The Mad Spearman of the Northern Front
The Helikel Canyon.
Blade-like winds sliced through the gorge and howled like wolves in the night.
The small blizzard mixed into the gale refused to relent, and even breathing felt like inhaling razor-sharp ice shards that tore at the throat.
The river flowing below the canyon churned with powerful rapids, while the cliffs themselves seemed to speak in eerie voices, rejecting the presence of those who once ruled here.
Yet amid such dire conditions, one man stood alone atop the highest peak of the canyon.
Bractus, general of the Kar tribe and a Red Warlord who had clashed with the Empire along the First Line.
“……”
Bractus stared silently toward the formation where his warriors were positioned.
What had gone wrong here?
Their soldiers and carefully laid plans had been flawless.
This had been no ordinary battle—never like any before.
Even the elite Jireun unit they had prepared in secret had been meant to pierce the enemy’s heart with absolute certainty.
‘All of them… failed.’
It had not been a draw. For the first time in years, they had suffered a crushing defeat.
The anger of the Taman pierced the heavens because of it, but with their strength depleted, retreat had been the only option.
Bractus felt as if the entire disaster stemmed from his own inadequacy.
But then.
“Bractus.”
“……Turak.”
Turak, Bractus’s deputy, approached and called his name.
Bractus turned his head and asked him.
“Have all the warriors been positioned as instructed?”
“Yes, as you ordered… but do we truly need to do this?”
Turak glanced briefly at the surrounding cliffs and spoke to Bractus.
“Once the warriors rejoin us, they will return to our lands anyway. And the Empire will not launch an attack first, will they?”
For the past several years, the Empire had not launched a preemptive strike.
They had always maintained a strict defensive posture, while we were the predators.
Yet now that they had suffered a single defeat at our hands, there was no reason they would attack.
Especially…
“Since we hold the canyon, the Empire’s hounds will have no reason to charge in. No… if they do come, it will be the perfect opportunity for us.”
We simply lured them inside and would trap them forever.
But Bractus responded with a stern expression.
“That complacency is exactly what produced today’s result, Turak. Can you not sense that the atmosphere has changed?”
“Bractus, my words…”
“Issue strict orders to the warriors to maintain full vigilance. We must prepare for every possibility right now.”
“Understood.”
Soon Turak descended, and Bractus turned his body as well.
‘Next week…’
The defeat still ached like a wound, but there was no time to dwell on it now.
Bractus recalled the warriors about to be reinforced.
At the moment they joined, we would retake our original formation.
‘This time… I will sweep away these Empire bastards and cross the First Line.’
His eyes burned with resolve, and both fists clenched tight.
* * *
DU-DU-DU-DU-DU-DU-DU!
Ahead, the towering cliffs of Helikel Canyon began to loom on the distant horizon as they raced across the open plains on horseback.
At that instant.
“Hiiiiiiiiii!”
Isaac reined in his horse, and the special unit members following behind all brought their mounts to a halt.
Isaac turned his head and said,
“From here on, we move on foot. There are no hiding spots, but with the darkness and the blizzard blowing, they won’t spot us.”
“Understood.”
“Yes!”
“To prepare for any unexpected situation, keep all footfalls minimal and move with lowered posture.”
“Understood.”
Once the unit members answered, Isaac looked toward the rear at Arteon.
“Arteon, from this point forward, you will guide us.”
“Yes.”
Arteon stepped forward and gazed ahead.
For a fleeting moment, memories of the past flashed through his mind.
The day he had entered the Helikel Canyon.
It was completely different now, yet…
‘It will be the same.’
He would simply pass over the canyon and be done with it.
But then, the man standing beside him approached Arteon.
“Are you truly certain this is possible?”
“……Who are you?”
“Tertian. I witnessed your exploits firsthand on the First Line.”
Tertian, the messenger of the First Line.
Though they had met briefly during the initial gathering, he had never expected to speak with him like this.
Tertian continued,
“This is extremely dangerous. If it is too difficult, you can find another way even now.”
They had few connections, yet Arteon sensed genuine concern in Tertian’s words.
Arteon shook his head.
“It would be an honor to fight alongside you. But… this is something I must do.”
“……I see.”
Though the words were simple, Tertian nodded in acceptance, for he sensed the unyielding will of a man who would never retreat.
Arteon then turned to Isaac and spoke.
“Then let us begin.”
Isaac nodded.
PABA-BAT!
Arteon lowered his posture and began racing across the open plains with speed.
The distant cliffs grew slightly clearer with each passing stride.
Yet the pace never faltered.
For he was certain these shadows and the faint blizzard would completely erase their tracks.
Arteon raced with deceptive skill, weaving around corners of the canyon so that visibility would be blocked, and soon he heard the sound of rushing water.
FWUMP.
Arteon raised his fist.
At that moment, Isaac hesitated and raised his own fist, issuing orders to the unit members.
“……”
No words were exchanged.
Arteon simply slowed his pace, listening to the rough roar of the river, and continued moving with measured steps.
And…
SUWA-A-A-A-A-A!
The river was fully forty meters wide.
Moreover, the frigid northern air was so cold that merely dipping a foot into it would freeze the flesh.
“……Damn it, we’re actually crossing this?”
“It doesn’t look possible…”
“Ugh, this is a bit…”
Some of the unit members who had come face to face with the river muttered with grim expressions.
For the river was far beyond what a man could swim.
And Isaac thought the same.
“……Hasa, you still haven’t changed your mind? You could find another way even now…”
“No.”
Arteon shook his head at Isaac’s words.
“When the sun rises, the enemy soldiers in the canyon will spot us. If we retreat, it is too late. We must do it now.”
This was no choice—it was an imperative.
Isaac watched Arteon with tightly pressed lips.
The situation was beyond dangerous, yet…
“……Fine, I’ll watch. But Arteon.”
“Yes, Lieutenant Isaac.”
“If you have made up your mind, succeed at all costs. That is the very honor of the Empire.”
“Understood.”
With that reply, Arteon slowly climbed upstream, searching for something.
‘It should be just a little farther up here…’
Though the memory was old, something vague still surfaced.
Along the river flowing at the base of the eastern canyon wall lay a boulder about the height of a man.
If he could find that boulder…
Arteon searched both riverbanks with calm precision, without haste.
The blizzard and the distance beyond forty meters made it hard to see clearly, yet…
WHOOOOOO!
He poured mana into his eyes, sharpening his vision to the maximum.
Mana’s application differed completely depending on who and how one used it.
With mana flowing, his distant vision began to clear a little.
Arteon maintained unwavering focus and continued the search slowly.
“……What exactly are you looking for?”
“He said there’s a shallow area. Looks like he’s trying to find it.”
“Then shouldn’t we just probe different parts of the river? We’re just wandering around the banks like this?”
“……I don’t know. That’s my job.”
The unit members watched Arteon with puzzled expressions, unable to hide their bewilderment.
After roughly an hour had passed…
When the northern chill began to seep into his bones…
He stopped.
Arteon, who had been walking slowly, froze in place with a jolt.
He then opened his eyes wide and looked across the river.
‘I found it!’
A massive boulder jutting out from the opposite bank.
It rose two meters from the base, its distinctive twisted shape exactly as he remembered from the past.
“Arteon, did you find something?”
“Please wait just a moment.”
Arteon pulled Iglis from his waist.
PAK!
Injecting mana, he gripped the tip of Iglis, now transformed into a spear, and approached the riverbank, poking the ground.
The current of the river made his body sway, but Arteon bit down hard on his lip and poked again, stepping a few more paces.
And…
THUD!
“……”
For an instant, Arteon felt an overwhelming sensation from the spear tip and nearly cried out.
Arteon turned his head toward Isaac.
Isaac nodded.
“Bring the stakes.”
“Yes.”
As Arteon signaled, Isaac pointed to the unit member carrying the stakes.
They were nearly a full meter long.
Soon after, Isaac tied the remaining rope tightly to the stakes and extended the other end to Arteon.
“Be careful. The riverbed is slippery. If you slip, you’ll be swept away in an instant.”
“Understood.”
Arteon wrapped the rope around his waist, took a small breath, and looked at the river.
It was pitch black like the abyss, with nothing visible.
It looked as if a nameless giant beast had opened its maw to swallow everything whole.
Yet…
‘…I can do it.’
This was not a matter of possible or impossible.
It was something that had to be done.
If he could not even handle this…
‘Approaching them would be impossible from the start.’
Arteon steeled himself, gripped Iglis tightly, and stepped into the river.
SUWA-A-A-A-A!
The powerful current slammed against his body.
Thinking of when he had poked with the spear, the water would have reached chest height.
‘Damn… if I were just a little taller.’
Arteon, who was still only fifteen, was more than a span shorter than when he had grown fully.
With his chest submerged, breathing was the least of it—he would be swept away by the current.
WHOOOOOOO!
‘I can do it.’
Arteon focused and pulled mana even higher.
While distributing it toward his legs, he drove the spear into the riverbed to create a foothold.
“……Can this kid really do it?”
“We have to watch.”
Even the unit members swallowed dryly as they observed.
SUWA-A-A-A-A-A!
The pressure felt as if his body was being torn apart.
The frigid cold of the north added to it.
But Arteon did not stop.
KRACK!
Past death lines flashed before his eyes.
He had survived after being stabbed in the side, killing over ten Kar warriors.
Or the week he had endured in the mountains, isolated with his subordinates, eating only raw roots.
There had been countless situations far more difficult, yet he had never once given up.
But…
‘Just… this level of pain…’
Can it stop me…?!
PUA-A-A-A-A-A!
Mana surged from Arteon’s body, growing stronger and beginning to glow with a blue light.
The special nature of Vargas Mana Cultivation Method intensified in the cold, and at this moment it strengthened Arteon even further.
And…
“……”
THUD!
Arteon, who had crossed to the opposite bank, drove the spear into the ground with all his might.
He wanted to shout, but he could not.
He had just crossed the river—how could he alert the Kar tribe?
“Hah… hah… hah…!”
Finally, Arteon crawled out onto the bank and heaved rough breaths.
The unit members watching could not help but clench their fists.
Isaac looked at Arteon lying on the opposite bank.
He had hoped he could do it.
But honestly, he had thought he could not.
So, sorry… but after this guy dies, I need to think of another plan.
Yet…
“……Crazy bastard. He really did it.”
Soon, the fallen Arteon began tying the rope to a small tree on the opposite bank.
Once the rope connecting the river was pulled taut,
“Everyone move. This lifeline was made with our lives on the line. Cross without leaving even a single man behind.”
“Yes!”
Perhaps this operation…
‘Will leave a mark on history itself.’
Soon the special unit members, including Isaac, began crossing the river hand over hand on the rope.