A trail of crimson flew into the sky out of nowhere, and Captain Gordon, who had been waiting for this moment, felt his mouth becoming dry.Three hundred soldiers were standing behind him, all of whom were tensely gripping their swords and spears.They were apprehensive since they would be facing beastmen twice as tall and twice as powerful as them."Are we really attacking instead of defending within the city, Captain Gordon?" One of the soldiers said something quietly. His whisper, nevertheless, got through to everyone because they were all but silently cloaking themselves."The baron stated that the beastmen have at least a thousand soldiers... Then won't we—if we ambush them?" The soldier did not finish his sentence.It was unfortunate to bring up such a topic. But everyone knew what he was going to say next.Gordon examined the gleaming blade and firm armour on his torso, both of which were new to him. Each and every soldier in the army received a pair of armour from the baron.H
The battle began.Currently, two human troops were engaged and killing a beastman, but the beastmen had no chance thanks to Solan's magical enhancement.And Solan went straight for Rafael.It was a battle that ended prematurely.Rafael was completely outmatched by Solan, who had five more circles than him.Solan didn't even need to utilize her magic to defeat Rafael; her physical strength was more than enough.The beastmen couldn't help but rub their large eyes, unable to fathom what was going on.Their lieutenant's limbs were broken in one attack by the diminutive human who was only half his size and in the subsequent manoeuvre...Shred!Rafael's head was torn off by Solan in a couple of minutes, and while the blood began to splatter wildly, a barrier that Solan had set up contained it.The remaining beastmen were furious and charged carelessly after witnessing their lieutenant slain in such a barbaric way.On the hill, the noises of fighting erupted, and the aroma of blood filled th
"Hmm, it appears that the trees in this area have been turned to stone."Kruger kicked a nearby tree, causing it to crumble into bits.The tree had been transformed to stone from the inside out, and he could even see the creatures that had been clinging to the tree bark turn to stone.Kruger was unaware that the tracking snake on which they had been depending had shifted its course and was now pointing them away from Ethan Slayer.The reason for this was that the snake had detected another scent that belonged to Ethan Slayer in a different direction.What is the explanation for this?Rage was at the place where Stone Village had previously been. He peered at the huts and homes that had been left behind by the hunters who were now residing in Ice Demon City.In his hand was a mana stone charged with the mana of his Master.Then he turned to face the other way and remarked, "I hope everyone enjoyed my gift." Having murmured something, Rage flung the mana stone towards the direction he w
The snake was furious and smashed his own head to the ground, hoping to crush the assassins who were standing on his head.But the assassins abandoned their swords decisively as they scattered out.Their swords were left piercing into the eye of the Sapilisk, and blood profusely dripped from it’s eye. The snake’s body seemed exhausted, the poison from the assassins had started taking effect.It was deadly enough to kill an A-rank human in under ten minutes. And although it would take more time for a giant snake like the Sapilisk, the Sapilisk had been struck by several doses of poison from several assassins.“Stupid monster.” Iris smirked and wiped off the sweat on her forehead.“Do we attack again?” one of the assassins asked.“No need. It’s as good as dead, we will just wait it out.” Kruger said.And true to his words, the Sapilisk hissed for one last time before it’s body fell to the ground.The scales on it’s body started to fall out one by one until all that was left was the deep
A judge's fate was bleak.If the candidate he was evaluating learned who he was, they would try to win him over and use whatever resources they had to pay him off. In that instance, his task would be deemed a failure.And if a candidate other than the one he was judging discovered his identity, not even his family would be safe.The most obvious outcome would be blackmail.There was already a case of the family of a judge being slaughtered. It was said that the candidate’s family had captured the judge’s family and blackmailed the judge into giving a bad score to his candidate, to which the judge refused.And the price was the lives of his family members.Would the emperor seek justice for the judge? Nope. How can the already weak emperor seek justice against one of the ducal families?He was imprisoned because he was considered suspicious after the knight camp where he was resting was attacked by a beast wave.Something like this hadn't happened in years. And such a beast wave on
Richard went on to describe the fabled and miraculous healing concoction in more detail. He said that he had been requested to deploy a thousand knights by the baron of the Ice Demon City to assist in fending off the beastmen invasion.It was a strange request given that the First Fort hadn't yet been captured by the beastmen, as per the information his men had provided.The beastmen would not be able to enter the northern portion of the empire as long as Martin was still alive.Why then, instead of concentrating on First Fort, did those beastmen assault another city? It made no sense.For merchants like him, though, such justification was irrelevant. What was important was the profit. Furthermore, they would gain from it if the request's justification materialized.The soldiers could travel from Vermillion City to Ice Demon City on horses in no more than six hours, despite the fact that Ice Demon City was located in the far north.Only while using the sluggish carriages would it take
While sighing, Gord turned to face Laura.All of them had been poisoned, and it didn't make sense to keep running now because he, too, could become just like Laura at any time."Let's go over there to the woods and set up camp." Though his hopes weren't high, he made the decision to pause for the time being and search for any solutions."I'm unsure about the nature of this poison. Those filthy beings had to have invented it, as such creatures are expected to do.""This poison will most likely not kill us, but in our current situation, this is the worst-case scenario. Our mana and vitality are being eaten away by the poison, and as time passes, our body gets weaker."From the luggage on his mount, Gord removed a blue potion."That's the potion those damn humans use! Sir!" Croff, one of the remaining cyclops, exclaimed in surprise.It could be argued that one of the most despicable things the beastmen could do was use human products.Similar to betraying the Beast King, it was a seriou
"Did you really think you'd be able to walk away alive after jeopardizing the safety of my people?"Gord could sense that the voice was filled with intense malice. He could feel the invader's murderous intent seeping through his skin.Gord scanned the area with his enormous eyes in an effort to identify the speaker, but all they saw was the absence of light.Nonetheless, he had the distinct impression that the intruder was gazing at him down from somewhere."Human, show yourself!""Argh!"The response Gord received was a blow across the face. His head snapped back, and the impact was so strong that his body tumbled backwards before coming to rest on the earth.Drip.His right cheek had been broken open by just one attack, and blood was dripping from his face.Gord could detect that the assault wasn't even aura-enhanced and that it was just a straightforward strike, most likely with a sword's handle.However, the blow didn't feel like it came from a small sword handle, but rather from
The Dwarven Kingdom, a land renowned for its glittering wealth, held its breath. The Brightwing Empire’s meager offer, a desperate plea for aid, was all they had to entice the notoriously hard-drinking mercenaries. Even if their weapons were outdated, their reputation for unmatched effectiveness in battle preceded them. Surely, that would be enough.“Your Majesty,” a guard murmured, his voice barely a tremor in the air. “They have arrived.”Princess Ladia, lost in a labyrinth of thought, startled slightly. She had wrestled with the decision for what felt like an eternity, but finally, a solution had emerged. All that remained was to face them, to meet their gaze and offer her hand in this desperate alliance.Viscount Lamiel, a man whose arrogance was only surpassed by his thirst for gold, strode into the royal garden, flanked by a legion of equally boisterous mercenaries. Princess Ladia recognized most of them – the nobles summoned by the crown, their faces etched with a mixture of g
The scene unfolded with brutal efficiency. Several soldiers, their faces grim and resolute, descended upon Drew and the other soldier, their movements swift and decisive. There was no struggle, no desperate pleas for mercy. They walked away with heads bowed, accepting their fate with a stoic silence that spoke volumes of their resignation.Ryle, his expression a mixture of weariness and amusement, ran a hand through his hair, a sigh escaping his lips. "What a waste of a perfectly good sleep," he muttered, his voice laced with a hint of exasperation. "Young men like myself need our rest, yet everyone seems determined to disrupt my slumber over such trivial matters."His gaze shifted to me, and a playful smile curved his lips. "Allow me to introduce myself," he said, extending a hand towards me. "Ryle Green, third son of Count Green, and as you might be able to tell, the future commander of this very army." He spoke with an air of unwavering confidence, his words carrying the weight of
Two soldiers from a rival camp, their boots crunching on the gravel path, happened upon the conversation. One soldier, his face contorting with barely suppressed mirth, clamped a hand over his mouth, desperately trying to stifle a chuckle. His companion, sensing the impending eruption, jabbed him in the ribs with an elbow, a silent plea for decorum. But the laughter, like a trapped spring, was too powerful to contain. Tears welled in the soldier's eyes, threatening to spill over as his shoulders shook with silent mirth. Finally, with a strangled cry, he burst into a full-blown guffaw. "Hahahaha! If it's the Young Master leading us! Hahaha! We'll be able to… Pft! Hahaha!"The sound of his uncontrolled laughter echoed through the camp, drawing curious glances from nearby soldiers. Gaston, his face a mask of confusion and irritation, turned to the source of the amusement. "Excuse me, but what's so funny?" he demanded, his voice laced with displeasure.The soldier, still gasping for br
The unyielding army of the Ice Demon City had been journeying for a considerable number of weeks, traversing a multitude of cities and towns along the way. During our sojourns, we would occasionally restock our supplies, find respite in taverns, and often in the great outdoors, before resuming our arduous trek.Given the unfortunate circumstances, we were informed that the Ice Demon City was the most distant of all cities from the capital. This reality meant that we were among the last to receive the urgent message, compelling us to join the ranks of the other nobles and their armies in the capital.It was in the fourth week of our relentless march that we finally arrived in the grand and magnificent Capital city. The journey had been long and arduous, but our determination never wavered, as we knew our presence was required in these critical times. I had already surmised that the majority of the other nobles and their forces would have already amassed in the capital, readying themse
As the first light of dawn broke through the windows of the guest house, Miron found himself indulging in a breakfast that was nothing short of exquisite. The flavours were so delightful that he couldn't help but admit to himself that it had been a long time since he had enjoyed a meal as delicious as this one.Before long, Miron was summoned by the lord of the Ice Demon City. With a gracious wave of his hand, the lord invited Miron to take a seat on the soft and ornate sofa in the grand hall. Miron, still feeling a bit tense and on edge, quickly obliged and sat down.Despite the gravity of the situation and the impending battle that lay ahead, the lord of the Ice Demon City seemed completely at ease. He sat on his throne, casually eating his food and even humming a tune that was both strange and captivating. Unable to contain his curiosity any longer, Miron finally mustered up the courage to ask, "My lord, how can you remain so calm and untroubled? Surely you must feel some fear or
"You won't find Baron Ethan in the mansion," Zikk stated, his hand resting lightly on Miron's shoulder. "He should be in the Endless Forest, training his soldiers."The gesture, though seemingly warm and reassuring, sent a chill down Miron's spine. He sensed a veiled warning in Zikk's words, a subtle reminder of the stakes involved. This was no ordinary mission; it was a delicate dance, a test of Miron's competence and discretion."I am busy," Zikk continued, his tone shifting to one of finality. "I'll get going."Miron, still reeling from the weight of Zikk's revelation, blurted out, "Sir, you're working in this city?" The thought that the Grand Knight, a legendary warrior, would be toiling away in the mundane tasks of everyday life seemed utterly incongruous.Zikk chuckled, a hint of amusement in his eyes. "Of course, I need to feed myself, right?" He winked, a playful glint in his gaze. "See you around."With that, Zikk turned and strode away, disappearing into the labyrinthine all
The whispers and hearsay suggesting that Ethan Slayer was the individual responsible for instigating a full-scale conflict between the formidable Beast Kingdom and the vast Empire were, in the opinion of Miron, nothing more than baseless conjecture. He was firmly convinced that these rumors were merely the result of devious political machinations being orchestrated by a select group of nobles within the Empire, who were cunningly manipulating the situation to their own advantage.Such tales of intrigue and deception were likely to be believed only by the most gullible of commoners and the lowest-ranking of nobles, who were easily swayed by sensationalist stories and exaggerated claims.Furthermore, there was another outlandish rumor circulating, which held that Ethan Slayer had single-handedly defeated an entire legion of the Beast Kingdom's most formidable warriors, and had compelled a daunting elite force of ten thousand beastmen to retreat in disgrace, with their tails tucked meek
Miron approached the city with a sense of trepidation, expecting the usual lax security measures that were common in many of the smaller territories. However, he was pleasantly surprised to find that the checkpoint at the gate was both rigid and strict, a testament to the city's strong defenses.As he entered the city, he was immediately struck by the vibrant atmosphere that pervaded the streets. The residents of Ice Demon City went about their daily lives with genuine smiles on their faces, as though the war that was raging in the north was of little concern to them. Children played and laughed on the streets, while adults busied themselves with their work.Miron's eyes widened in astonishment as he realized that the roads within the city were all paved, a luxury that was rarely found in such remote territories. He shook his head in disbelief, wondering if his eyes were playing tricks on him."I must be seeing things," he muttered to himself, unable to comprehend the level of develop
His gaze fell upon the decree, the stark black ink proclaiming a chilling mandate: all nobles were obligated to dispatch five thousand soldiers to the frontlines."Five thousand," Roland breathed, the words heavy with disbelief.The impossible weight of the order pressed down on him. They had been meticulous in their training, their ranks swelling daily with eager recruits. Their prowess had blossomed over the past few months, their strength rivaling even the most formidable armies of the esteemed nobility. Yet, their numbers barely scraped the surface of the demanded quota, hovering around a meager three thousand."So we march to the front," Roland murmured, the grim reality settling upon him like a shroud.A ripple of unease spread through the ranks of the new recruits, their faces pale with apprehension."Are we truly going to the front?" one young man stammered, his voice trembling.The northern front, while not an immediate threat to their isolated city of Ice Demon, was a chilli