A Single Decisive Battle
The atmosphere in the Third Division, which had been gloomy until just yesterday, began to brighten as the day progressed. The reason was the fresh, uplifting news that had arrived from the southern and northern fronts this morning.
Both the southern and northern forces had launched simultaneous offensives on four cities, successfully reclaiming three small towns. Although Halo, a city in the west, was still embroiled in fierce combat due to strong enemy resistance, the battle was largely in their favor. Its fall seemed only a matter of time.
As a result, the main topic of interest among the surrounding users was the next move of the eastern forces. Some argued they should wait for support from the south and north, while others insisted on capitalizing on the momentum to swiftly reclaim Barbara.
”…”
However, there was one man who seemed utterly uninterested in these discussions. Or rather, he appeared preoccupied with something else entirely. His face was blank, and his hands moved slowly as he packed his belongings, lost in thought.
This man was Shin Sang-yong. In truth, he was mulling over a recent conversation he had with Kim Su-hyun.
“There are various ways to break through your limits. You don’t necessarily need to change your nature.”
“I’ve thought about this for a long time. User Shin Sang-yong… I believe you’re more suited to a non-combat role than a combat one.”
“A rare class? It’s not a waste at all. You’ve shown considerable talent in that area.”
“User Lee Man-seong was brought in with that intention. There’s no need to feel embarrassed.”
“Nature, huh.”
Shin Sang-yong muttered to himself, a self-deprecating smile playing on his lips. How did Kim Su-hyun know about his nature? Had he somehow seen his information? Countless thoughts flitted through his mind, but he quickly dismissed them, shaking his head.
“Heh, I guess there’s nothing to say.”
“Huh? What’s there nothing to say about?”
A gruff voice suddenly interrupted from behind. Startled, Shin Sang-yong turned around to see a familiar face—a fellow user from the same barracks.
“Oh, when did you…?”
“You’ve been mumbling to yourself for a while now… But Shin Sang-yong, what are you doing?”
“Oh, this is…”
“This is?”
At a loss for words, Shin Sang-yong trailed off. But seeing him pack his things, the other man seemed to catch on, his expression turning slightly disdainful.
“Drafted?”
”…Yes.”
“Where to?”
“They said there’s a team preparing for unexpected variables…”
In truth, the battles so far had mostly been long-range exchanges of firepower, so the team formed to handle variables hadn’t had much opportunity to shine.
Except for one person—Mercenary Lord Kim Su-hyun.
From uncovering spies among the vagrants to stopping the dragon’s flame, Kim Su-hyun had been the standout performer in the team. Thus, the man quickly understood the significance of Shin Sang-yong packing his things.
“Wow, you’re lucky, Shin Sang-yong. Having a capable clan lord looking out for you.”
”…Yes.”
“Envious, really. Anyway, congratulations. I won’t get in the way of your packing, so I’ll head out. Do well over there.”
”…”
“I’ll be expecting great things from you. Seriously.”
With one last remark, the man left the barracks, his footsteps heavy. Shin Sang-yong watched the entrance for a moment before silently resuming his packing. But his hands moved slowly, and gradually, they slowed even more.
When his hands finally stopped, Shin Sang-yong hung his head low.
“Sigh…”
A deep sigh escaped from between his thin lips.
With the activation of the ‘Guardian Magic Suppression Array,’ new information reached the eastern forces. The resistance in Halo, which had been waning, had suddenly intensified. Reinforcements had bolstered the city walls, forcing the attackers to retreat just as they were about to breach the gates.
The implication was clear: reinforcements had been sent from Barbara to Halo. Moreover, the faint blue glow of the magic array suggested another fact.
It meant…
“They’ve decided to retreat, it seems.”
“They must have received news from the entire city by now. It was probably their best option.”
In response to the Goryeo Lord’s comment, Jo Seong-ho replied in a cold voice. The Goryeo Lord nodded a few times before turning to Jo Seong-ho.
“The clan attacking Halo is the Blue Wolf, right? Any additional news from them?”
“Yes. They want the eastern forces to resume the assault on Barbara as soon as possible.”
“Haha, they must be worried.”
“Indeed. Although they’ve been fighting continuously, the combined casualties on both sides haven’t reached a thousand. If all the forces in Barbara move to Halo, the Blue Wolf will face a difficult situation.”
Jo Seong-ho’s assessment was spot on. If the magic suppression array hadn’t been activated, it might have been different, but the signs of activation were clear.
Yet, why did the thought of attacking Barbara still leave an uneasy feeling?
‘Strange… Is it really this easy?’
“Then we should respond.”
But the Goryeo Lord seemed to have a different thought, rising resolutely. He seemed to believe the enemy was still sending reinforcements.
The Goryeo Lord scanned the control room, filled with participants of the meeting, and spoke in a determined tone.
“Once the magic suppression array is fully activated, it will delay us. The longer it takes, the more pressure it will put on our forces attacking Halo. So, spread the word to all units and have the division leaders prepare. We will launch a full-scale attack.”
“Understood. I’ll relay the message to the other units immediately.”
“Good. This meeting is adjourned. Everyone, prepare quickly. I’ll head out first.”
With those final words, the Goryeo Lord strode out. Just before leaving the control room, he stopped in front of me. Curious, I looked up to see a gentle smile on his face.
“Are you feeling better, Mercenary Lord?”
“Oh, yes. I’m perfectly fine. My brother… I mean, Lord Haemil and the Sword Queen sent me some excellent medicine.”
“Really? The Sword Queen?”
The Goryeo Lord seemed surprised by my words, his eyes widening as he turned to look. The meeting room was so quiet that everyone must have heard me. Where he looked, my brother stood with his head held high, while the Sword Queen fidgeted nervously.
‘My brother… I get it, but why is the Sword Queen so anxious?’
“Hahaha. Well… It’s about time she found a good man.”
“Sorry?”
“Oh! It’s nothing. Anyway, I’m glad to hear you’re well. I look forward to your help again. Hahaha!”
”?”
With a mysterious laugh, the Goryeo Lord ended the meeting and left the control room. Silence followed, but only briefly. Soon, people began to rise and leave… Wait, why did it feel like that?
Regardless, the remaining participants also started to leave one by one. Each of their faces bore a subtle smile.
‘What’s going on?’
The meeting room, which had been filled with a tense atmosphere, suddenly felt different. Warmer, almost rosy.
At that moment, I noticed Seon-yul making a V-sign with her fingers. Her expression suggested she had realized something. She chuckled softly as she passed by me.
’…’
Finally, the Sword Queen, Nam Da-eun, stopped in front of me. I tilted my head in confusion but decided to speak first out of courtesy.
“Thank you for the medicine.”
“Yes… Your health…”
“I’m fine now.”
“I see…”
Nam Da-eun hesitated as if she had more to say, but then she suddenly bowed her head, clutching Seol-ah tightly, and hurried out.
‘I just wanted to express my gratitude…’
I watched her retreating figure, grumbling to myself as I stood up. Then, I felt a warm hand on my shoulder.
“Su-hyun, you’re really clueless.”
It was my brother’s voice. I turned around, feeling incredulous. Who was he calling clueless?
I scoffed inwardly.
Despite the minor incident during the meeting, I was able to refocus once preparations began in earnest.
Something had been nagging at me, like a thorn in my side, but it stemmed from the difference between the future I knew—where the east suffered a crushing defeat in the first battle—and the present.
After much deliberation, I decided to go with the flow. Many things had changed between the future I knew and the present. Some of these changes directly impacted the current war, so it seemed possible that the future could change.
Moreover, regardless of that, it was a fact that we couldn’t just watch the enemy move to Halo.
‘I always thought the major flow wouldn’t change… Let’s trust myself for now.’
As I heard the shouts that the division leaders had completed their preparations, I was able to solidify my thoughts.
(Departure.)
A low, brief voice echoed through the air, signaling the start of the Eastern army’s orderly advance.
Silence reigned. As if by unspoken agreement, everyone maintained a hushed stillness as they moved through the thick fog. The city, barely visible through the mist, seemed to float, but with magic at their disposal, it posed no problem.
“(Units 2, 3, and 4, prepare for action.)”
Soon, the troops reached a range where they could resume the siege. From this point on, it wouldn’t be surprising if someone fell, so a heightened sense of caution permeated the air.
The Western Gate unit, having learned from past mistakes, advanced carefully, wary of any sudden attacks. As soon as they spotted the magical barrier glowing more intensely than before, they halted. That was when it happened.
Whoosh! Whoosh whoosh!
As if waiting for the Western Gate unit to enter range, a barrage of arrows sliced through the air. But the priests of the 4th unit, already on standby, quickly cast defensive spells, and the arrows bounced harmlessly off the layers of protective barriers.
Despite being on the receiving end of the initial attack, the archers of the 2nd unit didn’t remain idle. As soon as they successfully defended against the assault, they launched a counterattack. However, the enemy also had their own defensive spells, so the arrows from the Western Gate unit didn’t inflict significant damage. But that was fine. The exchange of arrows was merely a prelude, a taste of what was to come.
“───. ───. ───.”
“───. ───. ───.”
“───. ───. ───.”
“───. ───. ───.”
As if confirming my thoughts, the sound of hundreds of voices chanting spells began to break the silence.
In an instant, chaos erupted.
The 2nd unit focused on suppressing and covering the enemy, firing arrows rapidly, while the 4th unit desperately maintained their defensive spells against the onslaught. Meanwhile, the mages of the 3rd unit concentrated on casting a spectacular spell.
’…Something feels off.’
Even from the relatively safe rear, my heightened senses kept picking up oddities. It was the sound of stones crumbling from the city walls. Whether it was due to the recent barrage of attacks or the dragon’s flames from last time, the walls of Barbara looked precariously weak. Normally, they would have been reinforced or at least shielded by a protective spell.
But before I could ponder further, a sudden warmth washed over my face. The mages were beginning to complete their spells. Perhaps they had discussed it during the preparation time, as fiery orbs spewing crimson flames began to form in the air where the 3rd unit stood.
Like boiling lava, the fireballs unleashed fierce flames. Sparks fell to the ground, carried by the wind. Gradually, the various flames began to rise simultaneously. Once the amplification spell was cast, those waves of fire would crash violently against the city walls.
Then it happened.
A deep hum resonated as a brilliant light erupted from the magical barrier.
“Barrier activation confirmed!”
(The internal magic is freezing! Launch a full-scale attack before it fully activates!)
And at that moment, everything changed.
---------------------------= Author’s Note ---------------------------=
Reverse Tour Episode 1.
Mavolo: (Protesting the nerf of fire magic, he spots Simon heading to the Memorize Studio.) Ah, welcome, my friend.
Simon: Huh? Why would I be your friend?
Mavolo: Have you ever made a grand entrance?
Simon: Well, I suppose… Why do you ask?
Mavolo: (Patting Simon’s shoulder.) I knew it… We’re friends. This author is a real piece of work.
Simon: (Tilts his head.) I really must be off to war now. I’m quite busy… So, goodbye. (Disappears into the distance.)
Mavolo: (Clicks his tongue, watching Simon leave.) Tsk tsk…
『 Reader Comments 』
Devaran: Congrats on being first! Four times in a row, that’s impressive. Will you be the second to achieve five consecutive firsts since Miwolya? Haha.
ㅇㅡㅅㅜ: No. I’m trying to post as many comments as possible. :)
hohokoya1: Sob. I want to write continuously too. I’ll just smack my fingers! Smack smack!
FallenDemon: Oh? I often say this in such situations. My foresight is increasing!
araoj: Yes, Yoo Hyun-ah. Correct. I tried to express it in the language of vagrants as much as possible.
PotatoChip: Oh, you got them all right, but I’m surprised you guessed the former. How did you know?
Lea: I’m considering quite a bit for the side story after Part 1 ends. With some fun content. Haha. Of course, I’ll need a break. I’m thinking about two weeks. What do you think, Lea?
DragonRevolt: Kyu? Kyu kyu! Ah, I want to write about a baby unicorn hatching soon. :)
BlueCoralForest: Hehe. The key is timing and speed. I put quite a bit of thought into this part. And ‘spirits’ will make their first appearance in the whole plane. Of course, they have a concept distinct from the basic idea of spirits. :)
Hyun-oh: Gasp. Hyun-oh, are you a car? That’s new information! (Thud thud!) @[email protected]
Thank you for always reading. I hope you enjoy the story with a relaxed mind.