Chapter 210
Chapter 210
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 210
Chapter Title: Chapter 5-1. These People Here Are Gifts Prepared for You.
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More soldiers than the dead ones were climbing up, and the Radiance unleashed their abilities toward the elves. Even Ort couldn't block them right away, and with the other enemies joining in, the elves seemed to decide they couldn't hold out any longer. They fired off arrows and turned their backs to retreat.
"No way. Are you abandoning your comrades?"
Ort deflected the arrows flying toward his brow, solar plexus, and shoulder, then closely pursued the elves from behind, subduing them one by one.
Their archery was extremely threatening, but their swordsmanship only drew a sneer. It was annoying only when they peppered arrows from afar, but up close, when they drew the swords from their waists in resistance, it was laughable.
When it was a female elf, he subdued her a bit more carefully, but with males, he showed no mercy.
Clang!
Sparks flew as their swords clashed, and the elf couldn't withstand Ort's strike, flying back powerlessly. As long as he left them unable to move for the moment, the Radiance members would quickly notice and apply the sealing collars.
"This really is a forest teeming with game. With this much, the duke should grant me the right to pick one, right?"
He precisely struck the back of the pretty elf's neck with the pommel of his sword, knocking her out. Thinking of the venomous glare she'd given him, Ort smirked as he walked through the forest where his gaze fell. The crunching sound underfoot was truly delightful.
There was nothing better than defiling the white snow and leaving traces behind. The cavalry weren't helping much against the elves right now, but with the Radiance, neutralizing and capturing them wouldn't take long. They fell short of Spirit Sword owners, but each one's abilities were top-tier. And upon closer inspection, a few even showed potential to harbor a Spirit Sword within their souls if they gained enlightenment with a bit more time.
More eye-catching than the soldiers groaning from arrow wounds or falls from their horses were the elves spitting curses in frustration or shedding furious tears as multiple knights or soldiers groped them.
The knights and soldiers stopped at just that—groping. Even though lust burned in them enough to go further after applying the sealing collars, they were showing their own resolve to obey the duke's orders.
'Pathetic.'
Of course, Ort didn't watch with admiration. He just sneered. The army of the Sillan Kingdom, known as the slave kingdom, had long been infamous for its brutality. After victories in war, pillaging was taken for granted—the women of the land were raped by soldiers, and the men were bound with ropes, dragged like beasts, and sold to nobles or other kingdoms.
It wasn't called the slave kingdom for nothing. But right now, their restraint against the elves was partly due to the duke's influence and mostly because they'd be beheaded on the spot for raping one.
If elf slaves didn't hold the value of a fortune, a horrific scene would be unfolding here. An elf bound by a sealing collar weakened to the point where even a common soldier could handle them easily.
Tsk tsk.
Clicking his tongue, Ort leisurely moved on to find his next prey. Hundreds of Radiance members were busily helping Ort capture elves, but the forest was vast, and the scattering elves were numerous.
"Hm?"
Then, something caught Ort's eye. A soldier collapsing with blood spurting from his throat amid a short scream from a short-haired demon. Screams filled the air from all sides, and many soldiers died from elf arrows, but that scene stood out particularly clearly.
He had just been about to grab an elf when he stopped. The elf in front of him fearlessly drew her sword from her waist and lunged at him, shouting the clichéd line about dying together. Reacting to her eyes and actions filled with rage and resentment, he rolled his eyes in annoyance at the charging elf and slashed without hesitation.
Slash!
Elf blood was red too. His sharp sword grazed her beautiful body, cleaving it in two. She died instantly, before she could even feel the anomaly. Ort wiped the warm blood that had splattered onto his lips with his thumb.
'......'
Something was there. Ort stopped in place, turning his head to search. Someone was moving quite fast and stealthily, killing soldiers without drawing attention. His instincts had never failed him. Especially after becoming a Spirit Sword owner, this indescribable sense had sharpened even more, giving him full confidence.
It could be just his nerves.
Soldiers were still dying or getting wounded by arrows from fleeing elves even now. But even well-trained knights were collapsing with a single short-haired demon. Ort's eyes narrowed as he searched for the fallen knight. He seemed to spot someone in a black coat with fur on the collar, but like a lie, they vanished from that spot. Black smoke lingered in the air, but it was gone after a single blink.
He moved to where the knight had fallen. There was a trace of a thin sword stabbed into one side of the plate armor's chest. Blood was bubbling out through the gap.
'To kill a knight in one clean strike like this...'
Not possible for an average expert. Yet, incredibly, one person came to mind. His lips curled into a sinister grin almost immediately as he tilted his head and squinted at the face and thought that suddenly surfaced.
I know who it is.
The night of the first elf surprise attack—the young Spirit Sword owner who was human yet sided with the elves. The image was so striking that he remembered it vividly. Now that he knew who, all that remained was finding them.
"Where are you? Where are you hiding?"
As if something delightful had happened, Ort grinned innocently, eyes gleaming like a predator hunting prey as he scanned the surroundings. Mana circulated through his body, strengthening every corner, heightening his hearing, smell, and all senses.
Various sounds mixed together, but from not far away came the clash of swords accompanied by a short-haired demon. Ort kicked off the ground in a single bound and headed there. He slashed through anything in his way, be it elf, knight, or soldier—he didn't care.
His sword was impartial at this moment.
If someone reported this to the duke later, it might cause a headache, but he didn't care. The fundamental reason he'd joined hands with the duke for this war was one thing: the chance to battle a Spirit Sword owner to the death.
After becoming a Spirit Sword owner, he'd received love calls from countless nobles and royals.
He'd rolled in bed all night with stunning beauties, eaten as much delicious and exotic food as he wanted. He'd indulged in luxury without envy and done whatever he pleased.
But one thing alone: he couldn't fight another Spirit Sword owner to the death.
They could have mock battles without staking lives a few times, but it brought no great thrill. No kingdom or mercenary would duel him risking their lives. And such duels couldn't replicate the excitement of the battlefield. But now, that opportunity had come.
It felt like hunting for treasure.
"Found you!"
He shouted in joy. Following the sound of clashing swords had been the right call.
Several knights already lay fallen on the snow-covered ground, and three Radiance members were fighting a man in a black coat.
As Ort predicted, he was human.
Handsome, perhaps, but not an elf. His rounded ears proved it. He couldn't understand why a human would side with elves, but it didn't matter. Though three Radiance and several knights surrounded him, they couldn't defeat a Spirit Sword owner. They probably knew it too. But knowing they couldn't let a Spirit Sword owner escape, they fought like that.
If Ort jumped in, he could save their lives, but he didn't. He just watched. His wavy blade was covered in a clear, transparent sword body. The mark of a Spirit Sword owner—purely transparent, like water from a clear lakeside, neither dull nor cloudy.
Neither knights nor Radiance were his match. It ended before they could do anything properly. With the interlopers fully gone, Ort silently watched until he finally infused mana into his sword and stepped forward.
"We've met before, right?"
"......"
"Come on, why so quiet? Too happy to see me like I am, so your mouth won't open? It's fine. Don't be nervous—no, you should be. We're both Spirit Sword owners fighting!"
Ort was genuinely thrilled. He wanted to charge in and clash swords right away, but he held back, thinking a bit of talk was like seasoning for a duel. And Judah, who'd been silently watching him, finally spoke.
"Who knows. Maybe after I kill everyone here, I'll fight you."
"Ha, planning to run like last time? No way. You don't think I'll let you go like before, do you!"
"Who knows. Follow me and see."
Judah vanished before Ort's eyes. Turning his head to track the presence, he'd already moved behind. He slipped behind a busy-moving cavalryman, slashing horse and knight alike.
Just as Ort had cut down everyone blocking his path on the way here without a care, this one was doing the same to others. He thrust his sword at fellow humans without hesitation. Whether to save elves or help them, he swiftly killed only the soldiers carrying subdued elves.
Ort, closely pursuing him, felt more intrigue than displeasure at being ignored. One Radiance fearlessly charged at him and died. But for a moment, the Radiance grabbed Judah, who was advancing without hesitation. Ort kicked off the ground, leaping up and swinging his sword down at him.
Clang!
Mana-covered blades clashed, sending them both flying back with tremendous repulsion. Though their feet were planted on the ground, they were pushed apart. Just one clash of swords, and Ort felt catharsis. Yes, this is it. A thrilling sensation raced up his spine, exciting his brain. He wanted to clash properly more. But the opponent was trying to slip away again. Ort hurriedly spoke.
"Don't go. It's pointless."
Judah's movement, just as he was about to leave, stopped.
"Where do you think you're going? To save the captured elves? Or kill soldiers to help the elves even a little? Then how about fighting me? Fight me and kill me! Killing me, a Spirit Sword owner, would help the elves more and be the best way to turn this situation around! Why take the long way when the easy path is right here?"
========== Author's Note ==========
1) Ah, finally made it home.
The talk at Joara was... pretty much the same as last July.
The food was incredibly (really) delicious, and they gave out souvenirs with the logo engraved, which was nice.
There was a lottery for gifts too, but it was so frustrating.
I was number 73, but 71 and 75 got called, and I missed out. Waaah! ㅠㅠ