Chapter 56

“To battle!”

Waaaaah!

“Make sure you come back alive!”

“Long live the Kingdom of Prazia!”

Nearly eight hundred members of the expedition departed from Gincheff amid the loud cheers of the crowd.

The kingdom’s regular soldiers and the mercenaries marched with some distance between them, and Aint joined the Shadow Lance mercenaries alongside Varus.

“So this is the famous descendant of Armian?”

“The one who defeated our young master with one hand?”

“And will someone so distinguished be able to adapt to mercenary life?”

“Who knows? Although if he’s from Armian, a hundred years ago he was just a rook—ugh!”

“Hey, we’re talking about a great bloodline! Show some respect. Pleasure to meet you, I’m Hector.”

Several mercenaries came over to greet him. All had hands covered in scars and calluses.

The one who seemed to be leading the rough group was Hector, a two-meter-tall, muscular mercenary covered in scars.

“I’m Aint.”

“Heh, when I heard our young master lost without even being able to raise his hand, I wanted to meet you.”

“Don’t exaggerate, Hector. It was close.”

“The young master tends to downplay things when they’re not in his favor.”

“I’m telling you, it’s true!”

Varus muttered with a slightly awkward laugh.

“Don’t worry. They’re rough, but they don’t gossip. Your origin won’t get out.”

“Thanks.”

“Follow me for a moment.”

Varus lightly spurred his horse, and Aint followed.

“Have you already heard the operation plan?”

“Yes.”

It wasn’t anything unusual. The expedition planned to advance toward Abellar and wipe out all the monsters in the area.

The final objective was to defeat the Gorgon that ruled the region from the center of Abellar.

To do that, they would first clear the surrounding areas little by little. Or at least, that had been the plan until just moments ago.

Buuuuuuuuu!

Dum dum dum!

“Alert! Emergency!”

“Multiple monsters have appeared ahead!”

“Gnolls, dire wolves, grizzly bears, griffons, and two more species identified!”

“Prepare for combat!”

The alarms and emergency shouts spread quickly. As if their relaxed attitude moments earlier had been an act, the Shadow Lance group transformed instantly.

“Commander!”

Even Varus’s tone changed. Gripping his weapon, he led the mercenaries.

“We’ll break through by splitting their lines.”

“Yes! Preparations ready!”

“Yes, sir!”

All members, light cavalry, rode toward the front. The distance between them and the horde of nearly a hundred monsters closed rapidly.

“Aint, you cover the rear. You’re not yet in sync with us.”

“Understood.”

Mounted on a horse he had bought himself, Aint followed the group.

“We split the enemy ranks and then turn to tear them apart.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Prepare to charge!”

“Ready!”

Though they were barely thirty mercenaries, they showed not a trace of fear.

“Charge!”

“Chaaaarge!”

Dudududu!

The horses began galloping violently.

“It’s the Shadow Lance!”

“Follow them!”

“Crush the monsters!”

Seeing them, other mounted mercenaries joined in behind. The thirty lances soon doubled.

“Forward!”

“Forward!”

Thirty-one black lances aimed straight at the enemy.

A black aura surged from their tips.

And then—

───!

Flash!

Boom!

Clang!

Kiiieeek!

Hiiihiiiii!

Both sides collided. A bone-shaking roar thundered across the battlefield.

Dire wolves, pierced clean through, went flying in bloody arcs. Droplets of blood scattered in all directions.

The riders, though briefly faltering, regained momentum, trampling over corpses as they advanced.

The Shadow Lance’s spears searched for the next prey.

“Don’t stop!”

“Don’t fall behind!”

It was like a storm. They advanced, crushing, piercing, and tearing everything in their path.

Kuwaaah!

The monsters, ignorant of fear, kept attacking, but that only hastened their deaths.

Before the thirty-one lances united in an unstoppable charge, all met the same fate.

Behind them remained only blood and monster corpses.

***

— These guys, you’d think they were knights, not mercenaries. Trusting their comrades like that and charging into the middle of the monsters without hesitation—now that’s textbook gallantry.

— We should show this to those idiots who think they’re knights just because of the title.

Gardner’s astonishment was no different from a sure forecast of the outcome.

The Shadow Lance split the enemy ranks in two. When the monsters’ attention turned to them, the other mercenaries flanked them from behind.

Bodies covered the field. The nauseating stench of blood, human and monster mixed, was suffocating.

“…Ugh.”

Aint gagged without realizing it. Though he thought he’d already faced enough real combat, this was his first battle where dozens—hundreds—died.

“Hahaha, you can tell you grew up pampered.”

“Yeah. You’d behead without a second thought before, and now this.”

The mercenaries laughed in murmurs. Varus handed him a towel.

“Wipe your mouth.”

“Tha… wait, isn’t this just a rag?”

It was far too filthy and stinking to be called a towel.

“I used it to wipe blood while skinning a monster.”

While Aint was throwing up, most of the mercenaries were skinning monster corpses to take their parts.

Varus was doing the same.

The fully dismembered remains were gathered by the army and burned.

“Ugh, now I feel like throwing up more.”

“Endure it. This is what you became a mercenary for, isn’t it?”

“I suppose…”

But was it really necessary to wipe his mouth with a rag soaked in monster blood?

Either way, compared to war against the demons, this was child’s play. Regaining his composure, Aint stood up.

“Captain Varus. The commander requests your presence.”

A messenger approached, referring to Count Parsen of the Kingdom of Prazia, current leader of the expedition.

“I’m coming.”

Varus followed the messenger to the command tent and returned two hours later.

“According to the scouts, there are small groups of monsters scattered around. So we’ll be splitting up too.”

“And the mercenaries?”

“They’ll move in squads according to their unit. The monster parts go to whoever kills them, and if you bring proof, you’ll get extra pay.”

Obtaining monster remains was basic. The other groups were already starting to prepare to head out.

“And the army?”

“They’ll also split into squads.”

“What if the monsters regroup?”

“They gave us a map with twelve key regroup points.”

They were towns and cities once inhabited. In case of emergency, the order was to gather at the nearest point. They were also given signal flares.

“Perfect. Then, let’s go hunt the Gorgon.”

“That’s the mission. Aint, what do you plan to do?”

“…Hmm. If it’s not a bother, can I stay with you?”

After his first battle, Aint knew for sure. His swordsmanship and aura made him effective against monsters, but in everything else, he still lacked.

Better to stick with veterans than die on his own.

“If you want to, go ahead.”

“Thanks.”

“Then, pay up.”

The vice-captain held out his hand.

“Pay?”

“This counts as a bodyguard request, right? You should pay.”

“Hector.”

“Kidding. If you’re the young master’s friend, of course it’s free.”

He let out a booming laugh while stroking his filthy beard.

“Thanks.”

“Who knows, maybe one day we’ll benefit from royalty.”

The Shadow Lance rode all that day. Their target was the Gorgon, and they were heading straight into the monster-infested core.

Thanks to that, Aint felt he was finally becoming a true mercenary.

“Are you sure it was hundreds? Not thousands?”

Aint panted, shaking blood from his sword. The stench was so strong his nose felt numb.

“It was the constant pressure. The number itself wasn’t that high.”

Varus replied while skinning a griffon.

“Not exaggerated, but enough to wear us out.”

“How far to the Gorgon’s nest?”

“At this rate, two more days. Too many monsters; progress is slow.”

“Yeah. There are more than expected.”

“That could be a good thing. Since the Gorgon is so ferocious, no other monster goes near it. The more we see here, the fewer there will be there.”

“True. If we’re like this, the others must be moving even slower.”

The mercenaries chimed in on the exchange. After sharing the battlefield for two days, a certain camaraderie had formed.

Aint chewed on some jerky.

“You’re a real mercenary now.”

He had gotten used to it. Even surrounded by corpses, he could eat without issue.

“Night will fall soon. Let’s find a place to camp…”

Then it happened.

The wind shifted.

As soon as a faint presence rode the breeze, Aint sensed something.

How to describe it…?

— It’s repulsive.

Yes. Repulsive. Disgusting. Filthy. An instinctive aversion.

And it was a sensation Aint already knew.

— Aint!

Gardner’s voice was a fierce warning.

Aint’s neck prickled.

“Move!”

He drew his sword. At that moment, black masses rained down like hail.

───!

His white trajectory deflected the dark lightning. A roar reverberated, and the ground shook.

“W-what…?”

“Ambush!”

The mercenaries braced themselves.
Shaking his numb arm, Aint returned to his stance.

“He blocked that…?”

A low, soft voice. But clear.

“As always, His Excellency’s foresight is accurate. You can no longer be ignored.”

“Who are you?”

“What are you?”

The mercenaries leveled their lances at the unusual energy.

“I have no interest in vermin. Step aside.”

Ah, of course.

It’s not that he was sparing them.

“No one leaves here alive today.”

“You arrogant bastard!”

“Everyone, on guard!”

Though they sensed something strange, none backed down. The aura swelled.

“Aint, who is this guy? You look like you know him.”

“…A corrupted one.”

“Corrupted?”

Varus was surprised, but then smiled coldly.

“Then that’s fine.”

“Fine?”

“We’ll be the first mercenary group to take down a corrupted since the Great War. Everyone hear that?”

“Yes, sir!”

“A corrupted, huh! I didn’t think those scum who sell their soul to the demon still existed… But this will make us more famous.”

“And we’ll get paid more!”

“Perfect, more pay is what matters!”

The mercenaries let out cheerful laughs.

“You dare hunt me…?”

The corrupted’s brow twitched.

“You don’t know your place…!”

Sweeek!

A dark bolt, different from the corrupted’s, grazed his ear.

“He dodged that from this distance?”

Varus murmured, pulling another throwing spear.

“Well. I suppose selling your soul to the demon is worth something.”

“You damned worm…!”

The corrupted roared.

The battle began.

***

The beginning was a rain of spears.

Exactly thirty-one flashes advanced in unison as if they had been fired.

Boom!

A black barrier deflected all the flashes.

Immediately afterward, the squad members stomped the ground hard. The black aura sharpened violently at the tips of the dark spears.

The mutant threw a swift punch. A surge of demonic energy burst forth in a mass. By the time the punch reached the dozens of spears, there was no longer a human being there.

Only a three-meter-tall giant wrapped in demonic energy remained.

──!

Thirty-one spears struck the giant’s outer skin. But none were sharp enough to pierce it.

“Kugh…!”

Varus, who had taken the punch head-on, cried out and was sent flying backward. He had no time to absorb the impact or regain his stance.

“So, you’re the leader of these ones.”

The black giant immediately followed after him.

Clang!

The specially-made black spear bent as if it were about to snap. Another punch fell, but Varus managed to block it again. He forced down the blood rising in his throat.

“Damn monster…!”

Luckily, there was no third strike. Aint had closed in without anyone noticing and slashed with his holy sword.

───!

The sound was different from the others. So was the result.

The two energies twisted violently, like a battle between light and darkness, and the mutant’s surface partially cracked. The monster let out a cry of pain.

In that brief moment, Varus thrust with his spear.

The blade, honed to the maximum with all the power of his aura, pierced through the mutant’s heart.

─!

Aura and demonic energy clashed, causing an explosion. Varus stepped back from the strong recoil.

In truth, the full-power attack had worked. The spear had pierced the layer of demonic energy skin.

But that was all. It was barely a superficial wound, and it regenerated instantly.

‘What kind of monster is this?’

The result was very different from Aint’s.

Varus recalled the old legend—the one about the Armians, known as the natural enemies of demons.

“Everyone, back up Aint!”

“Yes!”

The veteran mercenaries understood the safest path to victory.

And that sight provoked the mutant’s fury.

“Damn flies!”

The demonic energy running along its body burst out all at once. A shockwave exploded with a roar, and the mercenaries quickly retreated.

Only Aint, with his naturally opposing power, managed to endure it.

The mutant took a deep breath. A massive amount of demonic energy gathered and was expelled.

Aint held his sword forward.

─!

Light and darkness collided. Fragments of severed shadow flew in all directions.

In that brief instant, the mutant appeared right in front of Aint.

Boom! A vertical punch came down. Aint barely managed to block it, his sword vibrating violently.

Boom! The deflected punch slid along Aint’s forearm. The corrupted stepped back, and Aint lunged forward.

─!

──!

In the blink of an eye, they exchanged more than ten blows. The ground trembled with each impact, and the very space around them seemed to tear.

Amid that fierce battle, the mercenaries moved in. Hunters who had slain countless monsters.

From the flanks and the rear, the spears targeted the blind spots left while facing Aint.

But that was a trap.

From the body of the true hunter, who had been anticipating the attack of those flies, sprouted black spikes.

“Kugh…!”

“Watch out!”

Tcheong! Some dodged, others blocked, and others were impaled. The process varied, but the result was the same—none managed to wound the corrupted.

Except Varus.

With his senses at their limit, he advanced. He dodged and deflected dozens of spikes, ignoring the minor injuries.

And right in front of the monster, he leapt high like a grasshopper.

He could see the back of its head, three meters up.

The black spear cut through the air. Or at least, it tried to.

At that moment—

“Fool.”

An eye opened on the back of the corrupted’s head. Then a mouth, from which a blast of demonic energy burst forth.

The black spear destroyed part of that energy. But the shockwave sent Varus’s body flying.

And the demonic energy spikes didn’t miss the opportunity.

Flash!

A flash pierced through Varus.

“…Varus!”

“Boss!”

“Boss…!”

His body fell like a puppet with its strings cut.