Chapter 47

The shadows of the ears of grain swayed in the light of the lingering embers. The two camps clashed at the Orzerica Slope, fighting over the pass, and the defensive lines shifted like the tides. The offensive points established by the Ferris Kingdom's army expanded and contracted like a person's breath. The fatigue of the soldiers accumulated without respite due to the relentless attacks and defenses, regardless of day or night, weather or not. Even in such an endless battle, there was a moment of respite.

When the appointed time arrived, the soldiers who had completed their duties left the battle line in units of squads or platoons. The way they dragged their bodies as they left reminded one of corporate warriors leaving after overtime. Indeed, the fact that Worm was trying to maintain his sanity by recalling trivial past memories meant he was no different from them, unable to escape the cycle.

"Finally, we can rest."

"Despite all that movement, my hands and feet are numb from the cold."

"I want to get close to the fire quickly; I miss that awful barley porridge."

After a few days, one inevitably gets used to the environment. The soldiers who descended to the flat ground grumbled quietly. Moizes, who was responsible for their command, was seen talking to the incoming commander at the edge of the horse track, having taken on the role of squad leader despite the precarious situation.

"You're doing well, aren't you?"

He patted Worm's shoulder with the halberd he carried, letting out a breath to release his fatigue. The task was finally done. Although the main force of the Haiselk Empire's army had not yet arrived at the Sarevo Fortress, some units were already approaching the Celta Peninsula by ship. The trained battalion, which had gained experience in defensive battles, was no longer a group of combat virgins. They would likely be able to withstand the mobile warfare that would follow the decisive battle between the main forces.

Which of the six entrances would be chosen for the counterattack? As the imperial knight was about to ponder this, he shook his head. Rest was also part of the job. He needed to allocate as much time as possible to rest. It was too late for a midnight snack and too early for breakfast. What would the soldiers have for food?

Worm's heart swelled with anticipation, but he concluded with a self-deprecating self-questioning that it would probably be the same old menu. Most likely, thin porridge and hard flatbread. The only difference would be whether it was cold or lukewarm. He wished it would be hot. If he heated it up individually, he would be envied by the other soldiers. The resentment over food was terrifying in any era. It would be a joke if barley porridge were the cause of death.

His mind, intentionally relaxed, drifted away from the battlefield. Just as he was about to let his guard down, the imperial knight was stopped by a deep rumbling and the ground shaking. Turning around, he saw red-tinged dust rising from part of the earthworks. The information that hit his eyes was a sign of the worst.

Pre-attack fire support—his experience from countless battlefields and his intuition rang like a warning bell. His nerves tingled under his skin, and his blood flowed like a torrent. His body was correctly reacting to the excitement and preparation for battle. While his body was heated, his mind was sharp, and he fully returned to the battlefield.

"I can't see anything!"

"It's a charge, right!?"

The shouts echoing in the night sky were meant to intimidate the enemy and encourage their own. He sensed the direction of the enemy's advance by sound. The point of breakthrough was the boundary between the trained battalion and the reinforcements. Originally from different units, they were prone to friction even when they tried to coordinate. Moreover, the concentrated magic shock caused uncontrollable chaos.

"They were aiming for it!"

The attackers, like spears through armor, had gained a foothold on the earthworks, and some had even entered the horse track. The previously measured and regular attacks now had a hint of madness. It was all a deception. The trained battalion had been lured to the earthworks with the bait of containment at the pass.

"Stop them from the inside of the earthworks!"

Moizes focused on plugging the gap and forming a second line, avoiding unnecessary intervention in the horse track. They had been outmaneuvered. A half-hearted response would only lead to further collapse. Worm completely entrusted the command of the unit and focused on the immediate threat. If the reinforcements were cut off, not only would the Orzerica Slope fall, but the entire defense force would be lost. He needed to crush the reinforcements flowing into the breakthrough point.

Infusing magic, the imperial knight, with the help of wind attribute magic, leaped over the inner wall in one step and knocked down the halberd of the Ferris soldier who was engaged in combat. The axe head, covered in magic, shattered the soldier's helmet and skull. Before the deformed helmet could roll and the soldier could fall like a broken doll, Worm cut through the throat of a second soldier. Seeing the fallen soldier, a non-commissioned officer did not flinch but instead whispered a poisonous lie to the common soldiers.

"It's a ghost fire user!"

"Raise your name in glory! I still want the reward!"

Worm, who had been called out, responded to the incited soldiers. Using the momentum from a running start, he deflected the thrust of a short spear with his halberd, causing the Ferris militiaman to impale himself on the axe blade. Blood gushed from the man's neck.

Before he could witness the death, a second halberd swung down from above. Blocking the blow with the butt of his halberd, he slammed the tip into the ground. The soldier who tried to strike again was met with a punch from Worm's left fist, fingers extended like a spear.

"Ugh, aahh!!?"

The blow to the center of the forehead, known as the "rabbit's eye," crushed the nose and eyes. Ignoring the screaming and flailing soldier, Worm focused on the enemy non-commissioned officer hidden among his own troops, who leaped out in a low, lizard-like posture.

"Shii, aahh!!"

As the sword was swung with a breath, magic lit up. The imperial knight, wary of the "Strong Strike," realized the distance and the characteristic wobble too late. Pulling back his right foot and lowering his waist, he shifted from defense to evasion. The non-commissioned officer had not used "Strong Strike" but "Wind Blade," which grazed his chest. As he recovered from the attack, a downward strike from above approached the imperial knight.

"Got it, aahh!!"

Without resistance, he stabbed the butt of his halberd into the earthworks, using it as a support to deliver a side kick. The unexpected counterattack, coming from an unexpected direction, resonated well with the body. The sole of the boot, striking the torso through the armor, forced the soldier to expel a breath mixed with saliva.

"Hah, aah, damn it!"

The Ferris non-commissioned officer, in a desperate attempt, swung his sword, but it only cut the air. Taking advantage of the opening, Worm quickly thrust his halberd. The non-commissioned officer parried the first two thrusts with the flat of his sword but was unable to stop the third, which pushed aside the blade and pierced the throat.

A hole opened, and a bright red arterial spray shot out. Worm, unlike a hungry demon, was not interested in the corpse sinking into a blood pool. He surveyed the battlefield from the edge of the horse track, imagining the missing parts and taking a broader view.

"It's no good, we can't hold it."

Plugging one gap only made the wound wider. A fundamental solution was needed. To find the thread, he moved his head slightly and scanned the area. He identified the source of the coordinated attack and recognized the identity of the new commander.

"Of course, it's them."

The distinctive armor was unmistakable. The Rehazen Knights, the pride of the Clayst Kingdom, were a violent apparatus. Though few in number, they had been sent to spur on the defeated units. Suppressing the rising hatred, he thought. They had ravaged so much. Immediate cauterization was necessary. Avoiding the chaotic area, Worm identified the ignition point and began to infuse his body with magic.

Just as he was about to cross the boundary of the earthworks, where spears mingled, and throw himself into the sprawling attack path, a figure leaped from the army. Worm, attempting to suppress the area with a fireball, was surprised when a shield, normally used by several people, was thrown. The collision of the flame and the projectile exploded, mixing fire and fragments in the air.

"What kind of brute strength!?"

The ability to throw a shield normally moved by four or five people was not that of a normal person. Despite the demonic mask, Worm's sense of danger increased. His concern was justified. The rain of flames that would not allow life to exist was deflected, and a human magic barrier shimmered.

"I've found you, aahh!!"

Frowning at the familiar gruff voice, Worm saw a figure charging up the outer wall of the earthworks. He swung his magic-infused halberd at the man, who also lit his mace with magic. The "Strong Strike" that would bend reason and cut through enemies met, and the explosion of magic shook the air. Thrown from the horse track by the impact and recoil, Worm slid down the inner wall and landed on the flat ground.

"Guardian!?"

"Stop, you fool!!"

Ignoring the warning, the remaining Myard soldiers charged the new attackers. The sound of metal and flesh clashed, and a grotesque flower of blood mist bloomed. The upper body of a comrade literally disappeared. Worm glared at the perpetrator.

"...You've come this far."

"This time, I'm here to settle the score, Haiselk knight!!"

The commander, who was destined to rot in the Eschisch fortress, had found a stage in the battlefield and once again challenged the imperial knight.

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The update was delayed due to the treatment and aftermath of COVID-19.

Even though I got a great fortune in the lottery, why!?!