SWNOVELXO Chapter 426
“Special Assault Brigade, prepare for departure!”
With Theia’s cool and commanding voice, the members began to encourage themselves and each other.
“Don’t relax just because the Head of the Family is here. Those who fell off last time better keep their heads clear this time!”
“If you get swept away like last time, it’s game over! Cowards should step back!”
The brigade had to charge forward, bracing themselves to risk their lives against the enemy’s relentless assaults.
Each member steeled themselves in their own way, shaking off fear and unease as they donned their armor.
As the atmosphere grew more intense, even the warhorses, sharing their lives with the brigade members, seemed to get energized. In the midst of their resolute determination, the horses kicked and snorted, igniting their own spirits.
All the gear was finally ready.
‘What a deadly atmosphere.’
The Special Assault Brigade members, robust in stature compared to others. With swords at their waists, and some even equipped with bows or crossbows on their backs, they gripped their spears with a gaze that was becoming less sensible by the minute.
Whether it was the shaman casting spells or the newcomers falling off in the last battle, once they started running, they had no intention of stopping until victory was in their hands.
‘Who knew the Baron Family had cavalry like this?’
Their fighting spirit was no different from that of the heavy cavalry brigade Diolia had been a part of.
Given that they just needed to build up their real-world experience a bit more, it felt like they could crush any enemy with their unshakable unity.
‘What’s the situation now?’
─Reinforcements have arrived, and the enemies are heavily pressed! Plus… thanks to Shione occasionally blowing up the shamans, now’s the perfect time!
‘What’s the position of the shamans?’
─They seem to be trying to hide, but those jerks are carelessly exposed to the wind! Thanks to my friendly winds, I got all the info. They seem to be moving around a lot, so once they settle, I’ll let you know!
Elvis had assured that now was the prime opportunity.
With magic mixing among the various knights, smashing through the enemy lines was the best chance they could get.
Before their flames could extinguish from lack of fuel, everyone mounted their horses.
“Our target is the tricky shamans, just like last time! Charge straight through the monsters and penetrate deep into their ranks, killing every last one of them! We’re about to sweep through the enemy camp and secure victory in battle!”
Once the horses began to slowly move forward, Theia and the deputy commander followed right behind me.
“All troops, charge!”
“Follow the Head of the Family!”
“Remember the signal given by the Head! If the signal sounds three times in a row, we retreat!”
The charge of the Special Assault Brigade began.
“Elvis!”
“Are you asking me to speed things up? Just trust me!”
A refreshing breeze from Elvis blessed the brigade.
With a tailwind at our backs, the speed and stability of the horses soared.
The brigade members had already felt the benefits of Elvis’s blessing in their bodies once.
Theia quickly grasped what the spirit’s blessing meant and shouted.
“The Head of the Family’s spirit has blessed us! Since the Head is protecting the risky frontlines, we should speed up and become the shield for the Head! Pick up the pace!”
“Just as the commander says! The tailwind is our ally! Let go of any thoughts of death and focus on charging forward! If you fall off like a fool, I, the deputy commander, will not forgive you!”
The morale of the members soared at the thought of having the spirit with them.
With increasing speed, the battlefield began to unfold before us.
‘It’s a complete mess.’
The bodies of the enormous monsters from the North covered the ground.
Even though the area had just been swept clean with magic, the remaining monsters were still plentiful, and nowhere near negligible.
As the battlefield came into view, Elvis swooped down in front of me and pointed.
“The shamans’ magic is rising on the wind from over there! Just like that… above that nasty ground!”
A place filled with the roars of beasts and the shouts of knights.
Among them, there was the faint erosion zone, where enemies were hiding in a space suffocated by magic.
I didn’t want to click my tongue, but I bit into the horn I’d borrowed from Theia and blew into it.
Wooooo─!
With the deep sound announcing the arrival of the Special Assault Brigade, everyone’s attention turned towards us.
“Princess Shione, the deputy commander is leading the cavalry ahead! The deputy commander is joining the fight!”
“Ray!”
Shione, who had been shooting her bow continuously, smiled.
“I was wondering when our deputy commander would show up… but look at that majestic entrance.”
“…Isn’t the title of Baron more fitting than deputy commander? After all, that’s our Head of the Family.”
“Looks like the high-and-mighty junior finally recognizes our deputy commander as the de facto Head! Still, it’s nothing more than casual between us. I hope you can let it go since our deputy commander seems to feel quite comfortable here.”
“Hmm….”
“Let’s stop the formalities and hunt down the beasts targeting us.”
The two knights began to clash their swords even more fiercely.
Moreover─
“Reserve mages, prepare spells to support the brigade!”
“The Marquis Family’s assassination unit must not lose to their spirits either! Since the enemy’s morale is broken, let’s crush them all!”
Dorothy and Abel Kalia, among others.
“…Finally, the Head of the Family is here! We will survive this time too!”
“We just need to hold on a little longer! Protect Dorothy and the wizards!”
As everyone’s spirits soared with the brigade’s dazzling entrance, I and the brigade charged forward, keeping higher tension than ever.
“Enemies are starting to appear!”
“Deputy Commander!”
“Yes!”
“Deputy Commander, you’ll take down the remaining monsters to ensure Lady Shianella and the knights have some breathing room! Spread your wings to the right and move ahead!”
“I will follow!”
The deputy commander led half of the brigade members away from the unit.
They charged forth with the ferocity to devour all the monsters in the battleground, and as Theia watched their departing figures, she asked.
“Head of the Family, where do we go from here?”
“Theia, we will break through that erosion zone and hunt down the hiding shamans!”
“The erosion zone…! Our horses aren’t used to this kind of magic!”
“Don’t worry!”
“……!”
While her face showed disbelief, maybe it was effective that I had asked her to trust me previously; she was still mumbling but didn’t charge straight at me.
So, I readied my bow, preparing to put her concerns to rest.
“Elvis, carry my voice on the wind to Shione and Tania.”
“Just a simple shout will do?”
“Of course. That’s all it takes.”
Feeling the maddening wind slam against my face.
“About 40 seconds until we breach the erosion zone! Everyone, channel your mana and prepare…! Forget your fears! When else will you have such an experience!”
I fired the signal shot.
Feeling the shrill sound of steel, Shione’s eyes followed the direction of the signal and the brigade’s charge.
“Don’t tell me Ray is trying to breach the erosion zone…! Ugh, why does he have to make such a flashy entrance…!”
Shione packed magic into her arrow and let it fly.
With grace and elegance, her arrow pierced through the air.
“About 30 seconds!”
As her arrow struck the center of the erosion zone, a surge of gluttonous magic that had covered the ground abruptly cleared away.
“Head of the Family! The clash with the monsters is about to begin! Prepare yourself firmly!”
Within Tania’s shout, the brigade swept over the monsters as the deputy commander charged through.
The knights, taking the opportunity created by them, began to easily cut through the monsters before us.
“Don’t worry about us, just keep going! Kill the shamans!”
Diolia’s hearty voice rang out in the middle of the battlefield.
“…Hanelrn! The Head of the Family has our Baron Family’s knights with him!”
“Let’s push through! Don’t slow down!”
Hanelrn, perfectly in sync with Diolia.
As their gazes met while passing each other, it seemed more fitting to call them murderers than noble knights, drenched in blood but their eyes sparkled with life more than ever.
“Entering the erosion zone in about 15 seconds!”
Our Special Mission Team’s rangers and Dorothy’s mages poured in support fire toward the erosion zone.
Having finally caught a glimpse of the rampaging assassination units, and our soldiers continuing to fight on the frontlines, it all became clear.
“We’re about to enter the erosion zone!”
“The steps of a hero and a madman are only a piece of paper apart! We are madmen entering here, and we will emerge as heroes!”
“Shamans spotted! Two shamans are currently casting a joint spell!”
Finally, alongside the Special Mission Team, we entered the erosion zone.
“I’ve arrived!”
“Tania, shamans up ahead.”
“…Right as we arrive? Well then, why are they…?”
“Taking them out is easy; burning their magic is even easier?”
“Burning their magic sounds way easier. They haven’t finished casting yet and just started. Should we burn them?”
“Let’s scorch them properly.”
Tania’s flames engulfed their magic circle completely.
In the blink of an eye, two arrows lodged into their heads.
“We’re smashing through the shamans!”
“The demons are charging at us! Everyone push through!”
“Three seconds to clash! Remember! If you kill the demons, they’ll explode!”
“Grip the reins tightly! The magic armor will protect the horses; keep galloping! Trust your mounts!”
Charging and charging, the clash with the demons was now right on the horizon.
“Elvis, Tania. Let’s blow them all up before we collide.”
I packed spirit magic into one arrow and let it fly.
The arrow hurtled forward, exploding among the demons and sweeping them away.
Kwahhhh─!
With the demons losing their lives, the additional shockwaves reverberated.
The cavalry, losing control of their horses was thrown to the ground.
“Ahhh!”
“Damn it…! My leg, ah…!”
After Elvis’s magic significantly lessened their impact.
I gulped down a mana potion, piercing through the rising dust and meeting the last group of shamans hidden in the erosion zone.
“Stop them!”
“If this spell is completed, none of us will survive! Especially that pathetic archer!”
At the edge of the dust cloud awaited a grotesque horde of monsters.
“Brace for impact! We will pierce through the remaining shamans!”
But the brigade that had come this far was the cream of the crop.
With the elite members not letting go of their reins despite the strong explosions, there was no stopping the horses as they charged forth.
“Collision!”
“Step over the monsters!”
The clash between the horses and monsters began.
“What the hell…!”
The horse staggered hard, tilting back from the strong jolt. It was a heavy impact that felt like it was breaking bones. Gritting my teeth, I tried to keep the horse under control as much as I could.
The beast slammed into it hard, nearly knocking my horse down onto the ground, and I considered throwing myself off before it completely fell.
“What a crazy bastard…!”
Using Korean-style cursing without thinking, the Baron’s steed proved to be unyielding.
In an instant, it regained its balance and proceeded to sink its fangs into the monster’s skull.
How could I not be impressed?
“Let’s go!”
As if in response to my words, the horse sped up and continued forward.
Behind it came the remaining brigade members, forming a line.
“Head of the Family, are you alright!”
“I’m fine, but let’s focus on the shamans first! Killing those bastards will end this!”
“Got it! Ignore the ones on the ground and keep running! The Head must have saved them! Just like the Head said, we’re madmen now! We need to kill the enemy first and then go back for our comrades!”
With adrenaline rushing through me, Theia began to speak boldly beside me.
“Impale them with your spears! Those who fell off their steeds should draw their swords and strike them down!”
With Theia’s shout and the roar of the brigade, their attacks finally landed on the shamans.
Spear pierced through the heart of a shaman, my arrow penetrated through another’s forehead, and the brigade member who’d barely survived limped over and cut through the remaining shaman with his sword.
“You called me pathetic?”
“Ugh…!”
The last shaman pierced by my arrow.
After witnessing his demise with the return magic provided by the Kalia Marquis Family, I watched as the enemy soldiers began to dissolve before our eyes, quickly tending to our wounded.
As we rapidly exited the erosion zone on horseback, I proudly shouted at the numerous gazes of our comrades.
“The Baron Family has vanquished all the remaining shamans, leading us to victory!”
Not through the Special Mission Team, nor the assassination unit, but our Baron Family had marked the end of the battle’s victory.
Thus my plan to show my soldiers a dazzling victory and awaken them was unfolding smoothly.
The response was─
“The difference between heroes and madmen is but a sheet of paper! We are no longer madmen!”
“Two victories in two battles! Our brigade has risen as heroes once more! If anyone wants to get impaled again, let them show themselves!”
…Maybe our eyes were a little too wild now.
But still, I figured this was a pretty successful outcome.