The Mad Spearman of the Northern Front - Chapter 13

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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 (13)

The wind felt colder than usual.

Having finished his work in just a few hours, Belkain stepped outside the barracks and looked north.

“Were you here, sir?”

“How did it go?”

At Belkain’s question, Claw looked at the documents he was holding and said.

“All reinforcement troops have currently moved toward the 1st Defense Line.”

“What’s the situation there?”

“…It’s not good.”

Recently, the Kar Tribe’s mobile warriors had been deployed, causing significant damage.

Who would have thought they had secured Northern Horses like that.

It was something even Belkain hadn’t anticipated.

“We caught thirteen out of over one hundred fifty mobile warriors. Their forces have been considerably reduced as well.”

However, despite this, Claw’s expression remained grim.

The reason was simple.

To catch thirteen mounted enemy mobile warriors, nearly a hundred allied soldiers had died.

Now…

“Without proper reinforcements, we cannot hold the 1st Defense Line.”

“Reinforcements are coming.”

“…Pardon?”

Claw asked in surprise.

Just last time, he had said there were no reinforcements available.

To that question, Belkain replied with his expression still stern.

“A thousand reinforcements have departed. They’ll arrive at the 1st Defense Line soon.”

“When is the expected arrival date?”

“Three weeks from now.”

“…Pardon?”

Claw’s eyes wavered.

It was natural.

With current forces, lasting even ten days was impossible.

“That’s too late. Even with this reinforcement, the number doesn’t reach three hundred.”

The numerical difference was more than double.

Even with defensive walls to hold them back, they couldn’t stop the Kar Tribe’s attacks.

However…

“Tell them to hold out. The 1st Defense Line must be defended at all costs.”

“…Understood.”

There would probably be tremendous casualties again.

Perhaps…

‘We might lose all the newly reinforced troops as well.’

Claw’s expression was dark.

Being in a position to give orders, he could somewhat see their future.

This operation that sent soldiers to their deaths.

‘Is it really… the right thing to do?’

Still, they couldn’t avoid fighting.

If the 1st Defense Line was breached, they could reach the villages below in just one day.

If that happened, over two thousand Empire citizens could be in danger.

Claw squeezed his eyes shut.

‘For now, all we can do is… pray.’

This barren northern land.

May a miracle descend upon this place where dozens die every day.

Claw could only silently gaze north with Belkain toward where the 1st Defense Line lay.

* * *

“Move quickly!”

“Build barracks over here! It’ll be difficult once it gets dark, so move quickly!”

It was chaotic.

No, more like bustling?

Arteon, who had arrived at the 1st Defense Line, looked around.

Though it wasn’t a battlefield, the smell of blood was noticeable from the moment of arrival.

The sight of soldiers carrying wounded along with screams coming from everywhere was frequently visible.

“S-Squad Leader.”

Graphil, overwhelmed by the atmosphere, approached Arteon.

Arteon turned his gaze to look at his squad members.

They all had similar expressions.

Somewhat stiff, tense feelings.

Even Bert, who had considerable courage, was no exception.

“Everyone hurry and set up barracks. The wind blows stronger here than below, so tent supports must be driven at least two finger joints deeper.”

“Y-Yes, understood.”

“Yes!”

At Arteon’s words, the squad members hurriedly began setting up barracks with the tents they had brought.

Meanwhile, Arteon took a light look around the 1st Defense Line unit.

Lifeless expressions.

Whether from battle fatigue, their faces were filled with despair.

But then.

“Hey, you there! What are you doing?!”

“…?”

When Arteon turned his head, a guy with a soldier slung over each shoulder shouted at Arteon.

“Hurry and call a medic! These guys are seriously injured!”

But before the guy’s shout could even finish.

“Put them down here on the ground, quickly!”

Arteon approached him and laid one of the soldiers from his shoulder on the ground.

The wound on his side was serious.

“…The wound is deep.”

Arteon immediately pulled out a thin wooden container from the pouch at his back.

Inside was something dark and murky.

Squish.

Arteon applied it to the soldier’s wound area without hesitation.

“It’s medicine with disinfecting and hemostatic effects.”

Sizzle!

Then he tore his sleeve and wrapped it around the guy’s wound area.

“Put that guy down too.”

“A-Ah, right.”

The big guy hurriedly lowered the soldier slung over his left shoulder.

Fortunately, this guy’s wounds weren’t as deep as the previous one.

He finished by tightly binding the loose bandaging.

“Take them to the medical room quickly. As soon as you get there, tell them to stitch up the guy on the right starting from the wound area. The ointment will disinfect, but if it’s not properly stitched, it could get infected.”

“…Got it.”

What’s with this guy.

He looked like nothing more than a kid in his mid-teens, but he spoke like a soldier who had been around for ten years.

The large soldier hoisted his two comrades onto his shoulders again.

And just as he was about to rush to the medical room.

He paused.

He turned his head to look at Arteon.

“Hey, I’m called Jiark. What’s your name?”

“Arteon.”

“Arteon? I haven’t seen your face before.”

“I just joined. But you don’t have time to chat with me, do you?”

“Ah, Arteon. I’ll remember that. See you later.”

Jiark hurriedly carried his comrades and rushed to the medical room.

Watching his retreating figure.

“Jiark, huh.”

Arteon quietly muttered his name and then moved on to another place.

Thunk! Thunk! Thunk!

Bert, who had driven the stakes deep with his hammer, let out a heavy breath.

Setting up barracks wasn’t difficult, but breaking through the frozen ground of the Northern Region to drive in stakes was no easy task.

“Are you finished?”

“Squad Leader, you’re here. We just finished.”

“Good, then everyone gather up. We’ll check Combined Tactics again before the meal.”

“Yes!”

“Understood!”

Now none of them complained, even as empty words.

During the few days of coming here, they hadn’t been able to train in Combined Tactics except for physical training.

Since there were still many inadequate parts, missing even one day could break their rhythm.

Arteon led the 4th Squad members to the open field he had discovered while looking around earlier.

It wasn’t spacious, but he thought it was a good place for training since other soldiers rarely came by.

But when Arteon arrived there.

“…Huh?”

There was already a guest who had arrived first.

* * *

It had been a difficult battlefield.

Especially.

“Platoon Leader, that bastard…”

What could he have been thinking on that desperate battlefield?

He wanted to tear open the head that had suggested that reckless operation.

‘Though there’s no way to tear it open now.’

That fucking idiot.

Not knowing how reckless his own operation was, he eventually lost his life on the battlefield.

‘Honor, money…’

What meaning do they have when you’re dead?

In the end, what killed that guy was greed.

At least thanks to the path he had opened, he saved a few comrades.

“Phew.”

But even they were so severely injured that they couldn’t move for a while.

However…

‘…That guy.’

The guy who suddenly appeared and gave emergency treatment.

Was his name Arteon?

Thanks to that guy, he was able to save one more person.

If he had been even a little later, it would have been beyond help.

‘I should at least say thanks when I meet him later.’

By the way, how old was that kid?

Swoosh!

Jiark swiftly swung the spear he was holding.

Since he was dragged to the battlefield almost every day, he had no time to train his body unless he trained separately like this.

‘Still…’

Wouldn’t the new reinforcements that came extend this place’s lifeline even a little?

Whoosh!

Jiark focused more on swinging his spear.

There was nothing better than moving his body to organize his cluttered mind.

But that’s when it happened.

“…Huh?”

A voice suddenly heard from the side.

Just as Jiark paused and turned his head.

“Oh, you are…?”

Jiark, seeing Arteon, made an expression as if surprised.

It was typical for those who came here to be overwhelmed by the atmosphere and unable to do anything.

At best, they would set up barracks and cower in anxiety, trembling about when they’d be dragged to the battlefield.

But…

“What brings you here?”

“I have some training to do. Are you training too?”

Arteon asked, seeing him swinging his spear. Jiark chuckled and said.

“Just loosening up my body lightly, nothing grand.”

But he seemed quite accustomed to handling the spear.

Arteon looked at the guy.

Unlike when he first saw him, the scars carved on his body caught his eye.

‘This guy…’

He’s someone who has been around the battlefield for quite a long time.

Moreover, if he’s a guy who has been holding out at this 1st Defense Line, his level would be different from ordinary soldiers.

“Are you a regular soldier?”

“Well, that’s right. You seem to be a squad leader from what I can see?”

“3rd Company 4th Platoon 4th Squad Leader, Arteon. Let me introduce myself formally.”

“1st Company 2nd Platoon member Jiark. Welcome to hell.”

Jiark grinned and extended his hand to Arteon.

Arteon lightly grasped his hand and shook it, then looked at Jiark and said.

“Then it seems you were training, so we’ll go somewhere else.”

“Ah, no. I was about to go in anyway, so use this place. This is a good spot for training without other guys interfering.”

At his readily offering the spot, Arteon lightly bowed his head.

“Thanks, I’ll repay this debt on the battlefield later.”

“What debt? I’m the one who received help first. Thanks to you, that guy lived. They said he would have died if you had been even a little later.”

During the two men’s conversation, the 4th Squad members just kept their mouths shut and waited like mutes who had eaten honey.

Soon, as Jiark left the spot, Jalbarog asked as if he had been waiting.

“Who was that?”

“A guy I met while looking around the unit earlier.”

“…He seems like someone who knows what he’s doing.”

“I think so too.”

But now wasn’t the time to worry about that.

Soon there would be a call from the platoon leader. If that happened….

‘I’ll be deployed to the battlefield immediately.’

In this situation where I don’t know when we’ll be sent out.

I need to save every second to improve my skills.

Arteon looked at his squad members and said.

“Everyone focus. We’re starting training now.”

“Yes!”

And it was when two days had passed since arriving at the 1st Defense Line.

Buuuuuuuuuuu!

As a loud horn sound echoed throughout the entire base.

“They’re attacking! The enemy is coming!”

“Everyone prepare for battle!”

The shadow of death began to spread across the entire 1st Defense Line.

And….

“…Huu.”

Arteon let out a small breath.

It was certainly true that this was a dangerous battlefield.

‘If I can properly defend against this attack….’

The 1st Defense Line was a place where dozens died every day.

If I could defend noticeably well here, that achievement would surely be recognized.

Grip.

Strength entered his hand holding the spear.

Finally, Arteon looked at his squad members and said.

“We will definitely hold the line. And let’s all return alive.”

“Yes!”

Along with his squad members’ response, Arteon turned around.

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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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