The Mad Spearman of the Northern Front - Chapter 117

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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 (117)

The inside of the barracks was still filled with heavy air.

When Arteon said he would conduct the reconnaissance with just himself and Isaac, the atmosphere froze in an instant.

“Absolutely not!”

Grain was the first to raise his voice.

“Going on a reconnaissance mission with just you two? And the company commander and platoon leader going personally at that.”

At his resolute gaze, the other platoon members also raised their heads.

Grain stepped forward and said.

“We’ll go together as well. Isn’t this what we’ve been training so hard for? Please give us a chance to prove that we can be useful on the battlefield.”

Arteon closed his eyes for a moment, then slowly opened them and answered.

“No, you won’t be joining us this time. Right now, you don’t have the coordination with me. The situation is too dangerous to charge in relying only on individual skills.”

Normally, going alone would have been more comfortable for him.

But Isaac would never let him go alone.

That’s why moving with just the two of them was the best option.

However, at those words, the platoon members’ faces filled with dissatisfaction.

1st Squad leader Bartell asked in a low voice.

“That’s disappointing, platoon leader. All of us can now handle mana. Are you saying that we would be a hindrance?”

At those words, the other platoon members’ gazes coldly went back and forth between Bartell and Arteon.

Arteon shook his head.

“A hindrance? How could you be a hindrance?”

He paused for a moment and looked at each of those standing before him.

The image of these people who had desperately shed blood and sweat for the past three months came to mind.

Among the soldiers here, there was no one who didn’t know of their efforts.

But…

“That’s exactly why, Bartell.”

“…What do you mean?”

Arteon looked at the platoon members with firm eyes and slowly continued.

“You’ve only just begun to awaken your abilities. It’s like seeds planted in the ground have barely sprouted. But before those sprouts can properly grow leaves, before buds can even form…”

His voice gradually lowered.

“There’s no need to face reckless death.”

The platoon members’ expressions hardened.

Arteon continued speaking.

“Of course, the battlefield isn’t a place that waits for you to grow. It’s a place where you must always risk your life.”

Arteon paused briefly before continuing.

“But there’s such a thing as moderation. Seven reconnaissance teams have already been annihilated. They were all skilled and experienced in reconnaissance. Yet not a single one returned.”

At that moment, cold sweat ran down the platoon members’ spines.

A fact only Arteon knew was that beyond the gorge now lurked not simple Kar Tribe soldiers, but beings of a higher level that the current platoon members couldn’t dare face.

‘If it were a direct confrontation, we could somehow manage to give it a try. But in a situation where we don’t know the terrain and this darkness is mixed in… that’s a completely different story.’

No matter how outstanding these guys’ abilities were, they could die screaming in an instant.

And if they lost even one of them, the entire future plan would be shaken.

‘Right now…’

They needed to preserve their strength rather than take risks.

Arteon solidified his resolve and said.

“Now is not the time to take risks. Captain Isaac and I moving is the best option.”

Of course, if there were more 4-star level fighters with proper coordination, it would be different… but if not, it would be better to have none at all.

At his resolute expression, the platoon members’ shoulders sank heavily.

Arteon added finally.

“After this reconnaissance ends and the main force arrives, full-scale war will begin. Then you’ll have to face much stronger enemies than now. Swallow your current resentment and train your senses to be sharper.”

“…Understood.”

Grain reluctantly bowed his head.

The other platoon members also dropped their gazes one by one and fell silent.

In their eyes was a mixture of anger and frustration.

‘Are we still lacking?’

Grain clenched his fist tightly, suppressing his rising emotions.

Arteon watched this silently, then turned without a word and left the barracks.

‘Where we’re going now… it’s not a place where I can fight while protecting these guys.’

Outside, Isaac was already waiting.

“Did you finish saying goodbye?”

“Are you alright, company commander?”

“I’m naturally fine.”

Isaac slightly lifted the sword at his waist, showing confidence.

Arteon nodded.

“Then let’s depart.”

“Let’s go.”

Their luggage was just bags reduced to the minimum.

The back panel of the bags was reinforced with thin steel plates in case of surprise attacks.

As the gate leading to the gorge opened, a strange tension enveloped their entire bodies.

“Whew… I’m nervous.”

Isaac muttered quietly.

At that moment, Claw, who had been waiting at the base camp entrance, approached the two men.

“Captain Isaac, Lieutenant Arteon.”

He held out a small box in his hand.

“The legion commander told me to give this to you separately.”

Isaac raised his eyebrows.

“…What is this?”

When Claw opened the box, two silver rings were revealed.

“These are magical equipment imbued with Flash and Shield magic. Though they’re single-use, they’ll definitely help in dangerous moments.”

Arteon and Isaac exchanged glances before putting on the rings.

Magical equipment was worth tremendous value in itself.

No matter how much they were soldiers going on a mission, providing personal supplies like this was proof that Belkain held them in special regard.

Isaac bowed his head.

“Thank you. We’ll definitely return with good results.”

Isaac said in a firm voice.

Claw bowed toward the two men.

“I pray that you return safely.”

Arteon and Isaac said no more.

They simply exchanged glances filled with firm resolve and slowly began walking.

Soon, the damp darkness swallowed the two men.

Wind blew behind them, shaking the tents.

Claw, left behind, quietly clasped his hands and murmured.

“…Please return safely.”

When the tent lights flickered in the wind, long shadows of unconcealed worry were cast on his face.

*    *    *

As Arteon and Isaac stepped outside the base camp, heavy air rushed into their nostrils.

Darkness thicker than usual spread before their eyes, and clouds swallowed the moonlight, making even their feet barely visible.

In the silence, it was quiet enough that even the sound of grass rustling could be heard loudly.

Isaac unrolled a scroll with a stern expression.

“This is a map of the plains entrance that the legion commander gave me personally. We’ll move as quickly as possible to this point.”

The place Isaac pointed to was the passage leading into the open plains beyond the gorge.

It was a dangerous but absolutely necessary position to check.

Arteon nodded his head.

“Understood.”

However, soon Arteon looked at the map he had pointed to and recalled memories from his past life.

Though he hadn’t spent a long time in Helikel Gorge.

‘…Now that it’s laid out like this, things are coming back to me one by one.’

Familiar terrain.

The flow of wind and shadows of hills began to vividly emerge in his mind.

Past flames and the stench of blood overlapped and flowed through Arteon’s vision.

And as Arteon followed Isaac, he saw Isaac hesitating.

Terrain with absolutely no information.

With darkness thickly settled as well, it would be quite troublesome for Isaac too.

So Arteon spoke.

“Captain, if it’s alright, may I take the lead?”

At those words, Isaac fixed his gaze on Arteon, then soon nodded his head.

“Would you do that?”

Isaac readily accepted.

He already knew that Arteon’s senses were superior to his own.

Hadn’t he surpassed him not too long ago?

At Isaac’s words, Arteon nodded and stepped forward.

“…Huu.”

Taking a small deep breath, Arteon drew up his mana.

His entire body’s senses sharpened acutely, and things beyond the darkness seemed to be felt more clearly.

And…

Swoosh!

Arteon’s form shot forward like an arrow as he stepped off.

At the increased speed, Isaac also bit his lips tightly and followed behind Arteon.

Just as the two were racing through the darkness and approaching the entrance to the plains marked on the map.

“…?”

A strangely felt alien sensation for a moment.

Arteon’s brow twitched, and soon his footsteps stopped.

Isaac’s heart sank.

“What’s wrong?”

Isaac asked, sensing the changed atmosphere.

But soon Isaac’s eyes wavered.

The air had turned cold, and even the sound of wind piercing his eardrums felt strangely heavy.

As if hidden presences were simultaneously raising their heads…

An indescribable sense of pressure dominated his entire body.

And at that moment, Isaac reflexively drew his sword and swung it backward.

Clang!

A blade that flew from the darkness was deflected by Isaac’s sword, making a loud noise.

“Damn it… when did…”

Isaac cursed as he looked around.

All directions surrounding them.

Tree shadows and grass thickets.

And between the wind currents, murderous gazes were piercing through the two men.

They were already completely surrounded.

However, Arteon’s eyes did not waver.

Rather, his gaze, which had sunk even more coldly in that darkness, rushed toward them.

The only surprising thing was.

‘Why are these bastards… here?’

Those bastards clearly emerging from Arteon’s memories.

And as their forms gradually appeared from the darkness, thick killing intent began to swirl in Arteon’s eyes.

*    *    *

“I never thought… they would make such a bold decision.”

“Me neither. To think they’d deploy ‘them’ just at the entrance to the plains.”

The Kar Tribe executives in Belikezel couldn’t shake their bewilderment at Taman and Krelmuuk’s decision this time.

The war hadn’t even started yet, and they were already deploying them at the entrance to the plains.

Even just to catch Imperial Army soldiers who could only do reconnaissance.

But someone entered the room during their conversation and clicked his tongue.

“Tsk…! Stupid fools.”

“Ko, Korzan sir!”

“You’ve arrived.”

The two executives rose from their seats with completely frozen expressions at Korzan’s appearance.

As Belikezel’s second-in-command and Krelmuuk’s right hand, his very presence was terror itself to them.

Moreover, wasn’t he a skilled warrior who had been granted five feather tattoos?

Korzan looked at them and spoke.

“Are you bastards daring to question Taman’s decision?”

“No, no sir. We were just…”

“That’s absolutely not what we meant.”

The two executives hurriedly shook their heads.

But Korzan soon let out a small sigh.

Though crushing them would be good, he had heard countless times that sometimes one must embrace them.

Korzan spoke.

“Currently, their role is tremendously significant. The Empire bastards will all die without learning even a part of this land.”

And if that happens…

“Later, when the Empire bastards come leading their main force… those bastards will enter this place without any information.”

Don’t you already know how terrifying that is?

How much damage occurs when heading into enemy territory without any information.

Moreover, if it’s those Empire bastards who calculate in their heads first, wouldn’t that already say everything?

Korzan soon sneered and said.

“Those bastards… will take nothing away from this place.”

At his words, the two executives could only gulp down their saliva.

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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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