I Alone Regress in a Hero Party That Was Annihilated - Chapter 51

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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#51. Reward Acquisition (3)

 

— — —

 

The entrance leading up to Meursault Mountain.

 

Captain Hounded, the outpost commander there, was gritting his teeth so hard that blood was drawn.

 

It was because enemies had started swarming beyond the wooden palisade since the evening before last.

 

Yate.

 

They were massive snow creatures whose entire bodies were covered in thick fur pelts.

 

The Yate led the lower-ranked Sasquatches and continuously attempted invasions toward the mountain foothills below.

 

Though such organized invasion had never happened before, Hounded, a knight of the Mörsolt Family, and his subordinates were successfully holding off the monsters’ attacks.

 

…That is, until just before this general offensive.

 

“I-It’s hopeless now! There are too many of them!”

 

At the urgent report from a subordinate he had known for over ten years, Outpost Commander Captain Hounded prepared for death.

 

“Abandon the wooden palisade! From now on, it’s all-out war!”

 

At Hounded’s words, the soldiers each took up spears, swords, and axes.

 

From now on, it would be a life-or-death slaughter.

 

Hounded continued to encourage his subordinates.

 

“If we’re breached, those things will swarm all the way to the villages! Stop them by any means necessary!”

 

He was at the very front, swinging his great sword and fighting the monsters.

 

However.

 

Ku-woong!

 

When a massive Yate reaching 5 meters in height approached right before his eyes, even the valiant Hounded couldn’t help but flinch.

 

[Keu-wooooooooo!]

 

The Yate’s roar froze the surrounding soldiers.

 

“Shut up, you monster!”

 

Mana flowed into Hounded’s sword tip.

 

A weakly generated Aura Blade flew toward the Yate.

 

Pit—

 

However, only a shallow wound remained on the Yate’s thick fur pelt, and Hounded’s sword broke clean in half.

 

[Woo-oooooo!]

 

The Yate, enraged by the wound, threw a punch.

 

Ppeo-eok!

 

With that single blow, Hounded’s armor shattered to pieces.

 

Kwakwakwa-kwang!

 

Hounded crashed through the wooden palisade and tumbled out.

 

The soldiers rushed over to support him, but his armor as well as all the bones in his arms and legs were already broken.

 

“Damn it…”

 

The Yate walks toward the bloodied Captain Hounded.

 

The creature was grinning mockingly at the humans before its eyes, continuously puffing out hot breath.

 

“…”

 

“…”

 

“…”

 

The expressions of the soldiers who sensed their end hardened stiffly.

 

But none of them turned their steps backward.

 

If there had been such a person, they wouldn’t have been able to serve here until now in the first place.

 

“Kuk kuk kuk— Can’t be helped.”

 

Captain Hounded spoke to his subordinates.

 

“I’m sorry, men! It’s come to this because my strength was lacking! You’ve all worked hard serving such an incompetent outpost commander!”

 

Then his subordinates also shouted out cheerfully.

 

“Uhaha— Who served who!”

 

“Big brother, you’re the one who worked hard serving us incompetent fools all this time!”

 

“Damn it— I’m alone so I have no regrets dying here! It’s you guys with wives and children who are the problem!”

 

The soldiers of the Mörsolt Family didn’t lose their spirit even until the moment of death.

 

Hounded lifted his blood-covered face.

 

The dark night sky, swirling snowflakes, and the Yate’s head.

 

‘Damn it… If only I had been a little stronger… If only I had a little more power, I could have saved at least these guys…’

 

It was frustrating enough to bring tears, but what couldn’t be helped was what couldn’t be helped.

 

Captain Hounded and his subordinates were accepting death at that moment on that day.

 

…Bang!

 

They certainly would have, if only the Yate’s head right before their eyes hadn’t suddenly exploded like a firecracker.

 

“?”

 

Captain Hounded and the soldiers make dumbfounded expressions.

 

But regardless of that.

 

Splatter— Splatter— Splatter—

 

The shower of blood had no intention of resolving everyone’s questions, merely pouring down hot and silently.

 

“What, what is it?”

 

One of the soldiers opened his mouth with a bewildered expression.

 

That was the beginning.

 

[Kik?]

 

[Kehek—]

 

[Keuaaaaaaak!]

 

The screams of monsters could be heard from behind.

 

Clearly, bloody trajectories were being drawn in the empty midair where nothing existed, and then the Yate and Sasquatches were being slaughtered en masse.

 

Severed limbs flew up into the air and eyeballs, entrails, tongues, bone fragments and other crushed flesh scattered in all directions.

 

And in the midst of all this, Captain Hounded with his keen eyes discovered something important.

 

“There, there’s someone over there!”

 

A white blizzard swirling fiercely.

 

Beyond it, a whitish shadow was weaving through the monsters.

 

The blizzard was white, the snowy field was white, and the shadow was white too, so it was hard to distinguish what was what.

 

Slice—thud!

 

But he could clearly make out another Yate’s head being severed right now.

 

At that very moment.

 

“What are you all doing? Not providing cover.”

 

The whitish shadow stopped blankly in the middle of the snowy field and spoke to them.

 

Realizing it was human language, Captain Hounded quickly came to his senses.

 

“Th-this is no time to be doing this! Attack! Full attack!”

 

The white shadow that had been unidentifiable until just now was actually human.

 

That alone made the soldiers’ morale soar.

 

“Don’t just stand there dazed. Keep moving.”

 

The white shadow’s voice was colder than the north wind, but somehow the soldiers felt their hearts growing hot.

 

Swoosh—!

 

Because every time his voice rang out.

 

…Pop! …Pop! …Pop! …Pop! …Pop! …Pop! …Pop! …Pop! …Splurt—!

 

The necks of monsters trying to climb over the wooden palisade were severed one after another, and crimson fountains of blood erupted.

 

“This is even more exciting than the fireworks festival held in my hometown village plaza when I was three!”

 

“Seeing those damn Yate and Sasquatch bastards getting slaughtered makes me feel completely refreshed!”

 

“We’re saved! We’re saved now! Everyone can live!”

 

The soldiers used long spears and crossbows to quickly finish off the monsters that had lost limbs and were flailing about.

 

Meanwhile, the white shadow continued to rampage through the Monster Territory beyond the wooden palisade as if it were uninhabited land.

 

…Flash! Crack—!

 

Once again, a giant Yate was caught by the white shadow’s sword and split in half.

 

Sasquatch covered in tough muscle all over their bodies, and Yate large enough to swallow a horse in one bite—all were cut down like rotten radish pieces before the white shadow.

 

Execution. Massacre. Slaughter.

 

The snowy field was soon soaked with the blood of monsters.

 

A pond where snow had melted red and turned muddy.

 

Splash— Splash— Splash—

 

The white shadow walked across it.

 

The soldiers tensely awaited the white shadow.

 

“Who, who are you, sir?”

 

The soldiers couldn’t hide their shock at the sight of the white shadow that appeared before their eyes.

 

The opponent they had thought would be a skilled warrior was a boy with a delicate appearance who seemed to be barely in his mid-teens.

 

Moreover, he was shirtless in this bitter winter cold, and monster blood was frozen in sharp spikes all over his body.

 

At that moment, Captain Hounded, who had risen with the support of his soldiers, opened his eyes wide.

 

Long ago, when he had served at Mörsolt Castle, he had seen the white shadow’s face a few times.

 

He hadn’t seen him often since he rarely showed his face, but such a beautiful face with white hair and ruby-red eyes was certainly not common.

 

“Co-could it be Young Master Featherback!?”

 

* * *

 

The bloody blizzard that had swept through everything had completely subsided.

 

Featherback shook the hand axe he had picked up from the abandoned mine to shake off the blood.

 

‘When it comes to smashing the heads of low-grade monsters, nothing beats this hand axe.’

 

Looking around, he counted fourteen dead Yate and forty-five Sasquatch lying scattered.

 

‘When Ice Dragon Adara went on a rampage, the remaining lesser monsters must have fled here.’

 

It had been perfect exercise on the way back.

 

At that moment, Sancho, who had been following behind, collapsed while gasping for breath.

 

“Young Master, the leather clothing holding the egg is about to tear. Let’s get a sack here. And I don’t even dare ask for a wagon, but at least a sled…”

 

“…”

 

“It’s not that I’m having a hard time, but this egg here says it’s having a hard time…”

 

At Sancho’s dying complaints, Featherback clicked his tongue and turned his head.

 

“Outpost Commander.”

 

“Yes! Young Master! What can I do for you!?”

 

Captain Hounded’s booming voice came from behind.

 

Wrapped in bandages all over his body, he was looking at Featherback with bright, eager eyes.

 

All the other soldiers around were the same.

 

Featherback spoke in his characteristically indifferent tone.

 

“Can you spare one horse… no, two horses. I intend to return to the mansion.”

 

“Of course! I’ll bring two swift and brave ones!”

 

“And if you have any preservable provisions, I’d appreciate it if you could pack some.”

 

“We have dried fruit and jerky! I’ll pack them full! Is there anything else you need!”

 

“No.”

 

“Yes! I’ll prepare them right away!”

 

At Hounded’s crisp military response, Featherback quietly observed him.

 

A frontier outpost with poor supply lines and great distance from civilization.

 

A knight who had been rotting away in such a place for years, sustained only by loyalty to the declining Mörsolt Family.

 

Featherback asked Hounded in an indifferent tone.

 

“You’ve managed to hold out well with that crude wooden palisade. From what I can see, supply deliveries haven’t been smooth either.”

 

“It’s all thanks to the soldiers’ discipline and skill!”

 

Captain Hounded deflected the credit to his subordinates.

 

Then his subordinates eagerly spoke up as well.

 

“It’s because our commander was capable! Without Outpost Commander Hounded’s tactics and command, this place would have been overrun long ago.”

 

Superior and subordinates deflected credit to each other.

 

Featherback nodded his head.

 

“The soldiers’ training condition is good and their vigilance is excellent as well. Setting aside that insufficient supplies will be gradually replenished, do you have any matters to directly propose to me before that?”

 

“Hmm…”

 

At Featherback’s words, Captain Hounded hesitated for a moment.

 

Then the soldiers beside him whispered in small voices.

 

“Come on, big brother. Speak up quickly!”

 

“Even if we don’t, big brother really should speak up!”

 

Finally, Captain Hounded squeezed his eyes shut and shouted.

 

“Actually, this applies not just to me but to most of the soldiers serving at this outpost! All this time, we have been receiving somewhat inadequate treatment in terms of promotion! No, somewhat disappointing treatment! No, somewhat, how should I put it, treatment that feels lacking in a way that might not be entirely unreasonable to consider as not entirely satisfactory…”

 

The voice that had started as a spirited shout gradually grew smaller.

 

Featherback roughly caught on to the context.

 

Certainly, the knights and soldiers at this outpost had much superior skills compared to those at other outposts, but held lower ranks.

 

What sustained them was truly nothing but a sense of duty.

 

While Featherback looked around, Captain Hounded squeezed his eyes shut and said.

 

“I have served here for 8 years but still remain at the rank of captain! If Young Master would just put my name and my subordinates’ names on the promotion examination list after returning to the mansion, we will surely work hard to pass the examination…”

 

“Understood. Lieutenant Colonel Hounded.”

 

“…!”

 

At Featherback’s words, Captain Hounded’s—no, Lieutenant Colonel Hounded’s—eyes widened in shock.

 

Featherback continued in his characteristic indifferent tone.

 

“All knights and soldiers who have served at this outpost are promoted two ranks effective immediately.”

 

“…! …! …!”

 

The mouths of the surrounding soldiers also fell wide open.

 

Featherback thought.

 

‘Anyway, expansion due to immigrants will be inevitable in the process of creating a new mining village. When new troops are dispatched, veteran soldiers will be needed to teach them.’

 

This was not an impulsive exceptional promotion, but the result of strategic consideration for the future ahead.

 

Moreover, it was also the proper treatment that talented individuals who had served with dedication and a sense of mission for so long deserved to receive.

 

“Treatment according to pay grade and years of service will also be appropriately upgraded. When I return to the mansion, not only supplies but also new personnel will be provided on a large scale. Lieutenant Colonel Hounded?”

 

“Yes, yes sir!”

 

“You should prepare to welcome and train the new recruits who will be coming in large numbers. Ah, when rebuilding the outpost, the site will be expanded tenfold, so you should also select locations for erecting the wooden palisade in advance.”

 

“How could there be any objection!”

 

Everyone, including Lieutenant Colonel Hounded whose eyes were glistening with tears, shouted passionately at the top of their lungs.

 

It was such a loud cheer that it caused a small-scale avalanche on a distant mountain peak.

 

* * *

 

A few days later, Featherback reached Mörsolt Mansion.

 

Sancho, perhaps too overwhelmed with emotion upon arriving at the mansion, fainted on the spot.

 

Featherback casually sent Sancho to the medical room and headed toward the mansion.

 

There, Family Head Soleil and eldest daughter Cardona had come out to greet him.

 

Unexpectedly, Rorschach was also standing beside them, and for some reason, he could be seen wearing different colored shoes on his left and right feet.

 

Soleil welcomed Featherback with a warm smile.

 

“My son, you’ve worked hard.”

 

“I have returned.”

 

Many words weren’t necessary.

 

Featherback thought so.

 

However, Soleil’s words that followed made Featherback’s thoughts change slightly.

 

“Just the fact that you’ve returned alive like this makes this father feel like crying. What does it matter if the expedition failed? It was an unreasonable subjugation from the start. How could you succeed with such prisoners? It’s alright, it’s alright. This father is so grateful that you’ve returned safely that I don’t know what to do with myself.”

 

Many words weren’t necessary, but… it seemed it would be better to say at least a few words.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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