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The light and heat emitted did not disperse into the air but instead concentrated around the arrowhead.

Despite there being no visible gaps, the flame relentlessly seeped in and gathered its power.

Ian deliberately held his breath. With a sharp gaze, he released the bowstring.

Piiing!

In the blink of an eye, the arrow was launched far away. It left a red trail as it arced through the air and fell to the ground.

Mael was disappointed. Even without seeing the impact, he could predict where the arrow would land.

Unless an unexpected gust of wind blew or the monsters intentionally dodged, it was bound to hit the ground.

For someone who had confidently suggested eliminating the monsters with his bow and arrows, Ian’s archery skills seemed lacking.

However, that was not the case. The arrow was never intended to kill the enemy.

Pahk!

A sound like this would have been heard. Although he did not actually hear it due to the Hyoulang’s howls.

Still, he could guess what had happened. The flame, gathered on the arrowhead, surged along the shaft and spread outwards, forming a barrier.

The barrier was neither very long nor thick. It wouldn’t burn for long.

But what was certain was that a barrier had been established on the path leading to the village.

‘……!’

Fire is feared by any beast, and that includes monsters.

While a small flame might not deter them, a roaring inferno like this would be instinctively avoided.

The Hyoulang, which had been advancing towards the village, hesitated.

‘To infuse the arrow with the power of fire.’

If too much power had been used, the arrow would have turned to ash mid-flight.

But given that it did not, it was clear that the control had been meticulous.

In the meantime, Ian fired two more arrows.

“…Oh!”

Mael let out an involuntary exclamation. The arrows that were shot struck the Hyoulang squarely in the back of the head.

They pierced through the skull and into the brain, soon engulfed by flames.

The fire spread like it was consuming dry firewood, engulfing the heads of the Hyoulang.

“Two.”

Ian’s voice sounded pleased. The arrows left his hand one after another.

They sang through the air with a whistling sound, like a string instrument being played.

Despite the close range, the accuracy of the arrows was remarkably precise.

“Five.”

The Hyoulang, who had been staring in shock at their burning kin, finally turned around after three more of their number fell.

Their glaring eyes were fixed in this direction. A palpable sense of danger was felt here as well.

Awooo!

With a fierce roar, the monsters began to charge.

Mael and Mari drew their swords. Their long blades were thrust forward, ready to strike at any moment.

Surprisingly, their stances were identical, indicating extensive training.

As Ian fired his sixth arrow, he glanced at the scene and nocked the seventh arrow, speaking to them.

“What are you standing there for? Aren’t you going to use your spear?”

The reason the Berger family’s knights are called spear knights is simple. It’s not just their skill with spears, but also the fact that they throw a spear made of flames before starting a battle.

As such, every member is expected to be able to create and throw a flaming spear, and its effectiveness has been proven in countless battles.

Mael glanced at Ian. A faint laugh was heard from inside his helmet.

“It’s not that we don’t want to, but that we can’t.”

“You, the geniuses among geniuses, can’t do it?”

“We haven’t learned it yet. It’s only natural.”

“I can’t understand why it’s so natural. You could have easily followed along after seeing it… it’s really hard to believe.”

“As I said, Mari and I have just recently moved past being trainees and are still at Level 2.”

“So you don’t deny being a genius?”

“That’s the truth.”

What an arrogant guy. He really doesn’t know what humility is.

Ian, considering him annoying, shot another arrow. It struck precisely in the forehead of a Hyoulang climbing the hill.

No matter how tough these creatures are, they would die if struck in the head or neck like that.

The Hyoulang, falling backward, took another one down with it.

“Seven.”

He fired the eighth arrow.

“Eight, nine. Ten.”

The arrows continued to fly. When he fired the thirteenth arrow, Ian clicked his tongue.

“Tsk!”

It missed. Unfortunately, it only grazed the ear. Despite consecutive shots, it missed again.

It would have been easier to hit a stationary target, but hitting moving creatures that bob up and down while running is difficult.

“Stay calm.”

There are two Red Spear Knights by his side.

Though they’ve just graduated from trainee status and are only Level 2, both are geniuses. They will be hailed as heroes in the future.

With these two providing protection, there’s no need to worry.

Maintaining his composure, Ian swallowed once and aimed his bow. The distance left was now minimal.

The number of remaining arrows was ten.

The number of remaining Hyoulang was twenty-two.

After firing five more arrows, two of them missed. With arrows running low, he would be left empty-handed once they were all used up.

“Each of you take down nine. Is that possible?”

“Of course. So, please step back.”

Mael and Mari stepped forward as if in agreement, their bodies emanating a red haze, and the heat radiating from them caused their swords to glow a fierce red.

Ian, deciding not to insist, stepped back.

“If I had known, I would have brought a sword.”

Even if he wanted to help, he could do nothing in close combat with only a bow and arrows.

Wielding the bow like a club would risk damaging it beyond repair, and using arrows was only suitable for stabbing or thrusting, which wasn’t very practical.

Besides, the arrow shafts were not thick, so with any force, they would likely break, making them effectively one-use only.

Kyaaaak!

Finally, the Hyoulang charged in with a monstrous roar.

The two Red Spear Knights moved. Every swing of their swords beheaded a Hyoulang.

There was no hesitation in their actions. They took their positions, assumed their stances, and swung their swords according to the situation. Their movements were concise and efficient.

The result was just as clean. The first Hyoulang to charge had its head severed. The blood sprayed afterward.

Despite being outnumbered, Mael and Mari reduced the number of Hyoulang without any particular rush.

The claws of the Hyoulang could not penetrate the armor of the Red Spear Knights, and their teeth were too busy fleeing from the heat.

“This is so simple.”

It would have been regrettable if they had been scared off and retreated. The Hyoulang, known for their rapid reproduction, would have swarmed this village from here. However, it was not the time to relax.

“Young Master!”

Mael exclaimed in surprise. One Hyoulang squeezed between Mael and Mari and charged directly at Ian.

The distance was only a few meters. A quick leap would close the gap instantly. And indeed, that was exactly what happened.

“Did I look so easy?”

It must have seemed so. Ian wasn’t holding a dangerous weapon or wearing sturdy armor.

Ian reached for his quiver, pulled out an arrow, and spun his body while adjusting his grip on the arrow.

Kyaak!

It was perfect timing. Ian avoided the charging Hyoulang, which was coming with its claws extended and its gums bared.

Simply evading wasn’t enough. He raised the hand holding the arrow. The back of the Hyoulang’s head was right in front of him.

Could he pierce it?

He had no doubt.

He could do it. His body was already enhanced with magical power. It was beyond the capabilities of an ordinary person. He would strike with full force.

Thwack!

The Hyoulang’s body was driven into the ground. It twitched and convulsed but soon fell limp.

Ian released the arrow and stood up.

“Are you okay?”

Mael, who had rushed over anxiously, asked. Ian nodded.

“I’m fine. How about you?”

“Same here. But I apologize. I missed a few…”

“It’s not your fault. I should have retreated further. It’s fine. By the way, you guys smell.”

It wasn’t just the smell of blood. The aroma of grilled meat, the scent of burning… a mix of all sorts of odors.

Mael sniffed and wrinkled his nose but soon tilted his head as if nothing was wrong.

Come to think of it, that helmet has magic on it.

One magic assists with vision, and another purifies the air to prevent poisoning during breathing.

I believe these two enchantments are applied.

Not only the Red Spear Knights but also the renowned knight orders on the continent likely have even more magic imbued in their equipment. He had seen such things before.

That’s why knights are so difficult to deal with.

Anyway, Ian took a step back from Mael. The smell didn’t go away, and perhaps because of his awareness, it seemed even stronger.

“Are there many?”

“Yeah. If you don’t believe me, take off your helmet. You’ll definitely feel it.”

“No, with you saying that, how could I not believe it?”

“When we get to the village, you’ll wash up. Given the cheers, I wouldn’t be surprised if they give us some oil-soaked cloths and fine sand.”

Mael looked back at the village.

Outside the palisade, people were celebrating, holding up crude spears and farming tools like pitchforks and shovel handles.

They must have come out prepared to die, but since they didn’t see any blood, their celebration was understandable.

“No need. I’ll just use a scroll before we get on the carriage. This armor is great, but it’s really tricky to maintain. If you roll it in sand, you might damage the magical runes engraved on the metal, so I have to be careful.”

That makes sense. It does look that way. It’s made from various materials—metal, leather, fur, cloth—not only for functionality but also for aesthetics.

“Handle it however you like.”

“Yes. Would you like a spare scroll? I have extra.”

Ian shook his head. Although he got a bit of blood on him from the close combat with the last one, he was still fine.

“Later. Do you have any spare weapons? If you do, could you give me one?”

“Why do you need a weapon?”

“I need to recover my arrows and gather some magic stones.”

———