The Mad Spearman of the Northern Front - Chapter 15

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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 (15)

“Hyaaaaa!”

Swoosh, thud!

With a dull sound, one of the charging Kar Tribe warriors collapsed to the ground.

A long arrow was embedded in his neck.

“You, can’t you shout your battle cry any better than that?”

“Huh? Why?”

“Never mind.”

When Jalbarog asked while panting, Graphil turned his head.

It was a sight unimaginable from the cowardly Graphil of before.

‘Certainly…’

Despite the considerable number of enemies charging at them.

‘I’m not afraid.’

It felt like some solid shield was firmly protecting them.

But then.

“Jalbarog, raise your shield higher. You need to lift it up to your shoulder for proper defense.”

“Ah, understood.”

At Arteon’s voice from beside him, Jalbarog quickly raised his shield.

This was a battlefield where even a moment’s carelessness couldn’t be forgiven.

And in that battlefield.

Swish.

Arteon and the 4th Squad were continuing their quite meaningful performance.

And…

“…What the hell are those guys doing.”

One person watching that scene.

4th Platoon leader Hendris couldn’t hide his bewildered expression as he watched the 4th Squad.

At first, he thought he should curse them out since the 4th Squad members seemed to be abandoning their designated position.

But they hadn’t strayed far from formation, and more importantly, their performance was noticeable.

However, if there was something strange.

‘How can they keep fighting in that formation?’

A formation that seemed nothing special.

It seemed somewhat ambiguous to call it Combined Tactics, but.

‘They’re thoroughly covering each other’s weaknesses while maximizing their strengths.’

Especially since the 4th Squad had few members.

That’s why it could have been more dangerous when isolated, but.

‘They’re defending with shield bearers on both flanks… and that guy in the center is… coordinating the lacking parts.’

Hendris’s gaze turned to Arteon.

This precarious tightrope walking had become stable solely because of that guy’s presence.

‘He’s covering weak points at just the right timing.’

Whenever the squad members made mistakes, Arteon moved like a ghost to cover those parts.

However…

“Huff… huff…”

At this moment, the most surprised were the 4th Squad members themselves.

‘…Huh?’

‘We’re winning…?’

‘What… is this situation.’

These guys had experienced the battlefield a couple of times so far. But they hadn’t survived through skill—they had merely preserved their lives through their comrades’ deaths or the enemies’ mistakes.

They couldn’t say they had survived because they had done something.

But…

Crack!

The moment Bert’s axe struck a Kar Tribe warrior’s head, his body collapsed lifelessly to the ground.

Thud.

How many was this now?

It seemed like at least twenty had charged at them.

“S-Squad Leader.”

“Well done. But don’t let your guard down. This is when morale rises and you get careless, then get taken out in one blow.”

“…Understood.”

Looking at Bert who wore a dazed expression, Arteon spoke.

Arteon was also newly surprised by their skills.

He had just thought it would be good if they could barely hold out.

‘I didn’t expect them to adapt this quickly.’

Of course, there were moments when they got caught up in the atmosphere and became lax, but that was something he could keep correcting.

Arteon gripped his spear shaft tightly.

In this situation…

‘We might be able to break through here.’

The situation at the 1st Defense Line was quite simple.

Kar Tribe warriors were attacking them, and they were just defending.

The terrain was one thing, but more importantly, they couldn’t match the Kar Tribe numerically, making active combat impossible.

But if they could break through here.

‘We could actually strike the rear of Central.’

The Kar Tribe couldn’t even imagine being attacked from behind.

They had never experienced such a thing.

Swish.

Arteon looked toward where the platoon leader was.

Advancing forward at this level was within his authority, but.

‘Breaking through here to target the enemy’s rear is a completely different story.’

Moreover, after one wave of attacks, the situation had become somewhat relaxed.

Arteon said.

“Everyone, pull the formation back slightly and wait.”

“What? Suddenly?”

“We can still fight.”

Though he was pretending to be calm.

‘Raymen… he’s fired up.’

Looking at Raymen who was actively expressing his opinion, Arteon said.

“Taking a moment to cool down is also necessary. Raymen, you’re putting too much force when thrusting your spear. If you do that, you won’t be able to fight for long.”

“…I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Everyone, pull the formation back. It seems we’ll have something to do.”

Arteon immediately approached Hendris, the 4th Platoon leader.

“Platoon Leader.”

“What is it during combat?”

When Arteon, whom he had been watching, approached, Hendris asked.

Was he going to ask to be pulled from the battlefield already after some measly performance?

Hendris looked at him with a stern expression.

But the words that came from Arteon’s mouth were completely different from his expectations.

Arteon pointed to the left formation where the 4th Platoon was fighting.

“How about breaking through here and immediately striking the rear of Central?”

“What did you say?”

Hendris looked at the battlefield.

He hadn’t been able to see the bigger picture while dealing with the enemies right in front of them.

‘…The enemy numbers have already decreased considerably.’

There had been nearly a hundred Kar Tribe warriors gathered here alone, but when did they…

Hendris’s eyes flashed sharply as he observed the Kar Tribe, now less than half their original number.

Perhaps, as that guy suggested, it might actually be possible to break through here and target Central’s rear.

It was a dangerous operation, but.

‘If we succeed…’

He could guarantee they’d create a situation that would cut their allies’ casualties in half.

Hendris clenched his fist tightly.

“Wait here, I’ll report and return immediately.”

It might not be an easy operation.

But there was definitely potential.

Hendris hurried to report the situation to the company commander and awaited operational orders.

At Hendris’s words.

“Can you pull it off? If you fail, all the platoon members could die.”

“I’ll make it work.”

“…Then full authority for that operation goes to the 3rd Company 4th Platoon leader.”

“I’ll do my absolute best!”

Having received permission for the operation, Hendris immediately assembled all of 4th Platoon.

The 4th Platoon members looked somewhat puzzled at the sudden assembly, but.

“…What?!”

“B-break through here and go to Central?”

“P-Platoon Leader! That’s too reckless an operation!”

All the other squad leaders except Arteon were horrified and tried to dissuade him.

“We’re already taking considerable casualties just holding these guys back. But for us to attack first and push through is impossible.”

“That’s right, Platoon Leader. If we could strike the enemy’s rear at Central, it would certainly be a great achievement, but… breaking through here itself is impossible.”

The Western Sector of the 1st Defense Line.

The Kar Tribe warriors deployed here alone outnumbered them by about two to one.

They were barely managing to defend with two platoons, and now break through to target the enemy’s rear?

If they pushed too hard, casualties could increase even more.

However…

“4th Squad Leader.”

“Corporal Arteon!”

“Can you open a path?”

He was the one who had first proposed the operation.

He must have had that much confidence to suggest it.

And as expected.

“4th Squad will take the lead.”

“…?”

“What?”

“…Crazy bastard.”

The other squad leaders clicked their tongues at Arteon’s words.

Was he serious?

But Arteon spoke without hesitation.

“We’ll prepare immediately. 4th Squad will break through the path, so please give us the rest of the operational orders, Platoon Leader.”

“Good, everyone prepare.”

Hendris steeled his resolve.

It wasn’t a decision based solely on Arteon’s confidence.

It was the martial prowess that 4th Squad had demonstrated.

He had seen their skills with his own eyes.

Arteon immediately gathered his squad members.

Everyone knew how the situation was unfolding, so their expressions were somewhat tense.

“…Is it possible?”

Raymen, who always maintained his composure, asked.

The other squad members seemed equally curious about that.

Under his squad members’ gazes.

“Honestly, at first I couldn’t even think of something like this. I thought that with your skills, just making it back alive would be accomplishment enough.”

Arteon returned to his former appearance as a platoon leader commanding his subordinates.

Arteon’s words continued.

“But the strength you’ve shown on this battlefield is honestly… I apologize. I was thinking too little of you all. And…”

The squad members tensed up and focused intently on Arteon’s words.

“With the skills you’ve demonstrated now, you can definitely break through those barbarians. No, that’s a given – we’ll move to the central battlefield and strike the enemy’s rear.”

Arteon clenched his fist tightly.

“There, for the first time, you’ll grasp not mere survival, but glory on the battlefield.”

Achieving merit.

That could potentially mean completely turning around the situation they found themselves in.

Arteon pointed toward where the enemy warriors were positioned and said.

“There will be danger, but glory lies over there. And light.”

Arteon’s eyes flashed.

“I’m going to seize that glory and light, escape this place, and rise up. Is there anyone here who’ll follow me? If not, speak up. I’ll have you reassigned to the rear position right now.”

The squad members swallowed hard at Arteon’s words filled with determination.

And then.

“I’ll follow you.”

“I’ll follow as well.”

Bert and Raymen spoke.

At that…

“M-me too…”

Graphil cautiously raised his hand and spoke.

“I’ll follow too.”

“We’ve come this far, we can’t just leave now.”

Even Raphelson and Jalbarog spoke with resolute expressions.

Arteon raised the corners of his mouth in a grin.

The moment he died betrayed by Moldrek, he thought he was the unluckiest person in this world.

But now, reborn.

‘Is fortune… finally following me now?’

To think he would meet guys like these.

‘I can do this.’

It felt like he might be able to take a big step closer to what he had planned.

Arteon nodded.

“Then follow me. I’ll take you to where glory awaits.”

Arteon picked up his spear.

Iglis, which had somehow returned to its true form.

The mana Arteon had infused flowed throughout its entirety.

“Bert, from now on, when I give the signal, don’t stop and keep advancing.”

“No matter what?”

“Right, smash through every bastard blocking our path. I’ll hold the rear.”

The number of Kar Tribe positioned ahead was roughly a hundred.

But the number they’d actually have to face directly was less than half that.

If they could just break through that number.

“We can immediately target the enemy’s back.”

Arteon gripped his spear tightly.

At that, all the soldiers of the 4th Squad tensed up while steeling their resolve with determined eyes.

“Let’s go.”

With Arteon’s signal.

“Hraaaaaaaaaah!”

Bert charged toward the Kar Tribe, roaring like a bull.

And….

Crash!

As if they had become a single war chariot, they began charging forward, smashing through the Kar Tribe.

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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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