Chapter 77 : Reconnaissance Mission (5)

Chapter 77: Reconnaissance Mission (5)

The angry flames swirled around, greedily devouring the bushes. The problem was that the surroundings had been parched by recent hot winds. Once the fire caught hold, the forest burned red like a literal inferno, spewing thick black smoke.

“Dammit!! Cough, cough.”

“The flames are too strong, Baron! We cannot get closer.”

Beyond the flames, the hundred or so enemies surrounding him were visible. Among them was the furious Baron Ludwig.

“You despicable bastard! Mercenary-born trash without a shred of honor! To go so far as to set a fire. I will absolutely kill you-!”

“Cough, cough. Baron. It is dangerous. The fire is getting stronger. We should escape now while we can.”

“No! He is literally, right there! How can you tell me to retreat!!”

“But we must, Baron. Cough, ughhh.”

“Fire the crossbows immediately! What are you doing? I said kill that bastard!”

At the frantic urging, the adjutant finally motioned with his hand.

“Crossbowmen, up front!”

-Phshshshshk.

Bolts flew through the flames.

-Kagagagang! Kang! Kang!

However, they were futilely blocked by Shatien’s sword. The intense heat had created strong updrafts that offset the force of the bolts. Shatien was able to easily deflect the bolts, which were flying slower than expected.

“Dammit!”

“This is truly the limit now, Baron Ludwig. We will all burn to death at this rate.”

The adjutant shouted desperately.

Revenge and retribution are only possible if one is alive. Dying in battle might be honorable, but this was nothing more than an empty death. Eventually, Baron Ludwig reluctantly ordered a retreat.

“You! I will see you next time. You better not die in a fire like this! I will deal with your head with my own hands!”

Baron Ludwig’s burning voice drifted away faintly beyond the flames.

* * *

“Cough, ugh. Cough. I... I can't breathe...!”

After inhaling the black smoke once, Shatien scanned his surroundings while drooling.

-Whoosh!

The flames that had spread around showed no sign of stopping. As if asking why he had only started the fire now, the red inferno spewed flames in all directions with a fierce momentum.

-Crackle, pop.

Eventually, the fire spread to the trees surrounding Shatien. Even though he had chosen trees surrounded by plenty of soil, the flames were unavoidable. Shatien muttered lowly.

“Dammit... not like this.”

Was I going to die in a place like this?

“Cough, cough.”

Because he had inhaled too much smoke, his vision gradually became blurred. His mind felt hazy, and it felt as if his consciousness was slipping away. It was a feeling very similar to his first death in the past.

I am dying by the fire I set myself.

A hollow laugh escaped Shatien’s lips. He wondered if there had been another way, but there was none. Enemies were everywhere, and there was nowhere to run. If he had not done this, he would have been captured and killed. Baron Ludwig would not have captured him as a prisoner and let him live peacefully. This had been the best option.

‘It is a real shame.’

To end like this.

He still...

“There are too many things I haven't achieved yet...”

It seemed he had reached the limit.

Shatien felt his consciousness, which he had been desperately holding onto, finally fade away. And at the moment he was about to lose consciousness,

“Centurion!!”

“Shatien!!!”

From far beyond the flames.

The voices of his comrades sounded like hallucinations.

* * *

-Whoosh!

A curtain of fire unfolded before his eyes.

“Dammit! Shatien! Shatien! You dazed rookie captain! Where are you!!!”

Miles shouted while looking around. However, all that came into his view were gray smoke and red, shimmering flames. Even the wind was blowing toward them.

“The flames are getting closer, Miles!”

“I know! Dammit.”

The chainmail he was wearing began to heat up. Despair settled in Miles's eyes. The pillars of fire rising everywhere were a literal hell.

‘Could anyone have survived in this situation?’

His spirit began to break.

This was... the end.

Miles thought so and was about to give up.

But at that moment.

“Here! Miles! Over here. Cough, cough!”

A voice was heard from atop the hill.

Miles's eyes widened!

“Shatien! Shatien!! Are you there?”

“Centurion!! Where are you!”

Only empty shouts echoed, but everyone was certain. It was definitely Shatien’s voice. Shatien was somewhere on that hill.

‘He is alive!!!’

At that fact, a sense of relief surged once again. Miles spoke immediately.

“Find a path right now. No, if there isn't one, let us go up while clearing everything with axes!”

“I-In that fire?”

Miles hesitated for a moment. But if not that, how would they reach him in time?

“Yes! In the fire, you brat. Grab them quickly! I will lead the way, hacking through it.”

“U-Understood.”

The mercenaries began to run like mad, following Miles as he hacked away with his axe.

“Here! There is a path.”

“Oh! See. I told you we had to push through with raw grit!”

Miles ran frantically through the side path the mercenary had found. And soon after.

“Oh! Shatien!!!”

He found Shatien surrounded by flames. Fortunately, he had positioned himself by a tree with a pile of damp soil, so he was not yet engulfed in flames.

The problem was that the smoke was damnably thick. Moreover, that smoke was filled with fire and was extremely hot.

“Hey, Shatien!!! Are you alive?!”

He shouted loudly, but there was no answer. It seemed he had lost consciousness after inhaling a great deal of smoke.

“We are breaking through!”

“Understood!”

With their heads lowered, they rushed toward Shatien, avoiding the flames and smoke.

“Wake up! Hey. Hey! You bastard.”

Miles rushed over and slapped Shatien’s cheek, but he still did not regain consciousness.

Then, a mercenary watching from the side spoke up.

“He needs to breathe fresh air, Miles!”

“Ah! Right.”

“Let us head down quickly. I will carry him on my back.”

It was still dangerous. The flames, which had briefly subsided as they broke through, were growing strong again.

Miles quickly took Shatien on his back and began to run. As the mercenary said, they had to move to a place where the air was fresh.

“We are almost there, Miles!”

“Dammit, I feel like my whole body is burning up. Hahaha.”

“The path we came up is right ahead!!”

Fortunately, the side path they had seen earlier was still open.

Just as they were about to escape the flames,

-Sssss!

He felt bloodlust beyond the flames.

“You were shouting enough to make the hill crumble.”

Baron Ludwig said so, twitching the corner of his mouth.

* * *

-Phshshshshk!

A shower of bolts rained down from beyond the path.

“Kughhhh!!!”

-Thwack, thwack, thwack!

The mercenary who had dashed out first blocked the bolts with his whole body.

“Urghhhh.”

The mercenary, whose entire body was pierced by a dozen bolts, collapsed onto the ground. It was a self-sacrificing act that was unimaginable for a mercenary.

“Surprising. Is that bastard truly worth that much?”

Baron Ludwig shouted in slight surprise.

To think that mercenaries, who usually only care about their own lives, would perform such a devoted act. But that was that, and this was this.

“Capture them alive! I will kill them all with my own hands.”

“Yes, Baron.”

-Waaaaaaa!

As the adjutant gestured, the remaining soldiers drew their weapons and climbed up the narrow side path.

-Shring.

The surviving mercenaries drew their swords all at once. Surrendering would lead only to death anyway. Also, behind them was the fire. They had no choice but to go forward.

They lunged at the Imperial Army charging at them for their lives.

“Block them!”

“Shit, if we get broken through, we all die! Just block them for now!”

The gap was narrow enough that only one or two could fit. Between it, a fierce battle between the soldiers and the mercenaries unfolded.

-Clang! Clang!

-Slash!

“Aghhh!”

“These traitorous bastards dare to attack?”

The mercenaries were no match for the Imperial Army in a duel. Furthermore, the Imperial Army even carried shields.

“We have almost broken through. Push forward!”

“Why are these rascals resisting so much?”

The mercenaries, who had been Imperial crossbowmen, all collapsed after failing to last even a few exchanges. Unless they had shields, this was not even at a level where they could buy time.

‘What should I do...’

Miles hesitated as he watched the dying mercenaries. Even if he joined in, it would only buy a little more time. Yet, he could not bring himself to leave them and run away.

Then, the mercenary next to him hung Shatien’s sword at his waist and spoke.

“Go, Miles. There must be another way.”

“We will block them here.”

“You must save the Centurion.”

The mercenaries shouted as they were dying.

“Dammit, thank you! I will never forget your sacrifice!!”

Watching that, Miles shed tears of blood inwardly as he turned around and began to run away.

“S-Shoot! Should we pursue, Baron?”

“No, it is fine. That place is where the fire is rising anyway. Even if he runs, it is only a dead end. Hehehe...”

* * *

“Huff... huff....”

Miles ran like crazy. He had to find another path somehow. The problem started there.

“Fucking hell! It is all fire! It is a literal fire pit!”

Of all things, the area behind him was truly a literal hell. At least the wind had started blowing in the opposite direction so the fire did not spread toward him, but the path was still completely blocked by fire.

“Ha... Dammit. Am I dying like this too?”

Feeling absurd, Miles looked up at the sky for a moment. Damnably, the night sky was terribly clear. The stars were visible, and it was clear without a single cloud.

“Rotten luck! Fine, for a mercenary, I have been quite successful and survived long enough I guess.”

Miles grumbled as he laid Shatien down gently on the ground.

In the meantime, perhaps because he had breathed fresh air, the faint sound of him breathing could be heard.

“Bastard. You sure are sleeping well. Phew... Fine, sleep well. I will try to handle this.”

Saying so, Miles drew the sword from Shatien’s waist.

-Shring.

It sparkled in the darkness as it caught the light. The color was beautiful, and it seemed to be an extraordinary sword.

“My goodness. This sword is a killer. You were carrying something like this? Hehe.”

Holding the sword haphazardly, Miles looked ahead. Beyond the flickering flames, he saw the Imperial Army, who had finished off all the mercenaries, slowly climbing up.

Death was approaching.

“There! He is over there.”

“Show a miserable end to the coward who ran away. All troops, charge!”

-Waaaaaaa!

At the commander's order, the Imperial Army began to run up the hill all at once. Miles watched them and shouted with all his might.

“Fine! Come at me. Come! I am Miles, the Bone Crusher!”

While saying so, he swung the sword around and ran forward, but...

-R-Retreat!

-Come back! We are heading back immediately!!

There was a sudden commotion, and the Imperial Army bastards who were climbing up fiercely turned around and began to run away like mad.

“???”

What on earth was the meaning of this? Miles blinked his eyes. But soon...

-Rumble, rumble!

-Waaaaaaa!

-Save Sir Shatien!

Miles could realize why the Imperial Army had run away.

Allies. The reinforcements of his allies had arrived.