Chapter 442
Chapter 442: I Knew You Would Pull It Off. (1)
The Barbarian Warriors were ill-prepared for the flanking attack from the Raybold cavalry.
The enemies in front weren’t budging easily, and the troops attacking from the side were no joke either. As a result, the formation quickly became chaotic and unstable.
With concentration shattered, their strength inevitably scattered.
<Kuwooong!>
The Raybold Army exerted pressure on the barbarians so intensely it felt like they hadn’t been pushed back at all until now.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Gaps in the shields opened up, unleashing waves of spears. The Barbarian Warriors could only take those hits without any means to counter.
“Graaaah!”
“What are you doing! Push them back!”
“Block from the sides!”
The warriors fell into confusion, but there was no one to properly lead them. The command structure was already too preoccupied with defending against Ghislaine.
There were Great Warriors among them, but they lacked the ability to command such a massive army competently.
<Thud! Thud! Thud!>
The Raybold Army methodically picked off the confused barbarians as they continued to advance.
They moved with the precision of emotionless dolls. It was a cold and frighteningly efficient army.
Bang!
As the heavy infantry of the Raybold Army pushed forward, the formation of the Barbarian Warriors fell apart even further.
Their attack power was decent, but the poorly equipped warriors couldn’t withstand the sudden cavalry assault.
No matter how much they tried to turn the tide, it was already too late. Their formation was in shambles, and command was essentially non-existent.
What good was sheer numbers if their combat style was no different than fighting alone?
In battle, the outcome hinges on which side’s morale breaks first, which is why the psychological aspect is always emphasized.
Barbarians, who had survived solely by plundering, had never learned this.
“Shit! Run away!”
“Let’s retreat and regroup!”
“Regroup? What the hell for, you idiot! We’re getting completely crushed!”
The warriors in the back were the first to flee. Seeing no way to salvage the situation, they chose to save their skins first.
They loved to fight but had no sense of honor or loyalty.
Once a military formation starts to crumble, it reaches a point of no return. As soon as one person fled, those who weren’t planning to escape started to pull back as well.
The problem lay with the warriors caught in the middle. They had nowhere to run.
“Just jump into the river!”
“Let’s cross over!”
“Get out quickly!”
Eventually, the warriors began to jump into the river, thinking they could swim to safety on the other side.
Amelia, watching the battlefield, reached out towards the river.
Eeeek…
The archers in the rear rank pulled back their bows, turning their bodies.
“Fire.”
Fwoosh!
A rain of arrows poured down by the riverbank.
Numerous arrows pierced the fleeing bodies of the Barbarian Warriors. The unprotected warriors had no choice but to get hit one after another as arrows fell.
“Uaaah!”
Hearing the screams of the barbarian warriors, Amelia turned her head away.
Boom! Boom!
The waiting wizards were also targeting the barbarians while avoiding their own allies.
The Raybold Army had completely overwhelmed the barbarians. They simply needed to keep pressing the attack.
The remaining warriors in the rear would be dealt with by Ghislaine.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Ghislaine was still rampaging on the Black King.
The Barbarian Warriors were so distracted by Ghislaine that they couldn’t properly respond to the charges from Penris and Perdium. They were merely holding on by numbers with their formation in ruins.
But eventually, time would bring everyone down.
“This… what is…?”
Woroka was thrown into confusion. He needed to get things under control, but he didn’t know where to start with attacks coming at him from every direction.
Flash! Crackle!
At some point, flames and lightning began wreaking havoc and throwing warriors away. The wizards had joined the fray.
With only the remaining Priests of Salvation, there was no way to stop this.
“Block them! Hold your ground! Don’t run away!”
All he could do was scream at them to hold the line. He couldn’t understand why they were being pushed back despite their greater numbers.
As Woroka shouted, a chilling premonition made him turn his head, and he froze for a moment.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Ghislaine, engulfed in crimson energy, was charging through the warriors.
Everyone was getting pummeled so fiercely that they were incapable of encircling or stopping Ghislaine.
Monga, a Great Warrior next to Woroka, charged first, swinging his axe.
Clang!
But as soon as it clashed with Ghislaine’s spear, the axe shattered into pieces. Monga was instantly decapitated by the oncoming spear.
Gurgh…
With Ghislaine surrounded by black smoke, no one could stop her.
Ghislaine felt pressured from using too much strength, but she was willing to pay the price to boost her allies’ morale and minimize casualties.
Boom! Ka-pow!
Each time Ghislaine swung her spear, the Great Warriors protecting Woroka fell like flies.
“This bastard!”
Woroka swung his massive axe at the approaching Ghislaine.
Boom!
Finally, Ghislaine’s spear came to a halt.
Woroka was also one of the top warriors from the North. However, he didn’t think he could defeat Ghislaine.
‘Kushtu couldn’t beat this bastard and died.’
Kushtu, who had fought Ghislaine before, had contested within the North for the top position against him. Even when Ghislaine was weaker than now, he couldn’t handle her.
Moreover, there was Ghislaine before him, looking like a demon enveloped in black smoke with glowing red eyes.
This bastard had returned as a true monster. There was no way he could win.
Did Ghislaine read Woroka’s thoughts? She smiled and spoke.
“Don’t be so scared. I’m not the one who will kill you.”
“What?”
Fwoosh!
Suddenly, someone leaped up from behind Ghislaine. Woroka swiftly stepped back and raised his axe.
Clang!
His eyes widened as he noticed a mere kid. Woroka couldn’t hide his disbelief as he asked.
“Who are you?”
“Arel.”
“What? Who the hell is that?”
“The one who will kill you.”
Arel radiated a fiery seriousness.
Ghislaine, smiling at Woroka, said, “He’s my disciple. If he wins, I’ll spare you. Try to clear a path for him to escape.”
Woroka’s face turned beet red at that moment. How dare he speak to him like that!
Though his pride took a hit, Woroka didn’t retort and gritted his teeth. Unlike other warriors, he was cunning and had many thoughts.
Ghislaine’s proposal was humiliating, but he believed that if he survived, he could rise again.
After all, defeat was guaranteed in this state. Numbers were pointless. The warriors were all confused and out of control.
“Don’t forget that promise.”
Woroka grinned fiercely and swung his axe at Arel like lightning. He might lose to Ghislaine, but he couldn’t possibly lose to this kid.
Boom!
Woroka’s axe clashed with Arel’s sword.
Ghislaine glanced at that scene while clearing the surrounding warriors, creating space to avoid interfering with their duel.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
‘What is this bastard!?’
Woroka kept swinging his axe repeatedly, grinding his teeth. Arel looked like a rookie, yet his skills were extraordinary.
Furthermore, he felt incredible fury emanating from his opponent. It was as if Arel had vowed to kill him.
Clang!
As their weapons collided, Woroka asked, “Do you have a grudge against me?”
“I will avenge my village and family.”
“You madman! Who lives life like that?”
Woroka smirked. The situation was crystal clear.
He must have been a survivor from one of the countless places he had raided throughout his life.
Seeing Woroka smirk, Arel clenched his jaw.
‘I will definitely kill you.’
To him, barbarians were a persistent scourge that tormented the North. Right now, Arel’s rage was directed entirely at Woroka, the leader of the barbarians.
In his heart, he wished he could kill all the barbarians himself, but that was impossible. Still, if they could win this war, the barbarians would undoubtedly fall.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The two faced off again.
Since Ghislaine had taken Arel under her wing, he had matured significantly. Proving he could hold his own against one of the Northern Great Warriors was testament to that.
“What the hell! How does this brat possess such skill?”
Woroka couldn’t accept it.
He knew that strong individuals existed in Penris aside from the bloodthirsty demons, but he never expected one of these kids to stand equally against him.
Wham!
Arel’s sword unleashed a sharp attack and struck at Woroka. The movements were strikingly similar to the swordsmanship Ghislaine used.
The Knights of Penris wanted to grow stronger but due to their innate tendencies and habits cultivated over time, they lacked the motivation to maintain it. That was why Ghislaine forced training upon them.
But Arel was different.
‘I’ve waited for this day!’
He had lost family, friends, and townsfolk because of barbarians. He never wanted to lose anyone again.
Fueled by his desire for vengeance against the barbarians, Arel trained hard without needing anyone to push him. He pushed himself to the limit.
Ghislaine noticed this and taught Arel her more dangerous and advanced Mana Circulation Method along with her swordsmanship.
As a result of this constant self-training, Arel rose to a higher level than the knights in his territory.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The clash of their weapons sparked fire as they continuously exchanged blows.
“How dare you…”
Woroka’s pride was wounded, and his gaze shifted.
Realizing he could not win through technique against Arel, he quickly adjusted his tactics.
“Don’t get cocky! You brat!”
With a swoosh!
Ignoring defense, he began to push Arel back with sheer brute force.
Fwoosh!
Arel began to sustain wounds all over his body.
But he did not cease his powerful attacks. He was only trying to avoid fatal injuries while looking for a clear path to victory.
Arel was gradually being pushed back against that beast-like momentum.
“Graaah!”
Woroka resembled an angry bear. He was thoughtful and cautious, yet his warrior temper surged fully when he fought.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Each time the axe and sword collided, Arel’s sword trembled. Realizing he couldn’t retreat any further, Arel planted his feet firmly on the ground.
Thinking he had seized the initiative, Woroka swung his axe and shouted.
“Die!”
He poured all his strength into this one strike. He intended to slice Arel in half.
Boom!
Arel’s sword shattered under Woroka’s overwhelming force. The descending axe struck Arel’s chest savagely.
Fwoosh!
Blood spurted out. Woroka smiled cruelly as he lifted his axe again, thinking to finish the job.
It barely missed, but he could still try to strike again.
Whoooosh!
Thud!
“What? What is this?”
As Arel reached out, the forthcoming axe veered slightly. It was thanks to a technique Ghislaine had taught him, projecting Mana outward.
Though he couldn’t wield it with the same freedom as Ghislaine, it was enough to avoid an impending catastrophe.
The axe, which had been falling swiftly with tremendous force, was misdirected significantly by Arel’s small counter.
Boom!
The axe dug deep into the ground.
Seizing the opportunity, Arel dashed in and swung his broken sword at Woroka.
“This bastard…”
At that moment, Woroka saw Arel’s eyes ablaze with a chilling intent to kill.
Under normal circumstances, Arel with a broken sword wouldn’t easily inflict serious harm on the massive Woroka. But now, with the axe stuck in the ground, Woroka was leaning forward.
Thanks to that, Arel’s broken sword could pierce through Woroka’s throat.
Fwoosh!
“Gurk!”
Yet Woroka did not die. Even amid that, he lifted his axe again to fight.
Arel gritted his teeth and swiftly withdrew his sword to stab again.
Fwoosh! Fwoosh! Fwoosh! Fwoosh!
With each thrust, he poured his emotions into it.
‘I will have my revenge!’
He captured the memory of his parents who had died fighting against the barbarians. He encapsulated the villagers who had perished alongside him.
He channeled the feelings of despair as he watched his burning hometown. He recalled the agony of seeing his friends’ corpses littered everywhere.
He had buried those emotions deep, choosing to endure all of it. All he could do was carry that sorrow inside.
Now, those feelings… finally erupted forth.
“Uaaaah!”
Fwoosh! Fwoosh! Fwoosh! Fwoosh!
Arel, shedding tears of blood, relentlessly stabbed at Woroka’s neck.
He didn’t see anything around him. His grievances and rage could rest solely upon Woroka, the leader of the barbarians.
Fwoosh! Fwoosh! Fwoosh!
“Grrugh…”
Blood froth spilled from Woroka’s mouth. He had long since dropped his axe.
Woroka’s vitality was truly impressive, but it was essentially finished.
Fwoosh! Fwoosh! Fwoosh!
Thud.
Even so, Arel did not cease stabbing the area around Woroka’s neck, until Ghislaine’s hand caught his.
“Lord…”
Ghislaine looked at Arel, whose face had transformed into one of a demon, weeping blood.
“It’s over.”
Arel came back to his senses and looked at Woroka. His eyes were already dull and lifeless.
As Arel released his other hand, Woroka’s body collapsed to the ground.
<Kuwooong!>
Immediately after, cheers erupted from around.
“Wow! Incredible!”
“I knew it! He’s definitely the Lord’s disciple!”
“I could tell from the effort he put in from the beginning.”
They were the knights and soldiers battling nearby. They had already wholly shattered the warrior ranks and arrived at this point.
The Barbarian Warriors were now entirely crushed, unable to even flee as they fell one by one.
“Hah, hah…”
Arel gasped for breath as he basked in the cheers of the people.
Though he felt dazed, it didn’t seem like a bad feeling. He still couldn’t wrap his head around having captured Woroka.
Ghislaine smiled at Arel.
“How do you feel?”
“Ah…”
Overwhelmed by a surge of emotions, Arel struggled to provide a coherent answer. It was a mix of feelings, and he felt tears prickling at the corners of his eyes.
Yet, the most significant feeling was…
“It feels like the flames that have been burning inside me have finally extinguished.”
No matter how much he focused on training or meditated, that nagging feeling had never disappeared. It continually tormented him ceaselessly.
Yet, Arel had bottled those feelings up inside. He didn’t want to inflict suffering upon his territory.
Ghislaine understood that. She felt sorry for Arel, who always bore a serious expression focused solely on training. She knew that feeling well because she had experienced something similar.
Now, Arel could live a little more easily.
“Good job.”
Arel’s face broke into an emotional expression at Ghislaine’s warm words.
“… Thank you.”
It would have been impossible without Ghislaine.
Thanks to his teachings, Arel had grown to this point and was finally able to kill Woroka, the leader of the barbarians.
Arel murmured as he surveyed the battlefield.
“I am… satisfied with this.”
Arel felt adequately fulfilled. He had finally avenged the townsfolk who had been trampled by the barbarians.
In the place where he stood, the Northern barbarians were being slaughtered. Although he hadn’t taken the lead, he had undoubtedly contributed to this war.
And he had killed the leader of the barbarians with his own hands.
With the evidence of Woroka’s head held high, Arel shouted loudly.
“The Great Chief of the Sunstone Tribe! Woroka is dead!”
It was a cry that released all the pain that had accumulated over time. His voice reverberated greatly across the battlefield.
The war with the barbarians was over. The North would no longer suffer from the invasions of the barbarians.
That was Arel’s greatest wish beyond mere revenge.
