Shadowed Gaze: The Highserk War Saga - Chapter 8

The troops of Mayard, having failed in defending the border, were now gathering in their capital, Aidenberg. The expected scorched earth tactics weren’t implemented, and the Highserk Empire was in the process of acquiring untouched granary areas. However, the Saria Battalion, composed mainly of former Canoa Kingdom citizens, posed a problem. They had significantly contributed to the capture of key mountain fortresses, but their plundering and ravaging of both citizens and soldiers were rampant. Although they were undoubtedly betrayers of their own people, the actions taken against them were too extreme, prompting the deployment of guards to watch over the battalion.

Despite this, the existence of the Saria Battalion served as a whip, aiding in the negotiation and subjugation of villages and towns. Given the governance issues post-annexation, the Highserk Empire wasn’t keen on playing the villain, preferring to let the Saria Battalion do the dirty work.

After the siege, Walm was scouring the forest. A part of the enemy, having escaped the encirclement, was conducting guerrilla warfare. Though isolated from their base of operations, the continuous attacks on supplies suggested support from local villages. Several troops and non-combatants from the caravan had already been lost.

“It’s definitely magic.”

“Ah, must be wind and fire attributes.”

The squad leader and Jose, crouching beside lined-up corpses, deduced the types of magic used from the wounds.

“…There must be at least two magic users.”

Wilart, a magic soldier, joined them. The wounds indicated injuries from wind attribute magic’s lacerations and fire attribute magic’s explosions. Walm considered the possibility of a dual-attribute magic user but found it more likely that multiple individuals were involved, given the volume of magic cast in a short period.

“Ew, is this also from magic?”

“What’s this? The face is smashed.”

New recruits Nohl and Barrit were grimacing at another corpse. Amidst bodies slashed or stabbed at vital points, this one had its face smashed in, a clear indication of blunt force trauma.

“It’s not from a halberd, and the damage is too wide for a war hammer.”

Walm, familiar with deaths by war hammer, dismissed the possibility. Contemplating the weapon’s true nature, he was answered from behind.

“It was a shield.”

The squad leader had seen similar cases before.

“A shield? For that, it…”

Nohl responded in disbelief, and Walm agreed. The force seemed excessive for a shield. It was hard to imagine what kind of giant could wield a shield to cause such damage.

“Could it be a skill user?”

Jose, pondering, asked the squad leader.

“Yeah, likely. I’ve seen similar corpses before. Once, a single shield bash decapitated a man. It’s probably the ‘Iron Wall’ skill, similar to ‘Strong Strike.’ Even a wooden shield would feel like solid iron.”

Having used the skill ‘Strong Strike’ himself, Walm knew firsthand how powerful skills could be. Even an enemy with heavy armor could be torn apart with ease, and the advantage of such skills was immeasurable.

“Ah, great. Guerrillas and now skill users.”

Jose grumbled in annoyance.

“The enemy includes a few adventurers. Captured soldiers confessed that. Despite being on the losing side, they’re unusually committed. But be careful, skilled adventurers often possess better weapons and abilities than regular soldiers.”

“Could be good loot if we take them down.”

Barrit laughed nervously, clearly trying to sound brave.

“Hey, Barrit. You think you could win against Squad leader Duwey, Walm and Wilart, all at once?”

“No way. Even with twenty of me, it’s impossible.”

“Thought so.”

Jose nodded, satisfied with Barrit’s admission. Ironically, Walm felt out of place being categorized with such formidable beings.

“So, what about that?”

Nohl timidly pointed to a man’s body hung from a tree. The corpse was riddled with stab wounds, its head the only recognizable part.

“That? He’s a villager who sold us out, providing food to the enemy. Happens a lot.”

Jose’s response was matter-of-fact. Walm, too, had once been shocked by such scenes.

“Aah… I see…”

“Was it really necessary to go that far?” seemed like what Nohl really wanted to say. It was indeed a very distasteful act, but sometimes necessary in war.

Well, at the very least, if the villagers hadn’t provided information and food, 30 soldiers and six laborers and merchants wouldn’t have died. However, resistance from the civilian population in enemy territory had always been a problem for armies in every era. The decision whether to annihilate the population or execute a few as an example varies depending on the situation and time. The surviving Highserk soldiers had attempted to suppress further resistance through the execution of a few.

“Get ready. We’re moving out soon.”

At the call of the squad leader Duwey, the squad members began to venture deeper into the forest. Since searching in small numbers was extremely difficult, a company was deployed at once, with squads spaced every 20 meters in a formation to conduct the search. Even against skilled opponents, victory might be swift. Optimistic, Walm joined the others, stepping into the forest.

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On the second day of the search, one squad was ambushed, resulting in the death of 12 members. During the search, 7 were injured due to traps and arrows, and 4 sentries went missing. Fortunately, Duwey’s squad had no casualties, but the whole company was harboring hatred for the unseen enemy, aggravated by the difficult forest terrain. The search was dragging on, and the squad gathered, leaning against a large tree for a brief rest.

“This is bad,” Jose commented.

“Indeed… Searching with a company and still no results,” he continued.

With 250 people searching for three days without finding anything, the urgency to move towards the capital for the decisive battle was growing, yet the threat to the supply route couldn’t be ignored.

“They’re too skilled at hiding their tracks. They must be very familiar with the forest,” the squad leader remarked, scanning the ground before looking ahead.

“Could they be expert scouts?” Nohl, standing beside Walm, wondered aloud.

“More than one, for sure. There are skilled individuals watching both our main force and us,” Walm remarked, doubting that these were just remnants of defeated troops capable of such advanced guerrilla warfare from the start.

“It’s more likely adventurers who sided with Mayard,” the squad leader concluded, answering everyone’s silent question.

“…Adventurers,” the new recruit Barrit echoed.

Adventurers, known for their activities in the vast demonic territories covering half the continent, undertook various tasks like monster subjugation, dungeon exploration, and escorting merchants. Though their guilds present in all countries officially didn’t intervene in wars, it was common for local adventurers to be hired as mercenaries due to free will. Their equipment, made from rare demonic materials and artifacts, could be extremely powerful. Even a single adventurer equipped with such items could alter the course of a battle.

Furthermore, it was rumored that the guilds deployed their private soldiers in conflicts detrimental to them. In Highserk Empire, there was great emphasis on military expansion, and its surplus military forces often served as substitutes for adventurers. As a result, adventurers had fewer opportunities to shine, but they were a well-known presence in other nations.

“It’s true that adventurers would be more accustomed to surveillance and tracking than soldiers,” Jose, born as the third son of a merchant and accustomed to hiring adventurers, nodded in agreement.

As the break continued, Walm and the others discussed the enemy’s true nature. Meanwhile, the soldiers busied themselves with eating and smoking. Walm, having bought tobacco from Jose, inhaled and exhaled slowly, the purple smoke dispersing into the sky. While savoring the smoke, Walm voiced a sudden thought.

“Doesn’t the smell of this tobacco give our position away?”

“Don’t be silly, our body odor is much stronger than tobacco. You’d have to bring wolves to sniff us out, and they wouldn’t even come close because they hate our smell,” Jose laughed off the concern, taking another drag.

“Should we wear perfume then?” Barrit joked, half-seriously.

“That’s a great idea. Why not put on a skirt while we’re at it?” the squad leader jested back, and Walm slightly smiled at the silly banter, knowing their carefree time was running short. In five minutes, they would have to resume the seemingly endless game of hide-and-seek in the forest.

Just as Walm was about to prepare for the move, screams erupted, followed by several explosions. Soldiers resting on the ground leaped up and drew their weapons.

“300, 400 meters ahead. They’ve hit our search net,” Jose informed everyone.

“Circle around from the right. We’ll surround them. Don’t let the enemy escape. Let’s go!”

The squad leader rushed out, followed by the ‘Three Fools.’ The new recruits Nohl and Barrit were at the rear. Walm pushed through the clinging branches and trampled over the untamed undergrowth. The forest was filled with natural obstacles. Forcing their way through, they ended up with sticky plant sap clinging to their bodies. It had an unpleasant, pungent odor that lingered in their noses.

The battle continued. The enemy, emboldened by their previous success, underestimated the Highserk soldiers this time. They probably intended to take out a squad and flee. However, besides Walm’s squad, two more squads had come to the rescue, holding the enemy in place.

The company was determined to end this futile hide-and-seek here. The enemy numbered slightly more than 30, more than anticipated. Walm dove into the center of the enemy formation, taking advantage of their disarray.

“Damn, new forces!”

An enemy soldier exclaimed as Walm swung his halberd at him. The recently acquired skill ‘Strong Strike’ made the weapon ideal for such a situation. The enemy soldier desperately thrust his spear, but Walm shattered it, even breaking its reinforced tip.

Discarding the now shortened spear, the soldier tried to draw his short sword, but it was too late. Before he could fully draw it, his head was sent flying by Walm’s halberd. Walm stepped forward, using the momentum to strike at a second enemy.

This one was completely caught off guard, unable to evade or react properly, and was bisected at the torso by Walm’s strike. Along with the rest of the squad, over ten enemy soldiers were killed or injured. Among the regular soldiers, a group dressed differently caught Walm’s eye.

“There they are. The adventurers leading them.”

Jose shouted, identifying them. There were five, likely a party of adventurers.

Walm cut down the confused enemy soldiers as he approached them, but a blade of wind, conjured by magic, flew towards him. Normally, he would have evaded or blocked it with his round shield, but this time, he swung his halberd without dodging.

The skill ‘Strong Strike’ that Walm activated clashed momentarily with the magic before overpowering it. The surrounding air swirled as if the wind was blown apart. Walm, seeking to identify his attacker, quickly scanned the area and spotted a female adventurer, young enough to be called a girl.

She was up to Walm’s chest, with shoulder-length brown hair. Her equipment was typical, a short sword, and a round shield. Walm intended to target the troublesome magic user, but three Mayard soldiers blocked his path, two of whom simultaneously thrust their spears at him.

Walm moved to the right, closing the distance with one of the soldiers. As the spear aimed at his face was thrust, he deflected it with his halberd and dove into the soldier’s reach. The soldier tried to protect his throat with his gauntlet, but Walm, activating ‘Strong Strike’, slashed through the soldier and his armor. The bone was severed, and blood spurted from the gaps in the armor.

“You fuckerrrr!” yelled a comrade of the fallen soldier. Now alone, the soldier abandoned his spear for a longsword. Before he could fully draw his weapon, his head was already flying. Walm stepped forward, using the momentum to swing at the next enemy.

The soldier tried to react but was too slow. Walm’s halberd thrust forward and sliced through the back of the soldier’s knee, severing tendons.

“Gaaah!”

Despite his desperate efforts on one leg, the soldier couldn’t maintain his balance. Walm deflected the longsword, slashing the soldier’s throat. The last of the three hesitated between retreating and attacking. Walm wasted no time, fully swinging his halberd to break through the guard and struck.

“W-wait, please help…” the soldier pleaded as his guts spilled from a tear across his belly, rapidly staining the ground. Infection was inevitable.

“Forget it. You’re beyond saving,” Walm said. The soldier should have fled or surrendered earlier – such thoughts flickered through Walm’s mind. Maybe this soldier, too, was entangled in obligations to his country, friends, family, land, and couldn’t retreat.

As Walm was about to move to another target, he was confronted with an unexpected question from the girl adventurer: “Why do you kill so easily?”
Walm was baffled to be asked why he killed on the battlefield. It was a question with long and varied answers, depending on who you asked. But why would one ask such a thing from Walm, especially after pleading for mercy for the fatally wounded. There was nothing he could do even if they surrendered now.

“It’s a battlefield, isn’t it? What’s there to be surprised about? You’ve killed too… this is just pointless talk,” Walm replied, noticing a Highserk soldier’s corpse at the girl’s feet. She had killed one of his friends. Realizing the futility of their conversation, she once again unleashed her magic at Walm. Recognizing the spell from before, he dodged low and slid forward, closing the distance, catching her by surprise.

“Leetia!” yelled an older adventurer wielding a shield.

The distance between them had already closed. Walm swung his halberd horizontally, aiming straight for the girl’s neck. Surprisingly, she reacted with agility, unlike her previous sluggishness. Bending her left elbow, she held her round shield diagonally above while gripping her short sword with her right hand, supporting the shield.

Walm, perhaps underestimating her, was puzzled by her ideal stance at such a moment. She was trained and experienced in combat yet engaged in conversation and then let herself be exploited, showing a confusing blend of naivety and skill. It was an innocent yet enviable trait in the battlefield; she was not used to killing.

In this war between nations, combat continued, and the enemy had not surrendered. Without relenting, Walm activated his ‘Strong Strike’ skill. The blade, enveloped in a faint light, bit into and then broke through the round shield.

“Ughhh…”

The round shield rolled on the ground.The girl had let go in time, possibly because she couldn’t resist the impact. Her arm wasn’t severed, thanks to her gauntlet, but she grimaced in pain with every movement of her left arm, now holding the short sword in one hand.

“It’s broken,” Walm said, causing her to frown in confusion.

She had likely never experienced the impact of a skill like ‘Strong Strike’ before. Frightened, she retreated from Walm, but retreating in the treacherous forest was a bad move. She stumbled over a corpse, likely one she killed, and lost her balance.

“Remember where your victims lie,” Walm half-jokingly said as she shrieked in terror.

As Walm lunged, disarming her short sword with his halberd and knocking her down with a shoulder charge, he aimed his weapon at her throat. She was just a young girl, so it seemed a better fate than having her head or face crushed.

Just then, something flickered at the edge of his vision. He’d been vigilant, but this was too fast.

“Huh?”

Tilting his head and leaping backward, Walm felt his hair being clipped and his cheek sliced open. The figure relentlessly advanced. Walm swung his halberd, meeting the attacker’s weapon. The man was part of the adventurers’ party. After a brief clash, Walm managed to scrape the blade against the man’s wrist, but the adversary skillfully blocked with the guard of his sword.

“Why are you even bothering with someone like me?” Walm asked, half in jest.

The young man, handsome with shoulder-length blue hair and eyes of the same color, appeared furious.

“Silence, invader!” the young man shouted.

Walm realized he faced the adventurers’ leader. He was equipped with a bloodied two-handed sword, and the Highserk soldiers lay dead around him. Walm thought that the squad leader should face this man, but the squad leader was engaged with another adventurer, the skilled shield user. The ‘Strong Strike’ and ‘Iron Wall’ skills were clashing, with bystanders unable to intervene.

Walm grumbled about the tricky situation. It became clear that he had be the one to face this adventurer.