Chapter 22
Chapter 22
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 22
Chapter Title: Unknown Enemy
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Intense reunion.
Mikhail and Damian were walking along the defensive line.
'This is gruesome.'
Monster corpses strewn everywhere.
The nauseating stench of blood and burning flesh assaulted their noses.
The site of a fierce battle just moments ago.
The Spine of Sighs.
"......"
Mikhail glanced over Damian.
Back when they first met at the Red River as recruits.
The aura felt completely different now.
"You've grown much stronger."
Mikhail spoke first.
"The greenhorn vibe from back then is completely gone."
"Isn't it all thanks to you, Commander?"
Not empty words.
The basic mana breathing technique he taught.
That had been the catalyst.
"My doing, huh."
Mikhail smirked.
His gaze shifted to the sword hanging from Damian's back.
'Elven Sword.'
A clear silver blade.
Ancient elf runes engraved on its surface.
Anyone could tell it was no ordinary item.
"You're carrying around an interesting thing."
"It's a trophy I got in the free city of Melrn."
"Melrn?"
Mikhail's eyes widened.
"That city has stuff like that just rolling around?"
"It was originally just scrap metal with all its teeth missing."
"A lot must have happened."
Mikhail nodded.
Then he looked around again.
Traces of the brutal battle stretched out everywhere.
"We've had plenty going on too."
"Lady Elena told me. An unprecedented monster wave."
"Yeah. The worst monster wave in history. We even requested reinforcements from the capital."
Something his pride wouldn't allow.
That alone showed how serious the situation was.
"But you know."
Mikhail's gaze turned toward the depths of the Eastern Great Forest.
"I think this wave is just a precursor."
"A precursor... you mean?"
Precursor.
Meaning it was only the beginning.
"Something's in there."
Conviction filled his voice.
Intuition born from long experience.
"Something, you say?"
"You think I know?"
Mikhail shrugged.
Of course, that wasn't the end of it.
"What humanity has observed and recorded about the Great Forest is just a tiny fraction. What could we possibly know?"
The Eastern Great Forest was on the scale of a nation.
No one knew what dangers lurked within.
It was land that humanity had desperately blocked off throughout its history.
"So we have to prepare. For the unknown enemy that will show up someday."
Unknown enemy.
At those words, Damian's heart pounded.
Not with fear, but cold excitement.
And.
'Predation.'
A chance to absorb even stronger abilities.
Yearning for it welled up.
"......Well, anyway, glad you came. I was desperate for capable subordinates."
A blatant scouting offer.
No, at this point, it was practically an appointment.
"I saw you take that ogre's head earlier. The whole thing."
Satisfaction glinted in his eyes.
"You already seem like one of Sobkov's people."
Teasing praise laced with playfulness.
But that lasted only a moment.
"......"
Mikhail soon dropped the smile.
He even shifted to a serious tone.
"So, now that you've experienced it yourself, what do you think?"
Straight to the point.
"Want to stay here? Or."
A piercing, sharp gaze.
"Want to run away right now?"
The territory was harsh enough already.
Now it was at historically peak harshness.
Most would want to flee.
"Can I be honest?"
"Of course."
"I want to stay."
But Damian Winter.
He wasn't the average person.
"A reason?"
"Like you said, Commander, I seem to be the type who grows through real combat."
"Yeah, I remember. I did say that."
"And today, I felt it clearly."
Strength entered Damian's voice.
"Hunting those monsters...... I felt myself getting stronger in real time."
Of course, it was thanks to ability absorption.
But no need to mention that far.
"I don't want to miss this momentum."
Intense desire burned in his eyes.
"And for that...... I need Sobkov Territory."
"You need our territory, not the other way around?"
"Yes."
"Ha!"
At that moment.
Something flashed in Mikhail's eyes.
'This guy......'
Eyes filled with madness and yearning.
'Definitely not normal.'
Of course, he didn't show it.
Instead, he tossed another question.
"Once you get stronger, what then?"
"Don't know."
"Don't know?"
"I'll know when the time comes. Because I'll be someone who can choose anything."
Words Mikhail Sobkov had said on the Eastern Front.
You need power to choose your own life.
Damian had taken them as truth.
They had resonated deeply.
'Someone who can choose anything.'
Mikhail smirked at that.
'Doesn't even realize what he's saying.'
In this world.
Especially in a human monarchy.
There was only one 'person who could choose anything.'
Of course, he probably hadn't thought that far.
Just searching for his path in life.
"Haha!"
He asked no more.
Instead, he laughed heartily.
"Good answer, Damian Winter!"
Then he slammed a hand on Damian's shoulder.
Clearly meant as encouragement, but.
"Ugh......!"
It was way too hard.
He thought his body would get embedded in the ground.
"Father."
Right then.
Mikhail's daughter, Elena Sobkov, came running.
"The strategy meeting for the follow-up wave preparations is about to start. Please return to base."
"Ah, has it been that long already?"
Mikhail smacked his lips regretfully.
"Wanted to cross swords a bit."
"Won't there be plenty of chances ahead?"
"Hope so."
A single phrase loaded with meaning.
With that, the veteran's gaze turned to Elena.
"Elena."
"Yes, Father."
"Handle the aftermath."
"What exactly?"
"You know, all that stuff. Procedures for affiliation and such."
Having issued the order, Mikhail turned away.
He'd dumped the annoying paperwork on his daughter.
"......"
In the end, just the two remained.
An awkward silence flowed briefly.
"Proper greetings. Vice Commander of the Sobkov Knights, Elena Sobkov."
Elena spoke first.
A polite, businesslike demeanor unlike her father.
"Damian Winter."
Her eyes grew serious.
"Now, to business."
Elena presented two options.
"Damian Winter...... I'll address you as Sir."
Not a knight yet, but he could handle mana.
Meaning he was in a position to become one anytime.
Thus, Elena used the honorific 'Sir.'
"You have two paths."
The first option.
"First, receive formal knighting in Sobkov Territory."
Knight.
A chance for elevated status.
"And second."
The second option.
"Contract as a mercenary."
Mercenary.
A path pursuing profit over honor.
Unbound, free to leave anytime.
"In that case, you'll naturally receive pay."
And the most important part.
"Also, ownership of any trophies you acquire yourself is guaranteed."
Mercenaries were sensitive about loot.
"However, if you choose mercenary, you can't join our Knights' training sessions. Keep that in mind."
Participating in Sobkov Knights' training sessions.
It was certainly a tempting option.
'If I were a normal knight.'
But Damian wasn't normal.
He grew stronger through predation, not training.
So he pondered.
'No need to bind myself to one place.'
This was the best hunting ground right now.
But how long would it stay that way?
'As I get stronger, the value of this hunting ground called Sobkov Territory will drop too.'
He needed the freedom to leave whenever necessary.
"......"
The deliberation didn't last long.
The answer was already set.
"I'll take the latter."
An answer without hesitation.
Elena nodded, subtly hiding a hint of disappointment.
"Good. Then, during your stay, let me show you your lodging and some of the forward base facilities."
And so, for a while.
Damian toured the forward base here and there under Elena's guidance.
"First, the smithy is free to use. Feel free to use the tools and facilities yourself, or commission repairs from our blacksmiths anytime."
As expected.
A territory handling monster waves had an excellent smithy attached to the forward base.
'At this level......'
He could fully utilize his Elf Blacksmithing here.
A few more tools procured, and it'd be perfect.
"This is the herb warehouse and alchemy preparation room."
Next was the alchemy lab after the smithy.
The herb scent hit hard just approaching.
"Some potions and medicines are stocked for mercenaries too, so you can get them free within limits. Anything beyond, you'll need to bring your own materials or buy them outright. Sorry about that, since they're consumables......"
"I understand."
Damian had chosen mercenary over knight.
Buying consumables was only natural.
'If I make them myself with my own hands, maybe they'll just charge material costs?'
All sorts of ways to put his abilities to use.
Having so many talents sure felt reassuring.
"And here......"
Next, they arrived at the forward base's center.
It had a very folk-religion vibe, to put it mildly.
'What is that?'
Among them, especially eye-catching were the baskets.
Not sure if you could even call them baskets.
They were huge. Big enough for dozens of people to lie down in.
'And they're piled high with something.'
As he got closer.
The identity of that something came into view.
'Teeth?'
The first thing visible was teeth.
Precisely, monsters' molars.
Orcs, trolls, ogres, bugbears, etc.
Molars of all shapes and sizes from various species.
'And that?'
Not just molars either.
Grotesque ornaments made from animal bones and fur were piled up too.
"What is all this?"
Damian couldn't hold back his curiosity.
He casually asked Elena.
"Think of it as the settlement office."
Settlement office?
What did that mean?
"Bring a monster's right molar or the totem they carry, and you exchange it for the set reward. It's a place for mercenaries and adventurers."
In simple terms, kill monsters and get rewards.
Only if you brought the tooth or totem as proof.
'Those bone ornaments must be the totems.'
Now it made sense.
He even had a rough idea of how it worked.
"Can I settle here too?"
"Of course. Since you chose mercenary."
Not bad.
Damian nodded.
"That covers the intro."
"Then do I get a test now?"
Like back when he first transferred to the 1st Infantry Division.
Sparring with squad leader Ben.
But Elena's reaction was different.
"Do we really need to waste energy on a test?"
Battles happened every day.
Why bother with a test?
"Besides, I saw it all earlier."
Ah, right.
He'd already shown it in the canyon.
Slaughtering with half-red eyes.
Orcs, trolls, ogres—no matter.
"Especially your ogre hunt. Impressive."
"Got lucky."
"Luck that lets you solo an ogre is skill."
Murmuring that, Elena handed something over.
The key to Damian's assigned lodging.
"Since you chose mercenary, you're free to act until a monster wave hits or you get a mission. Rest in lodging, do maintenance, or go on light solo hunts—nothing wrong with that. But honestly, I don't recommend it."
"Why?"
"Lots of people die that way."
Mostly mercenaries.
Chasing achievements and biting the dust.
"Of course, with your skill, Sir Damian, no need to worry, but still be careful. Even solo hunting, stick to the detachment's activity range as much as possible. Got it?"
"I'll keep it in mind."
That was his answer.
But his inner thoughts differed.
'Can't miss even a moment.'
His body was already heating up.
Ten days later.
Slash!
The Elven Sword cleaved the troll's neck.
Green blood spurted up like a fountain.
Thud!
The massive body crashed down, shaking the ground.
Monsters that had bypassed the Spine of Sighs by crossing the mountains.
His time in Sobkov Territory had mostly been like this.
"Grraaah!"
The remaining two charged at once.
Monsters crossing the rugged mountains were mostly orcs or trolls.
Ogres and such giant monsters had trouble over the peaks.
Clang!
He deflected the club flying from the left.
The result of powers seized from countless monsters.
Instead, the troll's arm bent at an odd angle.
Stab!
Damian didn't miss the opening.
He plunged his blade into its heart.
Just one left now.
The moment it instinctively backpedaled.
Slash!
Clean finish.
He'd butchered three trolls in an instant.
They were no longer a match for Damian.
"Whew."
Back when he first arrived in this territory.
A single troll had been a tough win.
But now, after ten days devoted to hunting, things were different.
'Up to five is manageable.'
Of course, if the trolls exceeded five by a wide margin?
Wise to mount up and flee immediately.
Or link up with a nearby detachment and handle it together.
'To push past this limit......'
What he needed was clear.
Higher-level mana-related abilities.
Only those would be the key to breaking the wall.
'Can't get them from training alone.'
Damian wasn't a genius.
Neither in martial arts nor mana—breaking through walls on his own was near impossible.
To begin with, it was all thanks to devouring others' power, experience, and talent.
'Who can I take it from?'
Purely predatory thinking.
His gaze turned far off, beyond the mountains.
To the Eastern Great Forest, the source of the monster waves.
'The answer might be over there.'
Stronger enemies.
Stronger abilities.
They surely existed.
Crunch!
Damian paused his thoughts.
He extracted the troll's long right molar.
Then opened the leather pouch at his waist and put it in.
'Already full.'
The pouch was already stuffed with totems and molars.
'Time to head back......'
Just as Damian decided to return.
Thud thud thud thud!
Sudden hoofbeats.
Dust billowed fiercely.
"...!"
Damian instinctively checked the direction.
Two warhorses charging from afar.
"Sir Damian!"
They spotted him.
Two newbie knights from the detachment.
"What's wrong?"
"Emergency report! Superior entity sighted in D-3 sector!"
Superior entity.
A stronger, special monster.
Damian's eyes changed at those words.
"We're the only ones who can deploy right now! Please join us!"
An urgent plea.
No reason to refuse.
It was exactly what he wanted.
'Can't miss this.'
A chance to devour a superior entity.
Excitement already boiled within.
"Let's go. I'll join."