The Mad Spearman of the Northern Front - Chapter 8
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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 (8)
“Come to think of it, is it today?”
“What do you mean, sir?”
Claw, who had come to find Belkain for a report, tilted his head.
Wasn’t that too much of an abbreviated statement?
At Claw’s question, Belkain said.
“That soldier. Wasn’t his unit assignment today?”
“…You mean the soldier assigned to the 4th Squad?”
“Yes.”
At that answer, Claw’s eyes widened greatly.
Because Belkain wasn’t the type to remember individual soldiers one by one.
At Claw’s surprised expression, Belkain let out a chuckle.
“Why are you so surprised? He had quite the memorable impact, didn’t he?”
“That’s true, but… it seems like it’s been quite a ‘long time’ since you’ve said something like this, Division Commander.”
“…Yes, it has been a long time.”
Belkain recalled a certain soldier who had been here before.
But soon he wore a bitter smile and asked Claw.
“There shouldn’t be any particular problems, right?”
“It’s his first day, so I don’t think there will be any major issues. However… he might struggle a bit, don’t you think?”
Claw thought of the 4th Squad.
A punishment unit made up of prisoners.
Among them, the 4th Squad had guys who were especially uncontrollable.
‘Still…’
There had rarely been incidents on the first day.
Since that place was also where people lived, it was typical to scout around like conducting reconnaissance at first.
Claw said to Belkain.
“Still, just in case, I told them to contact us if anything happens… Should I check on it right now?”
“No need, it’s not that serious. More importantly, what’s the status of the 1st Defense Line?”
“It’s not good. We barely bought time with this last battle, but the damage is at a considerable level. If we don’t deploy support troops immediately, there’s a high possibility it will be breached within two weeks.”
“There are no support troops. Make do with the current forces.”
It was an answer without hesitation.
Central wouldn’t provide troop support to this Northern Region.
Claw bit his lips tightly with a bitter expression.
This place that was called the most important region, yet received no proper support.
There were no greater hypocrites.
Claw tried to calm his mind and clenched his right fist, placing it on his left chest.
“Then I’ll take my leave.”
Nod.
As Belkain nodded, Claw turned around and left the Division Commander’s Office.
The Northern Region always had poor conditions, but this time he thought it might be truly dangerous.
But then.
“Sergeant Claw!”
A soldier came running urgently toward Claw from a distance.
Soon standing before him, he saluted and said.
“Heart of Steel! I have something to report.”
“What is it?”
“You told us to keep an eye on that soldier named Arteon who returned from punishment, didn’t you?”
“Did something happen?”
An uneasy feeling flashed through him.
And as always, ominous premonitions never missed their mark.
At Claw’s question, the soldier said.
“Well… there’s been a bit of a problem.”
“…Already?”
Claw couldn’t hide his bewildered expression.
* * *
“…What did you say?”
“Squad leader…?”
At Arteon’s introduction, the soldiers of the 4th Squad in the barracks frowned.
But Arteon, as if he didn’t care about such things, looked at them and said.
“Get your gear ready right now and assemble at the training ground. The time is… alright, I’ll give you a generous 5 minutes.”
Arteon immediately turned around and headed toward the training ground.
The probability that those guys would come to the training ground within 5 minutes was…
“Absolutely zero chance.”
By now, there was probably chaos inside as they argued about who the hell this bastard was.
Arteon recalled the guys who had been in the barracks.
‘The biggest guy is… Bert.’
Thanks to having studied their physical descriptions in advance, he could identify them at a glance.
And next to him, the guy with narrow eyes and short stature was Raphelson.
Arteon waited while memorizing each of them in his mind.
And…
“As expected.”
But this was actually better.
Because he had created justification.
Arteon drew a small arc at the corner of his mouth and headed back toward the barracks.
“Ah, so why are you going there!”
“He says he’s the squad leader. What if we get caught in the crossfire?”
“Squad leader my ass! He’s completely lost it! Everyone listen up! If even one of you goes there, you won’t be able to pick up your bones with my hands!”
When he arrived near the barracks, it was noisy inside.
As expected, opinions seemed to be divided among them too.
Arteon entered the barracks without hesitation.
And then…
“Hup!”
“Hmm…”
“Ahem!”
The guys who had been arguing glanced at Arteon and quickly coughed awkwardly, turning their gazes away.
Arteon said.
“Insubordination to a legitimate training order. You’re truly living up to being called trash.”
“What?”
“Trash? Is this little bastard dying to get killed?”
The guys reacted sensitively to the word trash.
Naturally.
They must have been treated that way everywhere.
Even in this place where they were dragged to, weren’t they classified as the Problem Unit?
Perhaps for them, the word trash could be like an Achilles’ heel.
However…
‘That’s exactly why it works properly.’
Arteon drew the rod he had been carrying at his waist.
“I’ll give you one more chance. Those who will follow me to the Training Ground right now, come over here.”
Arteon pointed to his side with the rod.
And then….
“If you plan to continue resisting with insubordination, stay where you are. I’ll generously give you 30 seconds.”
Along with that, Arteon’s eyes grew coldly calm.
This was the last chance he was giving these guys.
And those 30 seconds passed quite quickly.
“25…26…27…28…29….”
And 30 seconds.
But contrary to expectations.
“What’s your name?”
“G-Graphil, sir.”
Fair skin with a lean build.
Graphil, who would look quite handsome with a little grooming, stood beside Arteon.
Arteon nodded.
“The other guys will face disciplinary action for insubordination. However, before the discipline begins, if anyone has complaints about this situation, come at me.”
“What did you say?”
Bert, with his massive build, frowned and asked.
Arteon answered him.
“If you can defeat me here and now by any means necessary, I’ll give that person the squad leader position. I’ve already discussed this with the platoon leader, so don’t worry about the consequences.”
“Really? If I crush you, I become squad leader?”
“I don’t speak with a forked tongue. However, it ends when either of us says surrender… or loses their life. I trust there’s no trash here who would lose pathetically and then make excuses later.”
“Hah! You better keep your promise!”
Bert suddenly charged at Arteon.
Quite agile movement for his size.
Arteon nodded.
“Good ambush. On the Battlefield, honorable duels mean nothing.”
Arteon, who had already drawn up his mana, looked at the guy.
After inheriting Wolfhart’s knowledge and experience, many changes had occurred in Arteon.
It wasn’t just learning the Mana Cultivation Method or gaining new knowledge….
Whoosh!
All his senses had been activated to an incomparable degree compared to before.
“…?!”
Bert, who had thrown a punch at Arteon, couldn’t hide his bewilderment at how easily the guy had dodged his attack.
It was supposed to be an ambush of sorts.
‘He dodged it that easily?’
Moreover, those eyes that kept watching his fist until the very end.
It was a look you could only see from guys who had lived by the sword for a long time in the Back Alleys.
But there wasn’t much time to think.
Thwack!
The moment Arteon’s swinging rod struck Bert’s side.
“Gah!”
Bert screamed and collapsed to the ground.
“Urgh… Urrrgh…!”
At the sight of Bert sitting down unable to get up, the guys around widened their eyes like rabbits.
What the hell was this….
“B-Bert!”
Raphelson hurriedly approached Bert. But….
“Stop.”
“….”
“It’s not over yet since he hasn’t said he surrenders. Don’t interfere. Or are you planning to attack me together? If so, feel free to interfere.”
“Ah, I… I’m….”
Raphelson glanced around nervously and slowly backed away.
Arteon looked at Bert.
“Get up quickly if you don’t want to hear that you’re not worth your size. I didn’t even hit you that hard.”
He had just lightly raised his mana.
Just using mana greatly enhanced physical abilities.
It was a situation where he could personally understand why knights who learned mana were so strong.
“Urgh… You bastard…!”
“Good spirit, try attacking again.”
Arteon said while casually swinging his rod back and forth.
Arteon knew.
How to handle guys like these.
‘These are guys who’ve survived in this harsh Northern Region. Normal methods won’t work on them at all.’
He had to beat them to an excessive degree.
If he didn’t completely break their spirit, there was no telling when they might stab him in the back.
Arteon looked at Bert getting up from his position.
His body was certainly sturdy, as he quickly got up and glared at Arteon.
“What are you doing, not attacking.”
“You… You bastard!”
Bert grabbed the spear that had been at his position.
That one blow had completely driven him mad.
“B-Bert! Don’t!”
“You can’t use a spear, Bert!”
“Killing a superior is punishable by death!”
All the companions watching shouted loudly. But it didn’t reach Bert, who had already lost his reason.
Just….
“Die, you bastard!”
Bert thrust his spear toward Arteon.
The Spear Blade with dried blood on it extended quickly toward Arteon, and the squad members watching screamed in horror.
But….
“Tsk…! Such a pathetic thrust.”
Arteon clicked his tongue and lightly struck the side of the Spear Blade with the rod he was holding.
Thunk!
“…?!”
Wobble!
As the spear veered off course to the side, Bert’s balance was shaken.
In that moment, Arteon, who had slipped into Bert’s embrace, struck the guy’s thigh with his rod.
“Put more strength in your lower body.”
Thwack!
“Gah!”
“And you put too much excessive force in your arms. Relax and apply force just before stabbing your opponent.”
Thwack!
“Gah!”
Just two strikes.
It was enough to end the fight.
Bert, collapsed on the ground, trembled and couldn’t get up.
But his eyes were just as hostile and fierce as they had been initially.
Arteon said.
“There’s more than one or two things that need fixing.”
Arteon looked down at Bert.
His gaze settled coldly.
At Arteon’s gaze, Bert involuntarily shuddered.
‘What… kind of look is that…?’
He’s just a brat who looks barely mid-teens.
But his eyes felt like those of a veteran who had been through countless battles.
Bert instinctively realized.
‘Dan, dangerous…!’
This guy is dangerous.
The instincts honed from rolling through the Back Alleys and Battlefield for so long were telling him so.
Bert shouted.
“I, I surr… Guh!”
Just as Bert was about to cry out surrender, Arteon reached out with his right hand and covered the guy’s mouth.
Along with eyes that seemed to flash with red light, the corners of Arteon’s mouth curved up long.
“What are you talking about? We’re just getting started.”
“Mmph! Mmph!”
Bert frantically tried to shake off Arteon’s hand that was covering his mouth.
But…
Thwack!
“Guhek!”
He screamed and tumbled backward from Arteon’s fist that struck his left side.
‘Can’t… breathe…!’
He needed to quickly say surrender.
Bert looked at Arteon while trembling.
Before he knew it, Arteon was holding a rod-like club and grinning as he spoke.
“Let’s see how well you can endure this.”
“I, I surrendeeeeeeer!”
He desperately cried out surrender, but.
“Then from now on, this is discipline for insubordination. Take it gracefully.”
“Ugh, uaaaaaaah!”
Under Arteon’s club beating, Bert could only curl up and scream.
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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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