Chapter 370: The Soldiers’ Roar and the Devilish Wave

I could see several soldiers from the top of the hill. Their figures swayed their shadows. There weren’t many places where I had seen such scene. Judging from the place where the horses could be seen, were they engaging a fight with the magical beasts?

Just a brief moment after having those thoughts…

*metallic sound*

The sound of iron meshing with iron resonated along with the sound of horses roaring and hooves hitting the ground. The shadows across the hill flickered even more. It felt like even the slightest scream was riding on the wind. I opened my eyes wide involuntarily.

Battlefield music. It could only be performed in a place where flesh was torn, and blood was spilled. That special sound pierced deep into my ears.

In a place like this, it was unlikely that humans would poke their nails against fellow humans, as it used to happen. Unless they were foolish. In a place like this, the figures playing this song were humans and magical beasts.

The roar of non-human beings resounded loudly.

Humans and magical beasts were baring their fangs at each other. No, perhaps it would be more appropriate to say that humans were being attacked by the magical beasts.

I titled the treasure sword and the white sword at my waist. I gripped the reins of my horse tightly. I saw Caria opening her mouth when her eyes narrowed.

「Wait, you bastard. Let the soldiers go in your stead. Or I’ll go. If you move recklessly…」

She must have guessed what I was going to do. Caria spoke as if she was lecturing me.

Unknowingly, I loosened my cheeks. I didn’t think those common-sensed words would come out from someone like Caria. She was no longer the same person as the human who confronted the large beast alone in that forest. Recklessness was once her domain.

With a smile on my face, I said as if to eat the end of Caria’s words.

「…It seems you’ve forgotten my words. I need a shield. So, there’s nothing to fear, right? 」

I pulled out the treasure sword once my words ended. I drew a line in the air even without the beauty of the purple light.

After doing that, I shouted at the soldiers who were following me. For the first time in a long time, I felt that my throat was wide open. Yes, I was on the bloody battlefield.

「Fellow soldiers, hold your weapons. We’re now going to charge from the top of the hill.」

I could feel a slight tension and agitation running over the heads of the soldiers in response to my words. Their hands holding the weapons were also strong. Of course. After all, even though it was the season of death snow, there was almost no combat action until this point.

Speaking of which, we didn’t confront the magical beasts until now. Were most of the magical beasts heading towards the magical devilish being? Or was it something else? Were they avoiding stronger magical reactions?

I continued my words while looking at the dark scarlet sword that Caria had at her waist.

「Look, we didn’t come here to rob them. We came here to save them. Isn’t that great? People will talk about it for generations to come. Maybe the songsters will write cool songs about our accomplishments.」

I lifted my cheeks and forced a smile. It felt shameful. I arrogantly told Caria and the soldiers to die. Yes, I encouraged them and ordered them to go to the land of death.

It was too late now. I never ceased to reach the bottom. The self-loathing never stopped.

That’s why I didn’t like being a commander. I realized how dreadful it was to lead others.

I opened my mouth carefully in order to avoid showing a fragment of those emotions that I had pushed into my chest. I said while showing my teeth.

「…Then let’s go. Be it magical beasts or magical devilish beings. In the end, they are all the same entity. Defeating them is better than any heroic tale.」

I made the horse roar and sprinted down the hill. I let out a hot breath from my mouth. The treasure sword shuddered as if it was emulating my feelings.

It’s been a long time since I felt this way. Was this the place where I met the others in the past life? That reunion became the worst journey I ever had. Ah, I was starting to feel it. It felt as if I was back in those days.

Had I changed? I wondered if I was able to gain something from those days when I had nothing. Only vague doubts were springing up in my chest.

—

Neymar Gloria encouraged her troops with her improvised words. Then, she lifted her bow and let the arrow slide into the air.

Her unwavering demeanor in this turbulent place was undoubtedly the result of her tireless training. She drew her bow many times, causing her skin to tear and her fingertips to bleed.

As if responding to her will, the arrows cut through the sky with a strong wind effect.

The arrows were aimed at a deer-like magical beast that was in Neymar’s line of sight. They pierced between its eyebrows. The poison-colored blood spurted out to the surroundings.

Even at a distance, Neymar’s hands still felt like they had cut through its life. She felt the realization that the arrowheads had smashed the enemy’s skull and gouged out its brain fluid. Neymar unknowingly swallowed her saliva.

Then, in the next moment, her eyes distorted greatly.

While its skull was smashed, and several arrowheads were embedded in its body, it didn’t fall down. Despite the many fatal wounds carved into its body.

“It’s impossible.” Without making her voice heard, Neymar muttered quietly. She had no idea that this exchange of lives would make her feel so helpless.

Normal magical beasts would stop there. Their death was not out of the ordinary. If she smashed their skull, they would die, and if she cut their throat, they would naturally fall down. So what was this occurrence?

“Demonization.” That word came to Neymar’s mind.

An act of a magical beast tearing off its skin and trying to channel it into a pure demon. Its existence always exceeded normality.

It was an act that possessed an impossibly strong power. It emitted a miasma that poisoned its surroundings. That’s how its life force reached the point of being ridiculous. That deer-like magical beast was trying to invoke a demonization.

It would be reasonably okay if it was just one. However…Neymar wondered if there were dozens of others doing the demonization already.

Neymar yelled as she breathed rapidly. For a moment, the soldiers succeeded in stopping the rush of those magical beasts.

「Regroup! Hurry up! 」

The footsteps of the soldiers who responded to her voice were somewhat weak. Of course, their footsteps weren’t weak because they were lazy, but because they were doing all they could in that moment. It couldn’t be helped. They were originally just a scouting unit. However, a different force had appeared in the vicinity of the royal capital, so they decided to confront that threat. In fact, the equipment and the number of soldiers were completely lacking.

Besides, their morale was not high enough to face this danger. Neymar muttered in her mouth.

The royal capital Arche, which should’ve been protected, fell miserably. The King and the royal army had turned to the northwest, directly under the jurisdiction of the Cathedral, and their movement had not been reported. Even so, those who were left behind had to risk their lives to wield their weapons against the magical beasts.

Neymar, and soldiers. They began to lose sight of why they were still fighting in this place.

Their destiny had been decided by being appointed as the protectors of the royal capital in the midst of the magical beast disaster. Neymar forced such thoughts into her heart.

「What should we do, Adjutant? Shall we form a defensive formation? There are about fifty or so left in this area.」

One of her senior soldiers opened his mouth. His tone was firm, but somehow, he managed to remain calm due to his experience of repeated war campaigns. At times like this, Neymar felt grateful for his calm reasoning.

Neymar shook her head and replied.

「We’ll end up being pushed in. Charge at the end and pass through the enemy’s right flank. That’s all we can do right now.」

Her senior soldier nodded helplessly.

The enemy did not fall down as if it were cursed, while Neymar’s soldiers fell down with a single swing of the enemy’s claws. It was ridiculous. There was no way they could continue fighting. In that case, they had no choice but to run away, whether it was a miserable or pathetic act.

To be honest, there was very little hope of being able to get out of this place even if they forcefully attacked now. It would be better if ten people survived. The demonic nature that emanated from the magical beasts’ bodies was much of a threat.

“As expected, it’s over.” Those words popped into Neymar’s mind. What would she say to her commander? Actually, she was not worried about that now, given the current circumstances.

On that moment when she was about to yell at the soldiers.

…The flanks of the magical beasts’ group exploded. With a roar that resembled thunder.

A dark scarlet color was reflected in Neymar’s eyes. At the same time, she saw a figure with a sword that showcased a purple light. There was something familiar about that figure.

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