Chapter 26: Building Honor (3)

 

- Kugung... crack... kugugung...

 

The sound of trees snapping and breaking could be heard in the distance.

 

Countless birds were soaring from where the sound resonated.

 

With that, we could determine the location of the Draigs.

 

Although their figures were not directly visible due to being hidden in the forest, it was clear from the monsters running between the trees.

 

Adam Hyung began the operation without hesitation.

 

Staying still would only make our bodies stiff due to tension. It was easier for everyone to control their bodies and minds by quickly springing into action.

 

“Krian.”

 

"Yes, Captain! I wish you good luck! Let's go! The God of War, Dian, is watching over us!!"

 

Krian led his men and ran towards the forest.

 

These were baits to attract monsters near Draig.

 

“Theodore.”

 

"I'll see you later, Captain! Let's go!"

 

The member in charge of support tasks, including Theodore, also set off.

 

Dust rose in front of my eyes, and the vibrations that shook the ground increased. The members started shouting to boost morale.

 

Meanwhile, Gidon and I, who hadn't left yet, exchanged glances, allowing the tension of the battlefield to flow between us.

 

A strange mental battle continued.

 

Adam Hyung continued to call the officers, and those who were already familiar with the orders participated in the subjugation along with their members.

 

Even with the continuous calls, our team's name wasn't mentioned, so Gidon remarked.

 

"The members are bravely charging ahead, while the Vice Captain is hiding well."

 

I responded, "...I look forward to seeing how brave Gidon-nim will be."

 

Afterward, more than half of the members left.

 

Adam Hyung called the name of the last officer, except for me, then looked back at us.

 

"...Berg. I'll be back."

 

“See you later.”

 

Gidon frowned.

 

"Captain, where are you going? We are still..."

 

“Berg will move at the right moment. I hope Gidon-nim believes in Berg and follows that moment.”

 

Adam Hyung then departed.

 

The rest of the members followed Adam.

 

Only 30 members of my Head Hunter Unit and 30 members of Gidon’s party remained, gazing at the forest where the others had entered.

 

“…”

 

“…”

 

Soon, I saw the members of our Red Flames riding horses through the dense forest, and the sounds of shouts and screams gradually echoed through the woods.

 

Gidon looked at me as I stood still, expressing his ongoing doubts.

 

Does it make sense that our group consists of only this many people? Should he believe that our Head Hunter Unit, which targets boss monsters, was comprised of just... twenty or thirty individuals? Did any of the units who left earlier were also the Head Hunter Unit?

 

“…”

 

Gidon's words brimmed with dissatisfaction and suspicion, but gradually, the underlying fear within him began to surface.

 

He, who had been boasting of his bravery quickly hid his tails.

 

But then again... it was only natural for him to think that way.

 

Everywhere else, Head Hunter Unit were always the largest.

 

However, our group in the Red Flames had fewer members than any other unit.

 

It must have been difficult for him to believe that we were a group that targeted the boss monster.'

 

Shawn threw another joke from behind.

 

"My lord, if you're scared, you can rest here. We'll handle it ourselves."

 

“…”

 

Gidon didn't respond to his jest. Nobility and class consciousness became insignificant in the face of the fear of death.

 

-Kugung…! Thud!

 

As the long wait finally came to an end, monsters began emerging one by one from the forest.

 

"...They're coming out," Baran said.

 

And following behind, a massive Draig revealed itself.

 

With a thunderous thud and accompanying shockwave, Draig let out a deafening roar that weighed heavily on our ears. Its imposing presence sent shivers down our spines.

 

Adam Hyung seemed to have succeeded in drawing Draig out from the forest.

 

Shawn whispered as he looked at the giant Draig.

 

"...This... is insane..."

 

Jackson also prayed to the God of Courage.

 

“…Mand…Grace us.”

 

It was definitely a size I had never seen before. It was like a small castle.

 

Gidon, who had already seen that monster, struggled to control his breathing.

 

“Let’s go.”

 

I spoke to the soldiers and immediately started giving orders.

 

Even the members who had been feeling uneasy followed my command, one by one, suppressing their own emotions.

 

Looking back, I saw Gidon and his group reluctantly following us.

 

I drew my sword from my waist.

 

-Shring!

 

Simultaneously, the members grasped their weapons in response to the signal.

 

As planned, some held bows, some held spears, and others wielded greatswords.

 

"Baran!"

 

“Yes!”

 

Baran took out a horn from his pouch and sent a signal to the entire battlefield.

 

-Booo Woo Woo…! Booo Woo Woo…!

 

The signal we sent when we encountered the boss monsters.

 

From now on, the Red Flames would finish the battle with the monsters and retreat.

 

To increase the survival rate, it was advantageous to have shorter engagements with the monster.

 

However, at the same time, the threat to our Head Hunter Unit intensified.

 

The monsters, having lost their fighting target, would gather near Draig again.

 

Therefore, before that happened, we had to finish it.

 

Once the boss monster was eliminated, the monsters would scatter or be purified.

 

It was a structure where all the risks were focused on our group... But to save as many soldiers as possible, it was the strategy chosen by the Red Flames.

 

Suddenly, Gidon caught up to my side and shouted in a panicked voice.

 

"Vice Captain! Are you crazy? How can we... with this number! Until the other members come back-"

 

"If you're scared, go back!"

 

I shook the reins and increased the speed of my horse.

 

The members also tightened their reins and followed me closely.

 

Draig was getting closer.

 

Every time the four-legged monster stepped on the ground, vibrations echoed.

 

-Thud...! Thud....!

 

But no matter how close we got to Draig, I didn't slow down.

 

The members also trusted me and didn't reduce their speed.

 

"Vice... Cough...!"

 

In an instant, Gidon turned his horse around. Many werewolves who followed him also leave.

 

Looking back, Gidon was circling around Draig, seemingly attempting to attack with arrows.

 

It might have been the standard method, but we didn't have that much time.

 

Anyway, we didn't need them.

 

I focused on the target ahead once again.

 

"Go under its legs!"

 

As I shouted, everyone responded loudly.

 

Through the long training and the time we had spent together, the members had unwavering faith in me. They would follow me even if death awaited them.

 

-Thud!

 

Above us, the foot of the giant Draig passed.

 

A huge shadow cast over us, revealing the body of Draig.

 

“Attack!”

 

I gave the final command. From here on, everyone had to act according to their own judgment.

 

-Thump!

 

Some shot arrows,

 

-Chink!

 

Some scraped Draig's leg with a sword.

 

Baran raised his spear from the side and forcefully threw it upward.

 

"Hup!"

 

-Splak!

 

The spear struck Draig's torso.

 

Blood splattered, landing on top of our heads.

 

A rough roar erupted from Draig once again.

 

The subjugation had begun.

 

****

 

Ner couldn't comprehend the cause of the trembling that had started since the morning.

 

Ner's heart continued to pound, and she couldn't find solace in stillness no matter what she tried.

 

It felt different from when the werewolves went out for subjugation as usual.

 

Certainly, she experienced anxiety during those times, but now there was an additional strange emotion mingled with her unease.

 

No matter how much she thought about it, she couldn't find an answer to what it was.

 

Lost in her thoughts, she simply stared beyond the Blackwood territory, observing the forest and nature.

 

From far away, occasionally, she could hear the cries of monsters.

 

“…”

 

'Why do I feel this way?'

 

Ner tried to calm her chest and think.

 

'...Is it because I hope for Blackwood's liberation through this event?'

 

'Am I worried about the Blackwood soldiers and my brothers who went with the human mercenaries?'

 

'Could it be the fear that this subjugation might fail?'

 

“…”

 

'...No, that's not it. Such anxiety was something I already had from before... It didn't feel like this back then.'

 

Ner tried to be more honest with herself.

 

'...Perhaps it's because of Berg.'

 

Admitting it, that seemed like the answer.

 

Maybe it was because she couldn't share her 'Ki' with him earlier.

 

Perhaps she felt repulsed by the thought of losing someone who had been by her side.

 

She didn't like Berg, but she didn't want him to die... Probably.

 

Of course, it was undeniable that Berg treated her kindly... But Ner didn't feel a deep bond with him to the extent of dedicating her body and soul to him. If possible, she still wanted to part ways. After all, they had only been together for a few days.

 

These emotions were beyond her control. Even if Berg would be disappointed if he knew her true feelings, it was her genuine self.

 

Nevertheless, Ner tried to suppress her unsettled mind by wandering around here and there. It was said that it would take two or three days for the results to come out... She wondered what Berg was currently experiencing. She didn't want to be connected to him, but she continued to be curious about his well-being.

 

Ner let out a long sigh.

 

“Ner.”

 

And as she wandered around, she naturally encountered her sisters.

 

“…”

 

After the previous incident, Ner didn't know how to treat her siblings.

 

The fight where she was supported by Berg and won. Now, Berg was out on the battlefield.

 

But even her sisters didn't seem to desire a big fight now.

 

Instead, they lightly mocked her.

 

"Back then, you acted all high and mighty with your husband supporting you... But that was then."

 

“…”

 

"Because our older brothers will achieve greater feats than your Vice Captain. By the way... no one even knows that Vice Captain."

 

Ner furrowed her brow.

 

In addition to her already unpleasant mood, even more negative emotions mixed within.

 

She was also their younger sister, so why did they take sides to this extent?

 

Each time, a bitter emotion welled up in her heart.

 

And this time, it was even more intense.

 

Ner kept her head down, turned her back to them, and walked away.

 

Today, she didn't want to engage in confrontation with them.

 

As she distanced herself from them, her pace quickened.

 

A profound sense of loneliness once again found her.

 

****

 

"...Hah... hah..."

 

-Thud... thud!

 

With one final effort, Draig's neck was severed.

 

The monsters that had gathered nearby were scattering, and the battle was coming to an end.

 

I wiped the triumphant monster's blood off my face and surveyed the surroundings.

 

Members of the Head Hunter Unit who had participated in the subjugation were gradually gathering around me.

 

"Vice-Captain... Hah... You did it."

 

"Huh, I wanted to catch it today."

 

"How did you even manage to get on top of the boss monster?"

 

While I was grateful that they were alive, I counted their numbers.

 

It was often the case that we only found out who died or got injured after the battle was over.

 

However, today, there was a sense that things had gone well.

 

Considering the size of Draig, it turned out to be slower and easier to subdue than anticipated.

 

There were unexpectedly few monsters causing trouble as well.

 

I had anticipated a considerable number of casualties, so this outcome exceeded my expectations.

 

Baran also approached me, wiping the blood off his face and giving me a smile.

 

“Baran. Thanks for drawing attention earlier.”

 

"No problem, Vice-Captain."

 

“Any casualties?”

 

"I didn't see any. Maybe no one got hurt."

 

As Baran looked around, he spoke again.

 

"...Actually, the monsters were concentrated on Gidon's group... It made things easier for us. I don't think it was intentional. I can't see where they went now."

 

As we waited, the remaining members gradually joined us.

 

No one was missing.

 

Finally, I let out a sigh of relief.

 

The situation was good.

 

-Parpam...! Parpam...!

 

The sound of a trumpet could be heard from a distance.

 

It was Adam Hyung's signal.

 

After tying the rope around Draig's head, I mounted my horse.

 

Everyone would soon gather at that signal.

 

We were no exception.

 

Feeling relieved and satisfied with the situation, I smiled at the members and said.

 

"Let's head back."

 

.

 

.

 

.

 

As I led the horse with the boss monster's severed neck, the members cheered.

 

We followed the path they had cleared by splitting up.

 

At the end, Gidon and Adam Hyung stood waiting.

 

Even the fact that Gidon was still alive brought a sense of relief.

 

I didn't like him, but I didn't wish for his death either.

 

It seemed like he could avoid a lot of troublesome things by staying alive.

 

I dismounted from my horse, and Adam Hyung came towards me and hugged me tightly.

 

“Berg. Great job.”

 

“No. I think Krian led the monsters pretty well. There was nothing in the way.”

 

After hugging Hyung, I looked at Gidon.

 

His gaze had changed a lot compared to before the battle.

 

Even with a quick glance, his eyes seemed to acknowledge me.

 

The werewolves were gracious in this regard.

 

They didn't easily dismiss opponents who had defeated them.

 

I looked at Gidon and said.

 

"You seem to be unharmed. That's fortunate."

 

“I’m also glad you look okay.”

 

“…”

 

“What about you brothers?”

 

“They are... Safe…”

 

The atmosphere around him didn't seem particularly good.'

 

Although Gidon and his brothers were safe, it appeared there were casualties.

 

In a situation where there were losses, I didn't wish to engage in a confrontation with him.

 

And it seemed he already understood that without me saying anything.

 

None of our teammates had died.

 

Those who had shown bravery survived, while those consumed by fear met their demise.

 

Gidon would already know who to blame, and the realization of that fact would have been a disgrace.

 

Since he was the one who boasted of his bravery, he would blame himself even more.

 

Suppressing his inflated ego would be satisfying enough for me.

 

I had no desire to continue the conflict any longer.

 

Suddenly, I became curious about how Ner would react when we returned to the territory.

 

I didn’t want her to be afraid of Gidon because of me.

 

I turned around.

 

“…The vice-captain.”

 

Gidon called me from behind.

 

“…?”

 

"I just... have one question."

 

"...Go ahead and ask."

 

“…What is the subjugation record in this battle?"

 

I turned my body and looked at Draig's severed neck.

 

If clinging to that record aligned with the werewolf way, then I would stay true to my werewolf nature.

 

No, maybe I didn't even know that I needed information to accept the current situation.

 

Why did they die while we survived?

 

I didn't know if I was searching for the reason.

 

Baran and Adam Hyung also looked at me now.

 

There was no need to be modest at this point.

 

If they sought an answer, I simply had to provide it.

 

"...This time, it's 184."

 

“… Ha.”

 

At my words, Gidon let out a hollow laugh.