Chapter 105
Chapter 105
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 105
Chapter Title: The Warrior Witnesses His Sworn Brother's Growth
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Before Orek descended from the sky.
He could confirm that he and the low-grade spirits named Zephyra were fleeing in panic.
"Why are the normally belligerent children of nature acting like that?"
"Beats me. Our kids would usually jump into a fight no matter what."
Having judged that an anomaly had occurred in the mini-dungeon, the two began a detailed investigation.
"There's an incredibly dangerous presence over there!"
"What...?"
"........."
Orek didn't know about Elfriede, so he couldn't understand what the low-grade spirits were saying.
But Zephyra felt deeply uncomfortable upon learning that his old contractor had come here.
"Tch..."
"Zephyra, do you know something about this?"
"It's nothing~ But... Orek! Would it be okay for you to fight directly here?"
"I haven't received official permission like Brother Ferguson yet, but Big Brother said it's fine to take preemptive action if there's trouble here."
Orek already had considerable autonomy in managing the mini-dungeon.
So Zephyra suggested to Orek that they go handle the issue that had arisen themselves.
"...That does seem like a good approach."
"Yeah! And you have 'us' by your side!"
Soon, under the summons of the top-grade spirit Zephyra, various high-grade and mid-grade spirits gathered.
The other high spirits were also greatly displeased by Elfriede's presence here.
They began coaxing the innocent orc youth alongside Zephyra.
Orek, who didn't want to rely on his big brother Balrak for everything, decided to take action.
Thus, empowered by the numerous spirits, Orek stood before Elfriede.
"You who sow chaos, begone from this place."
"An... orc?!"
The moment Orek saw Elfriede, he roughly pieced together what had happened.
'Huh, Big Brother said that when there's a problem, it's usually an elf behind it—and it turns out he was right...'
The reason the spirits had fled in panic was an elf!
As expected, big data analytics don't lie—Orek, manipulating flames, saw the elf's face go blank.
Just as he wondered why she looked like that.
"Silvi... ah?"
Seeing the elf call Zephyra, who had landed on his shoulder, "Sylvia," a question mark popped up over Orek's head.
But he recalled the advice Balrak had given him.
'Little bro, when you're about to fight here, there will inevitably come a moment when your head gets complicated.'
'Big Brother, what kind of situation do you mean?'
'When the opponent begs for mercy, reveals they're someone important or the child of a powerful being, pleads to overlook them because their family is sick and they need money—there are countless such scenarios.'
'I see... I'll definitely encounter them while managing Sky Island.'
'Do we really need to care about that stuff?'
'...!'
'Everyone who enters here is our 'enemy' from the start. Sure, we might show mercy sometimes, but if these respawning bastards try dragging outside problems into the dungeon, just ignore it. So...'
[If you decide to 'kill' the opponent—]
"Your action should already be complete."
And so, the hidden boss Orek entered his first direct battle.
***************
As Orek assumed a battle stance, Elfriede opened her mouth in panic.
"W-Wait a second! I have no intention of fighting!"
"...This isn't a rest area for chit-chat. And I have nothing to discuss with you."
"That's—!!!"
Kwaaaaaang!!
Elfriede's plea didn't get to finish.
High spirits moved all at once around Orek, engulfing Sky Island.
Because of that, she ended up drawing her weapon.
As Orek—the shaman and druid protected by thousands of spirits—moved, the spirits began to dance in response to his motions.
Soon, hundreds of fireballs, lightning bolts slicing through the sky.
Storm blades tearing flesh.
Earth tremors shaking the ground beneath erupted simultaneously.
Elfriede leaped to the side, and earthen spears shot up right where she had been.
A sharp wail of wind whistled past her ear.
Without a moment to catch her breath, thousands of fireballs and lightning-infused arrows formed in the air and flew straight at her.
Paaang—!
Elfriede barely dodged the ferocious attacks by rolling on the ground, but a burning pain spread across her shoulder.
Before she could even register the pain, the earth split open, and roots writhed like living things to bind her.
"Urk?!"
Elfriede gritted her teeth, severed the roots, and successfully evaded the spirits' bombardment.
After dodging attacks from spirits and plants with acrobatic maneuvers, a massive bear suddenly appeared before her.
Just as Orek, now transformed into a bear, was about to slam down his storm-wreathed paw.
Elfriede deployed a mana barrier and avoided major damage, but defending fixed her position in place.
Exposed to the spirits' bombardment like a swarm of stars, she finally began to unleash her true power.
Puuuung!!
An explosion rocked the entire Sky Island.
As Elfriede's barrier shattered, her body, caught in the storm, soared into the air.
Orek and the spirits' follow-up attacks were somehow blocked by a mysterious force.
Confirming her state, Orek spoke.
"...I've heard that a tiny fraction of elves can wield special powers."
"......"
"You must be one of those rare few—a 'high elf'?"
Orek had seen with his own eyes how the spirits' attacks had bizarrely halted.
However, he was skeptical that this power could turn the tide now.
Elfriede had to face thousands of powerful beings alone.
Even if Orek just flew around in bird form shooting arrows from now on, victory was certain.
But looking into Elfriede's eyes, he didn't act.
Her eyes, gazing at Orek, swirled with envy, jealousy, sorrow, anger—countless emotions.
Seeing her eyes shake violently, Orek let out a deep sigh.
Judging she was in no state to continue fighting, he moved to end it quickly.
Just as he gathered all his power into his fist.
Zephyra, who had vanished somewhere, suddenly appeared behind Elfriede.
Elfriede was startled by the presence of her childhood friend so close.
But Zephyra—to the elf calling her Sylvia—
Serak!!!
Slashed her old contractor's throat with a force far beyond that of a top-grade wind spirit—some other power.
As Elfriede faded into blue light, she caught a final glimpse of Zephyra's eyes.
Her childhood friend's eyes were utterly cold.
****************
Balrak immediately noticed that Orek was fighting someone in the mini-dungeon.
Seeing Zephyra stabbing Elfriede from behind, he shuddered all over.
"Eek... scary..."
Just what was their past like for the usually bubbly Zephyra to give such a cold glare?
That sharp, special wind Zephyra used at the end seemed like the power of the Great Wind Spirit.
That's probably why she was absent during the battle—she must have rushed to the spirit realm to borrow a power from the Great Wind Spirit.
But is it okay for a Great Spirit to lend such immense power for personal reasons?
Ah, no!
The rift between the elves and spirits runs deeper than I imagined, so the Great Spirit must have stepped in.
Tsk tsk tsk... This is truly the elves reaping what they sowed.
Seeing it like this, they are kinda pitiful.
But it's absurd for a third party to meddle in others' relationships.
You clean up your own mess.
We can't do anything for them.
Anyway! Thanks to Zephyra's intervention in that battle, even though it didn't go all the way, I got to see with my own eyes just how much the little bro has grown.
Plus... Watching the little bro get praised by the spirits in the video magic tool—something about it just hits different.
The low-grade spirits wandering the mini-dungeon are like kids, very androgynous-looking.
But all the high-grade spirits are in female forms!
Spirits are non-binary without gender, of course.
But to my eyes, it looks like thousands of cute girls and beauties are swooning over the little bro!!
Oh man!! Is this a harem?!
And the little bro's an orc to boot—!!!
Hold up.
"Graaaah!!"
A memory from my past life suddenly flashed, but.
I overcame the shock unscathed.
Yeah, in a way, that's the little bro's growth.
Plus, isn't being surrounded by countless women better than just three or four wives?
Ahh... This is a true harem.
The epitome of a hero's romantic exploits.
"Boss! We're here!"
"You've arrived!"
"Vampire, little kitty, made it?"
"Yup! But what are you watching?"
"I was watching the little bro's first direct battle."
"Huh?! H-Hope he's not hurt?"
"With spirits assisting, no way the little bro gets hurt!"
I showed the video magic tool to these guys too.
"Oh."
"Wh-What's with you, Carel?"
"Oh."
"Carel!!"
Even the vampire's distracted by the cute girls and beauties.
Carel wiped under his nose with a resolute expression.
"Orek's already become a man of that caliber, huh. Guess I need to train harder."
"Yeah, train hard."
"Eh...? What's with everyo—?"
""You don't need to know.""
A bit later, after Zephyra peeled the high spirits off the little bro and he finished cleanup, he came to report to me.
"You handled it well. Good job."
"Thank you, Big Brother."
"But little bro, what did you think seeing Zephyra again this time?"
"......"
The little bro averted his gaze without answering, so I just silently patted his shoulder.