Chapter 126 – Soldiers Of The Wasteland (1/2)

The one leading the army of 500 soldiers is in name Count Aspilketa. The other eight family head’s of the noble households led the soldiers, they brought along from their respective territories, as equal-ranked commanders.

However, the one who was in fact placed as general leading the troops is an about 50 years old man called Okshion (T/N: >> Okushion <<). The nobles below the rank of count are following in the rear while rebuking the soldiers.

Gently caressing his short-cut dark brown hair, the mounted Okshion is at the front of the ranks.

“If we are honest, such battle is pointless.” (Okshion)

“General, that is…”

The aide, who is travelling next to him, surveyed the vicinity without concealing his panic due to Okshion’s small mutter.

It looks like it hasn’t reached the ears of anyone else.

“Please be careful. It will affect the morale of the troops.”

Okshion snorted due to the aide cautioning him with a self-satisfied look.

“Humph, something like morale isn’t necessary. If we storm in with 500 soldiers, the military gains will follow up easily in accordance. If we just endure the magic attacks, the soldiers of Horant won’t be that strong.” (Okshion)

“I-Indeed.”

“However. The timing is bad. Why are we moving the soldiers at this time without having even obtained the permission from Her Majesty?” (Okshion)

Okshion was formerly attached to the royal army which is directly commanded by the royal castle, but he possesses a personal history of having been head-hunted as top of Count Aspilketa army. Three years haven’t yet passed since his change of assignments and it had been not more than three months since he met his aide, too. (Copyrighted by Infinite Novel Translations, read the story on the translator’s blog!)

Similarly, with the majority being new recruits, who had been gathered up in a hurry as military forces, each of the feudal army’s soldiers have become platoon leaders who are commanding several new recruits. It seems like there are also some who lack in things like leadership.

“I heard it from an acquaintance in the capital, but in the previous war against Horant it was a spectacular victory by Count Tohno who plunged into the centre of Horant by himself and killed the crown prince.”

“That’s correct and also the reason why Count Aspilketa is aiming for military gains that are equal or going beyond that and formed the current alliance, I have been told.”

Okshion endured his desire to hit the aide who is talking as if wanting to say “How about that!” Just how much and why is he pleased with himself? This aide seems to adore Aspilketa.

“If he thinks that, it would have been fine for him to infiltrate by himself after taking lessons from Count Tohno.” (Okshion)

“Such tomfoolery. The count can’t be expected to do such thing. Besides, with him inviting his friends like this, he will make sure to finish it without acting lowly like boasting about just his own achievements. You might say that it will result in a deep prudence.”

“Tomfoolery, eh?” (Okshion)

From my point of view, both actions are bad though, Okshion judged.

Okshion didn’t encounter the man called Hifumi. With him learning of Hifumi only through the rumours he has heard, he can’t imagine him as man of valour like the ones appearing in some hero stories at all.

But, although it’s hearsay, Hifumi has definitely produced results. The talk, I heard about Hifumi’s way of using soldiers, is something very good to be used as reference. The talk is about a man who’s less than half my age, but if pushed to say, I can only believe less in the rumours about his age than his military achievements.

When he thought I wonder what kind of fellow he is. I’d like to try speaking with him once if we meet, a low-ranking soldier whispered something into the ear of the aide.

“General, we will soon arrive at the national border.”

“Well, that’s no good.” (Okshion)

“Ha?”

“It’s not soon. If it’s at this speed, we should see the national border in 15 minutes.” (Okshion)

Mixing in the scolding of “Give precise reports”, Okshion issued instructions to tell the counts in the rear that they are about to get in contact with the enemy, just to be sure.

☺☻☺

Hifumi got on a horse and headed by himself towards the vicinity where Alyssa fought with Balzephon.

Hifumi, who departed first thing in the morning in a straight line using the quickest horse, arrived at the actual site before sunset.

Once he surveyed the surroundings he found remains of deep black blood here and there.

“Around here, huh?” (Hifumi)

The area around the highway is covered by dense thickets and even though it’s before sunset, the area is turning dark quickly.

When he smelled the air’s scent, he sensed a faint stench of a beast within the thick fragrance of greenery.

“… I don’t sense its presence, but…” (Hifumi)

Without drawing the katana, Hifumi took out one shuriken from his pocket. It’s a cross shuriken that has been carefully polished so that it pierces deeply.

He closes his eyes while holding the shuriken in his right hand.

“… Over there!?” (Hifumi)

Twisting his hips, he throws the shuriken towards the thicket on the left side.

“Aaaaah!”

The one who dodged the shuriken, which flew like a bullet, alongside a yell is Balzephon.

“Oh, oh, you hid that large build nicely.” (Hifumi)

Hifumi drew his katana skilfully while avoiding Balzephon, who comes attacking to crash into him, with a forward somersault.

Balzephon’s long arm came stretching for Hifumi’s back, but in the act of standing up Hifumi jumped up and cut off the wrist in a flash.

“There’s nothing that can’t be cut by a katana, but…” (Hifumi)

Balzephon picked up the fallen wrist while raising a groan.

In front of the watching Hifumi Balzephon presses it on the wound with a wet sound, the bones connect in the blink of an eye and the wound closes just like that.

Balzephon turned his look at the katana and face of Hifumi during that time.

“It’s just as Alyssa said, you are definitely the fellow who was a knight in the castle. Your body has become really huge, but your face hasn’t changed overly much.” (Hifumi)

Once he looked at Hifumi, Balzephon’s eyes suddenly became grim.

“Do you know about me? I valued you highly at that time. You escaped without fail at the time you realized that you wouldn’t win. That was a significant deed.” (Hifumi)

Hifumi points at Balzephon with the left hand which was covered by a glove.

“I don’t know what happened to you and I don’t have any interest in it either.” (Hifumi)

The katana, he grasped in his right hand, was lowered loosely.

“You have fought to the point of ceasing to be a human. This time I will enjoy the fight until the end.” (Hifumi)

“Gaaaaaa!”

At the same time Hifumi finishes his words, Balzephon, whose injury had completely healed, advances on his long legs and approaches right in front of Hifumi’s eyes with just two steps.

Balzephon swings his right hand swiftly with a long sweeping stroke, but it doesn’t hit Hifumi.

“Let’s cut you all over as test.” (Hifumi)

Slashing at the flank in the process of passing by, Hifumi cuts him open even more after dodging.

“Aaaah!”

Hifumi takes his distance from Balzephon who is wielding his left hand blindly. Balzephon’s wounds close up during that time.

Even with the intestines spilling out, Balzephon forcibly stuffs them back in and the wound closes.

“I see. This is troublesome.” (Hifumi)

Balzephon does a sharp roundhouse kick, however although Hifumi’s temporal region was aimed at, Hifumi eluded it by moving his neck sideways with a jerk.

Hifumi’s earlobe is torn by the sharp nails of Balzephon’s foot.

Moreover, using the swung foot as axis, Balzephon approaches to crush Hifumi by falling with his back, but Hifumi avoided by doing a backward somersault.

Balzephon, who fell down and raised a cloud of dust, loses sight of Hifumi’s figure for just a few seconds.

That was plenty for Hifumi.

“How about this?” (Hifumi)

The katana brought down by Hifumi from a stance of holding it above his head accurately aimed for the centre of Balzephon’s face and and cleanly smashed it into left and right.

Balzephon, who was divided into two just like a flower from the neck to the top, spilled grey matter and had an eyeball plop out due to the impact.

Nevertheless, his gaze caught Hifumi.

“… Pheew.” (Hifumi)

Although he wiped the katana with a paper, Hifumi didn’t return it to its scabbard.

“It seems like you still want to play.” (Hifumi)

Both hands of Balzephon were trembling, but he pressed together his split head from left and right with all his strength.

“That’s right. It’s great. You came this far to start a war. If you do your best to such a degree, I will be happy as well.” (Hifumi)

A portion of the spilled-out brain had fallen down and was torn to shreds, but while pressing the two halves together with a squish, he completely re-connected his head.

Treading down on the face, Hifumi pushed in the eyeball which plopped out.

“It’s a great world after all, this one! Hurrah to fantasy! You probably think so, too, don’t you?” (Hifumi)

“But”, Hifumi tilted his head while laughing.

“What to do about this? There’s no martial arts to be found that knows how to defeat something like an immortal opponent.” (Hifumi)

Hifumi pondered about the means to kill him in front of the slowly standing-up Balzephon.

☺☻☺

“All hands, release the spears. Drop them in front of you without hitting the enemy.”

“Without hitting them?” (If you read this anywhere but on infinitenoveltranslations.net, then it’s been stolen!)