The Story Of The Second Son Of The Baron Family [EN]: Chapter 116

“Charge!”

It was a flame that burned brighter than any other, a fire that seemed capable of incinerating even itself. However, it was ultimately a flame sustained by magic. When the mana supply from Renil was cut off, it couldn’t maintain its intensity, and the white flames began to dwindle.

In a matter of minutes, a shocking spectacle unfolded as countless monsters were reduced to ashes. Yet, the battle was far from over. Due to their sheer numbers, even after more than half had been annihilated, they still outnumbered any group they had faced so far.

Of course, it was uncertain how much strength a terrified monster could muster. But one thing was certain: if they were allowed to escape, they would inevitably bare their fangs at them again. To prevent that from happening, it was necessary to act quickly while the monsters were still reeling in their dull-witted stupor.

“Ch, charge!”

“Did you see that? See who stands behind us! We have nothing to fear from mere monsters!”

“Uwaaaaa!”

As the temporarily subdued battle reignited, Renil, the mastermind behind it all, was being escorted to the rear with the support of those around him.

‘I overdid it.’

Too much mana had been drawn out in a short amount of time. Even for Renil, or rather, precisely because it was Renil, the aftermath of such massive mana consumption was significant.

Although the sample size was small, making it difficult to calculate an average, Renil possessed several times more mana than others of his level. In proportion, the strength of his circuits [magical pathways] and heart, which were the foundation of his mana, were also superior. However, the strength of his circuits was not enough to fully withstand the impact of his mana reserves.

It was only thanks to the cores [magical energy storage organs] he had steadily cultivated over the years that the impact was dispersed. Otherwise, ordinary mages would have either failed to control it from the start or, even if they succeeded by sheer luck, would have been overwhelmed by the burden.

“Are you alright?”

“At least I seem to be sane, so I suppose I’m fine.”

The sudden loss of the massive amount of mana that had always kept his body in top condition brought a wave of exhaustion. Even now, his heart and cores were constantly producing and absorbing mana, pouring rain onto parched land. But it was still a magic that had manifested after gathering mana from the surroundings.

The amount absorbed from the area was negligible, and his own production was not enough to meet the demands of the circuits that had been emptied in such a short time.

“Please rest now. You’ve done enough, Count.”

Amidst the adjutants’ entreaties, Renil soothed his circuits, which were crying out in pain and thirst, and fixed his gaze on the battlefield. The soldiers who had been filled with the will to survive just moments ago now had the goal of victory in their eyes.

“I see. I can rest now.”

#

The battle between the surviving monsters, desperate to flee or devour the humans before them, and the humans determined to annihilate the monsters, intensified. However, the tide had clearly turned, making a monster victory unlikely.

Moreover, the Titan’s performance, now a constant rather than a variable, was a significant factor. The Titan and the knights charged into the momentarily widened space, and the soldiers advanced in formation, step by step. The soldiers’ sharp spears pierced the orcs’ arms, and the keen blades severed the goblins’ necks.

Unlike before, when the sheer number of monsters allowed them to form a makeshift front line and hinder the Titan’s advance, the relatively spacious and chaotic situation, where they were killing each other, left nothing to impede the Titan, leading to its continued success.

“Good. Very good!”

Miguel, a knight who had served at the Terra Barrier [a fortified border] for seven years, readily participated in this expedition. Of course, it wasn’t a battle he could refuse, but there was a big difference between being dragged along and volunteering.

Why did he make that choice? If it weren’t for this expedition, he might have been able to return home safely. With his skills, as long as he didn’t push himself too hard and the Terra Barrier wasn’t breached by an unexpected attack, he was skilled enough to survive the remaining two years.

‘Who said it’s going to end like this?’

Before coming to the Terra Barrier, he wasn’t a particularly skilled knight. After all, being assigned to the Terra Barrier often meant you were either unskilled, had no connections, or both. The reason he had come this far was thanks to the overwhelming practical experience he could only gain at the Terra Barrier, but he wasn’t entirely happy about it.

‘Getting beaten up is also experience, I guess. But if I’ve gained that much experience, shouldn’t I at least get to hit back once?’

Whether he was skilled or not, whether he had connections or not, the fact that he could become a knight meant he belonged to the chosen 1%, or rather, 0.1%. He couldn’t easily accept the fact that his youth would be confined to one place, getting beaten up by monsters until the end.

‘It’s a shame I can’t ride that, though…’

Miguel glanced at the Glory [likely a type of war machine or powerful mount] before leaping and slashing the back of an ogre who had turned its back. If the ogre hadn’t turned its back, it would have been a suicidal move, but it was enough for an enemy who had lost the will to fight.

Compared to the past, when he had to focus solely on defense, the current situation was much more to his liking. He wished he could board a Glory like them and cut down the higher-level species that had tormented him so much, but the fact that he could leave his name on this great undertaking was enough.

‘If I can return to my hometown, I’ll have one more thing to brag about.’

#

“How is your body?”

“I’m fine. Even in this state, I’m more useful than an average mage.”

“That means you need time to recover.”

“It’s embarrassing to admit, but yes.”

His physical condition wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t good either. Considering that his internal mana always kept him in optimal condition, his current state could be called the worst.

“If a battle like the last one breaks out again, I won’t be able to get away with it as easily as last time.”

“That’s why I’m suggesting that we halt our advance and establish an advanced base here.”

“Here?”

“Yes. It hasn’t been long, but the soldiers are exhausted. Moreover, this is where a large number of monsters gathered. It’s likely just a coincidence, but there’s no harm in setting up an advanced base.”

The soldiers had to maintain constant vigilance at night and engage in frequent battles during the day, so their fatigue was inevitable. In any case, several bases would be needed to effectively control the monsters and begin operations, as well as to support subsequent units. It was time to set one up.

“We don’t need to build anything too large to begin with, so if we mobilize the mages, it won’t take too long.”

“That would be a good idea.”

“What about the other units? A force of this size gathered around our unit, so…”

“The 4th and 5th units suffered massive offensives like us. They managed to win after many twists and turns, but they suffered damage akin to annihilation, so I ordered them to merge with the 6th and 7th units, respectively.”

“Even in the land of monsters, that’s not a number that can be easily replenished. The area will be empty, so it would be best to establish an overall defensive line and carry out His Majesty’s orders.”

“That’s a wise decision. Considering our purpose, there’s no need to cling to the small things in front of us. I’ll take care of the rest, so focus on recovering.”

“Yes.”

#

Knights, mages, and soldiers moved busily. Thanks to them, the advanced base was rapidly nearing completion. As the expedition continued, the muddy ground gradually dried up, eliminating the need to overturn the soil any further. They weren’t building an impregnable fortress, and it was difficult to find rocks to build walls on the plains. However, the presence of mages eliminated any major difficulties.

At the same time, they sent people to the rear to request additional support from subsequent units and to begin mining the minerals buried in the secured area.

Meanwhile, the outer walls of the base began to rise, and the soldiers, who had been relying on flimsy wooden fences every night and falling into uneasy sleep, began to sleep soundly with the reassuring walls, relieving the fatigue accumulated during the expedition. At the same time, they continued to patrol in conjunction with other units to prevent monsters from infiltrating the interior, and the number of large and small bases forming the perimeter gradually increased, creating a defensive line that, while not connected by walls, was comparable to the Great Wall.

The monsters didn’t just stand by and watch the process, but the number of monsters killed in several major battles had already exceeded 100,000, so even if the monsters reproduced quickly, it wasn’t damage that could be easily replenished.

Of course, the number of monsters living in the land of monsters was immense, but they didn’t have a command system like humans to move from the rear to the front. Since monsters also had their own territories, they had rarely encountered monsters recently, or only encountered insignificant numbers even if they did.

“It’s burst!”

“I, it’s silver!”

“I think we’ve found it!”

The Emperor continued to send troops despite the lack of resources. Hesitating while already walking a tightrope meant falling into an abyss. And a high-risk gamble meant a greater reward when successful.

The land of monsters was a place that had never allowed human survival, from the time the human race was first born to the present. It was a treasure trove of nature that had not been touched by human hands for thousands of years. The amount of minerals buried within was beyond imagination, and even securing only a portion of it was enough to easily exceed the military expenditure of the expedition, leaving many who watched the expedition speechless.

At the same time, the greed that the Emperor so desperately desired began to take root in their eyes. Only a few months had passed since the expedition began. The area secured so far was only about 10% of the entire land of monsters. Even if they handed over the mines they had secured so far, there would be enough wealth to satisfy their greed even if they participated in the expedition from now on, and more and more nobles were making that judgment.