Turning Chapter 971

A shadow stretched out from beneath their feet, quickly spreading over the breakwater, the unit members, and Kanna—then surged upward, forming a wall even taller than the breakwater itself.

“My god.”

“Gakein, that bastard... he still had that much power left in him?”

A few members stationed not far off let out startled breaths as they watched the wall of shadows rise. The wall Gakein had summoned looked thick and solid enough to replace the breakwater entirely, even if it were to collapse.

Come to think of it, Gakein Bollenvalt had always been a persistent and capable fighter, often lasting until the very end during Cavalry group training. Everyone knew that. And yet, perhaps because of his friendly personality—which was unexpected for someone from an old noble family—or his striking good looks that garnered more attention than his abilities, or the presence of others around him who drew focus, people often overlooked just how competent he truly was.

Looking back, he was practically the only one here who had fought nonstop for an entire day without visiting the medical tent even once. He hadn’t panicked amidst the nonstop stream of urgent reports pouring in from all over. One by one, he had responded to each issue calmly and without delay. And now, with the breakwater’s repair underway, he was the first to come up with a temporary emergency solution, impressing even the unit members who had considered themselves close to him.

Their anxiety, which had weighed heavily in the absence of the Commander, Yuder, and the Vice Commanders, began to lift.

As Gakein held the wall in place, Kanna threw herself into overseeing the breakwater repairs without batting an eye. The handkerchief covering her face had started to stain red from another nosebleed, but her demeanor remained unshaken.

Meanwhile, those observing the distant swells of the sea approached Gakein with grim expressions.

“Gakein. That thing... out there in the distance... It’s probably...”

“Yeah. The fourteenth wave. Most likely.”

Gakein responded lowly as he gazed out toward the open sea.

“The Commander and Yuder haven’t returned yet, and now such a massive wave... If something happened to them out there, what the hell are we supposed to do from here?”

“What else? We just do what we can.”

Wiping the sweat from his temple, Gakein lowered his gaze.

“The Commander already told us what to do. If our strength isn't enough, we fall back toward the woods over there, get up in the trees, and prepare. Move more people to protect the medical tent...”

“And you?”

“I’m staying here. I’ll keep holding this wall. Until the repairs are done and everyone else has moved to safety.”

That deep, indigo wave on the horizon grew larger and larger. The fog blanketing the sea had thickened to the point where the horizon was barely distinguishable—but the fact that they could still see the wave so clearly was a bad omen. Worse, it didn’t seem to shrink as it neared. If anything, it seemed to grow taller, unnervingly so, sending a chill down the spine of anyone who looked at it.

Measuring its ominous approach in silence, Gakein drew out even more power. The shadow wall in front of the breakwater grew taller once again.

“Will you really be okay on your own? We can stay and...”

“No. I appreciate the thought, but I’ll be fine. Only one part of the repair remains. There's a good ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ chance they’ll finish it before that wave reaches us. It’s better if you’re waiting there to help once we pull back, rather than staying here out of worry.”

Though they knew Gakein was right, the unit members still hesitated out of concern. Seeing this, Gakein kept his eyes fixed on the sea and shouted,

“Sir Zuckerman, who went into the forest, must’ve heard by now—he’ll be here soon. You go!”

“...Got it!”

The members turned and ran. Gakein bit his lip as he continued to stare at both the under-repair breakwater and the looming indigo wall offshore.

This is as much as I can do... But knowing that Sir Zuckerman is backing us up gives me some relief. After all, he’s a Swordmaster...

Nathan Zuckerman, ever since Kishiar’s departure, had remained by Gakein’s side, assisting with urgent messages, decisions, and counsel. Currently, he was stationed at a midpoint that allowed quick travel between the forest and shoreline. Though not a Cavalry member himself, as Kishiar’s aide and a Swordmaster, he was the most reliable force here.

The other Cavalry members still didn’t seem to grasp the extent of Nathan’s strength, but Gakein—who had been secretly learning swordsmanship from him—knew all too well how formidable he was.

Not that I’m not scared of him... but I also know he’s a good person. That’s enough for me.

Nathan Zuckerman usually stayed in the background behind Kishiar, making him easy to overlook. He didn’t possess the same commanding presence as the Commander, but his tall frame and serious demeanor made him intimidating to most. That impression only intensified after it was revealed that he was a Swordmaster.

But in training, Nathan was unexpectedly modest and fair. Gakein had seen plenty of knights who acted stingy and condescending when teaching sword basics to squires. Nathan was the first who didn’t.

When Gakein begged to be taught swordsmanship, he had braced himself for beatings or being thrown around. But there had been none of that. He never received praise for doing well, but he was never scolded for doing poorly either. That kind of instructor could easily be mistaken for someone disinterested—but Nathan Zuckerman was different.

Even when he only had time for a few swings, he could pinpoint flaws with uncanny accuracy. Short, precise instructions from him carried insights Gakein hadn’t even realized about himself. Though reserved and stoic, he never taught with indifference—and Gakein had been quietly moved by that.

Where Yuder’s teaching style pushed you through repeated action until it became instinctual, Nathan’s was more surgical—piercing your weak points and forcing you to realize them on your own. Different approaches, but strangely similar in their impact. Together, they had helped Gakein grow to where he was now.

Yuder... you better be safe.

Gakein let out a breath, thinking of the friend somewhere beyond that sea. He was honestly scared of the massive blue wall approaching—but with Yuder and others out there, running was not an option.

Then it happened.

— Rrrrrumble...!

The faint tremor beneath their feet suddenly surged. Those working on the last remaining break in the breakwater staggered all at once.

“Whoa...!”

One exhausted member lost their balance and fell, disrupting their power and control. It impacted the structure of the breakwater.

The stones piled atop the breakwater rattled ominously. A heavy weight-stone at the very top cracked with a loud split, then plummeted directly toward the heads of the repair crew below.

“No!”

Gakein instinctively twisted the shadow wall, curling it around the members. He could protect them—but the shaking breakwater itself was beyond his power.

Was this repair doomed from the start...?

Had his suggestion put his friends in danger, when they could’ve simply retreated earlier? That thought flickered across his mind as he closed his eyes in regret.

“...”

But then, the collapse halted. The breakwater, which had seemed moments from falling, abruptly steadied. The massive stone that had been about to smash down onto the shadow wall froze midair.

It hovered for a breathless moment—then, as if forcibly pulled back, it zipped upward and slammed back into place. From within the shadow barrier, a shout rang out.

“We... we did it! It worked!”

What...?

Gakein retracted the shadow wall. Inside, the members and Kanna looked over at him with exhausted but radiant faces, their cheeks streaked with dirt and blood.

Just as he had asked, they hadn’t stopped repairing the breakwater, no matter what. Though they hadn’t seen what had just happened, they shouted with pure joy.

“Gakein! We did it! You can drop the wall now!”

As Gakein stood there blinking in disbelief, a voice called out nearby.

“Thank goodness I wasn’t too late. The breakwater nearly collapsed, and instead of protecting yourself, you chose to protect others. That was far too risky.”

In that moment, Gakein nearly burst into tears.

“Commander!”

Soaked to the skin and covered in wounds, it was unmistakably Kishiar la Orr. He had finally returned.

A small boat emerged through the fog behind him. Familiar allies were aboard, arriving at the breakwater.

“Commander, a new wave is coming from far off... and Sir Zuckerman...”

Gakein stammered as he tried to report.

“I know,” Kishiar said with a faint smile. “You’ve done well. You can leave the rest to me now.”