“So, what do you think? How does it feel to see it in person?”
Standing in front of the Balant Fortress, I shrugged my shoulders at Luciana’s appearance, which was filled with pride as she asked.
“Well? Did they slather it with money?”
Luciana’s eyebrows twitched, but I did not stop.
Let’s set aside the fact that the walls are stretched out long like the Great Wall.
“That, isn’t that the same demonic exclusive sniper magic circle that’s in the duke’s mansion?”
“You’ve seen it correctly.”
What about magic circles.
Aren’t they the epitome of luxury?
Having such things spread out at intervals along the wall, I couldn’t even begin to imagine how much it must have cost.
“A minor noble like me couldn’t afford it.”
“In national defense, thrift is rather a luxury.”
Well, that’s a very Northern answer.
“By the way, what do you plan to do with them?”
Beneath our feet, having entered the fortress, I could see demons milling around near the border line.
“They’re just small fries, after all. Just clash with them head-on.”
“That seems easier said than done.”
Among the crowd, but recognizable at a glance.
Sharp horns rising upwards from their foreheads. Wings that have scales and a membrane.
True to the setting that they have dragon blood, the Levain tribe stood at the apex among the mixed demon races.
“Why? Are you scared?”
Scared, what an unpleasant thing to say.
“I’m just weighing the pros and cons.”
The Levain tribe, because of their unique physical abilities, are tricky to deal with.
Given that they are direct subordinates of the final boss, their level design is bound to be set high.
The merit of giving up the geographical advantage of the fortress to face them head-on?
There was none.
“Wouldn’t it be enough to just hold out in the fortress?”
“What a foolish question. Isn’t that land they are stationed on the glorious land of the Manhet Empire?”
‘Ah, right.’
After all, the Manhet Empire does not recognize the state of demons.
They are technically occupying it without permission.
Beyond dimensions.
Just as the nuclear bomb enthusiast of the Eastern country of courtesy would.
Pride for the North, and anger towards other races, blazed in her eyes.
“I have no intention of simply watching the insolence of those demons trampling on this land.”
In other words, she intends to go out of the fortress to subjugate them herself.
I had guessed as much.
‘It’s just like with Bathory.’
Her voice, spewing out anger, seemed even more ethereal.
…Luciana is a perfect and noble lady in all respects, but somehow, when it comes to demons, the story changes a bit.
Well, that’s probably the same for any Northerner who has spent their life clashing with demons.
“Well, we are neither nuns nor servants at the moment. We’ll have to follow the orders from above.”
Fortunately.
The famous commander known as a master tactician is here.
‘Surely, he who is known as the War Hawk won’t do as Luciana says…’
Oh.
At that moment, the sound of a large horn, followed by the sound of drums, came from a corner of the fortress.
The signal for all available personnel to charge…
‘My prediction was wrong.’
Blood cannot lie, after all.
Seeing demons, it seems both daughter and father flip their eyes the same way.
Luciana quickly turned around.
“The trumpet of advance has sounded. Are you planning to stay here?”
“How could I? Who wouldn’t follow their knight?”
Soon.
One voice filled the battlefield.
“All forces, follow me!”
‘That is the strongest force of the North.’
Though it is said that an Aura-trained knight can move faster than a horse for a short time, still, is it because he is a duke?
The most revered figure in the North broke through the open castle gates without a word.
The target was, of course, the demon encampment.
Why forsake the advantage of the fortress?
The honor of a Northerner?
The demon-loathing that runs in the Speda family?
The moment the charge signal was heard, all the hypotheses I had merely speculated about crumbled.
My mouth hung open at the magnificent sight before me.
Because it was possible.
Because it was more than enough.
“Indeed, it’s war.”
The sight of him crossing the battlefield like a beam of light was truly magnificent.
Even I, who had been critical, felt my heart leap.
“The Duke has entered the fray!”
“What are you all looking at? Charge!”
Leaving behind the soldiers hastily mounting their horses, knights capable of manipulating mana also followed the Duke out of the castle gate.
Luciana and I were mixed among the crowd.
“Everyone’s quite spirited.”
Every moment was astonishing.
Even if the Duke, with his instinctive hatred for demons imprinted in his blood, was understandable, the fact that the knights did not hesitate to throw themselves into battle was impressive.
“Spirited? The people here were merely holding back their resentment for having their land ravaged by demons.”
“The blood shed, the lives lost are too numerous to count with both hands. Only their complete annihilation could possibly cover it.”
Certainly.
‘The knights… the soldiers’ faces from the fortress seemed grim.’
And the appearance of those I saw upon arriving here.
Armor filled with scars.
Whether knight or soldier, the fierce flames they held in their eyes.
Does the arrival of reinforcements mean there’s no longer any need to hold back?
-Clip-clop, clip-clop.
As everyone passed through the castle gate and moved forward, someone approached Luciana and me.
“Lady, the Duke has given an order.”
Luciana, who was about to move forward, stopped and turned around.
A middle-aged man we had encountered in the meeting room.
It was General Bardik.
“What is it?”
Perhaps because of the time he had scrutinized me, a chill reminiscent of the Northern coldness echoed in his voice.
“The Duke has requested that you infiltrate the rear.”
“Rear infiltration?”
“Some of the scouts who reported the demon invasion have been captured as prisoners. He has asked you to rescue them.”
Hearing his words, the reason for this rash frontal assault became clear.
‘It was a diversion.’
By infiltrating the rear, we were buying time for our forces to rescue the allies.
Indeed.
No one would have expected the War Hawk to be used as bait.
“…Understood. We cannot afford to lose the precious forces protecting the North. We will carry out the command.”
She, who was about to charge towards the Levain, pulled on the reins of her horse. I followed suit.
The raiding party consisted of just two: Luciana and me.
The War Hawk, dazzlingly wielding his aura on the battlefield right in front of us.
Taking advantage of the diverted attention, we managed to approach the encampment closely, but…
‘This will be hard to infiltrate.’
Unfortunately, about 10 meters around the encampment was a cleared barren land.
After exchanging looks with Luciana, we both spurred our horses and jumped down.
Slap!
Heeheehee!
I smacked the hindquarters of the two horses to send them off in the opposite direction.
The unexpected sound of the horses drew the attention of the guards.
Of course.
That was enough.
Enough for her and me to infiltrate.
Thwoong-
Bang!
Luciana, wielding the sword of her ancestors, was breaking pillars and tearing through tents wherever she went.
Meanwhile, I was pouring oil on wagons and setting them on fire.
I also made sure to leave a knife in the back of the neck of those who were decently armed.
“What, what’s this?”
“It’s an ambush! All forces, take up your weapons!”
The demon encampment, once quiet, was suddenly engulfed in chaos due to the surprise attack.
However, like the Northerners, the demons were warriors who had gone through countless internal conflicts.
Though taken by surprise in the dead of night, they quickly recovered, with each one grabbing their weapons to address the situation of being unilaterally attacked.
In the brief confusion, Luciana and I managed to set three wagons ablaze and took down about ten enemies.
It was a decent achievement.
“So, the ones who were hiding in their fortress like turtles are finally sticking their heads out.”
A Levain commander spread his wings wide as he addressed the gathered demon warriors.
“There’s no need to panic! They are merely weak humans!
Fight back!”
But they overlooked a crucial fact.
The reason the demons hadn’t been able to take over this fortress wasn’t solely due to endless internal conflicts and thorough defenses.
“…What?!”
“Demons always think too highly of themselves and underestimate humans.”
The Levain’s spear snapped like a twig against the sword that pierced through it.
Soon, it transformed into a long rapier, cutting off his breath.
“Fall back! Damn, get in formation!”
Various weapons were aimed at Luciana.
I also stepped back to keep an eye on the commander and maintain a deterrent.
Rumble-
Boom!
Suddenly, a massive vibration felt under our feet caused everyone in this rear battlefield to freeze in place momentarily.
“What is…?”
The demon commander, with eyes wide open, cast his gaze beyond the forest.
It seemed as though sweat, invisible atop his horns, became visible.
In the moment the demons hesitated.
“Hans, follow me!”
A breakthrough point.
Heading towards the heart of the enemy, she began to run.
‘Beautiful.’
With every step she took, a life was extinguished.
Her weapon, sometimes a sword, sometimes a spear, sometimes a dagger, swiftly claimed one life after another.
Amidst the astonished warriors, Luciana toyed with them freely.
Naturally, some of the enemies’ attention also began to focus on me, standing behind her.
With strong vigilance and a budding sense of rivalry, all enveloped by a sharp murderous intent.
“…Ah, there’s no way to use the art of evasion here.”
“Following her would be difficult.”
“…Leave the rear to me.”
“I’ve been waiting for that command.”
And my role was to block those who would not just stand by and watch her advance.
“Hmph. You look nothing more than a human child, and you dare to oppose us?”
Oh dear.
I thought the commander I had been facing was the end of it, but that wasn’t the case.
A warrior appeared belatedly.
A huge horn growing over his head and a grotesque tail studded with spikes, with thighs as thick as Luciana’s waist.
He seemed even stronger than the winged commander.
Two of the strongest species among the knights had arrived.
“This would be fun to toy with.”
“No time for games.”
To the one brandishing a sword at us, the commander with a spear warned.
“The situation doesn’t look good. Seems like something happened over there. A woman just entered inside. We need to deal with this one quickly and provide support.”
Impressive.
To notice that amidst such a chaotic battle.
His intelligence and the ability to read the battlefield seemed commendable.
A lowly Levain, yet capable enough to be a commander.
But knowing something and dealing with it are two different matters.
“You speak as if you can easily deal with me and move on. Do you think I’ll just let you?”
Drawing out the Raven’s claw, I confronted them, and their eyes filled with greed.
Levains are a species that relishes combat.
Hence, they always craved duels and were obsessed with acquiring better weapons and armor.
It’s no wonder they’re called demons.
Plunder and slaughter were their way of life, their motto, and an instinct that flowed through their souls.
“That weapon is too good for you to have. It’d be perfect as a trophy.”
“The fact that we have to deal with you remains unchanged. Let the one who kills you have it.”
Eager for the prize, the two lunged towards me as if their feet were on fire.
“Die!”
The first to reach me was the swordsman, who had been flippant in speech throughout.
His sharp sword strike drew a diagonal line.
“Uh? What’s this…?”
But that was all there was to it, just momentum.
Half-kneeling, I looked up at him and smirked.
“Didn’t I say? I have no intention of being easily defeated.”
And though called a warrior, he was a Levain swordsman.
Within the Levain race, he held the position of an elite soldier.
His main patterns were horizontal and diagonal slashes with his long sword.
A special pattern of rapid strikes with a dagger in close combat.
Having encountered these mob patterns ad nauseam later in the story, I remembered them clearly.
The attack continued with three strikes.
The Levain swordsman, having halted abruptly, pointed at me accusingly.
“You… you dodged all my attacks? A mere human…?”
It couldn’t be helped.
My movements were too swift for his long sword to follow.
“Move aside. I’ll handle this.”
The Levain spearman.
His pattern was fundamentally stabbing, and if a certain distance was maintained, throwing spears as a special pattern.
Oh, and the wings they had were vestigial and useless, so ignore them.
They’re just for show, no different from a peacock’s tail.
“This pesky little thing!”
He seemed furious.
Sorry about that.
When the trajectory of an attack is so clear, there’s no way I’m just going to stand there and get hit.
“Hahaha! Good! If a human brat has made it this far on the battlefield, does that mean he has some skill? Let’s see how long you can dodge!”
Perhaps it was his pride that was hurt after I dodged all his attacks.
Even though his spirit might have been expected to break, this warrior race instead ignited their will to fight even more.
The chatty swordsman and the spearman, who silently glared with murderous intent in his eyes.
I just shrugged.
“That’s my line. I wonder how long you’ll be able to swing those weapons.”
“Do you think I’ll get tired? Not a chance! I’ll swing them as many times as needed!”
Well.
I wonder if the reason you won’t be able to hold your weapons isn’t because you’re tired, but because you’re dead?
‘They can’t seem to conceive the possibility of their defeat.’
Meanwhile, it seemed like they had set up some kind of strategy; the swordsman kept engaging me while the spearman subtly retreated to the back, probably aiming to use their special patterns.
Now, in reality, should we call these “special abilities”?
“Enough! I’ll kill you!”
Like a bull in an arena, the Levain who threw his long sword to the ground and drew a dagger from his pocket charged at me, his muscles swelling immensely in an instant.
But.
“It seems you’re not the only one with a second weapon hidden away.”
The ground, slushy from snow trampled and melted by many feet.
The psychological turmoil from having his attacks continuously blocked by a seemingly naive young human.
His body, worn out without him realizing.
-Clang!
All of these elements combined created the perfect condition for a counterattack.
“…What?!”
He was astonished to see his dagger flying out of his hand.
The exquisite dagger given to me by Mole Perno shone brilliantly.
Of course.
Luciana had disappeared from sight as well.
The limit is lifted for me too!
Click, clack.
Having charged and discarded his original long sword, and now without his last bastion, the dagger, he had no weapon left to defend himself.
Dodging his outstretched fist, I flowed smoothly into his embrace.
[Phantom Movement (Rank EX) Adjustment]
[Successful Perfect Counterattack]
[Critical Damage Determined]
[Critical Hit Proficiency Increased]
A welcome message appeared just in time.
“Ugh!”
The Night Raven’s claws raked across his chest, cutting off even a cry of agony mid-scream.
“Colin! Damn it all! Take this!”
In vengeance for his comrade, the spearman who rushed in immediately raised his spear high above his head.
That throwing spear, in terms of power alone, was so lethal it could be called a finishing move, beyond the scope of even imagining a counterattack.
However, the spear never left his hand to be thrown.
Whoosh!
“Ugh!”
“How regrettable. With such blinding light, you can’t even see your target properly.”
The preparation time required for the spear throw, being a large and powerful action, was its critical weakness, as it could be neutralized by a simple burst of blinding magic without any need for preparation.
Of course, pinpointing this exact moment requires the player’s talent.
‘Ah, I really made good use of this in the game.’
“Just a moment!”
I quickly approached him and swung my dagger.
“Gurk…”
“Phew. That was tough.”
He, too, couldn’t even properly scream before following his comrade to the afterlife.
In the middle of a now silent battlefield, where all signs of life had extinguished, I took a moment to catch my breath, resting on my knees.
Dodging and counterattacking require a high level of concentration, and mana drains the blood.
Above all, there was the burden of having killed not monsters, but people—well, not exactly humans, but for someone who was a modern human, speaking and resembling humans was enough to make them seem the same.
Except for the Levains, there was hardly any difference in appearance from humans.
“…But I had no choice but to kill. It’s a battlefield, after all.”
Capture them alive with my current stats?
Impossible.
Even using all my abilities to fight desperately was a toss-up.
Such worries were a luxury.
“I wonder how our lady is doing.”
I was more worried about how she was handling her first real combat.
But then I scoffed at my unnecessary worries.
“She’ll be fine.”
With the talent to be a mid-boss in a game, she wouldn’t fall here.
Now that the battlefield here was cleared, my task was to quickly follow her and provide support.
“Just wait a little. I’ll be right there.”
Leaving behind the bodies of the two demons, I moved towards the depths of the enemy’s stronghold, where she had gone.
Cliche Novel 