Chapter 116
Chapter 116
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 116
Chapter Title: Chapter 3-1. Black Tree Tribe
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Slash!
The mana-wrapped sword sliced through the orc's tough muscles. Blood sprayed from the long gash running from its belly to its right shoulder, but before it could splatter onto him, Judah had already pulled back. With a pop, Altemia materialized in his hand like magic and plunged into the orc's gut, greedily sucking out its blood with its signature sharpness. Sensing something being drained from its body, the orc hurled the weapon in its grip and tried to yank Altemia free, but it was lodged firm as if glued in place.
"Kraaaargh!"
Leaving the orc to wail in agony behind him, Judah kept moving without pause. His solo stand against the black wolf pack in Serenia must have paid off—he was dodging attacks more easily than expected. In fact, these orcs felt far simpler to handle than the wolves.
With Potential Release active, Demon Eye unlocked, and shadows deployed, evasion was effortless. Altemia and the novice scarecrow's sword handled offense perfectly, making his defense and attack seamless. The more than thirty orcs couldn't lay a finger on the nimble Judah darting among them like a squirrel. Several dropped dead from a single strike.
Yet as Judah weaved through the orcs, he noticed the scratches covering their bodies. It wasn't just one or two.
'What the hell have these guys been up to? So many wounds?'
The cuts were shallow, already healing thanks to their remarkable regeneration, but there were tons of minor injuries. Some looked like sword slashes, others like scrapes or bruises from branches and rocks. Their leather "armor"—more like rags draped over them—bore old black bloodstains.
"Whoa."
Lost in stray thoughts for a split second, he nearly took a big hit. Just as a pretty red dagger aimed for his nape, the orc in front of him grunted with a thunk as an arrow buried in its skull. That sparked a barrage centered on Judah. He jolted, wondering if he should bolt, but nearby orcs blocked his path. Worse, his Demon Eye warned that moving would be dangerous.
Bracing to bat away any falling arrows, he held still. The orcs around him crumpled one by one, skewered. Once the arrow rain stopped, only three orcs remained near him, standing dumbstruck. Judah dispatched them swiftly.
Wiping blood trickling down his face with the back of his hand, he scanned the direction the arrows had come from. There stood the Black Tree Tribe's chieftain, alone. She approached at an unhurried pace, bow in hand, striding with the confident power of a runway model. Her swaying hips caught his eye, leaving Judah flustered about where to look. Her figure was killer, and as a guy, he couldn't tear his gaze away. Pretending to check for surviving orcs, he forced his head aside. Then something struck him as off.
'Did she fire all those arrows by herself?'
Dozens had fallen, almost simultaneously. It screamed multiple archers. Yet only one figure seemed to have loosed them.
'Impressive.'
The arrows in heads and hearts bore red-fletched tails, likely dyed deliberately. Without seeing others, he couldn't confirm they marked the chieftain's, but she'd clearly acted alone. Fitting for someone of her rank among the four great tribes. Judah bowed his head in thanks as she drew near.
"Thank you for the help."
Pleased by his politeness, she smiled warmly.
"No trouble at all. Compared to you helping our kids, it's nothing."
"The kids already told you?"
It hadn't been long since he'd dashed to the tribe. For word to reach her ears so fast in a sizable great tribe village spoke volumes about their communication. But she shrugged with a "no way" expression.
"Just call it sharp ears. I heard the orcs roaring, grabbed my bow and arrows, and came running. Ran into the kids on the way—they said you'd helped. So I took my time strolling over. And wouldn't you know—laughs—here you are, taking on a whole orc pack solo. Who'd have thought?"
Chieftain Isabel scanned Judah up and down with eyes full of admiration. Sure, he was bloodied, but it was all orc blood. No wounds on him, and his skill in dispatching them was top-notch. No idea his age, but no tribesperson that young matched it.
'What a kid I want to hold.'
She swallowed unconsciously. In the law-of-the-jungle world of Rizen, the strong claimed everything. With enough power, multiple spouses—regardless of gender—were fair game. Yet as chieftain, she'd found no one to her liking. Until now, seeing Judah, she wanted him for the first time.
Pure black hair and eyes matching the tribe's legendary spirit, plus top-tier combat skills for survival. His guts to face a horde of orcs solo thrilled her. Even without her aid, he'd have handled them in time, no sweat.
"Isabel?"
Judah's respectful call snapped her out of it. She blinked.
"Ah, sorry. Anyway, glad you're unhurt. Maybe I didn't need to step in? Heh heh."
"No, your help let me chat this leisurely."
They traded banal lines as armed tribesfolk belatedly rushed in. Isabel ordered them to recover arrows. Kindly, they handed Judah two daggers. He took them awkwardly, shook off the blood, and sheathed them at his belt.
"Let's head back. What's the point lingering? Just more blood stench."
He'd grown bored watching anyway.
"That okay?"
"Of course. Or want to help?"
Judah hesitated but shook his head. No thanks to handling stinking corpses. At his reaction, Isabel chuckled and led the way. A step behind, he followed—until she glanced back, displeased.
"?"
"Why trail behind? Walk beside me."
He obeyed without protest. Side by side felt awkward. To break the silence, he spoke up.
"Do orcs show up near the tribe often?"
"Obvious question. Orcs and us probably fight the fiercest turf wars in Rizen. Other tribes too."
She chided him like a fool, trailing off. After three seconds of quiet, he glanced her way—and she continued.
"But it's odd. Orcs are dumb, sure, but they wouldn't hit our tribe in such a small, poorly armed group."
"Not wanderers?"
"Maybe. But wanderers wouldn't target us. Local orcs know better than to attack."
Pride rang in her voice. Her words triggered old memories. They matched NPC lines from his player days when approaching the village.
"Outsider! Remember this: Mess with the Black Tree Tribe in Rizen, and you'll get a hole in your head!"
"Orcs? They don't touch us. Can't touch us. Plenty have died under our arrows. Don't believe me? I could show you. On you."
Yeah, like that. Black Tree tribesfolk excelled at long-range assassinations with their archery. Orcs fearing them wasn't exaggeration.
"But they came."
"That's what's weird. Orcs from elsewhere?"
"...Come to think of it, they had lots of minor scratches. Not battle wounds—more like scrapes from trees or falls on rocks. Aren't orcs upstream on the river?"
Short on intel, he tossed out a guess. Predictably, she snorted.
"Foolish. Upstream's Red Greatsword's tribe. With him there, orcs settling? Insane. They'd face us from both sides."
Red Greatsword. That meant a Fragment holder. Judah checked his Memo. A crude map of Rizen popped up. Using his watch for position, Black Tree Tribe was at 5 o'clock, Red Greatsword's—Red Bear Tribe—at 1 o'clock. Smaller tribes filled the gap, per his memory.
"So empty between the two big tribes?"
"No, a few small tribes..."
She answered hesitantly.
"Orcs came down the river. Locals wouldn't hit your tribe, you said—no, Isabel's tribe. But they did, so outsiders?"
"What's your point?"
Judah hesitated, unsure if he should voice suspicions. Game lore had Black Tree attacking orcs, not vice versa. But the story had diverged multiple times already. Unforeseen events happened; this could too.
"What if orcs hit those small tribes on the way down?"
"What?"
"I might be wrong since I don't know local orc camps...but upstream makes no sense. Kids playing safe means it's been secure forever, yet orcs appear? Something's up."
Judah pressed, plausible? Isabel clamped her mouth shut.
========== Author's Note ==========
1) Everyone, relax. There's still a red Monday holiday left!
2) I hope when my seal breaks, my eyes flash like Cyphers Jack's.