Chapter 21 – Night Raid at the Swamp
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That night, the swamp of Eisenwald was once again drowned in thick fog. The air was cold, cutting like knives, and only the chorus of crickets and the splash of mud accompanied the weary Eisenwald militia standing guard. The stench of blood from the previous battle still lingered, poisoning the silence with its metallic tang.
Fenrir sat inside a simple tent, his body wrapped in bandages. Every movement stung, but his eyes stayed sharp, fixed on a crude map of the swamp drawn across cloth.
"Something isn't right…" he muttered.
Since Klaus' death, he knew the mercenaries would not stay silent.
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Suddenly, the sound of something slicing through air tore the silence. Swiish!
An arrow buried itself into the tent pole, only a handspan from Fenrir's head.
Shouts erupted outside.
"Ambush!"
"They're back! The mercenaries are here!"
Fenrir seized his sword without hesitation. His aura erupted—a thick crimson glow like molten lava, casting a dim, eerie light within the fog. His blood roared like magma boiling beneath the earth.
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From the eastern swamp came the mercenaries' charge. Hundreds of them, ragged yet ferocious, armor dented and patched, wielding swords, axes, and crude shields. Torches painted the mist blood-red.
"Kill the brat!" a mercenary leader bellowed. "Avenge Klaus!"
A rain of arrows darkened the night sky. Whssshhh! Dozens of shafts screamed through the air.
The Eisenwald militia raised makeshift shields, wood cracking under impact. Several arrows punched through, finding flesh. Screams of agony rang out.
Fenrir stood at the front. His sword flared with aura, carving through the storm.
WHAAAM!
A crimson wave tore through the night, shattering incoming arrows mid-flight, sparks and embers scattering into the mist.
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The swamp exploded with chaos as the mercenaries crashed into Eisenwald's line.
CLAAANG! CRAAASH!
Spears clashed with blades, aura burst against aura, mud splashed into the air as blood mixed into the mire.
Fenrir surged into the melee. Every strike of his sword was wreathed in molten crimson, each slash tearing through steel and flesh alike.
A massive mercenary swung a battle-axe glowing with blue aura.
BOOOM!
The impact shook the swamp, mud spraying like shrapnel.
Fenrir staggered back a step, teeth clenched. His aura pulsed brighter, hotter, like lava breaking through rock. "You're not Klaus… Die!"
SLAAASH!
His blade tore through the man's chest, slicing armor and ribs, spilling steaming blood.
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More mercenaries surged forward, undisciplined but numerous.
"Hold the line!" Fenrir shouted. "Spears forward! Archers, aim for their heads!"
The militia obeyed, shaky but firm, their courage anchored by his voice.
THUNK! THUNK!
Arrows from Eisenwald dropped mercenaries into the mud, shafts jutting from their skulls.
But the mercenaries fought with madness. No longer fighting for victory, but vengeance, they pressed on like rabid beasts.
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Through the fog, a tall figure emerged—a scar running across his cheek, wielding a greatsword pulsing with sharp, green aura.
"So… you're the brat who killed Klaus," he growled.
"I am Erhart of Fang's Shadow. Tonight, your head is mine."
Fenrir felt the pressure immediately, aura pressing against him like a crushing tide. A strong one…
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He stepped forward, crimson aura erupting. Erhart's green aura surged to meet it.
BOOOOM!
The swamp quaked. Shockwaves blew soldiers off balance, mud spraying as if the earth itself roared.
Their blades met.
CLAAANG! CRAAASH!
Every clash was an explosion of sparks and force.
"You're just a boy!" Erhart snarled, driving his weight forward. "Don't get arrogant!"
Fenrir slid back a step, but his eyes gleamed like molten steel.
"A boy? No… I am Eisenwald's heir!"
He spun his blade, unleashing technique after technique drilled into him by his father. His strikes flowed like lava, relentless, eroding Erhart's guard piece by piece.
Erhart grunted, his arms trembling under the storm.
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Around them, the battlefield devolved into carnage.
Arrows tore through militia and mercenary alike.
Spears skewered bodies, dragging them into the swamp's hungry mud.
Aura bursts lit the fog, crimson and green clashing like fire against storm.
The swamp had become a crucible of blood and steel.
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Fenrir waited, watching. When Erhart swung too wide, he struck.
"Now!"
SHRRAAK!
His blade carved through Erhart's shoulder, slicing down into his chest. The aura seared the wound, blood hissing as it boiled.
Erhart screamed, staggering back.
Fenrir thrust forward, blade piercing his heart.
"This is the end of Fang's Shadow."
CRAAASH!
Erhart collapsed into the mud, lifeless eyes staring into the void.
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The mercenaries froze. Then, panic swept their ranks.
"Erhart is dead!"
"Run! Run!"
Fear shattered them. They turned and fled into the night, weapons and torches abandoned in the mire.
Fenrir raised his sword, voice ringing with authority.
"Don't let them escape! Hunt them down—kill or capture every last one!"
The Eisenwald militia, exhausted yet burning with triumph, roared as they advanced to finish the battle.
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Hours later, silence reclaimed the swamp. Hundreds of corpses littered the mud, their blood soaking into the earth.
Fenrir stood amidst them, his sword dripping with gore and swamp water. His breath was ragged, his body torn and aching, but his eyes glowed with an unbroken will.
This night marked a truth: he was no longer merely the son of a poor baron. He was a war leader.
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🔻 [Fenrir's Status – End of Chapter 21] 🔻
Name: Fenrir Eisenwald
Age: 13
Title: Wolf Cub of Eisenwald
Level: 5
EXP: 3400 / 5000
Aura: 58
Stamina: 61
Strength: 44
Cunning: 62
Charisma: 53
Mental Fortitude: 59
Skills:
[Aura Control Lv.2] – Aura manifests more strongly, explosive bursts possible.
[Swordsmanship Lv.2] – Refined techniques, improved cutting force.
[Leadership Lv.3] – +15% morale, steady under pressure.
[Tactical Instinct Lv.2] – Faster adaptation in chaotic combat.
[Aura Burst Strike] (New) – Unleash aura in explosive slash, disrupting enemy formations.
Trait:
[Wounds That Shape] – Transforms trauma into mental and tactical growth.
Active Quests:
1. Establish Eisenwald Militia (35/50).
2. Navigate Noble Politics (Pending – Marquis' summons).
3. Defend Eisenwald Swamp (Completed – Iron Fang eliminated).
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