Chapter 16

 

“…You mean that guy?”

 

The centurion commanders expressed their disapproval.

 

They were well aware of the Ice Bug’s majesty, having seen it every year.

 

In fact, some among them had faced life-threatening crises against this creature.

 

A monster that even knights couldn’t handle unless they were exceptional.

 

Hunting such a creature with only one lower-ranked knight and a few soldiers?

 

And that too after one bloody battle?

 

“It seems impossible, doesn’t it?”

 

“Yes.”

 

One of the centurions nodded.

 

The others, without explicitly saying it, shared the same thoughts.

 

“It’s not that we doubt the power of Miss Irene, but our soldiers are exhausted from the battle with Tranga.”

 

The mother Tranga was truly a powerful monster.

 

Dealing with it only with soldiers and without any knights, it was inevitable that they would be worn out.

 

“The Ice Bug is standing still now.”

 

“But we don’t know when it will move, right?”

 

The soldiers also witnessed the situation where the Ice Bug emerged.

 

A creature so massive suddenly revealing itself, it was impossible not to notice.

 

Though there was relief when it suddenly stopped moving, thinking back to that moment, everything seemed uncertain.

 

“It just ‘Stopped’ moving. Its body hasn’t turned to stone, so we can’t embark on a fight without being sure.”

 

Countless lives of soldiers were at stake.

 

They couldn’t recklessly proceed without being certain of such a thing.

 

“If it starts moving and hits the knights from behind, there is no turning back.”

 

Seo Woojin stepped forward.

 

The logic that convinced Irene.

 

He thought that this would also persuade the soldiers.

 

But that was a miscalculation.

 

“What does a D-ranker know?”

 

“Stop babbling and stay in the corner.”

 

The soldiers were still not friendly to Seo Woojin.

 

His actions only had the opposite effect.

 

‘Sigh’

 

The soldiers’ distrust towards him seemed greater than he had anticipated.

 

Even though he expected their perception to change a bit as he leveled up…

 

“No. What he said isn’t wrong.”

 

At that moment, someone spoke up in support of Seo Woojin.

 

‘Jo Han?’

 

The very same centurion who expressed gratitude to him before heading out for today’s subjugation.

 

Seo Woojin looked at him with a slightly surprised expression, but Jo Han did not return the gaze and continued speaking.

 

“If what the Hero says is true, we might be in big trouble. The Blue Shield Knights are the biggest pillar supporting the Massive Guardian. If something happens to them, it could be disastrous.”

 

If that happens, the problem won’t be the subjugation.

 

The entire Massive Guardian may collapse.

 

The soldiers were not skilled enough to stop the monsters rushing like a tidal wave.

 

It was an inevitable situation, even for someone like Van Slaine.

 

Because one hand couldn’t deal with ten hands.

 

Having explained that much, Jo Han looked back at the centurions and spoke in a heavy voice.

 

“And since when did the soldiers of Sion become cowards?”

 

At his words, the expressions of the centurions hardened.

 

“You’re going too far, Jo Han.”

 

“We are not cowards.”

 

His words naturally provoked the resistance of the centurions.

 

“Humph! The glory of Sion begins with the Massive Guardian. And the destiny of the Massive Guardian is the subjugation of monsters. What do you call those who fear that? Cowards!”

 

It was a sharp retort.

 

But it was also a valid argument.

 

What every citizen of Sion possessed.

 

It was either pride as the defenders of the North or nothing.

 

It was natural that no one could refute Jo Han’s words.

 

“He’s right.”

 

Breaking the momentary silence, an older-looking centurion said.

 

He nodded toward Jo Han and spoke.

 

“If you’re going to turn your back on an opportunity like this, you’re going to get a soldier’s scar in Sion.”

 

In response to his nonchalant words, the centurions sighed.

 

“It’s a shame to oppose when an old man speaks like that.”

 

“I also agree with Jo Han.”

 

“We are not weaklings from the South.”

 

Jo Han bowed his head to the old man who first agreed with his words.

 

“Thank you.”

 

“Thanks for what? I just spoke my mind.”

 

The old man spoke as if it were nothing, but in reality, he was the top commander among the centurions.

 

He is a man of such outstanding skill and character that there is no one here who does not owe his life to him.

 

He had been guarding the Massive Guardian with Van Slaine for decades, making it impossible not to respect him.

 

“I will follow the orders, Captain Irene.”

 

Jo Han saluted along with other centurions.

 

“Thank you, Pedro.”

 

The elderly man, Pedro, smiled warmly at Irene.

 

“Prepare for battle!”

 

“Get ready for combat!”

 

Once the decision was made, actions followed swiftly.

 

They were on the verge of exhaustion, yet not a single soldier complained.

 

“Our target is the Ice Bug over there!”

 

At Jo Han’s shout, the expressions of the soldiers changed.

 

They hadn’t anticipated having to fight Ice Bug.

 

Nevertheless, the soldiers silently prepared for battle.

 

Whether it was Ice Bugs, Trangas, or Snow Wolfs.

 

They fought to protect Sion, regardless of how powerful the monsters were.

 

That was the greatest duty carried by the soldiers belonging to the Massive Guardians.

 

After taking care of the casualties and gathering the injured who couldn’t participate in the battle separately.

 

“Sort!”

 

The soldiers began to line up in front of Irene.

 

Although the numbers and uniforms varied, the atmosphere was the same as the departure ceremony on the day of the snowstorm.

 

“From now on, we will commence the Ice Bug hunt.”

 

Irene’s characteristic cold voice penetrated the soldiers’ ears.

 

“It might be a much more dangerous expedition than before… but we must do it.”

 

Irene’s morale-boosting speech was brief but sufficient.

 

Contrary to her cold voice, heat emanated from the soldiers’ bodies.

 

“For Sion!”

 

“For Sion!”

 

With Jo Han’s singing leading the way, the soldiers’ determination exploded.

 

“It’s time to hunt!”

 

Simultaneously, hundreds of soldiers advanced towards the Ice Bug.

 

The same applied to Seo Woojin.

 

‘Well, this is a well-prepared adventure.’

 

He did nothing to persuade the soldiers and initiate the battle.

 

Literally, he just stood there watching from the side.

 

But he wasn’t disappointed.

 

Anyway, the hunt had begun, and if this succeeded, he could level up once again.

 

‘I have to get stronger.’

 

Until then, he could endure any humiliation.

 

No, he had to endure.

 

‘But for now, that guy first.’

 

Seo Woojin drew his sword from the scabbard.

 

Ideally, he wanted to use the sword that Van Slaine had given him as a gift, but that was still out of reach.

 

Seo Woojin, holding a standard-issue sword, gritted his teeth and took the lead with Irene.

 

‘Become experience points!’

 

* * *

 

The might of the soldiers was incredible.

 

Individually, they might be weak, but when hundreds gathered to form an army, their fighting spirit was comparable to the Blue Shield Knights.

 

“Units 300 and 400, to the left! Units 200 and 600, to the right! The rest, follow behind me!”

 

Considering the number and condition of the soldiers, Irene divided them and formed a formation.

 

‘Impressive.’

 

He hadn’t known because he hadn’t seen it before, but Irene’s military command ability was quite outstanding.

 

In that brief moment, she assessed the situation of the soldiers and formed a formation.

 

Beside her, Seo Woojin, seeing the same thing, couldn’t even think about such matters.

 

‘A knight is a knight.’

 

He only knew that she was strong, forgetting the fact that she was one of the commanders.

 

But what was surprising wasn’t just Irene.

 

No, rather, the movements of the soldiers were even more astonishing.

 

They moved as if they were one body, seamlessly coordinated.

 

“Wow…”

 

The charge of the soldiers right next to him was so impressive that it sent shivers down Seo Woojin’s chest.

 

“It’s like a 4D movie.”

 

It was a natural thought since he was directly participating.

 

The soldiers moved according to her will, as if they were Eileen’s limbs.

 

“Initiate the attack!”

 

In an instant, the soldiers surrounding the Ice Bug began to move.

 

The sight of hundreds of soldiers simultaneously charging at a giant monster was breathtaking.

 

Despite falling behind, Seo Woojin rushed forward ahead of everyone else.

 

Swish!

 

However, he was not the first to succeed in the attack.

 

The scar was too large to be caused by just a single sword.

 

It was Irene’s sword.

 

Swoosh!

 

The Ice Bug twitched.

 

Seo Woojin and the soldiers also momentarily paused at the sight.

 

Fortunately, the Ice Bug didn’t move any further.

 

“Kill it!”

 

“The damn Ice Bug! Don’t let go of your swords!”

 

Soldiers, reassured by the fact that the Ice Bug wasn’t attacking, stabbed their swords and spears in a spirited manner.

 

How many soldiers had died at the hands of these creatures over the years?

 

Unable to even retrieve the bodies, they were desperate to avenge their fallen comrades, so they diligently wielded their weapons.

 

“It works. This is working!”

 

Seo Woojin also swung his sword vigorously, convinced.

 

The Ice Bug remained motionless.

 

For some reason, despite hundreds of people mercilessly hacking away at their bodies, they showed no signs of change.

 

If time continued to pass like this, the Ice Bug would become torn rags.

 

Seo Woojin wore an expression of joy.

 

He wasn’t hunting alone, so he wouldn’t be able to steal experience points, but where was this?

 

Thinking that he might be able to raise a few levels at once, Seo Woojin focused his attacks more and more.

 

Unaware that the Ice Bug was silently observing him…

 

* * *

 

“Hoo-“

 

Van Slaine caught his breath.

 

“Are you okay?”

 

Testeron, who approached him, asked with a concerned tone.

 

“I’m fine.”

 

The battle was fierce.

 

Unlike the one who died after being cut in half with a single sword, he was so clever that even Van Slaine had a hard time.

 

“What about the knights?”

 

“…Three of them perished.”

 

At Testeron’s heavy report, Van Slaine closed his eyes.

 

He had tried his best to protect the knights.

 

But the enemies were relentless in targeting the knights, and as a result, Van Slaine was exhausted to the point of being drained.

 

Nevertheless, casualties occurred.

 

“I apologize.”

 

“What do you have to apologize for? It’s my fault.”

 

He seemed a bit arrogant.

 

He thought he could hunt down creatures like the Ice Bug anytime after reconstructing his body…

 

“Handle the bodies of the fallen.”

 

“Yes, sir.”

 

Testeron saluted respectfully and turned to carry out the orders.

 

‘Revenge is over.’

 

The creature that had devoured his knights and soldiers lay in ten pieces on the cold ground.

 

It was possible because of the help of the knights.

 

“Now, this won’t happen again… Huh?”

 

Van Slaine, who was looking at the ice bug that had turned into a piece of meat, paused and turned his head.

 

Then he frowned.

 

“Irene!”