Chapter 113: Conquering Somorah
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 113: Conquering Somorah
Rushing toward me was Chieftain Ragia. It seemed she was about to explain how they had gotten here. To the naked eye, they didn't seem to have suffered major losses, but a report like this was important, so I thought it best to listen. I nodded. Soon, Ragia’s calm voice reached my ears.
“Hakajin has treated all thirteen injured Green Skins, and only one Green Skin from the Blood Dagger Clan has lost their life. On our way here, we dealt with everyone except for the humans wearing the clothes you mentioned, but…”
“Their numbers are too small.”
“Yes. That is correct.”
Just as I suspected, Ragia felt the same way. The number of humans caught in the explosion wasn't that high. It seemed their rally point wasn't the castle but somewhere else entirely. Their main force must be regrouping elsewhere.
“I believe it would be best to withdraw quickly.”
Hakajin’s judgment was the right call. Having checked the condition of the Green Skins behind us, he proposed that we wrap up this “festival.” For Hakajin, a shaman, to say this to me, it seemed certain that restoring these Green Skins was beyond his abilities. In the end, I had no choice but to rely on Black Spear.
Black Spear, who seemed to have grasped the situation as well, looked over and spoke.
“Lidirua.”
“Yes, Chieftain.”
“Do you think you can purify them?”
At Black Spear’s words, a Troll shaman named Lidirua, who had quietly emerged, stared at the dazed Green Skins for a long moment before speaking.
“With the shamanism I possess, I do not believe it is possible. Please forgive my inadequacy…”
“I am not blaming you, Lidirua.”
It seemed the task was impossible even for this female shaman. The fact that the humans were nowhere to be seen meant they had either completely escaped the city or were preparing to land a blow on us. Considering the ‘attachment’ that Master Yoon Jungsoo of the Black Thorn Guild had for this city, I didn't think he would abandon it and flee.
We had inflicted a lot of damage, but facing the small city of Somorah, which was still largely intact, was too much for the Blood Dagger and Black Spear Clans. The other problem was that even if we got lucky and won, there was nothing to be gained.
‘These new ones…’
I had no confidence I could fight while protecting all of them and the children. Even if we won the battle, we would undoubtedly suffer immense losses. I slowly began to walk as I spoke.
“We should leave the city. We can't fight with children in tow.”
“We're breaking out of the human settlement!”
“Protect the young Green Skins! Protect the Green Skins who cannot fight and break out of the human settlement!”
Gark and Hark began to spread my words, and Black Spear, seemingly in agreement, nodded and shouted.
“We're returning to our settlement!”
Under Hakajin's command, the group quickly transformed into a rather impressive formation. The ones unable to fight were placed in the middle, and the young Green Skins were moved to the very center of the group. Of course, Baek Ahyeon and the other priests, as well as Jung Hayeon, were also included inside the formation. It was a defensive formation meant to guard against any potential attacks, but the problem was its slow pace. The drugged Green Skins were more of a problem than the children.
The swift-footed archers, including Gark and Mev, set out to find any remaining humans. I, too, was constantly scanning our surroundings when it happened.
“Shields!”
“Shields up!”
Arrows began to rain down from somewhere. The arrows could be blocked with shields, but the immense magic I felt from above was the real problem.
“Jung Hayeon!”
“Yes!”
Jung Hayeon immediately began her incantation. Since she could only use one type of magic, her casting time was slightly faster than for ordinary spells. In an instant, a vast wave of cold energy began to envelop us. At the same time, roots large enough to shield the entire group shot up from the ground.
CRACK!
With a sharp crack, the cold enveloped us. For the areas the spell didn't reach, I poured magic into the Ancient Flame to resist the falling magical energy as best I could. The range was wide, but it seemed we had managed to block it somehow. There was likely only one reason the attacks had started falling on us. The bastards had recovered from the chaos and blocked our path.
Even more absurd was that they were trying to ‘capture us alive.’ That ice magic just now was definitely not cast with the intent to kill.
It was magic meant to bind us. Even with their city completely wrecked… no, it was because their city was wrecked that they were trying to capture us. With this many Green Skins, they could more than make up for their losses. Their determination was almost laughable.
Only then did I understand why they had waited for us to rescue the ones in the basement. It was bait. Their plan was clearly to fatten up the herd before devouring it all at once.
“Break through! Quickly!”
But the presences I felt all around told me they had no intention of letting us go. The warriors of the Black Thorn Guild didn't approach us directly. Instead, they maintained their distance, trying to wear us down with ranged attacks.
The warriors of the Black Spear Clan and our own were somehow managing to block the rain of arrows with their shields, but we weren't getting away unscathed. Naturally, my gaze turned toward the source of the attacks.
Archers began to appear on top of the buildings that hadn't collapsed. I even spotted one among them aiming a massive arrow, as large as one of Black Spear's spears.
‘Dangerous.’
In an instant, the arrow, mounted on a massive bow like a ballista, was loosed from the string. It was undoubtedly aimed at an opening in our defenses. If that arrow reaches us, someone will die.
Whether it was a clan member on the line or another Green Skin inside the formation, whoever was hit by that arrow would surely die.
I gritted my teeth and threw myself toward the massive arrow.
“Chieftain!”
“S-Savior!”
I could hear the worried voices of Mev and Baek Ahyeon, but of course, I didn't look back. I can definitely block it. Sheathing all the swords I was holding, I immediately drew the Greatsword Too Large to be a Sword.
‘I'll cut it down.’
I can definitely cut it down.
The pressure grew as the arrow closed in. It flew toward me, glowing faintly, as if packed with magic to its very limit. I, too, poured magic into my greatsword and precisely cut the incoming arrow in two.
It split in two and lost its power, but the second shot would come in an instant. The reload time was even faster than I'd thought. He must have a Unique Ability. Jung Hayeon raised her roots to block a volley of arrows coming from a completely different direction. Without worrying about what was behind me, I started to run forward. They were creating distance, but I was sure I could reach them. If we just cower here, we'll be wiped out.
A quick glance back showed that our archers and Black Spear were also returning fire against the ranged attackers. I sent a look to the ones behind me.
‘Gark and Hark, the Goblin Three Sisters, and the swordsmen, including Orbo.’
Open a path.
“Victory!”
“For victory alone!”
“For Blood Dagger!”
“I'm leaving it to you, Black Spear!”
The Blood Dagger Clan would open the path; the Black Spear Clan would protect the rescued and keep the archers and mages in check. As the swordsmen of the Blood Dagger Clan broke away from the main group, the enemy warriors charged in as if they had been waiting for this moment.
A clever bastard.
Not a bad decision. While the Black Thorn Guild's warriors buy time, their archers will reposition. The warriors probably won't commit to a full-on assault either. Their goal is undoubtedly to stall for time. Their ultimate objective was to wear us down and ‘capture us alive.’
The one positive was that Baek Ahyeon and the other priests were with the group. We'd be at a disadvantage in a prolonged fight, but at least we had the capacity to endure one.
Answering my call, Gark and Hark instantly flanked me, and Orbo slammed his body into the enemy warriors. They tried to pull back immediately, but sticking to them relentlessly was our clan's specialty, so to speak.
Gark and Hark, who had pursued them to the end, sent the head of a warrior in the lead flying.
CRUNCH!
“Don't engage! Don't engage! Fall back!”
Before the one who spoke could even throw a dagger, an arrow pierced his forehead, and he collapsed. Thanks to the faint spiritual energy I felt, I could tell whose arrow it was. The moment they pulled back again, another massive arrow came flying. Its target wasn't us, who were struggling to break through, but the group cowering behind. I turned my gaze to see Jung Hayeon's roots rising once again. She was blocking it, but her magic must be nearing its limit. I couldn't help but swallow dryly.
“Uwoooooooh!”
“For Blood Dagger!”
The Orc warriors, including Gark and Hark, were cutting down enemies without hesitation. Of course, their wounds were healing quickly, but it seemed the number of enemy priests wasn't limitless, as they were slowly but surely falling.
But…
‘There are too many of them.’
It was only natural to feel frustrated, with their warriors, who already outnumbered us, employing guerrilla tactics. Our Orc swordsmen were steadily taking them down, but looking at the battlefield as a whole, it was by no means a fatal blow.
‘I have to push through.’
Once again, I leaped into their midst. I used my Unique Ability to its limit, continuously cutting them down. I threw my greatsword at one who tried to retreat with his shield, cut down the sword of another who tried to counter, and kept advancing.
“For Blood Dagger!”
In that time, they must have reloaded, as another arrow began to fall toward the rear. This time, I started to hear intermittent screams.
‘Dammit…’
I'm getting closer to them, but the baggage is too heavy. If I abandoned them, I could break through. But I didn't want to.
Orbo, raising his shield to block even one more arrow heading for the rear. The Orc swordsmen Gark and Hark, continuously charging in and swinging their swords. The Goblin Three Sisters, who with their small bodies had moved ahead even faster than us, now surrounded by enemies.
If the baggage I had to protect could be turned into fighting strength, we could turn this around. In this urgent situation, I found myself glancing back. The ones still being protected by the Black Spear Clan, their faces still blank… It was Orbo who shouted in that moment.
“We are Green Skins! Not slaves! Warriors!”
His powerful voice struck the heart, but of course, they didn't respond. He shouted until the veins in his neck bulged, but still, they didn't react. Hoping for a miracle was foolish.
It was then, just as I was about to look away again.
Slowly. I felt as if the eyes of one of them were beginning to return to normal, little by little. Of course, it could have been my imagination. But the beat that echoed in my chest was real.
It wasn't because of Orbo's desperate cry.
This pulse, which had clearly started to sound from somewhere, was definitely striking my heart.
The sound of a great drum, one I had heard to the point of exhaustion during the Tutorial. I unconsciously recalled the small goblin who had made a drum from human skin.
BOOM!
BOOM!
BOOM!!
Whether it was a Unique Ability or not, the sound of that drum continued to pound in my heart, awakening a dormant wildness. I wasn't the only one affected. The group, responding to the unknown drumbeat, began to roar unconsciously.
“Uwoooooooh!”
“Victory! For victory alone!”
“For Blood Dagger!!”
“UWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH!”
And amidst it all, a very welcome voice pierced through the group's war cry. A tremendous voice that seemed to shake the entire city. I couldn't help but smile.
“Victory or Death!!!!”
An old brother had arrived on the battlefield.