The Mad Spearman of the Northern Front - Chapter 51

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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 (51)

 

“…What?”

 

“Were you drafted too?”

 

“What’s this sudden operation about?”

 

Northeastern 4th Defense Line.

 

If you’ve been stationed here for a while, you inevitably see most faces at least once.

 

Moreover, if they’re soldiers with decent skills in the unit, it becomes even easier to recognize each other.

 

Bruel from the 1st Company couldn’t hide his puzzled expression as he looked at the familiar faces.

 

‘What kind of operation are they planning to carry out… that they only picked the skilled ones from each unit…?’

 

So-called Special Forces… something like that?

 

But soon…

 

“Everyone form two horizontal lines!”

 

At the booming voice from the front, the soldiers gathered quickly formed ranks.

 

Arteon approached in front of the soldiers lined up in two rows.

 

Everyone looked bewildered.

 

It was an unfamiliar face, and he looked quite young too.

 

Soon after, Arteon stood before them and released the aura he had been restraining.

 

Whoosh!

 

“…!”

 

The aura that burst forth with mana release instantly engulfed all the soldiers in the training ground.

 

Though they were recognized for their skills in their respective units, they couldn’t help but flinch unconsciously at the aura Arteon emitted.

 

“Nice to meet you. I am Sergeant Arteon, who has command authority over this urgently formed Special Forces. You all know why you’re gathered here.”

 

“We heard it’s an operation to stop the Kar Tribe’s advance. But… are the people here everyone?”

 

“That’s right. This operation has a higher chance of failure with too many personnel.”

 

Arteon looked at the expressions of the assembled unit members.

 

All of them wore questioning and distrustful expressions.

 

Though it was a situation all too familiar to Arteon, there was no time to convince them one by one now.

 

“I know what you’re thinking, but there’s no time now, so I won’t accept complaints. I also know that you find me, standing before you, untrustworthy. But abandon such doubts. Right now, we must unite and lead this operation to victory.”

 

“…May I ask what kind of operation it is?”

 

At one soldier’s question, Arteon nodded.

 

“Of course. I’ll explain the operation now.”

 

With those words, their gazes became somewhat more serious.

 

Though the situation was indeed questionable and untrustworthy as the person before them said, it was still an order from their superiors.

 

To obey the commander’s words unconditionally.

 

‘But…’

 

They couldn’t easily move when their lives were at stake.

 

They hadn’t endured countless hardships just to follow this Rookie-looking guy and die a dog’s death.

 

Arteon continued speaking.

 

“What you see here is a medicinal herb called Pima Herb that soldiers often use to relieve pain. You can easily find these near the lake, as well as near our front where the enemies are currently moving.”

 

Pima Herb, which bloomed almost like weeds, was scattered everywhere without exaggeration.

 

But what they didn’t know.

 

“However, when you burn this Pima Herb, smoke rises that contains components causing hallucinations.”

 

After spreading smoke over a wide area and making those guys fall into a hallucinogenic state.

 

“During that time, we quickly eliminate only the commanders and withdraw. Those guys who lose their commanders will fall into chaos, and if we hide in the fog and darkness and harass them with throwing spears and arrows, they’ll have no choice but to retreat.”

 

As soon as Arteon finished speaking, one soldier raised his hand.

 

Arteon looked at him and nodded.

 

“The operation is good, but ultimately we need fire, don’t we? If we move carrying torches, wouldn’t stealth be impossible?”

 

At those words, several soldiers nodded.

 

They had the same thought.

 

Then Arteon took out a bluish stone from his pouch.

 

“…What’s that?”

 

“Flint?”

 

Suddenly, someone’s loud sigh could be heard.

 

One unit member spoke to Arteon.

 

“Near the lake, as well as the forward area of the 4th Defense Line, there’s a lot of moisture, making it difficult to light fires with flint. Unless we bring oil-soaked cloth… but the oil smell could expose our position.”

 

Since the Kar Tribe lives with nature as their companion, their general senses like sight, smell, and hearing are superior.

 

It was impossible to hide the oil smell from those guys.

 

To this, Arteon nodded.

 

“Good point. Certainly that method would be problematic. But this is a stone called Blue Sun Stone. It’s a stone commonly found in the Northern Region.”

 

And from another pouch, he took out a reddish stone.

 

At the unfamiliar stone, the unit members’ gazes fixed on the red stone in Arteon’s hand.

 

“This is a stone called Red Heat Stone. It can’t be obtained in the Northern Region, and it’s treated as quite rare even in the Southern Region.”

 

It was an item he had obtained through Rishiven in Almers last time.

 

Since it had a clear purpose and couldn’t be obtained in the Northern Region, he had prepared it in advance.

 

‘Though I didn’t know I’d have to use it this quickly…’

 

Arteon held the Blue Sun Stone and Red Heat Stone, one in each hand, and said.

 

“And if you rub these two stones together forcefully like this…”

 

Scrrrrratch!

 

The surfaces of the Blue Sun Stone and Red Heat Stone scraped away, creating strong friction.

 

At that moment.

 

Whoosh!

 

A flame about the size of a fist burst forth instantly, igniting the Pima Herb placed on the ground.

 

And this was Pima Herb that had been slightly dampened with water.

 

“Ugh!”

 

“Everyone cover your mouths and noses!”

 

When the dampened Pima Herb caught fire, quite a lot of smoke rose up.

 

It was barely a handful of Pima Herb, yet this much smoke was rising.

 

Arteon immediately stamped out the fire on the Pima Herb with his foot and covered it with dirt to eliminate the smoke.

 

Then he looked at the unit members and said.

 

“Any more questions?”

 

“….”

 

There was no answer.

 

All the unit members were amazed and surprised by the current situation.

 

Who would have thought there were stones with such properties.

 

But what was most surprising was.

 

‘He prepared… everything like this?’

 

‘What the hell is that guy…?’

 

Arteon had prepared so meticulously it seemed perfect.

 

All the unit members looked at Arteon with serious gazes.

 

The initial distrust or anxiety they had was already gone.

 

Seeing this, Arteon continued speaking.

 

“From now on, we move at maximum speed to the front of the 4th Defense Line and hide in the bushes near the lake to wait for the enemy.”

 

Though not as thick as the fog near the lake, it was an environment where stealth was possible due to light fog and waist-high bushes.

 

After Arteon continued explaining the operation like this.

 

“Does everyone understand?”

 

“…Understood.”

 

“Yes!”

 

“Understood!”

 

Each gave their answer.

 

To think it would be such a bold operation.

 

But one thing he could definitely guarantee.

 

If this operation succeeded properly…

 

‘We could completely change the situation at the 4th Defense Line.’

 

This unit of only 31 men had the potential to change the flow of the 4th Defense Line.

 

Arteon nodded with satisfaction at the expressions on his unit members’ faces.

 

‘Good faces.’

 

It would certainly be a difficult operation, but if everyone had confidence they could do it, the success rate would increase.

 

The excitement he had felt in his past life came flooding back to him anew.

 

Looking at those unit members, Arteon spoke.

 

“We depart.”

 

Soon after, Arteon and his 30 unit members began moving rapidly toward the forward area of the 4th Defense Line.

 

* * *

 

It was late at night with fog hanging low.

 

The sky was covered with ice-colored clouds, and heavy footsteps grew louder through the bushes leading down to the lake.

 

Thud, thud.

 

Kar Tribe warriors armed with thick hide and fur clothing moved quietly along the slope leading to the lake.

 

Sharp yet solid gazes watching ahead.

 

Their expressions showed a fierceness that would tear apart anyone who dared block their path.

 

And then, as silence continued except for the sound of footsteps.

 

“…Finally arrived, have we.”

 

Below the lake, in the forward area of the 4th Defense Line where the Imperial Army had formed their formation.

 

Ulgrak in the front row lowered his stance and spoke quietly.

 

The axe on his back and his thick beard. Spirit flowed from his scar-covered body.

 

They had finally set foot in the territory beyond the lake.

 

Moldur, his adjutant walking beside him, spoke.

 

“If we advance just a little more, we’ll reach a place where we can establish a base camp. If we fully construct our formation there… those bastards won’t even be able to move near the lake anymore.”

 

Here, Elvarfiel Lake was also an important resource for water supply.

 

Just cutting off their water supply would quickly make them desperate.

 

Continuously receiving water supplies from the rear position wasn’t an easy task, after all.

 

Ulgrak nodded at that.

 

“We’ll completely establish our position before sunrise. Before those bastards can even react.”

 

And Ulgrak extended his finger to point toward the 4th Defense Line.

 

“Now we’ll have Elvarfiel Lake behind us, and beyond that, we’ll claim the fertile lands of those Imperial bastards.”

 

If that happened, the warriors wouldn’t have to starve anymore.

 

And with that stable supply established, he planned to advance further south and plunder what the Imperial bastards possessed.

 

“Everything those bastards have will become ours.”

 

At those words, the warriors’ eyes flashed sharply.

 

But at that moment.

 

Grrrrrrk, psssssssssss!

 

A sound suddenly coming from somewhere.

 

It sounded like something burning, or perhaps like scraping stone.

 

Ulgrak’s pupils wavered slightly at that.

 

Then Moldur gave orders to the warriors.

 

“Search the area! Quickly!”

 

With those words, the warriors quickly scattered in all directions.

 

A moment later, what spread through the thin fog was gray smoke.

 

At first glance it was similar enough to be confused with fog, but as the smoke instantly covered their vision, Ulgrak drew up his mana.

 

‘What the hell is this…?’

 

They had definitely sent scouts ahead before entering.

 

Given the terrain here, there was no position where hundreds of Imperial soldiers could ambush them.

 

Then this smoke was…

 

‘Are they trying to pull some cheap trick?’

 

Ulgrak’s eyes flashed sharply.

 

He didn’t know what they were trying to do, but there was nothing those bastards could accomplish.

 

“…Come then, dogs of the Empire.”

 

Ulgrak used his mana to heighten his senses.

 

But that’s when it happened.

 

“Aaaaaargh!”

 

“Gaaaah!”

 

Suddenly screams from the warriors came from beyond the fog.

 

Ulgrak quickly launched his body and rushed toward that location.

 

And what he encountered there was.

 

“…What is this.”

 

The sight of warriors consumed by madness, killing each other.

—————
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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