Chapter 168 — Crimson Ghost (1)

“You, you crazy bastard!”

Viscount Beiro Hadding shouted at the top of his throat.

It was a completely unexpected event.

“For you to enter the enemy camp on your own!”

Disguising as a remnant soldier and infiltrating the enemy camp.

He admitted that it was a bizarre scheme that was difficult to predict.

But just what use was that?

The number of soldiers Roan dragged and brought with him were merely a thousand.

Compared to that, several thousands of soldiers were stationed inside Hadding Legion’s camp.

“Kukuku. So you went mad trying to kill yourself!”

Beiro smiled terrifyingly and brought his hand to his waist.

The commanders, knights, and numerous warriors around them too pulled out their own weapons.

A cold pressure raged like a storm.

However, Roan’s expression was greatly calm and relaxed.

“I have merely……”

The Travias Spear pointed at Beiro.

“Came to cut you bastard’s neck.”

Leave the body and the tail and cut off the head. 1

That was the method Roan had chose.

Chang!

The Travias Spear elongated longly and the sharp spearhead showed itself.

Beiro snorted.

“It seems you can’t see your surrounding situation.”

More than tens of distinguished warriors had surrounded Roan, Tas, and Peil.

Beiro roared with a haughty expression and voice.

“You will cut my neck? Hmph! Look after your head instead!”

The instant the words fell, the Hadding Legion’s warriors closed in the encirclement.

Roan cheerily smiled and looked back at Tas and Peil.

They, who acted the role of remnant soldiers together, were Amaranth Troop’s soldiers and the two were both the 1st generation Taemusas.

The two people stared at Roan and slightly nodded their heads.

It meant that the preparation was done.

Roan glared at Beiro again.

“Look after my head instead? How funny. To cut my neck……”

The smile that hung on his mouth became much thicker.

“You will need at least twice as many more warriors than now.”

The words ended at that.

With his left leg as an axle, Roan turned his body and swung his spear.

Paat!

The body of the spear moved as if to dance.

Kakang!

Metallic sound noisily rang out.

The Travias Spear powerfully hit the swords of two warriors who were near.

“Kuk!”

“Damn it! Just how strong……”

The two warriors clutched their hands and stepped back.

The swords they had held were dropped onto the ground.

As if they had been waiting, Tas and Peil kicked the ground.

The two people snatched the swords and moved as if to dance.

Chang! Chachang! Chang!

Swords clashed and sparks flew.

The Hadding Legion’s warriors, who had been vaguely maintaining the encirclement, went out in a counterattack with a shocked and surprised expressions.

“Damn it! Attack!”

“Kill them!”

A battle of tens of people against three people.

It definitely was an disadvantageous situation.

“Roan Tale. You’ve conceited too much. Did you think you could face this many knights and warriors……”

The moment Beiro’s words reached about that point.

Ssweaaaaak!

A sharp sound of impact hit the ears.

“Eh?”

“Un?”

The Hadding Legion’s warriors, including Beiro, turned their gazes following the sound.

From the outskirt of the camp, tens of arrows were flying towards them.

They were the arrows the remnant group that came into the camp with Roan shot up.

That side too had moved as they planned beforehand.

“Dodge!”

“Raise the shields!”

“Fire arrows!”

“They’re fire arrows!”

The warriors loudly shouted and crowded near Beiro’s side.

However, the arrows actually flew towards not where they were, but towards an unexpected place.

Pubuk! Pubububuk!

A rain of arrows poured down onto the tents that surrounded the center of the camp.

“Kuhahaha! Your skill with the arrows are unsightly!”

Beiro, who hid behind a shield, snorted.

However, Roan cheerily smiled and shook his head instead.

“Not at all. It was a shockingly excellent skill. Because they fell exactly where I wanted.”

The very instant his words ended, flames burst up from where the arrows fell.

However, the flames merely burned the surrounding tents and swayed, and actually did not pose any big danger.

Beiro, with a smile full of triumph, gloated again.

“Kukuk. Were you planning on using fire field tactic or something? They fell where you wanted? Even though it will be difficult to see a big effect with merely this much?”

At those words, Roan faintly smiled and raised his left hand.

As if they had been waiting, Tas and Peil, who were at the sides, stepped back with short salutes.

Roan, while slantly holding the Travias Spear, used the Flamdor Mana Technique.

The heat of his mana hole began to boil like lava.

“Beiro Hadding.”

His voice was low but powerful.

A smile hung on his mouth.

“From the start, I didn’t have the thought of using something like a fire field tactic.”

Tat!

Roan’s body shot out towards the front.

It was a swift movement that truly brought a light to mind.

Beiro looked at Roan, who was running towards him, and snorted.

“Hmph! Block him! I will grant a promotion and a reward to the one who cut the bastard’s neck!”

The instant the words ended, the Hadding Legion’s warriors pounced towards Roan.

“Your neck is mine!”

“I will cut you!”

“Die!”

Moths.

They were idiotic and foolish moths who lost their sight at greed and ambition.

Roan’s spear cut the space.

The spear handle repeated to extend and contract as it wished.

The width was also the same.

Ssskuk! Sssguk!

Each time, the warriors’ chests or throats were pierced.

Boom!

Occasionally, they were even blown away everywhere with a sound of explosion.

“Damn it! Everyone attack!”

“Push with the number!”

However, the Hadding Legion’s warriors too did not fall back easily.

Their eyes were still lost at greed and ambition.

Tens of them pounced towards Roan.

Beiro, who had stepped back far away, looked at that sight and burst out a crazed laughter.

“Kuhahaha! Serves you right!”

The mocking look was clear.

In a glance, it looked like a life threatening situation.

However, Roan didn’t lose his composure.

He, with a composed expression, was looking at the flames that had completely swallowed the surrounding tents.

‘It’s warm.’

Thanks to Brent’s Ring, he couldn’t feel any heat beyond that.

But the mana inside his body shook as if it would explode immediately.

Roan, with the Flamdor Mana Technique, slightly released the heat he was forcefully calming.

He stared at the tens of warriors who were pouncing at him and formed a cold smile.

Paat!

Suddenly, an explosive pressure spew out from his entire body.

No, that was not a pressure, but an incredible heat.

A gust of heat, strong enough for the flames that swallowed the surrounding tents and were swaying to instantly be pushed outwards, stormed.

But that too was for a moment.

The flames that were pushed away instead increased their size and stretched towards Roan.

“Uak!”

“Run!”

“Fi, fire!”

At the incredible heat felt through the back of their heads, the Hadding Legion’s warriors ran away towards every direction.

It literally was a heat that seemed like their flesh would be cooked.

Inside the incredible storm of fire, only one man was left.

Roan.

Slantly holding the black Travias Spear, he glared at Beiro and the Hadding Legion’s warriors.

The violently surging flames, as if to protect Roan, burned spherically around him.

“Beiro Hadding. I will show you why……”

Tat!

Roan moved.

Together with him, the flames moved.

From within the incredible storm of fire, Roan’s calm voice was heard.

“I am called the Crimson Ghost.”

*****

“Report to him that we will do as the letter’s contents.”

“Yes. Understood, sir.”

The messenger of a bold body deeply lowered his head, then went out of the tent.

As if they had been waiting for the man to get out, rage burst out from here and there.

“I knew it would become like this. He handed over the county to Roan Tale!”

“Goodness. To think he would pass down the fief as well as even the title.”

“The more shocking thing is Prince Kallum. Just with what kind of thinking did he approved the fief and the title’s transfer?”

The ones echoing each other and raising their voices were the nobles and the retainers who followed Kali Owells.

The messenger who went out of the tent just before was a man Count Jonathan Chase had sent.

He meticulously passed the news that was at the capital, Miller, then separately delivered the letter that Jonathan’s order was written in.

“Damn it. With situation becoming like this, we definitely must make the Lancephil Fief ours.”

“No, as Sir Count Chase’s letter’s content, let us even seize the Tale Barony.”

“Yes! That should be good, sir!”

Perhaps because of the excitement, their voices slowly became louder.

At that moment.

“Quiet.”

A quiet voice filled the inside of the tent.

“Cough.”

Instantly, the people closed their mouths and turned their heads towards the head of the table.

The man frowning while holding the letter Jonathan sent in one hand.

He was Kali Owells.

‘So it ultimately became like this.’

He made a bitter smile.

Even though he had received and heard the news that Io Lancephil had transferred the fief and the title to Roan, he didn’t feel angry.

Rather, he felt a small joy at his premonition being correct.

Kali looked at the nobles and the retainers and made a faint smile.

“As per Count Chase’s request, send a part of the Fief Regiment to the west.”

He purposely chose the word request instead of order.

“Yes. Understood, sir.”

Amongst his retainers, the commanders answered in a loud voice.

It was a transfer for intercepting the Tale Legion.

At that moment, magic corp head Tairon Bess spoke with a slightly displeased expression.

“Sir Count Chase’s order, no, the request seems too one sided, sir. We aren’t Sir Count Chase’s retainers yet.”

Few nobles and retainers nodded their heads.

Kali faintly smiled as he answered.

“Let us simply leave it for now.”

In any case, they had to clash again with Jonathan once this fief war finished.

‘He probably thinks he is sitting above my head.’

It was a hilarious and hasty judgment.

Behind Kali’s back, Duke Bradley Webster was there.

‘Wait just a bit. Because I will now soon climb up on top of you bastard’s head.’

The ambition he had was much greater than Jonathan thought.

“Then, do your best in the missions you have each received.”

It was the sound that signalled the end of the meeting.

Suddenly.

“Um, sir……’

One amongst the commanders spoke up with a careful expression.

“What would you do with Sir Walter?”

Walter Owells.

He was Kali’s firstborn as well as the fiancé of Eastern Regional Corps Supreme Commander Aaron Tate’s daughter, Mary Tate.

An alumnus of the Pavor Academy Knight School, he was a man who was also acquainted with Roan.

Kali slightly creased his forehead.

“That kid, is he still being stubborn?”

“That is correct, sir.”

The commander who spoke up awkwardly smiled and nodded his head.

On Kali’s face, which was relaxed from the start, an annoyance smeared out.

“Stupid kid. Just for whom is this all for……”

He clicked his tongue and shook his head for a while.

“Bring him here even if by tying him up.”

If he brought him and revealed his great purpose, Walter’s thought too would change.

“Yes. Understood, sir.”

The commander who spoke up first stepped back with his head lowered.

Kali looked at that sight and shook his hand.

Soon, all the nobles and the retainers exited out of the tent.

Kali, who was left alone, closed his eyes and exhaled a long sigh.

“Foolish child. He’s only behaving spoilt without even knowing this father’s great meaning.”

He thought of Walter’s defiance as a degree of an immature action.

Kali was an outstanding knight and a talented warrior, but actually concerning his child, he was a truly ignorant father.

Even if he did not know, he didn’t knew his son, Walter, too much.

*****

“I, it’s a monster.”

The Hadding Legion’s soldiers who saw the giant flame and crowded.

While circling the center of the camp long around, they couldn’t move any further.

All of them, with a half dazed expressions, swallowed dry spit.

At the place the soldiers’ gazes touched.

At that place, crimson flame was swaying in a spherical shape.

“I, it’s a crimson ghost.”

“It’s the Crimson Ghost.”

Whispering sounds rang out from here and there.

Crimson flame.

Inside that, a man stood.

The man who slantly held the black Travias Spear and poured out a bold pressure.

He was Roan.

In his surroundings, tens of corpses that were burnt coal-black were strawn.

They were the Hadding Legion’s warriors who were captured by greed and ambition and had attacked Roan.

Amongst them, there was only one person who was left unscathed and alive.

Beiro Hadding.

“Uuuuh. Ri, ridiculous.”

He quiveringly trembled his entire body and shook his head.

His expression was that of saying that he simply couldn’t believe what had happened in front of his eyes just before.

‘Is this the Crimson Ghost I only heard through words?’

There was a time when he had heard the rumor that Roan had done great accomplishment at the war with the Istel Kingdom.

Especially the great accomplishment at the final chase had begot even a nickname called the Crimson Ghost.

‘I didn’t believe it because the rumor was too absurd, but……’

The rumor said that he controlled the flames as if his arms and legs while his hair and entire body turned red.

‘Although the hair and the body didn’t turned red, him controlling the flames like his arms and legs were true.’

Beiro swallowed a dry spit.

If he could, he wanted to run into the gaps between the soldiers, but his legs didn’t listen.

Completely pressed down by Roan’s pressure, the two legs solidified stiffly.

His eyes quickly turned.

‘Fo, for now, I have to live.’

Beiro soon made an awkward smile.

As if to show that he had no desire to fight, he extended his two hands.

“B, Baron Tale. I, it looks like I’ve done something wro……”

When his words reached about that point.

Roan’s right hand slowly moved.

The Travias Spear that was pointing at the ground lazily cut the space.

Paat!

The flame that spherically swayed violently moved following the spear.

“Huhuk!”

Looking at the flame that flew towards him, Beiro quickly tried to move his body out of the way.

However, the legs that had stiffly solidified did not move as he desired.

Spat!

The tip of the spear and the flame simultaneously brushed Beiro’s neck.

“Ggrrk.”

With a sound of blood boiling, Beiro goggled his eyes.

Without even being able to exhale out his last breath, he fell flat forwards.

Boom!

With a blunt sound, the head that was barely attached rolled on the ground.

Roan looked at that sight and murmured in a quiet voice.

“I told you. I came to cut you bastard’s neck.”

Soon, the surroundings became noisy.

“Uhuk!”

“Si, Sir Legion Commander!”

“Sir Viscount Hadding!”

Few soldiers lost their fears and pulled out their swords.

Roan quietly breathed in deeply, then pulled the Flamdor Mana Technique to the limit.

Suddenly.

Paaaaaat!

With him at the center, an incredible gust of heat stormed.

At the same time, the flame that were burning spherically burst out as if exploding.

“Uuak!”

“Run!”

The Hadding Legion’s soldiers, who were closing in an encirclement of their own, screamed and lied down on the ground.

The gust of heat and the flame soon disappeared.

Ssss.

A warm western wind blew into the desolate camp.

The one who was standing on two legs was only Roan.

The Hadding Legion’s soldiers were all flatly lied down on the ground.

Although it was to dodge the flame, from a glance, it looked as if they were prostrating on the ground towards Roan.

Roan boldly stood and stared at the soldiers.

There were no such thing as a frightening killing intent or a threatening pressure.

However, the soldiers couldn’t dare think of standing up.

An overwhelming power.

A dignity pouring out from the soft gaze and the calm expression.

To Roan, they had their bodies and hearts all succumbed into submission.

‘It’s done as I thought.”

Roan inwardly formed a smile.

The strategy of disguising as Kapeo Legion’s remnant soldiers and infiltrating into Hadding Legion’s camp.

‘It was a strategy Ian had made and Pierce executed.’

Austin, Harrison, Chris, as well as even Beiro, who was the enemy commander.

Likely, they all thought that this strategy was a bizarre scheme.

However, this strategy was a standard strategy most closest to the standards amongst the standard strategies.

Not a petty trick or a tactic, but the power itself was the strategy.

‘Conquer the enemy using overwhelming strength.”

It was the most foundational and primeval combat tactic.

In truth, Roan had continued his victory through schemes like raids and ambushes based upon information until now.

Although there were occasionally cases where he cut the enemy commander’s neck through a duel, there weren’t many cases where he showed off the strength he had to his heart’s content.

Because of that, there was a question asking if Roan’s strength, the Crimson Ghost’s rumors were exaggerated.

Roan had used such strategy in order to dispel that very such question and raise his presence.

‘To me, I don’t only have strategies, tactics, and powerful soldiers.’

Before that, the truth that Roan himself was an owner of an incredible power would be known once again.

Tale Legion.

Amaranth Troop.

In front of those names that shook and rang the Rinse Kingdom, Roan Tale would be brought up in people’s mouths first.

Not as a nickname like the noble of a commoner background or the rising hero, but as a general more powerful and fearful than anyone, as the Crimson Ghost.

Roan quietly closed his eyes.

The scent of the battlefield spread to the tip of his nose.

When he was fully enjoying the lingering ambience.

[Uah. Please don’t pretend to be all cool. I feel like I’m dying from the cringe!]

A sharp voice was heard.

It was Kinis.

[What am I supposed to do if you explode the heat like that when I’m right next to you?]

It was a pointless grumbling.

Roan opened the eyes he had closed and awkwardly smiled.

Kinis was seen in front of his eyes.

“Un?”

Roan made a slightly surprised expression.

“You……”

[Why?]

Kinis raised her hands onto her waist and creased her brows.

Roan slightly tilted his head and spoke with a puzzled look on his face.

“Your appearance changed?”

End.

1. for those who don’t get this part, it’s a metaphor of the legion to a snake. The soldiers are the body and the tail, and the commander (Beiro) is the head.