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Chapter 18
“Enemies! Enemies!”
The formation of the 1st Company instantly descended into chaos.
At the heart, where the commander was.
How had they failed to notice the enemy reaching so deep?
It was a problem that required deep reflection, but now was not the time to dwell on that.
“Stop them!”
“How dare they! Do they even know where they are?”
The soldiers of the 1st Company, bursting out of the barracks, charged at the Kar warriors without a shred of hesitation.
After all, their numbers were small.
If they surrounded and attacked, they could dispatch them quickly.
But the moment the soldiers of the 1st Company thrust their spears forward…
Swish! Slash!
The Kar warriors leaped like hawks, swinging their swords with lightning speed—too fast to react to.
In a flash of movement…
Shick!
“Argh!”
“Ugh!”
A soldier’s neck was cut before he could even scream, collapsing instantly, while another beside him took a grievous wound in his leg.
“Ignore the small fry! Take out the target first!”
“Yes!”
At their comrade’s command, three Kar warriors immediately turned toward the barracks where their target, Fierland, was located.
One strayed briefly due to a strange little figure in the way, but it made no real difference.
Slash!
They moved toward Fierland’s barracks with the agile, distinctive movements of the Kar.
No, they were just about to move.
Screeeeech!
Suddenly, with a sound like the tearing of air, something flew toward a Kar warrior.
Clang!
The Kar warrior swung his sword in panic, twisting his face as he glanced toward the source.
“Already spotted, and now where are you going? We need to deal with this first.”
With the man’s words, about twenty soldiers quickly formed a solid wall in the direction he intended to move.
In that split second, the surrounded Kar warriors saw the man who had thrown the spear.
Even in this freezing northern land, he seemed unbothered despite having his chest exposed.
His red hair was striking, but what drew even more attention were the scars covering his body.
So severe, one could hardly believe he was human.
These were surely the glorious wounds earned through long years of battle in the north.
So it was clear:
“So, you are one of the Empire’s Terrtians, huh?”
“Heh, I am somewhat famous, yes.”
The man laughed nonchalantly and picked up the spear leaning beside him.
Though an ordinary soldier’s spear, the moment it was in his hands, it seemed to exude a completely different presence.
Terrtian.
He was a fairly well-known figure among the Kar.
Called the Reaper of the 1st Defense Line, he had killed hundreds of warriors so far.
But seeing the scars on his body, one could understand immediately:
‘He’s just… lucky.’
Though skilled, surviving such injuries was sheer fortune.
The Kar warrior’s eyes gleamed.
“Even if we only take his head, Taman will be satisfied! Kill him!”
Anyway, Rukudam, the leader of their group, would go toward the target.
Rukudam was an advanced warrior, superior to them.
None of the Empire’s dogs here could stop him.
So they could comfortably focus on Terrtian.
If they killed him…
“Hgh!”
“Die, dog of the Empire!”
“Aaaah!”
Three Kar warriors charged Terrtian at once.
The soldiers were blocking the opposite side and couldn’t help Terrtian.
But that didn’t matter.
After all… he didn’t need anyone’s help.
“…Hah, unbelievable.”
Terrtian observed the three Kar warriors charging him.
No doubt, Kar warriors were strong.
Individually, their combat ability far surpassed that of ordinary soldiers.
But three of them charging so arrogantly…
“Do I look that bad, huh?”
He gripped his spear tightly.
At that moment, a fierce aura radiated from him—not mere fighting spirit.
Heat that could pierce through the cold.
Soon, the magic flowing from his hands wrapped around the entire spear.
And…
Thunk!
Terrtian’s spear pierced the chest of the lead Kar warrior.
No time to block or dodge.
In a flash, the body was impaled.
“You monster! Die!”
“Hghhh!”
The remaining two Kar warriors swung their swords at Terrtian in desperation.
If he were human, he couldn’t have blocked attacks from both sides at once.
But Terrtian bent his body sharply to the side and swung his spear at the one on the right.
Shing!
“Argh!”
Though it seemed too close to strike, the Kar warrior was sent flying, screaming as he hit the ground.
He had just barely blocked the attack, but his wrist was broken from the previous strike.
But…
Slash!
The other warrior’s sword cut across Terrtian’s back.
It went fairly deep…
Grab!
“Kuh!”
But Terrtian nonchalantly grabbed the Kar warrior’s head with his left hand.
“A pity. If it had gone a little deeper, it would have been fatal.”
The strike he thought deep was shallower than expected.
By leaning sharply to one side, he minimized the damage.
“You…!”
The Kar warrior shouted, but before he could say anything…
Thunk!
Terrtian thrust the short spear blade straight into his mouth.
With a dull sound, the Kar warrior’s life ended.
The last Kar warrior, clutching his broken wrist, involuntarily stepped back.
‘Th-the Reaper of the 1st Defense Line…’
The Reaper, Terrtian.
I thought the rumors were exaggerated…
‘I-I need to run.’
Warriors never show their backs, but in the presence of the Reaper’s deadly aura, all were equal.
“Ahhh!”
He tore through the barracks’ fabric like a berserker, running to the opposite side.
The soldiers shouted, “Catch him!” and tried to move, but…
“A warrior showing his back… tsk!”
Terrtian clicked his tongue and threw the spear at the fleeing Kar warrior.
Fshhhh!
The spear flew straight, catching up to the Kar warrior instantly.
Thunk!
It pierced through the fleeing warrior and exited on the other side.
Stained red, the Kar warrior collapsed weakly.
Terrtian looked at a nearby soldier.
“Spear.”
“Yes? Ah, right!”
The soldier handed his spear to Terrtian, who turned his gaze toward the side with the gathering enemies.
“The leader seems to be over there.”
Though he had killed them casually…
‘They put in quite a bit of effort.’
The Kar warriors here were much stronger than ordinary ones.
If he didn’t hurry, the company commander could face serious trouble.
Terrtian took the soldier’s helmet and pressed it onto his head.
“Borrowing this.”
“An honor!”
With a brief word, Terrtian hurried toward the Kar leader in this guerrilla operation.
Fortunately, they hadn’t yet reached the barracks with the company commander.
But when Terrtian arrived…
“…?”
Only the bodies of the Kar warriors remained.
“Be my offering here.”
“You crazy brat!”
“Arrogant fool!”
At Arteon’s words, two Kar warriors charged him.
Their slightly curved swords relied on speed and skill rather than brute force.
Arteon exhaled softly.
If they got close, they would think the advantage was theirs.
Swish!
Zing! Zhang!
Two Kar warriors were thrown aside by Arteon’s lightning-fast spear strikes, as if stabbed simultaneously.
‘Incredible speed.’
Rukudam’s pupils flickered.
He thought they had killed his warriors by luck…
‘So it wasn’t luck?’
But their faces looked far too youthful.
The Empire’s kids were probably no older than late teens.
Even the Kar warriors who had been thrown knew this, which made them even more surprised.
How could such a young one…
“Attack simultaneously. Finish quickly and complete the mission.”
His scattered comrades moved inward, but no signal yet meant…
‘Blocked on the other side…’
Had they met the Reaper of the 1st Defense Line?
If so, the chance of completing the mission from that side was low.
They needed to finish here quickly and kill the 1st Defense Line’s commander.
Rukudam gripped his sword; the two Kar warriors on either side nodded.
It was embarrassing to have him face this kid, but the mission came first.
Slash!
“Huh!”
Two Kar warriors charged Arteon again, but their approach had changed.
Careful attacks meant to create openings for Rukudam.
But…
“Pathetic, I can see through you.”
Arteon had over ten years of experience on the Northern Front.
He knew their basic combat style without even looking.
Clang!
Arteon threw his spear at the one coming from the left.
A strong strike, impossible to dodge.
‘Then…’
Clang!
The spear clashed with his sword, sparks flying.
The Kar warrior flinched, stunned by Arteon’s counter.
And in that instant…
Thunk!
Arteon’s spear pierced his neck.
“…!”
Rukudam, charging, flinched and stopped.
In an instant, a warrior’s life was lost.
And it was only the beginning.
“This time, it’s my turn.”
The kid who seemed so insignificant had eyes full of ferocity…
‘How fierce…’
There was no time for admiration.
The crouched boy launched forward like a wild beast.
