The Company Commander has returned

Chapter 23 - Sleeping Beauty in the Forest

"I never imagined I'd be facing monsters here back during the first exam. I still can't believe it."

Kinjo grumbled.

As he said, it was the first exam.

Kinjo and I had followed the path of Group A, and now we were standing on one of those paths.

"I feel the same, but I guess we've got luck on our side."

I knelt down quickly and reached my hand into the ground.

I could feel a thick tree branch.

During the first exam.

Even back then, I had prepared for today.

I thought of nothing but today at every moment.

I pulled out the spear I had hidden here.

"Maggo?"

I dug it out from the earth, roots and all.

"This spear was made by Oscar."

The spear, engulfed in flames, pierced the goblin's head.

It fell dead, still holding an arrow in its bow.

I hurried down the hill.

I had three spears with me.

There were three more archers among the goblins.

The orc leader in the back charged forward like a wild boar.

Its roar made my ears ring.

"Mago! We should've dealt with the big one first..."

"Nothing's more annoying than arrows!"

I threw my second spear.

It struck a goblin archer in the chest.

The goblin grabbed the spear embedded in its torso, stumbled, and fell clumsily.

While I was dealing with that one...

The remaining two archers had already aimed at me.

They'd already pulled their strings.

"Kinjo!"

It wasn't me they aimed at, but Kinjo.

Two arrows shot toward him.

It was already too late for him to dodge.

I had no choice but to leap towards hm.

"Ugh...!"

The two arrow struck my left arm.

"Mago...!"

"Don't worry about me—just run!"

I performed a roll, getting back on my feet in an instant, and threw my third spear.

It pierced the goblin who had shot one of the arrows into my arm.

Then, the last one—fourth spear.

It struck the goblin's forehead.

All four archers were dealt with.

There were sixteen goblins left.

And the persistent orc leader was still charging.

"Kinjo! I'll go down first and take care of things!"

"What?"

"Just don't get caught!"

I sped down the hill faster.

As I descended, I closed my eyes.

The lake, the second one.

I pulled the sword from its scabbard once more.

I thrust the point into the neck of the nearest goblin.

This time, I didn't pull it back out.

I used the dead goblin's body like a shield.

The moment I gained enough momentum to fall forward...

I leapt into the air in one breath.

A brief moment of weightlessness.

"Ha...!"

I landed, knocking two goblins down at once.

They were crushed against the ground.

I was the first to rise.

Quickly, I slit both goblins' throats in one motion.

Dark red blood splattered everywhere.

I easily finished off two more.

Counting quickly, there were thirteen left.

Fortunately, none of them had disappeared.

I dropped the sword and retrieved the bow left behind by the dead goblins.

Now, all that was left was to face them all alone...

"I should be able to do it."

The goblins continued to climb the hill, ignoring me.

I had already taken care of all the archers.

The bow and arrows were all in my control.

If they ignored me and climbed up, they would fall one by one to my arrows.

Everything was going as I had predicted.

"Mago!"

Kinjo shouted at the top of his lungs.

I was on the verge of being surrounded by goblins below and the orc chieftain was coming down from above.

I lowered my head.

My left arm, struck by an arrow, was trembling uncontrollably.

Blood trickled down my fingers.

I clenched my fist to check my condition.

I tried, but it didn't work.

The arm that had already been heavily strained by the orcs was now completely useless.

"Are you just going to ignore me because I can't use my bow?"

The goblins were almost upon Kinjo.

Right behind us stood an orc with a messy necklace.

A bitter laugh escaped my lips.

It was a self-mocking laugh.

I had prepared as if I had everything under control, but in the end, it was just like my past life.

At that moment, the dog tag wrapped around my left hand reflected the sunlight.

I also remembered the same dog tag glittering, stuck in a corner of a wall.

The name of Bell, stuck in the wall of the company commander's office.

I never wanted to see that scene again.

I untied the dog tag wrapped around my left hand.

I exhaled deeply to steady myself.

"Still…"

It would hurt.

It would hurt like hell, but I had no choice.

I pressed my left hand's fingers like I was trying to crumple them.

I forced my left hand to grip the bow.

I clenched my teeth and held back a scream.

"Not enough yet."

Pulling the bowstring, I knew I wouldn't be able to endure the tension.

I wrapped the dog tag around my left hand again.

I tied it tightly, so tight that I couldn't let go even if I wanted to.

I picked up the arrow that had fallen on the ground.

Quickly, I pulled the bowstring back.

I shot the arrow and pierced the goblin's skull from a distance.

The goblin, weakened by the arrow, dropped his axe.

The crude axe and the goblin slid down the hill.

A line of blood spurted out like a stroke of a brush.

"Kinjo, I'll clear the way...!"

I nocked another arrow and stepped back.

I turned around in reverse order, dealing with the goblin archers.

I planned to recover my arrows while moving.

I nocked the next arrow.

I stretched my right shoulder as far back as possible.

I held my breath.

This time, the arrow lodged perfectly in the goblin's thigh.

The goblin stumbled, losing his footing and fell down.

As he slid down, he struck his head on a rock and died.

"Eleven left."

In the meantime, the chieftain swung his axe.

Kinjo drew his sword and blocked it.

Just this once.

I felt lucky.

I could sense that he had barely survived.

With his skill, 30 seconds would be a miracle.

I aimed at the chieftain's eyes.

The taut bowstring shot the arrow.

But the orc used his axe like a shield, deflecting the arrow.

He lowered his gaze and looked at me.

I fired another shot, trying to keep his attention on me.

This time, as if to mock me, he deflected it even faster.

As I tried to hit him with the arrow, he deflected every single one.

And when I considered going up with my sword, I would have to cut through the goblins positioned in front of me.

"Either way, it will take time."

The chieftain constantly aimed for Kinjo's neck.

It wouldn't be long before his arm broke from the strain of blocking the orc chieftain.

The world went dark.

With my eyes closed, there was nothing.

I slowly opened my eyes.

The lost colors returned.

I saw green goblins climbing the hill.

The orc chieftain's necklace made of beast's white tusks and horns caught my eye.

And then, his bright red hair stood out.

"Down!"

At that moment, Kinjo flattened himself to the ground.

Bell's sword clashed with the orc chieftain's axe.

The chieftain seemed to immediately recognize Bell.

"Grrr…"

"Yeah, it's been a while… hasn't it?"

Bell started attacking the chieftain.

"Kinjo! Get down here quickly!"

Kinjo nodded and rolled down the hill.

What followed was a loud noise.

The orc chieftain roared.

It was a command to the other monsters.

I was the only one who could understand his language.

The language I had picked up over eight years, through encounters with these beasts.

"Kinjo, now it begins."

"What? What was all that up to now?"

"He's called the entire army here. We're going to settle this."

"Huh?"

"I guess the chieftain recognized me."

"Are you happy about that now?"

"Yeah. He never cared about me before. The chances of my comrades dying just dropped dramatically."

"But now, we've taken their place."

"Either way, if we lose here, we're all dead."

Just as expected, the sound of horns echoed.

From all directions.

The footsteps of goblins and orcs advanced in unison.

Left foot, left foot, left foot.

All footsteps were converging here.

Two arrows were lodged in my left arm.

I roughly twisted them out and gripped my sword.

***

"Why are they suddenly ignoring us...?"

Amon said, his expression confused.

It was after all the monsters had turned their backs on the assassination squad.

Just after the sound of the horn had blared repeatedly.

"Chase them! If we let them them go up higher, the defense squad will all be killed!"

Amon shouted loudly, giving orders.

But the monsters didn't even acknowledge the attack squad.

"Grab their pant legs! Shoot arrows!"

At that moment, Amon, who had been shouting constantly, seemed annoyed.

An orc, armed with a bow, aimed at Amon.

The sudden change in stance caused Amon to react too slowly.

The arrow pierced his chest.

He collapsed without even letting out a scream.

"Amon...!"

Louis, who had been beside him, ran over in panic.

Blood spurted from Amon's mouth.

"Amon, Amon! Stay with me...!"

"Louis. How could I not stay conscious when your face is this close... I knew you were pretty, but seeing you up close is... surprisingly amazing..."

"Now is not the time for jokes."

"I let myself get hit on purpose."

"This is not the time for bravado!"

Amon pulled the arrow out of his chest.

Bright red blood surged, flowing with it.

"Amon, the blood..."

"There's a lot. I know, it's ugly."

"Ugly...?"

Amon placed one hand on his knee and stood up.

"Fighting while spilling blood is the most disgusting thing. That berserker look has no place among the aristocracy or noble families."

He slit his palm with his sword.

He wiped the blade, as if cleaning it with a cloth.

He pressed the sword against his skin without hesitation.

"I hated the idea of using it, but..."

He began murmuring in a soft voice.

His fading eyes regained some life.

"Blood is the price."

His dark blue uniform, soaked in blood, turned almost black.

He bled steadily, looking upwards.

"The price from the devil."

He muttered these incomprehensible words like an incantation.

Louis, watching from a distance, muttered to herself.

'Is this a ritual from the Coster family...? It's so cruel that I can't even recognize friend from foe. My own hands and feet are trembling...'

"The altar is here."

The blood scattered across the ground began to rise.

It seemed as if it had a will of its own, lifting itself.

"Blood for blood."

As Amon finished his chant,

The solidified blood poured out in the shape of a sword.

***

Bell distanced herself from the orc chief.

In the meantime, she took out her water bottle and took a sip.

"Spit..."

She immediately spat it out after swallowing.

"Mago!"

She called out to me irritably.

"This is alcohol!"

"Is it? I didn't know..."

I responded, cutting off the neck of a goblin.

"Bell, be careful!"

Kinjo called out with a worried voice.

"I will. If I don't take care, it would be rude."

Meanwhile, the orc chief kept shouting at Bell.

He yelled loudly, as if addressing her personally.

"Oh, yeah, yeah. I missed you. I feel the same way."

"Bell. Can you understand the orc language?"

Kinjo's question was ignored as Bell continued conversing with the orc chief.

"But now we're enemies, huh? Yeah, that's right. I'm wearing a uniform now. From the beginning, you were a monster and an enemy to me. Only now, did you just see me as your enemy."

The chief continued to growl.

"Yeah, well. I guess you'll have to kill me. I'm okay with that. It's for the best."

Bell got into her stance.

"Can you really understand orcs?"

"No. Of course not."

"Huh?"

"I'm just saying what I want to say. I have a lot to say to this bastard."

Bell gripped the hilt of her sword with both hands.

She raised both arms, pulling them back over her left shoulder.

She exhaled, as if she had nothing more to say.