After wearing the clothes of those who had entered through the city gates, Enkrid immediately set off outside.
"Hey, where are you going?" shouted a soldier who had been helping guide the residents on the city wall. Enkrid lifted the old wide-brimmed hat that covered his head. As he did, his eyes became visible, and he came face-to-face with the soldier who had called out.
His blue, clear eyes, the nose, and lips beneath them—recognizing him wasn't difficult.
"Just a walk."
"Captain Enkrid?"
It was rare for anyone in the city not to recognize Enkrid's face recently.
"Shh."
Enkrid put a finger to his lips as a signal to be quiet, then stepped outside.
He had left Krais behind. The guy was useless in a full-scale battle, after all.
Unlike the residents streaming in, Enkrid stood out as he went in the opposite direction.
It felt like swimming against the current, like a fish heading upstream.
He didn't mind.
What did it matter if his allies saw him?
What mattered was that the enemy didn't spot him. It was still early enough that he wouldn't be within the enemy's reconnaissance range. That was why it was a perfect time to slip out and hide.
"Let's go."
Enkrid said and started running.
"An ambush?" asked Finn, who had stuck close to him.
"Yeah."
Finn didn't ask anything further. She didn't question the meaning of an ambush with fewer than ten people.
She understood.
She had learned a lot from hanging out with Audin.
The Mad Squad was made up entirely of monsters.
And that included Enkrid.
***
The Watcher on the Wall
Marcus, stroking his beard atop the city wall gallery, was asked by his adjutant, who had come with him from the kingdom:
"Do you think it will be okay?"
He didn't doubt Enkrid's strength. He trusted him. But still, it was clear that it looked precarious on the surface. So, it made sense that they had prepared a backup plan.
"I don't know."
"Then why are you smiling?"
The adjutant could not read any worry or concern in Marcus's expression, which was strange to him. He had never seen Marcus this passionate, nor had he ever seen him smile like this.
"Well, maybe we'll see something great."
Whenever Marcus discovered his favorite tea leaves, and won them at an auction, he would show such a smile.
It was the smile of someone who had found something precious and was now enjoying it.
"I don't know, but it'll probably be fun."
He wasn't someone who found fun in battles. Yet, his words suggested there was a reason behind them.
The adjutant realized that Marcus's expectations for Captain Enkrid weren't just high—they were unusually so. It almost seemed like he was enjoying it.
"The unmarked forces are probably from the Baron Bentra's domain. They could have sent people from Count Molsan's side as well."
The adjutant said.
Molsan was known as a collector of talented people. He had many skilled individuals under his command.
This was also what Marcus had expected. The unmarked forces had likely concealed their insignia to avoid open support.
It was just like Molsan, to want to slice off a piece of the Border Guard's territory, he wasn't the type to pass up such an opportunity.
It was a troublesome matter, and a big wild dog had jumped into the fray.
And Molsan was a sneaky character who could do anything.
Marcus wasn't too concerned with matters outside his reach. He couldn't ask for help from the center anyway, and if this was a gamble, it made sense to put everything on the one card he trusted.
He didn't even think of it as a gamble, to be honest.
"But why hasn't the independent squad leader come up?" Marcus asked.
At the point when all the commanders were supposed to gather on the gallery, only Enkrid had yet to arrive.
"Over there."
The adjutant, sharp-eyed, pointed to the outer city wall.
Below the wall, residents who had been engaged in agriculture or other side jobs were entering the city. And among them, some were heading in the opposite direction.
No matter how much they tried to hide, it was hard to conceal Audin's size.
Of course, the fairy squad leader recognized Enkrid.
"He's heading out."
Marcus hadn't issued any commands yet. He had only granted authority.
"…Hah."
Marcus let out a small sigh of admiration. He could roughly guess what Enkrid was planning.
And if it worked, the enemy's heads would be in a mess from the start.
A smile inevitably spread across his face.
***
The Commander of Martai's Forces
Martai's commander was named Olf.
He preferred to be called General, and he had earned that title. He was skilled in personal combat and had also built a solid reputation as a commander.
Even his adjutants called him General.
The overseer of the Border Guard had the nickname of Colonel, while Martai's overseer had the nickname of General.
Well, it didn't matter what they called each other.
"General, we're ready."
"The mangonels?"
"Eight in total. No issues with the doors."
The mangonel was a type of siege weapon that could hurl stones, requiring six strong men to operate. It was mobile and didn't need to be set up.
While less powerful than a trebuchet, it was much easier to operate.
Since it had wheels, it could be classified as a mobile siege weapon.
A trebuchet, on the other hand, needed to be set up.
Olf thought that eight mangonels would be more than enough.
And there were unmarked forces as support.
The commander of these forces approached.
"I don't think we need to drag this out."
He didn't know the name or face of the other commander. The man had messy brown eyes and a poorly groomed mustache.
He looked to be in his early thirties.
The enemy showed some courtesy, but it didn't seem like they respected Olf.
Well, someone with confidence would have come here.
Olf didn't mind.
He was one of the commanders of the Bentra Barony. Although he didn't seem particularly interested in commanding, that wasn't Olf's concern.
It was more beneficial to focus on the battlefield rather than worrying about such trivial matters.
It was better to assess the enemy's strength than waste time on petty thoughts.
Olf had been paying attention to the individuals who had performed well in the previous battles.
Thankfully, the Bentra Barony had two commanders.
At least one of them was someone he could talk to.
In fact, the command of the troops was mostly handled by this commander.
The second commander had spoken.
"Enkrid? Oh, that guy? Half of his reputation is just hot air. He's always bragging about ridiculous accomplishments. When I meet him on the battlefield, I plan to put a hole through his throat."
The pointed Estrek hanging from his waist seemed to emphasize that statement.
Olf nodded in agreement.
After all, they were fighting together.
However, there was something peculiar about the situation.
The first commander, who had a bored expression, simply trailed behind and often muttered for them to hurry up.
"Whatever."
Victory was already assured in this battle, and he was the main player.
Once the Border Guard was swallowed up, this area would become the new foothold in the East.
A grand dream soared through the sky.
Just then, the light rain began to fall.
It was rain from a clear sky.
A prank of the Summer God.
Olf, still on horseback behind the battlefield, looked ahead.
He could see a few houses outside the Border Guard's city walls.
There was no sign of life from the houses that the residents had abandoned.
The mangonel siege weapons moved along the well-maintained road. Of course, it was a road that cut through the spaces between the houses.
It felt reassuring to see the siege weapons moving in formation across the spaces between the houses.
Pat, pat. The thin rain began to wet the ground, and it was time to hurry.
"Hurry up."
At Olf's command, the soldiers quickened their pace.
The Trick of the Summer God: The Rain from a Clear Sky
This was a term for a type of rain.
It was a superstition.
There were no gods associated with specific seasons.
Although it was called something different in each region.
In the West, it was said to be the result of a shaman's mistake.
Enkrid had once heard Rem mention this when they had witnessed such rain.
Enkrid wasn't overly tense.
He simply thought it was something that had to be done.
That didn't mean he was planning to take it easy, though.
'Is the Summer God helping?'
Since it had started raining, his visibility had become a bit worse.
It was an ideal condition for those hiding.
It wasn't hard to predict the enemy's movements.
It was all thanks to past experience. If there were siege weapons, it was obvious that they would take the well-maintained road, passing between the houses.
His prediction was correct. Anything with wheels would need a smooth road.
Creak, creak.
Soon, the sound of wheels rolling was heard.
He opened the door of a house made of dirt and wood and hid behind it.
Audin couldn't hide, so he was inside the house.
On the other side of the house, Rem, Ragna, and Dumbaquel were positioned.
On this side were Enkrid, Jaxen, and Audin.
Finn was farther back.
'Just destroy the mangonel and retreat.'
Enkrid used his past experience. There was no need to burn everything in one battle.
It was enough to gradually chip away at them.
This wasn't about military tactics or strategies.
It was simply applying what he had learned from the battle with gnolls, but it seemed like a sound approach.
"This is fine."
Krais nodded in agreement.
Well, then it was settled.
Enkrid hid behind the door and watched as the mangonel passed by.
"Damn it, the rain's a pain."
An enemy soldier muttered in frustration as he pushed the mangonel, and when his eyes met Enkrid's, Enkrid calmly spoke.
"Audin, destroy it."
The soldier's eyes widened. He looked stunned, his mouth open.
Whoosh! Thud!
A knife flew from Jaxen's hand and embedded itself in the soldier's forehead.
The soldier, struck in the forehead, fell backward, his body slamming into the mangonel. His limbs flailed as he crumpled to the ground, like an old wooden puppet collapsing.
"An ambush!"
There were more than ten men pulling the mangonel. It was impossible to silence them all.
Enkrid leaped forward. He stomped the ground, drew his sword, and executed a sequence of three precise strikes.
First, he stabbed diagonally to the left, slicing through the enemy before retracting. Then, he struck straight ahead, followed by a final thrust diagonally to the right.
Three strikes, and three warriors fell.
"Crack!"
"Ugh!"
"Arrgh!"
Three screams rang out simultaneously. The first victim had his mouth impaled, the second had his throat pierced, and the third was pierced straight through the heart, breaking through his leather armor with brute force.
A technique that blended precision and power.
In the midst of this, Audin charged forward, crashing through a wall and startling the enemy soldiers even more.
"Ugh!"
"What's going on?!"
"... Crack!"
The sounds of surprise came from all directions.
Audin stood beside the mangonel, grabbing it with his left hand, and pulled back his right fist to strike.
Enkrid recognized the technique—mixed with the Balaf martial art.
He pushed his left foot forward, twisting his ankle, knee, and waist to add force. The punch that followed was as powerful as a cannonball.
Boom!
Amid the prank of the Summer God, the sound of Audin's punch echoed loudly.
Raindrops were flung in all directions.
Crash!
The mangonel wasn't a delicate machine. It was a crude weapon by design. However, that didn't mean its trigger or wheels weren't important.
All weapons with a structure have their weaknesses.
But Audin didn't care about that.
With one punch, he smashed through the thick wooden frame that bore the force of the weapon, splintering it. Broken wood pieces scattered through the rain.
It only took a few punches to destroy the mangonel.
Such strength was beyond human. Only a monster or a giant could accomplish something like this.
Even Frogs would struggle to do this.
"Blessings upon the lowly race!"
Smashing siege weapons with bare fists and spouting such words.
Enkrid couldn't help but admire his devotion once more.
Meanwhile, similar events were unfolding on the other side.
Rem was playing Audin's role.
His axe shattered the mangonel's basket, and he cut through the thick ropes that triggered the mechanism.
Ragna walked leisurely as he sliced, stabbed, and hacked at the approaching enemy soldiers.
"Everyone, get in formation! Don't rush in recklessly!"
The commander between the mangonels shouted.
Although they had lost the two front siege weapons, they couldn't afford to lose any more. They planned to retreat and regroup, preparing to counterattack.
The commander thought this and began to open his mouth.
"Kuurrgh?"
However, contrary to his thoughts, the words he intended to speak never came out.
Enkrid saw a shadow rise behind the commander.
It was Jaxen. With a swift motion, he slit the commander's throat from behind, then threw his dead body aside and proceeded to stab a soldier near the rear siege weapon.
Dodge and strike. With each simple action, more soldiers fell.
While Audin focused on destroying the siege weapons, the rest took on the soldiers.
Bang! Bang!
The thunderous sound of destruction rang out.
All eyes were naturally on Audin, and in that brief moment, Jaxen disappeared.
Only the sounds of soldiers crying out remained.
"Crack!"
"Fall back! Fall back!"
The soldiers' shouts were cut short as shadows with blades followed.
In an instant, Jaxen's speed and precision with his dagger brought death to those attempting to regain control.
Enkrid watched this familiar scene, swinging his sword.
Before him, enemy soldiers stood in formation.
Dunbakel only dealt with enemies that came directly at him, while Finn stayed further back, away from the frontlines.
Her role was to observe the entire situation from the rear, rather than directly participate in the fight.
Naturally, this was Enkrid's command.
They pressed forward. Breaking the eight siege weapons lined up ahead wasn't a difficult task.
A soldier tried to approach Audin to block him, but Audin effortlessly grabbed the man, tossed him aside, and charged forward.
Boom!
With a shoulder charge, he knocked the siege weapon over.
It seemed impossible, but seeing it unfold in front of his eyes, Enkrid could only be stunned.
It took barely a dozen minutes to destroy all eight siege weapons.
The Summer God's prank was short-lived.
During that brief time, the Martians lost all their siege weapons.
Screech!
Finn blew the prepared whistle. The main enemy forces were beginning to stir. Thanks to the keen-eyed rangers, Enkrid began to retreat.
Naturally, others followed.
Dunbakel was the first to leap into action. As they saw the sprinting beast-woman, everyone retreated.
Before the battle had even truly begun, or even before the debate over surrendering at the city walls started, Martia had lost all their siege weapons, and the Border Guard soldiers found some breathing room.
Enkrid turned and ran, retreating. With this, the plan was a success.
But then, suddenly, Enkrid stopped mid-run.
"What are you doing?"
Rem noticed and spoke up. Enkrid, instead of responding, fully turned his body.
In the rear, the enemy troops who had stopped in place came into view.
Some were still trying to assess the situation, some stared blankly in our direction, others shouted to chase after them, and some had wide eyes, stunned by the chaos, while others were lying on the ground with panic in their eyes.
What had caused them to act this way?
What had stopped their feet?
Something hot surged from his lower abdomen up to his throat.
"Aren't you going?" Finn raised her voice. Everyone looked at their leader's back, wondering what he was doing.
Enkrid, in a way, just wanted to do this.
He wanted to spit out that burning feeling inside him.
"My name is Enkrid."
He stopped, revealing his name.
"If you retreat now, you might live."
He spoke calmly, his voice rising.
It wasn't a roar or a shout. It was just the right amount of resonance. Even so, it spread wide, deep, and loud.
The enemy soldiers on the front lines focused their gazes on Enkrid. Dozens, maybe hundreds of eyes fixed on him. Enkrid met those gazes head-on.
It was boldness.
A sudden surge of confidence.
That's why he said it.
A declaration of war, a warning, all wrapped in his own name.
All eyes were on him. His boldness, unprecedented in this moment, captivated them.
"Is he crazy?"
Rem muttered, but to the soldiers watching from behind, there was a thrill they hadn't felt before.
Uaaahhh!
The cheers grew louder.
To stop his steps in front of over a thousand enemies.
To shout boldly in the face of them.
It felt like watching the protagonist of a story.
"Get a grip. Did you eat something bad?" Rem continued muttering from behind.