Chapter 267 : The Heroes of Tundra

In front of the scar on the earth.

The Nine-Tailed Fox shouted into the deep crack.

"Hey—!"

Hey— hey— hey—

An echo rang out.

"You weaklings!"

Weaklings— weaklings— weaklings—

"Are you alive!"

Alive— alive— alive—

When she listened closely to the inside.

No answer came, and only silence lingered.

The Nine-Tailed Fox turned around and shrugged.

"It seems they're all dead."

Linda immediately retorted.

"No! The Devil isn't dead! Schmidt and Hud aren't dead either!"

The Nine-Tailed Fox answered in a casual tone.

"But there's no answer."

"He's out of breath from defeating the snowman, so he didn't answer!"

Linda, panting, threw Hartz, whom she had been dragging, to the ground.

Hartz, whose clothes were torn and scorched here and there, was lying face down on the ground, unconscious.

Linda shouted into the inside.

"Devil! Schmidt! Hud!"

"..."

No answer came back.

Only the echo of 'Devil— Devil—' rang out.

"Hey...!"

Linda, panting, continued to shout into the inside.

"Devil! Schmidt! Hud!"

Dofang sighed at the sight, and Scarlet silently puffed on her pipe, looking at the darkness inside.

Just then, Shushuruta, who had been listening closely to the inside, stopped Linda.

"Be quiet for a moment. I think I heard something."

"Really?"

"Yes. So, shh."

"Shh!"

Shushuruta cupped her hands to her ears and listened, as if she were going to collect all the sounds coming from inside.

After a moment.

Her eyes flashed open.

"They're coming!"

As soon as she finished speaking, something shot out from the abyss with a fierce wind.

It was three people, riding side by side on something transparent, that had soared up vertically.

Linda raised both her hands.

"It's the Devil!"

Scarlet, without showing much surprise, stared at the transparent something.

A dark blue something seemed to be faintly spreading in the air like paint.

"It's a spirit."

The transparent spirit landed on the ground with the three people on its back.

"What's with everyone being gathered here?"

Ashuban, who looked relatively fine, asked as he got off the spirit's back.

But it was only that he looked relatively fine; his clothes were torn to shreds, as if he had been attacked by an unknown beast.

"Devil!"

Linda ran over and clung to Ashuban.

Ashuban patted Linda's head and looked around at those gathered in front of the crack.

"...You all look like a mess."

Shushuruta, whose cloak was torn and tattered, said with a sneer.

"Better than you."

"That's true."

"Are you okay?"

"No problem."

"Then that's good."

Dofang laughed heartily and patted Ashuban's shoulder.

"It's good to see you alive, little brother. How was he?"

Ashuban grinned.

"What do you mean, how was he? He was a real pain in the ass."

Dofang laughed heartily and then, looking at Schmidt and Hud, who were still groaning on the transparent spirit, said.

"So it seems. You look like a mess."

Hud made a dying sound.

"I really thought I was going to die."

Dofang sneered.

"You're exaggerating."

"I'm not exaggerating— cough!"

Hud, who had been getting angry, vomited a mouthful of blood.

Dofang's eyes widened.

"Oh. It seems it's true."

Ashuban patted Linda's back and said.

"Linda. I'm fine, so go and check on those two."

"Ah! Okay."

While Linda went over to them and checked their condition.

The Nine-Tailed Fox approached Ashuban and gave a strange smile.

"You're lucky to be alive. I thought you were dead."

Ashuban looked her up and down and then answered.

"Your tails have increased. How many?"

"Nine."

"Give me one."

"Will you give it?"

The two, who had exchanged silly words, exchanged smiles.

"It's been a while since I've seen you in your true form."

"So it has."

"How was the queen?"

"Well... it wasn't boring. And the king?"

"He was cute."

"Oho."

"But not so cute after he was split in half."

"You weaklings managed to catch him."

"Even weaklings are better when they work together."

Soon, Ashuban, who had found the demonic swordsman lying on the ground, strode over and kicked him.

Thwack!

"You son of a bitch."

Hartz rolled on the snowy ground.

Ashuban, who had chased after him and was stomping on him, looked back at Scarlet.

"What did Hyde say?"

Scarlet blew out a puff of smoke and answered.

"Isn't it obvious? He said the time for revenge had come and rushed at us with a smile, so Miho and I subdued him."

"Is the wave over?"

Scarlet, without answering, just tilted her pipe.

Ashuban, who had looked in that direction, saw the wall, where the battle was still in full swing.

A sigh escaped him.

"Hoo... it's endless. I want to rest a little."

Scarlet looked Ashuban up and down.

"Are you hurt?"

"My heart is a little."

Scarlet, as a founding member of the Sherwood Mercenary Corps who had seen him the longest, answered Ashuban's nonsense lightly.

"You're normal."

"..."

Soon, Linda, who had checked their condition and given them first aid, came running over and said.

"Hud and Schmidt can't fight anymore. They need to rest."

"So it seems."

In fact, it wouldn't be strange if the two fainted right now.

Ashuban looked at Scarlet.

"What should we do, Big Sister?"

Scarlet, puffing out smoke, answered.

"Why are you asking me? You're the captain."

"Ah, that's right."

Ashuban looked around at the gathered members once and then immediately gave the order.

"Linda."

"Yes!"

Ashuban kicked Hartz, who was rolling on the snowy ground, and said.

"You take this useless guy with Hud and Schmidt and go back inside the wall and treat them."

"Okay!"

Linda grabbed one of Hartz's feet and dragged him—toward where Hud and Schmidt were.

"The rest will advance to the wall as they are. We'll block the magical beasts' retreat and push them to the wall and flatten them. Do you understand?"

At his simple and foolish plan, the members smiled.

Screech—

Ashuban aimed his broken straight sword at the wall, where the battle was in full swing.

"Then let's go. Zilentyn is waiting for us."

* * *

The wall where the battle with the magical beasts was in full swing.

The knights, covered in the blood of the magical beasts, continued the fierce battle.

And the soldiers on the wall were throwing rocks at the magical beasts that were ramming their bodies against the wall.

"Shoot!"

They also shot arrows at the winged magical beasts that were flying and attacking the top of the wall.

In a word, it was a crucible of chaos, a scene of carnage.

The wave of magical beasts that came without end, no matter how many were killed, was no different from a never-ending nightmare.

Then, at some point.

A soldier who had been shooting arrows from the top of the wall spotted another wave rushing in from behind.

Before, it was a wave of magical beasts, but this time, it was a wave of bright red fire.

Fwoosh!

The wave of fire engulfed the magical beasts, and countless magical beasts turned to ash.

"..."

The moment he was at a loss for words at the overwhelming sight.

There were those who were approaching the wall from beyond the scorched earth.

Those who were approaching, spread out wide.

It was the Sherwood Mercenary Corps.

"Sherwood...!"

An unknown, hot something filled his chest.

The soldiers waved their spears and shouted hotly.

"Sherwood has come!!"

"They have returned after slaying the king and queen of the magical beasts!!!"

"Waaaaaah!!"

In an instant, the morale soared to the sky.

The knights below, who had heard the sound, also waved their swords and shouted.

"The king and queen of the magical beasts are dead!!"

"Tundraaaa!!!"

Of course, there was no way the magical beasts would understand those words.

But the news that they had returned after beheading the enemy commander raised the morale of the knights.

"Did they succeed...!"

Duke Elsbears let out a sigh of relief as he heard the sound.

And then.

"Knights of Tundra!!!"

A thunderous voice echoed through the battlefield.

The magical beasts that had been rushing from the front collapsed, their ears bursting.

"Show these beasts clearly who the master of this land is!! Advance!!!"

"Wooooooo!!"

With Duke Elsbears in the lead, the knights, who had recovered their morale, formed a formation and drove out the magical beasts.

It was like a single spear that cut through a fierce wave.

Meanwhile, on the other side.

"Ouch, hot."

The Sherwood Mercenary Corps was strolling across the scorched earth that the wave of fire had swept through.

"This heat is no joke."

Shushuruta scolded Ashuban.

"Are you a fool? Why would you touch that with your hand?"

"I was curious."

"You're curious about strange things."

Dofang patted his waist and grumbled.

"I'm dying. I have to fight an S-rank magical beast, be chased by a mad multiple-personality, and now I have to fight an endless number of magical beasts."

Ashuban consoled the grumbling Dofang.

"That's life."

"What kind of nonsense is that?"

Just then, the magical beasts were rushing this way at the appearance of a new enemy.

"Anyway. Let's finish this quickly and rest."

Thump!

The Nine-Tailed Fox, holding a sword in each of her two hands and nine tails, ran ahead.

"You weaklings. Take your time."

The Nine-Tailed Fox, holding a total of eleven swords, literally ground up the rushing magical beasts.

Ashuban, who saw the sight, muttered.

"She's having fun."

Dofang, fiddling with his butterfly knife, replied.

"So it seems. Was she pent up?"

"We can't lose either."

Fwoosh!

With Ashuban in the lead, Shushuruta and Dofang rushed out.

And Scarlet, leaning on her staff, slowly followed them.

Duke Elsbears and the knights of Tundra, and the Sherwood Mercenary Corps.

The magical beasts were cut down from the front and back.

* * *

The war, which was long if you say it was long, and short if you say it was short, came to an end.

The victors were the humans.

"Waaaaaah!!"

"We won!!"

"We blocked it!!!"

As had been foretold, it was certainly the worst monster wave in history.

The high-rank magical beasts that had poured out in countless numbers.

And the king and queen of the magical beasts who ruled them, two S-rank magical beasts.

They were overwhelming opponents.

To the point where it was a wonder how they had been blocked.

And the greatest credit for the victory.

"Sherwood! Sherwood!"

Naturally, it went to the Sherwood Mercenary Corps.

It was a miracle.

For a single mercenary corps to defeat two S-rank magical beasts.

The Sherwood Mercenary Corps, just as when Guston of the Greatsword had been there, had created another miracle.

The residents of Tundra had witnessed the brilliant moment when a legend was born.

In Tundra, Sherwood became an unforgettable name.

As soon as the cleanup was roughly finished, Duke Elsbears held a grand festival to commemorate the victory.

And, he made the Sherwood Mercenary Corps the main characters of that festival.

"Sherwood! Sherwood!"

"Waaaaaah!!"

"The heroes of Tundra!"

"I love you!"

At the pouring cheers of the people, the Sherwood Mercenary Corps had a dazed expression.

It was to the point where they doubted if these were the same blunt people they had seen when they first came to Tundra.

"Hahahat! Yes, that's right! I am Dofang the Phantom Thief of Sherwood!!"

"Waaaaaah!!"

"Dofang! Dofang!"

Since the only person who liked this kind of atmosphere was the attention-seeker Dofang, the rest of the Sherwood members, except for him, looked at the people who had gathered like a cloud with a rather reluctant face.

Linda shook Ashuban's sleeve.

"Devil, there are so many people!"

"...So it seems."

Hudmilla said, covering her ears with both hands.

"My ears are going to burst. Hey, Captain. What is all this?"

"I don't know either."

Shushuruta muttered with her arms crossed.

"No wonder the Red Witch and Miho didn't attend."

The captain of the Sherwood Mercenary Corps, Ashuban, leaving the cheers of the people behind, approached Duke Elsbears with bandages wrapped here and there and asked.

"Your Grace. What is all this?"

Duke Elsbears answered with a much softer expression than before.

"What do you think? It's a festival."

"I didn't know we were the main characters."

"Is it burdensome?"

"Yes."

Duke Elsbears looked at the festival site and said.

"Just bear with it for a little while. I need a place to turn my eyes."

"Yes? From where do you need to turn your eyes?"

"From what was lost."

"Ah."

Elsbears's words continued calmly.

"Many soldiers and knights have died. Countless brave warriors of the north have been sacrificed."

Ashuban carefully observed the expressions of the people gathered at the festival.

He could see expressions that seemed a little too happy.

"Sometimes, the truth is not enough."

"..."

"A hero is made in that way."

Duke Elsbears looked at Ashuban and gave a faint smile.

"Of course, thanks to you guys showing a heroic performance that anyone could see, there was no need for me to do anything."

"...I see."

The duke's gaze turned to the northerners who were enjoying the festival.

"Instead of what was lost, you have to see what was protected."

"..."

"Sorrow is of course necessary, but if you only focus on that, you won't survive long. You have to see the good things. The happy things..."

Why had he held a festival as if he were being chased, even before the cleanup was finished? Ashuban felt like he understood a little now.

"So, just for today, you guys be the main characters. You deserve it."

"...Yes."

The two looked at the festival site without a word for a long time.

"So, Your Grace."

"What is it?"

"The 30-year-old Zilentyn you said you would give me..."

Duke Elsbears stared at Ashuban blankly.

"Get it after the festival is over."

"I will be sure to visit you without fail."

"..."

(End of Chapter)