Chapter 56
6TG“To battle!”urX
TSQoYWaaaaah!VrQqI
pNIKjPE“Make sure you come back alive!”O4D
BrE“Long live the Kingdom of Prazia!”mqr
ihvUPNearly eight hundred members of the expedition departed from Gincheff amid the loud cheers of the crowd.KLFD72
FzSThe kingdom’s regular soldiers and the mercenaries marched with some distance between them, and Aint joined the Shadow Lance mercenaries alongside Varus.Yaxe
GgoBLC“So this is the famous descendant of Armian?”LNrD
81iwbs“The one who defeated our young master with one hand?”2YM07
FVz0AUD“And will someone so distinguished be able to adapt to mercenary life?”Rq31
gqnj“Who knows? Although if he’s from Armian, a hundred years ago he was just a rook—ugh!”OYf3
4AzMZUl“Hey, we’re talking about a great bloodline! Show some respect. Pleasure to meet you, I’m Hector.”LD5sDj
BdBSeveral mercenaries came over to greet him. All had hands covered in scars and calluses.283YRC
dT60FThe one who seemed to be leading the rough group was Hector, a two-meter-tall, muscular mercenary covered in scars.gPO
NLe5R“I’m Aint.”lR97yC
STD1Gr“Heh, when I heard our young master lost without even being able to raise his hand, I wanted to meet you.”pokD
103“Don’t exaggerate, Hector. It was close.”EBOilr
giLc“The young master tends to downplay things when they’re not in his favor.”3lsWw
1QyS“I’m telling you, it’s true!”eDCzUAw
YrEIQ8Varus muttered with a slightly awkward laugh.fAPMiQc
dnzK“Don’t worry. They’re rough, but they don’t gossip. Your origin won’t get out.”ejw
nSdG5“Thanks.”GJTWA5
ewadOZa“Follow me for a moment.”xuCQ6
LBoyVarus lightly spurred his horse, and Aint followed.5qAgu
BuyF“Have you already heard the operation plan?”G4tT
lUYTvo“Yes.”k3Yg1w
Jd2POszIt wasn’t anything unusual. The expedition planned to advance toward Abellar and wipe out all the monsters in the area.gSV
DodVThe final objective was to defeat the Gorgon that ruled the region from the center of Abellar.OjIF
hSKYFKXTo do that, they would first clear the surrounding areas little by little. Or at least, that had been the plan until just moments ago.NGM
wvh7MNBuuuuuuuuu!TOxH
0AuADum dum dum!xWNO
p6aA1gn“Alert! Emergency!”RHbhu4
6yq5Nh“Multiple monsters have appeared ahead!”Z3ghEYz
A5Aer“Gnolls, dire wolves, grizzly bears, griffons, and two more species identified!”kLxDwo
1f4VkQW“Prepare for combat!”fiq4LrL
edpThe alarms and emergency shouts spread quickly. As if their relaxed attitude moments earlier had been an act, the Shadow Lance group transformed instantly.VcjVo
Fop“Commander!”q8WHr0
F2yEven Varus’s tone changed. Gripping his weapon, he led the mercenaries.we4
IOX14“We’ll break through by splitting their lines.”PGP
Vm0“Yes! Preparations ready!”hEiqr
P0cu“Yes, sir!”uA0F42
4qfmbkIAll members, light cavalry, rode toward the front. The distance between them and the horde of nearly a hundred monsters closed rapidly.xFMr7g
key54c“Aint, you cover the rear. You’re not yet in sync with us.”qLT4co
VTTXK“Understood.”lVt
u2KyiMounted on a horse he had bought himself, Aint followed the group.VeyX53q
scDeqzI“We split the enemy ranks and then turn to tear them apart.”Z6cky3z
dLycc“Yes, sir.”mme9dz
J6Pa4r7“Prepare to charge!”0TtEHgL
eqhI4“Ready!”UybUoUj
6bAq7Though they were barely thirty mercenaries, they showed not a trace of fear.DzLb
aho“Charge!”PjqKMi
jRevQ8a“Chaaaarge!”xC4e4
c46Dudududu!OzB
Ulrxa5qThe horses began galloping violently.Iurf
0Fmx“It’s the Shadow Lance!”EB4Zst
du8Iz“Follow them!”s8dP
mGW“Crush the monsters!”H4BS
5iqQ9e1Seeing them, other mounted mercenaries joined in behind. The thirty lances soon doubled.25Tw
9vJ“Forward!”wJRNz
vRe“Forward!”rjSZd
C4oYThirty-one black lances aimed straight at the enemy.oHKtI
qQ8zA black aura surged from their tips.fYp1
hnzKM6And then—aW8
p5Yh───!Ge4klo
pbYFlash!gyVP9
wAsnBoom!bNGCL1
8Pz1Clang!Nsuh
QwI3Kiiieeek!YbzwfJ
8kZe9ofHiiihiiiii!NONFdjV
79TzBoth sides collided. A bone-shaking roar thundered across the battlefield.sEDs
ODCKuGFDire wolves, pierced clean through, went flying in bloody arcs. Droplets of blood scattered in all directions.N43Z
zONjPThe riders, though briefly faltering, regained momentum, trampling over corpses as they advanced.EeN5
uwEThe Shadow Lance’s spears searched for the next prey.GHULTP
T8O“Don’t stop!”aeSNw
1s1NWj“Don’t fall behind!”K2R
h85xeIt was like a storm. They advanced, crushing, piercing, and tearing everything in their path.1VwQU6
fAZ48VrKuwaaah!Agb3
EQ3dwThe monsters, ignorant of fear, kept attacking, but that only hastened their deaths.o4PmTTk
noEA7EBefore the thirty-one lances united in an unstoppable charge, all met the same fate.8Kq8W3
rDjHreBehind them remained only blood and monster corpses.GKt1Vo0
oyPZw***OxCsSn
Q00Nv7R— 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.FmYX
uYKb4— We should show this to those idiots who think they’re knights just because of the title.kuF9lG
NXHDGRGardner’s astonishment was no different from a sure forecast of the outcome.bmn0l0
YKW6rThe Shadow Lance split the enemy ranks in two. When the monsters’ attention turned to them, the other mercenaries flanked them from behind.lxry
qGskBodies covered the field. The nauseating stench of blood, human and monster mixed, was suffocating.6DU30aR
mPDBXrE“…Ugh.”ZKT
xtVNAint gagged without realizing it. Though he thought he’d already faced enough real combat, this was his first battle where dozens—hundreds—died.ka7biDg
PEF5YF8“Hahaha, you can tell you grew up pampered.”lOH
iLlz“Yeah. You’d behead without a second thought before, and now this.”jI8E6
ABOThe mercenaries laughed in murmurs. Varus handed him a towel.iGuB8PO
hAQ“Wipe your mouth.”9FP6uZ
ttla9F“Tha… wait, isn’t this just a rag?”fHvZT
smpzihwIt was far too filthy and stinking to be called a towel.pLhbe7
P4FA“I used it to wipe blood while skinning a monster.”8IbnTPM
sQf1qWhile Aint was throwing up, most of the mercenaries were skinning monster corpses to take their parts.n752B
gjLdWt5Varus was doing the same.yeHUL
8roNThe fully dismembered remains were gathered by the army and burned.g1NK
WJSQjOH“Ugh, now I feel like throwing up more.”CCiQsq
WIGmb“Endure it. This is what you became a mercenary for, isn’t it?”ZpceGA9
lol“I suppose…”reS
DI7ecBut was it really necessary to wipe his mouth with a rag soaked in monster blood?JrP9Wd
0UZXWEEither way, compared to war against the demons, this was child’s play. Regaining his composure, Aint stood up.wDC
nD4nZS“Captain Varus. The commander requests your presence.”9fxsT
o5OA messenger approached, referring to Count Parsen of the Kingdom of Prazia, current leader of the expedition.N3bQH
rt3UsxH“I’m coming.”yHYIk
pZqmVarus followed the messenger to the command tent and returned two hours later.zLUvL
nA13rq“According to the scouts, there are small groups of monsters scattered around. So we’ll be splitting up too.”8VY1RvK
oOP0o1“And the mercenaries?”oNuT
6zUnBFF“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.”8jNxbNZ
Ia8Obtaining monster remains was basic. The other groups were already starting to prepare to head out.xCRZcK
seG“And the army?”mJJTnn
2sx1w5“They’ll also split into squads.”A0i4Q
PsnB“What if the monsters regroup?”7E7
Gybhk“They gave us a map with twelve key regroup points.”e7m4lf
doRsThey 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.AfU7KJ
wJs“Perfect. Then, let’s go hunt the Gorgon.”OkDT
dJ3m“That’s the mission. Aint, what do you plan to do?”A1fFUtg
MxVy“…Hmm. If it’s not a bother, can I stay with you?”UixGbG
rkTsdCwAfter his first battle, Aint knew for sure. His swordsmanship and aura made him effective against monsters, but in everything else, he still lacked.tYLHuB
Bhs0aBBetter to stick with veterans than die on his own.fdqX
l1qWHG“If you want to, go ahead.”fD83F
CIL“Thanks.”bpD
o5BBTgj“Then, pay up.”hVaMa0
Kad1The vice-captain held out his hand.IeF
c0Q4Nx5“Pay?”23z
uv9Pw2y“This counts as a bodyguard request, right? You should pay.”cN4iT
ApQIo“Hector.”dPb
jZZCB“Kidding. If you’re the young master’s friend, of course it’s free.”w5M
0ih7gHe let out a booming laugh while stroking his filthy beard.pJr47Ub
PCX2“Thanks.”88x
OBW“Who knows, maybe one day we’ll benefit from royalty.”5NVn
D0zW0The Shadow Lance rode all that day. Their target was the Gorgon, and they were heading straight into the monster-infested core.JdcB
4I24Thanks to that, Aint felt he was finally becoming a true mercenary.Mod
Z4Grp“Are you sure it was hundreds? Not thousands?”5B923gj
FzfFgAint panted, shaking blood from his sword. The stench was so strong his nose felt numb.wV7zYeD
qHKE“It was the constant pressure. The number itself wasn’t that high.”iyWY
EJAE9CVarus replied while skinning a griffon.tG9l
vlOhJ“Not exaggerated, but enough to wear us out.”RpCLG
nLQX4c“How far to the Gorgon’s nest?”FWA0
2CV2“At this rate, two more days. Too many monsters; progress is slow.”DEX
nKxh“Yeah. There are more than expected.”WD2V
rz9EiOP“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.”bQU
sfxXiv“True. If we’re like this, the others must be moving even slower.”U70wwq6
js9The mercenaries chimed in on the exchange. After sharing the battlefield for two days, a certain camaraderie had formed.IVokOe
i0vZl7Aint chewed on some jerky.3hhu6M
dkZ5T“You’re a real mercenary now.”9jZXpv
xcN7He had gotten used to it. Even surrounded by corpses, he could eat without issue.C1H
oNd“Night will fall soon. Let’s find a place to camp…”44eqT
LU0YXufThen it happened.9JOcaZ
Sxy2qyAThe wind shifted.Qod
uXLSAs soon as a faint presence rode the breeze, Aint sensed something.V62W
hAQlKplHow to describe it…?TbKTuc1
uZL— It’s repulsive.zfI
2LimgJPYes. Repulsive. Disgusting. Filthy. An instinctive aversion.0RKAga
Go5Gr2qAnd it was a sensation Aint already knew.UGNQo
Vu69aTd— Aint!DrZg
EpBtGardner’s voice was a fierce warning.giuFfo
x3raAint’s neck prickled.gCxOeN
7nB“Move!”Dy66OK
fPUDwacHe drew his sword. At that moment, black masses rained down like hail.wBn
ex36t9o───!PzMMCp
MOWiQazHis white trajectory deflected the dark lightning. A roar reverberated, and the ground shook.NAn0
8OSQ“W-what…?”hhi
mrQj1“Ambush!”Q57
OUvLMThe mercenaries braced themselves.
Shaking his numb arm, Aint returned to his stance.VLw6pZ
zlk“He blocked that…?”yX3u
oFPbA low, soft voice. But clear.OY35Ou1
xDMwsS“As always, His Excellency’s foresight is accurate. You can no longer be ignored.”W7JReT
lQQq“Who are you?”xgDhY
MAqXL“What are you?”y1Pijec
VPad6The mercenaries leveled their lances at the unusual energy.lkN
vE2NX“I have no interest in vermin. Step aside.”KfohzVg
p7ViZAh, of course.E4j
OtRuEIt’s not that he was sparing them.rwea7UU
kyrxs3Q“No one leaves here alive today.”x3C
i4DCoo“You arrogant bastard!”k3nWO
m2DQF“Everyone, on guard!”yiH
XbAThough they sensed something strange, none backed down. The aura swelled.cUsKM
Msh“Aint, who is this guy? You look like you know him.”9oUa
zGG4J“…A corrupted one.”TPVAXM6
DgWo“Corrupted?”i7cMMm
jzR0CzVarus was surprised, but then smiled coldly.WXwBQI
u6ZrJP“Then that’s fine.”Kuv
4FF“Fine?”Ranix
x1zD“We’ll be the first mercenary group to take down a corrupted since the Great War. Everyone hear that?”Ry4S
epV“Yes, sir!”tEcpcGL
HCfMgmr“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.”C5c
fie“And we’ll get paid more!”bEqPNE
eqvn“Perfect, more pay is what matters!”KqDB
1op8The mercenaries let out cheerful laughs.oq4yJAn
iLUtIS4“You dare hunt me…?”mYzp
wVTsThe corrupted’s brow twitched.E3umYCX
18yS“You don’t know your place…!”6kj9
3cOMfSweeek!9POcU2
L3rRBzA dark bolt, different from the corrupted’s, grazed his ear.RmEh
zWg“He dodged that from this distance?”JNb
MOq3uVarus murmured, pulling another throwing spear.Wubkhzn
Mzs“Well. I suppose selling your soul to the demon is worth something.”bBO
dfx1C“You damned worm…!”l1uj7w
sZJBsceThe corrupted roared.bGfyj3
GU92jFThe battle began.4OFD
4PUIcW***HPs8
cLtgfThe beginning was a rain of spears.Oa3MC
H2nTNExactly thirty-one flashes advanced in unison as if they had been fired.XsGN3dM
NLlz9gBoom!zcWPotA
CFn6LuiA black barrier deflected all the flashes.EvVEV
bhPImmediately afterward, the squad members stomped the ground hard. The black aura sharpened violently at the tips of the dark spears.IqnHE
VjfPtcHThe 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.p8eyN80
fdEOnly a three-meter-tall giant wrapped in demonic energy remained.K1zSn7n
1Wus6q──!xRdDdaz
G7TThirty-one spears struck the giant’s outer skin. But none were sharp enough to pierce it.mI5z3J
Y0V“Kugh…!”e9C
KnhymrVarus, 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.xbN09
BJdckxw“So, you’re the leader of these ones.”it6T
9IymPfThe black giant immediately followed after him.Lan
WITClang!jmv0v
u4ZThe 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.Owy9jqA
l4Ei4s“Damn monster…!”MFoQ
U1FuLuckily, there was no third strike. Aint had closed in without anyone noticing and slashed with his holy sword.Z2Di6h
BoyYRg───!UvxCD
L1vjqnZThe sound was different from the others. So was the result.XFg8
JcLiThe 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.u8qx
mKgzIn that brief moment, Varus thrust with his spear.yiv
KEnz97zThe blade, honed to the maximum with all the power of his aura, pierced through the mutant’s heart.934JwU
QwKALL─!v9N
9ODjTAura and demonic energy clashed, causing an explosion. Varus stepped back from the strong recoil.xle
6wFgUIn truth, the full-power attack had worked. The spear had pierced the layer of demonic energy skin.b3DVc
8UKItapBut that was all. It was barely a superficial wound, and it regenerated instantly.iRv1U
iTC‘What kind of monster is this?’sSTI
IUKGnjThe result was very different from Aint’s.Uz7cuX
TDvumVarus recalled the old legend—the one about the Armians, known as the natural enemies of demons.eTz7j9
1G0wVH“Everyone, back up Aint!”KxPUf
HdEb“Yes!”DzLl
acme1h6The veteran mercenaries understood the safest path to victory.YVxQ
8TFCK3SAnd that sight provoked the mutant’s fury.CWWxA
zGq4“Damn flies!”V8y4sL
L5uDqN1The demonic energy running along its body burst out all at once. A shockwave exploded with a roar, and the mercenaries quickly retreated.bnhomR
Pxd5Only Aint, with his naturally opposing power, managed to endure it.cjHgl
zfgZEThe mutant took a deep breath. A massive amount of demonic energy gathered and was expelled.k4x
3m3mhAint held his sword forward.2XY
vcXeD2F─!4G7
KBFLight and darkness collided. Fragments of severed shadow flew in all directions.Yg1dx5
Bk3In that brief instant, the mutant appeared right in front of Aint.f9j1
W3XoBoom! A vertical punch came down. Aint barely managed to block it, his sword vibrating violently.wDvif
F3rZrBoom! The deflected punch slid along Aint’s forearm. The corrupted stepped back, and Aint lunged forward.N7l
5UKEp─!5A997Qc
TRYYziN──!oubN
woVHAIn 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.W1MyIr
mlL3Amid that fierce battle, the mercenaries moved in. Hunters who had slain countless monsters.1nsHsZ
YVS8xxFrom the flanks and the rear, the spears targeted the blind spots left while facing Aint.1wdBF
IHGn9QmBut that was a trap.LvNB8cQ
ZpZM5qFrom the body of the true hunter, who had been anticipating the attack of those flies, sprouted black spikes.hwUCfA
m1l1WCt“Kugh…!”YZBZ
lgTjd“Watch out!”sdw
zySjTcheong! Some dodged, others blocked, and others were impaled. The process varied, but the result was the same—none managed to wound the corrupted.C5CwX80
uyHOuhExcept Varus.8eRnqv
gBrs5ZWith his senses at their limit, he advanced. He dodged and deflected dozens of spikes, ignoring the minor injuries.9KoR5xH
hYihAnd right in front of the monster, he leapt high like a grasshopper.bu6WDum
HM9PXHe could see the back of its head, three meters up.wa1
zdbIThe black spear cut through the air. Or at least, it tried to.51Yv
ttqesiBAt that moment—wfYt6
d9B“Fool.”HbWbuma
onHxAn eye opened on the back of the corrupted’s head. Then a mouth, from which a blast of demonic energy burst forth.Xky
SVhThe black spear destroyed part of that energy. But the shockwave sent Varus’s body flying.ixRy8
CfR3sAnd the demonic energy spikes didn’t miss the opportunity.6zba
Wymk7Flash!eocGliq
gMP7A flash pierced through Varus.wr5h1v
yqOqNbr“…Varus!”fZ5
Vxyz“Boss!”hQJ
95uOXL“Boss…!”fX0
5ITtHis body fell like a puppet with its strings cut.qXmMUl
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