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Chapter 9
Have you ever seen such wicked bastards?!
They dare open fire first?!
[Don’t panic. Raise your shields!]
Panic? As if a warrior of Valhalla would feel panic.
I immediately raised my shield.
Meanwhile, my concern was for the others.
‘At this rate, won’t everyone just run away?’
The sheer scale of the arrow barrage was genuinely shocking.
It made my legs tremble.
Enough to crush morale.
But then…
“All units, assemble!”
“Assemble!”
“Raise your shields!”
“Raise!”
“You little brats! They’re telling you to raise your shields! If you don’t want to die, lift them quickly!”
After my father’s command, the standing army shouted curses and orders in quick succession.
I glanced back. The soldiers were standing shoulder to shoulder, lifting shields made from patched wooden boards.
Is this… the famous phalanx formation?
I didn’t know.
I wasn’t well-versed in military tactics.
But one thing was certain: the shield wall was surprisingly effective.
Clang, clatter, clatter!
The rain of arrows could not pierce the soldiers’ shields.
In fact, there weren’t that many arrows to begin with.
At first, I hadn’t noticed due to surprise, but looking closer, the number of archers was small.
“All fire! What are you waiting for? Keep shooting!”
At the order of Marquis Hadion, the archers fired continuously.
But the intimidating power from before was gone.
Naturally, we realized we only had to hold up our shields.
Amid this, one figure stood out: Sir Balt.
‘Is he deflecting arrows with a sword?’
Sir Balt, majestic atop his horse, was knocking away the arrows that rained down on him and my father.
How long had it been?
“Yiik! All units, advance!”
Unable to make any headway with the arrows, Marquis Hadion ordered a charge.
The knights behind him moved first.
“Hiiiying—!”
Hadion’s knights charged as one, but Sir Balt wasn’t about to stand by and watch.
“Baron, your orders?”
“Be careful. There are far more than Hadion’s knights expected. They were likely brought in from outside for this territorial battle.”
“Yes, I’ll be careful. Hah!”
Sir Balt charged forth bravely, followed by the knights behind him.
But… could this actually be a fight?
‘I know Sir Balt’s skill, but…’
Hadion’s knights were numerous. About thirty in total.
That meant a 12-to-30 fight.
[Don’t worry. It’ll be tough, but you can handle it.]
“Can you… foresee the future?”
My ancestor, who I thought was a fantasy commander… turns out he’s more like a K-shaman?
Well, ancestors are ancestors, after all!
But no, that wasn’t it.
[Among knights, you can gauge their level just by their posture on horseback. The truly dangerous ones aren’t the knights themselves.]
“Really?”
[See the one behind Marquis Hadion? The one cloaked like Golgori.]
“Uh… yes.”
[He’s skilled. Perhaps even above—or below—this Balt fellow.]
Hmm… so he didn’t know exactly what level they were. In other words, he was clueless.
Of course, I didn’t voice this thought. I am a good Confucian necromancer who respects elders.
Anyway…
“Son, remember this. Hadion may have prepared something, but he doesn’t know you exist. Therefore…”
“Yes. I may become a wildcard.”
“Good.”
“I don’t know what I can do… but I’ll give it my best.”
If I recall correctly, I had awakened my bloodline talent, but I wasn’t a knight—so I was outside the rules of the “limited battle.”
Though my combat power was weak, my father said:
“I trust you. Achievements are not won by the strong, but by those with will. And you have will. So…”
He drew his sword in a flourish.
“Advance!”
“Advance!”
“Advance! Advance!”
“Waaahhh!”
The standing army led the charge, while the conscripts followed, shouting.
[What are you waiting for? Follow quickly.]
The trainer is the country, huh.
Sigh.
“Golgori, let’s go.”
I finally ran with Golgori, keeping pace with the conscripts.
Perhaps thanks to my enhanced physical abilities from training and awakening my bloodline, I quickly caught up and ran alongside the standing army.
“Master, be careful. We can’t cover you here.”
“It’s fine.”
His name… was Huben, I think.
After reassuring the old soldier, I gripped my shield in one hand and sword in the other.
I had no intention of overextending myself.
‘For now… just enough.’
Father said they had a trick up their sleeves—likely aimed at Sir Balt.
And sure enough, my ancestor had pointed out a suspicious figure.
So I planned to stay low and cautious.
‘Stay out of sight.’
Even if I moved, it would be after discovering the enemy’s trick.
But something unexpected happened.
Reaching the front, I encountered the enemy vanguard.
And then…
“Ughhh—gak?!”
“Huh?”
I just swung my sword lightly, and yet…
The enemy fell, bleeding.
“Y-you bastard! Hans!”
Perhaps a friend of the fallen soldier.
A soldier charged with eyes blazing.
Normally, I would’ve been startled, maybe even closed my eyes. But why…
‘Slow?’
I dodged his slow attack without needing my shield.
Then…
Thrust!
“Gak!”
A light stab sent him trembling to the ground.
What the… this is too easy.
Maybe I have a talent for swordsmanship?
[You fool! Don’t get distracted!]
“Valhalla!”
I responded to my ancestor with “Valhalla,” then adjusted my shield.
Soon, a huge flail—wait, who brings a flail to a battlefield?
Anyway, the flail struck my shield.
[Flails can crush skulls! They’re not just for threshing grain!]
“Valhalla!”
Indeed, it was a terrifying weapon.
‘But where’s Golgori?’
Glancing aside, I saw Golgori swinging his sword at the soldiers.
Does he have talent in swordsmanship too?
Golgori easily handled the soldiers.
‘Hmm, this isn’t bad at all.’
Look at this.
“Maintain formation! Block! Strike! Forget everything else! Block! Strike!”
“Block! Strike!”
The conscripts pressed forward with shields, forming a defensive line.
And the standing army cut through the enemies, moving freely.
‘Sir Balt…’
“Hyaah!”
He was a one-man wrecking crew.
Despite being outnumbered, Sir Balt alone created a tense, even battlefield.
“Charge! For Palaon!”
The booming roar inspired confidence.
At the same time, I thought:
‘We… might actually win?’
A warrior’s blood boiled.
“Valhallaaa!”
Golgori—Valhalla calls me!
“Wh-what is that…!”
As the battle heated up, Marquis Hadion gaped at the scene.
“What is happening?! We have the numbers!”
A soldier standing beside him, sweating, replied:
“They must be trained troops. Baron Palaon is famous for his feats in the kingdom’s wars.”
“Still! And that one! That’s Balt! I thought he wasn’t a bloodline knight!”
Hadion’s fury exploded at Balt’s overwhelming skill.
Even his non-bloodline knights were well-trained. How could there be such a difference?
Eventually, Hadion’s rage was misdirected.
“Hey, what’s going on here?!”
“What do you mean, sir?”
“Your companions! You said I could trust them! What is this mess?!”
Of his roughly thirty knights, twenty were Hadion’s.
The rest were companions of the cloaked swordsman.
“Hmm.”
The cloaked swordsman observed the battle with calm eyes.
After a moment:
“This knight is unexpected.”
“Unexpected?!”
“Yes. Who would think someone like this exists in the countryside?”
“I told you! He’s a veteran of the kingdom’s wars! You said you were confident!”
They’d spent a fortune recruiting him and the swordsman. And now this?
The swordsman spoke:
“I know. If I’m paid, I must fulfill my role. But the real problem isn’t Balt.”
“Then who?”
“Look over there.”
“…?”
Hadion turned his gaze. Soon he saw what the swordsman meant.
“Valhallaaa!”
A strange roar, cutting down soldiers—a youth, perhaps even a boy.
“That boy…?”
“He’s no ordinary boy. He must have awakened his bloodline talent.”
“Didn’t Baron Palaon have two sons? A year ago, he had a bastard about that age…”
“So this boy must be Baron Palaon’s second son. A bloodline talent.”
“Th-That madman! He brought a bloodline knight into a limited battle? His own son!”
“Then this is formally a matter for complaint.”
“That…”
Hadion was speechless.
He knew as well:
“The second son… his bloodline awakened less than a year ago. Not even a proper bloodline knight yet.”
“I see…”
“Even so… he brought his son!”
Whether he blamed him for endangering his son or for the unfavorable situation, it was unclear.
The swordsman considered and dismissed these thoughts.
“It might actually work to our advantage.”
“What do you mean?! My soldiers are dying!”
“If that boy is truly the Baron’s son, capturing him could achieve your goals.”
“Huh?”
Suddenly, Hadion’s eyes widened.
“Right! That’s it! Forget Balt, if I capture the Baron’s son, I still have leverage! But…”
Who would capture him?
The swordsman and his companions were contracted to handle Balt.
If the opponents were weak, he could have forced them. But these skilled fighters were dangerous if left unchecked.
Then what could he do?
No one. No one was available.
The swordsman stepped forward.
“This time, I’ll show some flexibility.”
“Can you?”
“Provided you give a fair reward if capturing the boy ends the territorial battle.”
“Good! The key is winning the battle! Capture the boy and you’ll be rewarded even without handling Balt!”
“Understood.”
The swordsman bowed and stepped into the battlefield.
Right into the center.
His steps were calm and composed.
Meanwhile, Kthun was roaring:
“Valhalla calls me!”
Golgori!
‘My experience is Golgori’s experience, Golgori’s experience is mine!’
Real battle experience accumulating fast!
He had no idea the danger approaching him.
