Chapter 25

The wave we faced after a month.

It took time to get a feel for it and adapt to the enemy’s characteristics, so the hesitation was only temporary.

The extermination squad jumped in appropriately whenever needed to support the overheated defense line, and the supported defense force regained its formation.

As time passed, the Vanguard became more solid and unshaken against the endless waves.

“Whew…”

It had been almost two hours since the battle began.

Abelin wiped out the demons that had broken through the defense again and took a moment to catch her breath, drenched in sweat.

“You’ve been through a lot.”

“Of course. That’s what the extermination squad does. Meanwhile, you seem perfectly fine?”

“Like you said, that’s the defense squad’s job. Conserve energy and hold out as long as possible. And once the summoning is over, I’ll jump in too.”

The time when demons pour out endlessly from the rift is exactly two hours.

At first glance, it sounds like a very short time…

“There’s a lot of damage today.”

“Yes. More than last time.”

The number of members who were retrieved and pulled back was not small.

Bodies that couldn’t be retrieved due to lack of strength, bodies completely unrecognizable from the teeth of the Demon Hounds.

“Ha, I can’t feel my lower half. I’m losing so much blood…”

“I don’t want to die, I don’t want to die! If we just survive this wave, we can go home!”

And the members who were dying.

“If only I had jumped in sooner…”

“Abelin, don’t blame yourself. It’s not your fault. The fault lies with the demons who keep coming back stronger.”

“No. There’s something truly evil out there.”

Abelin shook her head at my words and clenched her teeth.

“The rulers who don’t properly support the Vanguard. They’re more evil than the demons.”

“I can’t deny that. Like you said, we’re weak.”

The Vanguard trained harsher than any other unit in the world.

But that was because the Vanguard was that weak.

The contradiction of not being the elite despite being tasked with protecting the world against destruction.

The rulers of each country were very passive in supporting the Vanguard.

At most, they kept the strongest forces under their command and sent out expendable personnel like mercenaries or prisoners.

If even one or two properly trained and equipped regular armies had joined, the Vanguard’s situation would have been drastically different.

“Suddenly, I have a question, Kairon.”

“What question?”

“Over there.”

Abelin couldn’t bring herself to point but gestured lightly with her head.

Commander Balthazar, sitting high up, quite a distance from the formation, overlooking the battlefield.

“Now the Commander doesn’t join us. He says it’s just in case. Especially…”

Abelin’s gesture subtly turned towards me this time.

“Even more so since you arrived.”

“Yeah. I remember. At first, the Commander personally led an extermination squad. Like you said, now that I think about it…”

Just a glance revealed things.

The guards protecting Commander Balthazar were armed with more luxurious equipment than us.

And…

“We’ve trained so harshly in this remote place that our faces are a mess, but the guards all have smooth faces. That means…”

“They haven’t suffered.”

Ironically, Commander Balthazar’s guards were excessively luxurious personnel.

The royal families and nobles of the world.

They were made up of the children of the powerful.

The Vanguard was being used as a means to give them combat experience and the honor of fighting for the world.

“I know our Vanguard is maintained by the support funds from each country. But even so, it doesn’t sit well with me.”

“I agree. If they’re going to do this, they should at least give more support. If only I hadn’t ended up like this…”

“What kind of situation?”

“Ah…”

Abelin suddenly covered her mouth in a fluster.

“Nothing, it’s nothing.”

“Alright, alright. If you want to hide it, I won’t pry further.”

No matter the past, no matter the present.

The core rule of the Vanguard was that everyone had to unite to fight against the waves.

But having these complaints now won’t change anything immediately. So…”

It was about time.

“Let’s finish this wave first.”

Finally, as the red light from the rift faded, the Demon Hounds stopped being summoned.

Thud- thud- thud- thud-

The rapid drumming with all their might.

It was the signal for a counterattack, showing there was nothing left to hold back.

Until now, they had focused on maintaining the formation and conserving energy, but now there was no need.

It was time to judge the demons who had hurt and taken the lives of precious comrades.

“It’s time. Deploy the Black Iron Shield Wall!”

“Yes! Black Iron Shield Wall!”

“Raise it!!”

The Black Iron Vanguard, which had held firm without a single collapse.

My proud subordinates changed formation in unison as ordered.

They gathered tightly as if one body, forming a solid formation with shields without a single gap.

The Demon Hounds that had been swarming tried desperately to break the shield wall, but the Black Iron Vanguard didn’t budge an inch.

“Then now…”

I tightened my grip on my sword.

As I began to pour mana into it, my great sword glowed brilliantly, fully charged with mana.

“Let’s start the real extermination.”

I leaped lightly.

And to ease the burden on my hardworking subordinates…

I swung with all my might.

Crash-

The massive sword energy I unleashed surged forward.

It hit the ground and exploded, obliterating the Demon Hounds that had been tormenting the Black Iron Vanguard without a trace.

The Black Iron Shield Wall slightly collapsed from the impact, but since most of the Demon Hounds were burned away by my strike, there was no problem reforming the formation.

“Whew. That felt great, you bastards!”

“As expected of the Captain!”

The subordinates, with a moment of respite, cheered for me.

“It’s all thanks to you. Now, push deeper!”

“Yes! We trust only you, Captain!”

“…Really.”

Turning my head, I saw Abelin looking at me with her mouth slightly open.

“Really, what?”

“You’re so reckless.”

“What? Reckless? I precisely targeted only the demons! How refined was that strike!”

“Why are you getting mad? It’s a compliment.”

“Who uses ‘reckless’ as a compliment…”

Abelin exchanged a few jokes with me and then smiled, adding,

“Keep it up. Then I’ll,”

And with renewed determination, she commanded her subordinates who had regained their strength during the break.

“The rift is closed now. But we need to clean up the remaining demons. Silver Guards, follow me!”

“Yes, we’ll follow Abelin!”

“Let’s go, let’s not fall behind the reckless Black Iron Vanguard and Kairon!”

“Hey, Abelin. Really. Stop calling me reckless…!”

Before I could finish, Abelin leaped towards the demons.

But as she passed by me,

She gave me a sly smile.

***

Finally, as the demon summoning ended, Kairon, Abelin, and the other squad leaders began to use the strength they had conserved.

The countless Demon Hounds that had covered the field quickly diminished.

Watching the scene with a calm expression, Commander Balthazar asked his adjutant,

“How is it, Adjutant?”

“It’s going smoothly. Considering the Demon Hounds are stronger and larger than last time, this level of damage is very acceptable.”

“…Smooth, you say.”

Commander Balthazar’s face hardened.

“That means they’re not finding it entertaining, right?”

“Yes.”

“This won’t do. We can’t afford to displease them.”

As Balthazar bit his lip, the adjutant’s expression also darkened.

“Then, how can we satisfy them?”

“…A variable.”

Commander Balthazar nodded, saying ‘variable.’

“Send out the messenger pigeon, Adjutant.”

“Yes, understood. Where to, and what message should it carry?”

“No need for that.”

Commander Balthazar added meaningfully.

“Just send it out. That will be enough.”

“Yes…? Yes, understood!”

The adjutant couldn’t understand Commander Balthazar’s order but followed it, releasing a pigeon without any message from its cage.

Then, as the pigeon flew freely into the sky…

Thud-

A crow’s talons snatched its neck mid-flight.

The crow, having caught its prey, locked eyes leisurely with Commander Balthazar, and suddenly its eyes glowed purple.

Having sent the signal, Commander Balthazar leisurely watched Kairon, who was single-handedly wiping out half the Demon Hounds in the middle of the battlefield.

“Let’s test you, Kairon. What kind of grace has been bestowed upon you…”

***

“Huh? What, what’s that?”

As the demons were almost cleared, the rift, which had quieted down.

Zing-

Suddenly, a red light began to emanate from it again.

“T-this can’t be! Squad Leader!”

“What’s going on?”

“The rift, it’s glowing!”

At the desperate cry of one member, a squad leader quickly ran over to check the rift.

“This is bad…”

“W-what should we do?”

“Everyone, fall back!”

The squad leader who noticed the ominous sign from the rift turned and shouted.

“Prepare and stay alert! We don’t know what might happ…!”

Crunch-

The squad leader couldn’t finish his sentence.

A massive maw had instantly swallowed him whole, chewing and swallowing him.

“Grrr…”

“W-what is that!”

The new demon that appeared right in front of the rift.

It was a massive three-headed Demon Hound.