Chapter 38

Chapter 38

38. War Mercenary (2)

That night.

The guys’ raid was finished.

[Sand Storm] that disappeared in one shot with [Thunder Prison Predation].

Originally it is general to torment while maintaining for about three days, but cleaning up in an instant like this is the first time.

“You, did you see those guys’ eyes a little while ago? A very dumbfounded expression! Khahaha!”

Cheolmin has been excited from a little while ago.

Although he has done war mercenary countless times, he says there has been no refreshing time like today for the first time.

Flutter—.

“Is this the Korean mercenaries’ tent?”

At that time.

Someone entered inside the tent.

Short hair mixed with grayish white hair and a face tanned by the sun and a crisp military uniform. And a cigar in the mouth.

Naturally his gaze headed to the chest.

[Jacob Hayden, ★★]

Two stars.

Then is he the commander here?

Somehow following behind in a group.

“Oh, you are the mage who fed those guys a refreshing one shot today!”

Hayden approached in one step and wrapped both his shoulders.

“Excellent! Very excellent! I was really moved! Hahaha!”

“······.”

“But what is this? Sorry. Even if mercenaries putting in a place like this. Do you know how surprised I was hearing this news? So a little while ago I reprimanded the person in charge who did such a thing.”

Hayden spitting as if he didn’t know it was like this.

This is actually a form of saying he is incompetent to the point he doesn’t even know what his subordinates are doing, but could such a person have risen to that position?

“I really didn’t know. If I knew would I have done this?”

He skillfully tapped his shoulder.

“Now, forget everything and start anew. What was your contract? Uuh, bring it here.”

Hayden immediately reviewed from the contract.

He scanned his and Cheolmin’s contracts then frowned!

“No, what is this? In your eyes do these guys look like mercenaries who deserve just this treatment? Uh!”

“S-sorry! It seems the contract conditions were wrong! I will immediately correct!”

“You should. Let’s see, make the conditions like this.”

Swish, swish.

Hayden who frowned while biting the cigar busily wrote some numbers.

Then swoosh, showed to him and Cheolmin.

“The period the same as now 2 weeks. Basic contract money 100 million won based on Korean won. And regardless of the period if performing the mission additionally 300 million. How is it?”

“···B-basic 100 million and when mission performance complete 300 million!?”

Cheolmin was greatly surprised.

What was his existing contract condition?

‘Period 2 weeks. Basic pay 30 million was all···.’

There was no mission condition at all.

From the start even individual mission inclusion wasn’t done.

But suddenly basic pay 100 million, when mission complete 300 million.

And that all during 2 weeks.

‘Not bad?’

Of course, if thinking of the previous request that received 1.5 billion it looks little.

But the situation itself is different from that.

Of course he had to pay attention to the ‘Specter’ appearance that might be, and it was a mission where he had to sweep the criminal organization with three people.

However here there is a US forces unit.

A condition of moving together with the US forces, and fighting together with them.

Much more stable.

‘···There would also be a reason this person does this much.’

Although a very moment, he knows about this guy.

A person who even if it was an instruction he gave dumps on the subordinate if for benefit. In other words, not caring about water or fire if to succeed.

What such a person wants from him would be one.

“By any chance is that mission a mana vein related mission?”

At his question Hayden paused for a moment then soon laughed heartily and said.

“Ha, hehe··· I thought only ability was good but sense is also good? Yeah, I’ll say honestly. Our most important goal is the mana vein. But until now we haven’t been able to break through. Because the guys’ resistance is not easy.”

Hayden briefly told the matters until now.

Of course the sand mages’ problem, and the guys’ guerrilla warfare utilizing the geographical problem.

In various ways there are many headaches so the situation was much later than planned.

“Moreover the guys also wield peculiar guys. We are having headaches because of those guys. But if you are there it seems possible. Won’t you obtain that vein together with me? To you a thick reward, to me well··· a little achievement. Haha!”

A little achievement.

He wouldn’t have come this far for just such a thing.

“Good.”

“Oh, will you? The more I see the more I like! Hahaha!”

But there is no reason to refuse.

He also came here for the purpose of the mana vein.

Of course, not recapture but absorption.

* * *

The next day morning.

Mercenaries were invited to the operation meeting.

A meeting seat prepared inside a wide container.

In the front a giant hologram map was floating, and platoon leaders were sitting in crisp postures.

Our mercenaries sat behind that and listened carefully.

“The operation is simple. Currently the points that can infiltrate the mana vein are a total of ten places. Each platoon will go to the determined point, and proceed that simultaneously. Because only then we can disperse the enemies’ power.”

Hayden said while pointing at the points marked on the map.

“Mage mercenaries are assigned two each to each platoon. Among them I want the Korean mercenaries to take charge of this 7th passage, is it okay?”

Unusually he asked only us for opinion.

The gazes inside the barracks concentrated on us all at once.

Mentioning the 7th passage and designating us.

He doesn’t know if this is treatment, or threat, but it looked like a trick trying to make the justification of ‘you volunteered’.

At that question Cheolmin answered.

“If told to do we have to do what choice is there. That is the work we do.”

“This, this. We recognized the true value of the Korean mercenaries too late. Haha!”

Actually it was so.

Although not formal soldiers, we also receive money and work. No choice but to do if told.

“Anyway, this operation became able to aim at the guys’ gap thanks to quickly processing the [Sand Storm] raid unusually. But the moment the Red Sand Corps guys notice they will run to block. So don’t let your guard down. Everyone··· I will pray you return safely. Dismissed.”

The operation meeting ended.

The departure time is one hour from now.

Just as we also tried to go prepare simply, some two people approached us.

One person an appearance that looks early 30s, neat image.

Another person a man around mid 40s quite fierce-looking and large body.

“Hello, 3rd platoon leader Daniel O’Connor. This side is non-commissioned officer Gus.”

The man of an intellectual impression that looks early 30s introduced.

The one called non-commissioned officer Gus also bowed his head and greeted.

“This time the two of you plan to move together with our platoon. By any chance have you heard about the 7th passage?”

Seeing him talking about the 7th passage as soon as seeing, it seems not ordinary.

“No, there is nothing heard separately.”

“Hoo··· is that so. First before going I think the two of you also have to know. Among us we call the 7th passage ‘Mage’s Grave’.”

“···Mage’s Grave?”

Aish, why is the nickname this fierce?

That general bastard pretending to take care of us and driving into a dead end?

“Yes, that’s right. That place is a place we have to pass a canyon, but snipers are hiding here and there in that canyon.”

“But that is something we can sufficiently prepare? We wouldn’t be walking with bare body.”

Cheolmin said as if natural.

Yeah, snipers are scary but we are not going with bare body.

“Right words. Ordinary snipers can somehow be handled, but the problem is one sniper who only aims at mages. In our guess it is not an ordinary sniper, but identified as a mage.”

“By any chance are there many people done in by that person?”

“Yes, until now it would be about five. It is also the reason the mana vein recapture operation hasn’t been properly executed until now because we can’t pass here. Well, the good point··· if only safely passing the canyon it is also the route that arrives earliest at the recapture point.”

To think five were done in.

Is he using sniper magic?

But if simply a sniper problem, there seemed to be a solution method.

“By any chance can I see the canyon point map a bit?”

“Yes, here.”

Non-commissioned officer Gus immediately took out a map from his pocket and unfolded.

It seems thorough in preparation.

Things with circle marks here and there on such a map were visible, it seemed sniper suspicion points.

This is enough.

* * *

Vroom, vroom—.

Armored vehicle ‘Sand Crawler’.

A platoon force transport vehicle that moves with mana stones.

Three Sand Crawlers of the 3rd platoon ran in a line.

He boarded the middle armored vehicle, Cheolmin boarded the lead vehicle.

“I··· but. Really? The rumor of releasing [Sand Storm] with magic.”

The youngest who boarded beside him, Tommy.

Age that looks about just twenty now, he said the platoon’s youngest.

“Uh, well··· that is right but.”

“Th-this. R-really amazing! We suffered a lot from sand for three days when [Sand Storm] comes out, but this time there was no such thing!”

“Private. Don’t you know we are in the middle of performing an operation now?”

“S-sorry!”

The non-commissioned officer who boarded in the front seat, Gus warned.

Seeing the spirit full at that one word, he seemed to know what Gus’s role is.

“If going about 2km more forward the canyon comes out. Well, as you see it is not an ordinary armored vehicle so it doesn’t get pierced by sniper guns ordinary guys use but···.”

“It means it can’t block sniper magic?”

“That’s right. Whatever magic they use, they easily pierce even armor like this. Moreover those guys will find out from where the mage is riding. How they find in total···.”

Gus calmly informed the situation.

Finding the vehicle the mage is riding.

He seemed to know.

Because he would also find like that.

Wooong—.

He immediately unfolded [All Phenomena Response] and examined the surroundings.

Still no particular detection.

But···.

Weeing, weeing, weeing!

Soon mana detected from three places.

However, not large ordinary level.

‘Ordinary snipers?’

Swoosh, he examined the direction of the mana.

It would be around there.

Beep! Beep! Beep!

“Hmm?”

“Right now I marked the positions of the detected snipers. The green triangle marks are ordinary snipers marks. By any chance if finding that guy I’ll put a skull-shaped mark.”

“······!?”

Gus looked at him with surprised eyes.

This magic is the magic the hacker, Yunji used.

Because he saw quite naturally he learned on his own.

“Platoon leader, do you see?”

-Yeah, I see. What is this?

Gus immediately communicated to the platoon leader.

“The mage marked the sniper positions. Shall we process and move?”

-···Marking the snipers’ positions? Ha, this. First understood. All stop then, sniper processing······.

“Ah, no need to stop. Just run as is.”

It seemed thinking of stopping and processing then going.

But is there a need to do so.

Ziiik.

He lowered the window and looked at the marked points.

A total of three places.

Kugugung, kugugung, kugugung—.

He scattered [Lightning Bolt] there.

Bang bang bang bang bang bang!!

Lightning stems struck hard at each point and fragments bounced in all directions and the marks disappeared.

“Processed. Continue running.”

“······.”

“······.”

The inside of the vehicle became quiet.

As he did the radio heard.

-R-running.

Like that the Sand Crawler ran without hesitation.

Soon the canyon they talked about entered the eyes.

Sheer cliffs on both sides and a narrow one-way path.

A narrow path that barely one vehicle could pass.

“Mage. Now soon entering the canyon. From here······.”

“Continue running.”

Beep beep beep beep beep beep beep beep beep beep!!

The guys’ mana was detected here and there.

He seems to know why they couldn’t break through here.

Even just the roughly detected number dozens.

The marks continuously increased.

‘If using [Lightning Bolt] here he might rather get buried.’

In his heart he wanted to sweep long ago, but if fragments block the path it is a loss.

In other words, he has to process only the guys without touching the terrain.

Then what would be good.

First···.

Wooong, wooong, wooong—.

“A-a barrier appeared! Ah, not!? Some wide membrane is b-blocking!”

A circular membrane covering the whole above the Sand Crawler.

The [Barrier] he newly learned this time.

Grade rare grade.

A barrier sturdier than ordinary [Barrier].

But the different point?

‘With the [Magic Residue] effect he can unfold in the form he wants.’

Whether triangle, circle. Or widely, thickly, longly.

Whatever form he can unfold as he wants.

He covered all above the Sand Crawler like putting an umbrella with such [Barrier].

Bang, bang, bang, bang!

Soon noise was heard from all directions.

Ting ting ting ting ting!

Of course, far from touching the body he couldn’t even pierce the [Barrier].

“···This is the first time passing the 7th passage this stably.”

“From the driver’s position I also am the first time this reliable. Excuse me for these words but··· how on earth do you use magic like this?”

“It seems really good that I came to the unit! Performing an operation forming a team together with a mage like this! I··· really moved!”

At one [Barrier] the soldiers poured admiration.

Of course, that is not important.

He quietly condensed mana above the palm.

Gathering, and gathering again mana condensed in a round circle.

Precisely [Ultra Convergence Mana Beam].

Magic that shoots a thin beam of extreme penetration from mana condensed in a circle.

Ziiik. Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh.

He made three such circular manas and threw them out the window.

Then···.

Whirrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!! Whirrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!! Whirrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!

The circular mana spun and shot small mana beams in all directions.

And that dozens, hundreds of small and thin beams.

Whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh!

“Th-the guys are falling!”

Guys falling whoosh whoosh from all directions.

Guys penetrated by the mana beam poured like rain.

Tudududududududu!! Tudududududududu!!

Of course, the US forces also didn’t just stay still.

Opening each vehicle hatch and coming out and firing machine guns.

Thanks to marking the marks he wouldn’t have to find.

Just finding the marks and shooting is enough.

“RPG!!”

Of course, the guys also didn’t just get done in.

Soon RPGs shot from both sides.

This level is no problem.

Kwaaaang! Kwaaaang!

The RPG aimed at the armored vehicle, but no problem with the [Barrier].

[Barrier] that blocks outside attacks, but bullets shot from inside pass.

“This is really cheat!!”

“Just shoot comfortably!”

“Die, you bastards! Kiyahho!”

The US forces cheered and shot insanely.

The three vehicles ran without hesitation piercing the blazing flames.

Weeing—.

At that time.

Particularly large mana was detected.

And that not ordinary large.

To the point he could know why other mages were done in by the guy.

“The guy seems to have appeared.”

“···By any chance are you talking about the sniper mage?”

“Yes.”

“I inform all platoon members. Magic sniper appearance. Everyone be careful.”

Gus immediately conveying to the platoon members.

The ones who went out the hatch also entered inside again.

‘Let’s concentrate.’

He thought on the way coming.

To the point of piercing an armored vehicle this sturdy.

He doesn’t know what magic he uses, but he thought it would be magic focused on penetration.

He knew well what that method is.

Because it would be a similar principle to the [Ultra Convergence Mana Beam] he used a little while ago.

──────!!

In an instant giant mana condensed then disappeared.

Direction northwest.

He deformed the [Barrier] to box size, maximized the thickness. He quickly cast such [Barrier] three times.

Whoosh. Crash!

It was an instant.

Clearly nothing was there, but a thin and long red light popped out right beside the armored vehicle.

Fortunately the position was accurate as detected with [All Phenomena Response].

One of the layered [Barriers] that took the guy’s attack instead extinguished.

And that the [Barrier] made as thick as possible.

──────!!

Giant mana disappearing again.

He detected the direction.

He immediately moved two [Barriers] to the corresponding location.

Whoosh. Crash!

This time direction southeast.

Directions each, flying also suddenly from an invisible place.

But what he aims is still the middle vehicle he is riding.

Then.

Wooong, wooong, wooong, wooong, wooong, wooong, wooong. Wooong, wooong, wooong, wooong, wooong, wooong, wooong. Wooong, wooong, wooong, wooong, wooong, wooong, wooong.

“Th-this what···?”

“M-mage? How many [Barriers] in total···.”

Anyway if aiming at him this is fine.

He laid [Barrier] on the Sand Crawler he boarded, and laid again. Did he do about twenty times?

Whoosh.

As expected the guy’s attack came in.

Crash.

One [Barrier] broke.

But still many.

Whoosh. Whoosh. Whoosh.

The guy continued shooting.

As if pride was hurt.

Crash, crash, crash!

The [Barrier] was still sufficient.

As he did he continued looking at the magic the guy uses.

Little by little it was analyzed.

“Just run straight.”

“Ah. Yes, yes··· r-run.”

Vroooom—.

The guy aimed at the vehicle he boarded to the end.

How much he shot the [Barrier] was also almost at the point of extinguishing.

Of course···.

-Rear vehicle, canyon passage complete!

The three vehicles safely came out.

Then.

“Would you stop for a moment?”

He has to process the rat bastard.

Screech!

The vehicle stopped to the side.

He lowered the window and looked at the canyon he passed.

Because it is high ground the canyon is clearly visible.

Far away, the canyon’s cliff was visible.

Among them the skull mark was also visible.

‘You are there?’

He quickly pulled up mana.

A situation that wasn’t well visible below the canyon.

But coming out like this it is very clearly all visible.

[Flame Wave].

Magic that causes a blazing wave at a desired point.

The problem is having to clearly see the point he wants.

Different from a little while ago when the viewpoint was covered while passing the canyon.

He laid the wave at the place the guy is.

Fwoossssssssssh!!

[Flame Wave] generating at a specific point.

It quickly swept to the point he exactly wanted.

A little later the skull mark disappeared.

Probably it was extremely hot.

* * *

“How is each platoon’s situation now?”

Hayden grasped the situation at headquarters.

“Yes, currently each platoon is heading to the target point. There is no place that arrived yet.”

“Hmm, is that so?”

“Basically because there is distance even if fast it will be around this evening to arrive at the target point.”

Hoo, Hayden who took a sip of the cigar was immersed in thought.

‘Other places will arrive well on their own, but the 7th passage. There no matter what it would be unreasonable?’

Yesterday he saw the Korean mercenary’s amazing magic.

Of course extinguishing [Sand Storm] in one shot, hundreds of small fries disappeared.

Until now Hayden has seen numerous war mercenaries.

But a war mercenary of this level was the first time.

Usually rather than a battlefield like this they enter a magic tower, or do requests or work holding hands with the government.

So he sent that Korean mercenary to the 7th passage.

A kind of gamble.

‘If somehow passing there the skill will be proven even more. Then my operation success rate will become even higher.’

Clearly amazing.

But with that level it is difficult for this operation to succeed.

Not for nothing every recapture operation failed.

He had to show a more, excellent appearance.

‘Prove your value. Even if late if only passing there··· I will actively use you.’

Anyway if a guy who can’t come out there the operation success is also difficult.

But if passing?

He thought that guy is a talent who will bring the mana vein to him.

Crackle!

-Informing the 3rd platoon situation.

At that time.

A contact came from the 3rd platoon.

···Did he fail the canyon passage?

Hayden concentrated on the communication from behind.

“Yes, please speak!”

-3rd platoon currently canyon passage complete. In 5 minutes from now, arriving at the target point. Is waiting fine?

“······!?”

-Additionally the magic sniper who was tormenting us in the canyon also cleanup complete. The corpse was also confirmed.

“···What did you say?”

Not enough that he passed the canyon, he also cleaned up the sniper?

Even saying already scheduled to arrive at the target point?

This fast?

-The mage who came together this time is really the best. Alone he swept the whole canyon area. Of course enormous level defense magic, and also using various element magics. Where on earth did you obtain him?

“Ha, hehe···.”

That guy alone?

Hayden couldn’t hide his excitement.

Finally, finally!

‘The guy who will recapture the mana vein appeared!’

In an instant Hayden’s head the solid path of himself that will unfold after the mana vein recapture came to mind.

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