The Mad Spearman of the Northern Front - Chapter 29

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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 (29)

The dawn in the Northern Region was cold and heavy.

Thick fog settled over the frozen ground, and the wind howled like blades.

The plains that advanced north from the 1st Defense Line.

A camp where a full 2,000 soldiers had assembled.

The armed soldiers were resting while fully prepared to advance the moment a signal was given.

And atop the observation post of the camp, Belkain and Erban stood side by side.

Despite the late dawn hour, the footsteps of soldiers patrolling for security could be heard from behind.

However, the atmosphere here was heavy and silent, unlike other places.

Swoosh.

In the cold air that blew in, Erban slightly pulled his coat tighter.

Though he was looking in the same direction as Belkain, anxiety dwelled in his eyes.

“…Is it really possible?”

Erban’s words were cautious, but without hesitation.

At the question asked in a calm voice, Belkain let out a small breath.

Though Belkain had been through countless battlefields, this operation was a decision close to gambling even for him.

Belkain looked at the fog-covered plains with his mouth shut.

He tried to picture Helikel Gorge beyond that view, but couldn’t quite reach an answer.

Suffocating silence continued once again.

Only after a long while did Belkain nod and speak.

“It has to be possible.”

Those words were closer to responsibility than conviction.

“If we miss this opportunity, the chance to reclaim Helikel Gorge might never come again. If that happens, this place will once again be stained with soldiers’ blood for a long time.”

If they could take Helikel Gorge, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say the battle at the 1st Defense Line would be over.

The most dangerous and brutal battlefield in the Northern Region could end with their victory.

But…

“Helikel Gorge is just as difficult to overcome. As much advantage as we’d gain by taking the gorge, the advantage the Kar Tribe currently has is tremendous.”

“However, the difference between their fortress defense techniques and ours is like heaven and earth.”

Belkain knew it too.

That there was some forcing in these words.

Even considering such differences in defensive techniques, breaking through the Kar Tribe occupying Helikel Gorge was more difficult than imaginable.

Knowing this, hadn’t they concentrated the maximum available forces on the 1st Defense Line?

Erban let out a small sigh.

“No matter how much they lack the concept of defense techniques, they must know all the passages and terrain. For only thirty people to enter that place…”

“They’re the finest elites we could gather from this front. They’re not ordinary soldiers.”

Belkain turned to look at Erban.

His gaze was firm and threatening enough to match his nickname as the Ogre of Benhard.

“If they fail, this operation wouldn’t be worth executing. It would be an impossible battle to win from the start.”

At Belkain’s words, Erban silently looked into his eyes.

Wasn’t he always in a position where he had to consider reality and coldly weigh possibilities?

That’s why such uncertain situations were only painful.

Erban quietly voiced the words he had been holding back.

“For now, we’ll have to wait.”

“That’s right.”

With Belkain’s response, both men fell silent again.

In this grim situation where they couldn’t see an inch ahead, that was all they could do.

But…

Whooooooooooosh!

In the distance, a red signal flare shooting up into the sky from the direction of Helikel Gorge.

At that sight.

“Be, Belkain sir!”

Erban cried out in shock as if terrified.

Belkain immediately turned his head and shouted loudly.

“All troooooops! Prepare for batttttle!”

It was a completely unexpected situation.

What on earth had the special unit that went to Helikel Gorge…

‘What did they do?’

Belkain’s eyes looking forward were trembling more severely than ever before.

* * *

“Ugh…!”

“Puah!”

The unit members who had crossed the river couldn’t hide their exhausted appearance as they panted heavily.

Even though they had come holding onto ropes, hadn’t several of them nearly slipped and been swept away in the middle?

‘He, he crossed this river… without even a rope?’

‘That guy’s completely insane…’

Those who had crossed the river couldn’t hide their surprised expressions as they looked at Arteon sitting and resting.

Some even looked at Arteon with eyes full of wonder.

“Whew… Is everyone here?”

“No stragglers. All personnel have crossed.”

Tertian, who was the deputy commander of the special unit, reported to Isaac.

Isaac approached Arteon and said.

“Good work. Are you injured anywhere?”

“Yes, I’m fine.”

Arteon stood up from his spot.

In that short time, the dark circles under his eyes showed how much effort he had exerted.

‘Such a young soldier…’

Had accomplished such a terribly difficult task.

Isaac nodded at this.

“If this war ends in victory, it will be because your contribution was the first step toward that victory. I will never forget it.”

“…Thank you.”

At Arteon’s greeting, Isaac turned his gaze to look at the cliff wall.

It seemed to be nearly vertical by feel.

Arteon approached from the side and said.

“The height of Helikel Gorge’s eastern cliff wall is approximately 70 meters. It’s relatively lower compared to other places, but the slope is steep… No one would think anyone could climb up from here.”

“70 meters… Then we’ll need to set new ropes halfway up.”

The length of rope they brought was far insufficient to connect in one go.

Then Arteon said.

“From this point, we can climb up about 20 meters. We’ll set up the ropes up to that section.”

“Don’t worry, we can climb up to that height sufficiently.”

“But… Lieutenant Isaac sir. Are you really going to be alright?”

Fonlaron approached and asked.

Isaac lightly clenched and opened his fist as he replied.

“Now it’s time for me to show what I can do.”

Isaac was the only one among the special unit members who had reached the 3-Star Level.

The others didn’t know this fact.

‘…Does he know?’

The gaze of this young soldier looking at him was somewhat different.

As if piercing through something.

Something he seemed to have seen somewhere before, strangely familiar.

It was an indescribable feeling, but Isaac soon shook off the thought.

The moment had come for him to respond to the incredible courage this young boy had shown.

Isaac securely fastened the coiled rope and wrist-thick iron spikes around his waist.

And then…

“Just make sure you watch the rope properly when it drops.”

Leaving only those words behind, he began climbing up the cliff wall.

Thud, scrape!

The slope was so steep that it was practically rock climbing.

It was a dangerous path without any safety equipment, but Isaac concentrated all his mana into his fingertips and toes.

And when Isaac’s figure finally disappeared from view.

“…This is insane.”

Fonlaron, who was below, scratched his head vigorously and frowned.

Being in the same unit as Isaac, Fonlaron had exceptional respect for him.

That’s why he was angry at Arteon for devising such an absurd operation.

But now he couldn’t even be angry at him, could he.

Whoooooosh!

Fonlaron looked at the river flowing behind them.

To cross such an impossibly fast current with his bare body… no, while carrying over 20 kilograms of rope wrapped around his body.

‘…It’s still dizzying to think about.’p>

This wasn’t a matter of whether it could or couldn’t be done – the very attempt itself was madness.

Recklessness itself.

It was so extreme that even using the word “courage” didn’t make sense.

Fonlaron looked at Arteon.

He still didn’t like the guy, but.

“…Hey.”

“…?”

“Sorry for cursing at you earlier. Honestly, I really thought it was impossible.”

Fonlaron apologized to Arteon, wanting to make up for his mistake.

Arteon chuckled and said.

“A mere verbal apology.”

“What did you say?”

“When we get back, you’re buying drinks, properly.”

When we get back.

Everyone there knew what meaning those words carried.

The corners of Fonlaron’s mouth turned up.

“Yeah, when we get back I’ll buy properly. Don’t whine about being young. I’ll make you drink all night.”

The heavy atmosphere lightened somewhat with their conversation.

All the unit members craned their necks to look up at the gorge.

Crash!

“Take cover!”

“Ugh!”

Seeing the occasional rocks falling from above, the unit members’ expressions grew tense.

Wondering if something might have happened.

Hoping that what was falling wasn’t Isaac, but just rocks.

And then…

“…Huh?”

“It’s the rope!”

The unit members called out upon seeing the rope dropping from above.

It had even been knotted in the middle, so the length was sufficient.

‘…What an amazing person.’

It hadn’t even been 40 minutes since he started climbing the gorge.

At this height, on this slope.

Even on this cliff wall where the ground was weak and there weren’t proper handholds or footholds.

But as expected, he had done it.

Even more than they had thought possible.

“I’ll go up first. In case there are problems if too many people gather at once, follow one person every 5 minutes.”

Climbing with bare hands would be difficult, but climbing about 70 meters of height with a rope was incredibly easy.

All the other unit members nodded at Tertian’s words.

“Understood.”

“Yes.”

Soon Tertian climbed the rope and went up in an instant.

“Next one, go up.”

“I’ll go.”

The next soldier went up, and then 5 minutes later another soldier climbed.

“You go up before me. You might have trouble since your stamina is quite depleted. Don’t worry, I’ll catch you if you fall.”

“Heh, thanks.”

Arteon let out a small laugh at Fonlaron’s words.

When his turn came, Arteon grabbed the rope.

“Whew.”

It was more than enough time for his depleted stamina to recover.

Drawing up his mana, Arteon began climbing the cliff wall in an instant.

The higher he went, the more fiercely the cold, cutting wind struck and shook his body.

He could have lost his balance and been in danger, but none of the special unit members fell.

When he quickly reached the top of the gorge, Isaac gave Arteon a look.

Everyone was lying flat in the gorge, observing the situation.

“Is that the last one?”

“Only Sergeant Fonlaron is left.”

Nod.

From now on, minimizing conversation was important.

The enemies might notice if sounds were carried by the wind.

When Fonlaron finally climbed up panting, Isaac brought his index finger to his lips.

Fonlaron kept his mouth tightly shut and breathed heavily through his nose like a bull, his shoulders heaving.

Swoosh, swoosh.

Isaac held up his index and middle fingers and pointed forward.

Starting from him, all the unit members moved toward the center of the gorge in a crawling position.

Their arms and legs scraped against the hard gorge floor, but no one complained.

And how far had they moved?

Moving while being prepared for enemies that might appear here and there took quite some time.

But when they finally arrived at a place where they could see the central area.

“…Was it this kind of formation?”

Isaac muttered quietly while looking down.

The gorge terrain was more complex than expected, and Kar Tribe warriors were standing guard vigilantly.

‘…If we had climbed up from somewhere other than the Eastern Canyon.’

We would have been discovered before we could even finish climbing.

Those guys also never thought we would cross the Eastern River and climb up the cliff wall.

‘Is it luck, or perhaps…’

Swish.

Isaac looked at Arteon.

Could this situation really be dismissed as mere luck?

But soon Isaac looked down toward the lower part of the central gorge.

Their vigilance was stricter than he had expected, making it difficult to simply go down as planned.

He needed to find a way to shake their rear to create confusion…

But that’s when it happened.

“Lieutenant Isaac.”

“…?”

“I have something to tell you.”

Arteon, who had crawled over beside him at some point, whispered quietly.

And at his following words.

“…What did you say?”

Isaac looked at Arteon with murderous eyes.

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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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