Chapter 349 – Chapter 35

“What kind of ugliness is this!”

Western army camp.

A roar mixed with magic erupted from the barracks where the commanders of each kingdom gathered.

“The strong men we were wary of didn’t come out, and only suffered damage in a fight between troops! How the Confederates will laugh at us when they hear this news!”

The old man, who had white hair and beard, but had a solid physique and unusual spirit, could not hold back his anger.

In general, the combat power of soldiers in the western continent had a reputation that the countries located in the northwest where Promesa was located were strong.

Because there is a constant conflict with the different species.

“But it’s true that the enemies fought better than expected. Especially, those who thought they were soldiers had knight-level fighting power.”
“What do you mean by praising the enemy, Marquis Nelfeld?”
“I have to admit what I have to admit, Duke Drek. If you deny reality with stubbornness, you will only suffer the same defeat.”
“Egotism!”

Duke Drek Haiman of the Kingdom of Vulkand, who is the strongest in the Western Army and is famous for taking a hard line against the other species.

The Marquis of Nelfeld Poyard of the Radgerian Kingdom, which shows that neighboring countries are not on good terms because they are adjacent to the Kingdom of Vulkand.

When a war between the kingdoms broke out, they faced each other, so there was no sign that the relationship would improve even though they became an allied army.

“It’s still only the first day.”
“That’s right. You learned the enemy’s strength this time.”
“A well-prepared army, or conversely, if we just kill them, it’s our victory.”

The tense atmosphere subsided only after the commanders of other kingdoms were reading and reading the two proud commanders.

“Queen Lillian doesn’t seem to have any pride. To accept the filthy alien vampires who killed her parents and ruined her kingdom.”
“I must have been crazy about my brain while living as a mercenary for a long time.”
“The kingdom of Luciar Kenel must be destroyed.”

Subsequently, as she denounced Lillian, she developed resentment towards her enemies.

Duke Drek and Marquis Nelfed turned their heads as if they didn’t want to see each other.

When the atmosphere calmed down to some extent, Duke Drek, who had been tacitly treated as the Commander-in-Chief because of the power of the kingdom and the highest title, opened his mouth.

“As you all know, the fleet side suffered damage and temporarily retreated for reorganization. Both land and air are tied up.”
“Kuhm…”

Someone groaned in discomfort.

While attacking Promesa, the number of air powers was reduced, but it took damage here again.

“Under normal circumstances, a war of attrition would be induced, but the enemies are dirty and undead are doing dirty tricks that cause the living. Trying to attack with numerical superiority is impossible because of the narrow roads.”

After calming his head, Duke Drek explained to everyone that they were at a disadvantage.

“After all, fighting between troops is meaningless.”

All eyes were focused on the two men perched on one side of the barracks.

A middle-aged man like a mercenary, with neatly trimmed brown hair, armor made from processing monster bodies, and numerous spare weapons.

A middle-aged man with neat blond hair with a hint of red, and a rare metal armor and great sword.

“The enemies say that there are three strong people in Origin, but two of them have just arrived in Origin. If it’s Mr. Pejeten and Mr. Cleodio, I’ll be able to deal with them.”

They were the strong people of Origin who participated in the Western Army.

Pezeton is a mercenary who narrowly escaped death with a gift while attacking for a bounty when Akina and Kaicent lost their power and fell into a remote forest.

Fearing Akina’s revenge, he remained silent for about half a year, and after starting his activities, he joined the Western Army after being promised astronomical rewards and support.

Pejeton has a lot of experience and does the basics in any situation.

However, the commanders’ expectations were focused on Cleodio, who was managing the great sword.

‘If it was the Marquis of Stright, the new Origin would be easily cut down.’

Marquis Cledio Streit, a master of Origin level 5 and possessing a magical weapon capable of cutting down even a castle wall and a gift that freely transforms the four attributes, was the greatest strength of the Western Army.

Pezeton has also reached the level of Origin, but he is a 3rd class skill.

It was inevitable that expectations were focused on Cleodio because the difference in basic ability was huge even if it was just one level difference in a high-level realm like Origin.

“You’ve finally arrived at the obvious conclusion. This is a problem for the nobles. Are you going round and round with an obvious answer?”

Pezeton thought that even if the allies led the war to their advantage, the battle between the strong would ultimately determine victory or defeat.

However, it is frustrating to see them dragging their time by engaging in meaningless battles like this.

“Keuheum! It was a preliminary work to occupy an advantageous position.”
“That’s right. They won’t be able to gather their strength properly when the situation is at a disadvantage.”

The commanders did not have titles, but since they were the masters of Origin, they responded with some courtesy towards Pejeten.

He expresses his displeasure.

“Certainly considering the enemy’s power, we can’t push in from the beginning.”

At that time, Cleodio, who had been listening quietly, spoke for the first time.

“It is said that they have just arrived in Origin, but Origin is Origin. In addition, according to the information provided by the Guardian Corps, there are also beings who cannot be vigilant.”
“That’s right. That’s what we wanted.”

The commanders, who had a reason to fight because of Cleodio’s defense, were delighted.

‘Whoops. Even if it’s the right thing to say, can I say it like that? Living as a mercenary, you don’t even know such an obvious thing.’

He also knew that this defeat was caused by the stupidity of the commanders.

But if we openly pointed out that, it would only make things worse for each other.

In fact, it’s not like the commander changes just by pointing it out.

“I think we need to mobilize all knights and wizards of Expert 4 or higher, unite and strike at once, Duke.”
“That’s right.”
“That is the only answer.”

And with the goodwill accumulated like that, they use it to present long lines of facts that everyone knows, and package them like their own opinions.

If you win the war, you will become the biggest contributor to this war.

‘You damn bastard. It’s a handful again.”

Duke Drek chewed his anger inwardly at the appearance of Marquis Cleodio.

When someone makes a mistake, he builds goodwill by giving reasons for doing so, and uses the accumulated goodwill by coming up with an answer after thinking a little.

In this way, he was able to reach the 5th level in Origins, receiving various awards.

However, Duke Drek, who had a keen sense of politics and instinctively felt repulsive, was annoyed at being victimized even after knowing about his tricks.

‘The problem is that there is no answer other than that opinion.’

Enemy soldiers have knight-level fighting power with strange armor.

If you look at the action of wielding the weapon, it is a recruit without fail, but its speed and power are threatening even to the knights.

‘Then…’

After thinking about something for a moment, Duke Drek decided to add some more.

“But that’s not enough.”
“Then the Duke has a better idea?”
“Since they arrived first, they must have made some tricks to make it easier to defend. We can’t concentrate our forces on a battlefield like that.”

He came up with a strategy that some of the strong men mentioned by Cleodio would take a big detour and pass through the mountains and attack the capital.

“If we keep disturbing the capital like that, the enemies won’t be able to focus on us.”
“Wait. Do you really need to choose such a cumbersome method?”

Marquis Nelfeld thought the simplest and most effective way to break through one point at once by gathering strong people according to Cleodio’s words.

But what about distributing power here?

“If the enemy reads our movements, we will only be defeated individually.”
“Of course I have to make it unreadable. I’ll fight again tomorrow, and while the enemy’s eyes are focused on it, I can secretly divert it.”
“Even if the plan succeeds, if you are confident in defending the capital, will it be a meaningless operation?”
“How can you not trust your allies and overestimate your enemies!”
“Even if the enemy has a brain, there’s no way they’ll fall for such a basic plan!”

At the mention of a basic ploy, Duke Drek’s face contorted with anger.

I feel like I’m being denigrated by saying that what I’ve created is ‘basic’.

The allied forces Lillian’s expectations were unmistakably demonstrated here.

Because we have different opinions, we cannot unite our opinions, and waste time is wasted when deciding on something.

In the end, it was only after three days of meaningless debate that Duke Drek’s plan was put into action.

*                           *

Tat tat tat!

Knights of the Western Army dressed in light clothing.

The knights, numbering about 20, secretly fell away while the allies were in battle, and ended up crossing the Calak Mountains.

“We dine here.”

The detached corps, led by Alitarn, a master knight who reached the level of Origin with just one step up, decided to dine in a suitable open space.

There are all sorts of monsters in the Calak Mountains, and since we’ve fought several battles to get here, we need to replenish our stamina when we have time.

The knights who settled in the right place quickly devoured the food they put in the magic pouch.

“Hmm.”
“Why?”

As we ate and replenished our stamina, the black-haired knight made a strange expression, and another brownish-red haired knight asked in a friendly manner.

The two were knights from different countries, but as they worked together while dealing with monsters, they got along well and quickly became friends.

“No, I heard that there are so many monsters in the Calak Mountains that it’s impossible to pioneer them, but there aren’t as many monsters as I thought.”
“What? Are you saying you don’t know how many monsters we’ve cut since we came this far?”
“At first, there were quite a few. But as we went deeper, the number of raids decreased.”

From the beginning of the Calak Mountains, while defeating an enormous number of monsters, I realized firsthand why the Calak Mountains are an undeveloped area.

However, as we went deeper, the number and frequency of attacks decreased.

“I’ll be honest. This is a very dangerous situation.”
“Dangerous?”
“Because it means that the monsters were pushed out by some mighty being.”

The black-haired knight learned about the ecology of monsters because there was a forest where monsters settled beside the territory of the lord he served.

Monsters are gathered at the beginning, and the fact that they are invisible as you go deeper means that a presence that overwhelms the monsters has appeared.

“Then shouldn’t I inform the captain?”
“I informed you. But they gave priority to orders. And they said that if it were necessary, we would have to go back a little further.”
“Um…”

The red-haired knight, who had no interest in the ecology of the monsters, reacted lukewarmly as both seemed right.

“Move again.”

After a while, Alitarn gave another order.

The knights, who had replenished their stamina, energized again and quickly ran out of unexplored lands untouched by humans.

It’s a rough place that ordinary troops would never be able to cross, but it’s just a rough road for the strong.

After moving for a while, I entered a small forest area where trees were densely built on a messy and rugged terrain.

“Everyone be alert. If you see something, send a hand signal.”

Alitarn did not ignore the dark-haired knight’s warning.

Because he also felt strange about this situation.

‘But if we hit the enemy capital as planned and win the war, it will be our credit. If I get a reward here and buy a crystal, I can become Origin!’

The impatience that if you go up one level, you can become Origin.

That was what made him take the risk.

“…That’s strange.”
“Isn’t it too quiet…?”
“I can’t even hear the birds…”

At first, the monsters that occasionally attacked did not even cast a shadow.

It’s an alpine area, but if there is a forest like this, there must be birds, but I can’t hear anything.

No, I can’t even hear the cries of insects.

“As you said, it’s a dangerous situation… I can’t even hear the sound of a bird…”
“Never let go of your guard. The atmosphere right now is…”

Puck!

As the red knight looked around, the dark haired knight paused while talking.

With the sound of something hitting.

“!?”
“!!”

The knights, who were concentrating their senses, turned their gaze to the direction where the sound was heard.

And, in the eyes of everyone, they witnessed a dark-haired knight who had a thin, long arrow stuck in his temple and was pinned to a tree.

“Uh…Uh…How…?”

Knights of this size concentrated all their senses and were vigilant, but only noticed after their ally died?

The red-haired knight couldn’t hide his astonishment that even he, who was nearby, had now realized that his comrade had been attacked.

‘Tricked my senses? I didn’t even feel a trace of magical power!?’

Alitarn, who had activated his senses to the point where he could even hear the sound of an ant moving within a radius of 30m, was even worse.

This is because when you fire an arrow stuck in your temple, you should hear the sound of the wind splitting.

-Notice to group guests who are not welcome.-
-We sincerely welcome your illegal trespassing.-

At that moment, a mechanical voice reverberated throughout the forest, undirected and unbiased.