Chapter 121 : Chapter 121
Chapter 121. March of the Other Shore (2)
After conquering Beihan far too easily.
The atmosphere of the main battalion changed strangely.
"I still can't understand it, no matter how much I think about it. How were they able to lift a steel ladder like that?"
"And what about blocking all the arrows and hot oil with just one shield? I got chills back then, you know?"
"I heard that the reason the steel ladder looked light and the shield became sturdier was all thanks to a secret technique? The Battalion Commander apparently has a secret technique that grants special abilities to objects."
"Wow. That's practically magic."
"What's more magical is the skill of the Special Task Force Company. How can each and every soldier be so strong?"
"They weren't just strong. Almost all of them could use aura, you know?"
"What? The special ability the Battalion Commander can grant. Can he grant it to people as well as objects?"
"Can an ordinary soldier become a knight just by being granted a special ability? This time, it seems the training method the Battalion Commander newly devised is special."
"I wish I could train with that training method too. If I'm going to suffer from training every day anyway, it would be better to become a knight."
"It's not just better; it's a complete life-changer. The probability of surviving the war also increases."
Thus, a keen interest in the Special Task Force Company was born.
And it wasn't just the ordinary soldiers.
The officers also began to take an interest in the Special Task Force Company.
"Is it really true? Can the soldiers really become stronger if they train according to the Battalion Commander's training method?"
"We've already witnessed a miracle. Lifting a steel ladder lightly and ending a siege with just one shield."
"Isn't that just the effect of a secret technique? The training method is a different kind of thing."
"Who knows. He might have a secret technique that increases training efficiency."
"It would be more realistic to say that he shared a secret method of a Superior Swordsmanship."
It was when the officers were gathered, eating lunch and talking like this.
"That's right."
Someone who had been quiet spoke like this.
Only then did the officers' gazes turn in that direction, and they were surprised at the same time.
Chevalier was there.
"Cough, cough."
Someone coughed as if they had choked in surprise, but Chevalier paid no heed and continued.
"Ever since he was a platoon leader, the Battalion Commander has never hesitated to share the secret methods of Superior Swordsmanship Manuals with his soldiers. Even the secret techniques."
"...Is that really true?"
"It is. I, who am sitting in front of you, am the proof. All the Superior Swordsmanship I can use, I received from the Battalion Commander. That's why I was able to reach the level of a 4-star."
"Huh."
Someone let out a breath of disbelief.
However, Chevalier calmly finished his meal and added one more thing.
"If you want to, you can learn everything from the Battalion Commander. Now you are also under the Battalion Commander's command and are his subordinates."
Chevalier finished his meal and left.
And a short while later.
The officers, who had been quiet for a moment, started talking again.
The topic had somehow changed to 'Will the Battalion Commander really pass on the new training method to us, who have just become his subordinates?'
"I'll ask."
In the end, after a long discussion, someone stepped forward.
It was Heinrich, who had the highest trust in Roden among the officers who were originally from the main battalion.
Heinrich, with a resolute expression, asked Roden if they could use the new training method.
And,
"Huh? You want to train with my training method? Then do so."
The answer came back so readily that Heinrich was taken aback.
"Is it really okay?"
"It's fine. What's not to be okay with? If you ask the Special Task Force Company, they'll teach you in detail."
Thus, starting with Heinrich's Infantry Company, a training craze swept through the entire main battalion.
And naturally, the main battalion became united as one.
***
While the main battalion was successfully conquering two cities and becoming united as one.
The unidentified unit that had annihilated Transport Unit 1 gradually expanded its range of activities.
Thus, the 3rd Corps' reconnaissance team was wiped out by the unidentified unit, and the scout team disappeared.
Moreover, a light cavalry platoon belonging to the vanguard battalion, which had been dispatched to pacify the surrounding villages, vanished without a trace.
It was a testament to how formidable and terrifying the unidentified unit was.
Perhaps that was why a nickname for this unit was born among the soldiers of the 3rd Corps.
It was the nickname 'March of the Other Shore'.
'March of the Other Shore. That's not even funny.'
Michael thought to himself as he examined the traces of the battle.
The reason Michael was here now was none other than this.
Because the damage the 3rd Corps had recently received was so great, Alexis had urgently dispatched Michael as an investigator for this case.
For Michael, the corps staff officer, to step forward himself.
It was a part that showed how much the 3rd Corps was wary of the 'March of the Other Shore'.
Certainly, the 'March of the Other Shore' was a dangerous unit.
It was only natural, as whenever they appeared, the large and small units of the 3rd Corps suffered damage close to annihilation.
'Well, they are strong.'
This was something that could be seen just by the fact that the number of soldiers who had met the March of the Other Shore and returned alive could be counted on one hand.
Moreover, among these soldiers, there were almost none who were mentally sound.
There was only one person who was able to give a statement of the situation, but even this person suddenly had a seizure and died while giving a statement about the 'March of the Other Shore'.
In fact, the infamy of the March of the Other Shore had grown because of this incident.
A rumor had started that even if you survived an encounter with the March of the Other Shore, you would be cursed.
However, Michael thought that these things were just a coincidence.
At the same time, he was convinced that the March of the Other Shore was an ordinary surprise attack unit that had been given a slightly special mission.
Just like the Special Task Force Company.
'The Imperial Army must have had no choice but to take a risk to turn the situation around somehow.'
The Imperial Army was currently being greatly pushed back by the Allied Forces.
This was also the reason why the talk within the Allied Forces of retreating at this point and entering into ceasefire negotiations had completely disappeared.
As the Glockner family began to move in earnest, the Imperial Army was now being pushed back on all fronts.
There was nothing to say, as they had lost Kroxen Castle and been defeated on the 3rd Corps front, which had been holding on somehow.
So, the Imperial Army had to turn the situation around somehow.
And Michael thought that the background of the birth of the special unit called the March of the Other Shore was also here.
However, apart from this fact, Michael did not think that the March of the Other Shore was as great a unit as the rumors claimed.
This was because the reason the Imperial Army was currently being pushed back compared to the Allied Forces was because the military itself did not have much capacity.
And yet, for a powerful unit to exist as the rumors claimed was absurd.
However,
'What is this?'
As he investigated the scene himself, Michael's thoughts changed.
The traces of the battle left at the scene gave him an idea of what kind of unit the March of the Other Shore was and how powerful it was.
'The number of people is not very large, about 30. The traces left here also prove this. But they dealt with a company-sized unit so cleanly?'
For 30 people to defeat 100 people was not as easy as it sounded.
It was an impossible task unless the 30 people were exceptionally strong or the 100 people were exceptionally weak.
Moreover, the traces of the battle proved that a tremendous secret technique had been used here.
It was not a secret technique that simply created an afterimage of a sword or made the sword sharper.
It was on the level of causing a large-scale explosion multiple times.
And by multiple people at that.
'No way. Is such a thing possible?'
Thus, Michael, in a state of surprise, checked all the places where the March of the Other Shore had fought.
And he was able to confirm a few common points.
One was that at every battle scene, pieces of glass of unknown origin were found, and the other was that a familiar yet unfamiliar energy was felt from the pieces of glass.
'What do these common points mean?'
It was when Michael was lost in thought for a moment.
Suddenly, one word that could solve this whole puzzle came to mind.
'A magic artifact?'
Of course, it was absurd.
It had been over a few hundred years since the transactions between the nations and the mage towers had been cut off.
But the current phenomenon could not be explained without a magic artifact.
'Just in case, let's keep the possibility open and report it to the higher-ups. A similar phenomenon might be happening on other fronts.'
Thus, Michael, who had approached the truth to some extent, continued his thoughts.
'It's a really powerful unit. One that can easily handle a company. In that case, how does the Empire intend to use this unit to turn the situation around?'
Various plans came to Michael's mind.
Although he had been pushed back by Roden, who was a genius, Michael was also quite smart, so it was not difficult for him to predict the Empire's movements.
'To turn the situation around, they have to destroy at least one battalion. But no matter how outstanding a magic artifact they have, it's difficult to face a battalion in a head-on battle. In particular, it's impossible to touch our main forces that are besieging Nanbalt Castle.'
Alexis was constantly moving with his direct command unit and the vanguard battalion.
So, no matter how strong the March of the Other Shore was, it would be difficult for them to face a head-on battle.
This was the same even if they joined forces with the defense force of Nanbalt Castle.
'And it's also difficult to attack the transport battalion alone. They don't have a unit that can support them like the defense force of Nanbalt Castle. In that case...'
There was only one place the March of the Other Shore could aim for.
A battalion-sized unit that could receive support from a support unit.
'The main battalion is in danger.'
Michael's expression, who had realized this fact, changed urgently.