CHAPTER 131

Rem was excited.

Ragna felt motivated and eager.

Audin felt as if he had received an answer from Encrid during their sparring session.

Prayers to the Lord were always questions, with no answers returned.

The Lord wielded silence as a weapon.

It was up to us to find the answers within that silence.

However, sometimes, just sometimes, Audin believed that the Lord provided answers.

Even if he did not speak them aloud.

He expressed them through other means.

Through that day's sparring session, Audin felt he had received an answer from Encrid. That was how it felt.

'What can that man gain by trying so hard? Can his efforts bear fruit?'

A human's efforts quickly led them to their long-standing questions.

'Even though he commanded us to protect the weak, why does he not safeguard them? Why does he not reward their efforts?'

The strong and the weak, good and evil.

These were old questions.

Why do those he considers 'evil' thrive?

While those he sees as 'good' suffer?

He had witnessed good, weak, and good, strong individuals being crushed.

He had also seen evil thrive in the temple, which was said to be a foundation and cradle made by the Gods.

Why did the Lord watch this happen?

Why does he not bring punishment?

Why do the inquisitors only bind the powerless with thorns on the cart?

Why does the Lord only watch?

Amidst this, there was a man living with the reckless effort of trying to drink away the river.

Always standing before him, unchanging as the sunrise each morning.

If there were a God, he should have provided an answer.

He should not ignore someone who lives by burning themselves up like that.

Was there really divine intervention?

Audin did not know. He could not tell.

But it did not matter if there wasn't.

Knowing Encrid and the days they spent together taught Audin something.

'The question is within me.'

And the 'answer' was also within himself.

He felt as if he had received an answer to his questions through their sparring.

To speak honestly and frankly.

A sense of relief filled his chest.

It was enough to crush a few enemy skulls with this feeling.

This brought Audin into the sparring with Encrid.

It had also brought Rem and Ragna.

Perhaps no one knew this before, and no one would know it afterward, but at that moment, the course of the battle had changed due to Encrid's fierce resolve.

His sparring had shaken the hearts of all the platoon members and set them on the battlefield.

'Lord, today I send those who will stay by your side.'

Taking a life can be a sin.

But it may also not be considered a sin.

All religions reflect their times.

This was true for Audin as well. His God did not shy away from taking lives.

In other words, if necessary, he could do it. He could send those who would serve by the Lord's side without hesitation.

Audin stepped forward boldly. His allies recognized him and whispered among themselves before falling silent.

"Those who have received a coin from the Goddess of luck should step back."

Audin showed kindness and mercy.

Due to the fog, he could only see right in front of him.

One of the enemy soldiers looked at Audin and sneered.

"Are you trying to imitate our giant?"

In a way, it might have looked that way. Audin gave a faint smile.

He didn't feel displeased or upset.

Sending the enemy to the side of the Gods to seek forgiveness was all that mattered. There was no reason to get angry.

At this moment, there was no place for a human's displeasure.

"I don't need to pretend to be someone else, brother."

"Brother, my ass."

They stood facing each other, separated by only a few steps. Audin slowly began counting.

"Five."

No one knew what that number meant.

"What the hell are you talking about? Kill him!"

The battlefield had been set in motion by the arrival of the giant. The excitement had reached the soldiers.

A soldier from Aspen's side thrust a spear forward.

Thud.

Audin deflected the spear with the back of his hand, gently pushing it outward.

The spear lost its direction of force as it slid along the back of his hand.

The enemy soldier almost stumbled but regained his balance.

"Four."

Audin continued counting.

"You son of a..."

The enemy realized that Audin's movements were not ordinary. The soldier gestured. He was in a position to lead a squad.

Soon, his squad surrounded Audin.

Spears were the best weapons an infantryman could have.

All of their spearheads were aimed at Audin.

It was a situation where ten men targeted one.

"Three."

Audin counted as he observed.

"He's completely insane."

Even as he spoke, the squad leader felt uneasy. His back tingled, and his stomach churned.

What was that just now?

How could someone casually deflect a spear with their bare hands?

Was he wearing something on his hands? He did wear thin white gloves, but they didn't look like combat gauntlets.

Besides, his hands were quite large.

"Two."

While he was thinking, the count decreased.

The squad leader spat on the ground and said,

"Pfft, kill him."

The order was given.

"One."

The last number came from Audin's mouth as well.

This was a final gesture of mercy.

If anyone had picked up a coin from the Goddess of luck, they should retreat—mercy and kindness.

'Just for today.'

He had chosen to answer the call of the war God.

He didn't need to become a disciple of the war God. It wasn't to that extent.

Audin hoped for an opponent similar to the giant from the enemy side.

Since he had decided to invoke the name of the war God, it was natural for him to want a proper fight.

"Then."

Between the flying spearheads, he said calmly.

'One' as the word left his lips, Audin drew his weapon. It couldn't be called his favorite weapon.

He had left his favorite weapon when he departed from the temple.

This was merely a substitute.

A wooden club soaked in oil. It wasn't studded or made of metal.

But it would suffice.

Boom.

To the enemy soldier who thrust his spear, it looked as if Audin had disappeared.

Of course, that wasn't the case. He had simply bent backward, almost lying down to avoid the spear.

Three soldiers had simultaneously aimed their spears at his chest.

Displaying agility that belied his size, Audin rose to his feet, pushing off the ground with his feet.

With a light swing of his club, he struck.

Thud!

With a single sweep of his club in an arc, three spears were knocked to the right.

"Whoa!"

As the three spearmen lost their balance and staggered, Audin took another step forward.

Then, his club came down on an enemy soldier's head.

Thud!

With a single blow, one head was crushed.

Thud, thud! Thud, thud!

With each swing, three heads burst. It happened in an instant. Audin, despite his large build, was as quick as a squirrel.

"Uh...?"

The rest followed similarly. Whether spears or throwing knives came his way, he dodged or caught them and threw them back.

Then, he would approach and smash heads with his club.

Thud, and heads burst like pumpkins.

No, the heads seemed even softer than pumpkins.

A soldier from Naurillia, watching from behind, clicked his tongue.

"He's a monster."

Everyone knows that if you dodge and strike, you win. It's just that no one else could execute it like that.

With each thud, a head burst.

At first, it was just with his club.

When the enemies started shooting arrows and charging, he began using his feet.

It felt like watching a charging cavalry.

Whoever he approached was knocked down.

"Hahahaha!"

Meanwhile, their monstrous ally let out a hearty laugh.

"May the blessings of the war God be with you!"

And he shouted again.

He seemed completely insane.

Of course, for the Naurillia soldier watching, there was a sense of relief. After all, that madman was on their side.

"Charge everyone!"

The command unit quickly assessed the situation. With the changing tides, the entire army charged forward.

Audin continued to rampage in the midst of the enemy forces.

"You, where do you think you're going!"

In the chaos, a few skilled fighters from the Gray Hound unit challenged him.

However,

"Welcome, brother!"

Audin feinted with his club, pulling it back before twisting his waist on his left foot and launching a kick.

It was a kick that seemed like an extension of his log-like thighs.

Thud!

Crack!

A light middle kick folded the opponent's body in half.

What kind of kick has such power?

It was as if he had iron shin guards on.

With a single blow, the enemy's body bent in half. The impact caused internal organs to rupture, and his face turned red as his blood vessels burst.

The struck enemy flew to the side, knocking down three or four other enemy soldiers.

"What the hell is he?"

To the enemy soldiers, it was bewildering.

Audin fought like an anthill, consuming everything that approached him.

* * *

The Fairy Company Commander stared directly at the approaching figure.

The opponent was also a Fairy.

It wasn't unusual to encounter and fight a fellow Fairy in such a place.

Times had changed.

Gone were the days when Fairies huddled together in the forest.

A closed society tends to become obsolete.

And when it becomes obsolete, it is forgotten. Gods and Fairies alike would eventually give up their homes to invading hands.

The choices of the Fairies of the past had changed the lives of their descendants.

Some traded their ages for Krona.

They became mercenaries or joined the military for other rewards.

Thus, the Fairy Company Commander, Sinar, thought there was little difference between himself and his opponent.

Whether for Krona or some other purpose.

In any case, the fact that they had to fight once they faced each other as enemies did not change.

"A needle sword?"

The leaf blade was called Naidil.

The needle sword, a pointed weapon designed for thrusting, was called Naidil.

They were weapons specific to the Fairy race. Two weapons facing each other with different purposes.

"So, there are more of our kind."

The Fairy from Aspen was a sharp-eyed male.

He had short hair and a stubborn-looking mouth.

Well, most Fairies are stubborn. Even Sinar, a Fairy, acknowledged this.

The tip of the opponent's sword was red. Blood dripped from its tip onto the ground.

The troops had backed away, forming a circle around the two.

On one side was the Company Commander.

On the other, a trump card prepared by the army.

"If you run, I won't chase you down and kill you."

The male Fairy spoke. As he looked at her blood-stained needle sword, Sinar also drew his sword.

A metallic ring sounded.

It was the Naidil, the leaf blade.

"That was supposed to be my line."

Soon, the two exchanged blows.

The fight didn't last long. Sinar was a few levels above the Fairy wielding the needle sword.

Talent, skill, experience, and finesse.

The male Fairy couldn't surpass Sinar in any of these.

After a few exchanges, the blade of Sinar's leaf sword grazed the male Fairy's neck.

Slick!

Feeling the sensation in his hand, Sinar was certain of his opponent's death.

The male Fairy, clutching his throat, fell forward.

Seeing this, Sinar felt quite displeased.

'Bastards, aren't they?'

It was a bait.

The real threat came next.

While he was fighting this man, he sensed the killing intent of at least three others targeting him.

They used the bait to draw his attention and then strike from behind.

They were trying to assassinate the commander this way.

Their intention was obvious.

The only unexpected variable was that the ally of this dying man hadn't arrived yet.

That was why he died with his eyes wide open.

'How sordid.'

Of course, on the battlefield, being sordid could be an advantage, if successful.

Unfortunately for the enemy, they lost the chance to show their sordidness.

The killing intent vanished.

There could be two reasons.

One, the enemy gave up and fled.

The other, external intervention.

The answer was the latter.

A man was wiping his sword clean on the clothes of the corpse.

His brown eyes had a hint of red.

His hair, a similar reddish-brown, had not a drop of blood on it.

No, Sinar, the Fairy Company Commander, had never seen this man covered in blood.

He was always clean.

Well, except when he was with a courtesan, his clothes would be in disarray.

He had seen that too. The man was coming out after being with a woman.

"Here?"

"Had nothing else to do."

Jaxon responded to the captain's words.

Jaxon was different.

Seeing Encrid's growth had filled him with joy. If he were around, he couldn't help but express it.

His mouth itched, and so did his hands.

He wanted to release this feeling somewhere. It seemed there were others who gave off a similar vibe.

Jaxon, emerging through the fog, followed the Fairy Company Commander.

He cut the throats of the three assassins.

It wasn't difficult.

Even though they were Fairies and highly skilled by normal standards, to Jaxon, they were just okay.

They were fighters who honed their natural talents rather than being properly trained.

In a way, Jaxon found them the easiest to deal with.

"Are you just going to leave your Platoon leader?"

At the Fairy's question, Jaxon tilted his head.

"If he were to die in such a place, he would have died long ago."

It was high praise.

It was akin to saying he believed in Encrid.

He was now at a level where there was no need to watch over him anymore.

'Next time.'

It was time to teach him something other than just movement.

After honing his senses, what was the next training?

If he had opened the Gate of Sixth Sense.

'Observe well and respond.'

These were things that still required time and effort to master.

Had he ever taught such things properly?

It didn't seem like it.

"Sigh."

As Jaxon thought about this, he sighed, wondering why he was being so serious.

In truth, it wasn't something he needed to teach.

Seeing this, the Fairy Company Commander spoke.

"This Battalion Commander is no fool. He knows how to fight by reading the flow."

Did she think he sighed because the unit wasn't moving?

That wasn't the case.

Jaxon was always good at hiding his true thoughts.

The Fairy Company Commander did not misunderstand his sigh. Would that crazy platoon even care about such things?

It was just that Jaxon was right in front of her, demonstrating his skills by killing the three assassins.

Her words suggested that the tide was changing.

Her words reached not just Jaxon but the surrounding soldiers.

She implied that the momentum would shift, leading to a victory for their forces.

"Form up, everyone."

At her command, the five company members who had followed her as guards lined up behind her.

As soon as she finished speaking, horn signals blared from all directions, and messengers ran.

As she said.

Marcus knew how to ride the flow.

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