The Mad Spearman of the Northern Front - Chapter 104

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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 (104)

Whoooooooosh!

A small cave dug into the center of the gorge.

Unlike the outside where the blizzard was raging, this place was a hideout where they could catch their breath for a moment.

Lucael stood at the cave entrance, looking toward the direction where the Kar Tribe formation was located across the gorge.

His eyes were more tense than ever before.

Lucael, who had been looking outside, spoke quietly.

“Everyone be ready. The moment the signal flare goes up… we move immediately.”

In the tense atmosphere, all the special unit members nodded their heads.

Then, Isaac spoke to Lucael.

“There will be Kar Tribe scouts at the canyon entrance as well. We need to consider the time to deal with those guys too.”

“Of course.”

Lucael answered briefly.

Though it was light conversation related to the operation, breaking the long-continued silence felt somewhat relieving.

And then.

“If you untie me… I’ll help too.”

Pweril, who had been sitting bound in the corner, raised her gaze and spoke to Lucael.

At those words, one unit member immediately frowned.

“Can’t you tell when to butt in and when not to? How can we trust you and untie you?”

“…”

Pweril also turned her head to the side as if she had expected this.

Though they seemed to be cooperating, she was an important hostage to them.

However, Lucael, who had been looking at Pweril, seemed to be pondering something.

“Untie her.”

“…What?”

He spoke while looking at the unit member who was near Pweril.

Lucael continued in a firm tone.

“If this operation fails anyway, everyone dies. The Chevilk Tribe who went with Lieutenant Arteon will be the same… so this woman clearly has a reason to help us.”

Lucael’s gaze turned toward Pweril.

She neither affirmed nor denied, just maintained a calm expression while receiving that gaze.

“…I don’t know anything if something goes wrong.”

One unit member protested quietly while untying Pweril’s bonds.

Once untied, Pweril rubbed her freed wrists and sent a serious look toward them.

Soon her gaze turned toward the outside of the cave where the blizzard was raging.

And how much time had passed?

When quiet silence was weighing down on their shoulders again and anxiety was sprouting in their hearts.

One unit member spoke to Isaac in front of him with an anxious expression.

“The signal flare… it’s too late, isn’t it?”

“It’s much later than the scheduled time.”

Following the words of another unit member, Isaac looked at Lucael.

Before they knew it, the air inside the cave was filled with impatience, and a strange anxiety seemed to burrow into their hearts as if confirmed.

Lucael was concentrating with his senses raised to the maximum, but as the unit members said, no signal flare was visible.

However…

“We wait.”

A short and resolute answer.

Lucael, who had been staring outside, shook off the anxiety that had invaded the cave all at once and looked at the unit members.

“We wait until the signal flare goes up. Surely if it’s Lieutenant Arteon… he won’t fail. The reason for the delay must be variables that arose on site. We wait.”

There must be a reason why Commander Belkain and Captain Isaac trust him.

Now they had to wait for him.

‘If we move rashly…’

We could ruin the entire operation.

So for now.

“I trust Lieutenant Arteon.”

At Lucael’s words, everyone nodded and waited for the signal flare.

*    *    *

Swoosh!

The closer they got to the location of the target, the bolder their movements became.

Iryakl couldn’t hide his bewildered expression as he watched Arteon running forward while increasing his speed.

Despite clearly increasing his speed, his presence had become even more stealthy than before.

He was watching him running right in front of him, yet his presence was barely felt.

‘What is this guy…?’

He wondered if such movement would be possible unless assassination was his natural calling.

Meanwhile, Arteon was erasing the sounds made while moving by continuing precise control over all the mana concentrated in his legs.

‘Just a little more…’

Precise mana control was one of the most important elements in Vargas Northern Spear Technique.

Because of this, such movement was possible, but it had to be difficult even for Arteon, who excelled at mana control.

Therefore…

Swoosh!

Arteon headed toward the barracks where the target was located even faster and more boldly.

And the moment his vision gradually became clear due to the torch in front of the barracks.

“…?!”

“Wh, who are you… Guhk!”

With a clanking sound, Iglis shot out in a straight line and instantly pierced through the two Kar Tribe warriors guarding the front of the barracks.

In the situation that occurred in the blink of an eye, the remaining guys hastily drew their weapons.

“Enemy…!”

One guy tried to shout loudly, but.

Stab!

The guy’s expression hardened as sharp claws pierced through from behind.

No way…

“You bastard…”

They hadn’t even imagined that Iryakl, whom they had been treating like a slave, would attack them.

But there was no time to think long.

There were already Kar Tribe warriors inside the barracks as well.

If they had noticed the commotion outside, surely…

“Iruakan!”

Iryakl shouted as he entered the barracks. 

If anything happened to that child, he would…

But the moment Iryakl entered the barracks.

“Waaaaah! Waaaaaaaaah!”

He saw Arteon holding a crying baby in his arms, trying to soothe it.

And beside him was a fallen Kar Tribe warrior bleeding.

“There, there. This little one sure has a loud cry.”

Arteon, who was carefully moving step by step while soothing the child, looked at Iryakl.

“Take him, and from now on… you just need to protect this child.”

“…Iruakan.”

Iryakl murmured quietly as he received the baby.

Soon Iruakan, held in Iryakl’s arms, stopped crying and mumbled something while rubbing his eyes vigorously.

Iryakl, who wrapped the now peacefully sleeping Iruakan in cloth and held him in his arms, looked at Arteon.

“Then quickly fire the signal flare…”

“That’s what we should do, but…”

Arteon turned his gaze outside the barracks.

“…They’ve already noticed.”

“…!”

At those words, Iryakl belatedly turned his head.

In the direction of his gaze, dozens of Kar Tribe members were rushing toward them.

Iryakl said.

“It’s impossible to face all of them at once. We need to move to another location.”

“The signal flare comes first.”

Arteon quickly ran outside the barracks and looked at the torch in front of him.

The enemies had already approached close range, but Arteon calmly took out the signal flare first.

Hissssss!

Arteon used the torch to light the fuse at the end of the signal flare.

Just as the fuse burned inward and the signal flare was about to shoot toward the sky.

Whizz, slash!

“…!”

Along with a strike that cut down the signal flare mid-flight.

“Did you think you could do whatever you wanted?”

Kereilkarun’s voice rang out clearly as he rushed forward, displaying crimson aura.

Having spotted Arteon firing the signal flare, he had intercepted it first.

With this, the possibility of them calling for reinforcements had vanished.

“I don’t know what plan you were preparing, but… this place will be your grave.”

Soon, Kereilkarun looked at Iryakl standing beside Arteon and said.

“How disappointing, Iryakl. I thought you and we could have had a decent relationship.”

“…A decent relationship while holding my child hostage? What insane talk.”

“With that foolish decision of yours, not only you, but….”

Kereilkarun’s eyes flashed sharply.

“You’ve doomed that young baby to death as well.”

“Hyaaaah!”

“Die!”

The Kar Tribe warriors who came with Kereilkarun charged toward Arteon and Iryakl.

But Arteon drew up his aura and swung at the approaching enemies.

Whoosh!

A tremendous strike.

The blue aura alone posed an enormous threat to those who couldn’t handle aura.

However….

‘It’s impossible to block all of them at once.’

Especially in such an open area.

The failure of the signal flare had become quite a significant problem.

“We need to move positions first, hurry!”

As Iryakl said, time was too pressing.

If they were surrounded by the enemies, it would inevitably cause major problems.

‘If I were alone, it might be different….’

But Iryakl, who had to fight while protecting the baby, was with him.

Arteon immediately turned and followed behind Iryakl.

Thud!

“They’re running away! Chase them!”

“Don’t let them escape!”

The Kar Tribe warriors quickly pursued Arteon and Iryakl.

But they couldn’t match the speed of the two who were running with determination.

Kereilkarun watched the two growing distant and spoke to his subordinate beside him.

“Anyway, there’s nowhere for them to move within this area. Tighten the encirclement… and drive them in.”

“Understood.”

He didn’t know what scheme they had in mind.

‘Now that the signal flare is gone… they must be completely isolated.’

Then all that remained were just those two.

Kereilkarun flicked his tongue and licked his lips.

“Well then, from now on….”

Shall we begin the real hunt.

Soon, his eyes began to show a strange excitement, like a child who had found a new toy.

*    *    *

“Here.”

Though it was called the Kar Tribe’s formation, it was a place Iryakl knew well.

Having found a place to hide briefly while fleeing, Iryakl urgently looked at the baby in his arms.

Fortunately, it hadn’t woken up yet, but if it started crying, their position would be discovered easily.

“…Damn, what should we do now.”

Iryakl’s eyes shook greatly.

In a situation where they couldn’t fire the signal flare, calling the Imperial Army unit in the ravine passage was impossible.

No, perhaps….

“If time passes… won’t they come on their own?”

“Well, that’s not something we can guarantee.”

Arteon calmly regulated his breathing and looked at the baby in Iryakl’s arms.

In this situation, it was impossible to pour full strength into combat.

Especially for Iryakl, whose main specialty was surprise attacks through stealth.

“…Iryakl. Would it be alright if I held that baby while fighting?”

“What?”

A faint killing intent flowed in Iryakl’s eyes. 

Mentioning the baby itself was like touching his Achilles’ heel.

However….

“Can you fight properly while holding the baby? You’ll be discovered before you can even launch a surprise attack.”

“That’s….”

“You can make the choice. But….”

Swoosh.

Arteon turned his head to the opposite side.

Unlike himself and Iryakl who could hide their presence, the baby’s existence was too obvious.

Though it was sleeping, there was no way to hide the rustling sounds and breathing from being held.

Arteon said.

“Once the fighting starts, there will be no turning back.”

He had already detected the movement of enemies rushing toward this location.

Continuing to flee was possible, but they couldn’t do that forever.

Rather, now that the enemies had split their numbers for encirclement… they needed to reduce them somehow.

And….

“…Can I trust you?”

“Well. It would be ridiculous to ask for trust in this situation, but I’ll guarantee one thing.”

Arteon turned his gaze to Iryakl.

“Before my breath is cut off, I won’t let even a hair on this baby be touched.”

At those words, Iryakl carefully handed the baby in his arms to Arteon.

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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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