The Extra Wants To Live

With the sun overhead, the forest was bright even though it was shaded. Thanks to this, the soldiers were able to advance without fear.

Carl quietly retreated and was tightly protected among the imperial soldiers. What takes the lead is performance. With Carl's skills, if he really fought at the front, he'd die in an instant.

So, who is in the lead now is none other than the hunter who has been running around in this forest all his life.

"How is it?"

"The traces remain very clearly. We just have to keep going like this."

"Do you know where it leads?"

"If we go straight, we will come to a small valley. If there are a lot of them, they have no choice but to live near water, so it must be there."

Carl nodded at the hunter's words. He already knew this by looking at the map, but it is still important to listen to the opinions of field workers.

"I understand. Please work a little harder."

"Yes!"

The hunter seemed to be full of strength at the thought of being able to help Prince Carl, whom he believed to be the messenger of Duren.

'There is a high possibility that they will attack in the middle.' Carl's mind was confused. It is somewhat difficult for Carl, who experienced his first battle a few days ago, to lead troops in the forest and fight against bizarre gnolls.

'I won't leave you alone until I get to your base. The most vulnerable time for the military is just before forming ranks. … But will they take this into consideration and attack? What if we drag them all the way to the base to determine the winner in a battle of power?'

Actually, if Carl thought about it, it wouldn't be of much help. Catherine, who realizes that she is learning and growing through play, will take care of it.

Woooow! Thud!

"Shit!"

"What!"

"Damn, I just fell."

Everyone was startled by the person who fell after stepping on a tree root hidden by fallen leaves.

Everyone grumbled that it was nothing, but some people, who knew that it would be difficult to fight properly in a place like this, looked down at the floor with pale faces and their mouths closed and walked carefully.

"Watch what's overhead."

Catherine warned the imperial soldiers. The ground was unstable, but it was full of trees towering high above their heads.

It was perfect for a surprise attack while hanging from a tree. There was no need to warn Hilfin's soldiers because, even if they were warned, they would not be able to march with caution up and down.

It was enough for the preceding imperial soldiers to check overhead.

"Bilford, you must never be separated from Master Carl."

"Yes."

Bilford responded resolutely to Catherine's words. He came a little closer to Carl and held the sheath tightly with his left hand.

If he fight in a back line, a spear would be better, but if he fight alone in the forest, a sword is more convenient than a spear, which can get in his way. At least that was the case for Catherine and Bilford, knights with overwhelming skills.

It goes without saying, but for Carl, who has no skills, a spear with a long reach is definitely the best. He was moving forward cautiously, holding his spear like a cane.

As a large number of troops moved through the forest, where the footing was unstable, the speed was very slow. Even though they traveled for a long time, it was still a long way to reach the valley.

"There is a gnoll on the tree. Slow down and bring in the hunters."

Meanwhile, Catherine suddenly whispered softly to the imperial soldiers advancing in front.

The imperial soldiers responded calmly without showing signs of nervousness. The speed gradually slowed down, and naturally, the hunter was called and sent to the rear.

Hilfin's knights and guard commander Bordeaux immediately noticed the actions of the imperial soldiers.

The battle came to a close. Bordeaux and Hilfin's knights slowly brought the slowed procession forward, tightening the gap.

The long ranks gathered in a circle as much as possible, with each other's shoulders and backs facing each other.

With the situation like this, the soldiers also knew what was about to happen.

"…"

The autumn forest was consumed by cold silence.

The soldiers, who had been moving forward slowly like turtles and forming a line, also completely stopped.

Surprisingly, low-level Hilfin soldiers and conscripts were advancing from the forest, forming a great formation and guarding the surroundings.

It was normal to get scared and tremble, fall down, and get stuck in traffic jams.

However, the courage and pride that filled their hearts with Carl's presence made the farmers and carpenters in a simple rural village move calmly.

The formation was completed in a short period of time, and now the only sounds from the tension of battle were slightly heavy breathing and the sound of metal clashing.

There wasn't a single sound of an insect in the forest, as if they could smell the battle that was about to happen.

Meanwhile, Catherine slowly lowered her posture, rummaged through the fallen leaves, and grabbed a stone of an appropriate size.

"… Lady Catherine?"

"LordCarl, please prepare."

Catherine warned Carl and carefully lowered his visor to cover his face.

In the scenery seen through the slit in the visor, Catherine could be seen pulling her arm while tightly gripping a stone.

Crunch!

Wedge! Puck!

The sound of steel clashing was as strong as a storm, and when Catherine came to her senses, the stone that had left her hand had reached a distant tree high in the distance.

Dump.

Something fell helplessly from the tree and landed limply on the fallen leaves. Through the fluttering fallen leaves, they saw a gnoll with its head smashed and bleeding.

"Ready for battle!"

"Understood!"

At that moment, Carl shouted in a voice so loud that everyone could hear him even while wearing a visor, and the imperial soldiers took their stance and responded.

"Ready for battle!"

"Prepare for battle!"

The moment the knights of Bordeaux and Hilfin also gave instructions to the soldiers, and the soldiers grabbed their weapons, a flood of sound came from all directions in the quiet forest at once!

Wooow! Wooow!

Sasasak!

The sound of dogs barking echoed everywhere, and the sound of running feet stepping on fallen leaves could be heard.

"Trust your colleagues next to you! When you protect him, he will protect you too!"

Carl's loud cry was clearly heard even among the noise of the gnolls.

Of course, Carl retreated and was in the safest place, in the middle of the imperial soldiers, guarded by Bilford. Stepping up and fighting here was not courage, but arrogance.

"Lady Catherine!"

Carl called out to Catherine, who had already drawn her sword. When she turned around, she firmly exclaimed to Carl.

"Show me the power of your sword!"

"Yes, Lord Carl."

Catherine's grip tightened on her sword, her eyes scanning the trees for any sign of movement. The tension was palpable, every rustle of leaves and crack of twigs setting nerves on edge.

"Steady!" Carl commanded, his voice steady despite the rapid beating of his heart. "They'll come from above and around. Watch your flanks!"

As if on cue, the gnolls burst from the underbrush, their grotesque forms a blur of fur and teeth.

They moved with an unnatural agility, climbing trees and leaping down upon the soldiers with ferocious snarls.

The first wave hit with the force of a hurricane, but the soldiers held their ground, their spears and shields forming an impenetrable wall.

Catherine met the first gnoll with a swift, practiced strike, her sword slicing through the air with lethal precision.

The creature fell with a guttural scream, its blood mingling with the fallen leaves. She spun to face the next attacker, her movements fluid and deadly.

Beside her, Bilford fought with equal ferocity, his blade a blur of steel as he cut down one gnoll after another.