Chapter 339: The Rounds
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 339: The Rounds
Political factors had played a far greater role than geography in how the gray ghouls came to settle in this land.
Naturally, they had been able to persist because the Border Guard’s standing army had never gone out of their way to hunt down and eliminate monsters or demonic beasts.
"Why should I bother?"
According to the previous Border Guard Castellan, who had departed before Marcus took over, hunting monsters like gray ghouls was an unnecessary expenditure and a waste of troops. Consequently, their efforts were limited to clearing out monsters in small batches, just enough to maintain the area around the Pen-Hanil River and a few essential trade routes.
Although they had now cleared the main road around Greenpearl and opened the highway connecting to Martai, even those routes were far from perfect.
"Is someone throwing monsters around or what?"
This was a complaint Marcus had vented upon taking office. "Monster dumping" referred to the act of luring hordes of monsters into neighboring territories—though, of course, no such thing was actually happening here.
However, his frustration was entirely understandable. It truly seemed as if the monsters were pouring out of a bottomless pouch. When the pioneer town to the north of the Border Guard was being established, a Gnoll Colony had even appeared. No matter how much the cultists had intervened, such an occurrence was only possible because the monsters had the numbers to spare.
It proved just how massive the monster population in this region truly was. Which, in turn, meant the Border Guard region was not exactly a pleasant place to live.
For this reason, they had previously dealt with monsters primarily through defensive measures, avoiding proactive extermination campaigns. The reason for sticking to a defensive strategy was clear: if they suffered troop losses, it would be difficult to prepare for the threat of Azpen. Moreover, the surrounding monster hordes were far too formidable to defeat without taking casualties.
Even just around the Border Guard, there were more than three locations that, while not quite classified as a Demon Realm, were avoided by all merchants due to their sheer danger. These were the areas that had earned the nickname "Low-grade Demon Realm."
This was also why, when a Centaur Colony had previously settled in the Grateful Forest, they had tried to deal with it early on, fearing it would stagnate into a breeding ground for monsters and demonic beasts.
This was the context Krais had been trying to explain to Encrid. There were many other reasons to clear them out, but Encrid hadn't really listened. What did he care about their history? All he had to do was slice them, hack them, and wipe them out.
And he wasn't exactly wrong.
*
An ugly ghoul met its end.
To explain the kill in detail would take forever, but to put it simply:
"I was first."
"My club got there first."
That was the conclusion of a moment where two superhuman powerhouses competed for a kill.
Rem had brought two axes and a flanged mace, and he utilized all three weapons with terrifying efficiency. The most impressive part was the moment he used the mace. He drove his axes into the ground at his feet, drew the mace slung across his back, and slammed it straight down.
Whoosh—boom!
A deafening roar erupted. In that instant, the mace became the very definition of violence. It didn't just shatter the skull of the ghoul trying to step forward; it completely pulverized its entire upper body.
It was a brutal harmony of monstrous strength and refined technique. It felt as if a massive boulder had plummeted from the heavens. The combination of raw physical power and the weapon's destructive force painted a picture of unnatural devastation. From the ghoul's perspective, "devastation" was certainly the right word.
Rem continued forward, striking and smashing through everything in his path, whether they were mutant ghouls or anything else. His blunt-force breakthrough was utterly savage.
Audin wasn't just standing idly by, either.
"I send you to the Lord's side."
Though his entire body was a weapon, he held a club in each hand. The iron-shod clubs, originally a deep brown, quickly turned black. Soaked in ghoul blood, it would be a long time before they ever saw their original color again.
"O Lord."
With one cry, he took two steps. Between those two steps, the clubs swung left and right, instantly crushing the ghouls' skulls. It was a technique of precise snap strikes, regulating his power to use only what was strictly necessary. Despite his massive build, his delicacy stood out.
Yet, his exhilarating vigor was by no means lost. Thus, ferocity and savage brutality met, carving a path straight to the leader ghoul. It felt as though their roles had been reversed, but Encrid thought this look suited both Rem and Audin quite well.
The ghoul leader possessed some intelligence and had laid a trap of sorts, but it was breached. Smashed. Shattered. They had gathered a horde of ghouls to spring the trap, but it didn't matter. It had been crushed by sheer force.
Furthermore, those two weren't the only ones who had come.
"I'm fighting too!" Dunchabel went wild as well.
"Unsettling. So unsettling," Sinar muttered, drawing Naidel.
"Just watch. Teresa the Wanderer is stepping up." Teresa also swung her sword and shield, drenching the earth with ghoul blood.
This time, there was no need for Encrid to step in. Though he didn't realize it himself, everyone had been stimulated ever since he had eagerly swung his sword alone, muttering about the awakening of the Orthodox Sword forms.
Just watching Encrid's battles—his way of fighting—made others want to join in, heating their blood. And why wouldn't it? He swung his sword with such pure, ecstatic immersion that even someone who had never held a blade would wonder, Is it really that much fun? and feel tempted to pick one up.
He looked as if he were fighting while dancing with joy. How could someone be so thrilled?
It was only natural that his enthusiasm influenced the others. Ever since meeting the Knight, Encrid's growth had been a stimulus to everyone. Their combat prowess already surpassed that of average associate knights, and they had pushed themselves even further from that level.
The moment Rem and Audin heard of the Knight's existence, they realized they could no longer afford to treat combat like a game. Sinar was the same.
Deeper.
She immersed herself in swordsmanship. What she had once thought was completion was not the end. There was no end. She had changed her mindset. For now, she had to walk and forge ahead with her sword.
Was it any different for Dunchabel and Teresa? Some grew, while others properly unleashed their hidden strength.
Fighting like this, a place nicknamed a "Low-grade Demon Realm"—which would normally be impossible to clear without an order of knights—couldn't even hold out for a single day. This was true despite the Gray Forest being considerably vast. A battlefield that Krais estimated would take at least two companies ten days of fighting—and taking casualties—to clear was wrapped up in a single day.
Quite a few monsters had fled in the process, but they couldn't chase down every single one.
"Is that it?" Rem asked, shaking the black blood off his axe.
Encrid shook his head. "Since we're already out, let's finish it all before we go back."
Originally, that hadn't been Krais's plan. "It would be best to deal with them one by one. There's no rush," he had said. There were two more threats of Low-grade Demon Realm caliber nearby. Krais's plan was to clear one, return to resupply and rest, and then strike the others one by one.
But Encrid changed the plan. Since they were already out, they might as well make the rounds and then head back. There was no reason to hesitate. The surroundings were filled with nothing but ghoul corpses. The surviving ghouls didn't dare come near them; they were too busy fleeing.
"Let's go."
Encrid took the lead, and the others followed. They headed straight out of the forest. Along the way, Encrid kept moving around, busy running his mouth.
"What was that swordsmanship earlier?" He started by Rem's side.
"What are you talking about?"
"When you swung the mace, your form was different from usual."
"Do you want to learn that too?" Rem hit the nail on the head.
He was right. He wanted to learn it. Encrid didn't bother replying and simply waited for Rem's next words. It was an answer that didn't need to be spoken aloud.
Rem stared intently into Encrid's blue eyes. They were straight, honest eyes—eyes that clearly showed his determination to do what he set out to do. Was this excessive greed, or was he just a crazy bastard? Rem decided it was the latter and answered.
"Depending on where you place your central axis when you swing, the destructive power changes. Especially if the weapon in your hand is a blunt type. I told you, didn't I? Every weapon has a different way of being used."
Encrid was startled. Rem was suddenly speaking so eloquently. Such a fluent explanation.
"Are you possessed? Is it an evil spirit?"
"What?"
"Why are you explaining things so well?"
"You piece of shit."
Rem suddenly threw a punch, and Encrid deflected it, causing a brief scuffle, but no one slowed their walking pace. After briefly reflecting on what he had heard and learned from Rem, Encrid approached Audin.
"That snap strike..."
"It is a matter of controlling your strength. I am more accustomed to doing it with my fists, but holding something in your hand does not mean the knack disappears. You blend heavy techniques with speed and apply force only at the exact moment of impact. You must know how to adjust your grip strength, and you must be able to relax and tense the muscles of your entire body at will."
Audin answered before Encrid could even ask.
"Is it Valaf-style martial arts?"
"It is just weapon arts."
Encrid knew from the word "just" that Audin was hiding something. But he didn't press him on it. What did a name matter?
"How do I learn the knack?"
"Repetition. Let us do it when we return."
That was enough. He just had to learn it. After that, he asked Dunchabel how to use a beastman's body, but Dunchabel was even worse at explaining than Rem. In reality, Rem's explanation hadn't been that eloquent, but it carried that much impact. These things were always relative, after all.
"Why are you looking at me?" Rem asked as Encrid turned back to him after listening to Dunchabel's absurd explanation.
"Begone, evil spirit," Dunchabel chimed in. Having watched them bicker earlier, she seemed to want to join the fun.
Beastmen were vulnerable to their impulses. They were a race that had to do whatever they wanted to feel satisfied. While Frok was faithful to a single, purposeful desire, beastmen were swayed by momentary impulses. Naturally, the results of that were rarely good. This was the case now; Dunchabel couldn't resist the urge to speak.
"Yeah, here it is. My axe. You can take it right to your forehead."
Since Rem put the threat of splitting her forehead open with an axe so politely, Encrid examined Rem once more, checking to see if he could sense any strange energy.
"There are no evil spirits, brothers and sisters," Audin said, seeing this.
Rem didn't actually swing his axe.
"Once we get back, let's just spar relentlessly. Yes, let's do that."
Encrid defused the situation appropriately and then asked Dunchabel for an explanation again.
"Just jump well and gouge well." That was Dunchabel's answer when asked how to handle a scimitar.
Encrid wasn't flustered. This much was fine. He was, after all, an exceptionally good listener. After a few more questions and answers, this was the conclusion he reached: A swordsmanship that uses the feet to slash with the entire body.
It was a style that utilized elastic muscle movements. In terms of Jeong-Jung-Hwan-Kwae-Yu, its beginning was close to a fast sword, but because it was an attacking style that loaded weight into the strike, its end was a heavy sword. Such was the form of her swordsmanship.
"I don't know the name. I learned it when I was young, and I've just practiced it my own way since then."
With Rem involving himself in the entirety of Dunchabel's training, her swordsmanship had improved beyond recognition. Encrid heard and saw parts of that swordsmanship. It seemed worth learning.
Encrid moved on once more.
"Is there something you covet from me as well?" It was Teresa.
He had coveted her sword-and-shield techniques for a while now. Once they returned, it wouldn't be a bad idea to get a shield and learn.
"It is said that if one wishes to learn, a path will open. I learned those words by watching you, Captain." Those were Teresa's words. She was quoting scripture, but having followed Audin around, even her speech patterns had begun to resemble his.
"A shield is a tool for blocking, but depending on how it is used, it can be an excellent blunt weapon."
Teresa spoke well. Encrid thought that was quite fortunate. As they conversed back and forth, he checked the map and saw they were about to reach their destination.
A swamp appeared before the group's eyes.
"Bugs?" Dunchabel asked.
Encrid nodded.
The light-green swamp was a treasure trove of herbs. It was a land where various colonial and aquatic plants coexisted, and it was also home to many amphibians and reptiles.
"A fine land."
Sinar, who had been sighing while looking at the forest, had eyes that sparkled. She dealt with poisons and medicines. To such a person, how immensely valuable must this swamp be? This was why Krais had passionately argued for the necessity of reclaiming this land.
"We must reclaim the swamp. We cannot lose it to mere monsters. This is the lifelong wish of everyone born in this land who calls it home!"
It had been a detestable, passionate speech.
"Is it a wild herb habitat?"
"Yes!"
Krais hadn't even bothered to fake his passion. "If we can just restore that place, we can go beyond a mere trading post and even produce local specialties. Of course, we'll have to kidnap a few decent alchemists from somewhere."
He said "kidnap," but he would likely just coax them into coming. Finding people was one of Krais's specialties. Finding goods was the same. He hadn't acted like a general merchant within the unit for nothing.
Such a swamp lay right before them. The problem was that this land was already occupied by someone else.
"There sure are a lot of fucking bugs," Rem muttered.
Those bugs were the owners. The varieties of monsters were endless, and these were insect monsters.
Bzzzzzz!
The buzzing of insect wings assaulted their ears. Sinar's hand rested on Naidel. Dozens of flies, each the size of a finger joint, flew right in front of them. They were blood-sucking flies.
Naidel was drawn, slicing through both space and the flies. Strikes that were neither fast nor slow flowed smoothly without pause. It was a succession of sword strikes that showcased more delicacy than ever before. A series of whoosh-whoosh-whoosh sounds rang out from the elf's blade.
She had shown it when dealing with the ghouls, but this was even more pronounced. Her sword, displaying what seemed to be a form of elven swordsmanship, exhibited extreme delicacy.
She could probably slice a leaf into thin sheets, Encrid thought.
Indeed, she could. Her swordsmanship was based on the fundamental practice of slicing leaves into paper-thin layers. The blade snapped, curved, struck, slashed, and pushed, precisely splitting, crushing, cutting, and piercing the insects' bodies.
Soon, Sinar, having sent a shower of bugs falling to the ground, looked back.
"If you lack confidence, you had better step back. My fiancé is welcome to hide behind me." The elf, possessing an otherworldly beauty, spoke with an expressionless face.
"Did you take some bad medicine?" Rem picked his ear at her words.
"The Lord watches over us, and He has commanded us to send even the lowliest creatures up to Him," Audin replied with a prayer.
Dunchabel bared her claws, stabbing and killing the bugs instead of using her scimitar. Blood-sucking flies were a nuisance. If bitten once, they would suck ten times more blood than an average leech. Even so, dealing with them wasn't particularly difficult. Even ordinary merchants could avoid or catch them if they had the guts. It wasn't hard to handle them if one wore leather clothing several layers thicker than usual.
Of course, if one could stab them to death with a sword or pierce them with claws as soon as they appeared, thick clothing wasn't necessary at all. Even Teresa, who looked the most sluggish, knew how to swing her shield in short, efficient arcs to crush the bugs.
Encrid dealt with them in a similar manner as he closed in beside Sinar. It was a matter of delicacy. He perceived the bugs' trajectories as lines and cut them down right in the middle. Since sweeping them away with broad strokes was more efficient, he did so while speaking to the elf beside him.
"That swordsmanship..."
"Shall I teach it to you as an engagement gift?"
"When are we getting engaged?"
When he met her joke with a joke, the corners of Sinar's mouth twitched. It was very slight, but they seemed to lift just a fraction. Of course, she quickly returned to her usual expression.
"You are truly greedy."
No matter what she said, his desire to learn remained unchanged. Moreover, his gaze was unwavering. He wasn't asking her to teach him some secret art or hidden legacy. The basics were enough.
Because I know my shortcomings.
He knew how to move forward. Encrid was a seeking pilgrim. He saw the direction his desire pointed, and he wanted to walk it. Why had he created a new swordsmanship in the first place? Because he had learned, practiced, and observed. Encrid was doing the exact same thing now.
"There it is."
Sinar said she would teach him the swordsmanship once they returned, then cast her gaze forward. Before the group, the king of the swamp appeared.
It was a monster with six wings, five times larger than a hornet, and razor-sharp teeth. It was characterized by a swollen abdomen, a bee-like stinger at its rear, and a mouth that split open horizontally. Its name was Bell.
Chirrrrrrrrr.
The sound of its beating wings vibrated through the surroundings. The insect, terrifying to behold, charged forward, leading a swarm of similar bugs behind it. They moved as a single unit. That mass was effectively one entity.
Though they were an enemy several times trickier to deal with than ghouls...
Thud-thud-thud!
They burst and died the moment they rushed forward. The largest insect, the one playing king, was killed by a rock thrown by Rem.
"This time, I was the one who killed it, right?" He asked, looking back, as if he were still competing with Audin.
Audin smiled warmly. Encrid figured that religious bear of a man would let him win. He would probably say, "If you say so." That was just his personality, after all.
"I didn't see it."
Slip.
Encrid lost his footing in the middle of the fight. He didn't fall; he seamlessly transitioned the slip into a forward step. He swung his sword in a short horizontal arc, swatting two bugs to death with the flat of his blade, so it didn't lead to a blunder.
"At least make your lies believable."
"I am not arguing, brother. I truly did not see it."
Audin, too, was ultimately a member of this crazy company. Encrid didn't care. They weren't the type to change just because he said something.
"Let's go."
And so, Encrid ultimately made his way to the third Low-grade Demon Realm. It was the final stop of their rounds.