Awakening the Great Chapter 55

Chapter 55: Crossroads

Calix perford the Dance of the Wasteland in the middle of the forest. Just as Gregor had taught him, he swung his blade, cutting through the hides of wolves rushing at him from all directions. Since the enemy numbers weren't small, he had to rely on pure swordsmanship rather than Wind’s Scar to win the fight.

Chwaaaak!

In an instant, the skin of three or four enemies split open. The output of his Neural Accelerator had already reached '2.4', a level equal to that of an interdiate knight's prowess. He was more than capable of handling five or six enemies.

Kaang!

He deflected an assassin's dagger while simultaneously cutting their armpit with the inner edge of his sword. The opponent's forearm was half-severed and dangling. The wound area bubbled up, but Calix's divine power blocked the regeneration process.

[The impure one is here!]

His brow furrowed involuntarily at the wicked whisper, but it wasn't bad that the enemies' attention was being drawn.

'Although the assassins handle violent power, their output itself isn't that high. I need to hold as many as possible.'

Calix took in the battlefield situation while maintaining his composure.

"Vice-captain!"

"Basim, Zahira! Help us over here!"

"Everyone is fine— Kueok!"

The new recruits' formation collapsed not long after the battle began. The assassins had a clear nurical advantage, and the rcenaries' physical condition was close to the worst. The veteran rcenaries couldn't easily co to their aid.

This was also his own responsibility.

Royce and Vice-captain Marik, Basim and Zahira, and others. The recruits cried out many nas, but the one that ca out most frequently was 'Calix'.

[Embrace the bosom of the Great Shadow!]

Hwiiik.

Imdiately after, when two enemies charged at the sa timing, he smoothly took one step back.

Dance of the Wasteland, Chapter 5: Wolf's Footsteps.

He retreated while maintaining a defensive stance, then advanced again the mont the power in the opponents' blade tips was exhausted.

Seogеok!

Right after severing the wrist of the assassin on the left, dropping their hand and weapon to the ground, he swung his right elbow before the enemy on the right could react, striking away their blade's spine.

Though he had the advantage in speed, it was still a remarkable technique.

He then connected the movent by extending his blade toward the enemy's left nape.

Pit!

It only grazed the skin's surface, but this was an intentional movent, so there was no problem. Instead of fully extending his arm, he withdrew it midway and gripped the handle in a reverse grip. Along with this, he took a large step forward while pulling his body to the side.

It was a slashing cut to sever the right side of the nape.

Puhwaaaaak!

Dark red blood soaked his face and armor. He cut through flesh and bone entirely, leaving the enemy's head dangling from the opposite strip of skin.

However, this wasn't enough. Even Calix couldn't fight in optimal condition forever. His Neural Accelerator, Wind's Scar, and divine power were all finite resources.

"Keuk!Euryaaaaa!"

"Ungkapu!"

"I'm still okay!"

Moreover, the crisis of the new recruits wasn't the only problem. There were casualties among the veteran rcenaries as well. So suffered fatal wounds from the assassins' chain attacks, were cut by wolves' claws, or were completely immobilized after being bitten by their jaws.

'Is there no way to reverse the tide of battle? Calix, think.'

Just then, a clear voice flowed from the center of the group.

The priest Ella's prayer had been completed.

"O inexhaustible grace, clothe our flesh in armor. Life over all death, brilliant light over all darkness, holy whispers over all silence. This body becos a vessel, so co forth."

As the woman extended both arms, a holy chalice appeared between them. Rippling waves of light and a single flower. The wave of divine power completely washed away the shadows remaining on the battlefield. And then, it attached itself to the bodies of the Mountain Rabbits in fine detail.

Uwaaaaa!

"We can win!"

"Let's fight like our asses are on fire!"

"You cursed bastards, all of you co here!"

The wolves whimpered as if they'd forgotten their ferocity and retreated, while the assassins also hesitated, their sinister eyes gleaming.

The tide of battle changed with a single prayer, but only briefly. The enemy horde parted, and from within, a figure riding a wolf walked forward with heavy steps.

Not only was the wolf's size unusually large, but the appearance of the one mounted on it was even more striking. It seed they wore a mask, but their entire face was blackened and lted. It was definitely the one who had led the assassin group before.

[The chalice is barren, and the light shall shatter.]

He recited lyrics in a low voice.

[Your prayers shall break, and hope shall fall.]

[Fill your chest with pain, worship despair.]

[Dye your flesh with blood-red shadows.]

[The vessel breaks and spills, and all shall be subrged in shadow.]

It was a deep and gloomy tone as if dragged up from underground. It was a sharp and unpleasant resonance like roughly scraping a steel surface, and though recited in a whisper, it gave an intense sense of oppression.

And the mont the lyrics concluded, a dark red aura surged in and collided with the divine power. The opposing energies beca entangled and began to neutralize each other.

Ella let out a voice filled with shock.

"That's... Shadow's Song!"

"What is Shadow's Song?"

"It's an ability used only by those who are leaders among evil beings... How dare they!"

However, reality was more important than words. Calix first observed the enemy's movents. The wolves' muscles swelled thickly, and the assassins who had been hesitating looked around at the newly ford shadows.

Although the divine power clinging to the Mountain Rabbits' bodies didn't disappear, the enemy had beco equally stronger. This made it impossible to rely on Ella's prayer.

One of the few hopes had vanished.

'What should I do? Is there no other way?'

In the mont the battlefield entered a brief lull, Calix watched the Dwarf Basim drag an injured comrade and racked his brain. Basim wasn't in normal condition either. Whether attacked by a wolf, he had a large wound on his right shoulder.

In fact, Calix knew the one remaining option.

'I have to... Separate the group. Break through the encirclent with a small elite force and save only those who can be saved.'

There were no other options. He had confird all of the enemy's formidable forces, and overcoming them without external help was impossible.

He simply couldn't easily put this into action. Who to save and who to let die. It was easy to say, but extrely difficult to practice.

That's when it happened.

"Calix."

"Captain."

"Don't turn your head, just listen quietly."

Royce presented the answer without lowering his guard toward the enemy.

"Further resistance is aningless. At least so must escape. Do you see the great tree? Exit behind the sphere of light. I'll attach Marik and Zahira, Basim and Gregor, and Hadiya to you. The discussion is already over."

"..."

"Answer. That's an order."

When had he made this decision? The Captain of the Mountain Rabbits urged an answer with a stern voice that contradicted his impassive expression.

It was a decision born from experience.

"Captain, you..."

"If we don't give them proper prey, they'll follow imdiately. The Prince of Latia and the Captain of the Mountain Rabbits would be worth enough. This decision is entirely mine. It's not your responsibility."

Noticing the guilt and hesitation rising in Calix's heart, he took out a carefully folded flag from his chest and placed it in the other's hand.

"Start anew. Whether you entrust it to Marik or beco independent is your choice. The debt has already been more than repaid. You could form your own rcenary company or beco a knight."

"..."

Royce's eyes looked resolute yet sohow lonely. The rcenary company flag he took from his chest still held his body warmth.

"I'll give the signal, so prepare."

Though he didn't open his mouth until the end, Royce seed to accept the silence as affirmation and moved toward Adrian. At the sa ti, Vice-captain Marik, Zahira, and other elite mbers subtly moved toward Calix's direction.

'There might be an option I haven't thought of yet.'

However, the person in question hesitated until the very last mont. What he had to leave behind felt far too great.

'The new recruits sending pleading looks for help, the veterans who had subtly helped since I first joined the rcenary company, the mid-level comrades who trust and follow , and Volga... My friend.'

He would lose all of it.

"Please leave quickly."

"...Lady Ella."

Perhaps the inner pain showed on his face, as the noble priest's voice suddenly comforted Calix.

"We've already been given a second chance. Calix, if it weren't for you, we wouldn't have even made it this far. So if soone among us must survive, you're clearly the one qualified. Leave without looking back."

Ella showed a gentle smile, then began reciting a second prayer without giving him ti to respond.

[Extinguish the light!]

Keuralarak!

Hwaaak!

As the battle resud, Adrian and Royce's blades spewed sparks abundantly in the middle of the battlefield. They cut down three or four with each sword stroke, but they couldn't prevent the enemies' bodies from regenerating.

'There's no... Other option.'

He had to leave.

"Calix, now!"

The coward moved his feet. With Vice-captain Marik opening the path at the front, he advanced repeatedly while deflecting the enemies' attacks, mixed in with the elite personnel.

He advanced toward the sphere of light without stopping.

"We're almost there! Just a bit more!"

Whether fortunately or unfortunately, the Mountain Rabbits didn't notice their disappearance. They had to parry the blades right in front of them.

But was it really fortunate?

If he wouldn't receive accusations from his comrades, was that enough? Calix repeated the fact that there were no options, repeated it again... And spoke first to the veteran rcenary.

"Gregor."

"Cook comrade."

"..."

Though it wasn't a proper conversation, the old man who had lost his mory fully understood the aning contained in his own na.

"Are you ashad?"

His insides churned. In his head, Gregor's past flashed briefly.

'Am I honorable? Can I live without sha even after this?'

Emotions pierced through reason and swirled chaotically. Imdiately after, the past that Royce had told him flashed by. The Mountain Rabbits had been his everything.

The legacy of his eldest son and the rcenary company he had raised with his soul.

Therefore—

'I'm not qualified. Vice-captain Marik isn't, I'm not, no one is qualified to inherit it.'

Only he alone had been truly like a Captain. Then what should Calix himself do? It was a different yet the sa problem as before.

He knew the answer, but had to make the decision.

"...Calix! You can't stop!"

His body, which had been advancing while swinging his blade, stopped. His feet halted, but his hands didn't rest.

Seogеok!

He should clearly be getting tired, yet the enemy's flesh was cut so easily it felt excessive. A wolf's head and an assassin were vertically severed whole. And as if there was still strength left, a deep wound remained on the arm of an enemy charging from behind.

It went out on its own, even without using Wind's Scar.

[The core of Leatus, the Circulating Mage, is incomplete]

[High concentration of mana detected]

[Ranita's Heart/Source of Mana, '61%', '73%', '89%'... Rising rapidly]

[Mana oversaturation state imminent]

[Exercise caution]

In that mont, Calix realized the one remaining option.