NOVEL WEB Chapter 498
Chapter 498: I Will Do My Best (3)
Baron Share was trembling, biting his nails.
In reality, others had no thoughts and did not suspect Ghislaine. They merely thought a capable soldier with considerable experience had joined.
But as one involved in the conspiracy, Baron Share couldn’t think so easily.
“Couldn’t you just stay quiet? Why work so hard?”
The main character couldn’t help but feel anxious, even if others were oblivious. Count Penris could escape if caught, but he couldn’t.
“If I’m caught, I’m the only one who’ll die!”
As if to mock Baron Share’s worries, Dugly Squad was enthusiastically charging forward.
Puh-uhk! Puh-uhk! Puh-uhk!
“Push harder!”
At Ghislaine’s shout, the squad members gritted their teeth and swung their clubs.
What they were enduring was nothing compared to the fear of punishment if they lost.
So they advanced with a determination to die today if necessary.
“Wow! Let’s catch up quickly!”
Thanks to Dugly Squad’s efforts, other soldiers also eagerly infiltrated the enemy lines.
The 5th Infantry Division’s formation had completely collapsed in the middle.
They were flustered by the unexpected situation. It was their first experience like this, and they didn’t know what to do.
Even the commander of the 5th Infantry Division was just shouting.
“Stop them! Stop them! Get back together!”
It’s easy to say, but it wasn’t as simple as it sounded. Even when the soldiers tried to regroup, the raucous Dugly Squad in the middle was an obstacle.
Whenever the soldiers of the 5th Infantry Division charged in, they were struck down by clubs. As they focused on that, they couldn’t stop the other soldiers pushing from the back.
“Yay! We are winning!”
“Push harder! Push harder!”
As someone shouted, other soldiers also rallied with more vigor. Once they gained momentum, everyone was busily excitedly charging forward.
Seeing this scene, the commander of the 3rd Infantry Division let out a joyful laugh.
“We’re going to win! We are winning!”
Just a little more, and they would emerge victorious. The formation had been broken in half; the fight was already over. The observers would think so too.
The commander of the 3rd Infantry Division shouted at Baron Share.
“How about that! Those guys are my subordinates! We are winning!”
“…Y-yeah.”
Unlike the excited commander pointing at Ghislaine, Baron Share was sweating coldly.
“Please stop, you crazy fool…”
Why was he causing such a ruckus after coming this far? He looked incredibly excited.
In fact, Ghislaine was indeed thrilled.
“Come on! Just a bit more effort!”
He sealed his mana and even suppressed his recovery. With each movement, his body ached, and sweat poured down.
This kind of training, pushing himself to the limit, was always enjoyable.
Puh-uhk! Puh-uhk! Puh-uhk!
The members following behind were in agony but somehow felt energized. They were experiencing the momentum of battle for the first time.
For those who always fled and faced defeat, it was a refreshing experience.
Others felt the same energy. They were finally overpowering the enemy for the first time, which was natural.
“Let’s give it more strength!”
“Wow!”
Puh-uhk! Puh-uhk! Puh-uhk!
The formation of the 5th Infantry Division now split and completely broke down. The infiltrating members of the 3rd Infantry Division swung their clubs fiercely every time the enemy approached.
Eventually, Dugly Squad completely pierced through the enemy formation and rushed toward the designated position.
The commander of the 5th Infantry Division turned pale and shouted.
“Stop them! Stop them! Catch them!”
It was the 3rd Infantry Division, known for being perpetually last. Losing to these guys would be a lifelong disgrace.
But even with the momentum gone, and their formation completely ruined, the 5th Infantry Division couldn’t stop Dugly Squad.
As they tried to catch up, they were busy getting beaten down by the soldiers following behind.
Ghislaine climbed the hill and shouted loudly.
“Now defend it!”
Since their goal was to capture the hill, just climbing up didn’t mean training was over. They had to fend off the enemy’s counterattacks as well.
There was a clear difference between firmly suppressing the enemy and just looking for a chance to capture and hold.
Before the commander of the 3rd Infantry Division could even give orders, Ghislaine instinctively issued commands.
However, the excited commander was oblivious to that.
“Wow! They’re doing great all on their own, just like we trained!”
That was all he thought.
Following Ghislaine’s orders, the soldiers who broke through the enemy lines switched to a defensive position.
The soldiers of the 5th Infantry Division attempted to retake the hill by any means, but it was impossible.
The differences in morale and momentum were simply too significant. Everyone was tired and had no strength left to continue.
The 5th Infantry Division only saw more and more of their soldiers collapse after rashly charging in.
The observers and judges, who had quietly watched the training, spoke to one another.
“I don’t think we need to see any more.”
“This victory goes to the 3rd Infantry Division.”
“I will conclude the evaluation now.”
With the news delivered, the commander of the 5th Infantry Division looked as if the sky was falling.
The members of the 3rd Infantry Division threw down their clubs, shouting.
“We won!”
“We actually won!”
“Dugly Squad is the best!”
The soldiers, who had won a tactical evaluation for the first time, looked overjoyed. The commander of the 3rd Infantry Division also had tears in his eyes.
Thanks to Dugly Squad, they finally achieved that long-desired victory in military service.
“I-I won! Finally won! This is my first win!”
Overjoyed, he grabbed Baron Share’s hand enthusiastically.
“That guy you recommended really is something! You said you knew him from your hometown, right?”
“Y-yes, yes, yes.”
“Thank you! It’s all thanks to you, Secretary!”
“C-Congratulations.”
Seeing Baron Share trembling with a pale face, the commander of the 3rd Infantry Division tilted his head.
“Why are you like this?”
“I-I have a cold…”
“Oh no! You have to take care of yourself. Hurry and go in. I’ll send you some good medicine.”
“I-I understand. I’ll be going then.”
“Yes! Take care!”
Baron Share staggered as he turned away. He felt as if his heart would explode; he wished Count Penris would behave himself from now on.
But Ghislaine had no intention of granting that wish. His goal was to be number one.
Similar scenes unfolded in battles with other divisions.
“Charge!”
At the shout of the commander of the 3rd Infantry Division, the soldiers rushed forward. His tactic was solely to charge.
However, together with Ghislaine, it began to exhibit tremendous synergy.
Puh-uhk! Puh-uhk! Puh-uhk!
“Uagh! What are these guys!”
When Dugly Squad led the charge, no one could withstand them and they fell. The infantry here couldn’t stop Dugly Squad, who had gone through hellish training against Ghislaine.
No one could block the absurd charging tactics of the 3rd Infantry Division.
The same was true when it was their turn to defend. Whenever one part was breached, Dugly Squad would rush in and trample everything.
The 3rd Infantry Division began to overcome every opponent it met with their charge, gaining momentum.
Each time this happened, Dugly Squad’s reputation only grew.
“Dugly! Dugly!”
“Dugly Squad is the strongest!”
“We will win!”
The morale of the 3rd Infantry Division reached its peak. While winning consecutively was great, they also enjoyed meat and alcohol every time they achieved victory.
With a nostalgic expression, the commander of the 3rd Infantry Division muttered.
“I can’t believe we made it this far…”
He had only thought they needed to win once, but they had won all of them. Now, if they could win just one more division, they’d finish the evaluation in first place.
Could the perennial last-place team truly end up in first? He suddenly felt anxious.
“My talent… is frightening.”
He was firmly mistaken. He thought his talent had finally blossomed.
He even entertained the happy thought that he might rise to the position of Corps Commander later.
Ghislaine, who ignited that happy thought, had become the hero of the 3rd Infantry Division.
With his hands on his hips, Ghislaine shouted to the soldiers behind him.
“Are you ready!”
“Yes!”
If they could win today, they’d claim first place. Everyone responded enthusiastically.
He wasn’t even their superior, yet he somehow managed to command them all. Of course, there was a secret behind it—fighting during their celebration meals.
Everyone felt fidgety and waved their arms. After a string of victories, they were overflowing with confidence.
Soon, the solemn command of the commander of the 3rd Infantry Division fell.
“Charge!”
“Waaah!”
With Ghislaine at the forefront, everyone dashed out.
Against that fierce momentum, the opposing 9th Infantry Division was tense, gritting their teeth. They couldn’t lose to these perennial last-placers of the 2nd Corps.
The commander of the 9th Infantry Division was just as desperate for victory.
“Absolutely do not let them through! Block! We must hold!”
The commander of the 3rd Infantry Division was seen as a nobody by the other divisional commanders. He was just a rural country bumpkin who had obtained his position by bringing money.
Yet, it was hard to accept that such an individual had completely shattered them.
“Stop them!”
Puh-uhk!
The commander of the 9th Infantry Division screamed like a shriek, but it was useless. As Ghislaine tripped a soldier and swung his club, the front line was immediately pierced.
“Waaah!”
Through that gap, soldiers from the 3rd Infantry Division flooded in.
They all knew the usual patterns, yet they couldn’t stop them. Their skill was maddening.
In the end, Dugly Squad broke through the 9th Infantry Division’s wall with a crazy breakthrough.
A defensive formation collapses once it’s breached at the center. From then on, enemy soldiers pour in endlessly through the gap.
Victor, following behind Ghislaine, laughed loudly with a flushed face.
“Puhahaha! We are the strongest!”
Hearing that, the other soldiers cheered back loudly.
“Waaah! We are the strongest!”
This momentum was unstoppable. The 9th Infantry Division was quickly overwhelmed by the soldiers of the 3rd Infantry Division, who charged in like madmen.
The formation of the 9th Infantry Division shattered as soldiers flooded in through the gap Ghislaine had created.
The commander of the 9th Infantry Division muttered with a dazed expression.
“Wh-what is this… Why is it so painfully easy to lose?”
Typically, in situations like this, one would quickly reposition the soldiers to reform a solid formation.
However, he lacked the capability for that, and his soldiers had not received enough training.
Ultimately, the lead Dugly Squad successfully took the hill. The observers nodded in approval.
“We don’t need to see any more.”
“It’s always impressive. Especially that ‘Dugly Squad’.”
“The commander trained them really well.”
The other soldiers merely rode on the momentum provided by Dugly Squad. But with the results emerging so quickly, it made the entire division’s training look exceptional.
All evaluations concluded. The soldiers who captured the hill rejoiced loudly.
“Yaaah!”
“We won again!”
“An undefeated division!”
Of course, everyone knew who was responsible. They all looked at Ghislaine.
A soldier brought the flag of the 3rd Infantry Division and handed it to Ghislaine.
Ghislaine naturally accepted it and planted it on the hill, shouting.
“We have won! We are in first place!”
“Waaah!”
The roar echoed as if the sky was splitting apart.
To think that they, the perennial last-place team, achieved first place! All thanks to Dugly Squad.
“Dugly Squad is the best!”
“Dugly! Dugly! Dugly!”
The soldiers, endlessly chanting Dugly’s name, began to lift Ghislaine in celebration.
Ghislaine smiled as he was hoisted by the soldiers.
“Hahaha!”
After all, the army he led had to win. The joy of combat and the thrill of victory…
“Wait! Why am I so happy right now?!”
Ghislaine suddenly snapped back to reality. Honestly, war games were fun, but he had gotten too carried away.
It had been a while since he directly led the lower-ranked soldiers. There was a different flavor in nurturing soldiers compared to raising knights.
“Eh, well… since the place and date haven’t been set yet, this much should be okay.”
If he was going to have to wait anyway, it would be better to enjoy it while waiting, right?
Ghislaine thought of it casually.
The soldiers of the 3rd Infantry Division, who finished in first place in the tactical evaluation, received enormous rewards.
They were all given bonuses, and there was plenty of alcohol and meat distributed.
The commander of the 3rd Infantry Division dug into his own pockets to share even more alcohol and meat.
“Eat up! Eat up! Don’t stop eating with the spirit of charging forward! Dugly Squad, eat even more!”
He was so happy. No one would be able to look down on him anymore. So he generously rewarded Dugly Squad as a grand gesture.
With food distribution being messy, the soldiers who had been starving happily indulged in alcohol and meat.
“Wahahaha! This is all thanks to Captain Dugly.”
“Good at fighting and charging!”
“Dugly Squad members have become incredibly strong, you know?”
Victor and the other squad members beamed proudly at everyone’s praise. They had never received such recognition or achieved such success before.
“Wow, training was really tough back then.”
“This is the reason we work hard.”
“Feels great! I want to keep being cheered on!”
“Captain Dugly is the best! The best!”
They had discovered the joy of combat and victory.
While they all joyfully enjoyed their celebration, a soldier approached Ghislaine.
“Captain Dugly, the Royal Secretary has come to see you.”
“Oh, really?”
As Ghislaine rose from his spot among the soldiers, laughing and chatting, it seemed some news had arrived.
Baron Share met Ghislaine in the commander’s office, his face pale.
“What’s going on? Why are you like this? Are we all going to die together now?’
“…”
“No, why are you making a name for yourself! Why are you so excited! The rumors have spread everywhere!”
Of course, news about a mere soldier wouldn’t reach the Royal Castle or high-ranking nobles. However, it had spread well among nearby troops.
Ghislaine averted his eyes slightly and said, “I just… got a little bored…”
“Bored enough to come in first?”
“…”
“Baron, could you please just stay quiet? Please. I don’t want to die. You aren’t part of the Kingdom Army.”
“…”
Baron Share continued, almost tearing up.
“Do you know how the rumor about you started? They say you’re imitating Count Penris. It’s the real Count Penris!”
It seemed that pushing the soldiers like that with discussions of combat power had backfired a bit. Ghislaine nodded and changed the subject.
“Now that we’ve come in first, let’s tone it down a bit. So, what brings you here?”
At those words, Baron Share looked around. He was trying to use the excuse that he’d come to praise the performance of the person he recommended, but that wasn’t the real reason.
His admonition to tone it down was just a side note.
Baron Share lowered his voice and whispered, “The place and date have been decided.”