The Mad Spearman of the Northern Front - Chapter 7

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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 (7)

“We have free time again until the 4th Platoon arrives.”

“Thank you for your consideration.”

Arteon said to Claw.

Though he had been assigned as the 4th Squad leader of the 4th Platoon, the 4th Squad that had gone to the battlefield had not yet returned.

Claw chuckled and said.

“Make sure to take care of the wound on your hand so it doesn’t get infected. Sometimes such small wounds can fester and cause great suffering.”

Still, having seen each other a few times over the past few days, they seemed to have become somewhat friendly.

Claw held out a medicinal herb that was good for inflammation to Arteon.

“If you grind it well and apply it to the wound, it should be effective.”

“Heart of Steel! Thank you!”

“I’ll be watching, so work hard here too.”

“Yes, understood.”

Soon Claw turned around.

“….”

Then Claw recalled Arteon’s appearance.

At most.

‘He’s only a first-year soldier now….’

His gaze, his military bearing, and even the strange composure that emanated from him.

Didn’t he seem like someone who had served in the military for at least 10 years?

He had a feeling that this guy would accomplish something here too.

And Arteon maintained his salute posture, watching him until Claw was no longer visible.

Only after his figure had completely disappeared did he look at the medicinal herb clutched in his hand.

‘…Many things have changed.’

From when he first entered the military.

In his past life, he had lived being treated almost like air until he came to the 4th Platoon.

Not a single person had looked after Arteon or cared for him.

Those were times when he truly had to struggle and endure alone.

‘But….’

Now the very starting point had become completely different, hadn’t it?

Of course, he couldn’t tell whether coming as the 4th Squad leader of the 4th Platoon was an opportunity or a demotion.

Soon Arteon took out the rod he had been carrying behind his waist.

Until now, he had refrained from using Vargas’s Spear to avoid standing out as much as possible.

“But here, it shouldn’t matter now.”

If anyone asked, he could just say he received it as a reward.

Even if it differed from what was publicly known, there probably weren’t many people who would care about a single spear like this.

Moreover….

Swoosh.

If he didn’t inject mana, it would return to the form of an ordinary rod.

Because of this, it was good for avoiding the gaze of other unit members.

“Return.”

They probably wouldn’t do it today.

At the earliest, they should return tomorrow.

Arteon went into the barracks and organized his space.

From now on, this would be where he belonged, wouldn’t it?

Arteon had barely managed to reach the 2nd Star level after two weeks of grueling training.

Vargas’s Spear Technique was a spear technique that could only be used when supported by mana levels through mana cultivation methods.

‘The magic circle that amplified mana concentration was a great help.’

Though it was a short time of two weeks, it was a result he could achieve because he didn’t waste even a single second.

And if he continued to work harder in the future….

‘I can do it.’

Arteon’s past life had been used by Moldrek only to be discarded.

But it wasn’t simply that he had been wronged by Moldrek.

The politics of the higher-ups who used the Northern conflict only for their own benefit had been involved.

‘Going further….’

The Kar Tribe warriors who were confronting them over the Northern Front were the same.

In the end, all the soldiers on this Northern Front were nothing more than chess pieces for the benefit of the Empire’s privileged class.

But….

‘This time will be different.’

Whatever you bastards want, you won’t be able to have it.

How strong these soldiers fighting at the very front of the Northern Front are.

“I’ll show you clearly.”

To do that, first taking control of this Northern Region was the priority.

“…Phew.”

He would live each day like a year.

And he would definitely repay them.

The deaths of his comrades who died unjustly.

“And my share, a million times over.”

Before long, Arteon’s eyes had grown coldly calm.

And so a day passed.

The 4th Platoon that had gone to the battlefield returned.

* * *

“…A new squad leader is coming?”

4th Platoon leader Hendris made a puzzled expression at the news he heard as soon as he returned to the unit.

Though there was currently a temporary 4th Squad leader, they were suddenly appointing a 4th Squad leader like this?

“And they’re assigning a guy who just got promoted to corporal as the 4th Squad leader?”

“But… that soldier this time….”

The soldier who was giving the report approached Hendris closely and spoke.

Hendris’s eyes widened as he listened to the story.

“He survived and returned from the Bareda Hill punishment… you say?”

And after committing the crime of murdering a superior officer, no less.

Hendris pressed both hands firmly against his temples due to a throbbing headache.

What sin had he committed in his past life that they kept assigning such lunatics to this place?

“Are they really planning to assign all the shit-heads to one place?”

Well, he could tell just by looking at most of the soldiers that made up this 4th Unit.

Weren’t they all guys who had committed serious crimes in the Empire and been dragged to the Northern Front?

But that’s exactly why the squad leaders who commanded them had to be normal.

That’s how the unit could function.

“But now they’re planning to abandon the 4th Platoon entirely… what on earth is the division commander thinking?”

But there was no way they would reverse a decision that had already been made.

Hendris sighed and said.

“Bring him here. I’ll meet with him first.”

If he met him and felt it really wouldn’t work, he planned to go find the division commander.

But….

“Heart of Steel! Corporal Arteon. I’m here to see the 4th Platoon leader!”

“…Uh, take a seat.”

“Yes, thank you.”

How should I put it.

Since he was a soldier who had only been in the military for a year, it felt like his discipline was properly established.

Moreover, from his saluting to his way of speaking.

While being in this shithole of a 4th Platoon, it felt like seeing a real soldier for the first time in a while.

Hendris asked.

“I heard you were appointed as the 4th Squad leader. Do you know what kind of platoon our 4th Platoon is?”

Arteon looked at Hendris.

‘This person is…’

The one who commanded the 4th Platoon before I took charge of it?

Though this was the first time meeting him directly, I had various information about Hendris.

While nothing particularly outstanding, he possessed well-rounded abilities overall.

What was most impressive was.

‘He handles matters according to regulations and rules without being swayed by emotions.’

In other words, he was a soldier-like person.

Arteon liked this type of person.

Nothing was more infuriating than a superior whose decisions changed based on their mood even in identical situations.

Arteon said.

“I’m well aware of it.”

“Then you must also know it won’t be easy… Will you be alright?”

Hendris looked at him with worried eyes.

No matter how disciplined a soldier might be, the situation could change completely once they met the 4th Platoon members.

The guys who were dragged into the military after committing serious crimes were literally desperate scoundrels with nothing to lose.

Therefore, they were always deployed first in dangerous operations, and personnel changed frequently.

They had to fill the positions left empty by the dead after all.

Naturally, most of them had no discipline to speak of and didn’t follow their superiors’ orders well.

At Hendris’s words, Arteon formed a small smile at the corner of his mouth.

However, to Hendris’s eyes, it didn’t look like he was simply smiling.

His gaze seemed to sink coldly.

‘This guy… is he really a first-year…?’

He said he was definitely 15 years old.

A 15-year-old kid in his first year of military service…

‘How can he have such eyes?’

Hendris had been serving in the military at the Northern Front for three years now.

This Northern Front was more fierce and had a lower survival rate than any other front within the Empire.

He had countless experiences, and because of that, he had developed some ability to read people.

Even among superiors with 5-6 years or more of military service, none had such eyes.

If there was anyone most similar.

‘Benhard’s…’

Perhaps Belkain, who was called the Ogre?

Hendris unconsciously swallowed his saliva. Then Arteon spoke.

“I have one request for the platoon leader.”

“Let’s hear it.”

“For the time being, until discipline is established, I want to handle the 4th Squad members my way. During that time, I hope you’ll trust me and give me time.”

He understood what those words meant at once.

Hendris said.

“Let me be clear… the 4th Platoon soldiers are rough. They’ll be different from the unit you were in.”

“It doesn’t matter.”

I’m quite rough myself too.

Though he didn’t say the rest aloud, the meaning seemed to have been conveyed through his eyes.

Hendris nodded.

Somehow, he felt like this guy could be trusted with the task.

It was just the ‘intuition’ from long military service.

“Do as you wish.”

Hendris accepted.

“Yes, thank you.”

Arteon stood up from his seat, saluted Hendris, and left the barracks.

And Hendris, left alone in the barracks.

“…An incredibly absurd guy has come to the unit.”

The spot where Arteon had left.

Hendris could only stare at that place with an absurd expression.

* * *

“Bert, murder due to gang-related territorial disputes.”

Raymen, insulting and assaulting nobility.

Raphelson, illegal weapons trafficking.

Jalbarog, murdering a noble.

Graphil, pickpocketing.

Arteon was checking information about the five squad members who survived after this operation.

Unfortunately, they weren’t the guys who were there when he was the platoon leader.

And as expected, they weren’t easy opponents either.

The one with the least serious crime was Graphil, who was a pickpocket.

“…Over a hundred pickpocketing incidents targeting noble ladies.”

It was miraculous that his wrists hadn’t been cut off with such numbers.

Arteon stood up to deal with these guys who weren’t easy in any way.

Still, they weren’t guys with unforgivable records.

If there had been any criminals who targeted women or children, he would have immediately crippled them and replaced them.

‘Rather, if it’s to this extent…’

These were guys who could become assets if properly refined.

Moreover, all five who had survived so far had been dragged here over two years ago.

Surviving over two years in the 4th Platoon, which was deployed in the most dangerous operations, meant they all had some skill.

“And that means they’re just as tough to handle.”

He understood why platoon leader Hendris had looked at him with such worried eyes.

He must have thought what a mere 15-year-old first-year rookie could do against such rough guys.

However…

“If I’m going to be beaten by guys like these, I might as well bite my tongue and die.”

I’m just taking the first step toward my great undertaking.

Arteon immediately headed to the barracks where the 4th Squad members were gathered.

And when he arrived at the barracks.

“…What a mess.”

The moment he entered the barracks, the foul smell of sweat that stung his nose and the disorganized interior came into view.

Spears and armor were thrown carelessly on the floor in corners, and everyone was lying haphazardly on their beds sleeping.

Dried blood crusted on various parts of their bodies.

Traces of dirt hardened with sweat were clearly visible.

Arteon let out a small sigh.

Then he slowly drew up his mana and focused on his voice.

“Everyone, attentionnnnnn!”

“…!”

The mana-infused voice echoed thunderously throughout the barracks like a loudspeaker.

The sleeping 4th Squad soldiers couldn’t even scream as they opened their eyes wide and bolted upright from their positions.

“Keh, kek!”

“What! What?!”

The guys who belatedly coughed awkwardly and the ones who were shouting looked at Arteon standing at the barracks entrance.

Then Arteon looked at them and spoke.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Arteon, your newly assigned 4th Squad leader.”

Arteon looked at them with a broad smile, as if he was truly enjoying himself.

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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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