Chapter 177: Achim ②
“Commander!”
“Commander Achim!”
The soldiers fighting monsters near Achim cried out in anguish.
Achim had splendidly cooperated with Sophie-san to defeat the Cyclops Leader, but the price for that victory was steep.
Achim stood, his sword still outstretched from a swing with his right arm, his body riddled with numerous wounds. Goblins. Goblins were piercing Achim’s body with their crude spears and swords.
And then, an Ogre was on the verge of bringing its iron club down upon Achim’s head.
DOGON!
The Ogre’s iron club finally swung down, and a cloud of dust billowed up.
KLANG!
And then, that cloud of dust was instantly sliced into seven parts.
Emerging from the dissipating dust cloud were Achim, still standing, and the corpses of decapitated Goblins and the Ogre.
“Protect the Commander!”
“Yeah!”
Achim had dispatched the Goblins and Ogre in an instant, but it was evident that he was gravely injured. His subordinate soldiers moved to fortify his defense.
“C-Commander-dono…”
“We’ll get you to the healing ward at once!”
Towards his panicking subordinates, however, Achim showed no signs of alarm, remaining as composed as ever.
“Healing is unnecessary.”
“But!”
“The Cyclops has been defeated. All forces, retreat! Fall back to the Third Wall and urgently fortify the defenses!”
“Retreat!”
“Fall back to the Third Wall!”
Achim’s orders were shouted by the soldiers, relaying them to the surrounding allies.
“Commander, you should fall back too.”
“That’s right. We’ll dispatch a healing mage from the healing ward. Quickly, now.”
“No, I will not fall back.”
“Commander?”
“From this moment, you all will follow Rudolf-dono’s orders. I will buy time for your retreat.”
Achim gripped his sword with a limp right arm, yet the fighting spirit in his eyes had not faded.
“Someone must halt the monsters’ pursuit. I am wounded like this. I won’t make it. You all fall back immediately too.”
“I will accompany you!”
“Me too!”
“You will not! You all must live and fight to the very end! Protect this Baumgarten. I’m counting on you!”
“Commander…”
“Farewell…”
Having parted with the officers of the Baumgarten Territory Army, Achim immediately decapitated a Goblin that lunged at him.
His Holy Power was completely depleted. His body was utterly exhausted. It felt like swimming through mud.
But, strangely, Achim’s body continued to move as if it knew no fatigue.
Achim’s mind was sharp, his body feeling so invigorated it was almost an illusion.
Like a candle flaring brightest just before it extinguishes, the swordsmanship Achim had honed throughout his life was, at this very moment, reaching its zenith.
Goblins were mere fodder, cut down with sweeping blows, swatted aside with contemptuous ease. Orcs, naturally, and even Ogres could not get near him. He split Giant Centipedes vertically and bisected even armored beetles.
However, the numerical disadvantage was too great. There was no way a single man could hold back a massive horde of monsters.
Achim, too, should have been quickly overwhelmed and strangled to death. That was how it should have been.
Yet Achim, who should have been covered head to toe in wounds, did not fall. He sustained countless injuries, but with each one, he reliably felled a monster, steadily reducing their numbers.
At this point, felling one more monster would not significantly impact the overall situation.
But if it meant saving even one life, then it was worth felling them!
Achim used his left arm like a shield, avoiding decisive, fatal blows, wishing to slaughter as many monsters as possible, for as long as possible.
Bitten on the right leg? I’ll give you the leg. The price is your life.
Left arm torn off? It matters not. I felled two in that time.
Three knives plunged into his abdomen. He had already resigned himself to death. It was meaningless.
Achim’s heart had long since stopped beating; he couldn’t even breathe. His organs must have spilled from his abdomen, with none remaining. His right leg and left arm were gone. A grotesque figure.
Yet Achim still stood. He swung his sword.
At that sight, the monsters, which should feel no fear, showed a momentary flicker of hesitation.
It was the same as with the Eleven Braves who had perished defending the first castle gate.
The monsters clearly seemed to be experiencing fear.
But Achim no longer possessed consciousness, not even a soul. He had died standing.
However, the monsters, terrified of Achim, could not bring themselves to pursue.
But that, too, would not last forever.
A single arrow pierced Achim’s left eye, and slowly, Achim’s body toppled backward.
Only then did the monsters finally realize that Achim was dead.
The monsters, their fury now unconcealed, trampled Achim and resumed their pursuit.
Achim’s remains were trampled flat by the monsters, becoming a mere stain on the ground, not even bones left behind.
The time Achim had bought by confronting the monster horde amounted to less than three minutes.
However, thanks to the time Achim had bought, many soldiers’ lives were saved.
If Achim could have seen this situation, he might have let out a boisterous laugh.
◇
“Emergency! This is an emergency!”
It was shortly after Achim’s death that the grim news reached the Baumgarten Mansion, which served as the operations headquarters.
Cassandra already knew of Sophie-san’s and Achim’s deaths through her Gift’s skill. However, she couldn’t bring herself to tell Susane-san and Kurt-san. Susane-san was a former member of the same adventurer party as Sophie-san. As for Kurt-san, he was Achim’s father.
But time waits for no one.
“Commander Achim and Battalion Commander Sophie have fallen in battle! It is most regrettable…”
“Sophie!?”
“Is that so… Achim…”
Susane-san’s and Kurt-san’s anguished voices echoed through the room.