Chapter – 116
“Feels like I can finally breathe. Whew.”
“Yeah.”
Carlyle and the baby dragon inhaled the cold air deeply, feeling a sense of relief.
After being inside the lab, where the stench and methane gas were overwhelming, breathing fresh air for the first time in a while felt like a purification of the soul.
“I can’t imagine going back in there.”
Carlyle shuddered at the mere thought.
“I feel the same, Master.”
The baby dragon wasn’t much different from Carlyle.
In fact, the baby dragon had it even harder than Carlyle.
It was often exhausted from spending all day burning the waste that poured through the ventilation system with its Purifying Breath.
“Yeah, you’ve worked hard.”
“Hehe.”
“From now on, we have to move quietly, so rest for now.”
“Got it.”
The baby dragon snuggled into Carlyle’s arms.
Time to get moving.
Carlyle moved quietly but swiftly.
Thanks to Mardor’s reconnaissance, he knew the Predator Tribe’s camp layout inside out, so his steps were confident and unhindered.
With Grimnaugand’s life-sensing ability, avoiding the barbarian guards was nothing.
Additionally, the captains in charge of about a hundred warriors each—the equivalents of Decaron company commanders—used separate tents, making them easy to find.
The camp’s security was lax, so Carlyle easily sneaked into one of the captain’s tents.
The captain was snoring heavily, seemingly oblivious enough that no one would notice if he were carried away.
“Hmm.”
Carlyle hesitated briefly. Killing the captain wasn’t easy.
During battle, killing enemies came naturally, but killing someone defenseless felt different.
But the hesitation didn’t last long.
If I don’t kill him, one of my allies might die.
With that thought, Carlyle swung Grimnaugand at the barbarian captain.
Thud, roll…
Gurgle!
The head cleanly separated from the body, and blood gushed forth.
Well… at least it’s a painless death. Though, probably not from the barbarian’s perspective.
Carlyle looked at the captain’s corpse, unsure whether it was truly a peaceful death.
The barbarians valued dying honorably in battle as the ultimate virtue.
Whether one dies like this or that, death is death. How they perceive it is none of my concern.
Shaking off his thoughts, Carlyle covered the corpse with a blanket and hurried out of the tent.
That should be enough for now.
After taking out three captains, Carlyle decided to return to the lab.
A long tail was easily stepped on. Continuing to hunt the commanders would surely draw attention.
The camp’s security was lax, or he would have been discovered long ago.
If I return to the lab and wait for our allies…
Then it happened.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Suddenly, the sound of drums echoed through the camp.
“Enemy! Enemy!”
“The enemies are here!”
The previously quiet barbarian camp erupted like a disturbed beehive.
Vrrrrrrr!
Grimnaugand trembled violently.
Sigh.
Carlyle sighed and hurriedly hid.
Has our allies’ attack already begun…?
It didn’t seem like it. If their attack had started, the barbarians’ movements would be outward, not chaotic like this.
Observing the barbarians, Carlyle quickly realized what had happened.
…They’ve been spotted.
It seemed one of the reconnaissance team had been discovered.
“Hmm.”
Carlyle considered his options.
Logically, the best course was to return to the lab and wait for the allied attack to start. That was the principle.
Can’t be helped…
Yet for some reason, he couldn’t bring himself to move.
If I leave them, they’ll die.
Of course, going to help didn’t guarantee survival. It would likely only increase his own chances of death.
From a rational standpoint, trying to help someone was basically suicide.
But…
I’d feel uneasy otherwise.
He thought that if he survived alone, he would carry the memory of his fallen comrades forever.
“Haah.”
Carlyle exhaled heavily.
“What’s wrong?”
“I feel like I have to help them.”
“Master, are you crazy?”
“You want to die?”
“Not exactly.”
“But you’re going to help?”
“My conscience won’t allow me to ignore it.”
“No matter what, that just means dying together!”
“Then so be it.”
“What?!”
“Death is nothing. Living is the hard part.”
“What kind of nonsense is that? You speak like someone who’s died before.”
“Maybe I have.”
“…?”
“If it gets too dangerous, run. Don’t die with me unnecessarily.”
“M-Master!”
Without giving the baby dragon a chance to stop him, Carlyle hurried forward.
When he arrived at the scene, the reconnaissance team had been cornered by barbarians.
It seemed one had been discovered, and the others, like Carlyle, had risked their lives to help their comrades and ended up surrounded.
“A human from the continent!”
“You look like a parasite sibling!”
The barbarians shouted upon spotting Carlyle.
“Hahaha! You little rat! You could have stayed hidden, but where do you think you’re crawling out to!”
“Are you insane, wanting to die?”
The reconnaissance team also spotted Carlyle and shouted in urgency.
“Hey, you fool! Where do you think you’re going!”
“You idiot!”
Carlyle replied,
“I’d feel uneasy if I went back to the lab.”
Then,
“You’re daring for such a young one!”
A barbarian swung a mace at Carlyle.
Thunk!
The barbarian’s head rolled across the dirt.
Blood gushed like a fountain from the neck, and the body collapsed.
“…!”
The barbarians flinched.
No one had expected this rookie to be capable of beheading a warrior in an instant.
“Stay back if you don’t want to die.”
Carlyle shook off the blood from Grimnaugand and warned the barbarians.
Yet they didn’t back down.
“How dare you!”
Another warrior charged at Carlyle.
The result was the same.
“Argh! Ba… balh…!”
The warrior’s chest split open, and he vomited blood as he fell.
The same happened again and again.
Still, the barbarians didn’t hesitate to challenge Carlyle.
Like moths drawn to a blazing fire, the Predator Tribe’s warriors kept attacking until nearly twenty lay fallen.
There’s no way to escape.
Carlyle surveyed his surroundings calmly, realizing there was no solution.
Over a thousand barbarians now surrounded him, leaving no gaps.
Even if he managed to break through, he would be annihilated before escaping the camp.
The repeated attacks bought him some time, but he knew the limit.
If reinforcements arrive quickly, I might survive.
That seemed the only way out. Surviving until then was the real question.
“A private with exceptional strength, huh.”
A huge figure appeared and spoke to Carlyle.
The chieftain.
Carlyle immediately recognized him as the head of the Predator Tribe.
The barbarians’ social rank was easy to judge. The bigger, scarred, and more intimidating they looked, the higher their status and combat ability.
“Child warrior of the continent, what is your name?”
Carlyle, usually indifferent, started to reply but paused.
I need to buy time… Longer conversation will help.
So he formally introduced himself:
“Carlyle, Carlyle von Sigmund.”
“…!”
The chieftain, Asnatal, looked genuinely surprised.
Even an experienced barbarian warrior rarely met a true Sigmund.
Meanwhile, the Decaron Army moving to attack the Predator Tribe’s camp…
“Stop them!”
“Damn it!”
It was just past midnight.
Following Carlyle’s intelligence, the Decaron Army was advancing to strike the Predator Tribe.
However, a large-scale attack from another tribe began, rendering the original plan useless.
An unforeseen variable had occurred.
Need to end this battle quickly…!
Helen wielded her sword tirelessly, yet she never forgot Carlyle’s team.
She knew they were waiting desperately for reinforcements, which made her anxious.
But she couldn’t ignore the enemies charging her. Focus on the battle was essential.
Perhaps because her inner thoughts showed,
“Dieeee!”
A barbarian pierced the opening in Helen’s defense with an axe.
“…!”
Helen froze for a moment.
Whoosh!
A blade shrouded in azure aura descended from above, slicing the barbarian vertically.
“What are you thinking?!”
“…!”
“Snap out of it! 3rd Company Commander!”
Helen turned to see Kravel shouting, covered in enemy blood.
“Division Commander…?”
“Focus! This is a battle! Protect your subordinates first!”
“I-I’m sorry!”
“Apologizing won’t save you. If you die thinking of something else, you won’t even have peace in death!”
Helen steeled herself, erasing thoughts of Carlyle’s team.
Yes, the battle before her was the priority. The team’s rescue would follow.
“Savage barbarians! Kravel will wipe you out!”
Kravel surged through the battlefield, displaying his full might.
“C-Commander?”
“Wow…”
The soldiers of Bowden Division were astonished.
Though he seemed shallow and unassuming in daily life, Kravel’s battlefield prowess was undeniable.
Having risen from a mere private to division commander, his skill was exceptional.
Just hold on. I’ll clean this up and come to rescue them soon.
Helen focused on the battle, determined as a commander to keep her promise to Carlyle’s team.
