An Unforgettable First Meeting
Slash!
A brutal strike cleaved straight down from the crown of the head to the groin in a single, merciless line.
It was the first time.
The first time he understood that a human body could be split cleanly in half.
Thud.
His legs gave out. Arteon sank to the ground, powerless to do anything as he watched his comrades die right before his eyes.
Terror seized them all. They knew the moment of death was upon them.
The hideous scars that covered the man’s face. The four feather tattoos etched into his left shoulder. To mere soldiers like them, those marks were the brand of a reaper.
“Hoo. You vermin. Is that all it takes to break your spirits?”
Makcrowdon, upper warrior of the Kar tribe.
He held the rank of a unit commander, yet he never hesitated to fight at the very front. No—he was the sort who only felt satisfied when he himself led the charge. A man who lived every day steeped in the stench of blood and death. For that reason, he was one of the more famous warriors even among the Kar.
Meeting him was nothing short of misfortune for the Imperial soldiers present.
“When you die and meet our warriors, bow your heads and apologize.”
He raised his characteristic long-handled battleaxe and spoke in a low voice.
Those who had already lost even the will to flee could only tremble, helpless. And Arteon was one of them.
But then—
Beeeeeep!
A flute call rang out from the distance. Imperial cavalry came thundering in with it. Makcrowdon furrowed his brow and turned his head.
“……Lucky bastards.”
He glanced at the corpses scattered across the ground, regret plain on his face, then turned away.
That unforgettable first meeting.
He never imagined he would see that face—burned so intensely into his memory—again like this.
“……Makcrowdon.”
“Did I ever tell you my name?”
The man slightly furrowed his brow as he spoke to Arteon. Arteon simply gripped his spear tighter and stared.
The four feather tattoos on the man’s shoulder. They meant skill on par with Ulgraak, whom he had fought earlier.
No……
Perhaps even stronger than Ulgraak.
Whether from the intensity of those past memories or something else, Arteon felt a faint tremor run through his body. But that was not the real problem.
“Just one Imperial soldier……”
“Are Ulgraak Taman’s subordinates only of this level?”
The warriors around Makcrowdon looked down at Arteon and spat the words one after another. Even at a rough count there were nearly a hundred of them. Facing fifty Kar warriors had already been a struggle.
Cold sweat slid down Arteon’s spine. The palm gripping Iglis grew damp. His pupils shook.
But—
Whirl!
As if steeling his will, Arteon spun Iglis and tucked the spear against his side.
“Hoo.”
With a short exhaled breath, his eyes flashed sharp once more.
No matter the situation, no matter who appeared—it did not matter.
I’m going back.
He had promised. And there were far too many things left to do for him to die in a place like this.
As Arteon raised his momentum again, Makcrowdon’s watching eyes grew cold and still.
“Unlike the vermin I’ve met so far, you’re an Imperial with quite some spirit.”
Yet because of the aura he had already expended, Arteon would not be able to wield it as freely as before. Makcrowdon glanced at the warriors to his left and right.
“He won’t be able to keep using aura continuously, but stay sharp in case he unleashes it in a sudden attack.”
“Understood. We’ll fight as if facing a Taman.”
“Heh heh. Isn’t that a bit much credit for a single Imperial brat?”
“Chau. That kind of carelessness will get your head cut off someday. Don’t let your guard down.”
“Yes, Taman.”
The Kar warrior called Chau bowed respectfully to Makcrowdon, then turned toward Arteon.
“It’s the Taman’s order. Slaughter the Imperial who killed our warriors.”
With those words Chau and Lakram on the opposite side moved.
Dash!
Arteon tensed every sense as the Kar warriors charged. Both of the ones in the lead possessed skill equal to—or greater than—Moldur’s.
But then—
Bwooooooo!
A trumpet blast suddenly rang out from somewhere.
“Uwaaaaaaaaah!”
“It’s the Kar tribe! Attack!”
With a great battle cry, Imperial soldiers came surging up the hill. Their appearance, charging with tremendous force, instantly transformed the atmosphere of the battlefield.
“……Huh.”
Looking at the Imperial unit that had appeared from the opposite side, Makcrowdon let out a small sigh. Far more soldiers than he had expected were visible.
He assessed the situation in an instant.
If they fought here now……
Killing all of them would be possible, but……
The casualties among his own men would be heavy. Moreover, if that aura-user rested and began rampaging again, the only one who could stop him would be Makcrowdon himself.
And besides—
Swoosh.
Makcrowdon looked toward an Imperial commander on the opposite side. The man at the head of the unit, black helmet pressed low. He recognized him at a glance.
That must be Seran, the one holding the heart of the Fourth Defense Line……
He had heard of him through Ulgraak. Someone who had blocked them at the most critical stronghold of the Fourth Defense Line. According to Ulgraak, Seran’s skill was on par with his own. Ulgraak never spoke empty words. That meant that besides this young-looking brat, there was also Seran to contend with.
“Chau! Lakram! Lead the warriors back! We’re withdrawing!”
Makcrowdon shouted. Fighting on their own ground would be one thing, but he had no desire to watch his men die while they were here as reinforcements. Especially not on the first day.
At his command the Kar warriors who had been charging toward Arteon pulled back like an ebbing tide. Before long even the warriors under Ulgraak had gathered to Makcrowdon’s side.
Makcrowdon looked down at Arteon, then across at Seran.
Given the terrain, they would almost certainly clash again before the main force moved.
“We’ll meet again then.”
For now, rescuing Moldur and the rest of Ulgraak’s men was enough.
As Makcrowdon withdrew, Seran on the opposite side watched them in silence. The adjutant beside him spoke.
“Are you just letting them go, sir?”
“Well now. Are we letting them go…… or are we simply unable to catch them?”
It was the first time he had seen the man. Yet the momentum rolling off him was strong enough to rival any Kar warrior Seran had faced. Just like that monstrous Ulgraak.
“For now.”
Swoosh.
Seran looked at Arteon, who had collapsed on the ground. Physically and mentally the boy had to be near his limit. No—rather—
The fact that he survived this long…… is already extraordinary.
How had someone barely in his mid-teens pulled off such feats? Seran’s gaze moved to the Kar corpses strewn around Arteon. The image of the youth alone cutting down dozens of Kar warriors and standing against them was seared into his mind. Simply having saved him made this first sortie worthwhile.
“……We’re heading back as well.”
Should he count it as good fortune that they had discovered the enemy’s unexpected strength? Looking at Arteon, Seran’s thoughts grew complicated.
“Platoon Leader!”
When they reached the base where the main force was encamped, the platoon members came running toward Arteon. They were overjoyed that he had returned alive from a place where death had seemed certain.
“We’re so glad you made it back.”
“Haa…… Really, thank goodness. Thank you, God.”
They surrounded him, each speaking in turn. Arteon raised his head and met their eyes. Reaching 4-star had restored much of his physical strength, yet the mental fatigue from continuous battle and tension still weighed heavily. He did not show it. Catching his breath briefly, he asked,
“Is everyone all right?”
“Yes. Thanks to you, we all returned safely.”
“It’s all thanks to you, Platoon Leader.”
The soldiers answered in unison, smiling with relief. Seran stepped forward.
“Rest comes first. Everyone disperse and recover.”
“Ah……”
“And you—follow me.”
“……?”
Arteon looked puzzled at the words, but soon fell into step behind him.
Thud. Thud.
Seran led him to the central area where the main force was gathered—to his own tent. Once inside, Seran flopped down and pointed to his bed.
“Rest here. If you stay among the soldiers, other officers will come pestering you with questions. This will be better for resting.”
The bed looked hastily assembled, yet it was far better than the cold, hard cots of the medical tent. Arteon glanced around for a moment as if weighing something, then looked straight at Seran.
“……If you have something you wish to ask, please go ahead.”
The corner of Seran’s mouth lifted slightly.
“Was it that obvious?”
“Not exactly. But there’s no reason for you to show this much goodwill to someone you’re meeting for the first time.”
Seran regarded him for a moment, then gave a low laugh.
“You’re right. I have many things I’m curious about.”
Arteon’s gaze deepened.
“If it’s information about the enemy, I intend to report it formally to the company commander.”
“Of course a report is necessary. But what I want to ask is something else entirely.”
He sat in a chair, leaned forward, and fixed Arteon with a direct stare.
“Can you use aura?”
Arteon met his eyes in silence. Seran’s expression shifted.
“……So it’s true.”
“How did you know?”
He had not particularly meant to hide it, yet he never expected anyone to notice so quickly. Seran waved a hand.
“No need to tense up. No one else has noticed. And if you can use aura, that’s something to be rewarded for—not something to worry about.”
He continued, still watching Arteon.
“The Kar corpses lying around you. Ordinary attacks don’t leave wounds like that.”
“……That’s right.”
Arteon hid his surprise. He had only heard rumors……
His observation is sharper than I thought.
To deduce it from the corpses alone in that brief moment. But that was probably not the real reason. The only one who could know such a thing was—
“……It seems you can handle aura as well, Lord Seran.”
At those words, Seran’s expression hardened slightly.