CHAPTER 28

Encrid sighed in relief as he watched the staggering scout squad leader.

'Just barely made it.'

The trick of parrying a sword with the back of his hand only worked five out of ten times.

Well, he had gotten somewhat used to it over time.

It was possible because he had become familiar with the unique habits of this fellow.

Otherwise, it would have been an impossible feat to even attempt.

But that was purely from Encrid's perspective.

From the side, it just looked like a stark difference in skill.

He deflected the incoming blade without blinking an eye and struck the solar plexus, rendering his opponent combat ineffective.

It was a trick that couldn't be seen unless there was an overwhelming difference in skill.

"Are you really a low-rank soldier?"

How many times had he heard this now?

It was getting tiresome.

"I haven't taken the promotion test. I didn't think it was necessary."

Having perfectly answered the next expected question, Encrid twisted his stiff wrist left and right.

There was no problem.

He had undergone all the necessary training while wielding his sword.

Strength training was a given.

In terms of sheer strength, Encrid was well-trained enough to be considered one of the top in the unit.

That's why this result was possible.

"From now on, I am the squad leader."

Encrid declared.

It was as if he had just crossed a mountain.

The scout squad leader didn't even protest.

He just stared blankly and then mumbled, "Uh, you, uh," before closing his mouth.

No one disobeyed.

The soldier with the next most influence, who had a rough appearance, quietly followed Encrid.

It was as expected.

After that, the path to find an escape route continued.

"Enri, what is your dream?"

Encrid changed the formation, taking the lead, and walked with Enri beside him.

This was after a commotion had settled down. Enri, though feeling like he was about to lose his mind, quickly pulled himself together at Encrid's words.

"Huh?"

"I asked if there's something you want to do."

Enri blinked a few times, then, flustered, expressed a rather detailed wish.

"Uh, well, I want to survive and settle down with the widow who runs the flower shop."

That's right. Everyone has their own goals.

"First, we have to get back alive. What about you?"

He then turned his head and asked the person behind him.

Right behind Encrid was Andrew.

The first thing Encrid did after changing the formation was place Andrew directly behind him.

He even handed him his weapon as it was.

Enri saw this and thought.

Encrid really had no fear.

What if Andrew stabbed him in the back out of malice?

Even if Encrid got stabbed, he could just start the day over, but Enri didn't know that.

Andrew, who was asked the question, let out a deep breath.

"Fine. I admit defeat."

He said.

"So, what do you want to do? Soldier."

He was demoted from squad leader to soldier.

No one objected. The difference in skill had been too clear.

"Revive my family's honor."

So he was from a fallen noble family.

"Then you also need to get back alive first."

Encrid siad.

Everyone stared intently at their newly appointed squad leader, wondering why he was acting this way.

He continued to repeat the same question and gave the same responses.

"You have to come back alive to earn money."

This was his answer to the soldier who dreamed of saving money to open a shop.

"Your lover is pregnant? If you don't want your child to grow up fatherless, you need to come back too."

One of the rough soldiers was already a soon-to-be father.

"You all have the same goal."

Encrid continued.

"Then let's make sure we all get back alive."

No one understood why he was doing this.

But no one argued. Encrid made eye contact with each of them.

Normally, it would have been a meaningless gesture, but he had already sown the seeds with his words.

The soldiers, including Andrew, each thought of what they had left behind.

Encrid wanted them to have a sense of purpose.

He had started with violence and coercion, but now he needed them to fight well on their own.

It was a method he had used many times.

Instilling a desire for life in their hearts.

It was a very effective tactic.

It was far more advantageous to break through with ten men moving as one than going alone.

In fact, they might even attempt an ambush instead of just fleeing.

An ambush could change the situation entirely.

'It might work.'

If there was even a hint of possibility, he could try it as many times as needed.

As long as he was prepared for death, he could do it.

Through several trials and errors, Encrid memorized the enemy's positions and numbers.

Another day passed with him knocking down the squad leader a few more times.

"What is your dream?"

Another day of repeating the same words passed. It could have been tedious, but Encrid spent each repeated day diligently.

From this, he gained two key insights.

An ambush and the flag.

"Let's do this."

Now was the time after all those repeated days. He had practiced enough in those countless repetitions of today.

"Let's all get back alive."

When Encrid turned around, the entire scout squad nodded.

They all thought this wasn't such a dangerous mission.

Still, with him constantly saying it, their hearts stirred.

"Then let's go."

What they had learned through training was now ingrained in their bodies.

There was no need to repeat today any longer.

Encrid didn't move cautiously.

There was no need for that.

He had already memorized the enemy's positions roughly.

"Have you been here before?"

Enri, a former plains hunter, asked.

He was walking alongside Encrid at the front.

"A few times."

It would have been strange if he said he hadn't.

He was navigating the path with such confidence.

"Oh, I see."

After walking a bit further, Enri asked again.

"Are you perhaps a former hunter?"

"No, but I learned a bit from a hunter I know."

He was referring to his ability to read tracks and the direction in which the grass was bent.

And, naturally, it was Enri who had taught Encrid these things.

Leading the way, Encrid glanced back and saw the soldier who stuck close to Andrew.

With that appearance, if he ever became a real nanny, the kids would be terrified and run away.

But on the battlefield, he would be an excellent bodyguard.

Watching Andrew and the soldier who resembled a nanny, Encrid thought.

'If a battle breaks out, that rough-looking soldier will definitely follow Andrew.'

While walking, Encrid repeatedly visualized the escape route he had carefully thought out.

As they reached their destination, Encrid raised his right fist to stop the squad.

"Phew."

He took a deep breath at the stop.

Everyone's eyes turned towards him, wondering why they had stopped. They were just at the edge of the grassy field.

But no one spoke first.

Encrid was a domineering squad leader.

He never discussed the direction or the route with them.

He was dictatorial.

But that wasn't necessarily a bad thing.

After all, the purpose of a patrol mission was to survey a specific area.

If it were an important scout mission, a more suitable team would have been assigned, but the role of this unit didn't seem particularly significant.

The point was to do what was needed and then return.

"Shoot."

Encrid ordered, pointing to one side.

Enri, holding a crossbow, stared blankly at Encrid.

Confused Enri asked, "Huh? Where?"

This was a repeated occurrence.

It couldn't be helped. These men didn't experience the repeated days.

"Shoot. I won't say it twice."

Enri wasn't clueless.

Encrid's tone was cold, with a determination that brooked no argument.

He was pointing beyond the tall grass.

Nothing was visible. No signs of movement either.

But Enri did as he was told.

He had seen Encrid fight. Despite the rumors, it was clear he wasn't someone to be taken lightly.

As Enri drew back the bowstring and pulled the arrow, the string grew taut.

He glanced at Encrid and then released the arrow in the direction his finger indicated.

Because it was the squad leader's order.

The arrow flew with a whoosh and then a thunk as it hit something.

Simultaneously, there was a dying groan.

"...What?"

Enri was bewildered.

At that moment, only two were not surprised: the grizzled veteran soldier with the harsh demeanor and Encrid.

"Follow me, Andrew."

Placing Andrew directly behind him was for this very moment.

Though his combat experience was lacking, he was still a fairly skilled soldier.

If someone was competent, it was best to use their abilities effectively.

In the past, Encrid had made the mistake of trying to solve everything on his own during these repeated days.

Now he knew that wasn't necessary.

As Encrid dashed forward, Andrew instinctively followed, and the harsh-looking soldier cursed under his breath and trailed behind them.

When the three soldiers reached the other side of the tall grass, they saw a corpse with a bolt embedded in the center of its forehead.

Surrounding it were a group of soldiers.

It was Aspen's crossbow unit.

There were about ten of them.

Encrid started with a lethal move.

A thrust.

Twisting his body and stepping with his left foot, he drove his sword through the neck of one of the enemy soldiers.

"Gurk!"

Blood poured from the wound where the blade had entered.

The soldier, now with a hole in his neck, raised his hand to grab the sword.

Encrid immediately kicked the dead soldier's abdomen to withdraw his sword. As the sword came out, a dark hole appeared, and blood gushed from it.

Meanwhile, Andrew swung his short sword nearby. It looked clumsy at a glance.

He was clearly flustered by the sudden order to follow.

It was merely a reflexive strike upon seeing the enemy.

Clang!

The enemy soldier, having discarded his crossbow, drew a dagger to block the attack.

'How clumsy.'

But it was fine.

Bringing Andrew along was partly because of the veteran soldier behind him.

The harsh-looking soldier moved.

He neither shouted nor made any aggressive moves.

He simply circled behind the soldier blocking Andrew's short sword, grabbed the enemy's jaw with his right hand and head with his left, and sharply twisted both hands in opposite directions.

Snap!

The enemy's head twisted at an impossible angle.

Naturally, he died.

The harsh-looking soldier then drew the short sword from his waist and spun backward like a top.

Whoosh.

His short sword sliced through the exposed neck between the helmet and breastplate of the soldier behind him.

The skin on the neck split open instantly.

Swish. Swish.

Blood spurted from the severed neck.

Watching this, Encrid kicked at the ankle of the enemy soldier next to him.

The soldier, who was wary of the sword in Encrid's hand, toppled sideways.

Encrid then kicked the fallen soldier's head.

Thud! Crack.

The neck bone snapped, and the struck soldier let out a strange groan before fainting.

"Ambush!"

"Enemy soldiers!"

Finally, the startled cries of the enemy soldiers could be heard.

At last, the rest of Encrid's squad, including the brawler soldiers, joined the fight.

"Kill them all."

Encrid ordered.

Ping!

No sooner had Encrid given the order than Enri's bolt flew.

The bolt struck the chest of a soldier in front of Encrid.

The bolt pierced the gambeson the soldier was wearing with a thud, and red blood began to flow out.

"You bastard—"

The soldier started to say something. Encrid didn't let him finish.

He immediately thrust his sword, creating a hole in the soldier's neck.

"Phew."

He exhaled, letting his muscles rest after the intense movement.

In the meantime, the sound of clashing metal rang out.

He realized he didn't have to face everything alone.

As he turned his body, reflecting on this newfound understanding, he heard an irritating sound three steps ahead.

Hiss-ack!

He had seen this scene many times before.

The wary cry of a beast.

He turned his gaze to identify the source.

Black fur.

That creature was why the enemy crossbow unit stationed here was caught off guard.

Through repeated attempts, Encrid had scouted several advantageous ambush locations.

After risking his life, he chose this spot as the most favorable for an ambush.

The reason lay there.

The small beast wandering the grassy field had diverted the attention of the crossbow unit.

It was a worthy distraction.

He already knew.

Though unintentional, the creature had been helpful.

The owner of the black fur looked at Encrid with blue eyes.

Encrid's blue eyes met the creature's gaze.

Their eyes locked.

One of the enemy soldiers, hissing in frustration, was seen thrusting a foot soldier's spear toward the black-furred beast.

'It's a debt I owe.'

He had no intention of letting the creature die.

Encrid brushed his chest with his hand and then extended his arm forward.

His outstretched hand was in a straight position with all fingers extended, stopping at a right angle to the ground.

In sync with this motion, the knife embedded in his chest flew through the air.

With a whizz, the knife struck the enemy's shoulder.

This caused the spear-wielding soldier to falter.

Roar!

Seizing the moment, the small creature, barely the size of a forearm, let out a terrifying cry and bit into the enemy's calf.

There was a splatter of flesh and blood. But it didn't end there.

The creature then clawed at the bitten spot with its front paws.

Blood smeared its claws and fur, making them glisten.

After clawing, it quickly retreated.

"You damn bastard!"

The enemy soldier with the bitten calf stabbed at the ground with his spear, but the black-furred creature had already dodged.

'That thing…'

It was a remarkable creature.

A young black panther, incredibly clever and fierce.

The enemy soldier, with a knife in his shoulder, was killed before he could react by the harsh-looking soldier.

He appeared from behind the enemy and slit his throat in one swift motion, clearly not his first time doing so.

The screams stopped.

The last remaining enemy soldier was killed by Andrew.

It seemed he had stabbed the soldier multiple times in the torso with his short sword, then finished him off by stabbing his face on the ground.

Andrew, having killed the enemy, was breathing heavily.

He wasn't the only one.

Heavy breathing was heard from all around.

"Huff, huff, whew, whew, what the hell is this?"

A startled ally asked. His face was familiar, but Encrid couldn't remember his name.

Instead, Encrid scanned the bodies of the fallen soldiers to find their ally among them.

No matter what he did, that guy always died. This time, it seemed he was killed by a spear to the face from an enemy soldier.

It was a gruesome sight.

He had tried to save that guy multiple times, but every time he did, the guy would try to escape midway, messing things up.

It was something Encrid knew from his repeated days.

"They're enemy soldiers. Didn't you know this could happen during a patrol mission? Don't forget. We have to get back alive."

Encrid once again fueled the squad's desire for life as he led them.

"This way."

The harsh-looking soldier spoke up, stopping Encrid.

"That leads further in, Squad Leader."

"Is this defiance? If you wanted to dissent, you should have done it earlier."

Encrid dismissed the opposing opinion and continued walking resolutely.

As if there were no other options but to follow him.

It was a silent pressure and coercion.

It had to be done.

There was no time to explain everything.

As he ran and glanced sideways, he saw the eyes of the young black panther.

Blue, deep like a lake.

Encrid turned his head, looking into eyes that resembled his own.

Now was the time to fight desperately for survival, more than anything else.

There was no time for bonding with the beast.