Wandering Mercenary in an Open World
chapter-105

The sound of the horn was heavy like a gong, and the lord’s face hardened. Soon, the outside became noisy and the emergency bell rang loudly.

Ding ding ding ding ding!

“My lord!”

Then, the door opened with a splash and a soldier came in. He looked oblivious to the fact that he had not saluted properly, as he had a frantic face.

Of course, no one was going to nag him for that.

“The scouts have reported. The enemies have started to approach the castle, and judging by their speed, they will arrive at the north gate in about an hour!”

The lord nodded.

“I see. Don’t panic, and go back to your position.”

“Yes, sir!”

The soldier ran out quickly after finishing his report. The lord then spoke to Wayne.

“You should also go out quickly, instead of lingering here. I’ll follow you soon.”

Wayne obeyed the firm order without a word and went out. Soon, his voice was heard, commanding the soldiers in a gruff tone.

“Now, only you guys are left.”

The lord, Kemar, blinked.

Except for one person whose identity was uncertain, the two men in front of him were the most famous people in the kingdom right now.

The Demon Lord Killers.

That was the name they were called by. The Grand Church of Tivella had announced their statement, and the other churches had no objections, which meant they were not frauds.

But the lord was not shaken.

In fact, he thought the rumors were exaggerated.

The Demon Lord was a powerful being, for sure, but they were hiding in the shadows, unable to do anything to the church or the army, right?

The lord, who believed that there was no individual who could surpass a group, regarded Ruon and Kyle as nothing more than ‘individuals’ with strong power.

Of course, that was enough to ask them to fight for the city.

“I won’t ask you to fight for honor. It’s only fair that you get paid for risking your life. But the situation is not favorable for bargaining.”

The lord bowed his head slightly and added.

“Please. Will you fight with me?”

Ruon felt strange, seeing this noble who had bothered a woman with a husband and a child.

No matter what, it was hard to imagine that someone with a title would bow his head to someone without one.

Ruon nodded.

There was no reason to refuse the request, since he had come here to confront the barbarians anyway.

“Fine, let’s do that.”

The frightened citizens were running somewhere. Most of them seemed to be going home, but some of them took advantage of the chaos to loot the stalls or commit random violence. It was a hellish scene.

Leaving the chaotic scenery behind, the party moved towards the north gate.

“Hurry up! Move as you trained!”

Right next to them, the armed soldiers were running along with the loud orders of their superiors. Their faces were all stiff with the spears and swords in their hands.

In the tense atmosphere, the party managed to reach the wall.

A officer who was pointing his finger here and there and shouting came up to them.

“Are you mercenaries?”

“Yes.”

Ruon answered briefly, and the officer pointed to one side of the wall with his index finger.

“Then go there.”

As soon as he finished speaking, he raised his voice to somewhere else.

“Hey, you bastard! Can’t you hold the pot properly? Do you want to spill oil on our allies’ faces?”

The party was already out of his sight, and Ruon chuckled as he walked in the direction he pointed.

The people on the wall fixed their eyes on the three unusual men led by Ruon for a moment, then turned their heads.

They all looked like mercenaries hired by the lord, as their weapons were in a mess.

Then, Ruon saw Colin, who was nervously clenching and unclenching his fists, and said.

“Are you scared?”

“It would be weird if I wasn’t. My heart is not made of steel.”

Colin muttered with a sunken eye.

“Besides, I saw it, right? The state of the barbarians. The soldiers who survived must have told the lord. They should have…”

He trailed off, and Ruon turned his gaze from him to Kyle, who had a complicated expression.

“Why are you scared too?”

“I’m scared, but more than that, I’m worried about the lord’s words. He said the reinforcements were Gannocks. I’m afraid this will be like bringing a tiger to stop a wolf.”

Ruon shrugged.

“Maybe it’s a good thing.”

***

“Really? You’re joking, right?” Kyle asked incredulously.

“Perhaps,” Ruon replied nonchalantly, but he was serious. It was a perfect opportunity to witness the actions of the foul-smelling Ganaks with his own eyes. Of course, that assumed the city would hold until then.

Suddenly, there was a murmur among the crowd. Turning his head, Ruon saw the lord of the castle, adorned in splendid armor and a cape that reached his waist, ascending the ramparts.

The lord raised his baton high and spoke with a resonant voice that echoed clearly even from afar, “Guardians of Eltigre─!”

The soldiers cheered.

Buoyed by the explosive response, the lord’s voice grew louder, “I feel something hot boiling inside me at the sight of your unwavering courage! It is an unbreakable spirit and relentless determination!”

The cheers grew even louder.

“Brave warriors! The filthy barbarians are approaching, seeking to bring a storm of blood upon our kingdom and burn our history to ashes!”

The soldiers’ eyes blazed with hostility, mirroring the lord’s tone.

“But as long as we stand here, their ambitions shall never be fulfilled. Today, we prove that!”

With a dramatic gesture, the lord pulled down the end of his baton, and it separated like a scabbard, revealing a gleaming blade.

He shouted, veins bulging in his neck, “Today, we shall defend─ Eltigre! Our homeland!”

A thunderous roar of agreement erupted.

Even the mercenaries joined in the fervor, shouting with enthusiasm. The collective heat of the many seemed to warm the cold city air, and just then, black dots began to rise on the horizon. Soon, the dots became a line, and the line became a massive wave rushing towards the city, like a black carpet intent on swallowing everything.

Ooooooh─!

Kyle frowned at the barbarians’ army, which was charging with unprecedented roars, “They’re coming without siege equipment?”

What were they thinking? Ruon squinted in disbelief at the irrational charge. Astonishingly, not even a single ladder was in sight among them.

“Those foolish barbarians are hastening their own demise. Fire!” the lord commanded.

Wayne, standing beside him, echoed loudly, “Archers, to your positions─!”

“To your positions!”

At the command, the archers repeated in unison and aimed their bows at the enemy. The tension was as taut as their bowstrings as the barbarians drew closer.

Finally, within range, Wayne shouted again, “Fire!”

Arrows filled the sky and rained down upon the barbarians’ heads. The powerful draw of the bows mercilessly pierced through the bodies of the charging foes.

Many barbarians fell.

Some, turned into porcupines by the sheer number of arrows yet still driven by remarkable willpower, continued their charge, only to eventually collapse headfirst to the ground.

“Are they idiots? We were worried for nothing,” a mercenary scoffed in disbelief after releasing his arrow.

Yet, despite the mockery, the barbarians showed no sign of retreat. Instead, they trampled over their fallen comrades and continued their assault on the castle.

The lord was not one to simply watch.

“Show them what we’re made of!”

Another round of loading and firing followed.

Again, the barbarians fell pathetically. With hundreds already on the ground, the soldiers’ morale soared.

What’s going on?

At that moment, Ruon felt an indescribable discomfort sweep through his mind. It was a sensation he could recognize from battling countless evil beings.

It didn’t take long for everyone on the ramparts to notice the anomaly.

“Did we miss?” asked the mercenary who had earlier mocked the barbarians, tilting his head. He had seen an arrow pierce the head of a barbarian who continued to charge.

On a hunch, he drew his bowstring fully and released an arrow without command. Most witnessed it strike the barbarian squarely between the eyes.

And they were horrified.

The barbarian, momentarily staggering, picked up speed and charged even harder.

“Are my eyes deceiving me?” the lord muttered, rubbing his eyes.

“The arrow is still lodged in his head,” Wayne replied.

Before the lord could respond, urgent cries came from all around.

“There are some who won’t fall!”

“They keep moving… they keep moving!”

***

This edited version aims to enhance readability and maintain the narrative flow, while also ensuring the translation captures the essence of the original text.

Grrrrrrr!

Among the barbarians who fell one by one, some of them stood out as they took all the attacks with their bodies.

They looked nothing like humans.

Their eyes were stained black, their bodies were covered with thick veins, and they roared like beasts.

Colin swallowed his saliva at the sight of them, which was no different from demons.

“Those bastards.”

He muttered as he drew his sword from his waist.

“Arrows can’t kill them. Damn it, no wonder they didn’t show up.”

As he said that, the monstrous barbarians pierced through the rain of arrows and finally reached the wall. They dug their fingers into the wall and started to climb up.

“Oil! Pour the oil!”

At the command that came from somewhere, the soldiers poured the pots of boiling oil over the barbarians. But even as their hair fell off and their flesh melted, they didn’t stop climbing.

Instead, they became more grotesque, and the soldiers recoiled in horror.

At last, one of the barbarians made it to the top of the wall. His scalp was burned and his body was covered with arrows, making him look even more hideous.

Graaaaaa!

He screamed and lunged at the nearest soldier, who reflexively stabbed him with his spear. But the spearhead was caught by his large hand, and the soldier was thrown off the wall with a scream.

Then, he started to swing his axe at the stunned soldiers.

The same scene happened all over the wall, and Ruon’s position was no exception.

“Shit, they’re up here!”

Despite the mercenaries’ fierce resistance, one of the barbarians who climbed the wall ran towards the archer who shot an arrow at his forehead.

“Hi-hiik!”

The barbarian crushed the archer’s skull with his brutal strength, and the mercenaries backed away.

Only three of them stepped forward.

Colin said.

“Those bastards won’t feel a thing unless you chop off their arms and legs. You have to cut off their heads.”

He took a deep breath and gripped his sword.

“I’ll draw their attention, and you two finish them off. I guess the kid with the hammer is the best fit for this…”

But then, Ruon walked ahead. Colin was startled and shouted.

“Hey, brother!”

He was about to run after him, but he stopped as if his feet were rooted to the ground.

Ruon easily dodged the barbarian’s arm that flew at him, and cut off his neck. He was holding a red sword in his hand.

Then, another barbarian appeared on the wall. But he was hit by a flash of light and fell down. A moment later, a thunderous sound followed.

Colin turned his head with a blank stare and saw the hammer that was smoking. And Kyle, who was holding it.

After that, a few more barbarians managed to climb the wall, but none of them could stand against Ruon’s sword or fist.

Colin couldn’t help but laugh.

“…Who was worried about whom?”