The Immortal Genius Spearman

Chapter 140

“Damn it… Damn it!”

Galveron cursed under his breath, seething with frustration as he stood alone in the darkness, having lost track of Hainel and the Glory Knights.

How could the first Aura Master of the Baroque Kingdom turn his back so easily?

“Dare… dare to mock me?” Galveron fumed, his anger simmering as he stared into the void where Hainel had disappeared. But despite the rage swirling inside him, he exhaled slowly.

There was at least one silver lining in this situation.

‘For someone like Hainel Fremunt, I expected far more.’

Galveron had engaged him in combat and confirmed that there was no significant challenge in crossing swords with him.

Hainel Fremunt, once a name that could shake the entire continent. His fame had spread far and wide, his abilities legendary.

But time had weathered him, and the power that once matched his renown no longer seemed so intimidating.

With a sigh, Galveron allowed a smile to creep onto his face. What was done was done, but…

“Next time, I will cut off his head.”

Their next confrontation would be the one where Galveron claimed victory.

“Galveron, sir, the main forces are retreating,” one of his subordinates informed him.

“Fools, full of nothing but arrogance.”

Galveron knew the strength of the Empire came from people like him—Aura Masters—and the rigorously trained soldiers.

However, some foolish commanders made the mistake of believing the Empire was invincible because of its mere size.

“And that’s why situations like this happen.”

Galveron was prepared to place the blame for their failure squarely on the commanders’ shoulders.

“Let’s return,” he commanded, resigned to leaving empty-handed. However, as he walked, his mind lingered on his clash with Hainel, a battle he was now eagerly anticipating revisiting.

* * *

“So he’s retreated?”

A sense of relief washed over Hainel as he and the Glory Knights continued their retreat.

The persistent threat of Galveron trailing them had been intense, but it seemed that the Imperial Aura Master had finally given up.

“Wouldn’t it have been better to finish him off here?” asked Owen, the deputy commander of the Glory Knights, running alongside Hainel.

They had the rare opportunity to face the Imperial Aura Master without interference.

Although a formidable opponent, Owen believed they could have taken him down.

“If we had killed him, the Empire wouldn’t be able to wage any more wars of conquest against the other kingdoms,” Owen continued, pointing out the chance to end the Empire’s ambitions right then and there.

Hainel turned to Owen with a measured gaze. “How long has it been since you became deputy commander of the Glory Knights?”

“Five years,” Owen replied.

“That long already?” Hainel said with a hint of nostalgia before his tone shifted. “Your suggestion is sound, but you’re overlooking one key fact.”

“What might that be?” Owen asked, now curious.

Hainel explained, “If we had killed Galveron, it’s true that the Empire’s conquests would have been halted.

But… if we had been wiped out in the process, there would be no one left to stop the Empire’s advance.”

Owen’s eyes widened at the implication.

“Are you saying… you could have lost?”

“Of course,” Hainel replied without hesitation.

Battles are unpredictable, and the risk of trying to eliminate an enemy must always be carefully weighed.

“This war won’t be over with just a few skirmishes,” Hainel continued. “The Empire has bared its fangs against the entire continent, and now the whole land trembles.”

He sighed, thinking of the inevitable.

“It seems we’re on the verge of another long era of war and chaos.”

Hainel’s words were heavy with the memories of past conflicts, the scars of which still lingered.

* * *

“Victory?!”

Kiaran shot up from her seat, unable to contain her shock as she heard the news.

After a tense moment, she finally sighed in relief and collapsed back into her chair.

Edmund, standing nearby, allowed himself a small smile. “It seems we can finally relax. Everything appears to have gone well.”

Though he spoke calmly, Edmund, too, had been on edge. The unexpected interference of an Imperial Aura Master, combined with the Empire’s march into the Spanian Kingdom, could have led to disaster had Hainel not intervened.

And beyond that…

“It seems his efforts were more impressive than anticipated,” Edmund remarked.

Kiaran nodded. “I’ve heard the reports. Even the second division commander, who’s notorious for his jealousy, praised him. That’s saying something.”

The second division commander, Diorant, had been notably critical of Damian, calling him reckless and claiming his independent actions nearly endangered the entire unit.

Yet, despite the critique, even Diorant had to admit that Damian’s hit-and-run tactics had been highly effective in disrupting the enemy.

“Thanks to him, we were able to shift the battlefield in our favor so easily,” Kiaran mused.

While Diorant had recommended disciplinary action for Damian’s methods, Kiaran knew Diorant’s personality all too well.

His critique was as much a reflection of his own insecurities as it was an assessment of the situation.

“Where do you think he’ll go from here?” Kiaran asked.

“It’s hard to say. But considering he even managed to kill an enemy commander… I’d say he’s already reached the level of a knight-commander,” Edmund replied.

“A unit commander with the strength of a knight-commander, huh?”

The disparity in power between regular troops and knights was enormous. Knights were trained not only in combat but in controlling mana, wielding advanced techniques that made them far more powerful than ordinary soldiers.

Yet here was Damian, leading a unit of common soldiers, yet demonstrating combat prowess on par with the elite.

“He never ceases to exceed expectations,” Kiaran said with admiration.

Still, the situation could change quickly.

‘The main Imperial forces might already be preparing for their next move.’

Even though the kingdom was likely making preparations of its own, Kiaran knew that fending off the Empire’s advances would become increasingly difficult with the small kingdoms alone.

Kiaran turned to Edmund again. “What of the Artian Kingdom’s movements?”

“I haven’t received detailed updates yet, but they’re certainly keeping a close watch on the Empire’s actions,” Edmund replied.

With news that the Empire was mobilizing troops by sea, the Artian Kingdom was far from secure.

Kiaran nodded once more, deep in thought. “I’ll need to meet with the Chancellor. We have much to gain from this recent battle.”

“I’ll make the preparations immediately,” Edmund said, as Kiaran rose to don his formal attire.

* * *

When the Caion unit returned to Sragan, they were welcomed with great hospitality from Mateus.

“If there’s anything you need, don’t hesitate to ask. We’ll provide all the support you require,” Mateus assured them.

Damian bowed slightly. “Thank you for your generosity.”

The hospitality wasn’t just lip service. From herbs for healing to meals for the troops, the Spanian Kingdom spared no effort in taking care of Damian’s unit.

As Damian walked to check on the injured soldiers, he asked, “How are they holding up?”

“No one’s seriously injured. There are many minor wounds, but with some rest, they’ll recover soon,” one soldier replied.

“Good,” Damian said, but his expression remained conflicted as he looked over the wounded.

They had accomplished their mission, but his aggressive tactics had led to these soldiers getting hurt.

‘If we had been just a little slower, we would have all been wiped out.’

The difference between success and failure had been razor-thin.

Just then, a familiar voice broke into his thoughts.

“Why the long face?”

“…You?”

Damian was taken aback as he turned to see Dianal limping toward him. “You were supposed to be resting for a month. How are you already walking?”

Dianal grinned. “Did you really worry that much?”

“Of course I did, you fool! You need to take care of yourself out there!” Damian snapped.

“What could I do against an Aura Master?” Dianal joked, but his face turned serious. “But next time… I’ll get stronger.”

Damian sighed but looked Dianal in the eye. “When you recover, I’m going to push you hard. Be ready.”

Dianal laughed. “I’ll be waiting.”

As Dianal glanced around at the other injured soldiers, he added, “But don’t think this is your fault, Commander. It’s thanks to you that we made it through this battle with so few injuries.”

“He’s right.”

“Yeah, Commander. You led us to victory.”

The other soldiers chimed in, echoing Dianal’s sentiments. They were ordinary soldiers, yet Damian had led them to an extraordinary achievement.

“It’s because of you that we could accomplish this,” Dianal said earnestly.

Damian knew what Dianal meant. While Damian had been away, Dianal had felt the weight of leadership, and the limits of his own strength.

‘I have to get stronger,’ Dianal had thought, standing on the edge of death.

And Damian knew that once Dianal set his mind to something, he would accomplish it. With a smile, Damian patted Dianal on the shoulder.

“I’m counting on you.”

“Yes, sir,” Dianal replied firmly.

With that, Damian turned to address the rest of his unit. Walking among them, he offered words of encouragement, complimenting each of them for their efforts.

“What we achieved in this battle wasn’t just impressive. It was more than that.”

Looking over his troops, Damian continued, “We struck first and drove back the Empire’s forces. Even though Spanian led the charge, our contribution will never be forgotten.”

Damian’s voice rang out with pride as he spoke to his men.

“Because you endured all the tough training, we were able to achieve this. I’m proud of each and every one of you.”

And then, with steely determination in his eyes, Damian made a bold declaration:

“From now on, we’ll aim even higher. Whether it’s knights or the Empire’s Aura Masters…”

Damian paused, letting his words sink in.

“We’ll surpass them. Every battlefield we step onto, the Caion Unit will…”

His voice was clear and resolute.

“…dominate.”