Chapter 976 – 976. Western Conquest (2)
Eunhyeon and the expedition team went straight to the border closest to the west through the gate that had been prepared in advance.
It was the border line of the Kingdom of Leucadia, which previously received great favor from Eunhyeon and Erin.
“Welcome! “I’ve been waiting for you!”
Garrison Commander Malek, who was in charge of the defense of the border, welcomed them warmly.
“Eh? This guy…”
Anies immediately recognized Malek’s face.
His face was somehow familiar, because it was a face I knew 20 years ago when I passed by here.
Of course, there was no way Malek could not recognize the faces of the heroes who had made great contributions on the battlefield at that time.
He had recognized Eunhyeon’s face right away, so there was no way he wouldn’t have recognized her.
“Wow, you’ve succeeded. “This nobleman too.”
“Haha! “Somehow, my life ended up like this.”
He looked at Anies, who was surprised to meet a familiar face in an unexpected place, and Malek, who had been expressing joy or embarrassment, was scratching his head as if embarrassed.
“What did you tell me before?”
“Yes. “Everyone is ready.”
Eunhyeon led the expedition members and walked forward with Malek’s guidance.
Even before the Continental Congress was held, Malek had arranged the necessary supplies with this expedition in mind so that he could depart at any time.
As he had been told in advance that he would head straight to the West, Malek quickly gathered supplies to meet Eunhyeon’s request.
“Great job. The price is…”
“No. “The money is fine.”
Malek smiled and declined.
Seeing his reaction of shaking her hand and politely declining, Erin, who had been following Eunhyun, widened her eyes and made a surprised expression.
“Huh? Mister. Are you sure you don’t mind?”
“Haha! It’s okay!”
He smiled brightly and answered Erin.
“Considering the grace we have received from you two, this is nothing.”
If Eunhyeon hadn’t come, this border defense line might have been destroyed already.
No. The conclusion of destruction was certain.
Eunhyeon, who overturned the hopeless outcome and found a way to survive so that the territory could survive, was nothing less than a savior to Malek and the people of the territory.
“These supplies are the best price we could have prepared for our lives.”
The people of the territory did their best to collect these materials.
To repay the kindness to their benefactors who saved them.
Moreover, there was a realistic calculation that if they led the subjugation of the West successfully, the safety of this border defense line would ultimately be further guaranteed.
That’s why I didn’t ask for anything in return.
“… Thank you and I will put it to good use.”
Eunhyeon accepted their favor with a bitter smile.
“Wow, you are truly a savior.”
Among those listening to the conversation from behind, Anies laughed and made fun of Eunhyeon.
“Would you like to start a brand new religion? Be honest. “Are you planning on opening one soon?”
“Noisy.”
As I ignored Anies’s sarcasm, laughter erupted from behind.
“Hehe, if Hyeoni starts a religion, I will be the number one believer!”
“Yes yes. “You must be so kind~.”
Erin’s reaction to being laughed at seriously is also ridiculous.
Eunhyeon sighed softly and put all the supplies that Malek had arranged for her into her inventory.
“Thank you.”
“Yes. Then I wish you luck.”
Leaving behind Malek and the garrison members who bowed in greeting, Eunhyeon and the expedition headed straight to the west.
“Hey! “It’s much more comfortable than before!”
The expedition, which continued with light steps, was unexpectedly comfortable.
This was because there was no need to move around carrying various supplies, including necessary food, starting with a tent for sleeping on the street.
Naturally, carrying a heavy load and moving around causes enormous fatigue.
It is said that most adventurers use physical strengthening using magic power to reduce this fatigue even a little, but it also ultimately leads to the consumption of mental power, so it cannot be said that there is no consumption at all.
Therefore, the existence of an inventory that can store large amounts of luggage at any time was too convenient.
“It wasn’t this comfortable when I was…”
“No. Even now, most expeditions are not like this.”
Anies sensed the obvious generation gap, but Riod denied her murmurs.
As much as she had planned and managed the training of her men as a knight commander, she had never experienced this level of comfort, even as a Riot who had experienced numerous expeditions.
This is a special case for Eunhyeon, who has an artifact called ‘Inventory’ that utilizes subspace magic.
“Sickness. I feel deprived. “If something like this existed, we should have used it 20 years ago.”
“This was created recently. “Don’t be pushy.”
I became able to use the inventory when I acquired Emilia, a masterpiece created by puppet master Arcis.
Of course, it wasn’t used 20 years ago.
“Sibaal…”
It was inevitable that I felt somehow unfairly treated.
I can’t shake the feeling that I have suffered a loss.
Alice smiled bitterly when she saw Anies swearing with an unfair feeling.
“Surely… “If this kind of magic becomes more common, innovation may occur not only in expeditions but also in various fields.”
“Is it that much?”
“Sure.”
Alice nodded her head as Derkin tilted his head.
This concept was unfamiliar to elves who only lived in the forest.
Being able to transport large amounts of luggage quickly and easily without any risk was a huge advantage in itself.
It was a magical technology that was mainly enough to make merchants drool and pay attention.
Therefore, the expedition started off very smoothly.
There was no need to carry heavy loads while moving, so my legs and fatigue were light.
Moreover, at night, when there were many restrictions on movement, there was no need to take turns standing guard.
This is because Elvin, an artificial spirit who does not need rest, let alone feels tired, is in charge of all night vigils.
The dark night under the moonlight was the domain of Elvin, the shadow spirit.
His ability to track and detect himself over a wide area is more than three times that of most adventurers.
It was enough on my own.
Therefore, Eunhyeon and other members of the expedition team were able to rest comfortably even in the middle of the night when they did not know what kind of danger would come.
“… That’s interesting.”
They walk in formation all day, take breaks in between, and camp out as the sun sets to wait for daylight.
I hope this activity repeats itself without any major changes for the third day.
Those were the sentiments Erin uttered out of her mouth.
“What?”
“You weren’t nervous at all.”
It was the third day since the expedition began and only moving around, but none of the members relaxed.
Assuming that this was true for Elvin, who was in charge of guarding all the surrounding areas, the same was true for other heroes who were no better than veterans of battle.
It seemed as if the blade had always been sharpened.
We assume that we do not know when, where, or how a battle will occur and do not let down our guard.
The more the same things happen over and over again, the more likely you are to feel bored or nervous, but no one shows that kind of carelessness.
Riod and Anies each hold the same position as the head of a group.
But even so, he was now quietly carrying out the roles assigned to him as a member of the expedition team.
Even with chores like setting up and organizing the campsite, preparing meals, and washing dishes, I didn’t feel dissatisfied.
Did he hear Erin’s doubtful words? Anies, who was cleaning up the dishes, said with a disgruntled look on his face.
“Of course.”
“This expedition was not planned by the Knights. Of course, I am not the commander of this expedition.”
Anies, Riod, the Archbishop of the Holy Kingdom, and the Knight Commander of Artia are just ordinary expedition members and team members in this expedition.
Nothing more, nothing less.
“Besides, there was a time when I let my guard down and got into a bad situation. What can I say now? “Should we say this is normal?”
It has become a complete habit.
The habits from when they worked as a team at least 20 years ago were reestablished in their bodies and minds without any resistance or resistance.
It’s her husband who treats these people as team members.
“As expected, Hyeon is truly amazing!”
Why it had come to that conclusion was something Anies could not understand.
“Where do you get involved with such strange idiots? Why?”
First of all, Illyana was out of her mind, so I had no choice but to hold my tongue.
A few hours later it was time to move again.
“… Stop.”
The expedition team, which had repeatedly moved deep into the West, faced change for the first time.
A terrible stench came from the forest ahead.
A dark energy that makes you feel sick just by approaching it.
All the members frowned in unison.
“It’s sick.”
“… “So this is the beginning?”
The nine-tailed fox in the rear muttered briefly.
It was as she said.
This expedition started now.
A land polluted with thick black death energy.
The fact that a polluted forest with an extremely disgusting energy appeared meant that beyond this, there were necromancers and demons who were the culprits of the current situation.
“Hyuna. This…”
“That’s right.”
Erin looked at her Eunhyeon with a puzzled expression.
As Erin expected, what she feared had already happened.
“The demon world is in progress.”
The West was already slowly creating an environment where the devil could come.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
And as if demarcating the boundary, the ground shook.
The polluted forest is shaken by the vibrations.
As the leaves, which had turned purple due to pollution, fell, the shaking grew stronger.
“… Everyone, form your formation and prepare.”
No one knew that something was coming.
No one opened their mouths.
All they did was hold their weapons and wait quietly at their respective positions as the culprit of the increasingly intense vibration approached.
After absorbing the wrong nutrients called death energy, it grew to over 10m tall, casting a huge shadow among the densely lined up giant trees.
And finally, something huge appeared among the tall trees.
“That…”
Rugged and thick limbs and stomach.
Horns sprout from a huge head, reminiscent of a giant mace.
The viciously protruding teeth were ogres, high-level demon beasts that were infamous among adventurers.
If it was just an ogre, Erin had already defeated it before, so she didn’t seem to need to worry too much.
There was something different from the ogre Erin had faced before that appeared before her eyes.
Cr…
The ogre, whose eyes were red and bloodshot, drooling and growling, seemed to be missing something of his senses.
Erin sensed that something was different about this ogre.
“Berserker.”
He lost his senses and was reminiscent of a ferocious berserker.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
The strong vibration was not just one.
What appears from the forest is not just one ogre, but a large group.
“A total of 17 objects.”
This was the number of ogres identified by Ervin, who began searching through the shadows.
Eunhyeon opened her mouth as she stared at the group of ogres that appeared in the forest.
“We handle everything.”
