NOVEL NEXT Chapter 21: (1)
As Kaiyan and Uncle Jeff ventured into the central battlefield, an intense wave of heat washed over the 7th Special unit. The entire field was strewn with mounds of corpses, rolling like boulders—a testament to the ferocious clash between the Central Army and the Monster wave. The acrid stench of blood pierced their nostrils, even penetrating deep into their minds.
“Ah, we’re right on target!”
It was a battlefield within the battlefield, a place where Kaiyan could truly test his mettle against the monster wave. Here, he could unleash the full potential of his player abilities.
Taking a deep breath, Kaiyan felt a surge of both anticipation and tension coursing through his body, setting his heart pounding.
“Feels just like yesterday.”
Most of the monsters in sight had already sustained injuries. While the larger, formidable creatures still posed a threat despite being wounded, their reduced stamina made them easier targets.
“Uncle Jeff, it seems we should each take a side.”
“Hmm… That sounds like a good plan. We don’t want to gather in one place and attract too much attention.”
“In that case, I’ll take the right side.”
“Got it! I’ll handle the left side!”
There was no need to recklessly rush into the central battlefield. Doing so would only draw the monsters’ focus. It was far more efficient for groups of a hundred to two hundred soldiers to split up and individually engage the monsters.
Clang!
“Dispatch all the monsters, except those guarded by the knights protecting Tarien!”
Of course, such an order was possible due to the presence of sword-wielding knights. Combining the knights’ prowess with the soldiers’ numbers, even a significant count of injured monsters could be adequately dealt with.
“Kwak! Kururuk!”
At that moment, a vigilant red orc lurking nearby caught sight of the 7th Special unit and swiftly charged towards them.
“There it is! Take down that pest!”
“Kuwaaaack!”
The red orc posed a formidable challenge for ordinary soldiers. To divert its attention, they shouted loudly, causing the creature to swiftly change direction and charge towards them.
“Just a little longer…”
Boom!
“Kuwaaaack…!”
As they waited for the creature to make its move, a lightning-fast strike severed the red orc’s neck, its swiftness nearly imperceptible to the naked eye.
Startled, they turned around to find a seasoned knight, who appeared considerably experienced, smiling at them.
“Hehe, did you intentionally lure it? Thanks to that, I dealt with it effortlessly. How about accompanying me?”
The knight extended an invitation, seemingly impressed by their actions.
Gulping, Kaiyan imagined the recent strike hurtling towards him, sending a shiver down his spine and prompting an involuntary flow of saliva.
“If that had happened, I wouldn’t have been able to react in time… Yesterday’s knight wasn’t on this level.”
Despite having learned Aura, Kaiyan realized he had overestimated his abilities in comparison to the knights. The recent strike served as a sharp reminder of how much he still had to learn.
“Phew… Everyone, split into groups of thirty and accompany the knights. Let’s move!”
“If Captain Kaiyan says so, understood!”
“That’s right!”
Before embarking on the actual battle, they dispersed the soldiers evenly among the knights to facilitate efficient movement. With skilled attackers like the knights leading the way, there was no need to recklessly charge ahead as they had done initially. Clustering together would only diminish their effectiveness.
“Ohoho… Have you studied tactics? You handle the soldiers quite well.”
After assigning the soldiers to the knights and witnessing their actions, the seasoned knight observed with an intrigued expression, prompting a question.
“…No, I haven’t.”
It was a completely unexpected statement. To learn the military tactics employed by the soldiers, one had to attend the Military Academy, a privilege Kaiyan had never had. He hadn’t even visited any academy.
It was preposterous to claim knowledge of tactics when he didn’t possess even the most basic understanding.
“Really? Hm…”
The seasoned knight regarded him with a mildly curious expression before shifting his gaze elsewhere.
Kwaaack!
“Die, monster!”
“Advance! Let’s go deeper!”
The soldiers of the 7th Special unit surged forward, following Tarien’s lead, relentlessly slaughtering the monsters. As they pressed deeper into the battlefield, exhausted soldiers began to fall, but such losses were inevitable.
Thanks to the active participation of the knights in the battle, casualties remained relatively low.
“Kkehahaha! Apart from my unit, no other special unit have made it this far! The commanding skills of the others are pitiful!”
Filled with arrogance, Tarien burst into laughter, his sharp voice contrasting with the battlefield’s grimness.
“What a pathetic individual.”
Kaiyan failed to comprehend the significance of Tarien’s words, but the situation worked in his favor, allowing him to level up significantly. Moreover, he obtained Aura as a bonus. It was a profitable arrangement.
“Let’s remain composed. Getting too carried away might lead to mistakes.”
Suppressing his excitement, Kaiyan raised his sword high, poised to strike at the monsters engaged by the soldiers. Now was not the time for distractions; he needed to eliminate at least one more monster.
Boom!
“Even stronger than before!”
In the exhilaration of his growth, Kaiyan stomped on the ground and leaped high, his target set on the monsters before him.
“Kuooook?”
“Haaaah!”
Caught off guard, the Evelyn attempted to seize Kaiyan with its massive arm, but before it could do so, Kaiyan brought his sword down upon the limb.
Clang-
“Kueeek!”
With a resounding clash, the giant arm was cleanly severed. It was astonishing to witness a small sword wielded by Kaiyan effortlessly severing such a colossal appendage.
‘Even without utilizing Aura, he could handle medium-sized monsters.’
Unlike a few days ago, now Kaiyan possessed the ability to deal significant damage to medium-sized monsters without relying on skills or Aura. This was made possible by the steel sword he received from Tarien and the enhanced power from leveling up.
Although using Aura would make hunting monsters even easier, the presence of the knight prevented him from doing so.
“Nicely done! Haaap!”
Boom!
‘The knight…’
Due to the old knight’s presence, using Aura was currently impossible. With the old knight being at least an Expert, any accidental use of Aura would undoubtedly be noticed.
Ding! [You leveled up.]
‘However, leveling up is still progressing swiftly.’
The speed of leveling up was truly astonishing. The previous notification hadn’t been long ago when another one appeared.
Such rapid progress was expected in the central battlefield, swarming with numerous monsters. Defeating a group of monsters, advancing a little, and facing another wave of charging creatures—it was as if experience points were rolling on the ground.