First Battle (4)

'Damn. A battle so suddenly.'

James thought that there wouldn't be any battles until they reached Mansarh's plains, because they were in a safe zone with no monsters.

'It will be a pain to take care of the newbies.'

The 10th squad of the 5th Company under James was composed of newcomers, and although there weren't many as there were only 9 soldiers in a squad, without including the Squad Commander Rodgers, It was still a pain to take care of them.

Rodgers wouldn't be able to take care of them all by himself.

"Darren! You take care of the newcomers!"

"Yes Sir!"

Darren replied in high spirits and lined the newcomers, including Elijah, in front of him. Darren was the Company Commander of the 5th Company under James but he was tasked to take care of the newbies with Rodgers.

Darren was excited as he had the chance to show his reliability to James who might even recommend him to get a promotion when a position opens up.

The newbies were in a dumbfounded state because of the sudden battle but Darren suddenly hit the helmets of the newcomers with his big hand to wake them up from their stupor.

Dong! Dong!

"Everybody, get a hold of yourselves! When the battle starts, you only follow my back. Understood?"

"Ye, yes….."

A dull reply followed which he could barely hear. Darren frowned and hit Elijah's chest as he couldn't hear him mumbling at all.

Bang.

"Kugh."

Elijah tumbled and stepped back.

Bang! Bang!

Darren yelled after continuing to hit the chests of the other newcomer soldiers.

"Reply properly! This is not training! If you don't get a hold of yourselves you will instantly die! Understood?"

"Ye, yes!"

Only when he finally received a reply full of strength did Darren nod with a satisfied face but just as he was about to move, a soldier came from behind and intruded.

"Hey you, what.... It's you?"

He wanted to reprimand him, but at that instant he saw the face of the soldier, he knew why he was coming late as he witnessed him being picked as a guide by James.

It was August that was returning after having completed his duty.

"You too, get a hold of yourself!"

"Yes Sir!"

August replied confidently with a smile, while having his back straight, chest out and head lifted. Then he lined up then stayed quite, his eyes were shining and you could see his strong will being projected out. Although he wasn't loud but because of his posture, his voice radiated out articulately. He wasn't in a state of nervousness or fear like the other newbies, but nobody could known that it was because he wasn't a newbie.

'Look at this guy.'

Darren looked at August with a little surprise on his face.

'Also at that time when he was packing his things, it seemed like he is experienced.'

However, it was impossible, all of the 9 newcomer soldiers including August, were all beginners with no battle experience, and they were all relatively young, with August and Elijah being the youngest at just 18 years old.

At this time, the sound of the drums was heard, they were beating to tell everyone the battle formation over the sounds of the battle, if the commander wanted to change the battle formation during the fight, the soldiers would be able to hear the changed rhythm. They had introduced war drums to pass the commanders instructions to deal with changes over the course of the battle, as it was hard to pass orders quickly if a sudden change happened in the battle

Boom. Boom. Boom.

At the same time, the cavalry and archers charged towards the gorge.

Dududududu.

They could hear the sound of the earth shaking under the hooves of the horses, then the rest of the infantry troops followed them.

The cavalry moved from the left side of the gorge to the right to cause tremors in the mountain and attract the attention of the goblin army. During that time, the archers prepared to fire.

"Fire!"

At the orders of the Division Commanders fell, the flame arrows covered the sky.

Swish swish swish.

The inside of the gorge became a sea of fire in an instant.

Boosh!

The path of fire quickly spread and devoured the peak of the mountain under the direction of the wind, the only place the fire didn't reach was the entrance of the gorge as the archers didn't shoot there on purpose.

The rest of the squads pierced into that narrow path that was left for the goblins to exit the mountains.

"Au.August. Wi. Will we be fine?"

Elijah called out to August with a really scared face.

'For this kind of guy to become the duke of Randall kingdom.'

But I have to say that he really changed as he grew as a soldier, and once he learnt the spear skills of Mikael Kloff he was directly promoted and he became the best warrior in the kingdom, which just goes to show how outstanding those skills were, he also became more confident and outspoken, though he was still very quiet, he managed to marry a princess.

'I also learnt a few tricks.'

Although he wasn't a formal disciple like Elijah, he too was taught some things and with just those things he could fight one against ten, if he were to fight against elite soldiers, as long as they hadn't learnt magic. However very few people had learnt how to use magic to enhance their fighting style as these techniques were held in the hands of the nobles.

'Although I was only a squad commander.'

However spearmanship techniques without the basics was the same as a child with a tank, he needed a strong body to show it's true potential, like martial arts need a practitioner to train their body to be able to bring out the power of their kicks and punches.

Even if he learnt a really strong spearmanship technique, he wouldn't be able to show even a tenth of it's power.

"August. Are you also scared?"

Elijah looked at August who wasn't saying anything while blinking, but his reply was to hit his chest lightly as he smiled.

"There's nothing to worry about. You were always the best in the spearmanship tests."

Even the instructors had said that his talent for the spear was the best they had seen in years.

However, he was too cowardly and shy so they didn't know if he was going to be able to use it in real battles.

'I really admire Mikael Kloff.'

He changed this kind of cowardly personality to someone who could become a duke.

"Tha, that was only in training."

Elijah's face looked like he was on the verge of crying and August shook his head speechless.

In his last life August would always protect this guy, but when he became the best Spearmaster in the Kingdom and got promoted, they didn't see each other anymore. Although Elijah would occasionally take time to go visit August and he would even show him some spear techniques, their ranks were too different, so they slowly grew apart.

August always felt bitter about this but he knew that this wasn't Elijah's fault as he did try to help him. Elijah offered him a chance to become the head of guards in the land he was bestowed on him by the king when he was became a Duke, but he knew that if he accepted that would be the end of his path towards something great and he would just live the rest of his life as an ordinary person.

"Just follow my back."

August squeezed Elijah's shoulder and glared towards Tallock's Gorge that was doused in flames.

Dudududu.

The ground shook.

Creak. Boom

The trees gorge slowly groaned and broke.

Chwee. Chwee.

The densely packed goblins then started pouring out of the narrow exit at the same time

"Kill them!"

"Kill!"

Along with the commander's order's, the sound of the drum rang out in the battle field.

Boom. Boom. Boom.

His heart started beating as the adrenaline started pumping through his veins, It was this feeling that made his feel high in excitement.

At this moment, August became the great war god he dreamt of becoming as a kid.

Then, James rose his long sword high and yelled.

"Charge!"

"Charge!"

All of the soldiers shouted and charged.

Clash! Ting! Clash!

The sound of metal clashing hit his eardrums.

Elijah and the other newcomer soldiers followed behind the back of Darren and shrank their bodies nervously.

Compared to them, August kept maintaining the ranks in the squad and observed the progress of the battle.

"Damn! They are a smelly bunch!"

Rodgers yelled after stabbing the spear in a running goblin and cursed.

'This isn't the end of the goblin army.'

His eyes directed to the other side of the gorge that was also on fire.

'There is also another army of goblins on the way. They must have hidden their camp deeper in the mountain so it's taking longer for them to escape the fire.'

But when they arrive, the number of the goblin army will increase.

'We have to kill as many as we can before the others arrive so they won't be able to overwhelm us with pure numbers.'

August gripped his spear and glared at the goblins.

Then, Jame's voice was heard.

"They are getting through. Newcomers in the back be careful!"

"I will take care of them!"

Darren replied quickly and cut off the necks of the goblins.

He was a really strong soldier, the Leaf troop was truly an outstanding one.

'I can't just let a troop like this one to get annihilated.'

Then, a goblin appeared in front of August.

"Watch out!"

'No, Damn! At times like these, the newcomers become stiff!'

Darren noticed it too late and wanted to thrust his spear, but it was too late.

However, August calmly extended his spear and pierced the throat of the goblin.

Grr.

The falling goblin was choking on hits own blood as it was falling powerlessly.

It was a concise and cool kill, however, August's spear didn't stop there.

Splat.

The spear twisted like a snake and passed by Darren's hip.

His objective was the goblins that were targeting Darren's back, while he was distracted in trying to save him.

Thrust.

The tip of his spear pierced the chests of the goblin straight through its heart.

"You, you...."

Darren got surprised as the spear was thrust near him and stammered.

August pulled out his spear with a calm face and said.

"Be careful."

He gave short reply as he walked past Darren and stood in front of the newcomer soldiers.

Swiiiish.

The blade of his spear drew a line of light as it slashed through the space in front of it.

'Where are you goblins going!'

August's spear danced in the air almost invisible to the eye and the only proof it left were the trails of light it left as it traveled through the air.

Grr. Grr.

The three goblins that consecutively fell with spear wounds on their necks were also left as proof.

It was obvious to see for the newcomer soldiers how skilled August was, but he was also caught in the eyes of the other 3 Spearmen Division's too.

'What is the identity of that guy?'

'A newcomer with such skill and he isn't scared at all?'

The soldiers of the 3 Spearmen Division's looked at August and exclaimed in suprise.

At that time, James who was also looking at the situation made a hand sign to August.

"August! You come to the front! The rest of newcomers will stay with Darren!"

It was a waste to use his skills as a defense for the newcomers.

"Yes Sir!"

August yelled loudly and charged through all the way to the front of the James's Division.

Elijah who was looking at his back, showed a surprised look.

'August. What happened to you?'

The spear skills that he had seen August showing weren't that amazing.

On top of that, he had never acted so bluntly, because he also had a timid side like him.

'You are like a completely different person.'

In only one day, August completely became another person.

Splat.

During this time, August's spear cut the neck off one goblin after another.