The Mad Spearman of the Northern Front - Chapter 53

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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 (53)

 

The northern sky was dimly covered with starlight.

 

Hadel, who had come out of the barracks, was looking toward the front of the 4th Defense Line while pulling his coat tight against the fluttering caused by the cold northern wind.

 

Though the darkness prevented him from seeing far into the distance, he could vividly picture the fierce battle in his mind.

 

“…Arteon.”

 

Hadel called his name in a low voice.

 

When he first saw him, distrust had come first.

 

Too young an age.

 

Achievements that were absurd compared to that age.

 

Everything seemed exaggerated, like a rigged game.

 

Of course, he knew intellectually that the achievements were real since there had been talk of a Merit Ceremony being held at the Imperial Palace.

 

But why was that?

 

Was it simply that he didn’t want to acknowledge it?

 

Everything about his appearance at their first meeting had been displeasing.

 

A light build that hadn’t fully grown.

 

A calm way of speaking that didn’t match that build.

 

‘But…’

 

After being assigned to the platoon, the side of him he had shown was the complete opposite of expectations.

 

He trained every day on this harsh northern battlefield and encouraged his comrades.

 

In just a few days, he had taken control of the platoon members.

 

‘And that ridiculous operation plan…’

 

Clear judgment and instantaneous decision-making.

 

And above all… those eyes.

 

That gaze, deep and sharp enough to be hard to believe belonged to a 15-year-old, was vivid in his mind.

 

The more Hadel recalled the memory, the more he felt a chill run down his spine.

 

Those eyes were not something that could be obtained simply by having outstanding combat ability.

 

They were the eyes that only one who had witnessed countless deaths could possess.

 

Because they were something that only those who had crawled up from the mud could harbor.

 

That’s why it was even more puzzling.

 

How could a soldier of such young age have such eyes?

 

“…You must return safely.”

 

Considering Battalion Commander Leorn’s disposition, if the operation failed, severe disciplinary action would be unavoidable.

 

But even so, Hadel hoped for the soldiers’ safe return rather than the operation’s success.

 

Operation failure.

 

Disciplinary action.

 

Such things become meaningless once time passes.

 

He didn’t want to see a soldier with tremendous potential fade away in a place like this.

 

Hadn’t countless skilled soldiers in the north met absurdly senseless deaths until now?

 

Since becoming a soldier, he had led countless soldiers and sent off countless comrades.

 

But this time…

 

Hadel’s gaze as he looked toward the front held a more earnest wish than ever before.

 

* * *

 

Beyond the bushes, a massive silhouette appeared through the thick fog.

 

On his upper body was a coat made from beast hide, and beneath it, scars accumulated through experience showed darkly on his visible muscles.

 

A giant axe gripped in his hands.

 

Ulgrak frowned as if very angry, looking in the direction from which the throwing spear had come.

 

“Damn it… Those cursed Empire bastards… What the hell kind of shit did they pull…!”

 

Though the words flowed out quietly, the killing intent contained within them was murderous.

 

And Ulgrak raised his head to look at the man standing beyond the bushes.

 

“…”

 

His build was worthy of being called a man, but the face glimpsed at first glance looked somewhat young.

 

However, the aura flowing from Red-haired Comrade.

 

Ulgrak could tell at a glance that Red-haired Comrade was an Empire commander.

 

Crack.

 

Ulgrak gripped the axe in his hand tightly.

 

And the moment their eyes met.

 

Thud!

 

“…!”

 

Red-haired Comrade charged straight toward him as if there was nothing to consider.

 

It was something that happened in truly an instant.

 

Though Red-haired Comrade’s forces were surrounding them, this was a battlefield where his own warriors were positioned.

 

“You’ve got impressive spirit. But that spirit won’t give you a long life!”

 

Ulgrak shouted loudly as he raised his axe.

 

At the same time, as he stomped the ground hard.

 

Thud!

 

The surrounding grass blades all swayed in unison, spreading a strong aura.

 

And…

 

Swoosh!

 

In Arteon’s vision as he ran through the bushes like swimming, all the Kar Tribe warriors including Ulgrak came into view.

 

Most seemed to have returned to their right minds, as the hallucinogenic symptoms from the Pima Herb smoke appeared to be fading.

 

‘But…’

 

As if the aftereffects hadn’t completely disappeared yet, Red-haired Comrade couldn’t fully concentrate on combat.

 

‘If not now…’

 

The opportunity to fight the enemy commander without interference would never come again.

 

Arteon’s movements were as fast as a beast of prey yet as stealthy as a shadow.

 

Ulgrak’s pupils wavered slightly at the strange movement he was seeing for the first time in his life.

 

However…

 

“Do you think you can inflict even a single wound on me with such petty tricks?”

 

Ulgrak swung his axe greatly toward the charging Arteon.

 

From upper left to lower right.

 

The diagonally swung axe threateningly aimed for Arteon’s head.

 

Swish.

 

Arteon’s two eyes fixed on the swinging axe.

 

He had experience facing Kar Tribe members who used such giant axes.

 

If he dodged the attack, they would immediately rotate their body to launch the next attack at even faster speed.

 

A quite troublesome style if you let them seize the momentum.

 

It was a type that crushed with force, but if you couldn’t suppress that force, you’d end up in a situation where you had to keep dodging attacks until you fled.

 

‘That’s why…’

 

He deflects it.

 

Arteon concentrated all the mana he could currently use into Iglis.

 

Wooooooong!

 

As intense mana was sucked in all at once, Iglis resonated softly as if pleased.

 

And with singular focus.

 

He swung his spear with all his might toward the enemy commander’s axe that was being swung at him.

 

Claaaang!

 

A tremendous roar echoed.

 

The warriors nearby flinched momentarily and stopped in place, and the bushes at the collision site were flattened to the ground in a circle.

 

However, the most shocked person in that space was none other than Ulgrak.

 

His own arm and axe that had shot up into the sky.

 

His pupils shook violently, unable to even comprehend what had happened.

 

“My attack was… deflected?”

 

How could that guy with such a small frame produce this kind of power?

 

But his thoughts didn’t last long.

 

If that was the case, he just needed to attack even stronger so it could never be deflected again.

 

Wooooooong!

 

Blue mana rippled around Ulgrak’s body.

 

Along with the guy’s aura rising with tremendous force.

 

“Try blocking this too!”

 

Ulgrak’s axe that had been deflected into the sky came crashing down in a straight line.

 

Kwaaaaaaaang!

 

Destructive power incomparable to before.

 

The ground was destroyed and stone fragments and torn vegetation scattered in all directions.

 

“…?”

 

Ulgrak’s eyebrows twitched.

 

He had thought the attack would be difficult to even dodge, yet his axe was deeply embedded in the ground.

 

But then.

 

Shuaaaaaaaak!

 

Arteon, who had dodged to the side, thrust his spear aiming for Ulgrak’s flank.

 

Startled, Ulgrak hastily twisted his body to avoid Arteon’s spear.

 

He wanted to grab the spear shaft and break it, but the speed at which the spear was withdrawn was tremendous, faster than the thrusting speed.

 

‘This guy…’

 

Ulgrak’s gaze turned toward Arteon.

 

Regardless of whether he had a youthful appearance or not.

 

‘He’s skilled in combat.’

 

Especially in fights against their kind.

 

He didn’t show the typical textbook-like movements that Empire bastards possessed.

 

Unlike ordinary Empire soldiers, those with commander-level skills mostly became strong through systematic education and training.

 

Rather than the natural, wild feeling like themselves, it was more like seeing the orthodox forms of swordsmanship or spear technique?

 

But in such cases, when they encountered unexpected variables, they crumbled more easily than expected.

 

Because of this, hadn’t more than ten Empire generals died at Ulgrak’s hands?

 

‘But…’

 

This guy was different.

 

He couldn’t determine exactly what was different, but…

 

“This bastard…”

 

Should he say this guy gave off a similar scent to themselves?

 

Ulgrak frowned and raised his axe again.

 

This guy still looked young.

 

That meant there was still more potential for development ahead.

 

‘If I let him live…’

 

He was unpredictable in how he might change in the future.

 

Ulgrak’s instincts were sending strong danger signals.

 

Absolutely do not let him live.

 

That this guy could become quite dangerous if he grew more than now in the future.

 

Having made up his mind, Ulgrak raised his aura and charged toward Arteon.

 

He intended to definitely kill this guy here, even if it meant accepting some sacrifice.

 

“Hup!”

 

In the twisted air, Ulgrak’s axe rushed toward Arteon.

 

The axe that grazed his hair and cut through the air soon changed direction and launched a second attack.

 

However…

 

Tadak!

 

At the boundary between life and death, Arteon calmly evaded the guy’s attack.

 

And just when his attack was about to gain momentum and become even more fierce.

 

“Hup!”

 

Jjeong!

 

“…!”

 

Even accepting the shock, he cut off the flow and disrupted the rhythm.

 

“This bastard!”

 

Each time, Ulgrak shouted loudly and swung his axe even more fiercely.

 

Anger surged at Arteon’s movements that ghostly blocked him just when the flow was about to seriously turn in his favor.

 

“I’ll kill you!”

 

It was the moment when rage finally overcame reason.

 

Kung!

 

Ulgrak leaped up from the ground and raised his axe high.

 

Blue lightning flickered like thunder on his axe blade, emanating vicious killing intent.

 

At that sight, Arteon’s eyes flashed.

 

“Huaaaaaaaap!”

 

Originally, such an attack should be dodged without even thinking.

 

And even the past Arteon would have dodged it.

 

‘Now…!’

 

However, the current Arteon who had learned the Vargas Northern Spear Technique approached in a completely different way.

 

The moment the guy delivered a strike with all his power.

 

Pabat!

 

Arteon moved his body to the side, held Iglis like a shield against his left arm, and rammed straight into the side of the axe coming down.

 

An attack like ramming with his whole body while keeping the spear close to his body.

 

And the moment Arteon’s spear struck Ulgrak’s axe hard.

 

Kwaaaaaaaang!

 

With an air-rending sound as if the atmosphere was being distorted, Ulgrak’s axe was deflected.

 

The axe that had been struck downward dug deep into the ground, and Ulgrak, whose attack had been blocked, stepped back in surprise.

 

“This crazy bastard…!”

 

Ulgrak hastily tried to pull out the axe embedded in the ground and prepare his next move.

 

But at that moment.

 

Stuck!

 

“…!”

 

Had it been embedded too deeply?

 

The axe stuck in the ground didn’t come out in one pull.

 

‘Could it be…?’

 

Instantly, Ulgrak’s pupils shook greatly.

 

Was all of this designed by this youngster?

 

His mind was in chaos.

 

But then.

 

“I’ve been waiting for this.”

 

In that split second when Ulgrak flinched, Arteon seized the opportunity and gripped his spear with both hands.

 

Due to the recent impact, his left arm was charred black and covered in wounds, bleeding.

 

Despite the fairly fatal injury, he didn’t even blink – such ruthlessness.

 

Soon after, Arteon gripped his spear with both hands and thrust it toward Ulgrak with all his might.

 

Shuaaaaaaaaak!

 

A sound like the air being torn could be heard.

 

Arteon’s spear, extending in a straight line, moved precisely toward Ulgrak’s heart.

 

And the moment Arteon’s spear touched the guy’s body.

 

Thwack!

 

“Tamaaaaaaaan!”

 

From behind, the desperate cry of Moldur, the Kar Tribe’s adjutant who had been fighting, echoed across the entire battlefield.

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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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