The Mad Spearman of the Northern Front - Chapter 4

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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 (4)

In the north, spears were weapons used by the lowest-ranking soldiers.

The reason was simple.

Proper spear techniques had long been obsolete, and all you could do was thrust from a distance.

Moreover, their length made them quite cumbersome when stealth movement was required.

Therefore, officers of platoon leader rank and above mostly used swords.

Because they were much more effective than spears.

Of course, there were said to be skilled warriors on the continent who used spears, but even their numbers weren’t many.

Because of this, those with good dexterity would often practice archery for ranged attacks rather than pick up a spear.

However…

Clack.

Arteon picked up a spear.

The first weapon he received when selected for the Punishment Unit was a spear.

And even after becoming a platoon leader, he continued to use spears.

The reason was simple.

He was used to it.

In the Punishment Unit that had to go out to harsh battlefields every day, there was no leisure to change weapons and train.

He simply continued using the weapon that fit his hands just to survive.

“This is… connected like this again.”

To think that the weapon used by the one who was called the ruler of the north in the past was a spear.

“Interesting.”

Arteon muttered quietly as he watched the Black Butcher charging at him from ahead.

“Graaaah!”

Tremendous speed.

It was a distance of well over ten meters, but the creature closed it in almost a single leap.

However…

Swoosh!

Arteon, who had thrown his body to the side, regained his stance and looked at the creature.

‘Vargas Northern Spear Technique…’

It was already organized in his mind, but his body wouldn’t readily follow.

Could it be possible to fight like this using a spear?

Grip.

Arteon put strength into his hands holding the spear.

This time he won’t run away.

Arteon gripped the spear with both hands and aimed at the Black Butcher again.

Anyway…

‘At this distance, I have the advantage.’

“Huu.”

He exhaled calmly and steadied his breathing.

For reasons unknown, a second life.

The first… he would remember the past life that ended so futilely but not repeat it.

“Now…”

Countless faces overlapped above the Black Butcher’s face.

Those who looked at them like insects and used them like consumables.

And the Kar Tribe savages who were desperate to cross over to this place.

Zero point something seconds.

In that brief moment, all kinds of memories flashed quickly before his eyes.

Arteon looked at the charging Black Butcher and said.

“It’s your turn to suffer.”

He thrust his spear.

Thunk!

* * *

“Tsk.”

He had hoped, but no miracle occurred.

Hans, who had lost 1 Gold Coin, was lying in his quarters, trying hard to console his bitter heart.

He didn’t regret it, but still, human emotions couldn’t be helped.

However…

‘…He was a valuable fellow.’

That movement, that decisiveness.

Killing a superior was certainly wrong, but if that fellow had known about that incident…

“The division commander must have a headache too.”

If he had returned alive, there would have been many things to ask that fellow.

But Hans soon got up.

In the north, soldiers’ deaths were common.

When battles broke out, wasn’t this the place where a hundred or so died each day?

He knew better than anyone that spending time thinking about the dead was pointless.

But then.

“P-Platoon Leader, sir!”

“What is it?”

One of the soldiers who had organized the bet approached Hans.

The fellow who immediately placed his right fist on his left chest in salute continued speaking right away.

“Here… here’s the money…”

“…?”

Hans looked at the pouch the fellow held out.

Inside the pouch, along with quite a few Silver Coins.

“1 Gold Coin?”

There was the Gold Coin he had given.

But why was he giving this back to him?

“…Don’t tell me.”

Hans’s eyes wavered.

Soon Hans looked at him.

“The… the soldier who received punishment at Bareda Hill has returned.”

Hans hurriedly began running toward that place.

* * *

Step, step.

Arteon, who had arrived in front of the Northern 1st Division Fortress wrapped in Snow Wolf Hide with silver fur, looked up at the soldier on the castle gate and shouted.

“Here! I’ve brought the Unit Insignia from the summit of Bareda Hill!”

“…”

“Crazy… report this immediately!”

The soldiers looking down from atop the castle gate couldn’t hide their surprised expressions.

They had seen someone approaching from afar, but never thought it could possibly be Arteon.

They had thought it impossible, but.

‘To think there would be someone who could endure the Bareda Hill punishment and return alive.’

And at this point, a week later.

Moreover, he looked better than expected.

The soldiers’ eyes kept wavering at the snow wolf hide he was wearing.

He only had that common dagger…

‘He caught a snow wolf…?’

But then.

“…Hm?”

One soldier looking at Arteon frowned and looked at his waist.

There was a long rod about arm’s length at his waist.

“…Did he cut some wood or something?”

It was covered by the wolf’s hide so he couldn’t see it properly, but there was something that caught his eye.

“Orders to let him pass!”

“Open the gate!”

At the command that finally came, the soldier hurriedly opened the gate.

Whether he brought a wooden rod or whatever, what did that matter.

The most important thing right now was.

‘That he returned alive from the punishment at Bareda Hill… that’s what matters.’

Everyone murmured as they watched Arteon enter the castle.

Then…

“Arteon, Division Commander Belkain is looking for you. Quickly get yourself ready.”

“…Understood.”

It had only been a week since he was abandoned at Bareda Hill.

But…

‘Something… seems to have changed a lot.’

The adjutant who delivered the order could only wear a puzzled expression at his appearance, which was quite different from a week ago.

* * *

“…Phew.”

A shower after a week was truly a heavenly time.

All this time, rubbing his body with snow was all he could do.

Arteon washed off the snow wolf’s blood that had stuck to his body with water.

Though he had tried to wash with snow as much as possible, it was impossible to completely wash off all the snow wolf’s blood from the hide’s surface.

But wandering around that cold place naked without the wolf’s hide was even more impossible.

Arteon finished his shower by roughly scrubbing his body with a scrubber made from tangled tree bark and put on the prepared military uniform.

Indeed, this outfit seemed to suit him best in the Northern Region.

“Are you ready?”

“Yes.”

Arteon answered Claw’s question as he waited.

Soon he followed him toward the Division Commander’s Office where Belkain was.

“Division Commander, this is Sergeant Claw.”

“Come in.”

At the voice from inside, Claw and Arteon entered the barracks.

Arteon looked at Belkain sitting in his seat.

‘…The Ogre of Benhard.’

It was the nickname for Belkain, who had a fiery temperament.

But he also knew well that there was fairness and justice beneath that.

Because of that personality, he would be pushed out in political fights and lose his life in less than 5 years from now.

‘He’s a person who’s precious in many ways.’

If he had continued to guard the Northern Front, such difficult battles wouldn’t have continued.

‘This time…’

There were far too many things that needed to be corrected.

Then Belkain asked Arteon.

“Arteon.”

“Heart of Steel! Private Arteon! Reporting to Division Commander Belkain!”

A salute with his right fist clenched and placed on his heart.

Belkain nodded at the precise military bearing.

“Everyone out.”

When he gave orders to the adjutants around him, they all left the barracks.

Then Belkain stood up from his seat and looked at Arteon.

“…”

He had gone outside the castle with nothing and spent a week there.

On top of that, he had to go to the top of Bareda Hill and bring back the unit insignia…

‘Better than expected…’

He was so fine that it was rather bewildering.

Belkain asked.

“Have you reflected?”

“I am reflecting on the fact that my method was wrong.”

“Do you think the punishment was unjust?”

“No, murder of a superior officer is a serious crime deserving immediate execution. I think it was appropriate punishment.”

A formal conversation continued between the two with emotions excluded.

But Belkain didn’t particularly take issue with Arteon’s attitude.

What surprised him was just.

‘…A soldier with less than a year of service?’

Arteon’s eyes.

His appearance as he looked straight at him and answered could never be called that of a first-year soldier.

Even soldiers who had endured 5-6 years here would naturally avoid his gaze when they looked into his eyes.

Part of it was because Belkain’s appearance was fierce, but it was because of the subtle killing intent he had gained through countless battles.

A pressure that felt suffocating just from being looked at. That was the Ogre of Benhard.

But…

“Arteon.”

“Private Arteon!”

Arteon answered at attention, then looked at the division commander in a relaxed stance.

Then Belkain asked.

“From now on, if there’s even a hint of lie in what you say to my questions, I will behead you by the authority of division commander.”

“Yes, understood.”

“What was your reason for killing Company Commander Moldrek?”

“…”

Suddenly Arteon’s mouth shut tight.

Belkain was indeed emanating tremendous presence as rumored.

But he wasn’t trembling or anything.

The reason he could boldly kill Moldrek in the first place was because he knew Belkain was the division commander.

Fair and just.

Of course, that’s why he would be pushed out in military politics, but he was confident that this man would definitely see the truth.

Arteon said.

“Because Company Commander Moldrek colluded with the Kar Tribe and drove our soldiers into death traps.”

Twitch.

Suddenly Belkain’s eyebrow moved.

It was quite different from his expressionless face until now.

“What’s the basis for that statement?”

“If you dig under the floor of Company Commander Moldrek’s barracks, you’ll find evidence of his espionage.”

He knew all of Moldrek’s methods.

That he was colluding with the Kar Tribe in a tug-of-war and how he was keeping secret documents.

Everything, including how he would later move much more meticulously with evolved methods.

‘…Because I was the one who taught him.’

Of course, hiding important documents under the barracks floor at this time was just one of Moldrek’s long-standing habitual methods.

But as soon as Arteon finished his answer.

“You mean this?”

Belkain tapped the documents placed on the desk.

At that, Arteon’s eyes wavered for the first time.

‘Those documents… when did he…’

Arteon’s gaze, which had been directed at the documents, turned to Belkain.

‘Did he know everything all along?’

This guy…

“Arteon.”

“Private Arteon!”

Before Arteon could think anything, Belkain’s voice flowed out low.

When Arteon answered loudly.

“In recognition of your merit in the summary disposition regarding a superior’s treasonous acts, I hereby order your promotion to Private First Class effective immediately.

So he would become a Private First Class for returning alive?

But Belkain’s words weren’t finished.

“And…”

Belkain stopped speaking.

Then, as if thinking about something.

“I will grant you any one request within my authority as division commander. However, since you’ve been promoted to Private First Class, anything related to further promotion is not permitted.”

“…”

Any one thing within the division commander’s authority.

In this unit, Belkain was like a king. There was nothing he couldn’t do.

Gulp.

Arteon unconsciously swallowed his saliva.

A great many things flashed through his mind.

This was someone with the ability to give him dozens of gold coins if he asked.

But…

‘In this place… money and such.’

Wasn’t that important.

Moreover, considering Belkain’s disposition, this was.

‘A test.’

Arteon’s eyes glinted slightly.

Soon, Arteon spoke to Belkain.

“I request personal time for two weeks along with a training ground I can use alone.”

“…What?”

Deep wrinkles formed on Belkain’s brow.

He had said he would grant ‘anything’ with his authority as division commander.

If he had asked for money, he would have given it, and if he had asked for a position obtainable with Private First Class authority, he would have given that too.

But…

“Personal time and a training ground?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“…”

Belkain was momentarily speechless.

“Are you sure that’s all you need?”

“I only did what I was supposed to do. I think that level of compensation is sufficient. Oh, and if possible, I’d also like to receive plenty of meat rations during that time.”

An answer without a hint of wavering.

Belkain unconsciously raised the corners of his mouth and chuckled.

“Approved.”

Belkain quickly scribbled something on paper, then handed it to Arteon saying.

“Deliver this to Sergeant Claw and get guidance. Is there anything else you want to say?”

“No, sir.”

“You may go.”

“Steel heart!”

As Arteon saluted and left the barracks.

“Hehehehe, what an interesting fellow has appeared.”

Belkain burst into the laughter he had been holding back.

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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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