Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Actual combat was always the worst. There are no days that go well. Someone dies. Or gets hurt badly and gains a disability.

Therefore, assuming the best situation was an impossible statement. One must always prepare for the worst. Countless various worsts, that is.

Then when the worst situation happens, how to respond?

This wasn't something you could do by studying. Only something you could do if you had the experience of crossing the line between life and death.

Rickart had such experiences. Countless times. Thinking so, he seemed to calm down a little. Because there seem to be dozens more situations that were worse than now.

However, contrary to calming down mentally, his heart beat fast as if it would explode.

He gets used to even the fear of death, but for some reason, his heart always beat fast when facing the worst situation. Why?

It might be excitement, or fear, or it might be both.

One friend is in a state of serious injury, the remaining allies ran away, and the only ones who can fight are me and another friend.

The more objectively he perceived the situation, the faster Rickart's heart beat as if to explode.

Rickart's strengths were one-on-one and ambush. But now, on the contrary, he was ambushed, and let alone one-on-one, he was numerically very disadvantaged.

Then do I abandon the wounded and run away? No. That was not a condition to consider but a goal. The goal that I must protect.

Then the answer is clear. I have to defeat the enemy. To defeat, I have to fight.

Rickart stuck his eyes out slightly from where he was hiding and examined the enemies coming this way. Roughly over ten people, and the remaining personnel seemed to be searching elsewhere.

Rickart's head began to spin fast like a machine. In an instant, countless plans were made, discarded, and modified in his head.

"Ricky......"

Bolka called. Looking back at him, he was making a truly complicated expression.

Should run away. No, have to fight for the friend. But then I might die? No, definitely die. Have to run away even now. 1 second is precious. Even now, even now, no, absolutely cannot do that......

Such internal conflict was revealed entirely on his face. Rickart grabbed Bolka's shoulder firmly with unwavering eyes.

"Protect Molti."

"What?"

Then he grabbed the blood-stained sword and dashed out. Bolka was horrified as if his liver would come out of his belly. There was no time to stop him or anything.

He knew Rickart was extraordinary compared to his age, but isn't this too much? You'll die!

Rickart grabbed the root part of the blade, the ricasso, and the handle and pounced on the nearest enemy. He discovered Rickart and retreated hurriedly.

"Here!"

And shouted loudly to focus the allies' attention.

A single hand cannot clap; since they refused to engage him, Rickart couldn't force a fight either.

But it was already within the expected range, and he turned direction and ran straight towards someone. The one who appeared to be the enemy leader.

The most classic way to reverse a disadvantageous situation was to kill the enemy commander or leader. The problem was how to do it.

Rickart jumped boldly into the middle of the enemy camp. To kill the enemy leader. It was a situation where he couldn't back out now. The enemies began to surround Rickart largely. If failed, it was only death.

"Brat!"

The enemy leader gripped his sword with two hands and slashed Rickart quickly. It was a fierce sword strike, not establishing the leader position by playing cards. But right now, Rickart's eyes were terrifyingly cool and calm.

Rickart's sword, neither fast nor slow, struck the opponent's sword strike.

Clang-!

But an unexpected result unfolded. He definitely intended to break the enemy's sword, but it didn't break. Is it a legendary masterpiece sword?

That wasn't it. However, things like blue flames created at the collision point fluttered. Probably a person who achieved some level through mana training.

But more than Rickart was surprised, the enemy was also surprised. He thought a small guy pounced and he would finish him off in an instant, but his wrist tingled from the unexpected counterattack.

Since the wrist tingled, there was difficulty in unfolding the next sword strike. Rickart didn't miss the momentum and pressed on.

Releasing the hand holding the ricasso, gripping the handle with both hands, he lifted the sword above his head and struck up from below. It wasn't that fast of an attack.

Just that the opponent wanted to avoid swords clashing because his wrist tingled, so he retreated slightly back.

But that Rickart's attack just now wasn't an attack. It was a kind of feint. Here his genius burst out like a firework.

As if he knew in advance that the opponent would dodge, he took a big step forward. Even in an unexpected situation, he took a bolder action. For the best result at the worst moment.

Rickart's arms crossed, and the large sword spun above his head. He struck quickly and heavily utilizing centrifugal force and weight as it was.

Rickart swung the sword with all his might towards a single timing, a single point at this moment. Abs and legs supported the body firmly, and strength went tight into the serratus anterior muscles. The arms only guided the way; will was loaded on the sword tip.

The enemy couldn't dodge, so he unavoidably tried to block by thrusting the sword. Expecting a big shock on the wrist this time too, he clenched his teeth tight not to miss the sword.

What kid handles a big sword that doesn't even fit his physique so skillfully?

However, a big shock wasn't transmitted to him. Because the sword broke.

Crack-!

Not simple sparks, but blue flames scattered like falling flowers. It was beautiful unbefitting the current situation.

Thud!

And Rickart's sword struck the enemy's neck as it was. The head soared slightly upward, then fell down with a thud. Blood spurted like a fountain from the severed surface, and the one whose neck was cut while standing knelt with a thud.

Rickart pushed his chest with his foot. Finely sprayed blood splashed on his face and clothes.

Rickart lifted the sword with one hand. Since it was big compared to his body, the sword tip touched the ground.

And looked at the enemies on the left once, and the enemies on the right. Everyone had bewildered expressions, so surprised. What is this......?

It was something that happened in an instant from the first attack to the current situation. Suddenly a young guy popped out, pounced on the leader, exchanged a sword once or twice, and it became this situation.

And striking back the opponent's attack and breaking it is a very difficult technique, but that was rather easy. Breaking the sword of an enemy who attacks first and defends like just now was different in dimension, almost a technique close to divine skill.

But the enemies weren't at a level to recognize that. Their minds just went blank at the shocking scene unfolded before their eyes. Their leader knelt, upper body leaned back, headless. Blood spurted out properly.

"Wah!"

"Hiiik!"

When Rickart shouted loudly as if to pounce, everyone flinched in surprise and ran away. Since the person to scold or punish them lost his head standing, they fled madly without anything weighing on their minds.

Rickart went to the battle site and looked around to find his scabbard. Fortunately, it was not far away.

And found five bodies of Beringen Academy students among several corpses at the site. There was no time to pack loot, nor time to recover their bodies. However, he closed their wide-open eyes.

It was then.

"Cough. Kuck. Ugh......"

There was a living person. But an enemy. One of his arms was crushed and dangling, and his abdomen was cut long sideways with intestines coming out.

In this condition, he could live up to three days suffering from pain. The worst was being eaten alive by beasts.

Rickart approached him. Whether asking to save him or end him, the nameless enemy looked up at Rickart and reached out his trembling hand.

Rickart sat next to him, covering his eyes with a hand, and said.

"Just as you had no personal feelings, I have no personal feelings either. Since living is pain, I hope there is rest after death."

Instead of questions or resentment about why he tried to kill him, Rickart just spoke calmly. While stabbing the neck with a dagger and cutting to end the breath at once.

"Cough! Kuck! Ugh!"

The enemy convulsed briefly, but Rickart's hand covering his eyes pressed firmly. And the convulsion soon subsided.

Eventually, Rickart closed the eyes of all the dead enemies one by one. Anyway, now they are dead......

Rickart wiped the blood on the blade on the enemy's corpse, put it in the scabbard, packed a few ownerless swords scattered on the floor, and returned to Bolka and Molti.

But Bolka's expression looking at him was worse than the enemies'. He was looking at Rickart with his mouth wide open as if he lost his mind.

"Was lucky."

Rickart said.

"......Was lucky? That doesn't seem like a luck issue."

Bolka said as if absurd. Rickart ignored simply and said.

"No time. I'll carry the bag, so Bolka, you piggyback Molti."

"Uh? Uh...... But go where?"

"First, going to the meeting point would be safer."

"Right......"

Since they slept one night in the middle and came here, returning to the Academy was more dangerous in the current situation.

Looking at Molti, he was asleep breathing wheezily. Originally, if using a potion, the wound recovered rapidly and sleepiness poured in as a natural phenomenon.

Rickart stood up carrying the bag in a sitting position; since it contained three people's items, it was heavy almost as much as a person's weight. In that state, he hung his heavy sword around his neck and wore it in front.

Bolka entrusted his luggage to Rickart as much as possible and piggybacked Molti. The two carried burdens difficult to handle like that and walked towards the meeting point.

Taking one step was hard, and walking for several hours, sweat poured like rain.

One positive thing was that as the body was tired, anxious and scary thoughts disappeared completely. Just tired. The thought of wanting to sit and rest was desperate.

Then they met the original party going ahead. Ice and his two friends, and two female students and one male.

They opened their eyes wide looking at Rickart and Bolka. Survived? How?

Ice, who rarely had facial expression changes, was also quite surprised as his eyes grew big.

"You fucking bastards......"

Bolka growled glaring as if to kill them. But Rickart just passed over indifferently.

"Bolka, enough. Hey, you guys, someone help a bit."

Then one male student approached, received Molti and carried him, and when Ice gave a signal to his colleague, he approached and received Rickart's bag.

As Rickart handed over the bag, his neck and shoulders became cool, and he wanted to sit down right there. But placing a hand on a nearby tree and leaning, he didn't sit in the end.

Then Bolka rushed at Ice and grabbed his collar roughly.

"Hey you son of a bitch. I recognized long ago that a bastard like you isn't human. Know? You pagan bastard. How about quitting adventurer or such and selling that pretty face to be a male prostitute? Trash-like bastard."

Verbal abuse poured out wildly. He must have been extremely angry. Ice just looked at Bolka quietly while being grabbed by the collar.

But unexpectedly, Rickart stopped him.

"Don't do that. Bolka. Could be so. Who would want to die. Honestly, you were conflicted a lot too."

"Ricky!"

Bolka shouted as if asking how can you say that. However, Rickart just shook his head silently.

Honestly, it wasn't that Rickart wasn't resentful towards Ice who left first or the students who followed him, but he stopped Bolka knowing that clashing emotionally now didn't help solve the current situation at all.

Bolka let go of the grabbed collar roughly. Ice faltered one step back but didn't get pushed back greatly.

However, surprisingly, he opened his mouth.

"It wasn't because I was afraid of death. It was to complete the request. Just that."

Is the request that important? Didn't understand a bit. But nothing particular to say.

"Right, well, request is important. That's a Fixer. Adventurer. Let's move for now. Let's go to the meeting point and rest or whatever."

Naturally, the leader role seemed to pass to Rickart. In an emergency situation like now, Rickart was the only one sane.

Because his expression was usually blank, Ice also seemed to be in a slightly shaken state. Otherwise, he wouldn't have bothered to say words like that excuse.

"By the way, who are the people who attacked us? Do you know perhaps?"

Rickart looked at Bolka and asked.

"Brabant Guild or Rubens Guild, one of the two probably."

The two guilds were main rival guilds of Beringen Guild. After all, what Arno said was right. Students are mobilized for fights between guilds and die.

But now the case was a bit different. They were attacked while solving a request. No, accurately, on the way to support adventurers solving a request. Wasn't even our request.

"Let's move."

Rickart said. Anyway, securing safety was priority for now. After that, had to decide whether to continue the move or give up.

The 9 Beringen Academy students moved towards the meeting point. Students whose weapons were broken or lost received swords Rickart picked up.

Really, what would have happened without Rickart. By now, forget request, they might have scattered and fled all over.

Then get lost in the forest and caught by enemies, eaten by beasts or demons, or starved to death.

Students didn't not know this fact. Rather, having felt it at the scene, they knew better than anyone. Rickart felt amazing anew.

Beyond simply fighting well, he had the ability to overcome desperate situations.

Responsibility not giving up colleagues to the end, accurate judgment made in confused situations, guts to risk danger, boldness to gamble victory, and coolness not responding emotionally.

Just, knowing he's amazing, wondered what kind of guy is this. Only 11 years old. Isn't the degree a bit excessive? Is this the qualification of a hero?

Anyway, students' hearts leaned towards Rickart without knowing. They felt ashamed of themselves for running away. Although not close with Rickart, conviction that they could trust him began to form.

The party arrived almost at Griffinswald and tried to find the guild hideout in the nearby forest. Not being a familiar place, they wandered a bit much. Couldn't go to the village and ask where our hideout is either.

The sun started to set, and when anxiety about what to do if they couldn't find the hideout began to set in, they discovered a cabin hidden by trees in a secluded place. That place was the Griffinswald hideout of Beringen Guild.

Students approached the cabin letting out a sigh of relief, but soon had to be frustrated.

Because the adventurers who should lead them were scattered here and there as corpses.

"Fuck, shit......"

Bolka muttered. This time Rickart also agreed, and other students ditto.

Looked like they would all die by rival guild adventurers without even seeing deserters.