Welcome to Hell!

Chapter 135: Footsteps of Battle and the Choice of Weapons

Summarizing master’s explanation, the goal in this battle was to recapture the Ardius Fortress, which had been seized by the Republic’s forces. This fortress stood as the enemy’s foremost stronghold on the central front and was, simultaneously, the largest occupied territory at this time.

The Republic’s momentum had already waned since the initial days of the invasion. If we could capture this fortress, the Republic would be utterly powerless to invade the South again. In fact, the central front’s command predicted that they might not even be able to hold their frontlines and could be forced into retreat.

Conversely, if we failed to capture the fortress, the central front would suffer losses and become exhausted. Should the central front weaken significantly, there was a high likelihood that the Republic’s forces would then seize the offensive. The focus would shift to the Shira Fortress, which was likely to become the next battlefield in such a case. And with the central front weakened, it was almost certain that the Shira Fortress would fall. This would signify the collapse of the central front altogether.

At that point, we would undoubtedly face complete annihilation. Whenever danger arose, we were always entrusted with the most perilous vanguard roles. If the Ardius Fortress capture operation fails, we will probably die. Even if we were to survive, I could foresee a future where we’d be sacrificed as the rear guard. Truly, in war, victory was the only path forward.

“Disciple, did you indeed ambush the supply convoy heading to the Ardius Fortress? Do you know something?”

“No, Master. I know nothing beyond what I told you on my way back. If I were to make a guess, it might be that despite our interference, they never ceased their supplies.”

“I see. So there might have been urgent reasons to deliver provisions to the frontlines, even if they were intercepted. However, I suppose the contents of the attacked supply wagons were not particularly significant? Hmmm… I can’t be certain! Well then, let’s stop thinking!”

Master seemed lost in thought with his hand resting on his chin, but he quickly gave up on thinking about it. My free-spirited and forthright master disliked dwelling on small details. It wasn’t that he couldn’t handle stuff like that, but rather that he despised it. In other words, despite his intelligence, he found using his brain to be a bother.

Preferring to avoid the hassle of intellectual pursuits, he would charge ahead first, and even if things didn’t go well, the Knight Order’s strength would carry through. His quick thinking allowed him to make accurate judgments while enduring the situation.

Strangely enough, despite being initially surrounded and outnumbered, the Dragonblood Knights often emerged with the fewest casualties once battles were over. It was quite perplexing.

“Regardless, I’ve conveyed that the battle is drawing near! Prepare yourself through intense training so that you won’t regret it when the time comes! Gahaha!”

With those words, master departed in a spirited manner. He was likely headed for the Dragonblood Knights’ training grounds. I couldn’t afford to fall behind. Just like master advised, we needed to dedicate ourselves to training to avoid regrets in the upcoming battle.

Alright. From today until the eve of our departure, I resolved to push myself to the limit, igniting my survival instincts. With that decision made, I made my way back to the training grounds.

◆◇◆◇◆◇

Three days after receiving word from master that the battle was drawing near, an official announcement came in: the date for our departure had been finalized. I heard this news from “that man”, delivered in his characteristic mix of sly remarks and spontaneous outbursts.

I had grown accustomed to his sarcasm, and I could easily brush it off, but I sincerely wished he would stop those sudden tantrums. He had thrown a cup full of tea himself, staining my clothes, and yet, when the cup shattered, he flew into a rage. It made me wonder about the environment that man had grown up in and whether such behavior could be tolerated in such a place.

“Boss, is this summons about what we discussed earlier?”

“Yeah, you’ve got it. They’re apparently planning to attack the Ardius Fortress before summer ends. It’s going to be a major battle.”

After finishing our training, I shared the news with my companions while we had dinner. Since I had already informed them about the impending battle, their reactions, with a few exceptions, were rather subdued. Only Julius and his two friends showed their nerves blatantly; their faces tensed in obvious unease.

They had certainly undergone rigorous training, but they had never engaged in actual combat. The training on the field might be intense, akin to a real fight, but in the end, it remained mere training.

“Between the fortresses, there were several bases, right? Are we going to take those down too?”

“They’re probably just for surveillance. Once they see us advancing, they’ll run off on their own. They’re most likely riddled with traps anyway. They’ll likely have the spiritualists burn them down, won’t they?”

“It’s been a while since we had a proper siege… Hey, I’ve got an idea; let’s have a wall-climbing race!”

“Come on, seriously? You’re talking like a kid.”

Leaving the Julius trio aside, the rest of us carried on with our own conversations. Those of us accustomed to the exchange of life and death knew the folly of expending mental energy in nervous tension before a battle even began. It was precisely before a battle that we should maintain our usual routines. Well, though, I feel like we might be lacking a bit too much in the tension department.

“Hmm, those three are going into their first battle, right? If that’s the case, we should let them choose the weapons they’ll use on the battlefield.”

“Yeah, you’re right. It’s about time we taught them how to handle their weapons as well.”

Tigar and Zald were discussing the weapons for the newcomers and their corresponding training. In our regular training, we always fought barehanded amongst ourselves. However, this was because when other demons were armed, accidents during training became frequent. Giving weapons to Karelvo-style demons, who tended to lose control and go berserk, was reserved for the battlefield alone.

On the other hand, Julius and his friends were Orvo-style demons, capable of maintaining ample control over themselves. Yet, they hadn’t been put through weapon training, and that was all in order to give them time to fully harness their demon abilities. It was no use wielding a weapon without a solid grasp of one’s own strength.

In this regard, the three were now at an appropriate stage to learn weapon handling. While Bolts might seem somewhat questionable, his deficiency lay in his combat intuition alone, as he comprehended his strength as a demon. There shouldn’t be an issue with letting him hold a weapon.

“Hey, big brother, are you planning to teach Julius and the others how to use weapons too?”

“Hmm? Yeah. I want them to learn at least the basics before heading to war.”

“Well then, why not let them choose their weapons? We’ve got plenty of leftover ones from the weapons we brought back!”

As I listened to Tigar and the others talking by the campfire, Leo approached me with such a question. Upon affirming his inquiry, Leo immediately suggested that we should show them the weapons.

Since it was nighttime now, training wasn’t possible. Nevertheless, they could still choose a suitable weapon for themselves. Besides, selecting a weapon now would save time tomorrow morning, when it would be time for training. It would be more efficient, and going along with Leo’s suggestion seemed like a good idea.

“Alright. Bring the three of them to our wagon.”

“Got it!”

Leo’s response was brimming with enthusiasm as he hurried toward the trio. I also decided to head towards the wagon allocated for our special operations unit.

The wagon, positioned behind the stables, was a modified version of the original wagon we were given. The bed of the wagon had been reinforced with salvaged armor plating from a destroyed self-propelled artillery, and the axles and wheels were fitted with spikes repurposed from shattered spearheads. It would withstand a half-hearted attack without falling apart.

Guiding the wagon were Shuu and Apao, with their large two-handed battle axe and spiked mace—their weapons of choice—placed atop the roof. They would pull it all the way to the battlefield and then transform on-site, each equipping their respective weapons before heading to the front lines.

“I brought them over, big brother!”

“Yeah. I’ll open up now.”

The four of them arrived, led by Leo. Leo seemed unfazed, but the other three still bore tense expressions. Given that their first battle, especially a significant one, was drawing near, it wasn’t difficult to understand their feelings. However, unlike me, who was suddenly thrust into combat against a bigger opponent, they at least had some time to mentally prepare. I hope they can see it as a better situation.

Once I responded to Leo, I placed my hand on the door of the wagon. The door was sealed with sand spiritual arts, designed so that only I and those I authorized could open it. Although the contents consisted solely of confiscated weapons and armor… there are always those with light fingers, no matter where you go.

“Wow…”

“Are all of these weapons…?”

Upon seeing the opened door, Julius and Ariel were dumbfounded by the barrels filled with over a hundred weapons. In contrast, Bolts seemed somewhat disappointed, chuckling under his breath as if mocking the situation, yet ensuring I and the others wouldn’t hear him.

I was not so narrow-minded as to raise a fuss over something like this, but if he didn’t want to get scolded, he shouldn’t have behaved this way in the first place. I still didn’t quite understand this boy named Bolts.

I entered the wagon and started carrying out barrels filled haphazardly with weapons. While the arrangement was messy, the barrels themselves were categorized by weapon types, such as barrels for swords, spears, axes, and blunt weapons. Despite the disorderly packing, each weapon was well preserved, radiating a gleam akin to a brand-new one.

“Feel free to choose any weapon you like. While everyone has their preferences, we are demons. Our instincts guide us toward weapons that suit us, and even if you choose something that might not seem suitable, your heightened physical abilities allow you to use it reasonably well. Plus, a wielder of your chosen weapon will provide you guidance, so select with confidence.”

“But seriously, pick whatever you like!” Leo said.

“Just to ask, what kind of weapon does Leo use?”

Julius directed this question toward Leo, who was urging them to hurry up. Leo paused for a moment, then climbed onto the wagon and retrieved the weapon he used. It was a straight sword that was called the Bastard Sword.

For adults, it had a length suitable for both one-handed and two-handed use, but for Leo, who was still growing, it was like a two-handed greatsword. Leo, a boy who admired his father’s strong back and has been chasing after him, had chosen the same kind of large sword his father excelled at without hesitation.

“By the way, why are you so interested in knowing what weapon I use?”

“Well, because I don’t want to use the same one as you. So, I’ll go with… these.”

Saying that, Julius pulled out a pair of large, short swords from the barrel. Judging by his build, he probably intended to wield them as dual swords. Leo and Julius didn’t have a hostile relationship. However, it was true that Julius harbored a sense of rivalry against Leo. He seemed to have chosen those dual swords as a countermeasure against the greatsword.

Personally, I believed dual swords were one of the weapons that best showcased martial arts skills, allowing the results of one’s diligent training to shine. It was a respectable choice, in my opinion.

As I nodded in approval multiple times, Leo had a smug grin on his face. It was the expression he wore when he thought of some prank or mischievous idea. What exactly was he thinking?

“Wow, dual swords, huh? I think it’s a good choice. Is that what you’ve settled on?”

“Yeah, a man doesn’t need to think twice about his decisions.”

“Yeah, yeah, got it. Alright then, big brother, make sure to train him hard from tomorrow onwards!”

“Of course.”

I gave a firm nod in response to Leo’s request. Among the special operations unit, I was undoubtedly the most skilled with dual swords. Since he had chosen dual short swords, I resolved to thoroughly train him in the limited time available.

“…Huh?”

“Big brother is the strongest dual sword user! You lucked out! He’s going to train you rigorously!”

Leo beamed with satisfaction as he playfully patted Julius on the back. For some reason, Julius wore an expression of despair as he looked at me, and right there, he seemed to crumble to the ground.

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TN: Poor Julius