Chapter 38
Chapter 38
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 38
Chapter Title: Ancient City, Leorados (3) - Ambush
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1.
Pffft—!
Cork hastily drew back his bowstring. The arrow he loosed was fairly sharp, but it didn't reach the lizardmen.
"Th-this fucking...!"
"What the hell is...!"
The two men scrambled to their feet and raised their shields. A club came crashing down on them.
Kwang—!
They hadn't gotten proper rest or a solid stance. An attack they would have gladly taken before was no longer something they could handle now.
Pepsi and Deon's bodies shook precariously. And the lizardmen didn't miss that opening.
Kwang!
The ones behind charged in one after another, slamming down on their shields. The two were now staggering outright.
"Hold on!"
I shouted at them and reached out toward the neck of the nearest one. The sword's trajectory sliced straight ahead in a single stroke.
Puk!
A faint blue glow pierced its throat precisely. I swung upward, splitting its head along with the skull. Without breaking momentum, I pressed on.
Gripping the hilt tight, I slashed horizontally this time. Blue blood splashed across my face, but I ignored it.
Whoosh—
I dodged a club flying between the shields. It barely grazed the ground.
Taking down two was good. But the situation wasn't. There were still eight visible in front of me.
From what I'd heard, lizardmen weren't smart, but they were cunning creatures. They wouldn't miss a chance like this.
Kaaak!
The red lizard bellowed, and the ones behind started rushing to our flanks. They formed a encircling ring.
'We're really fucked.'
⚔ STATUS UPDATE ⚔ ⚡ Strength: [48 → 49] 💨 Agility: [47 → 48] I'd distributed all the stat points gained from hunting lizardmen. Feeling the surging power, I let my sword hang low.
'At least we've formed up thanks to this.'
They could've overrun us easily if they'd pressed, but we'd bought a little time to regroup. Of course, it hardly mattered against these numbers.
The humid swamp air hung thick with tension amid the heavy stench of blood. The red lizard's pupils fixed on me.
"What do we do?"
"I don't know! Just block the ones coming from the front. I'll handle the rear somehow!"
Kaaak!
The moment the creature swung the sword in its hand, the waiting lizardmen charged all at once.
The sight of human-sized lizardmen swarming at once sent chills up my legs. I bit my lip hard. The pain and metallic tang of blood pushed back the fear bit by bit.
Pffft—!
Cork's arrow signaled the fight's start. It struck dead between the eyes of an approaching foe.
"Nice shot!"
Down to seven now. Facing the oncoming green wave, I raised my sword to my chin.
Whoosh—!
A brutal whoosh accompanied a club aimed at my head. At the same time, another swung for my side, forcing me back.
'Damn it!'
I'd planned to take one out first, but they'd coordinated.
Kwang!
"Graaak!"
A scream and crash from behind me. Anxiety bloomed in my chest. I took a deep breath to steady my pounding heart.
"Don't get anxious."
Anne's teaching. Recalling it, I charged forward again.
What we needed now was a breakthrough. Fighting bunched up like this would just shrink our space to maneuver while giving the lizardmen more room to rampage.
'I'll break through.'
I channeled mana into the blade and swept my hand along it. Sticky cooled blood and flesh gave way to searing heat.
Fwoosh!
A streak of flame bloomed in the drab swamp. It was a spark of hope.
Tak!
I kicked off the muddy ground. Thrusting my sword arm forward, the flaming tip traced a red line.
Puk—Sizzle!
The flash converged on one spot, piercing the lizardman's skull dead-on. The stench of burning flesh stung my nose.
A burning sword—intimidating to humans, apparently not to them. They still gripped their clubs, eyes shifting.
Whoosh—
I dropped low to dodge, then used the rising momentum to thrust. My lips curled at the feel of flesh on my blade tip.
Sizzle!
With that sound, the massive body toppled. Five left—much better than before.
Kaaak!
An eerie cry rang in my ears. Looking up, a lizardman human-sized charged me. Red scales and a massive mace stood out.
The leader, maybe? Nimbler and far stronger than the others.
Kwang!
Its mace slammed the ground, sending vibrations and mud flying everywhere. Blinking through the obscured vision.
'End it in one!'
The flames on my sword had died out. Didn't matter—hope's ember was lit. I poured mana into the lowered blade and thrust hard.
It had good senses; a shock ran up my arm. It had blocked with its shield.
Kwak!
But a mere lizard couldn't block a mana-infused edge. First the rough shield gave, then its scales.
Puk!
As the mud settled, I saw it. The red lizard, my size, with my sword buried in its throat. The tip protruded from the nape.
Kuhaak...
Blue blood gushed from its maw. I twisted, nearly severing the neck, and it sprayed everywhere.
Thud!
A kick freed my sword smoothly as the huge body collapsed. Four left.
"Hoo..."
Kaaak!
A roar from behind made me spin. The sight ahead startled me. Beyond the charging lizardmen, I saw mangled corpses.
Drip drip—
Only now did I notice the blood and flesh on their clubs. Too focused on fighting to care.
"Tch."
Clicking my tongue, I swung upward. The lizardman's head flew clean off.
Kaaak—
With their leader and comrades dropping in seconds, the remaining three hesitated. Their yellow eyes flicked from us to each other, then nodded.
Splash!
They dug their feet into the mud and flung it at us. I raised my arm to block, spotting them fleeing into the distance.
'You bastards.'
Fuming, I gripped the hilt like a javelin and drew up mana.
Whoosh—Kwak!
The sword flew in a smooth arc, embedding in one’s nape. They didn't even glance back, legs pumping until they vanished from sight.
"Hoo..."
The near-death fight was finally over. Turning, I saw Cork staring blankly at his comrades.
"Pepsi, Deon..."
He murmured their names softly. Brushing past the pitiful man, I looted the bodies.
Twenty-five lizardman crests. A few short. Rifling through Pepsi's pouch nearby yielded five more.
'This is why you can't trust mercenaries.'
A light sigh, then a thorough search turned up a potion and two pouches.
'Powder?'
One with coins. One with white powder. Whatever it was, it didn't seem for good purposes.
Looting all the corpses, I strapped two swords to my waist. Decent weapons—I equipped a shield in my spare hand too.
"We'll split the loot back at the mercenary guild."
Cork nodded gloomily at my words.
Someone seeing me might call it heartless. But this was mercenary life. Comrades die overnight, replaced by strangers the next day.
'These three had been at it a while...'
Time didn't prevent death. Tragic, sure, but common. Regrettable, and that was it.
Kaaak!
On the way back, we ran into lizard packs now and then, but none over three, so it wasn't tough.
'Next time, I come alone no matter what.'
For income or comfort, solo seemed better. I'd mapped the terrain and knew their traits. Guild could fill in the rest.
The rot stench faded, puddles thinned. We were nearing the city.
'Wonder how much we'll make.'
As I walked with faint anticipation—
Pffft—!
The familiar whistle dropped me low. A projectile whizzed past late.
Spinning, I saw Cork wide-eyed, drawing his bow. Mana surged to my legs; I kicked off.
The distance closed in a flash.
Kwang!
I swung my shield at the incoming arrow. Heavy impact on my arm. Momentum lessened, but irrelevant.
Puk—
Sword tip to the throat. Cork gagged up bloody foam, knees buckling. That was his end.
I wiped the blood from my blade and gazed at the corpse.
Why had he tried to kill me?
Greed for my share?
Did I insult his comrades?
Or did he just want to die?
Endless unanswered questions as I looted him. I reclaimed the silver emblem and took anything useful, then turned away.
Whatever the reason, it didn't matter. He was dead. I was alive.