Look at those wicked bastards!
To dare fire a preemptive shot?!
[Do not panic, raise your shield!]
Panic? There is no way a warrior of Valhalla has an emotion like panic.
I immediately raised my shield.
Meanwhile, I was worried about the others.
'At this rate, isn't everyone going to run away?'
The majesty of the arrow rain seen in reality was truly shocking.
Enough to make one's knees tremble.
It was enough to drop morale.
But it was then.
"All troops, gather!"
"Gather!"
"Shields up!"
"Up!"
"You bastards! He said raise your shields! If you don't want to die, raise them quickly!"
Following Father's command, the standing army's profanity-laced urging followed.
Glancing back, the soldiers stood close together and raised shields made of patched wooden planks.
Is that the phalanx shield formation or whatever?
I don't know.
I'm not well-versed in military tactics.
However, one thing was certain: the shield wall was quite effective.
THWACK, THWACK THWACK THWACK!
The arrows falling like rain(?) could not penetrate the soldiers' shields.
No, the number of arrows wasn't that high to begin with.
I didn't realize it at first because I was surprised, but looking closely, the number of archers themselves was small.
"Everyone shoot! What are you doing! Keep shooting!"
When Viscount Hadion's order fell, the archers fired arrows repeatedly.
However, the majesty from the beginning could not be found.
That was understandable, as we realized all we had to do was hold up our shields.
Amidst this, there was one person who stood out by far, and that was Sir Balt.
'Why is he deflecting arrows with a sword?'
Sir Balt stood majestically on his horse, deflecting arrows rushing toward himself and Father.
Anyway, how long did it pass like that?
"Eek! All troops, advance!"
Viscount Hadion, seeing no significant gain with arrows, ordered an advance.
The first to move were the knights standing behind him.
NEIGH—!
Viscount Hadion's knights drove their horses out in unison, and Sir Balt was not one to watch quietly.
"My Lord, orders."
"Be careful. Viscount Hadion's knights are far more numerous than we knew. They must be people brought in from outside for this territory war."
"Yes, then I will be back. Hyah!"
Sir Balt rode out bravely.
And the knights following him.
But will that be a fight?
'I know Sir Balt's skill, but...'
Viscount Hadion's knights were quite numerous.
About thirty?
In other words, it means a fight of 12 against 30.
[Rest assured. It will be a bit burdensome, but it is a manageable fight.]
"Is future foresight also possible for you?"
My Ancestor, whom I thought was a fantasy spirit... turned out to be a K-Shaman God?
Come to think of it, isn't the Ancestor also an ancestral god!
But that wasn't it.
[Among knights, one can gauge the opponent's level just by looking at their posture on a horse. The truly dangerous ones are not those knights.]
"Then who?"
[Do you see? That guy standing behind Viscount Hadion. The guy wearing a robe like Golgol.]
"Uh... yes."
[He's a formidable one. Perhaps above, or below, that guy Balt.]
Hm, saying above or below means he doesn't know what level.
In other words, he is ignorant.
Of course, since I am a kind Necromancer who knows Confucianism and respects elders, I did not voice these thoughts.
Anyway.
"Son, keep this in mind. Viscount Hadion must have prepared something, but he will not know of your existence. So..."
"Yes, I can be a variable."
"Right."
"I don't know what I can do, but... I will do my best."
What did he say?
Anyway, although I awakened my bloodline talent, I am not a knight, so I am an existence outside the rules of the 'Restricted Battle'.
Of course, my combat power is insignificant, but Father said:
"This father believes. What achieves a great cause is not the one with power, but the one with will. And you have the will. Then..."
Soon, Father drew his sword stylishly.
"Advance!"
"He says advance!"
"Advance! Advance!"
"Waaaaaaah—!"
The standing army took the lead, and the conscripts advanced while shouting.
[What are you doing. Why aren't you following quickly.]
The trainer is me.
Tsk.
"Golgol, let's go."
I belatedly ran after the conscripts with Golgol.
Is it thanks to the improved physical abilities from training and awakening my bloodline?
I soon caught up with the conscripts and was running alongside the standing army.
"Young Master, be careful. We cannot look after you here."
"It's fine."
Was his name... Herven?
After reassuring the old soldier, I gripped a shield in one hand and a sword in the other.
I didn't intend to act out either.
'For now... moderately.'
Father said they have a move up their sleeve.
That it would be a card targeting Sir Balt.
And as if to support those words, didn't the Ancestor find a suspicious figure?
So for now, I intended to lie low as much as possible.
'Less conspicuously.'
Even if I move, it should be after finding out what their card is.
But there was something I hadn't expected.
Running to the front, I encountered the enemy's vanguard.
And.
"Uwaaa— Ack?!"
"Uh?"
I just swung my sword lightly. But what is this?
The guy was hit by my sword and collapsed, spilling blood.
"Y-You bastard! Hans!"
Is he a friend of the guy who fell earlier?
A soldier rushed at me with fire in his eyes.
A fierce blow that would have made me close my eyes in fright in the past!
But why?
'Slow?'
I dodged the guy's attack, which was slow enough to make me yawn. I didn't even need to use the shield.
And just—
STAB!
"Urk!"
When I stabbed lightly, the guy trembled and fell over.
What is this? It's too easy.
Maybe I have a talent for swordsmanship?
[You idiot! Don't look away!]
"Valhal—la!"
I answered the Ancestor's advice with Valhalla and readjusted my shield.
Soon a large flail... Why bring a flail to a battlefield?
Anyway, the flail struck the shield.
[A flail is a vicious weapon that can smash a human head too! It's not just used when threshing grain!]
"Valhal—la!"
Indeed, as he said, the flail was a threatening weapon.
'But where is Golgol?'
Glancing sideways, I could find Golgol diligently swinging his sword at soldiers.
But does that guy have a talent for swordsmanship?
Golgol was also dealing with soldiers easily.
'Uh, this might not be bad?'
Look.
"Maintain formation! Block! Strike! No need for anything else! Block! Strike!"
"Block! Strike!"
The conscript army pressing the opponent by forming a formation with shields forward.
And the standing army slicing through the enemy forces freely while commanding such conscripts.
'Sir Balt is...'
"Haaap!"
Oh, he was truly displaying incomparable might.
Despite the numerical inferiority, the atmosphere was evenly matched due to the existence of Sir Balt alone!
"Come—! For Palaon—!"
Hearing that thunderous roar was truly reassuring.
At the same time, this thought occurred to me.
'This... we might win?'
Warrior's blood is boiling.
"Valhal—laaaaa!"
Golgol—!
Valhalla calls me!
***
"W-What is that...!"
As the heat of battle intensified, Viscount Hadion glared while watching the war situation.
"What, what is all this! We have more numbers!"
The soldier standing next to him answered, sweating profusely.
"It seems... they are trained elite soldiers. Isn't it famous that Baron Palaon was active in the Kingdom War?"
"Even so! And that guy! Is that guy Balt?! Didn't you say he was clearly a non-bloodline knight!"
Viscount Hadion burst into rage at Balt's overwhelming martial prowess.
Although his own knights are also clearly non-bloodline, they are those who did not neglect training.
How can there be such a difference!
Eventually, Viscount Hadion's anger was directed elsewhere.
"Look here, how did this happen!"
"What are you referring to?"
"Your comrades! You said to trust and leave it to them! But look at that mess!"
Among the thirty or so knights, twenty were Viscount Hadion's.
The rest were comrades of the swordsman wearing a robe.
"Hrm."
The swordsman wearing a robe observed the battle with calm eyes.
For a moment.
"Certainly, that knight is unexpected."
"Unexpected?!"
"Yes, unexpected. Would I have known? That there would be such a person in this countryside."
"Did I not tell you repeatedly! He is a person who was active in the Kingdom War! You were the one who said you were confident!"
How much money did he spend to bring this swordsman and those knights?
But what is he saying now?
Anger rose to the top of his head and was about to explode, but the swordsman opened his mouth.
"I know. Yes, if I received money, I should do my share. However, in my view, the real problem is not the knight named Balt."
"Then?"
"Look over there."
"...?"
At the swordsman's words, Viscount Hadion turned his gaze. And soon he could tell what the swordsman was talking about.
"Valhal—la!"
A young man vomiting bizarre shouts and slaughtering soldiers... No, a person closer to a boy than a young man.
"That guy is...?"
"He is not an ordinary boy. He must be one who has awakened a bloodline talent."
"Come to think of it, did they say Baron Palaon has two sons? I think the illegitimate son he took in last year was about that age..."
"Then that boy must be Baron Palaon's second son. A Bloodline Holder."
"Th-That... That crazy guy! Bringing a Bloodline Knight into a Restricted Battle?! And his own son at that!"
"Then, it would be a matter you can formally protest."
"That is...!"
Viscount Hadion was speechless.
Why?
Because he knew too.
"The second son... I haven't grasped what talent he awakened, but he's a greenhorn who hasn't even been awakened for a year. It's a time when he can't even be called a Bloodline Knight."
"I see."
"Even so, his own son!"
It was a sound that made it unclear whether he was blaming him for bringing his son to a place of death, or blaming the disadvantageous situation.
The swordsman pondered which of the two it was, then shook off the distracting thoughts.
"Wouldn't it be rather fortunate?"
"What do you mean! My soldiers are all dying!"
"If that boy is really the Baron's son, wouldn't you be able to get what you want just by capturing him?"
"Huh?"
For a moment, Viscount Hadion seemed to have an epiphany.
Indeed, why didn't I think of that?
"Right! That's right! Balt or whatever, if his master's son is captured, is there anything he can do! But..."
Who captures that guy?
He hired the swordsman and his comrades, but their contract condition was to deal with Balt.
If they were mediocre guys, he would have shouted at them, but having experts of this level as enemies is a headache.
Then what to do?
There were no people, no people.
It was then that the swordsman stepped forward.
"Just this once, I will exercise some flexibility."
"Can you do that?"
"Instead, if the territory war ends by capturing that boy, please give me a suitable reward."
"Right! Anyway, what's important is winning the territory war! If you capture that boy, I will pay the promised reward even if you don't deal with Balt!"
"Please do so."
The swordsman bowed his head and walked forward.
Into the middle of the battlefield.
However, it was a truly serene walk.
...Meanwhile, Ktun was roaring.
"Valhalla calls me!"
Golgol!
'My experience points are soon Golgol's experience points! Golgol's experience points are soon my experience points!'
Rapidly accumulating combat experience!
He was dreaming, unaware of the crisis approaching him.