The Genius Archer Who Became a One-Man Army

Chapter 1

“Aaron, you bastard…”

Despite my objections that this mission wouldn’t work, he got greedy for promotion and got all our men killed.

At least I’m satisfied with saving around thirty of our guys.

“Phew…”

A long breath disperses into the cold air.

Lian glances back at the path he came from. The bleeding is too severe. The enemy soldiers will likely catch up soon.

Thud.

But it doesn’t matter. The wound is too deep anyway.

“I’ll die soon.”

He has crossed many death lines but knows this is the end.

Lian, sitting down, looks at the broken bow in his hand. If only he had discovered it sooner, would his future have changed?

He enlisted at 14, driven by the desire to become a great general. But instead, he spent 16 years barely surviving as a mere spearman.

At 30, an arrow he shot in a fluke led to his belated recognition as an archer. Surprisingly, he had an immense talent for archery. He became a squad leader in just one year and a platoon leader with fifty men the following year.

“If only I had met this bow sooner…”

Would he have gotten closer to becoming a great general?

But it’s all useless thoughts. Now, at the end, he regrets the past. Too many regrets and missed opportunities flash by.

And then, Lian of the 3rd Army of the Artian Kingdom closes his eyes at the age of 34 on a nameless snowy hill.

“Haah!”

With a strange scream, Lian opens his eyes.

“…What?”

The scene before him is both familiar and strange. “Do they still use these old barracks?”

It looks like the old barracks from when he first enlisted. Maybe the afterlife has old barracks like these.

Lian smirks involuntarily. It’s absurd yet amusing that he’s in an army barrack even in death.

But then,

“Hey! What are you doing? Move it!”

A loud, commanding voice makes Lian turn his head. A man with sharp eyes and a stern look glares at him.

“Sergeant Bark…?”

With sharp eyes, thick lips, and a rugged face, Lian immediately recognizes him. But something seems off; he looks different from how Lian remembers him, like a younger Bark.

“Did you die too, Sergeant?”

“You crazy bastard, talking unlucky crap before the sortie!”

Wham!

“Ouch!”

Bark’s kick hits Lian’s chest hard. It even hurts his back. But Lian bites his lip and endures. Bark’s eyebrows twitch.

“This bastard!”

Bark clenches his fist. Given his personality, he’d think Lian is defying him by enduring the kick.

At that moment, someone enters the barrack, shouting.

“What’s going on here?!”

Another familiar face.

“Platoon Leader Derek too…”

What’s happening? This is too strange to be meeting them in death. And his hands…

“These hands without calluses… are they really mine?”

Lian jumps up and runs outside. He looks around and sees a bucket of water.

Looking into the water’s reflection,

“Is this possible…?”

It’s like the return stories in street novels.

Lian pinches his cheek.

“Ouch!”

If it hurts, it’s not a dream or death. Whether it’s the afterlife or a dream doesn’t matter. If given a chance to redo…

Bark grabs Lian’s neck from behind.

“Is this bastard crazy?”

“Sorry, Sergeant Bark. I’ll prepare for sortie immediately.”

Lian, looking back at the furious Bark, says calmly. His confusion settles, and he adapts to the pre-war barrack atmosphere.

“Everything is clear.”

No matter what this situation is, it doesn’t matter.

“I can start over.”

Whether it’s a demon’s trick or a god’s blessing, it doesn’t matter. If he truly returned to the past…

“This time, I will become the true great general.”

Lian’s eyes spark with determination.

“What… what’s this?”

Bark, startled by Lian’s sudden turn, is surprised. Many rookies lose their minds before the first sortie. The usual remedy is a good beating.

But,

“This rookie’s eyes…”

They look like a veteran’s eyes who’s been through everything, something unyielding within them.

Bark clears his throat.

“Keep your head straight! Or you’ll be the first to die!”

“Sorry for the worry! I’ll prepare immediately!”

“G-good!”

Bark nods at the disciplined Lian’s response.

—

Back in the barracks, Lian quickly donned his armor and started packing. The gear given to recruits like them was minimal: a half-breastplate to protect the heart, a leather helmet, greaves, and boots. It was shabby armor, but even this could slightly increase his chances of survival.

He tightly wound the long remaining bootlaces around his ankles and tied them once more. Bark watched Lian’s skillful preparations with awe.

“He seems more adept than me…?”

Moreover, was there even a method for handling bootlaces like that? In battles, boots sometimes came off due to loosened laces. Normally it wouldn’t matter, but in fierce combat, it could mean death. However, the way Lian did it ensured the boot would stay on even if the laces came loose.

Bark glanced sideways at Lian and copied the method of wrapping the laces around his ankles. Lian then approached Bark.

“Sergeant, where are we heading for this sortie?”

“What nonsense. We’re crossing the Elter Plains to reach the Pellon Gorge! I told you before, did you forget?”

“Just as I thought.”

If he truly returned to the past, he would know what would happen next. He couldn’t remember everything due to the passage of time, but the memory of the gruesome event at Pellon Gorge remained clear.

“At the Pellon Gorge, the barbarians were lying in ambush.”

After passing through the Elter Plains, they would reach Pellon Gorge near the village of Roil. Pellon Gorge was a place that required utmost vigilance due to its narrow path and ambush-friendly terrain.

“Yet nothing happened at Pellon Gorge.”

This lack of incident lowered their guard, leading to a massive ambush after passing through. Seventy percent of their forces died, including most recruits and even Platoon Leader Derek, who died fighting to protect his men.

“This time… I will prevent it.”

He would change the tragic history of that defeat.

—

As the sortie time approached, the soldiers began moving busily. Having packed all his belongings, Lian received a spear and stood in the formation outside the barracks.

A total of fifty-one men.

“Squad leaders, report your status.”

“Squad 1, ready.”

“Squad 2, ready.”

“Squad 3, ready.”

“Squad 4, ready.”

“Squad 5, ready! Report complete!”

Each squad had ten men, totaling fifty. Derek nodded at the responses.

“We depart soon. Stay alert and be ready.”

“Yes, sir!”

Their voices were filled with tension. Bark addressed his squad members.

“Don’t dawdle, or you’ll get beaten later. Stay sharp and don’t fall behind in the formation!”

“Yes, sir!”

He then looked at Lian. The recruit seemed strangely composed, which was oddly unsettling. Not irritating, just out of place.

“Hey, you.”

“Yes?”

“Where did you learn to tie your bootlaces like that?”

Lian barely suppressed a smile. He almost laughed out loud.

“You noticed.”

Indeed, it seemed Bark had copied his method.

“I learned it from my father, who was a soldier.”

“Your father was a soldier?”

“Yes, sir. I heard he was a platoon leader in the Buffalo Company.”

“A platoon leader, huh. He must have been a brave soldier. Is he doing well?”

“He passed away when I was 12. But I joined the army wanting to be like my honorable father.”

“I see.”

Bark’s gaze toward Lian changed. The recruit’s responses and demeanor were unusually solid.

“He didn’t seem like this initially…”

Feeling odd but turning back as the sortie order was given, Bark led the way. The Eagle Company was renowned within the 3rd Corps, and Lian had been pleased to be assigned to it. However, a disaster awaited at the entrance to the plains beyond Pellon Gorge.

“About 500 men, I think?”

The Eagle Company had over 300 men, but nearly twice that number of barbarians ambushed them, resulting in a massacre where fewer than a hundred survived.

“I don’t have any particular attachment to the Eagle Company, but I can’t let capable people die needlessly.”

Preventing such a disaster would also earn him significant merit on his first sortie.

“Phew…”

Walking through the Elter Plains, Lian exhaled quietly. They were nearing Pellon Gorge. The officers would likely plan a reconnaissance before entering the gorge. The outcome must be determined there.

“Stop! Halt!”

As expected, the company halted near the end of the Elter Plains. In an open area like the plains, it wouldn’t matter, but caution was necessary in a narrow, ambush-prone area like Pellon Gorge.

“We will send scouts into the gorge first to assess the situation before proceeding. Until then, the soldiers will rest.”

Captain Raymond gathered the platoon leaders. Due to the gorge’s size, a significant number of scouts were needed.

“Each platoon will send five swift soldiers. Ensure the scouts are led by experienced squad leaders.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Understood.”

“Prepare quickly.”

After the meeting, the platoon leaders began selecting scouts from their squads. Derek approached his 3rd platoon and addressed the soldiers.

“We need five scouts from each platoon. Squad Leader Tauran will lead our scouts.”

“Yes, sir!”

Tauran stood, and Lian’s eyes gleamed. This was what he had been waiting for.

“Does anyone consider themselves fast and want to volunteer as a scout?”

“I volunteer!”

Lian raised his hand and stood up. This reconnaissance was more critical than any other mission. Entrusting it to unskilled soldiers would be a disaster.

“I ran 100 meters in 13 seconds. Also, I know Pellon Gorge well.”

“You know Pellon Gorge?”

“Yes, I lived in Roil Village for a long time. Pellon Gorge was my playground!”

A lie, but there was no way they could verify it immediately. Bark’s expression twisted slightly, thinking the naive recruit was showing off.

“Hmm… Very well. Step forward.”

Derek nodded. Volunteers for reconnaissance were rare, usually selected by force. Having one volunteer made it easier.

With no other volunteers, three more veterans from the 3rd platoon were chosen. They were long-serving veterans, making Lian the only rookie among them.

“It feels a bit awkward.”

The senior soldiers’ gazes weren’t welcoming, but Lian found it amusing. He joined the other selected scouts from the six platoons. A total of thirty scouts gathered. Lian scanned them.

“If they had scouted properly, the disaster wouldn’t have happened.”

To be precise, it wasn’t their fault. The reconnaissance covered only Pellon Gorge. The real issue came afterward.

“But this time is different. I will find them.”