The Mad Spearman of the Northern Front - Chapter 56

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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 (56)

 

The southern part of Lake Elbarfiel was filled with mist thicker than usual.

 

And beyond that mist.

 

Black silhouettes swayed faintly as they approached, spreading the scent of blood.

 

“Groan…!”

 

Broken spears and axes.

 

The Kar Tribe warriors limping over the blood-stained bushes moved silently under the darkened sky.

 

They had collapsed helplessly under the unexpected Imperial Army attack.

 

A defeat so crushing it made their great victory at Lake Elbarfiel seem meaningless.

 

The enemy force wasn’t even a small number of less than 100 men.

 

The Kar Tribe, overcome with despair, eventually arrived at their formation in the southern part of Lake Elbarfiel.

 

And…

 

“Quickly help support Taman! Hurry!”

 

Ulgrak entered the barracks that had been set up as a medical room.

 

His left shoulder was covered in blood.

 

The mark where Arteon’s spear had pierced through had torn flesh and shattered bone.

 

Despite applying maximum hemostasis, the blood wouldn’t stop, and pus-mixed blood flowed down stickily.

 

“Taman, are you alright?”

 

“…Don’t make a fuss.”

 

Ulgrak’s complexion was poor, perhaps from losing too much blood.

 

However, Ulgrak soon looked at his aide Moldur, who was supporting him, and spoke.

 

“Moldur, immediately organize a reconnaissance unit with the fastest warriors who are uninjured.”

 

“…A reconnaissance unit?”

 

Moldur frowned.

 

What reconnaissance in this situation?

 

The warriors had barely made it back alive.

 

But Ulgrak nodded.

 

“Send the reconnaissance unit toward the Empire bastards’ formation to check their movements. Those fox-like bastards won’t let this opportunity slip by.”

 

“They also suffered a great defeat from us not long ago and lost many soldiers. It would be difficult for them to mobilize forces right now.”

 

That’s why those bastards had infiltrated in small numbers, wasn’t it?

 

But Ulgrak spoke with a resolute expression.

 

“Moldur.”

 

“Yes, Taman.”

 

“The atmosphere has changed. Those bastards will carry out an attack even if they have to overextend themselves.”

 

Ulgrak recalled the boy soldier he had fought.

 

No, calling him a boy soldier felt like an insult to him, given his combat ability.

 

Moreover…

 

‘Those eyes…’

 

Those were the eyes of a warrior.

 

The eyes of a seasoned and strong warrior who had overcome the battlefield where one must leap over the line of death several times.

 

Ulgrak turned his gaze to look at the wound on his shoulder.

 

‘I barely managed to block it…’

 

If his strength had been just a little stronger, he would have shattered the axe handle and pierced through the heart.

 

His not yet fully grown body was practically what had saved Ulgrak’s life.

 

Retch!

 

When he touched the wound area, blood spurted out as if vomiting.

 

This won’t do.

 

“T-Taman!”

 

When Ulgrak silently rose from his seat, Moldur called out to him.

 

But Ulgrak moved to the back of the tent and looked at the iron rod heated over the charcoal fire.

 

“This humiliation… I will definitely repay it.”

 

Ulgrak’s eyes, thinking of Arteon, turned blood-red.

 

Soon, Ulgrak gripped the iron rod and brought the iron against his wound.

 

“…!”

 

A short scream was barely blocked by his lips and swallowed back down his throat.

 

The smell of burning flesh spread throughout the tent, and pain traveled up his spine to the top of his head.

 

But Ulgrak maintained his posture to the end and perfectly cauterized the wound.

 

His clenched molars seemed ready to break from grinding together.

 

“Huu.”

 

Finally, breath that expelled white smoke was exhaled.

 

Whoosh!

 

Ulgrak turned his head to look in the direction they had come from.

 

The cold wind from the Northern Region cut across his skin like a blade.

 

“Next time…”

 

I’ll cut that neck in one stroke.

 

Ulgrak’s gaze extended beyond the mist toward that small boy.

 

* * *

 

Before dawn broke, the formation at the 4th Defense Line was filled with lights and noise.

 

When news spread that the advance order had been given, the soldiers moved busily, but their faces were mixed with complex emotions.

 

“Going back to Lake Elbarfiel again…?”

 

Whispers among the soldiers never ceased.

 

The recent defeat.

 

Nearly half their forces had fallen because of it, and corpses whose names still hadn’t been confirmed remained somewhere by the lakeside.

 

And now another battle just because one company had been reinforced?

 

Wasn’t this not just reckless but suicidal?

 

Doubts spread throughout the formation, but only one unit.

 

The 3rd Platoon had a different atmosphere from the others.

 

“Bring that thing over.”

 

“I’ve brought it here.”

 

Grain came with five platoon members carrying something that had turned black.

 

At first glance, it looked like a square wooden board, or perhaps armor.

 

When they finally set it down on the ground, a nauseating oil smell rushed into their nostrils.

 

Arteon lightly poked it with the spear he was holding.

 

It left marks but didn’t puncture or create holes.

 

Arteon spoke with satisfaction.

 

“Everyone put one of these under your armor. With this, you can block one or two more axe strikes from those bastards.”

 

The black something.

 

Its true identity was leather armor that had been treated with oil and repeatedly dried in sunlight and the cold Northern Region wind.

 

Through this process, leather becomes softer and gains density, making it more elastic.

 

Moreover, it becomes resistant to friction and increases resistance to tearing, effectively blocking enemy attacks.

 

But then, a platoon member who picked up the oil-treated leather armor frowned.

 

“But… the smell is too strong, isn’t it? This is something a person can smell…”

 

Thwack!

 

“Gah!”

 

The platoon member who was complaining screamed and tumbled forward.

 

Grain, who was beside him, had struck the back of his head hard.

 

“It’s better than dying, so stop talking nonsense and hurry up and put it on. Anyone with complaints, I’ll just cut your throat right here, so speak up.”

 

At Grain’s sharp words, the platoon members closed their mouths and hurriedly put on their armor.

 

So despite the smell, the texture of the completely dried leather armor wasn’t too bad.

 

And at that sight.

 

“….”

 

Arteon unconsciously formed a faint smile at the corner of his mouth.

 

To speak coldly, there hadn’t been any major changes to the platoon members’ bodies.

 

They couldn’t thrust their spears faster, nor could they run faster than before.

 

If he had to mention what changed through training, perhaps their stamina had improved a little?

 

But he couldn’t expect major changes from just 1-2 weeks of training.

 

However, if there was something that had greatly changed in that process, it was that they didn’t avoid fear and never forgot their duty as soldiers to fight in any situation.

 

‘I can tell just by looking at their eyes.’

 

They had become warriors who sought to seize victory, not just soldiers who went to the battlefield to survive.

 

And then.

 

Boooooooo!

 

A horn sound that seemed to tear the sky echoed throughout the entire formation.

 

At the sound signaling assembly orders, Arteon looked at his platoon members.

 

“Let’s go.”

 

“Yes!”

 

A resounding answer came with the quiet command.

 

At the sight of his platoon members filled with spirit, Arteon turned around.

 

This war.

 

‘We will definitely win.’

 

There was a strange power in Arteon’s steps as he moved toward the assembly point.

 

* * *

 

Northeastern 2nd Defense Line.

 

The command post in the forward formation at the western end.

 

Inside the command tent filled with cold air, the commander of the Northeastern 2nd Defense Line, Rauben Crester, looked at the letter before him.

 

“….”

 

But soon a hollow laugh burst out.

 

His face was filled with bewilderment.

 

“Is this… really a letter from Corps Commander Belkain?”

 

At his question, his aide Erd, who had been standing quietly in front, nodded.

 

“The official seal matches. We’ve also confirmed that the soldier who brought the letter is a situation officer directly under the corps commander.”

 

“…Ha.”

 

Rauben looked down at the letter again.

 

But soon.

 

Crumple!

 

Rauben crumpled the letter and threw it on the ground.

 

His face was filled with irritation.

 

“Until now, they’ve been bickering so much over just the southern part of Elvarfiel Lake. But now they want to occupy the entire lake? Does this make any sense?”

 

Rauben’s words sounded half like mockery toward Corps Commander Belkain, and half toward those far away at the 4th Defense Line.

 

“This is impossible.”

 

Literally preposterous.

 

At those words, his aide Erd slightly lowered his head to look at the letter that had fallen to the ground.

 

One corner of the crumpled letter was unfolded, and part of it came into view.

 

―…if there’s a possibility of controlling the entire lake, strike the enemy’s flank to cover the forces at the 4th Defense Line….

 

Just from that sentence, he could understand what orders had been given.

 

Rauben let out a small sigh.

 

“Erd, what’s the current forward situation at our defense line?”

 

“Thanks to our great victory in the recent battle, the Kar Tribe has pulled their formation back.”

 

“An opportunity for us to attack as well.”

 

“If we move our forces quickly, I think we can definitely push up to the formation currently occupied by the Kar Tribe.”

 

“…Damn.”

 

Rauben muttered a curse under his breath.

 

However, he soon shook his head and said.

 

“Still, orders are orders.”

 

To speak coldly, for the current 2nd Defense Line, advancing the formation a bit more or retreating didn’t have much structural significance.

 

The terrain was narrow, and even if it was breached, there was a natural barrier right behind it.

 

‘But….’

 

The 4th Defense Line is completely different.

 

Rauben looked at the map of the Northern Region hanging on the wall.

 

Before he knew it, his gaze was fixed on Elvarfiel Lake.

 

“If we could completely occupy that place.”

 

Even without continuing his words, Erd understood the meaning.

 

He nodded and said.

 

“A foundation would be created for a full-scale advance into the Northern Region where the Kar Tribe’s main base is located. If we occupy both Helikel Gorge, which is currently at the Northwest First Defense Line, and Elvarfiel Lake, the Kar Tribe would have no choice but to be nervous.”

 

“That’s right. Moreover, if we occupy Elvarfiel Lake, we can naturally receive help on our side too.”

 

At Rauben’s words, Erd asked cautiously.

 

“But… would it really be possible to occupy the entire lake?”

 

At that question, Rauben twisted the corner of his mouth and chuckled.

 

“If we can’t? We just watch from a distance and retreat. Honestly, there’s not much risk on our side either. However….”

 

He trailed off and looked at the letter on the ground again.

 

That document, crumpled beyond recognition.

 

But he couldn’t forget the shape of the red seal stamped on it.

 

Belkain.

 

The Empire’s corps commander, more cool-headed and cautious than anyone else.

 

Was such a person really believing that this operation would truly succeed?

 

Rauben silently wrote down the troop mobilization order while muttering to himself.

 

‘…Does he really believe it?

 

That we can occupy all of Elvarfiel Lake?’

 

The doubt didn’t fade, but.

 

“Erd, prepare the troops. We move to West of Elbarfiel immediately.”

 

And if such a thing were really possible….

 

‘The flow of the Northern Region would change.’

 

He didn’t know what was at the center of it all, but….

 

Rauben just stared quietly at the map of the Northern Region where Elvarfiel Lake was located.

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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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