The great warrior known as the Left Arm of Ungrim, Katan, was crouched down, watching the Watch’s advance. Standing beside him, the barbarian Ahnak, carefully spoke.

[Katan, brother, the enemy is trying to pierce us like an awl.]

[Hmm, I see it too. They’re making an interesting move.]

Katan’s lips slowly curled into a smile. The enemy must think that if the barbarians lose their leader, they’ll scatter in panic, as is common among their kind.

But Ungrim’s barbarians were different. They possessed a discipline and order that other barbarians lacked.

Running away when the leader falls was a trait only of those foolish ones still clinging to the outdated ways of the tribal system.

Ahnak spoke.

[They must think that if they defeat you, we’ll withdraw. They don’t realize it’s impossible to take you down in the first place… Will you step forward and take the enemy leader’s head yourself?]

Katan bared his fangs and grinned. In truth, fighting the enemy commander was what Katan desired most.

None among Ungrim’s barbarians found as much enjoyment or delight in battle and combat as he did.

But Katan was no rookie.

[I’d like to accept the fight, but Ungrim would call it pointless. I have no intention of disobeying his orders.]

Katan’s finger pointed toward the center of the formation.

[If they manage to break through, they’ll try to punch through our center. Place more of our brothers there.]

The enemy’s formation was primed to break through the middle. Thus, it was only natural for Katan to pull troops from the flanks to reinforce the center.

Katan was the finest warrior under Ungrim, but he was no fool who relied on brute strength alone. A barbarian who relied only on his own might would never live as long as Katan.

Ahnak smirked.

[You’ll get to avenge Yurtan. That’s what I’m waiting for.]

[… Ahnak.]

With a faint smile, Katan continued.

[Yurtan died because he was weak. What use is there avenging one already dead? Still, Yurtan was my strongest son. That’s why I allowed him to come here. To fight a warrior capable of killing such a one—truly…]

Katan’s clenched teeth trembled. He seemed to be intoxicated by a strange excitement.

[I can hardly contain myself.]

Ahnak’s brow twitched. Though they called each other brothers, Katan would sometimes utter things so chilling that it made one wonder if he was truly human. Even among them, he was the wildest battle maniac.

Yet, that made him all the more reliable. With him, it felt possible to survive any battlefield.

― Waaaaaah!

The crows’ shouts began to be heard even here. Their faces were brimming with morale. Katan and Ahnak slowly moved to the back of their ranks.

They planned to move to the front and crush the enemy once the crows’ assault reached its climax.

As Katan fell back, he raised his fist and shouted,

[For Ungrim! And for the Cause!]

[For the Cause!]

[Uoooooo!]

Ungrim’s army also raised its morale. They watched the crows’ advance.

Five steps.

Three steps.

One step.

When only a single step remained between them, tension and excitement crossed the faces of the charging enemy and the barbarians braced to receive them.

This moment was always the highlight of battle—lines meeting, weapons drawn, the very instant before blood was spilled.

― KWAAANG!

― KWA-DEUDUK! KWA-JIK!

The barbarians at the front were mercilessly pushed back. The enemy’s wedge pierced the barbarians’ formation, breaking and severing limbs as they crashed through.

[Kill them!]

[Hold! Endure! Block them!]

A few barbarians who fell in the initial shock rose to attack the attackers. Among them, leader-level barbarians spurred on their fellows.

But for some reason—

The further the Watch broke through, the more the commanders’ voices dwindled.

It was because someone was selectively slaughtering the unit leaders.

Katan’s expression grew grim as he watched from afar.

[… What’s going on? Something’s off.]

[What do you mean?]

[The squad leaders are dropping far too quickly.]

[… Isn’t the start of a battle always like that?]

[No, this is too fast. Almost as if someone’s been aiming for the commanders since the beginning…]

Indeed, there was an odd protrusion in the enemy’s formation, and the barbarians near that point were being massacred at a pace incomparable to anywhere else.

The situation was flowing contrary to what Katan and Ahnak had anticipated. Katan snorted.

[Hmph, it’s certain. They know full well that we are not like the other tribes.]

[… How is that possible? They haven’t even fought us before.]

[Not everything is knowable only at a glance. Some can sense things from the flow of the battlefield alone.]

Ahnak blinked. But Katan evidently recognized the enemy commander’s ability. He began to feel their tactics might be wrong.

‘So they’re not aiming for me? Then what are they after?’

Katan flicked his finger. Did they really plan to break through and annihilate them? After all, their forces numbered many times more than the enemy’s.

In a one-on-one, a barbarian far outclassed a regular troop.

As Katan pondered for a moment, his eyes flared open.

[Ahnak! Immediately return the reinforcement troops at the rear to the right flank!]

[… What?]

[Now!]

Ahnak, catching on to the situation without time to respond, dashed off. But was it already too late?

― Waaaaaah!

The enemy, after breaking into the center, turned diagonally sideways. Their target was the valley they had emerged from.

Katan had given orders to Ahnak, but it was too late. Having pulled troops from the flanks to reinforce the center, the line yielded more easily when the enemy shifted direction.

As the enemy explosively punched through the formation, Katan caught sight of someone amidst the chaos.

A man swinging a faintly flaming sword, slaughtering barbarians without mercy.

It was Erich.

*

― Chwaaaak!

A barbarian with his abdomen pierced by a sword fell in agony. Erich yanked out his blade and shouted,

“Split to the sides so the rest can come through!”

Erich’s plan had worked perfectly. No, it had brought even better results than expected.

‘…the commander was sharper than anticipated.’

They had expected that Erich would attempt a concentrated breakthrough, so they had reinforced the center with troops from both flanks.

But Erich’s unit never intended to break through directly. Their real aim was to slip right and enter the valley.

Because the formation became even thinner, breaking through was easier, and casualties were much lower than expected.

Standing at the mouth of the valley, Erich quickly ushered his troops inside. Lastly, as Frederick entered, he turned and shouted,

“Reform the line! Block the entrance!”

The barbarians who attempted to follow the troops into the valley dropped like autumn leaves. Being attacked in such a narrow space completely negated their previous advantage.

“Boss! Looks like it’s going just as you planned!”

“It’s not over yet. Frederick, hold the front with Barnes while Sir Mikhail recovers.”

Frederick nodded. The narrow valley could barely fit a half-dozen people side by side—which was only true for the relatively small Imperials.

The barbarians could fit only two or three across. Their weapons were even larger, leaving very little room to swing.

But that was not all. Erich stepped forward, sword ready.

The core of this plan was for Erich, Mikhail, and Hrung-ga, the main strength, to take turns at the front to cut down enemies.

The opening act belonged to Erich.

― Wooong.

Erich, his crimson eyes gleaming, fixed his stare on the approaching barbarians. As he took the lead, the rest of the troops stepped back.

[It’s only one! Kill him!]

[For the Cause!]

Four barbarians forced their way through the narrow entrance, charging at Erich.

At the same time, Erich’s sword was enveloped in a fire-like crimson aura.

The surface of his Dragon Fang auramite blade glowed faintly.

― Ssyaeaaak!”

Erich’s sweeping horizontal slash. His sword cut through the four barbarians and raked against the valley wall before stopping.

The charging barbarians were not just cut clean in two— their weapons broke and clattered to the ground as well. The barbarians further behind recoiled.

[Don’t be afraid!]

Though their leaders shouted at them not to fear, anyone witnessing such a display would freeze, cause or not.

And this was exactly what Erich intended.

― Kwadeuk.

Erich yanked his sword from the wall, stone chips scattering.

Resting his sword on his shoulder, he advanced slowly, and the barbarians shrank away.

[Don’t back down!]

[Move forward!]

The barbarians in front shot fearful glances backward. Told to advance by those behind—but how could they move forward?

Erich’s sword ignited with aura once again—this time, not for a slash.

The Dragon Fang blazed like a bonfire. Erich drew a circle in the air from his shoulder toward the barbarians.

― Fwooooosh!

Sparks rained widely upon the massed barbarians.

With nowhere to dodge or block, they screamed in agony as the smell of burning flesh filled the air.

Erich signaled with a glance behind him.

“Charge! Don’t let them in!”

― Waaaaa!

With a roar, his troops surged forward.

The barbarians, writhing in pain from burnt flesh, could only fall helpless before their blades.

Once the front collapsed, the barbarians in the rear could only flail their arms in the cramped space.

This was Erich’s trump card for fighting in the valley. When the pressure eased enough, the troops would fall back again.

First Erich. Then Mikhail. Then Hrung-ga.

Repeating this cycle a few times, the valley mouth soon became clogged with barbarian corpses.

The already narrow entrance grew more congested, until someone—by order—dragged the bodies out.

And through the gaps, a barbarian revealed himself.

Short, snowy white hair. A powerful build, massive even among barbarians. He stepped forward without armor, arms crossed, and spoke.

[My, what a troublesome fellow. Imperials never fail to surprise.]

[No more troublesome than you.]

[Oh?]

The man’s eyes rounded. Clearly, he was impressed by Erich’s command of the barbarian tongue.

[It’s even rarer for someone to speak our language. I am Katan, son of Bargin.]

[I am Erich, son of Heidrich.]

[… Erich?]

Upon hearing the name, Katan’s mouth split in a near-maniacal grin.

[So you’re that Erich? The one who killed Yurtan?]

[… And if I am?]

Katan’s face broke into a laughing mask—like that of a fiend.

Erich narrowed his eyes at Katan. He already knew the name.

Ungrim’s champion, and in the future, a demon who would single-handedly take the lives of countless commanders.

One of Erich’s greatest future foes—the one who would come to be feared as “Katan of the Iron Fist”—stood before his eyes.

————-= Clacky’s Corner ————-=

【ദ്ദി(⩌ᴗ⩌)】

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