The Mad Spearman of the Northern Front - Chapter 116
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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 (116)
Whiiiiiiing!
The cold wind of the Northern Region swept across the plains, cutting through them.
Wind carrying dust and dirt brushed against cheeks, shaking bodies.
The sky was heavily shrouded with black clouds that swallowed even the moonlight, and the area in front of the gorge writhed as if darkness itself was alive and moving.
“….”
Reconnaissance squad leader Vigran, who had entered the plains, swept his surroundings with sharp eyes.
Due to the thick darkness, he couldn’t see ahead clearly.
However, the instincts he had honed through long reconnaissance missions seemed to be warning him of something.
‘…What is this.’
Vigran’s steps faltered at the strange uneasiness he felt in the darkness.
It was just simple wind and darkness, so why did it feel so suffocating?
Clench.
Vigran tightly clenched his fist.
This reconnaissance mission could be said to be the most important operation for the Empire than ever before.
Vigran spoke.
“Focus on perimeter security. Even if we have to go far around, we’ll move by taking detours.”
“Understood.”
“Yes.”
“If any positions where enemies might ambush appear, we’ll unconditionally avoid them and move, so pay special attention to that.”
When the order was given, the reconnaissance squad moved stealthily yet quickly.
The reconnaissance squad led by Vigran was a unit specialized in reconnaissance missions even within the Empire.
Therefore, they didn’t doubt their success in the slightest.
However, when Vigran and the reconnaissance squad penetrated deep into the plains.
“….”
Vigran’s pupils trembled slightly.
These plains.
He had thought they were just simply spread out widely.
‘I never thought… they would be set up like this.’
If you simply think it’s just a wide plain where you clash with force against force, great disaster could occur.
This place was already what those guys had created….
“We need to go back. We must report this quickly.”
Vigran’s heart became urgent.
At his words, all the reconnaissance squad members nodded.
But before they could even turn around.
Swooooooooosh!
With a sharp sound cutting through the wind, a heavy metal chunk shot out from the darkness.
Thunk!
An axe thrown by someone stuck precisely into a reconnaissance squad member’s chest.
“Gack…!”
Before the scream could even spread, blood burst forth and sprayed through the air.
Another squad member nearby, startled, simultaneously.
“En-enemy atta…!”
Hurriedly shouted about the enemy attack, but those words couldn’t continue to the end.
Slash!
The black shadows rushing from the darkness struck down the reconnaissance squad like lightning.
Strange movements as if the wind itself had taken form.
At the speed that couldn’t be followed with eyes, Vigran shouted loudly.
“Prepare for battle! Defend!”
He shouted urgently, but it was already too late.
The soldiers’ bodies were torn apart one by one and collapsed helplessly to the ground.
Vigran instinctively drew his sword.
But before that sword could be fully drawn.
Stab!
Cold metal pierced into his left shoulder.
“Aaaaaaaah!”
Hot blood flowed down and convulsions occurred throughout his body.
Gritting his teeth, Vigran forcibly drew his sword and swung it forward.
Swish!
But there was nothing touching his fingertips.
The opponent who had attacked him had already moved to another location.
The movements of those guys who moved using darkness as their waterway were truly ghostly.
Thunk!
Slash!
“Aaaaaaaah!”
“Sa-save me…!”
“Nooooooo!”
The soldiers’ screams burst out one after another.
Watching his subordinates fall helplessly, Vigran tried to do something, but….
“Imperial dogs. Give up any thoughts of returning alive.”
At a voice heard from beyond the shadows, Vigran flinched and turned his head.
And when he turned his gaze there.
“Huh, gasp!”
Two red lights shining in the darkness.
Along with those blood-colored things that seemed like they would devour even souls, something fell above his head.
Crack!
* * *
The tent fluttered in the wind blowing from outside, but the inside of the office was quiet as if time had stopped.
“….”
The office where tension had settled.
As silence pressed down on shoulders, Claw just silently looked at Belkain in front of him.
Belkain gazed down at the map depicting beyond the gorge, then soon muttered quietly.
“…There’s no news.”
He had already sent reconnaissance squads several times, but there was no information sufficient to complete this map.
No, setting aside information, wasn’t there not even one who had returned alive?
At this, Claw carefully opened his mouth.
“Seven reconnaissance squads have already gone missing. Even the last one… was the reconnaissance unit led by Lieutenant Vigran.”
He paused as if choosing his words, then spoke in an even heavier voice.
“Now we can’t simply think it’s just bad luck or that the situation isn’t good.”
“It means those guys are already waiting for us.”
However, what was puzzling was, what on earth had they done for elite units specialized in reconnaissance to collapse like this?
Though they weren’t particularly outstanding in combat power, they were instead excellent in mobility and specialized in moving stealthily.
‘Does it mean no matter how much we struggle, we’re playing in the palm of their hand?’
Belkain pressed the map with his finger. Then he spoke in a voice mixed with sighs.
“It means there’s something… we haven’t seen yet.”
At those words, Claw nodded.
“I think the same. If it had been simple Kar Tribe ambushes in our intelligence, someone among the reconnaissance squads we’ve sent so far would have returned. But the fact that no one could return… I think it means there are variables that far exceed our expectations.”
The air inside the office settled heavily.
The consecutive occurrence of quite unexpected situations was perplexing even for Belkain.
Belkain exhaled deeply.
“The main force will arrive here in two weeks. If there are no results by then….”
In the end, they would have to take the risk and move the main force.
But if by any chance that unexpected variable were to affect even the main force.
“….”
Just thinking about it was terrifying.
They had to find at least some clue about this problem that had arisen.
However….
‘This matter that even units specialized in reconnaissance couldn’t resolve….’
But then, Claw cautiously spoke up.
“If I may be so bold… could I offer one opinion?”
“Speak.”
Belkain raised his head to look at him.
Claw continued.
“How about entrusting it to Captain Isaac and Lieutenant Arteon?”
Belkain’s gaze narrowed.
“Isaac and Arteon.”
“They already have a record of completing impossible missions in the Special Unit. Whether it’s combat power or reconnaissance. Both possess skills superior to others.”
Claw’s words grew faster.
“If we deploy them in the current situation, at the very least, they won’t disappear meaninglessly like now.”
“….”
When Claw finished speaking, Belkain crossed his arms and fell into deep thought.
He too was well aware of Isaac and Arteon’s abilities.
Weren’t they the two with the greatest combat power in the Special Unit, excluding Lucael?
‘But….’
That’s precisely why he hesitated.
If by any chance they lost those two, they would suffer tremendous losses before the war even began.
“…Sergeant.”
“Yes, Sergeant Claw.”
When Belkain called out quietly, Claw straightened his posture and answered.
Belkain then said.
“Bring those two here immediately.”
“Understood.”
Soon after Claw left, the office fell into silence again.
And within that silence, Belkain’s eyes had grown even colder.
* * *
It was quite a serious matter.
In some ways, it might be a story Belkain wouldn’t want to bring up from his position.
“…That’s the situation. It’s somewhat risky to move the main force without knowing anything about the enemy’s circumstances.”
Isaac’s expression hardened after hearing Belkain’s words.
He knew to some extent about the specialized units that had gone out for reconnaissance earlier.
They couldn’t compare to the Empire’s top-tier reconnaissance units.
But compared to regular units, their abilities were indeed specialized.
“If I had to guess the failure factor… simply having superior mobility and observation skills isn’t enough.”
“That’s what I think. What’s needed now isn’t units with reconnaissance abilities, but units with the ability to handle enemies when they appear.”
If they also possessed reconnaissance abilities, that would be ideal.
Isaac looked at Arteon.
What was that guy thinking right now?
But Arteon, who had been looking at Belkain without any change in expression, finally spoke when both gazes turned to him.
“If you give the order, I will follow it.”
He stated his position without hesitation.
‘Until now… there hasn’t been a single easy task.’
His past life too.
And now as well.
Rather, the current situation could be said to be much better than his past life.
He had good comrades, and he possessed power through Vargas’s legacy.
‘Moreover….’
Arteon knew.
He knew what lay beyond this Helikel Gorge.
Beyond Helikel Gorge, Aikuled, and Elvarfiel Lake, one shouldn’t think of it as the same Kar Tribe territory as before.
This boundary was like their main base as well.
That’s why those of a different level than before were guarding it.
‘Probably… guys at Taman’s level are at least 5-Star… no, was it 6-Star?’
Even the past Arteon couldn’t face them in direct combat.
There were monsters crawling everywhere who could treat him, someone at the 4-Star Realm who could handle Aura, like a child.
Moreover, what he had never encountered in his past life… the pinnacle of the Kar Tribe.
Come to think of it.
Although Vargas, who had reached 7th Star, was said to have dominated the Northern Region, wasn’t it impossible to completely unify this Northern Region?
Of course, there was interference from opposing forces in the Imperial Capital during that process.
‘There are an incredible number of monsters far beyond our expectations.’
Belkain calling Captain Isaac and himself was.
‘Perhaps an instinctive sense acquired while carrying out work until now.’
That instinct that they absolutely must not move the main force without information.
Then….
“If you just give the order… I’ll organize a unit and move out tomorrow.”
They had to move quickly.
The main force would arrive in two weeks.
After that, even the option to try something would disappear.
Then… they had to move as quickly as possible.
The outside of this gorge wasn’t a place that could be scouted in just a day or two.
Seeing the look in Arteon’s eyes, Isaac unconsciously let out a small breath.
‘This guy….’
He had already finished making his decision, hadn’t he?
Even if he didn’t participate, Arteon was planning to go out alone.
Isaac then looked at Belkain and said.
“If you entrust it to us, we’ll do our best to carry it out.”
“…I’m sorry, this isn’t really your mission.”
Uncharacteristic words flowed from Belkain’s mouth.
It was because he himself recognized how dangerous this task was.
However, it was something that someone absolutely had to do.
Belkain said.
“I’ll provide everything you need. Then finish preparations by midnight tomorrow.”
Along with that order.
“Legion Commander, may I make one request?”
“Speak.”
At those words, Arteon said.
“Lieutenant Arteon and Captain Isaac. Just the two of us will move.”
“…?”
At those words, Belkain’s eyes began to shake dramatically for the first time.
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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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