Barbarian Quest

Georg blew a long whistle as the signal. The five hundred slaves had been keeping themselves awake, eagerly waiting for that very signal.

"Waaaaaah!"

The slaves burst out in an outcry. They pushed through the imperial soldiers with their bodies and rushed toward the armory.

"You crazy bastards! Get back to your tents now!"

The patrolling imperial soldiers gathered, attempting to restrain the slaves.

"Shut up, you sons of bitches!"

The slaves charged at the imperial soldiers with their bare hands.

"Keughhhhh!"

The soldiers drew their weapons and attacked the slaves. Blood spilled onto the ground as the well-trained imperial soldiers slashed at the slaves indiscriminately.

"We are not your slaves anymoreeeee!"

The slaves fought back and pounced at the soldiers fiercely. They knew that death awaited them either way. If they were destined to die anyway, they chose to do so by resisting. It was as if they were trying to prove their humanity by attacking the imperial soldiers savagely.

"Kughhh!"

The slaves bit off the soldiers' ears and gouged out their eyes. They snatched the soldiers' weapons and used them to decapitate the fallen without hesitation.

Most of the imperial soldiers were still asleep. Before they could wake up and come out armed, the slaves needed to reach the armory.

"Georg!!"

The slaves called out to Georg, who was throwing weapons from inside the armory to them outside.

"Grab whatever you can and fight! The barbarians will soon charge in!"

Georg shouted toward the gate, his eyes narrowing.

"Are the barbarians also enemies?"

When a slave asked, Georg hesitated for a moment before answering.

"They're not supposed to be, but if they attack us, defend yourselves."

No one knew how the battle was going to unfold. If the barbarians decided the slaves were also their enemies, any deal that was made between Urich and Georg would be pointless.

‘I doubt that the barbarian army is disciplined enough. Urich seemed reasonable, but other barbarians...'

Georg was unsure of the situation, but he decided to prepare to fight and picked up a spear.

"Huff, huff."

Georg gasped, watching the approaching imperial soldiers.

The slaves crowded around the armory. Since they lacked a proper battle commander, their formation and defense were sloppy. A few dozen imperial soldiers could easily annihilate them.

'Urich, please.'

Georg's lips dried in anticipation.

"Oh Lou, please do not take me to your side just yet. I still have things to do on this land."

Georg prayed to the sun that hadn’t even risen yet. He desperately hoped that he would live to see the dawn. The only way Georg and the slaves could survive was if Urich followed through with his plan to open the gates and let the barbarians in.

"Georg! The soldiers are coming! Ugh!"

The enraged imperial soldiers trampled the slaves ruthlessly.

"You damn slaves! How dare you even think of a rebellion?"

"Georg is the one who started this whole thing! Catch that bastard!"

"Geooooorg! You son of a bitch! I'll slowly peel your skin off until you beg me to kill you!"

Faced with the imperial soldiers' brutal threats, Georg felt like he was moments away from wetting himself. He barely gathered his wits and raised his voice.

"Hold your ground! Hold it no matter what!"

"Shit! How are we supposed to do that?"

It wasn’t like the slaves were trying to get outpowered by the imperial soldiers. They had suffered through labor and starvation for a long time, and their combat skills were meager compared to the imperial soldiers. Facing the continent's strongest legion, even a determination to risk death seemed meaningless.

"Kagh!"

More and more slaves were pierced by spears and blades. Bloodied imperial soldiers glared as they stomped on the heads of fallen slaves.

"We are the sword of the empire. How dare you dirty peasants brandish a weapon before us? Long live the emperor!"

"Long live Yanchinus!"

As the slaves were swept away, the boosted morale of the imperial soldiers resounded.

Beeeeeeeep!

Both the slaves and the imperial soldiers glanced back. From the direction of the gate, a whistling arrow soared high. The whistling arrow had an arrowhead resembling a whistle, and it was universally used to signal the commencement of an attack.

"T-the gate is under attack! It's been opened!"

"How many? How many attacked us?"

"J-just one person!"

The imperial soldiers plunged into chaos. The news of the gate being opened brought shock to them. They needed to deal with the slaves in front of them, but securing the gate was also imperative.

"W-we did it!"

The slaves cheered upon seeing the bewildered imperial soldiers.

Immediately, the imperial soldiers left the slaves behind and ran toward the gate. Securing it was the priority.

"Isn't failure to guard subject to execution under military law?"

Urich chuckled, standing on top of the wall. Though it was made of wood, the fortress's barrier was considerably more robust than any tribal fence. Urich had cut the drawbridge ropes, leaving the gate down.

"When did that barbarian..."

The imperial soldiers were shocked. Around the gate, on the stairs, and on top of the wall, the heads of imperial soldiers rolled. If he was truly by himself, it meant that he had killed over ten men single-handedly.

"If you want to kill me, you better come quick. My brothers will swarm this place in a minute; you don’t get more than one chance."

Urich said as he waved the severed head of a dead soldier from side to side. His blood-stained face was showing a smirk.

"I’m going to rip you to shreds, you bastard!!!!!"

The imperial soldiers had served together for as short as two to three years and others as long as ten. Naturally, they shared a strong bond of camaraderie, which was a staple in any army. Enraged by Urich, who killed and mocked their comrades, they charged.

Twung!

The fully armored imperial soldiers fired their crossbows. Urich used the body of a dead imperial soldier as a human shield. A well-armored imperial soldier made for a good shield.

Thuck! Thuck!

The heavy arrows stuck one after another into the body of the dead soldier.

"B-bastard!"

It didn't matter how or why Urich could speak the Hamelian language. They charged at Urich, determined to kill the barbarian who made a fool out of them. With the drawbridge winch broken, it was impossible to raise the gate again, anyway.

"Idiots, you've already missed your chance to kill me."

Urich laughed, dragging his legs. He wasn't in perfect condition either. Having breached the wall's guard alone and cut the winch, he bore deep cuts on his limbs.

“Hoooooooh!”

Loud noises came from outside the fort. It was the distinct battle cries of the barbarians.

“Yohooooooo!”

The Blue Mist warriors who had rushed over after Urich’s signal saw the open gate and shouted even louder.

"Urich is there!!!!!"

The warriors sent their arrows flying as they ran. Even while running, they managed to make their arrows graze the heads of soldiers who were trying to climb the walls.

"The barbarians are coming! Grab your shields and gather below the gate!"

One of the adjutants ordered after regaining his composure. Soldiers with shields gathered in front of the open gate.

“Hah!”

The imperial soldiers shouted their war cry as they closely overlapped their shields.

Thump, thump.

The hearts of warriors and soldiers thumped. The clash was imminent.

Crash!

The charging warriors collided with the shield-bearing soldiers. Warriors who couldn't stop their momentum jumped over the shields, only to be stabbed to death by the soldiers who were waiting for that exact thing in the rear rows.

"Kurgh!"

Even as they were dying, the warriors swung their axes, threatening the soldiers.

"You tough bastard! Die! Die!"

A soldier repeatedly stabbed a warrior's torso. It was a scene of carnage induced by intertwined fear and hatred.

“Ooooohhhhhh!”

The warriors were just as furious.

‘Do you even know what it cost us to cross the mountains!’

They could only watch as their brothers froze to death beside them. They couldn't even help their dying brothers. Because they knew that even more of their kin would die if they didn't cross the mountains, they endured all of it patiently.

"Shout with hatred, swing with rage!"

The Blue Mist warriors' vigor reverberated through the fort. They were among the most esteemed warriors, even in the alliance.

Shlash!

The spears and axes of the warriors pierced the enemy's bellies and shattered their skulls.

“Huff.”

Urich caught his breath and joined the warriors. The gate's defenses had already been penetrated by the warriors' charge. Moreover, the imperial soldiers also had to be wary of the slave rebellion happening right behind them.

"Do not attack the ones who are dressed poorly and standing against the imperial soldiers! They're the slave soldiers helping us!"

Urich shouted. Even amidst the chaos, his words clearly reached the warriors. They were not the simple, trivial barbarians the empire thought them to be. Before the empire's invasion began, they had formed national-scale groups and had an army with systematic organization.

"Don't attack the slave soldiers! They're on our side!"

The warriors passed the message along. Even as they were slashing through the imperial soldiers indiscriminately, they halted their blades upon encountering a slave soldier.

Georg looked at the approaching barbarian army with wide eyes.

‘They're really noticing us and not attacking. This means they're not just barbarians but an army with discipline.’

The slaves cheered, welcoming the barbarians.

"I've guaranteed them freedom in my name, do not treat them as slaves but treat them with respect! Without their help, more of our brothers' blood would have been shed!"

Urich declared. As he passed, the warriors bowed their heads lightly in respect.

The Arten outpost fell into the hands of the barbarians in just a single night. The remaining small groups of soldiers occasionally burst out with weapons but were killed or captured by the barbarians. Urich ordered as many soldiers as possible to be captured alive. Imperial army prisoners were of great use.

Step, step.

Urich's footsteps echoed in the barracks.

The innermost barracks of the outpost were silent. Urich swept aside the tent flap and entered.

Clang!

Urich drew his sword in response to a surprise attack.

"...Duke Langster."

The man who attacked him was Duke Langster. He had been waiting inside the barracks for an enemy with his sword in his hands.

Duke Langster already knew from the sounds outside that the tide of battle had turned. His chance to command his men was already gone.

"Y-you!"

Duke Langster stuttered upon seeing Urich walk in. It was a face he never expected to see here.

"Yeah, it's me, Urich."

Urich smirked with bloodied lips, pointing his sword's edge at Duke Langster's throat. Despite Duke Langster's attempts to deflect the attacks, Urich's skill overwhelmingly surpassed his.

Claaang! Clang!

Urich pushed Duke Langster around like a child and cornered him to a chair.

"Sit down."

Urich commanded the Duke. When Duke Langster hesitated, Urich kicked his knees.

“Keugh.”

Duke Langster collapsed into the chair, looking up at Urich.

"It’s nothing personal. I’m sorry things turned out this way."

Urich casually drank the wine from Duke Langster's table. His lips curled up as he got the taste of civilized wine after a long while.

"So you weren’t a northerner. That's what it was..."

Duke Langster laughed hollowly.

"Since you’re a high noble, keeping you as a prisoner will probably come in handy someday."

Urich knew the ways of negotiation of civilization. A high noble like Duke Langster was a significant bargaining chip in itself.

‘I have to get that letter to His Majesty, no matter what...’

Duke Langster's eyes shifted aside for a second. The letter he had carefully prepared lay on the desk, filled with advice enriched by his experience and knowledge.

"I saw your eyes dart over, Duke Langster."

Urich didn't miss Duke Langster's glance. Duke Langster's face turned pale.

"You can’t... kugh!”

Duke Langster was kicked to a corner while trying to stop Urich.

‘A western barbarian who won the jousting tournament... and has extensive knowledge about civilization.’

He was dangerous. Urich was a being that had to be killed here; otherwise, he might become a demon to set the civilized world ablaze. Nobody in the civilized world knew that someone had traversed between the west and civilization. This was a significant variable.

"Oho, I knew studying so hard would come in handy. I’m glad I did. This is impressive content."

Urich read through Duke Langster's letter and marveled. The lengthy petition meticulously pointed out the emperor’s mistakes and even outlined directions for improvement.

"...Duke Langster, you're a loyal subject. You would never betray the empire and the emperor."

Urich smiled bitterly.

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