Chapter 28: Raid (2)

The greatest purpose of Winter Castle’s existence is to protect the Empire from the countless demonic beasts pouring out of the Demonic Realm.

For that reason, Winter Castle Kreutz is called the Northern Fortress, fighting an endless war against the demonic beasts.

Just like now.

Continuously, ceaselessly.

[Kururu! Kururu!]

[Grrr……! Sniff! Grr!]

Demonic beasts appeared atop the walls of Winter Castle, which seemed to boast an impenetrable defense.

The soldiers of Winter Castle who stood against them desperately thrusted their spears and poured oil to block the demonic beasts, but some of the endlessly swarming beasts succeeded in finally climbing onto the walls.

“One of them got up!”

“Block it!”

However, that too was only for a moment.

The demonic beasts that had just gotten on the walls were turned into honeycombs by the spear thrusts of the desperately resisting soldiers and fell right back down.

Thud!

Thud! Thump!!──

The corpses of the demonic beasts that fell like that soon piled up one by one.

[Kkak! Kaak!]

[Kkieeeeeek!!]

Some of those demonic beasts struggled, not yet dead, but they were soon taken care of by the other soldiers below the wall.

A red light, a mixture of blood and flames, lit up all around, dyeing the whole world in crimson.

“Bring more oil! We have to stop the demonic beasts from climbing the walls!”

“We’re all out of oil!”

“Go get some from the mess hall!”

“That place is empty too!”

I could see the commanders and soldiers shouting at the top of their lungs.

Perhaps this was the daily scenery of Winter Castle.

“We’re almost there. Everyone, get ready.”

Edric’s words were enough to bring me, who had been blankly watching this scene, back to reality.

If what I had experienced until now was combat, then what I would have to experience from now on was war.

But there was no need to be particularly flustered.

Because this kind of thing had been foreseen ever since I first came to Winter Castle.

“…….”

I gently caressed Aichuwong’s sword at my waist and the Colt garrison B-09 I had put in my pocket.

Assuming a state of perfect readiness, it would have been right to have also summoned the B686 Double Barrel Shotgun in advance, but it was too conspicuous and large to carry around.

Therefore, although I would be at a disadvantage for two rounds, it seemed better to leave it as a trump card for now.

“Sir Edric.”

When we arrived at the northeast gate, someone who appeared to be an officer recognized Edric.

Edric also seemed to know him, as he faced him and offered a handshake.

“Ah, Sir Garrett. It’s been a while.”

“I heard we were assigned the same mission this time. I’m glad to be with you.”

“The feeling is mutual, Sir Garrett.”

It probably was not just a feeling that a strange current was flowing between the two.

“There’s no need to force a partnership that doesn’t fit. How about we just stick to our own duties?”

“I was thinking the same thing, Sir Garrett.”

“A good thought. Then I hope you complete your mission safely, Sir Edric.”

“I wish you good luck, Sir Garrett.”

“My, what a stiff person.”

After that conversation, which was like walking on thin ice, ended, I discreetly approached Edric and asked.

“Who is that man?”

“He is Sir Garrett, the captain of the 3rd Special Task Force, who will carry out the mission with us.”

“I see. In that case, are we performing the mission separately from the 3rd Special Task Force?”

“It will be so. Wouldn’t that be much more comfortable for you all as well?”

“That’s true.”

The reason was simple.

Although not certain, it was highly likely that the 3rd Special Task Force, just like us, was composed of criminals dragged to Winter Castle from the outside, or others like them.

Meaning, they were guys I was very uneasy about entrusting my back to on a battlefield.

That’s why, rather than clumsy cooperation, it was much better for me to just have everyone keep to their own positions and do their jobs.

When we, who had arrived at the entrance of the northeast gate, headed for the wall stairs, I felt someone’s gaze.

“Is that the 4th Special Task Force?”

“They look like a bunch of brats.”

“Probably. But why are there four of them? Aren’t there supposed to be five? Seeing as one’s already croaked, they must not be much.”

At those words, a small wrinkle formed on Conlan’s forehead, but it seemed his past days as a Winter Castle soldier had granted him patience, as he didn’t step forward.

‘Are those guys the 3rd Special Task Force.’

Their attire was slightly different from that of ordinary soldiers.

Their attitude seemed strangely confident.

They looked bad at a glance, but they seemed to have the skills to match, as they were exuding a plausible momentum.

In terms of level, would they be around level 3?

Of course, in a simple level comparison, they could be seen as overwhelmingly strong compared to me, but I had no intention of being intimidated.

Because whether one was level 2 or 3, unless they were an extraordinary powerhouse, they could not survive with a bullet hole in their forehead.

“They don’t look like much, these 3rd Special Task Force guys. No need to pay them any mind.”

At the words I casually uttered, Conlan, who was next to me, looked at me as if surprised.

“What.”

“……No, it’s just a little unexpected.”

If even Conlan reacted that way, it was only natural that the parties in question, the members of the 3rd Special Task Force, wouldn’t just stand by.

“That bastard……!”

“Stop it. He’s with an officer. And the captain will be waiting, so we should start heading up too.”

“……Damn it.”

The members of the 3rd Special Task Force glared at me and hurriedly climbed the stairs.

In all honesty, I kind of wanted to see them act up in front of Edric, but it seemed they had at least that much sense.

As if he had read my thoughts, Edric glanced at me and smiled.

“Hmm. You really are a bad apple.”

“Pardon? What do you mean?”

“I heard that mages who value contracts don’t lie, but it seems that was just a baseless rumor.”

Edric chuckled.

“Let’s go up, the situation is not good.”

As Edric said, although the members of the Special Task Force were taking it a little easy, the state of the battle was not good.

No, in a way, it was no exaggeration to say the situation was bad enough that even the Special Task Force members had to be assigned to defensive duties instead of a separate mission.

“The appearance of a mutant has not yet been confirmed, but don’t let your guard down. Mutants aren’t the only dangerous things.”

“I know.”

“I’m glad to hear that.”

As soon as we climbed the wall, we were greeted by the scream of an unknown soldier.

“Kuaaaargh──!”

With a final scream, the soldier’s entire head was torn off.

Crunch, crunch…….

What appeared with that utterly gruesome sound was the face of a demonic beast, chewing on a human head as if it were gum.

【Lv.4】

【Head-eating Jjugo】

A named entity from the very start…….

My luck wasn’t great, but if there was one fortunate thing, it was that we now had a reliable captain.

The 4th Special Task Force Captain, Edric.

Even I had yet to fully grasp the strength he possessed, as he surely had a card hidden up his sleeve.

Shing…….

I didn’t see the sword being drawn.

I only saw the result, that the Head-eating Jjugo’s neck had been cut.

Chwaak!

The Jjugo’s head, severed in an instant, rolled helplessly on the ground.

It was an empty end for a level 4 named demonic beast, but Edric, who had accomplished such a feat, was completely nonchalant.

“What are you all doing, hurry up and move.”

As he said, there was no time to admire Edric’s divine prowess.

The demonic beasts we had to face were still lined up right before our eyes.

“Uooooh!”

Conlan was the first to charge at a demonic beast that had climbed onto the wall, holding an axe.

【Lv.2】

【Needle Erus】

Despite the insect-type demonic beast with a huge poison stinger like a bee’s charging at him, Conlan swung his axe without hesitation.

Alicia also drew her sword and, without a shred of hesitation, rushed towards the demonic beasts that had climbed onto the wall.

Chwaak!

Chwak!

Every time Alicia’s body moved as elegantly as if she were dancing, the demonic beasts’ bodies were split apart.

A skill I was well acquainted with.

I had no intention of standing still either.

‘Fighting like this is endless. First, I have to block the demonic beasts from climbing up at the source.’

Having prioritized what needed to be done, I pulled out the Colt garrison B-09 from my pocket.

Clink.

There was no need to hesitate.

Bang!

With the pull of the trigger, a demonic beast that was trying to climb the wall screamed and fell down below the wall, and other demonic beasts were swept away with it.

[Kieek!]

[Krururu!]

I had momentarily stopped the demonic beasts climbing the wall, but I could not afford to be complacent.

Because the roar of the gunshot was enough to draw the attention of the other demonic beasts already on the wall.

‘Tsk.’

The demonic beasts bared their teeth at me.

【Lv.2】

【Black Mane Wolf】

【Lv.3】

【Long-toothed Sabertooth】

Powerful demonic beasts that I originally wouldn’t have even dared to look at.

But not anymore.

Though my body itself might be that of a level 1, what supported that weak body were items with legendary-grade potential or higher.

[‘Haima’s Curse’ is active.]

[You become extremely sensitive to the movement of blood.]

Ba-dump, ba-dump…….

I could feel the movement of all the blood in the vicinity.

In a way, it could be seen as a fraudulent ability, but sadly, it had a weakness.

The fact that sensing the movement of blood itself did not distinguish between targets.

Therefore, it was entirely up to me to distinguish between demonic beasts that were a threat to me, allies, and those who were already dead, within the flow of blood I felt.

One could say it was worse than not having it at all, but on a battlefield where you could die at any moment from a stray stone, it was much better to have it.

Ba-dump-

‘Behind!’

With a much faster reaction, I pulled the trigger without a hint of hesitation towards the target that appeared behind me.

[Kaak!]

However, the shot fired haphazardly without precise aiming did not inflict much damage on the demonic beast.

[Grrr!]

The demonic beast’s claws flew in.

At the same time, I felt the movement of another’s blood behind me.

‘An enemy in front, an enemy behind.’

But I did not turn my gaze and pulled the trigger without hesitation towards the face of the demonic beast in front of me.

Bang!

This would leave me defenseless against the attack from behind, but I still had a card left to play.

[The ‘Orb of Water’ protects its wearer.]

A shield of thin ice blocked the claws of the demonic beast that was attacking from behind.

Kang, Kaaang……!

The gap bought by the weakened Orb of Water wasn’t long, but it was enough for me.

Time to pull the trigger.

Because all I needed from the start was just that much time.

Clink─

The trigger was pulled once again.

***

Liam, the 4th Guard Captain in charge of Winter Castle Kreutz’s northeast gate, could not hide his astonishment.

When he first heard the news that the Special Task Force was coming for support, he despaired, wondering what kind of support they could be with less than ten people.

However, after actually seeing the Special Task Force’s performance, he had no choice but to completely abandon that thought.

In particular, the performance of the mage belonging to the 4th Special Task Force stood out.

‘……Is something like that possible?’

Every time a thunderous roar erupted with a flash, the heads of the demonic beasts exploded.

A power unbelievable even while seeing it directly.

It must be a magic that demanded a huge price, yet that mage fired off his magic indiscriminately as if he couldn’t care less about the price he would have to pay.

Bang!

Baaang!

If it were only that, he would have just thought him a reckless mage who didn’t think about the consequences.

However, that mage gradually expanded his territory from his high perch on the wall, yet he did not suffer any injuries.

What did it mean to not even get a single minor scratch in the midst of such a fierce, chaotic battle?

‘……He’s nothing short of a monster.’

But at the same time, it was a pity.

No matter how fine he seemed for now, if he spouted that much magic, the price would surely be enormous.

Sooner or later, it was right to assume that the mage did not have much time left.

That’s why it was all the more a pity.

If only Winter Castle had such a force for just a little longer, perhaps the despair that always hung over Winter Castle would also fade a little…….

‘It’s probably a useless thought.’

All mages who come to Winter Castle do not live long.

Because Winter Castle itself is not a place where one can survive by moderately conserving magic.

Liam thought that the nameless mage from the Special Task Force would not be much different from the other mages.

Like the mages he had always seen, burning brilliantly for a moment and then crumbling away.

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