Chapter 18

The Genius Knight Who Devours Memories

Chapter 18

The deployment began.

The White Wolf Knights’ flag was the first to leave the encampment.

Rohan was walking in the center of the formation with the members of Fourth Squad.

Their destination was Niagara Gorge.

‘Three days.’

At their current marching speed, it would take exactly three days to reach Niagara Gorge.

And the commander of this operation was.

“Vanguard, slow down.”

A cold voice came from the front.

“The gap with the rear is widening.”

The soldiers at the front immediately slowed down.

With a single command, the entire long column adjusted its pace.

Rohan looked toward the direction the voice had come from.

‘Fourth Company Commander Mushurin.’

A woman sat atop a pure white horse.

Hair so blond it was almost white.

Sharply slanted eyes.

‘A soldier to the bone.’

Mushurin’s gaze never once left the formation.

Her voice was always even.

She neither grew angry nor urged them on.

Whenever she found something wrong, she simply corrected it.

‘Cold and principled.’

Rohan had not interacted with her much, but that was how she was in his memories.

How she commanded the battle would likely determine the outcome of this operation.

As he thought that, her gaze turned toward Rohan.

Unlike with the other soldiers, her eyes lingered on him for a moment longer before she looked away again.

“There’s a plain ahead. Change formation.”

They passed through villages for a day, and a vast plain appeared.

The wind was fierce.

The grass growing along the road bent heavily in one direction before rising again.

Rohan absentmindedly watched it.

His gaze stopped in one place.

A small puddle in the middle of the plain.

The wind pushed across the surface, creating ripples.

A wave pushed from one side struck a rock on the opposite edge.

Splash.

The returning wave collided with the original wave again.

At that moment, the water surged high into the air.

Rohan’s eyes narrowed.

Condensed Burst came to mind.

‘Rotation.’

Condensed Burst rotated force.

That rotation gathered the force, condensed it into a single point, then detonated it.

‘Reverse rotation.’

It was a phrase that had refused to leave his mind for days.

‘Why can’t I do it?’

Even looking at the water, opposing force clearly produced a powerful collision when it struck force moving in the normal direction.

He had tried countless times until now, but the results had been poor.

The moment he reversed the direction, the force weakened rapidly before eventually losing its form and dispersing.

‘Why?’

Rohan chewed on his lip.

Then Creed spoke beside him.

“What have you been staring at all this time?”

Rohan turned his head.

After looking at Creed for a moment, he asked.

“Squad Leader.”

“What.”

“What happens if you reverse the rotation of a mana circuit?”

Creed’s steps slowed for an instant.

Then he looked at Rohan as though he had heard something absurd.

“Reverse rotation? Does that even make sense? Explain it in more detail.”

Rohan briefly organized his thoughts.

“Condensed Burst is a technique that uses the rotational force of mana to condense power into a single point, then explodes it.”

“I know.”

“The problem is that I don’t have enough strength. My output is far below Kaisen’s.”

Creed looked over Rohan’s body as they walked.

There was no need for an explanation.

Compared to Kaisen, he was hopelessly lacking.

“So you want to rotate it in the opposite direction?”

“Yes.”

Creed’s expression hardened.

“...Rohan. Do you know why mana circuits are called circuits? Once a path is formed, mana only flows in that direction.”

Creed continued while looking ahead.

“The direction can differ from person to person. But one person’s mana never changes direction midway through.”

“Why not? I can rotate my mana backward.”

Creed turned his head.

“What?”

Rohan genuinely looked as though he could not understand.

“But the moment I reverse it, the force disperses.”

Creed nearly stopped walking altogether this time.

“Wait. Do you understand what you’re saying right now?”

Creed frowned.

“Reversing mana rotation isn’t the same thing as swinging a sword backward. It’s closer to saying you’ll reverse the direction of your heartbeat at will.”

Rohan showed no particular reaction.

Whether the other person believed him or not did not matter.

Only one thing mattered.

“So what happens when mana flows backward?”

Creed swallowed a hollow laugh.

Then, after seeing Rohan’s expression, his face gradually became serious.

Rohan was not the kind of child who would spout nonsense about something like this.

“...You’re saying you really can do it?”

“Yes.”

“But the force disperses?”

“That’s right.”

Creed began walking again.

He remained silent for a while.

Eventually, Creed spoke from deep in thought.

“I’ve never heard of anything like it.”

After thinking for a moment, he continued.

“If, like you say, two opposing forces could collide properly, it might produce an enormous amount of energy.”

“That didn’t happen.”

Creed narrowed his eyes.

“How did you do it?”

“I rotated it in one direction, then reversed it as it was.”

At that moment, the wind blew again.

The grass beside the road bent in one direction.

Then wind descending from the opposite mountainside collided with it.

Whoooooosh―!

The two winds tangled together, sending dust soaring upward.

Rohan and Creed both looked toward it.

“Rohan. According to what you said, you reversed a single force. Right?”

“That’s right.”

Creed gestured with his chin toward the scattering dust.

“Can you divide the force in two?”

“Divide it?”

“Yeah. Instead of reversing one force, combine two divided forces into one.”

Rohan immediately understood what Creed meant.

‘Why didn’t I think of that?’

His gaze turned toward the dust that had risen into the air.

The two forces collided, sending the dust soaring high into the sky.

Rohan thought of his mana circuit.

Another heart inside his heart.

The second heart filled with mana was rotating fiercely as it beat.

Rohan opened his eyes.

“I think I can do it.”

Creed looked at Rohan and recoiled.

“That... that expression again. Every time you make that face, you cause trouble!”

Shuddering as though fed up, he walked ahead.

____________

The march continued.

After crossing the plains, they came upon low mountains.

After crossing the mountains, another inhabited village appeared.

The formation changed every time the terrain changed.

By the time long shadows began stretching beneath the soldiers’ feet.

“All personnel, halt.”

A cold voice came from the front of the formation.

The march stopped.

Before they knew it, a fairly large village had appeared ahead.

Mushurin looked over the soldiers from atop her horse.

“This is as far as we march today.”

She spoke with an expressionless face.

“The villagers have agreed to lend us their community halls and inns.”

Small cheers broke out here and there.

Mushurin’s expression did not change in the slightest.

“We will reach Niagara Gorge tomorrow. Conserve as much stamina as possible today.”

She continued.

“Third Company will use the eastern community hall. Fourth Company will use the central inn. Fifth Company will use the western community hall. Guard duty and night watch will follow the orders of each company commander.”

Mushurin looked around once.

“That is all.”

The formation began to disperse.

Rohan moved with the other members of Fourth Squad.

Villagers were gathering around them.

“Knights!”

“Please return safely!”

Children waved their hands.

Wherever they went, people looked at the White Wolf Knights in much the same way.

Rohan’s gaze continued moving through the crowd.

As though he were searching for something.

Creed, watching him, frowned.

“What are you looking for so intently?”

Rohan did not answer.

Instead, he carefully scanned the people gathered along the road.

And then.

“Found him.”

The corner of Rohan’s mouth slowly curled upward.

“What?”

Creed turned his head, following Rohan’s gaze.

Among the crowd stood a man with a gray robe pulled deeply over his head.

Like the other villagers, he was merely watching the knight order.

But to Rohan, his face was familiar.

‘Varkan.’

Vice platoon leader of Noxis’s Seventh Reconnaissance Unit.

A man who had appeared several times in the memories of the Noxis officer Rohan had killed.

Rohan spoke quietly.

“That man. He’s a Noxis reconnaissance soldier.”

Creed’s expression hardened.

“Someone from your memories?”

“Yes.”

Rohan did not take his eyes off the man.

He had expected this.

Just as the knight order sent scouts ahead to survey the surroundings before moving, Noxis would be no different.

Especially around a place like Niagara Gorge, where battle was highly likely, they would certainly gather information in advance.

Creed quietly cursed.

“Damn it.”

His gaze immediately turned toward Mushurin.

She was speaking with the other company commanders not far away.

After hesitating briefly, Creed looked back toward the man.

The robed man was already turning away.

He disappeared into the crowd.

“There’s no time to report and explain.”

Creed turned around.

“Johanna.”

“Yes.”

Johanna, who had been nearby, immediately approached.

Creed indicated the direction the man had disappeared with his eyes.

“Follow him.”

Johanna’s gaze followed Creed’s.

“The one in the gray robe?”

“Yes.”

Creed spoke quietly.

“Do not let him notice you. Whatever he does, don’t interfere. Just find out where he’s staying and come back.”

“Understood.”

“Kaisen. Rohan. You two prepare for battle. Once Johanna finds his location and returns, we’ll infiltrate.”

Johanna immediately turned away.

She naturally blended into the crowd.

Rohan silently watched her disappear.

____________

Varkan.

Vice platoon leader of Noxis’s Seventh Reconnaissance Unit.

He peered outside through a gap in the window.

The village was quiet.

Now that the sun had completely set, even the streets had emptied.

Varkan slowly turned around.

This was an ordinary house on the outskirts of the village.

“Mmph- Mmmph!”

On one side of the room, the married couple who owned the house were tied up beside each other.

Cloth had been stuffed into their mouths.

Their hands and feet were tightly bound with rope.

Their eyes were filled with fear.

“Be quiet.”

Varkan paid them no attention.

Five soldiers sat around the dining table.

All belonged to Noxis’s Seventh Reconnaissance Unit.

“Their forces are larger than expected.”

One soldier spoke quietly.

“Three companies. Around five transport wagons.”

“What about the escort formation?”

“It’s thickest in the center. Most of their combat forces are positioned around the wagons as well.”

Varkan nodded.

“The commander?”

“A woman with platinum-blond hair.”

“Mushurin. She’s an excellent strategist. Her combat ability is no less impressive. It would be wise to be careful.”

Varkan’s eyes narrowed.

“They should reach the outskirts of Niagara Gorge by tomorrow afternoon.”

Varkan fell into thought for a moment.

Battle began long before swords ever crossed.

“Good. It’s almost the appointed time. Wrap things up.”

The soldiers’ gazes turned toward Varkan.

“Understood.”

The conversation ended with that brief response.

The soldiers began gathering their equipment.

One soldier looked toward one side of the room.

“What should we do with them?”

The direction his chin pointed.

The couple tied in the corner.

The owners of the house.

“Kill them.”

Varkan answered without hesitation.

There was nothing more foolish than leaving loose ends behind.

The dead did not speak.

Shing―

A sword was drawn.

The couple’s eyes widened simultaneously.

The woman shook her head.

Her husband crawled on his knees in front of his wife and blocked the soldier.

“Mmph! Mmmph!”

The soldier looked down at the couple.

“Stay still.”

The man tightly shut his eyes.

The woman shook her head.

And then.

Swoosh―! The sharp sound of air being cut.

Followed by.

“Gaaah!”

A scream erupted.

Varkan stopped moving.

‘...?’

Something felt wrong.

‘Their mouths were gagged.’

Varkan hurriedly turned his head.

Thud. Something collapsed onto the floor.

It was the soldier who had been holding the sword a moment earlier.

He was clutching his throat as his body trembled.

Behind him stood the silhouette of a person.

Blood dripped from his sword.

Varkan’s eyes widened in surprise.

‘A brat...?’

A young-looking boy stood there.