The Genius Archer Who Became a One-Man Army

Chapter 19

“Everyone, gather around.”

Lian’s expression was more serious than ever as he gathered his squad.

As he spread a map on the ground, the squad members looked at him with tense faces.

“First of all… I owe you an apology.”

“Apology?”

“What do you mean, sir?”

“We’re heading to the Isis River right now. Given the current time…”

Lian pulled out a pocket watch hanging from his waist.

Brant’s eyes widened as he saw the watch.

“You have a watch?”

“That must be very expensive…”

Although it was an old watch, the squad members couldn’t hide their surprise, as watches were quite valuable.

Lian, unperturbed, continued speaking to the squad.

“The main unit will depart in six hours. If we move with the main unit, it will take about two days to reach the Isis River.”

That was even if they minimized rest periods and moved quickly. However, moving three hundred men at once wasn’t easy.

The paths they could take were limited.

“So, we’ll take a different route and head to the Isis River as quickly as possible.”

Lian pointed to the map on the ground.

Unlike the main unit’s route, theirs was almost a straight line.

“But that route goes over the mountains.”

“Wouldn’t it be faster to go around? The distance is longer, but we don’t know the exact terrain of the mountains.”

Isaac’s opinion made others nod in agreement. The actual terrain could be different from what the map showed.

Lian shook his head.

“The terrain is a bit rough, but the slopes aren’t too steep. It’s not as steep as the Pellon Gorge.”

“Uh… we went straight through last time, so we don’t really know how steep the Pellon Gorge is, sir.”

“But we haven’t been slacking in our training, right? We can do this.”

“Yes, but why are we leaving ahead of the main unit?”

Ah, the urgency had made him forget to explain something important.

Lian quickly explained the situation in response to Kyle’s question.

“We’re crossing the Isis River.”

“How are we supposed to cross it? They said we can’t use boats…”

“Is there really a path?”

Lian nodded at Isaac’s question.

“That’s what we’re going to find out. We leave immediately, so pack up. We need to reach the Isis River within 30 hours.”

“…Oh my God.”

“A two-day journey in 30 hours… Ha ha…”

Everyone couldn’t hide their shock.

But they quickly began to prepare their gear.

To move faster, they packed only the essentials.

“We can replenish our water from the mountains, so just bring one canteen. I’ll also get beef jerky meant for the officers, so pack that.”

“Wow, special operations mean good supplies.”

“The entire company is relying on our mission.”

If they could cross the Isis River, it would cut their travel time by two days compared to the original plan.

‘Though the captain didn’t say it… this mission is a race against time. We must reduce our travel time.’

Lian had already guessed what special mission Eagle Company was tasked with.

It was obvious.

The sudden assignment of a special mission to Eagle Company and the situation of needing to ambush in the plains behind Saleron, instead of going to the fortress, made it clear.

‘We need to complete the ambush before the invaders arrive.’

If they failed, Eagle Company would be slaughtered in the open fields by the invaders.

‘This could be an opportunity…’

Of course, the situation was not favorable for Eagle Company.

They could be seen as pawns discarded in the kingdom’s power struggle.

But one thing was certain: before being discarded, they had a chance to choose their actions.

‘If we achieve merit in this situation…’

The merit gained would be incomparable to any earned under normal circumstances.

“Are we ready?”

“Yes!”

“We can depart immediately.”

Though anxiety pounded in their chests, they ignored it.

There was no room for other thoughts now.

As they stepped out of the barracks, Tyler was waiting for them.

He handed Lian a bottle filled with a red liquid.

“The captain gave this.”

“This is…?”

“It’s a low-grade healing potion.”

My God.

Lian couldn’t hide his surprise.

While healing potions existed, they were not something soldiers like him could typically use.

“It’s not enough for all the squad members, but it will surely help.”

Healing potions not only helped heal wounds but were also excellent for restoring stamina.

Lian carefully received the healing potion.

“I will repay this with good news.”

“Good luck.”

The conversation ended there.

Lian immediately set out with his squad.

The bright moonlight was a good omen, but their expressions were more resolute than ever.

* * *

At this time, Saleron was busier than ever.

A tension blanketed the entire fortress.

Despite the hectic repairs on the walls, there was no sense of assurance.

“Dig deeper over there!”

“I told you we should have dug when it was a bit warmer!”

To prevent the enemy from breaching the fortress, they had to dig and create obstacles around the outer perimeter of Saleron.

This was essential to stop the enemy from scaling the walls.

But in this cold, the ground was so hard that even using pickaxes, it was difficult to dig.

The commoners working with pickaxes grumbled with all sorts of grimaces.

Blood flowed from the hands gripping the pickaxes, but they couldn’t rest because of the soldiers overseeing them.

Meanwhile,

“What kind of support is this!”

Baron Viertal, who governed Saleron, couldn’t contain his anger.

“Only a thousand men. Do they not understand Saleron’s importance to the kingdom?”

Saleron was not exactly a stronghold blocking the invaders from the north, but it played a crucial role in linking the northern strongholds. However, this also meant that every winter, Saleron had to withstand invasions from the northern tribes.

If Saleron were to fall, the supply lines to two major battlefronts against the invaders would be severely disrupted.

Despite this critical role, the level of support received was minimal…

‘Are they using Saleron as a pawn in their political games?’

Even the current king, bedridden and embroiled in power struggles, did not meddle with the northern front. If the northern tribes started penetrating the kingdom, the damage would be beyond mere numbers.

But now…

“My lord, you must send another letter to the kingdom requesting additional support. How can they send only a thousand men to Saleron?”

“I have already sent five letters. This is the response we received.”

He had just received a letter stating that over two thousand invaders were five days away from Saleron. They could be even closer now.

“This time… it might really be dangerous.”

Baron Viertal muttered under his breath. He regretted not getting involved in the messy politics. Living an upright life was not everything.

“Focus on the fortifications around the outer perimeter. It’s crucial to hold out as long as possible.”

Given the season, the invaders’ attacks were as fierce as wild beasts. Desperate for food, they poured everything into their assaults, like a blaze burning just before the fuel runs out.

In a prolonged siege, they would have the advantage. But Baron Viertal’s eyes, as he looked outside, were filled with unprecedented anxiety.

* * *

Rustle! Rustle!

With every step, the sound of grass brushing against their legs was accompanied by harsh breathing.

“Huff… Huff…”

The path wasn’t steep enough to be impassable, but they had been climbing the mountain trail for over an hour.

Lian stopped and looked at his trailing squad.

“Rest here for 10 minutes. Then we move out immediately.”

“Ugh! Kyle is dying!”

“Huff… Huff… Huff…”

Like Kyle, who collapsed onto the ground, the other squad members sat down heavily.

Despite the situation, seeing Lian unfold a map and check their location made them shake their heads in amazement.

‘Is he not tired…?’

‘Is he a monster…?’

Their views on Lian varied, but one thing was clear: they all looked at him with awe.

“Hmm…”

Moving quickly was important, but it was equally crucial to stay on the planned route without deviating.

Lian examined the map and the surroundings.

‘One mistake and it’s over.’

They had ample time until the rendezvous, but if they took a wrong turn, it would be over before they could do anything.

“Huff… Huff…”

He tried to calm his breathing and checked the state of his squad.

Everyone looked exhausted, but their eyes were still full of life when they looked at Lian.

“Gather around.”

Lian gestured lightly, pointing at the map.

“It’s tough, but hang in there a bit more. In about three or four hours, there’s a village here. It’s not big, but it should have lodging.”

“We can rest there?”

“We’re lucky. The village is right along our path.”

This meant they could rest comfortably in the village.

Due to the sudden mission, they hadn’t slept for over 40 hours.

After reaching the village, they could eat proper food and sleep for four to five hours before heading out again.

‘It’s not just about reaching the destination, but what we do after that matters.’

Proper distribution of stamina was essential.

They had seen and experienced too many times how reckless attempts led to destruction.

“Can you all manage?”

“If you can, sir, we have no reason not to.”

“I always topped the endurance training.”

Brant grinned, and the others smiled as well.

“This guy, didn’t he puke behind the training camp last time? Anyone saw it?”

“I did. He looked like he was dying? Haha.”

“What are you talking about! I didn’t puke!”

As the atmosphere lightened, Lian stood up.

Simultaneously, the mood became serious again, and the squad members’ expressions hardened.

“We’re moving out.”

With the sun up, they continued over the mountain.

* * *

A gorge overlooking a vast plain below.

On top, two thousand invaders were lined up, led by a man with a long, twisted smile.

“Hehehe, we’ve finally arrived.”

They had endured so many sacrifices to cross this harsh gorge.

Despite the deadly cold and blizzards, they looked down below.

And in the distance, they saw a faint outline of something at the plain’s end.

Their target, Saleron, had finally come into view.

Gallel.

The third warrior of the Demian tribe, which held power in the north.

His ferocity and brutality were so renowned that even the kingdom knew of him.

Gallel turned to his followers.

Their eyes were filled with venom.

With eyes gleaming with madness, as if they could devour a person right then and there, Gallel shouted.

“Just a bit further and we’ll have warm homes and food to fill our bellies.”

Whisk.

He brandished his axe towards the front.

“Leave no one alive. Slaughter and devour them all.”

“Raaaaaaaah—!”

The last barrier towards Saleron.

Their crazed screams pierced through the blizzard and echoed high into the sky.