Chapter 25

As the corpse collapsed, Worm hesitated in its shadow. How large was the scale of this attack? The Principality of Myard had managed its scarce manpower and stationed a new lord in the mountain fortress overlooking Reifun. While a significant number of the old Ferius soldiers had been absorbed, the core of the garrison was still made up of Myard soldiers. It was hard to imagine that they had all defected.

“Gahh!!”

The attackers suddenly shouted in unison, disrupting Worm’s thoughts as they advanced. They leaned to the left, holding their smoldering halberds and circling around to the side. A small thrust to keep him at bay was deflected with a grating metallic sound.

The close quarters left no room for the halberd to be used effectively. It was no surprise that the initial strike was blocked. With a quick flick of the wrist, the hook-like branches that branched off from the spearhead entangled the longsword. Worm pulled the halberd like a tug-of-war, transferring his weight to the handle. The soldier, despite being off-balance, struggled to maintain his grip on the sword. In the end, he retained his weapon, but was forced into the path of his comrades under Worm’s guidance.

“Get back quickly!!”

While it was his duty to prevent the enemy from entering the infirmary, Worm did not linger at the entrance. He knew from experience that close combat could negate even the most skilled fighters. As their positions switched, the former Ferius soldiers, caught between the imperial knight and the door, hesitated. Should they eliminate the obstacle of the knight or push into the room?

“Inside—”

“Focus!! First, this one.”

Worm’s thoughts were simple. Eliminate the enemy before they could breach. That was all. With the halberd at the right distance, Worm swung it. The blue light traced a half-circle, leading the enemy to their doom.

“Here it comes!!”

The former Ferius soldier folded his elbow and laid his sword flat on the ground, bracing himself. The axe head, imbued with magic, ignored the defense and tore through from the side of the abdomen to the chest, severing the ribs and heart. Blood spurted from the gash in the chest plate.

“Gahh—”

A muffled, murky sound echoed like a clogged drain. The man behind, witnessing his comrade’s death, reacted quickly. His thrust, hidden in the spray of blood and shadow, was a masterpiece. Worm even felt a sense of admiration for the ingenuity. However, the aim was poor. The crimson blade, stained with fresh blood, aimed straight for Worm’s eye.

Narrowed pupils caught the blade’s trajectory. The sharp tip of the longsword passed by his eyelid. Though his eyes were naturally impaired, they were still useful. The magic eyes, which neither decayed nor caused pain, were not disliked. After all, they allowed him to see the world clearly.

Keeping the halberd extended, Worm slid his grip closer to the spearhead. The blood acted as a lubricant, and the butt of the halberd, supported by his hip bone, rose. No elaborate run-up or powerful strike was needed. The enemy soldier’s body, unable to stop in time, provided the necessary force. The soft throat, exposed, was pierced by the butt, tearing the skin like a bursting balloon. The anchor-like branches and spearhead, fixed to the ground, transmitted the full weight to the butt. The soldier’s arms fell limply, and the longsword slipped from his lifeless fingers.

“Ugh, aahh!!”

The remaining soldier, finally choosing to fight, was too late. His fingers and sword were knocked away by the axe head. By the time the intense pain spread through his body, the spearhead had already pierced his ankle through his half-boot. Deprived of resistance, Worm extended his arm and grabbed the attacker’s throat.

“Ahh, hah, aahh!!”

The soldier writhed in pain from his limbs, but the injuries were not immediately fatal. Worm tightened his grip around the neck and demanded, “Stop gasping. If you want to breathe again, answer—”

Worm intended to extract information, but he caught a faint sound of flight and pulled back his arm. His remaining hand rested on his waist, as if leading a dance partner, but it was actually to avoid an arrow.

“Ugh, ah, ah.”

One arrow struck him directly, the others embedding themselves in the walls and door. Even a skilled archer with a powerful bow would find it difficult to penetrate the composite armor of iron and flesh.

“The archers—three of them.”

A gasp, like an electric shock, tickled his ear. The arrow was buried so deep that the tip was invisible, piercing the spine. The archer, ignoring the fallen swordsman, fired a second arrow. Worm, crouching low, channeled his magic. The adjusted shot hit him three times through the corpse, transmitting the impact.

He had already pinpointed the archers’ positions. On the roof of a smoke-stained civilian house, the archers reached for their quivers. Their positioning, prioritizing shooting angles and visibility, was somewhat too bold. The advantage of a high vantage point and quick communication with comrades on either side was undeniable. However, this was only effective if the shooting position was as secure as a bow slit or if the target had no means of counterattack. The Ferius soldiers he had faced in Sarajevo and Reifun were more cunning and did not cluster so densely, making them vulnerable to a single spell.

“Jump down—”

The swirling magic around the imperial knight. The archers, belatedly realizing the danger, were too late. The fireball, released with perfect accuracy, exploded into the house. The panicked screams turned to screams of terror as the roof and archers were blown away in flames.

“Run, you’ll be caught in the blast!!”

“Why is there a battle in the middle of the town?”

Burning wood and flesh rained from the sky, the smell both aromatic and repulsive. There was no time to celebrate the elimination of the archers. The sudden outbreak of fighting caused the gathered civilians to flee in panic. The attackers pushed through the crowd. Upon closer inspection, even the former Ferius soldiers who had not been touched by Worm were among the fallen.

“Friendly fire... Some of them weren’t involved.”

These were likely Myard soldiers who had not participated in the attack. The loss of comrades was lamentable, but it was a sign that the rebellion had not spread throughout the Reifun region, providing some relief. The problem was that it was impossible to distinguish between them.

“Those who do not wish to die, stay away from the church. I will kill anyone, whether they are miners or allies.”

Worm issued a warning. Those without hostility were easy to identify; they were trying to leave the area as quickly as possible. The attackers, on the other hand, pushed through the crowd, rushing toward him. He couldn’t use the ghost fire to burn the civilians along with the attackers in the mining town. For some reason, the skill was ill-suited for protection.

“Hey, can you hear the battle cries? The group is here.”

Worm called out to the bolted, studded door.

“How many are there!?”

“At least twenty that I can see, hold the front. Defend the rest.”

“Damn it, the cavalry should secure the back door and the armor gate. I’ll stay with Ayane.”

Through the door, Jusitan’s voice, mixed with curses, confirmed his agreement. Worm burned the blood on the halberd with blue flames and donned his mask, calming the bloodthirsty demon within. Thus prepared, Worm welcomed the audacious visitors to the reception.