The Mad Spearman of the Northern Front - Chapter 10
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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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The Mad Spearman of the Northern Front (10)
4th Platoon 4th Squad.
It was the most notorious place where troublemakers gathered, practically no different from an abandoned squad.
They were the guys who were always deployed to the most dangerous places as meat shields.
“Lately… it seems like the 4th Squad of 4th Platoon has changed somehow.”
“They’ve been training incredibly hard during their personal time, haven’t they?”
The officers who had gathered for a report were chatting among themselves.
The atmosphere of the 4th Platoon, which had been ordered to deploy to the 1st Defense Line, was like a funeral home.
But among them, only the 4th Squad had a distinctly different, very lively atmosphere.
One officer said.
“From what I’ve seen, they’re training in some unusual Combined Tactics.”
“But it’s at a pathetic level. Just holding shields and forming formations doesn’t make it Combined Tactics.”
“Besides, one of them is practicing archery? Hehe, I don’t know what the point is of training with a bow right before heading to the battlefield.”
“I think they’ve just decided to die.”
They giggled and chatted with each other.
After all, it had nothing to do with them.
But then, one officer who was present said.
“But if the 4th Platoon actually returns alive from the 1st Defense Line this time… wouldn’t their achievements be greatly recognized?”
It was the 1st Defense Line that everyone had refused to go to.
Just participating in such a dangerous battlefield would be enough to receive a commendation.
But if by chance…
“But if someone actually achieves merit there, it would be quite a funny picture. I think there would be quite a big reward.”
“Hehe, from the 4th Platoon? They’d be grateful just to return alive.”
“Hoho, that’s right. Right now the 1st Defense Line is… truly hell itself. It’s best to avoid it if you can.”
At their continuing words.
“…”
The officer who had brought up the topic of achievements just stared blankly in the direction where the 4th Platoon was.
* * *
Thunk!
Seeing the arrow embedded in the target, Arteon made a surprised expression.
‘I thought he’d be good since he has some dexterity, but…’
What is this guy?
Arteon looked at Graphil, who had shot the arrow and was making a bewildered expression.
Graphil said.
“Is this… how you do it?”
“Have you ever shot a bow before?”
“No, this is my first time in my life.”
It had only been an hour since he started learning archery.
All Arteon had done was help him with basic posture.
He knew the basic stances for various weapons, but he wasn’t proficient in all of them.
But…
‘Is this what talent is?’
Arteon swallowed his surprise inwardly.
Graphil’s talent as an archer was beyond what he had imagined.
In just one hour, he was accurately hitting his intended targets.
Of course, hitting moving targets would be difficult, but…
“Graphil. From now on, you’re excluded from all other schedules. Except for sleeping and eating, you’ll continuously practice archery here.”
“What? By myself?”
“I’ll come check on you from time to time. For now, practice until you can hit all your targets when shooting from twice the current distance.”
And he planned to gradually increase the shooting speed as well.
With this kind of talent.
‘He could reach a decent level in ten days.’
The crime this guy committed was theft.
He had apparently pickpocketed noble ladies hundreds of times.
It was amazing that his wrists were still attached.
‘This is an unexpected harvest. Who would have thought there was such a gem here?’
Arteon patted Graphil’s shoulder and walked toward where the other squad members were.
“Aaaaargh!”
“Haaaah!”
And the other place was in complete chaos.
These were guys who knew nothing about tactics, starting from basic physical fitness.
To survive in this barren Northern Region, physical strength was the most basic requirement.
Therefore…
“Move faster. This current hardship will extend your lives.”
“Ugh…!”
“P-please spare me…!”
The crawling motion on all fours with knees slightly raised, like they did last time, would strengthen their core and develop muscles throughout their bodies.
In the morning, he planned to do physical training along with exercises to develop full-body muscles.
And from noon to night, he planned to do Combined Tactics training along with training to improve their individual combat abilities.
Arteon said.
“Bert, you can rest once you finish all the training I instructed.”
“Where are you going again?”
“I have things to do. If you slack off because I’m not here, you’ll do twice the current training, so keep that in mind.”
Arteon’s eyes flashed sharply.
“If you think I won’t know, feel free to try it.”
“…No sir, that will absolutely never happen.”
Since that day, Bert’s attitude had completely changed.
Maybe it was because he was from the back alleys, but he had completely acknowledged defeat in terms of power hierarchy.
Arteon looked at Raymen, who unlike the other guys was biting his lips tightly and training silently.
‘That’s the guy who was dragged here for insulting and assaulting a noble, right?’
Uniquely, he was the only one among those here who had properly learned ‘Weapon Arts.’
“Raymen.”
“Yes.”
When Arteon called, Raymen stood up and answered.
In terms of skill, he was definitely superior to Bert.
‘Is he hiding his abilities, or does he just dislike conflict…’
Without any particularly troublesome behavior, he was simply following Arteon’s orders.
Arteon said to Raymen.
“From now on, you’re the sub-squad leader. If the squad members’ training is inadequate, you’ll discipline them, and if that doesn’t work, report to me.”
“…Me, sir?”
“Yes, I’ll report to the higher-ups, so understand that.”
“Understood.”
The guy’s calm gaze.
Guys like this generally don’t cause other problems.
If it went against their values or sense of justice, they would rebel.
In the current situation, he was the most trustworthy guy to entrust with this.
Step by step.
Arteon, having entrusted his back to Raymen, moved to a quiet place where no one was around.
Although there were many soldiers in the military base, finding a place to train alone wasn’t difficult.
“This place looks good.”
It was a spot not far from the base where soldiers rarely set foot.
Arteon checked if anyone was around and immediately sat down.
‘Now…’
Since returning, he hadn’t had time to learn Wolfhart’s spear technique or the Vargas Mana Cultivation Method.
Now there were 9 days left.
Just like the other guys.
It was a tight schedule for Arteon as well.
‘Within 9 days…’
He had to reach at least the 3rd Star of the Vargas Mana Cultivation Method.
Fortunately though.
‘The mana amplification magic circle that was in the division commander’s personal training ground…’
Thanks to practicing the mana cultivation method like crazy during his two weeks of free time, he could reach the 3rd Star with just a little more effort.
‘After that.’
Learning the Vargas Spear Technique was important.
Simply knowing something in your head and actually moving and utilizing it were completely different things.
Although time was pressing.
‘Slowly… one by one.’
Arteon decided to do what he could, one thing at a time.
As he always had.
What he was best at was.
‘Enduring.’
Arteon closed his eyes and began the Vargas Mana Cultivation Method.
* * *
Buuuuuuuuuuuu!
The old flute echoed across the brutal battlefield.
The sound that called death.
The moment the Kar Tribe’s horn resounded across the battlefield.
“Uaaaaaaaa!”
“Kraaaaa!”
“Kill them all!”
The waiting Kar Tribe warriors all began charging toward the Empire’s soldiers at once.
Kugugugugugugugu!
The frozen ground.
Benhard in the Northern Region.
There, they would break through the 1st Defense Line and claim the Empire’s land as theirs.
The eyes of the Kar Tribe warriors flashed sharper and more murderous than ever before.
And right behind them.
“Turn some warriors to the left to attack the enemy. That place has many gaps.”
“Understood.”
Buuuu! Buuuuu!
Following the orders from the center, the movements of the Kar Tribe warriors changed.
Among those who were charging, some warriors on the left changed direction and moved.
However…
“Don’t let them scatter!”
“Archer unit, fire!”
Swish swish swish swish swish!
Arrows were shot from the Empire’s forces in formation, targeting the Kar Tribe warriors moving to the left.
And…
Thud thud thud thud thud!
“Krak!”
“Kraak!”
“Kuhuk!”
The Kar Tribe warriors hit by arrows screamed and collapsed to the ground.
Though there were less than a hundred arrows, their movement was blocked by the continuous rain of arrows.
“…It’s Fearland.”
Braktus said.
The Empire’s dog blocking this 1st Defense Line.
Fearland Carberon.
How many warriors had died because of that bastard’s tactics until now.
However…
“The arrow assault seems like it will end soon.”
“They say there are problems with arrow supply as well.”
As expected, the arrow attacks that had been pouring down like a downpour were gradually decreasing.
At this, Braktus raised his hand.
“Try blocking this too.”
This is the real gift we prepared.
“Deploy the mobile warriors.”
War horses adapted to the harsh environment of the north.
They had much more fur than ordinary horses and thicker hooves.
Therefore, they were resistant to cold and could run vigorously on the hard northern ground.
Each one was considerably large, almost twice the size of ordinary horses.
And yet they possessed fast speed.
Though they were difficult to secure even in the north.
Thud thud thud thud thud thud thud!
Mobile warriors riding as many as fifty northern horses charged at tremendous speed toward the Empire soldiers defending the 1st Defense Line.
And watching those mobile warriors.
“Turak, we prepare as well.”
“Understood.”
Braktus was also preparing to enter battle.
* * *
For a week, they continuously honed basic physical training and the fundamentals of combined tactics.
Of course, physical fitness couldn’t improve in such a short time.
However, the technical aspects had improved considerably.
‘But the most important thing is to experience real combat-like fighting.’
The difference between someone who had experienced real combat even once and someone who hadn’t was indescribably vast.
Therefore, they needed an opportunity to test combined tactics not just in practice, but at an intensity similar to real combat.
“Everyone wait here. I’ll be back soon.”
Three days left.
During this time, they had to use every possible means available.
Otherwise, they might die immediately upon reaching the 1st Defense Line.
That’s why Arteon immediately went to find Hendris, the platoon leader.
‘As expected.’
Three days remained until deployment to the 1st Defense Line.
Hendris’s expression couldn’t have been good.
Hendris, who had been looking almost deathly pale, saw Arteon who had suddenly come to visit.
“What’s the matter?”
Though he was trying to act calm, he was still unable to escape from the terror of the 1st Defense Line.
In this situation…
‘A way to change the atmosphere and gain maximum benefit is…’
Arteon looked at Hendris and spoke.
“I want to make a bet with another squad.”
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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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