Chapter 34
Chapter 34
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 34
Chapter Title: Snowfield Predators
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"A, achhoo!"
At the crack of dawn in the northern snowfields.
Barka held torches in both hands, muttering curses under his breath.
'Damn them all, just you wait... Once the Tower Master awakens that, you're finished...'
As Barka sniffled and pulled an all-nighter into the deep hours of the night.
A eerie howl shattered the silence of the snowfields.
"Wh... what?"
Barka, who had been dozing on watch duty, cracked his eyes open.
Crunch. Crunch.
Rough footsteps trampling the snow.
"Groooar..."
The low growls of magical beasts encircled the camp.
A massive shadow loomed before his eyes.
A hulking figure covered in white fur.
Ferocious fangs protruding from its maw.
The lords of the northern snowfields.
Dozens of snowfield ogres drooled with red glints in their eyes.
'Ogres? What a pain. Gotta wake everyone... Wait, one? Hold on.'
Barka's mind raced.
If they attacked the camp,
he could slip away in the chaos.
'Perfect. This is my chance.'
A sly grin crept across Barka's lips.
"Groooar!"
Just as the lead ogre bellowed and lunged at the camp.
Swoosh.
The tent flap opened.
"Ugh... so noisy."
A disheveled man stumbled out.
It was Darcor.
He rubbed his sleep-crusted eyes and looked around.
The snowfield ogres surrounding him.
Darcor's face twisted in irritation as he scratched his head vigorously.
"Yawn... I was trying to sleep."
His gaze flashed more menacingly than the ogres' red eyes.
"The Daroa bastards really have no manners. None at all."
The lead ogre instinctively flinched and staggered back.
A dark crimson killing intent began to rise around Darcor like a haze.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Skill: Tyrant's Intimidation has activated.] ◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ A thick, metallic stench of blood filled the snowfield.
"Gaaahk..."
The last ogre collapsed with a final scream.
Dozens of snowfield ogres, lords of the tundra, were slaughtered in an instant.
Darcor shook the blood from his gloves off his darkened uniform with an annoyed flick.
'Ugh, sticky. It's gonna stink.'
Darcor let out a deep sigh.
'Now's my chance!'
Barka swallowed hard.
He glanced around cautiously.
The monstrous tyrant had his back turned, inspecting the spoils.
Off-guard, right now.
No better opportunity would come.
'From this distance, if I roll over that hill...'
Barka backed away silently, holding his breath.
His heart pounded like it would burst.
One step. Two steps.
He widened the gap, treading soundlessly through the snow.
Freedom was within reach.
"Hey, snake-eyes."
Right then.
A low, chilling voice.
Barka's body froze solid.
Darcor spoke indifferently without turning around.
"Watch out for that ice hole there. Fall in, and you won't even recover the bones."
"..."
Barka jumped in shock and looked down at his feet.
Right at his toe's edge,
a snow-covered hole gaped open like a maw.
One more step into the frozen snowfield crevasse,
and he would've been sucked right in.
'Eyes in the back of his head or what?'
Goosebumps prickled across Barka's skin.
The tyrant knew everything already.
From the moment Barka harbored thoughts of escape,
he'd just been watching and mocking him all along.
"I said watch it."
"Y-yes, sir! I'll be careful!"
Barka bowed his head obsequiously over and over.
His legs trembled from sheer terror.
Darcor shook his head.
'Not broken in enough. Gotta grind him more.'
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Urgh... uuurgh!"
Early morning, and Barka was already drenched in sweat.
The sled's weight had doubled from the ogre hides Darcor's group had loaded up.
Until recently, a grand magus of the Daroa Empire.
A general who commanded thousands of troops.
The dignity that made children stop crying at his name alone was gone.
Now, just a lowly sled driver.
'Heavy, too damn heavy!'
Magic sled, my ass. It uses gravity control magic, right?
Why am I the one squeezing out mana to push?!
Tower Master Veronica tapped on the window.
"Hey, buddy, you're slowing down? Mana output's dropping."
"I-it's not that... How am I supposed to keep speed with double the load?!"
Barka shouted in frustration, but
Veronica just shrugged with a cheerful grin.
"That's your problem. His Majesty hates being late. You know that, right?"
"Ugh..."
Barka gritted his teeth and pumped more mana.
The mana circuits throughout his body screamed from overload.
'Damn... damn it all!'
Wronged, hungry, freezing.
Tears of misery welled up, freezing with his snot.
Screeech.
The sled window slid open, and a young girl's face popped out.
It was Eris.
"Mister."
Steam rose from the thick steak slice in Eris's hand.
Juicy meat, fresh off the grill.
Barka's pupils shook wildly.
"Hang in there. Ahh~"
Eris held the meat to his lips.
Pride?
A general's honor?
That shit had frozen to death long ago.
Gulp.
Barka opened wide without hesitation and took the meat.
Warm, fatty juices flooded his mouth,
melting his brain like butter.
"Munch munch... gulp."
"Good eater. Hehe."
Eris brushed the ice from Barka's hair.
Her touch was so natural,
Barka missed his chance to even get mad.
'Damn, it's good... too damn good...'
Pathetic.
Wagging his tail for charity like a dog.
But what he hated more was how strength surged as his belly warmed.
As Barka wallowed in self-loathing.
Darcor, watching from inside the sled, nodded contentedly.
'Good boy.'
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ As they neared the Daroa main force.
The sky changed color.
"Kieeeeeek."
A shrill screech.
The gloomy sky, thick with dark clouds,
was overrun by black shadows.
"Wh-what is that?"
Barka looked up.
Steel-like wings.
Razor-sharp talons.
And atop them, soldiers in red armor.
Life returned to Barka's eyes.
The Daroa Empire's elite airborne unit, wyvern riders.
'Allies! Finally!'
Barka's heart swelled to bursting.
His chance to escape the demons' clutches had come.
Groooar.
The lead wyvern dove sharply.
A roar cut through the wind, followed by the scout captain's shout.
"Halt! This is a restricted zone. Identify yourselves or be executed on—huh?"
The scout captain's eyes widened.
At the sled's driver's seat,
a man bundled up like a snowman, panting raggedly.
Grimy and ragged, but that face was all too familiar.
"G-General Barka? Is that you, sir?"
"You recognize me!"
Barka cried out, voice choked with emotion.
"How could I not, sir? But what brings you here?
You should be sweeping through the enemy by now..."
The scout captain couldn't hide his bewilderment.
'Saved. I'm saved at last!'
Monsters might be inside the sled.
But if they took to the skies?
Even a tyrant couldn't fly up after them, right?
Had to send the signal now.
"Listen, right now I'm—"
As Barka opened his mouth to signal.
Sliiiide.
The sled window cracked open ever so slightly behind him.
Screeech.
An eerie sound.
A chill worse than the freezing cold prickled Barka's nape.
'....'
Barka clamped his mouth shut.
A quick sidelong glance at the window slit.
In the darkness, Darcor's red eyes gleamed ominously.
Barka's mind spun wildly.
"S-sir. What is it?"
The scout captain eyed him suspiciously.
A razor-edge moment.
Barka bit his lip and forced a grin.
The performance of his life was needed.
Sweat poured down as he bellowed.
"I-I have urgent business. All units, land. Top-secret mission..."
"T-top secret, sir? Understood. All units, descend."
Thud. Thuuud.
With massive wingbeats, the wyverns landed encircling the sled.
A blizzard whipped up.
Scouts leaped from their mounts and formed precise ranks.
Snap.
"Loyalty! Northern Defense Second Scout Unit, saluting General Barka."
Dozens of elite soldiers saluted toward Barka.
A magnificent display of military might.
But Barka's face at the front was rigid.
The scout captain stepped forward.
His eyes sparkled with anticipation.
"General. Awaiting orders."
"N-no... it's..."
Barka's lips quivered.
"Don't tell me... you've already captured them?"
The scout captain pointed at the sled in awe.
"W-wait... is that infamous tyrant subdued and en route?"
"Hooray! Long live General Barka!"
The soldiers cheered wildly.
Drunk on victory's joy, they missed Barka's face twisting in despair.
"No, it's not—"
Barka wanted to cry.
'Shut up, please. Just stop...'
That inside wasn't a prisoner...
"W-wait. It's not captured—"
"As expected of Grand Magus Barka. Word of this to HQ, and even His Majesty will rejoice.
Mind if I get a look at his face?"
The scout captain strode toward the sled.
"N-no! Don't open it!"
Barka's scream laced with desperation.
But too late.
Screeech.
The sled door slowly opened.
The soldiers held their breath, peering inside.
Expecting the tyrant bound and trembling.
But what they faced was.
"Nice to meet you."
A man lounging with legs crossed, slouched casually in the dark.
He propped his chin, scanning the soldiers with an amused smirk.
"Uh..."
The scout captain halted.
The man's aura was all wrong for a prisoner.
The air grew heavy in an instant.
Darcor slowly spoke.
"But man, you guys are dense."
"...Huh?"
A lazy, icy voice.
Darcor flashed a smirk at the stunned scout captain.
"You're the ones captured."