The Calm Before the Storm

“…Are you satisfied now?”

Tilting his head, Doyun addressed Haineken and the Vagabond Hero.

Haineken’s surprise thrust had passed by Doyun’s temple, narrowly avoided by tilting his neck.

“…”

“…”

Haineken withdrew his spear, looking towards the Vagabond Hero.

The Vagabond Hero frowned disapprovingly, arms crossed, clearly displeased about something.

“…Tsk. Very well, that’s enough.”

He turned his head abruptly.

“…My apologies, Doyun.”

Avoiding Doyun’s gaze, Haineken offered an apology.

“Please explain.”

“I needed to test you, for my Master’s permission.”

“Did I pass?”

“Of course. You did splendidly.”

In truth, neither Haineken nor the Vagabond Hero had expected Doyun to evade so effortlessly.

No matter how much Haineken had held back, that strike would have been a challenge for even veteran Disciples, let alone a 6-month rookie, to dodge.

Naturally, had Doyun failed to evade, Haineken would have aborted the attack. But such a scenario never occurred – Doyun had sensed Haineken’s intent before he had even moved.

‘Truly… he never ceases to amaze.’

Regardless of the Emperor’s Divine Palm, Doyun was already far beyond what a mere 6-month rookie should be capable of.

“What sort of test was this?”

“…Doyun.”

Haineken fixed him with a meaningful gaze.

“You will be participating in this battle.”

Haineken continued his explanation.

At the Alliance’s foremost frontlines, there was a fortress called Metropolis.

Doyun was well aware that this had been one of the Alliance’s greatest strongholds even 100 years ago.

However, just yesterday, all communication with Metropolis had abruptly ceased – the fortress was under attack.

The fact that the enemy had deployed jamming meant this was a full-scale offensive aimed at occupation.

“My Master vehemently opposed involving you. It’s an exceedingly dangerous battlefield… the potential fall of that great fortress is concerning. It will be a battle unlike any you’ve experienced, with only veteran Disciples of at least 5 years’ experience participating.”

“You’re too hasty!”

The Vagabond Hero, arms still crossed defiantly, suddenly shouted.

“Moreover, Doyun, your renown and strategic value are immense. Your fame has pierced the heavens over just the past 3 months. Even the Tsunami Tamer fell to your hand! The enemy must be itching to kill you. This is madness!”

Doyun nodded in understanding.

He too had deemed it premature for himself to take part in that battlefield.

With his body and mana still immature, it would be far too perilous.

“But why…”

“…”

In response to Doyun’s unspoken question, Haineken lowered his head.

The Vagabond Hero remained silent, turning away once more.

After a brief pause, Haineken finally provided an answer.

“…There is someone at that fortress who absolutely must be rescued.”

“Who?”

“…My younger sister.”

Doyun’s eyes widened.

“I’ve told you before – a woman descended from Bylryn’s royalty, yet distantly in line for succession. She is my younger sister.”

“Ah, so that’s why…”

So that’s why Haineken had repeatedly tried to arrange a marriage for him.

Of course, marrying her off to the new Hero King candidate would be correct for Bylryn, but Haineken had clung to preserving his sister’s life until the very end.

‘…No, wait.’

A doubt crossed Doyun’s mind as he regarded Haineken intently.

Haineken too understood the implication behind Doyun’s gaze.

“…That’s right. Even I was of Bylryn’s royal bloodline before the Demon Lord’s army usurped our nation through that coup.”

Doyun’s eyes widened at this wholly unexpected revelation.

So his supreme spearmanship had indeed been of royal lineage.

‘Despite the world’s laws precluding name inheritance…’

He must have been a bastard child, thus keeping it secret all this time.

For if it were revealed, the Demon Lord’s regime – the coup government – would have had him executed.

‘Come to think of it, Haineken’s coup was…’

In a sense, an act of vengeance against his own kinsmen as well.

“The Alliance reports that a high-ranking Demon Lord’s officer, the ‘Necrotic Gardener,’ is participating in this battle.”

The Necrotic Gardener – an individual Doyun was familiar with.

His most fearsome necromantic power was erosion.

If the Necrotic Gardener occupied a fortress over time, it would become his domain, and the people there would turn into undead forced to attack their former allies even after death.

For such a being to seize control of a pivotal stronghold like Metropolis? The prospect alone was horrifying.

‘This is…’

A backlash from Doyun’s recent exploits and the frontlines he had pushed back.

Sensing the crisis, the Demon Lord’s army had launched a massive offensive.

“So my aid is required.”

“While Metropolis won’t fall easily, the Demon Lord’s army is fully committed. By the time reinforcements arrive, it may have already been occupied. In that case, a siege will ensue, and the 49-day deadline cannot be met.”

The 49-day deadline.

“I possess a supreme purification item. Even if she becomes undead, as long as it doesn’t exceed 49 days, I can still save her…!”

But if a siege began, the war would drag on for years, and the opportunity would be lost.

“If the fortress falls… Doyun, I need you.”

However, if Doyun intervened, he could conclude the siege within a single day.

Immediately rescuing his younger sister.

“…”

Doyun understood why the Vagabond Hero, despite worrying for his well-being, had grudgingly refrained from dissuading Haineken.

How could he tell his disciple to abandon his sister?

Especially when she was the last of his massacred kin, having somehow survived until now – likely thanks to Haineken’s efforts.

“Doyun.”

The Hero of Bylryn. The Lord Treasurer of Bylryn. The White Tiger of Bylryn.

“I implore you.”

The Guild Master of Panthera, the Talent Hunter. The continent’s paramount spearman.

“I cannot live without that child…”

He bowed his head. His voice trembled.

“Please… just this once… I beg of you, aid me. Please…”

“…”

Doyun found himself unable to respond.

Even the Vagabond Hero could not bear to witness his disciple’s pitiful state.

An uncomfortable silence lingered in the audience chamber for quite some time.

+++

Having decided to participate, Doyun received an operational briefing.

“The enemy hasn’t just invaded Metropolis. Numerous other bases have simultaneously come under attack as well.”

“Their objective may be to divert the Alliance’s forces towards Metropolis, seizing gains elsewhere to force an overall frontline retreat while we’re preoccupied.”

“Correct. But we can’t be certain.”

Hence, the Heroes would disperse to handle the other fortresses first before converging on Metropolis.

The only one immediately heading for Metropolis was Haineken.

In essence, this was a massive, multi-pronged offensive spanning the entire frontline rather than just Metropolis alone.

Truly a battle of unprecedented scale compared to anything Doyun had faced thus far.

“I’m unable to participate due to other matters. While the Lion King is currently in seclusion, like the Sword Saint, he originally never left his nation unless it was for a Heroes’ Council. One is uncontrollable… and there aren’t many deployable Heroes remaining.”

The Vagabond Hero’s ‘other matters’ likely involved the Lion King.

‘But who is this uncontrollable Hero he mentioned?’

Was there really such an individual?

“The enemy likely expects Lord Brudhild, the strongest apart from the Sword Saint and Lion King, to head for Metropolis.”

Haineken’s unique Dragon Tiger Clash skill held little meaning on battlefields without Legion Commanders present.

‘Of course, the chances of a Legion Commander appearing are virtually nil.’

Over the entire 70-year war, Legion Commanders had manifested within the Holy Stones’ boundaries a mere 4 times at most.

Such was the immense burden it placed on the Demon Lord to deploy Legion Commanders inside the Holy Stones’ confines.

The next time Legion Commanders would likely set foot within the Holy Stones would undoubtedly be when assaulting Muspelheim’s Celestial Terra Extremis Barrier.

‘This battle will likely involve multiple high-ranking officers just below Legion Commanders.’

Formidable foes akin to the Tsunami Tamer.

Haineken’s true prowess would find no opportunity to shine.

Yet Haineken was adamant about going – naturally, for the sake of his younger sister.

“You must participate in secret. If they learn you’re involved, the military will vehemently oppose it.”

And the plan was for Doyun to simply demolish the gate and immediately withdraw from the battlefield via Sophie’s teleportation technique.

Of course, the ideal scenario would be the fortress not having fallen yet, eliminating the need for Doyun’s intervention altogether.

‘But I have a bad feeling…’

Doyun was convinced he would end up being deployed.

Call it his intuition.

“The sortie is in two days’ time. In that short window, do everything you can to improve your survival chances. It may be a swift in-and-out, but who knows what could happen on that battlefield.”

“Understood.”

There wasn’t much Doyun could do in just two days’ time.

One crucial aspect would be armaments.

Which was why, after seeing off the Vagabond Hero and Haineken, Doyun had come to the Alliance’s Skeletonia branch headquarters like this.

Doyun entered through the building’s doors.

The lobby was a flurry of activity as people rushed about, caught up in the sudden war preparations.

He approached the counter and presented his insignia.

“Han Doyun, of the World Tree.”

The surrounding gazes turned towards him.

Those waiting at the counter murmured quietly.

“Oh… is that the Human Siege Weapon?”

“He’s really human? Seriously?”

“Well, the first Boss Monster Killer was human too… monsters don’t discriminate by race.”

Even the receptionist, who had briefly appraised Doyun’s appearance, soon resumed a professional smile.

“What can I do for you today?”

Over the past 3 months, Doyun had achieved extraordinary feats on the battlefield.

While a portion of those accomplishments had been converted to monetary rewards, for the past 2 months, he had simply been accumulating merits instead.

Although only 2 months’ worth, his singular exploits in capturing countless fortresses and singularly reshaping the frontlines were staggering.

And now, Doyun intended to utilize some of those accumulated merits and points.

“I would like to request a long-term loan of treasures from Muspelheim’s vaults.”

At those words, the murmurs fell silent.