and see the Daesaja."
"Do so. Buru, have the Gwimadae ready. Uru, get the archers, axemen, and shieldbearers in order."
Mu-deok sprinted down, and Hwi-garam issued instructions to Buru and Uru. A short while later, the encampment, which had been quiet for some time, began to grow noisy.
"Daesaja, how shall we proceed?"
"The distance?"
"It looks to be less than half a day on horseback."
"Mm."
Go Jin-cheon, having received Dae Mu-deok's report, nodded and immediately began donning his armor as he spoke.
"In the end, ignoring it is impossible. We will judge whether they are to be friend or foe and decide at the same time. All troops are to march out except those allocated for basic defense and strengthening the perimeter."
"Yes, sir."
"Then I shall prepare as well."
Mu-deok bowed his head to Jin-cheon and went out. As he gave orders outside, his deputy sprinted toward the soldiers' quarters and shouted loudly.
"All troops, prepare to march!"
"We march!"
"Bring out the horses!"
"Gather the arrows!"
Voices relaying orders swept through the entire encampment in an instant. By the time Jin-cheon finished arming himself and came out, everything was already prepared, and they were arrayed before the gate. The sight of some eight hundred men, their spears and swords gleaming and their eyes filled with killing intent, startled no one more than Risel and the dwarves.
Risel had traveled far and wide over the years, and the most common thing he had witnessed was the battlefield. Yet he had never seen a unit like this.
He had only seen them appear somewhat disorderly until now, and so it came as a shock. Every single soldier's spirit deserved to be called elite. Even at a glance, they looked like knightly orders.
The dwarves, too, had seen much while staying here, but they had not realized it was to this extent. From the full-body horse armor that looked abnormal on the small warhorses to the full-body scale armor worn by the cavalry, the spears on their backs, the small shields hung from their mounts, and the axes and swords fastened at their waists and saddles—it was an excessive amount of equipment for a single warrior.
A moment later, Jin-cheon walked out and looked over the arrayed soldiers.
"Preparations?"
"Yes, General. You need only give the word."
"Good."
Neeeeigh!
Go Jin-cheon mounted his beloved steed Gangsoe and examined the soldiers' spirit with sunken eyes as he called for Uru.
"Uru."
"Yes, General."
"Take charge of Risel."
"Is Master going as well?"
Jin-cheon answered Eulji Uru's question with only a nod. Then he spoke toward Risel, who was standing off to one side looking bewildered.
"Risel, I am told you have abundant experience in the world. Have you ever experienced a battlefield?"
"Yes, Master."
As Risel bowed his head, Jin-cheon pressed his helmet down onto his head and spoke.
"Good. Observe our war today. And discern how our way of fighting differs from the battlefields of this land, then report to me."
"Yes, sir."
Jin-cheon's voice carried an irresistible force. Risel felt himself being drawn along without realizing it. That was not all. Once Jin-cheon had donned his armor, his bearing no longer seemed that of a mere general. There was an air of bloodshed about him, yet a stillness as well, and though his voice was low, every single word pierced clearly into the ear.
Fully attired, Jin-cheon slowly raised one hand and shouted.
"We march."
The moment Jin-cheon's command fell, Buru at the van gave a long cry.
"Open the gate. We march!"
"We maaaarch!"
"Open the gate!"
Clang!
THUD-THUD-THUD!
As Buru's voice rang out, the deputies' voices echoed after it. At the same time, the Black Armored Ghost Cavalry's spears struck their breastplates in reply. Behind them, the axemen, shieldbearers, archers, and swordsmen arrayed in lines stomped the ground. Everything happened simultaneously, sending a strange vibration through the hearts of those who remained in the encampment to watch.
'Just where on earth did a unit like this spring up from!'
Risel's eyes were falling into endless curiosity.
Jin-cheon, having passed through the gate, kicked Gangsoe's flanks.
"Hai-yah!"
Kki-hee-hee-hee-hing!
Clop-clop!
THUD-THUD-THUD!
As Jin-cheon's voice and Gangsoe's cry rang out and he dashed to the van, some twenty horsemen surged forward in front of Jin-cheon as if by prearranged signal.
"Scout Unit 1 takes the left flank. Follow me!"
Clang!
"Scout Unit 2 takes the right flank. Hai-yah!"
Clang!
The twenty-some cavalry riding out in front of Jin-cheon split left and right as they charged, and the main force steadily streamed out of the encampment.
"All troooops!"
"Ha!"
"Double-time!"
"Ha!"
Thud, thud, thud, thud!
The moment the infantry passed through the gate, their footsteps broke into a run that made the word "double-time" seem inadequate, each footfall landing and striking the ground in perfect unison as if every step were prearranged.