Chapter 133: The Flag
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 133: The Flag
Goff blocks, I strike. It sounds simple, but it's anything but. Incredibly, Goff blocked or dodged most of its attacks. To be precise, he was blocking the attacks that I saw no way of avoiding. Even considering that the Beast of the East was weakened from accumulated damage and the shamans' support, it was truly astonishing to see him block the swipes of its forelegs.
And amidst it all, the sight of him continuously damaging the beast with his axe was a spectacle. Thanks to him, I could move much more freely. One of its heads was focused on our main force, perhaps because of Black Spear, but with Orbo and Gara protecting them, I could trust them to handle it.
Once again, I swung my sword, and Goff swung his axe. After drawing it away from the main force, we were hammering away at its front leg.
“Kuaaaaaaaah!”
Its screams echoed continuously, and just when I was certain the Beast of the East was focused on us, the main force charged in again.
My firepower was starting to wane from constantly switching weapons and pouring mana into dodging its attacks, but I held on somehow. Goff, burdened with protecting me, must have been reaching his limit as well.
The main force seemed to know this, as they attacked with everything they had. Countless arrows and spells flew and struck home, but the beast's attention was entirely on us.
It must have deemed the attack that took its neck earlier a significant threat, because it only sprayed its breath at the main force without launching a direct assault.
“Kueeeeeeh!”
Just as its other head turned toward us, a black spear thrown by Black Spear came flying in.
A streak of black light instantly pierced its eye. The beast shrieked in agony. As it hesitated, unsure whether to move toward Black Spear or us, another spear struck.
Just like before, the black spear entered one eye and exited the other. Without me there, he must be running low on spears.
Having reached its limit, the Beast of the East began to move its heavy body toward Goff and me once more. The beast was exhausted, but it wasn't the only one. Goff raised his shield again, and I prepared to throw myself forward. It was then…
“Pull!!”
“Pull!!!”
The Ogres had started pulling the Beast of the East again. They must be pulling on its tail, I thought. The left head, facing us, took a deep breath as if to unleash its breath weapon, but the beast's hopes were shattered by another black spear.
The spear must have scrambled its brain. A cheer erupted immediately.
“Black Spear! He took the left one!”
“The Black Spear Clan took the left one!!”
Only the middle one was left.
“Heave!”
“Heave!”
With the same shouts as before, the beast began to collapse to the ground. Seeing that, I could finally feel that this hunt was truly over. Thinking this was the end, I switched my sword and charged, but the middle head, even as it fell, opened its mouth wide to spit out one last breath.
My first thought was to dodge, and I was about to move out of its range.
But what I saw before me was the massive face of the Beast of the East.
Goff's broad back.
An arm packed with muscle, and a swinging axe.
With the sound of a skull completely shattering, the axe finally embedded itself in the beast's head, and it fell completely silent.
Standing atop the creature's head, Goff roared.
“Uwoooooooooooh!”
We won.
The tension broke, and I collapsed without realizing it. I looked at my hands; they were drenched in sweat. My forehead was the same. The battle had ended far sooner than I'd expected, but my entire body was exhausted.
We did it.
An indescribable sense of fulfillment washed over me. My hands and feet were trembling.
A rush.
Without a doubt, a rush was coursing through my entire body. It was a different kind of euphoria from simply winning a battle. I felt like I could understand why humans risked their lives on adventures time and time again. I wasn't the only one feeling this way. The Goff Clan roared along with Goff, as did Black Spear and his clan. When I came to my senses, I too was letting out the cry that had been boiling up in my chest.
“Uaaaaaaaaaaah!”
The members of the Blood Dagger Clan were the same. As if they had been waiting for me, they too let out a cheer.
“For Honor!”
“For Glory!”
“For Victory!!”
And so, the rather short hunt came to an end. Perhaps because it was a three-headed beast, dividing the spoils was quite simple. We didn't butcher it on the spot, but Goff, Black Spear, and I decided to divide it into three equal parts.
Some were still caught up in the excitement, but most of the Green Skins were starting to calm down. Only then could I calmly survey the site of our fierce battle. This was its territory, but it felt a little lacking as a place to settle. We decided to venture a little deeper.
“Where is the place we'll be staying, Black Spear?”
“You'll see it if we go a little further in, Blood Dagger.”
A smile hung on Black Spear's lips. He rarely showed that much emotion; this victory must have felt truly good. And so, we began to drag the beast. Since the spears in its tail and the ropes were still attached, the Ogres were tasked with pulling the Beast of the East.
A few Trolls and Orcs, wanting to lend a hand, also shouldered the heavy burden, but the real problem was the part that had been separated. The massive head I had severed. A few Ogres offered to help, but my clan members adamantly refused.
“Carrying the head of the Beast of the East, severed by Blood Dagger, is a job for the clan members!”
“We appreciate the sentiment, brother, but please understand!”
The sight of the Green Skins huddled together, carrying the head, was quite cute. With the Minotaur Orbo, Gark, and Hark at the center lifting it high, the problem was those who couldn't reach, like the Goblin Three Sisters.
Mev, for her part, floated in the air and helped lift the head, but the goblins were just dangling from it with their arms outstretched.
Naturally, this made the already heavy head even heavier. Despite being drained from the battle, the clan members carrying the beast's head looked genuinely happy.
I walked with Baek Ahyeon in one arm and Jung Hayeon in the other. They had used their mana to the limit and couldn't walk properly. Actually, only Jung Hayeon had collapsed, but Baek Ahyeon, who I thought would have mana to spare, suddenly fainted as well, leading to this situation.
As we continued onward with our spoils, a cheer came from up ahead.
“A land of honor!”
“A land of victory!”
The archers who had been scouting the path had found something. Hearing the shouts, the Green Skins dragging the beast and my clan members carrying the severed head began to move a little faster.
Before our eyes was a green expanse.
“Waaaaaaaaah!”
“A magnificent land! Kkireuk!”
“The promised land of victory!”
As Mev let out a cry of admiration, the Goblin Three Sisters jumped down from the beast's head and ran ahead, making a fuss. It was a plain so vast it made the swamps we'd seen so far feel like a lie. It was backed by a forest, with a river in front. The lands on either side were dark swamps, meaning the only real entrance was the one we were standing on now. It seemed perfectly optimized for both living and defending against enemy attacks.
“Magnificent...”
Jung Hayeon and Baek Ahyeon, who had woken up at some point, were also staring ahead with wide eyes.
A land perfectly suited for putting down roots. Goff and Black Spear were also talking excitedly with each other. Seeing them point at the site, they were probably discussing how to build our settlement.
Watching them, I decided I would have to focus on building our settlement for a while. Not just a place to sleep, but a sanctuary. As I imagined the possibilities, I began to look forward to our future here.
Those who had carried the beast and its severed head put down their burdens and began to run around and play. The land was so vast it could accommodate all three of our clans with room to spare. Even if our clans grew in the future, the young Green Skins would be able to grow up without wanting for anything.
The land where our brothers and our children will grow.
Our territory. How could I not be happy?
It seemed a smile had crept onto my lips without me realizing. Jung Hayeon and Baek Ahyeon were looking at me, smiling brightly. I slowly took a step forward and set foot on our territory.
The feeling was strange, almost magical. The moment my foot touched the ground, all the clan members turned to look at me. Jung Hayeon and Baek Ahyeon had slipped from my arms at some point and were now walking behind me. The one who handed me the flag was the standard-bearer, Gark. He was holding the Blood Dagger Clan's flag, the very first one drawn by Najin.
“For Blood Dagger!”
“Thank you.”
Gark passed the flag to me. Though I was the clan's chieftain, I had never held the flag before. A considerable weight settled in my hand.
As I took another step, those around me began to place their hands over their chests, one by one.
“For Blood Dagger.”
Ragia, who had done her best as acting chieftain.
Gark and Hark, who had been my pillars of support, whether I knew it or not.
Mev, who had been with me since the Tutorial.
Orbo, whom I hadn't known for long but could trust.
Hakajin, who could make up for my shortcomings.
Baek Ahyeon, who always believed in me.
Jung Hayeon, who reminded me of the human still left inside.
And the countless clan members who had run alongside me until now.
I knew this was not the end, but a beginning, yet my heart was overflowing with emotion. It's just the simple act of planting a flag. I tried to console myself with that thought, but it felt good. It felt really good. As a Green Skin, not a human, I had learned so much. A life completely different from my past, where I spent each day meaninglessly. A life with those who truly followed and believed in me.
It started for revenge, for survival. Then I owed a debt of life, found a new purpose, and gained something to protect. The flag I held was the same. This flag was responsibility.
I continued to walk forward. Goff and Black Spear were also walking slowly, holding their own flags.
Only after more than three years on this continent was I granted the right to plant a flag in this land. The area was strangely silent. It was so solemn and still, it was hard to believe these were the same Green Skins.
Goff, Black Spear, and I also said nothing. We simply looked at each other, nodding silently.
And so, we...
...planted our flags in the land we had won through struggle.
- End of Green Skin, Part 1. -