Chapter 151
Chapter 151
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 151
Chapter Title: Matchlocks and the Guardian's Rescue
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During the Continental War, cannons had certainly proven their worth.
But problems arose when rebels harboring ambitions to declare independence for their own kind sprang up across imperial territories amid the chaos.
The cannons were too slow.
Overall, the imperial regular army outnumbered the rebels and boasted superior technology.
However, in the locales where rebellions broke out, the imperial forces' conscription process was inevitably slower compared to the rebels who had already gathered with shared intent.
Moreover, concerned that gunpowder weapons might fall into rebel hands, various armaments and black powder depots were concentrated in the central regions of each imperial territory. Transporting these to confront the rebels took considerable time.
In the end, hastily assembled regular troops often had to suppress rebels with cold weapons, relying solely on their advantage as trained soldiers.
Kyle Rak Orzan's personally devised conscription processes and supply routes across the empire allowed even outnumbered regular forces to quash rebellions, but the results were far from satisfactory.
Kyle pushed the engineers instead of technology.
Lump cautiously ventured,
"Your Majesty, I hesitate to speak on political matters like rebellions... but can this truly be resolved through technical means?"
Kyle nodded without a moment's hesitation.
"For now, yes, it can be solved with technology alone. Most rebels are nobles who failed to seize power in their respective imperial territories. They've equipped their private soldiers with armor and mounts. In some aspects, their gear even surpasses that of the imperial army. They haven't suffered any major defeats yet, and while we're successfully suppressing the rebellions overall, the burden on field commanders tasked with crushing them is immense."
Lump asked,
"Then, in which direction should we develop weapons...?"
Kyle replied,
"To take down someone clad in heavy armor astride a horse, forming a phalanx and thrusting with spears is effective. What if we could do that with firearms...?"
At those words, something seemed to click in Lump's mind.
"Indeed. Firearms might just be long spears, after all. I'll have a prototype ready soon."
And so the matchlock musket was born.
In the end, Basen Rak Orzan never got to witness firsthand how much these matchlocks contributed to quelling the rebellions.
After the demonstration, they were added to the expedition team's arsenal, followed by a few drills, and soon it was time to depart on the expedition.
'This should be enough.'
A single Rakshasa warrior charged at Basen, handaxe raised.
Basen judged the distance between him and the Rakshasa warrior too great, considering the matchlock's accuracy.
'In that case...'
From a standing position, Basen strode toward the oncoming Rakshasa warrior.
The Rakshasa, unaware of the matchlock's specifics, accelerated and leaped high to cleave Basen's skull.
At that precise moment, Basen pressed his shoulder firmly against the buttstock and pulled the trigger.
-Bang!
The burning match ignited the powder, propelling the bullet forward.
The shot struck the Rakshasa's head dead-on. The airborne warrior plummeted without its head and rolled across the ground by inertia.
The decisive difference between hand cannons and matchlocks was the trigger mechanism.
Unlike hand cannons, which required waiting for the fuse to burn down completely, this new weapon dubbed a "musket" ignited the powder precisely when the trigger was pulled, as the lit match contacted the pan.
In truth, the ability to fire bullets at exact timings shone dramatically not in individual use, but when operating in formation.
"Aim!"
Tione Itimo's voice echoed from the temple's eastern side.
Having escaped the crude wooden cage with Basen's aid, she had swiftly armed herself and rallied her sailors.
Basen had worried whether Tione would fight for the Pangolians, but that concern proved unfounded.
"What are you talking about? Forget the Pangolians—even if it were just for dragging these poor folks here in chains, they deserve a thrashing."
With the matchlock's firepower and her experience from the first battle using cannons, Tione believed they could handle the numerically superior foes.
"Fire!"
-Boom!
Thick white smoke billowed, obscuring vision before dissipating to reveal sprawled corpses and Rakshasas clutching bullet-riddled wounds, shrieking in agony.
Tione led her squad forward, finishing off wounded Rakshasas while systematically clearing them out.
Basen likewise reloaded a fresh match into the arm wrapped around his wrist and targeted the next foe.
"Hm."
Five Rakshasa warriors were charging from afar.
'If I fire now and reload quickly, I could take out one more.'
Fortunately, Basen was confident in his swordsmanship.
He couldn't handle ten trolls at once like the legendary Tatar, but three? Manageable.
However, Basen lowered the shouldered matchlock.
A massive obstacle had appeared between him and the Rakshasas.
"1st Destroyer! I'll smash you all!"
Hwesa swung a massive log that looked like part of a building, sending two Rakshasas flying over ten meters with a single blow.
The warriors began fleeing from Hwesa, who pursued relentlessly.
Rakshasa screams followed.
"My, that one's gonna eat well after this."
Mago remarked, glancing at Hwesa with quick steps.
Basen asked,
"Why's that?"
"Once this mess ends, we'll have to thank him properly instead of just empty words. But with no food in the village..."
Basen chuckled.
"I won't demand anything troublesome. Have you informed the other Pangolians?"
"Yes. Seeing the Rakshasas lose their minds has everyone thrilled. Especially with this chaos—"
"Good."
Pangolian Mago said,
"But the Rakshasas won't back off just like this..."
"Probably not. Still, we've nearly routed their warriors for now. The non-combatants have all fled."
Mago replied,
"But the neighboring village is close... They have a similar number of warriors..."
"Hm."
They still had powder and shot for the matchlocks.
But they had to think beyond the next Rakshasa unit—planning for the one after that, and the one after.
Mago said,
"I have an idea..."
"What is it?"
"If we rescue Katuru quickly, it might help stop those warriors."
"Ah, your guardian?"
"Yes."
Basen eyed the temple structure.
Unfamiliar with the interior layout, he planned to clear the perimeter first before entering cautiously, expecting Rakshasa warriors camped inside.
'But if that guardian can aid us, it's worth the risk.'
Basen said,
"Our expedition team's tied up right now, though. Think it can help?"
Mago looked up at Basen with round eyes and declared,
"Of course!"
Having built the temple themselves, the Pangolians knew a path inside avoiding Rakshasa eyes.
Basen led Mago and ten dagger- and crossbow-armed Pangolians into the temple.
After swiftly neutralizing a few Rakshasas, they reached the spacious central hall.
But strange roars and clash of combat echoed from within.
'No one from the expedition has entered the temple yet, have they?'
As Basen ventured deeper, puzzled, the hall's scene came into view.
A house-sized beast with a long snout and equally sharp claws strained against iron chains, growling fiercely.
Though new to Basen, its form resembled an anteater.
Mago whispered,
"Katuru...!"
But Katuru's condition was dire.
Rakshasas circled it, thrusting spears from beyond its reach. The floor was slick with blood from prolonged torment.
-You filth...!
Unluckily, one Rakshasa slipped in the blood, and the enraged Katuru crushed it instantly.
Yet many Rakshasas remained.
The Rakshasa leader bellowed,
"Kill it now! Those bastards are coming any second!"
Basen sighed inwardly.
It made perfect sense, really.
A guardian called Katuru possessed power enough to protect an entire tribe.
He'd assumed it would live until sacrificed to a greater monster, but ultimately, the Rakshasas decided the offering's value.
If they deemed it too risky, they'd kill it anytime.
Mago whimpered,
"Oh no... what do we do?"
Charging in now faced more Rakshasas than expected.
And freeing the chains amid battle seemed unlikely.
Rationally, the best move was to retreat, rally the expedition outside—but that likely meant Katuru's death.
Basen sensed another way.
'Need a solution fast. Time's ticking.'
─┼
Pantheon of Gods.
Players seated in the conference room watched Katuru dying.
Kramphus gazed pityingly.
"Poor thing."
Wisdom said,
"But do we really need that divine beast called Katuru right now?"
Seong-un replied,
"True enough. It's not crucial. We can hold off the next force, and the one after, without it. Training the Pangolians under Basen will improve things further. But..."
"But?"
Seong-un said,
"We can't waste this opportunity."
"Waste how?"
"Don't you see? It's the perfect moment for divine intervention."
Seong-un summoned one of his creations.
"Hilrov."
─┼
The white spider Hilrov rose at the summons.
No need to open its eyes.
Hilrov had no eyelids over its six pupils.
"Hilrov, I've got a job for you."
-Anything.
"No need to get so formal. A divine beast is chained and under attack."
-Shall I finish it?
"No. Save that divine beast and aid my believer Basen, his friend Mago, and the other Pangolians."
-Aid how...?
"Hm... Grant whatever they desire."
-As you will.
With that, Hilrov felt Seong-un transport it.
A mere drag from the 'Creation List' on the fourth continent's 'minimap,' but to Hilrov, it was an omnipotent being lifting its massive form across dimensions.
'Truly omnipotent.'
Hilrov arrived in a familiar dark, enclosed space.
Blood scent.
A grotesque lifeform resembling a divine beast.
Pathetic beings wielding slender sticks before it.
And the cherished beings of the Lord overlooking them—his faithful and friends.
Hilrov traversed the ceiling silently toward Basen.
Mago and the Pangolians startled, but Basen inexplicably felt affinity toward Hilrov.
-Mortal, I come at Night Heaven's call. Speak your will.
Basen recognized it as Night Heaven's creation.
Kneeling on one knee per protocol, he said,
"Slay these Rakshasas for us. We'll handle the rest."
-Simple enough.
Hilrov flipped and dropped.
The massive shadow plummeted; the Rakshasa leader looked up puzzled.
"Huh?"
One of Hilrov's legs pierced the Rakshasa leader's crown clean through.