The Spearman's Silent Strike
Below the heavy gray clouds, the Kar tribe scouts crouched quietly on the hill.
A faint breeze carried the faint metallic scent, yet not a single flag stirred along the distant mountain ridge.
“Do you really think the Empire army has moved?”
A Kar tribe warrior, unable to hide his unease, asked in a low voice.
Another warrior nodded.
“The Warlord seems overly cautious.”
“Even the Warlord must remember how thoroughly the Empire’s main force collapsed last time…”
Someone sent a cold gaze across their words.
Korgash, the mid-level warrior leading the scout unit, was the one.
Beneath his brown cloak lay a sturdy build, and scars from countless battles covered his arms and shoulders as if they were medals of combat.
He turned to the warriors and spoke.
“Do not doubt the Warlord. He expects the Empire army to move because of the losses in this battle.”
Hadn’t they already suffered unexpected damage due to insufficient numbers?
For them, this situation could be the perfect opportunity.
However…
“In the previous battle, we had complete victory. Those bastards will need quite a long time to recover from those losses.”
“Correct. That’s why we sent only a small force when we charged, right?”
Korgash nodded at the two warriors’ words.
“That also makes sense. From the Empire’s perspective, it wasn’t easy to move the main force either. But…”
He narrowed one eye and looked down the hill.
“If even one of them moves, it could create an irreversible outcome.”
That was why it was vital to observe the Empire army’s movements from here.
‘If the Empire’s main force moves, they have no choice but to pass through this path.’
Korgash held his breath and focused on the watch. But then.
“Ugh.”
One warrior sighed deeply, rose from his spot, and shook his head.
His tightly tied hair swayed in the wind.
“Grakshu, where are you going?”
Korgash narrowed his eyes and asked.
Grakshu, the warrior known as such, replied gruffly.
“I’m just going to relieve myself.”
Grakshu spat the words out as if dismissing them and took his leave.
Slop… slop…
Near the bushes a short distance away, he lowered his trousers and clicked his tongue lowly.
“Damn it… the attack? It was almost a fatal shot.”
Muttering, he glanced back with lingering irritation.
In truth, he knew better than anyone.
That day.
The damage from the small force of Empire soldiers had been greater than expected.
Which meant the current situation was quite dangerous.
But…
‘Everyone else is resting under the tent… to be a scout? What rotten luck.’
Growling, Grakshu stared into empty space and urinated a long stream.
Sshhhh!
Even so, the cool sensation of the urine felt strangely relieving.
But then.
“…?”
A strange aura appeared from behind.
Grakshu turned around.
Creak!
At that moment, something tightened around his neck.
No chance for resistance.
His consciousness was severed in an instant.
Soon, someone caught the body as it fell sideways.
Swoosh.
A boy in a dark black cloak gently laid the body down.
It was Arteon.
‘…For now, one.’
Lucky.
Who would have thought the bastards would leave the formation on their own?
But there were still more left.
Moreover, the leader of the scout unit.
‘Two feather tattoos…’
He was a mid-level Kar warrior.
Probably, such a sneak attack wouldn’t work on him.
While preferring to reduce their numbers silently, if the time came, he had no choice but to strike.
Swoosh.
Arteon scanned his surroundings and surveyed the terrain.
But here, in this place.
‘It might be possible.’
Arteon’s new body began to retrace the path he had taken.
* * *
A chill ran down his spine.
Korgash, who had been standing guard with his body bent, glanced back.
The spot where a person should have been was empty.
Korgash looked at the warrior beside him and said.
“Verakle. Has Grakshu not returned yet?”
“…It seems so.”
The warrior named Verakle frowned and spoke.
The one who had left to relieve himself had still not returned after a long while.
Ever since he had been designated a scout, he had shown his dislike, and now he seemed to have caused an accident.
Verakle stood up.
“I will bring him back.”
“Calmly persuade him with words.”
Korgash, having read Verakle’s expression, said softly.
It would be troublesome if a fight broke out among the warriors here.
But Verakle ignored the words and walked in the direction Grakshu had gone.
He seemed ready to scold him properly.
Seeing this, the other warriors turned their heads and pretended not to know Verakle.
One warrior said to Korgash.
“Grakshu should get what he deserves this time.”
“Since Verakle is going, he will probably come back with his tail between his legs. He hasn’t become a mid-level warrior yet, but he’s the closest to one among us.”
“…Ugh.”
Korgash sighed.
At this important moment, wasn’t there a troublemaker stirring up the mood?
Korgash simply stared silently in the direction Verakle had gone.
But…
“….”
Thirty minutes passed.
He had thought he would hear some noise, but…
“Too quiet?”
“No, isn’t it taking too long?”
How much time had it taken to bring Grakshu back?
Another warrior stood up.
But at that moment, Korgash said sternly.
“Wait.”
With his words, the warriors who had come with Korgash looked at him.
Though only for an instant, cold sweat trickled down his spine.
Grakshu, followed by Verakle.
It didn’t make sense that both had returned without a word.
Korgash said.
“Prepare for battle, everyone!”
“…!”
“Enemy?!”
Their expressions instantly twisted.
An unexpected situation had struck.
If those two really hadn’t returned due to an enemy ambush.
‘Are we already surrounded?’
Korgash quickly raised his senses and scanned his surroundings.
But before they could form any special formation.
Zweeeeeeek!
Boom!
A suddenly flying spear pierced a Kar tribe warrior’s chest and stuck into the ground.
The left side of his chest had a hole in an instant, and he stared at the direction the spear had come from with disbelief.
And then…
Thud.
The Kar warrior fell with his eyes open, having done nothing.
Korgash shouted loudly.
“It’s the Empire bastards’ attack!”
“Cowards!”
Soon, the Kar scouts raised their axes and swords while watching the three squads of soldiers rushing in.
Korgash wrapped his sword with mana.
Sharp blue light shot out.
“Your opponent is me.”
“…!”
The one who had injured the Warlord.
‘A monster…’
Appeared before his eyes.
* * *
“Warlord.”
“Are you prepared?”
Ulgraak nodded with a mixed expression of dissatisfaction and obedience to the order.
He had to follow the command, but he couldn’t understand the current situation at all.
“Those warriors with injuries too severe to move have been sent to the rear, and supplies are being rushed in as quickly as possible.”
“When will the additional warriors join?”
“I sent a letter with the Warlord’s name. I expect the situation they requested will be handled well. However, it may take…”
“Even that is enough. There should be enough time for the rear warriors to join us.”
Ulgraak, who had wrapped a bandage around his left shoulder, stood up and grabbed his axe.
His left arm was still not easy to use, given how serious the injury from the bastard had been.
Moldur asked.
“Warlord, the Empire’s main force has suffered as much damage as us, making battle impossible. Requesting reinforcements from the rear… isn’t that a bit excessive?”
Requesting support from the rear warriors directly signaled how difficult the situation was here.
There was a high chance the fools in the rear would give in to the Warlord’s leadership.
But Ulgraak shook his head.
“Absolutely not. Even if the Empire main force suffered heavy damage, their numbers are overwhelmingly greater than ours. If they move, we’ll have no choice but to perish.”
“Last time we were the ones attacked while charging, but this place is different.”
Isn’t the south of Elbarphiel Lake our territory?
Even if their power had weakened due to recent battles, a surprise using the fog and terrain would still allow them to break the Empire main force.
But Ulgraak asked calmly.
“When is the scheduled return time for the scouts?”
“Still a little time left. I checked once at noon, so they should return by midnight again.”
Twice a day.
They were checking the situation with the scouts.
Given how far the scouts had gone now, it was definitely not easy.
That was why he was being cautious with the current situation.
“Maintain the current state. If the bastards don’t attack, focus on treating the warriors first.”
And…
“When the warriors who came for support join, then… we will attack them again.”
Even though we experienced a big failure once, it would make us even stronger.
If additional warriors come with the support, we will definitely be able to turn the four defensive lines into our territory.
‘If that happens…’
We will be able to draw new maps centered on the Empire’s formation, beyond Elbarphiel Lake.
There will be multiple routes to the Empire land beyond the four lines.
“Right now…”
It was the time to be extra cautious.
That was why the role of the scouts was most important.
Thus, Ulgraak’s gaze remained fixed on the direction the scouts had gone.
* * *
Korgash was one of the highest-ranked among the Kar tribe’s mid-level warriors.
That was why Ulgraak had entrusted him with the most important scouting mission currently.
Skill, caution, and even meticulous observation of the situation.
None of those were lacking in him.
But…
Clang!
“Gack!”
With a dull sound, a scream escaped Korgash’s mouth.
His wrist holding the sword throbbed.
Wham!
Korgash quickly distanced himself and saw the boy in front.
‘Clearly…’
He was using a spear, but what was this absurd distance feel?
Not just long range, but even when the distance narrowed…
‘He can’t steal the initiative.’
Sssshhh.
Thick cold sweat flowed down his back.
Deeper pain settled in his wrist holding the sword, and his fingertips trembled.
‘How… how could that boy look so terrifying.’
He was emitting the same aura as him.
Was the fight at that time really not a coincidence?
But Korgash’s thoughts couldn’t continue long.
The boy facing him.
The monster exhaled a small breath and gathered mana.
Uuuuuung!
With him, an enormous aura burst from his body.
A pressure that could crush everyone around.
Arteon felt the boiling mana aura and organized the Vargas Northern Spearmanship.
‘Just a little… just a little more.’
He would be able to cross the three-star wall.
At this moment standing between two and three stars.
Flash.
Wham!
Arteon’s eyes flashed like a beast as he charged toward Korgash.