What Do You Wish For With Murky Eyes: Record of Highserk War - Chapter 56

Despite the internal conflict that lasted about two hours, Walm could only marvel at his body’s ability to fall asleep. His unattended jaw was covered in stubble, and his cheeks showed a slight sign of thinning.

Descending from the keep, he passed through a corner where evacuees huddled together. A man groaning from an injury, an elderly person staring blankly at the sky, a mother soothing her child—all these scenes passed through the periphery of his vision. Most of those he had just seen would be left behind in Dandurg Castle early tomorrow morning. If that happened, the outcome would be clearer than staring into the fire.

It’s better to think about it after it’s all over, he switched his mindset. However, as he did, he felt a faint chill about what would happen to himself after everything was over.

Soldiers passing by seemed somewhat hurried. Walm suspected they might be troops informed of the plan, but it appeared to be something different.

Walm noticed a sense of discomfort. The noise from the castle rampart, which had been filled with the sounds of ongoing battles even in his sleep, had disappeared. His heart continued to beat like a fast bell.

“Hey, take a look at that!”

A soldier pointed and shouted something.

Walm rushed up the castle wall passage and reached the rooftop of the gate tower, then gasped. The multitude of monsters that should have filled the surroundings had simultaneously retreated.

Arrow volleys, the blocking firepower of the magic soldiers, widespread attacks—none had been able to interrupt the grand rampage. Words like “earth-shattering” felt inadequate.

“Is this a joke? The monsters are retreating.”

“Did we win? Did we really win?”

Among the soldiers, there were those who raised voices of joy, considering it a miracle. Some perceptive ones had their faces turn pale. Walm sensed something akin to the retreat of the tide before a tsunami.

“Don’t slack off on reconnaissance! Don’t miss anything!!”

Walm, who had been squinting to confirm the current situation, captured something unbelievable.

“Is the mountain moving?”

“Don’t be ridiculous, that’s impossible.”

“No, no, no, it’s definitely moving.”

Mountains shouldn’t move. It was something so obvious that Walm wanted to believe it was an illusion. However, the surrounding soldiers also noticed.

“What’s that? The mountain is on fire!”

“It’s not a mountain, it’s not!”

“Oh gods, it’s a dragon, a dragon species is coming!!”

One of the soldiers hit the nail on the head. The “giant dragon,” renowned as the strongest species, was heading straight towards Dandurg Castle.

“What is that?”

Walm struggled to keep his entire body from going limp. Faced with this, a crawler dragon could be described as a slightly oversized lizard. An incarnate calamity, standing well over 40 meters, its magical aura violated even the surrounding atmosphere. The scales, if they could be called that, resembled exposed lava. It exuded a malevolence and a mystique that should not be touched.

With every step it took, the ground spewed out red-hot sand.

“This can’t be… of all things, it’s one of the Five Great Dragons, the Flame Emperor Dragon!!”

“The Flame Emperor Dragon!? It hasn’t been seen for 150 years. Why the hell is such a monster coming now?”

“It awakened because the Great Outbreak.”

Among the apex predators in the ecosystem, dragons that stood at the pinnacle held the title of Emperor, inspiring awe. Even Walm, who was not well-versed in monsters, knew that much.

In the past, only two dragons were defeated, and that was when the three major nations challenged them, staking the survival of their nations. The use of the «Crumbling Colossus» and «Great Spirit Magic» played a significant role.

Throughout history, reports of catastrophic events caused by dragons date back to the mythical age. Countless nations, alliances, and empires, including those that once dominated, were destroyed. The archenemy of humanity had turned its fangs towards the Highserk Empire.

Uniting the northern countries, even with heroes and elites, it was uncertain whether they could stand against such a foe. Dandurg Castle had only a force of regular soldiers and militia, totaling 20,000.

“This is no joke. Hurry, contact the headquarters!”

“What should we do, immediate evacuation!?”

“The ballistas…”

“Can we deal with such an opponent with those things?”

Soldiers rushed through the castle ramparts. There was no choice but to expedite the plan. While Walm wanted to wholeheartedly agree, his sensitivity to magic allowed him to sense the signs first.

“Hey, move away, get away from the castle!”

“Sir Knight, what are you doing!?”

“What the hell, magic is swirling!”

Walm shouted in a state of panic. The air, the magic, everything was undergoing a transformation. A massive jaw gate opened, and the magic that distorted even space itself was being compressed.

“Wait, that… could it be?”

Visible ripples of magic spread from the Flame Emperor Dragon at the center. The earth burned, and the ground melted.

“Here comes the breath attack!!”

The ultimate strike possessed only by dragon species, a «skill» that pierces the earth, splits the sea, and shatters the sky—such was the unparalleled «Dragon’s Breath».

Walm leaned against the pillar of the sturdiest gate tower on the castle wall, curled up like a baby, and deployed his magical membrane with all his might.

Soldiers sought refuge in the gate tower and the shadows of buildings, even if only to increase their chances of survival slightly.

Taking a defensive stance, a few seconds later, after a brilliance that seared into his retina, it was unleashed.

Even Walm, with the highest level fire resistance, felt the heat through the magical membrane, and his skin tingled. Debris and dust lifted covered his body.

Deafening noise, severe vertigo due to abnormalities in the vestibular system—Walm felt like he was drowning on the ground. Debris repeatedly struck his armor. The sensation in his limbs dulled. Finally able to move, Walm raised his body from the debris.

Burnt remnants of humanoid figures were scattered around. There was no one left maintaining their original form, no one breathing.

“Oh, how absurd.”

The directly hit keep was a scene of horrific devastation. Circularly hollowed out, it literally disappeared. In the aftermath, the surroundings were engulfed in flames.

The burnt materials fell, crushing the fleeing refugees.

The breath, having evaporated the earth on its way, melted a corner of the castle wall like butter, and finally began to diminish after obliterating the mountains that extended behind.

“The headquarters…”

The headquarters, where the brigade commander and his battalion commanders were gathered, had been completely annihilated. With just one strike, a third of the Highserk soldiers and refugees were lost, and the castle was on the verge of dysfunction.

The culprit, the Flame Emperor Dragon, continued its invasion towards the homeland without even sparing a glance at Dandurg Castle. Such arrogance, as if swatting away bothersome gnats with a breath.

“Aaaargh!! What the… what the hell is this world?!! What the ᶂucƙ is the matter with this place?!”

Unable to contain his frustration, Walm slammed his fist against the gate tower and cried out. His lips were bitten, and the unbearable taste of blood spread.

In Walm’s mind, the images of comrades he had once fought alongside surfaced. Following that, the faces of those who had shared time with him at the Sarajevo Fortress flashed through his mind.

“Ayane, Maia, Moritz!”

Regaining his composure, Walm left the castle wall and hastened his steps towards the infirmary where the protected individuals and his subordinates would likely be.

“He-l, me, ee, ahh…”

“Ahh, it’s a lie, a lie!”

People with crushed limbs from debris, those unable to stand due to burns all over their bodies—there were fewer unharmed individuals. Many needed rescue.

Walm withdrew his outstretched hand and kicked the ground. He abandoned them. There were already many with no hope of survival, and Walm knew who his top priority was.

The cries of children, the screams of soldiers, lingered in Walm’s ears as he approached his destination. As he got closer, he encountered more people who resembled the undead, wounded and burnt.

Fortunately, the infirmary had escaped the direct impact of the breath.

“Step back!”

The infirmary was crowded with people. Burnt individuals, those clinging to their families—all raised their voices seeking salvation.

Outside the infirmary walls, numerous patients were lined up, and there were also many who had breathed their last. Those whose skin had fused with clothing and equipment moaned softly with each movement.

Navigating through the gaps in the injured crowd, Walm entered. All the beds were occupied, and patients overflowed onto the unsanitary floor.

In the supposedly ventilated room, the stench of death permeated, violating the nasal passages. Recovery mages diligently cast magic, and medics ran around the room.

In the center of it all was Ayane. Her apron was stained with blood and fatigue clearly showed on her face, but her hands never stopped moving.

Walm, relieved, exhaled, and Ayane also noticed him.

“Walm-san, are you safe!?”

Though a bit dirty, Walm was unharmed.

“The gate tower acted as a shadow, so I’m safe. Gather the able-bodied soldiers and prepare to evacuate immediately. The command post is destroyed, and we’ve lost the city walls. The monsters are closing in.”

Walm started planning the escape. While he lacked experience in group command, with assistance from Moritz and surviving squad leaders, he could potentially organize a platoon or, with some difficulty, even a company. It was crucial to move away from the invasion route of the Flame Emperor Dragon. The specific evacuation destinations could be considered on the move.

“I can’t do that.”

Walm froze at Ayane’s words. She might not fully comprehend the situation.

“I’ll protect the way. This place is already hopeless.”

“What about the injured and the citizens of Myard who can’t move?”

“They’re not even Craistians; they’re Myard people.”

“It doesn’t matter about the country. I want to save them. I want to save those people.”

“Don’t be foolish. Do you want to die? Don’t indulge in self-sacrifice. Just obey quietly!”

Walm raised his voice, unsheathed his sword, and cut into the floor. The sudden violence silenced the surroundings. Walm grabbed her shoulders, attempting to drag her away.

Even so, Ayane looked at Walm without flinching.

“…I don’t want to die. I’m scared of the sword and monsters. Still, I can’t abandon the person in front of me. Not in my current state.”

Her body trembled, but her eyes were filled with determination. It was easy to dismiss it as nonsense.

It’s a foolish tale. The girl, whom Walm thought to be weak, had a firmer conviction than Walm, who abandoned people, proclaiming it was the country’s duty—

“The ‘hands of the clock’ won’t turn back. It’s already… too late.”

Walm, silenced, directed his gaze to where the command post was. The battalion and company commanders had gathered for pre-retreat adjustments, but it was more like disappearance than destruction. No one would have survived.

Some soldiers might be attempting to retreat, but almost half of the troops, not informed beforehand, remained immobile. Forcibly gathering the soldiers and retreating outside the city was undoubtedly the correct course of action.

The brigade was in a state of partial collapse, with the chain of command also disappearing. Walm wasn’t the only one in confusion. Even Walm, just a guardian, had people gathering around him.

“Sir Knight, what should we do?”

“There are no battalion commanders or higher remaining.”

The brave and gallant Highserk soldiers, who had been shooting down the enemy with determination, were now in disarray, waiting for instructions. The initial order was to retreat earlier. Even if more than half of the soldiers and civilians were to be lost—

As Walm began to speak, he felt someone grabbing his sleeve. Looking down, he saw a crying girl looking up at him.

“Please, help us.”

It’s just a chirping insect. Don’t think, don’t entertain fantasies. What can a tiny human do?

The wounded, the soldiers, and the citizens looked to Walm seeking salvation.

They’re mistaken. It has to be a mistake. Despite losing superiors and the command post, despite being told to inherit their policies and act accordingly, Walm was a weak human who believed in miracles. In terms of being a military person, he was at the lowest classification.

With a string of cursing thoughts Walm resolved himself.

“…However you can, seal the breached city walls. No exceptions for soldiers or civilians. Follow me!!”

Whether the chosen path was correct or incorrect, the die had been cast. Walm had no choice but to struggle forward.