Chapter 163: Even on the Brink of a Cliff
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 163: Even on the Brink of a Cliff
On the first day, while Encrid was engrossed in his training, the village chief treated them to dinner. He had various dishes sent over to their cabin.
"Please, help yourself."
The person who delivered the food was a red-haired woman. She looked a few years younger than Encrid.
"He doesn't mean any harm," she said, offering a defense for the village chief.
"It’s fine," Encrid replied indifferently.
The woman’s face brightened at his response. "I’m Shai."
"Yes."
After a brief greeting, Shai blushed and hurried away. Krais muttered from behind him.
"Your 'demonic charm' strikes again. I’m telling you, we should open a salon together."
Encrid considered telling him that if the salon were named after a knightly order—like the Swallow Knights or the Host Knights—he might actually consider it. Instead, he held his tongue. It was best not to react to comments about his "demonic charm."
It wasn't a lavish spread, but with white bread, thin stew, baked beans, and corn, it was more than enough to fill their stomachs. Expecting meat in a place like this would be pure greed.
Knowing there wouldn't be a separate meal prepared for a Frok, Luagarne ate raw vegetables.
Crunch.
"This is the best part about worm-eaten vegetables. There’s a hidden delicacy tucked inside."
She said this while chewing on a dandelion leaf riddled with holes. She truly loved it when bugs were hidden in the greens.
Encrid’s stomach didn't churn. This was nothing. It was the same for Finn and Krais. One was a former ranger—a scout who believed anything that grew from the ground or moved was edible—and Krais had suffered his fair share of hardships as well. What was wrong with eating a few bugs? Encrid was no different.
After finishing dinner, it was back to training until it was time to sleep.
"He really never gets tired of it, does he?"
Ignoring Krais’s commentary, Encrid kept training. Since there was no separate bathroom, he had to wash at the well. The temperature had risen comfortably, so the cold water felt incredibly refreshing.
After washing, he inspected his gear, which had suffered some wear and tear on the journey. Since he had only been swinging his sword vigorously, he only needed to touch up the blade. He coated the steel with sheep fat oil he had prepared, rubbed it down with leather, and finished it off with a clean cloth.
Though it left a greasy, metallic smell, it was better than letting the blade ruin. He checked for any chips, but it was perfectly fine.
Excellent.
Encrid once again marveled at the skill of the blacksmith in the Border Guard forge. Just because someone had Valerian steel and Noir wrought iron didn't mean they could forge a sword like this—though, in truth, not much of those two expensive metals had likely gone into it.
*
The next morning arrived. As always, Encrid woke at dawn to practice the Isolation Technique and continue his physical conditioning.
Finn, claiming she couldn't sleep because she had napped too much, had gone out to scout the area. The moon was still visible when she left, saying she was just going to look around. It was a ranger’s habit—imprinting the surrounding terrain into one's mind.
"I’m Deutsch Fullman."
As Encrid repeated his drills, a man with rough, short hair approached him just as dawn was breaking. He was a one-eyed man, a broad-bladed glaive gripped in one hand. An eyepatch and a scar running across his face gave him a rugged, fierce impression.
"You’re from Zaltenbuck, right?" Deutsch said, staring at him.
Encrid tried to recall where Zaltenbuck was. He remembered it being somewhere near the central region.
"Encrid, platoon leader of the Border Guard."
It was a brief introduction. Afterward, Encrid immediately returned to his training. He didn't know what business the man had with him, but he saw no reason to stop.
Deutsch stared at him for a moment before speaking again. "I heard you came here as the commander."
"That’s right," Encrid replied shortly, his sword cutting through the air.
Deutsch continued to watch him. What on earth is he doing?
He watched the man wave a wooden sword through the air. Slowly. Precisely. Once here, once there.
Does that even help?
"Are you busy?"
"Not really."
Is this guy mocking me? Deutsch furrowed his brow. Why was his reaction so half-hearted when someone had gone out of their way to talk to him? He had come with the intention of testing him, wondering if Encrid had come to usurp his position as the pioneer village’s guard captain.
But this attitude... it was something else. Deutsch didn't want to pick a pointless fight and give the man any leverage.
Patience. He had to hold back.
"The wooden palisades here are heavily coated with sap, making them incredibly sturdy. They can easily withstand most monsters or demonic beasts."
"I see."
"We periodically organize strike teams to go out and deal with the demonic beasts. We haven't faced any major difficulties so far."
"I see."
"The men I brought with me number over thirty, and we’ve expanded the vigilante group through training."
"I see."
"You could say my people pretty much manage the quarry as well."
"I see."
"We’ve built watchtowers, and two of my men keep watch up there day and night."
"I see."
Is this bastard insane?
It was only natural for the thought to cross Deutsch's mind. He had wanted to confirm if the Border Guard was trying to exert pressure on the village through this self-proclaimed commander, but the man seemed completely uninterested.
Shouldn't he at least say something about the village’s defenses? To say he was ignoring Deutsch because he was just a lowly mercenary didn't make sense; he was simply too detached. Shouldn't he be poking around, pointing out flaws, and using them as an excuse to solidify his command?
Deutsch felt everything he had discussed with the village chief falling apart.
I think this guy is weird.
Come to think of it, his eyes hadn't looked normal from the start. Even now, he was staring blankly into space. His gaze was completely vacant. What on earth was he thinking about while swinging his sword?
The rumors said he was just playing around with a Frok and a wooden sword, and it seemed to be true. Then what did he even come here for?
A tangle of complicated thoughts swirled in Deutsch's head. After a moment of deliberation, he spoke. "Did you come here just to train?"
"Halfway?"
Only then did the man briefly turn his gaze to answer. He had just thrown the question out there, but had he really come all this way just to train?
"We’ve already taken care of the monsters that formed a colony nearby."
"I see."
Let’s just leave him be. He’s not sane. Deutsch at least realized that this bastard hadn't come to steal his command. Whatever his scheme was, it would be revealed in due time.
"Captain, monsters."
Just then, one of his subordinates called out. He was a recent recruit—quick-witted and sharp. It was a call from an excellent subordinate who paid close attention to detail.
"Yeah, alright."
With that, Deutsch turned around. Encrid remained absorbed in his training.
Deutsch went about his duties. He fortified the village defenses and kept a vigilant eye on the surroundings. They had already cleared the colony before Encrid’s group arrived.
Just a bunch of mutts.
A pack of about twenty hyenas was nothing to write home about. They didn't know the number of monsters Encrid had slain on his way here, or the carcasses of demonic beasts strewn along the path to the village. They didn't know that the entire Black Sword Bandit group stationed nearby had been wiped out.
They simply waited.
I thought those bandits would come looking for trouble.
Deutsch listened to daily reports, waiting for the bandits. Usually, bandits would drool over a pioneer village as if treasure were hidden there, but there was absolutely no sign of them. It was quiet. Everything was progressing smoothly without a hitch.
Is luck on my side?
It seemed the Goddess of Fortune had winked at him, and he had simply failed to notice.
And so, the third day arrived.
Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!
The bell rang. The tolling of the alarm warning of an invasion pierced through the dawn mist.
Bandits?
Deutsch sprang up instantly and grabbed his weapon. He would show them the skills that had earned him the name "One-Eyed Glaive." He kicked the door open and rushed out.
"Everyone... Urgh!"
Before Deutsch could even finish his sentence, he pulled his weapon up to block.
Clang!
Metal clashed against metal, resonating loudly. An axe blade struck the blade of his glaive, sending a sharp vibration down the walnut shaft that rattled his hands.
"Hah!"
With a shout, he swung the shaft of his glaive to strike the attacker.
Thwack!
The monster he hit was sent flying.
What is this?
Deutsch panicked. He hadn't even put on his armor yet, but monsters were everywhere.
"Gwooooh!"
The fallen creature let out a cry. It had an elongated upper body and spotted patterns all over—a Gnoll.
If it were just one that had broken in, it wouldn't be a problem. He would have immediately smacked the head of the idiot who rang the bell. Why make such a fuss when they could just deal with it? Even if five or six Gnolls and hyenas had broken in, he would still be annoyed that they let them get this far. Could they really not handle that much? A former mercenary band?
But what was happening now was different.
"Aaargh!"
"Fight! Don't back down!"
"Shoot! Shoot! Just shoot them!"
"Help me! Save me!"
"Gack!"
A chorus of desperate screams and death rattles filled the air. He caught glimpses of his subordinates in the chaos, but it was impossible to tell what state they were in.
There were too many. Hyena demonic beasts and Gnolls were surging in like a tidal wave. With a low growl, the number of Gnolls in front of Deutsch multiplied to five.
Gnolls hunt in packs. The cry from earlier had been a call to summon allies.
"Hah!"
Deutsch fought desperately. He battled four Gnolls wielding hand axes and one wielding a spear. By the time his glaive finally split the skulls of two Gnolls...
"Gwooooooh!"
Another Gnoll howled. And his opponents multiplied once more.
"Are you fucking kidding me?"
It made no sense. Deutsch sensed—no, he was certain of—his impending death. He stood on the edge of a cliff with no way down but death.
*
Waking at dawn was an old habit of Encrid’s.
Because time is short.
When geniuses or those with ordinary talent swung their swords once, Encrid had to swing his ten times. If that wasn't enough, a hundred times. If a hundred wasn't enough, a thousand. Originally, no matter how much he swung, he was never rewarded.
Ah.
But now, there were successive small realizations—traces of consideration embedded within Luagarne’s teachings. He sought them out, consumed them, and chewed on them. As he expressed the flavors he extracted through that process, his sword moved.
For Encrid, every day was new. It had always been that way, but recently, even more so. Above all, while practicing the Isolation Technique, a sudden realization had washed over him.
Coordination.
It referred to the body reacting the very instant it saw and felt something. It was a matter of reaction speed. The Sense of Evasion was a technique based on that. It was difficult to master through ordinary training.
Then, what did he need?
I might die, but I’ll do it anyway.
Simply a lethal strike—the resolve to achieve something even at the cost of his life. When the Beast’s Heart granted him not composure, but sheer audacity.
Encrid realized something. A small catalyst would be more than enough.
It was just as he finished organizing his thoughts.
Gwoooooh!
In an instant, an ominous air spread. Just as the blue light of dawn began to fade, screams erupted from ahead.
Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!
The emergency bell rang.
"Raid! Monsters! Monsters!"
Hm?
While Encrid had been solely focused on training, Krais had spent his spare time looking around the village.
"The wooden palisades are quite sturdy. If anything happens, as long as we're inside the village, we should be able to hold out. They don't have siege weapons, and the palisades are exceptionally strong. If they make up their minds to hold out, they could easily last over a month here."
That had been Krais’s assessment. He meant that a mere pack of monsters from a colony wouldn't be able to do anything.
"That’s not it, Big-Eyes," Encrid muttered.
Thud-thud-thud-thud!
Gwooooooh!
The sound of trampling earth, the thrum of running monsters kicking up dust, the stampede of demonic beasts. He saw a horde charging forward without pausing to breathe. There were so many demonic beasts and monsters that counting them was meaningless.
Gwooh!
Kaooooh!
They exchanged cries as they trampled down the man-made path. A Gnoll’s axe crashed down onto a market stall. With a loud crack, wooden splinters scattered in all directions.
"Aaaah!"
The scream of a human who witnessed it layered over the noise. It was a horde of Gnolls and hyenas.
The danger of the Gnoll flashed through his mind. First, they operate in groups. Even if only one appears, it leads a pack of hyenas. Second, each individual is no pushover. Third, they tend to pair up specifically with hyena demonic beasts.
Thoughts were just thoughts. The body was the body.
Encrid stepped forward, sword in hand. Behind the cabin where he was staying, there were only working villagers. Since Deutsch and his vigilantes were stationed near the center of the village, there would be very few combat-ready personnel here.
"Huh? Wh-what?"
Behind Encrid, a quarry worker who had come out to relieve himself let out a terrified gasp and collapsed backward.
"Lua!"
In his urgency, Encrid called out only half of the Frok’s name as he swung his sword.