What Do You Wish For With Murky Eyes: Record of Highserk War - Chapter 38

Various moans and complaints leaked from the scattered soldiers on the floor. Walm couldn’t hide his surprise.

“Aah, it’s «Ignis Fatuus»!”

“Ugh, my legs, my legs!”

“Ugh, aahh!”

In that short period, Makoto, the chestnut-haired girl had deployed an ice wall, Johanna, the female knight had shielded the healing mage with her body, and Yuuto, the black-haired boy had unleashed an imperfect «Holy Strike», minimizing the damage of «Ignis Fatuus».

There were fewer casualties than Walm had anticipated. Most of them were left half-baked.

“It would have been better if they had just died quietly.”

Staring at Walm, Johanna stood up on unsteady legs.

Yuuto, one of the Three Heroes whom Walm should be wary of, had both hands broken in a clash between «Holy Strike» and «Ignis Fatuus». He was making strained breathing sounds while coughing up blood. The chestnut-haired girl had an ice chunk pierced in her abdomen, barely clinging to life.

“Aya… nee, Ma… koto.”

A boy in his late teens called out his comrade’s name with fading breath. The remaining one of the Three Heroes, Ayane, showed no signs of movement.

“Drop your weapons. I’ll make it quick.”

“Don’t… screw… with us…”

“I see.”

In response to the expected reply, Walm thrust his longsword down from above. Despite being low on magical power, he had fully recovered from his injuries, and his strength had returned. On the other hand, the female knight, in addition to the exhaustion from the previous battle, had lost her magical membrane entirely due to «Ignis Fatuus». She was also injured by burns and fragments from the explosion.

The blow was intercepted with the sword’s hilt, but Walm didn’t stop the momentum and crashed into her shoulder. The posture that would normally have deflected or endured the attack was significantly disrupted, causing her to stagger backward.

Adding a feint to his movement towards her throat, Walm changed the sword’s trajectory at the last moment and slashed at her feet.

Feeling the slight resistance as the blade cut through flesh, Walm pulled back the longsword, wrapping it around, and then slammed it horizontally.

“Guhhh!”

The female knight’s sword yielded to the pressure and rose up. Prioritizing speed, Walm thrust the longsword with one hand. The tip of the sword penetrated through the gap in the armor at the base of her left shoulder.

He intended to pull it out as if extracting her left shoulder, but the armor’s durability prevented it, resulting in a deep wound.

“Ugh, aaah…”

The female knight attempted to create distance, but with only one hand, she couldn’t parry Walm’s sword pressure. A large gash marked her cheek, and she was kicked in the abdomen through her armor during the clash, expelling the air from her lungs.

Rolling on the ground, the female knight tried to get up, but Walm kicked her, sending her flying. He then stepped on her back with his knee, pressing her against the ground again.

“Fuuggk youu.”

“Goodbye.”

Walm intended to decapitate her, but he reversed his movement in response to approaching footsteps from behind.

“Reinforcements, hoh?.”

In an instant, their swords clashed. The armor of the large man was stained with so much fresh blood that it was unclear whether it was his own or the splatter from his opponents.

“One annoying knight after another!!”

“Commander Gran!”

While the female knight and the newcomer had similar armor designs, the emblem of the Rehauzen Knight Order was prominently engraved on the latter’s armor. The feedback from their crossed swords revealed top-notch sword pressure and speed. Without a doubt, it was the captain of the Rehauzen Knight Order, Gran.

“Johanna, carry them and escape! This place is already falling!”

Walm, who had thought he had reached a deadlock, wore a smile. He realized that the enemy was in dire straits, and he wasn’t about to disclose the current state of the battle in front of them.

While their swords were crossed, Walm caught a glimpse of the female knight from the corner of his eye. She was carrying the nearby Three Heroes, Yuuto and Makoto. Despite her tremendous strength, she was an easy target in her slowed-down state.

“Do you think I’ll let you get away with that?!”

Walm attempted to leap forward, but his route to Johanna was blocked by a blade grazing his neck. It wasn’t an opponent he could afford to underestimate even in a casual manner.

“You’re persistent!”

Their swords clashed, creating a sharp metallic sound. Bodies collided, and Walm found himself in a close-range deadlock.

Sliding his blade, he aimed for the fingers, but it was intercepted by the guard of the opponent’s sword. In terms of swordsmanship, including small techniques, the opponent’s skill surpassed Walm’s.

New wounds adorned his fully recovered body. However, unlike before, time was now working in Walm’s favor.

“Attack! The enemy is no more than a few soldiers. Don’t give them time to recover!”

Outside the infirmary, voices resembling those of Highserk soldiers echoed.

“it’s our loss. Next, I’ll take that head of yours.”

“Bark all you want. Your a defeated dog with its tail between its legs.”

As if the previous clash had been a lie, Gran turned away from Walm.

“Oi~, you good? You’re the ‘Forgotten One.'”

Walm used his foot to move the girl called Ayane, who was lying on the ground. Despite her serious injuries, Ayane let out a pained voice as she rolled from a prone position to lying on her back.

“Wait!! Johanna, Ayane is still there!”

Despite being seriously injured, Yuuto, who had been carried like a fish out of the water, thrashed around on the ground. Whether he was hoping for a delayed escape or a reversal, he was forcibly silenced by Johanna.

“Haha, you would punch someone already spitting blood? But, how pitiful. You’ve been abandoned.”

Left behind were Walm, and the incapacitated Ayane of the Three Heroes.

Walm cast his gaze down at Ayane, who had fallen. Her chest was moving; she was breathing.

Shortly after, soldiers with familiar equipment rushed into the infirmary. They cautiously pointed their spears at Walm, who was dressed in Ferrius military attire but didn’t step any closer.

“Wait!! I’m Walm from the Liguria Battalion, Duwei Squad. I took Ferrius military gear to disrupt the enemy. I won’t ask you to lower your spears until your suspicions are cleared, but I don’t want to be killed by friendly forces.”

Walm, with a defiant attitude, awaited whether the soldiers would dismiss his seemingly absurd claim. However, the soldiers exchanged glances and called out outside the infirmary.

“Platoon leader!! Walm of the «Ignis Fatuus» is alive!!”

Rushing over in haste was a platoon leader with a much higher rank than Walm. He nodded, and the spear that had been aimed at Walm was lowered.

“We received a speech from His Excellency Gerald. ‘Reclaim the stronghold and reward the efforts of the ceremonial bonfire to the underworld.’ It’s an honor for our platoon to be the first on site.”

The squad leader smiled, extended his hand, and Walm responded.

“Thank you.”

“The sixth bastion has fallen, and they are flanking the soldiers clinging to the front line. We can’t be complacent, but if things continue like this, it’s a guaranteed major victory. Now it’s our turn to work.”

“Oh, that’s good news… And about the prisoners, those here are valuable healing mages, and one of them is a renowned member of the Three Heroes.”

The platoon leader, understanding Walm’s intention, wore a broad smile. The Highserk Empire’s forces loved to secure human resources, especially when it came to a healer capable of even regenerating missing body parts. Exploitation was inevitable.

“That will surely please His Excellency!! The Yaqui squad will stay here to guard Walm and the member of the Three Heroes. The rest of us will continue clearing the remaining enemies inside the bastion. Don’t let a single one escape!!”

The squad leader left the infirmary with the majority of the soldiers, leaving Walm and a squad to protect the area.

With the tension easing, Walm sat down.

“Are you okay? Do you need water?”

A soldier offered a water bottle to Walm. Opening the cap, he poured water into his mouth. As he felt the water flowing into his stomach, he let out a sigh.

“Do you smoke?”

The soldier then took out a cigarette from his pocket.

“Yeah, I wana smoke.”

Walm received the cigarette and placed it in his mouth, but his magical power was depleted, and the fire wouldn’t light.

“Out of magical power, huh? I wanted to see the renowned «Ignis Fatuus», but you’ll have to make do with my fire.”

The man said this, channeling magical power and manifesting fire.

“That helps. When my magical power returns, I’ll show it to you as much as you want.”

Smoke began to flow from the lit cigarette. The smoke slowly filled Walm’s lungs. When the exhaled purple smoke dispersed into the void, a sudden wave of fatigue overwhelmed Walm, and his consciousness abruptly faded away.