The Returned Sword King Decided to Become a Tyrant Episode 23
The Fugitives (1)
One day, when summer had arrived in full swing, a cool breeze was still blowing in the land of the barbarians.
Perhaps, if it weren’t for the middle of July, we would have seen the wilderness covered in white snow.
But despite such mild weather, the world did not turn smoothly.
“Damn it! I’m hungry!”
The words shouted by the man in black leather armor were enough to elicit everyone’s sympathy.
In their recently desolate habitat, even finding food like before has become a very difficult task… … .
Moreover, they could not possibly be satisfied with their situation, having been left in such a barbarian land by the order of the ‘Khan’, the ruler of the clan.
Rather, in a way, that might be the reason why they were starving day after day.
Even the last bit of food that was left was all requisitioned for the war with the Federal Empire.
“Those who went southeast must have eaten their fill by now… … .”
“Kuuuuuu. Certainly, fertile land is the best for plundering.”
“Damn it! If it weren’t for the Khan’s orders, I would have… … by now!”
Kwajik!
A man in black leather armor, trampling on the twisted grass with his feet, sat down in his seat, irritated.
Eat, kill, and steal. That is their pleasure and their creed.
So, for those who had been awarded the honorable title of warrior, these boring times were like hell.
But not everyone present thought so.
“War? Well, that’s fine. But remember, we’re on the better side. At least we’re not given the tedious task of guarding the Khan’s residence.”
“Haha. It’s been a while since you said something right.”
If one only pursued food and pleasure, it was only natural that the imperial lands in the southeast would be delicious.
However, the stage of Esteban, which was relatively barren but guaranteed safety, and the frenzied massacre that took place there was enough to provide a different kind of fun than war.
Besides, it wasn’t like there were no small harvests at all…
The barbarian warriors’ gazes were directed to one place.
“Hehehe. Yeah, at least there’s some fun here.”
Traces of flesh and dark red liquid scattered and hardened on the ashen soil.
The sword wielded as a last stand will serve its purpose as a spoil of war for the barbarians.
They… … were unfortunately victims of the raids that had begun before news of the barbarian advance south was heard.
“It’s a shame, but I guess I’ll have to be satisfied with just filling my stomach today.”
The regrets they speak of are not necessarily limited to material things like alcohol and meat.
The feeling of slicing flesh, and the despair that seeps out from the opponent being trampled.
I wanted to monopolize everything if possible, so it would be a lie to say that I had no regrets.
“… … Ugh.”
The man in black leather armor, who had been watching this with a displeased expression, licked his lips and rummaged through his blood-stained luggage.
But soon, when he confirmed that there was nothing, he threw his bag away with an angry face.
“Damn, you’re carrying around something useless!”
The gold jewels in his bag spilled onto the floor, but no one paid any attention.
After all, their only interest was killing and satisfying their desires.
dump-
The man in black armor, who had returned with an expression of “what’s the matter?”, lay down on the ground covered in blood.
But, I immediately felt something strange and wrinkled my nose.
“Huh? What is this… … .”
earthquake?
It felt so small that I hadn’t felt it before, but now that I was lying down with my back against it, I could clearly feel the vibration of the moving ground.
‘Have you been starving for too long… … .’
I feel my stomach and try to find the source of the vibration.
But contrary to expectations, no sensation was felt in the abdomen.
As the expression on his face changed and he felt anxious due to an unknown feeling, one of the barbarian warriors who had been touching the bag repeatedly clicked his tongue and asked.
“What’s wrong? Are you feeling a little queasy now?”
“No, this is… … .”
The barbarian warrior, who was about to add something, stopped talking. Something suddenly occurred to him.
Where have I experienced this feeling?
Yeah, definitely… … .
“… …horse hoof?”
“We found a group of barbarians!”
“Don’t give them time to respond, destroy them immediately!”
“insect!”
Looking back over the hill, I could see knights in golden armor approaching with their backs to the sunlight.
… … Why on earth are these guys in a place like this?
As soon as that question crossed my mind, I was suddenly reminded of the movements of the guys rushing down the hill.
“Damn it! Those wicked Estebans!”
Who would have thought they would attack at a time like this… … .
Clearly, they must have moved after learning that all the troops attacking Esteban had moved.
However, the confusion of being caught off guard was short-lived. Unlike the fierce momentum with which they had been charging forward, the faces of the barbarian warriors gradually began to brighten.
“… … What, only five?”
“Kyahahahaha! Are you crazy? You’re not even joking.”
The number of barbarians present is fourteen.
——————
faqwiki.us
Join our Discord for new chapter updates!
https://discord.com/invite/xr7SxG5T6V
——————
We know that in a fight between the few and the many, it’s not the numbers that matter the most.
If there is an overwhelming difference in individual power, it becomes a massacre that can no longer be described as a battle.
But unfortunately, they were warriors of the tribe that protected the land.
The clear strongmen leading this fight were themselves.
There was no change whatsoever.
“Fight back! Let’s show the might of Khan’s warriors!”
“I will make you pay the price for daring to crawl into this land.”
The barbarian warriors, with their axes drawn, waited until they were at an appropriate distance before they began to move.
just now.
“Die!”
Boo-
The movements of the warriors who were striking down giants the size of their torsos were truly threatening.
It was obvious that Esteban’s goon, who was running in the lead, would fall to the ground, cut in two along with his horse.
Crunch-
“Kwaaak!”
That’s what I thought until I saw the death of my comrade, his head and body separated, collapsing in vain.
“What is this… … .”
The peacock feathers attached to the warrior’s headband flutter in the wind.
It was something that could never happen.
He was a man who was certain to be promoted to Grand Master once this war ended.
The fact that he would roll on the floor just by dividing the amount of work was something that was beyond common sense, no matter how hungry he was.
At that very moment.
As if they didn’t even care about the dead, the bodies of the barbarians who greeted the knights at the front with cold expressions, just like at first, froze.
“Ugh, ugh!”
It was not that he lost his will to fight after the death of his comrade, and it was even less that he was daunted by the momentum.
Yet what held them back, preventing them from taking even a half step, was something intangible that had come without their consent.
And the moment they realized its identity, the barbarians could meet its bloodshot eyes strangling their throats.
It was a primal fear, so strong that it could even freeze physical space.
“… … to live.”
Next were the last words of the black leather armored warrior who had been at the forefront.
* * *
Whoosh-
I said, shaking the blood on my sword into the air.
“The damage.”
“… … The total number of barbarians killed was fourteen. The Knights suffered no casualties, not even minor injuries.”
The vice-captain of the Sun Knights spoke like that. Roder’s eyes were trembling as if he had lost his way.
After receiving the report, I nodded expressionlessly.
“A merchant in a place like this… … It looks like he robbed a passing smuggler.”
“… … I don’t know the exact details, but it seems that way.”
“I see. While we’re trying to sort out the situation, identify the person and collect the belongings to be given to their families and send them back to their home country as soon as possible.”
“I will obey your orders.”
Since I still had some time to spare before the second wave arrived, I turned my gaze to the area where the fighting had taken place.
The Northern Expeditionary Force was formed around me, the first prince, and the Sun Knights, the second royal knight order.
Our goal was to disrupt the empty barbarian lands and cause damage to them.
‘To cause harm to the land of the barbarians… … .’
If I had heard that before I returned, I would have thought you were crazy.
It was such a new experience.
This place, where only dark, barren land and withered trees can be seen, was, before the return, the barbarian defense line that no nation could penetrate.
A space that seems familiar yet completely different from the past.
How many soldiers had to sacrifice themselves to stand in this place before the return?
Esteban also had to endure painful bleeding to recover his lost troops.
“But now it’s time to attack them.”
However, my face, which was expressing such sentiments, showed no change at all.
I turned my gaze back to the knights.
‘The number of barbarians I encountered on my way here was one hundred and twenty-four.’
The more I moved, the shorter the period of encountering them became.
And that number continued to grow.
In other words, they were getting closer and closer to the land of the barbarians, little by little.
That was when.
“A company-sized group of barbarians is approaching from the front!”
You’re finally here.
I spread my wings in the direction that one of the knights shouted.
The body, which had begun to tremble before I knew it, was looking for new prey.
* * *
Again, this is the land of the barbarians.
Since entering the wilderness, they have been quite aggressive, so everyone expected some kind of reaction.
But with numbers like that, it was a different story.
“Ouch! Stop training and get out of the scene! Join up with the reserve force and attack!”
“insect!”
The Sun Knights’ Vice-Captain Roder grabbed the reins and shouted.
It has overwhelming mobility, so once you get out of here, you’ll be able to shake off their pursuit.
But what came back was the voice of the first prince, so cold that it took my breath away with fear.
“Stop.”
“… … .”
“Who told you to move on your own? I never ordered you to leave?”
Cold sweat ran down the heads of the knights in the room.
The first prince, who was wiping the blood stuck to his sword with a handkerchief, walked over with slow steps and muttered quietly.
“There are fifty-four of us, two of whom are sorcerers. We’ll handle it ourselves, so everyone should focus on what they were doing.”
Surprisingly, the voice was so distinct that every knight in the detachment could hear it.
However, Roder’s eyes, looking at the pentacle that appeared above their heads, were shaking without mercy.
“Your Majesty! Be careful!”
The ominous pentagram drawn in the air was filled with unintelligible letters.
The magic circle of crimson light, now half-clear, was shaking in a disgusting way, as if it would pour out flames at any moment.
And the target was, obviously, their commander in chief.
“shit!”
Woohoo!
Roder, who saw that the magic was being activated, gritted his teeth and ran to the first prince.
The next thing that happened was that the prince’s right arm flashed.
“……uh?”
“I would have told you to definitely focus on what you were doing.”
The first prince’s right hand, which had been slightly raised, goes down.
And nothing happened.
There was nothing in the empty space that seemed ready to pour down and engulf them in flames at any moment.
As if to say that the sorcery they used was an illusion.
The only thing he saw was the First Prince’s right arm flashing.
‘The magic… has disappeared?’
Is what I just saw true?
Is it really possible to make magic disappear without any warning?
It was a simple situation, but it took me quite a while to understand the process.
To Roder, whose mouth was wide open, the low, indifferent voice characteristic of the First Prince was heard.
“If you don’t mind getting involved, then you can disobey my orders.”
At that time, I can’t guarantee your safety.
Roder’s head tilted down as if possessed.
