Chapter 93
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 93
Chapter Title: Orc Lord Hargon (4)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
"Who knew I'd miss my smartphone this much."
It wasn't some sudden bout of homesickness.
He was just curious if his comrades were handling things well.
"Last night, that orc pup screamed like a maniac, so one of the mediums must've been destroyed for sure. But did it go according to plan?"
Jun muttered to himself as he gazed at the orc army marching in the distance.
"Sigh. What's the point of worrying about it."
Whether it succeeded or failed, it was out of his hands now.
Jun decided to focus on what he could do from his position.
"If it worked, they're alive. If not, well..."
He had taken everything he could to ensure their survival.
"Either way, I need to do my part right."
The Orc Lord had half a month left to reach the next medium.
It was going to be a lonely fight.
"Tch."
He suddenly missed his comrades.
Rumble―!
Hargon snapped his eyes open at the sound of thunder crashing down and immediately turned toward the source.
"That bastard again."
It had been ten days since finding the second medium.
In that time, the cowardly enemy had tormented the orc army in various ways.
He predicted their routes and scattered poison. Most were weak poisons that could be neutralized by roasting meat thoroughly or boiling water well.
But it inevitably delayed them. Starting a fire took time.
A few times, they ignored the poison, only for the bastard to ghost back in with more.
Hargon swore to Orcutas that he'd chew the filth from foot to arm while alive if he caught him.
When poison failed, the enemy appeared out of nowhere like at Dakuda's cave, hurling fireballs before fleeing.
This went on for two days. Even with Hargon and the elite warriors mobilized, they couldn't match his mobility.
So they changed their route entirely.
He'd figured out the enemy's speed shone on open plains without obstacles.
They took a detour through forested terrain thick with trees.
Then he set the mountains ablaze.
'Crazy bastard.'
A few times, Hargon moved to crush him personally, but the enemy always looped around to the opposite side, fired a fireball, and escaped.
In the end, Hargon stationed elite warriors on the outskirts.
The fireballs couldn't touch them.
Fortunately, this place was a rocky plain littered with boulders everywhere.
The terrain hampered the enemy's mobility too. No risk of fire spreading.
That meant Hargon could catch him. His strength had mostly returned anyway.
A single leap would close the gap, leaving the bastard helpless.
That was when the lightning started falling.
Unlike fireballs, lightning could strike from afar.
Morning, noon, evening—once each. Sometimes at dawn too. Each time, killing 3 to 5 orcs before fleeing.
Truly—a crazy bastard.
Crackle―! Rumble―!!
"Grrr..."
Four orcs lay charred like coal.
Lightning had struck three times total. The same scene unfolded in two more spots―
Rumblerumble―!
Four times.
By now, Hargon had long figured out what the enemy wanted.
'Dare to stall me, is that it?'
Time was a fair resource. Hargon intended to teach the enemy that from here on.
"Man, that guy's a lunatic too."
Jun uttered the assessment that would make Hargon clutch his neck if he heard it.
"Blink and he splits his army?"
The enemy's forces had halved overnight.
No doubt, a strike team aimed at Jun's comrades.
To catch fewer than thirty foes, he'd dispatched over three hundred.
"He even sent all his elite orc warriors?"
Not bold enough to send a medium, but plenty threatening to the group.
"Hmm..."
Of course, total annihilation was unlikely.
Finding just over twenty people in this vast plain wasn't easy.
They'd scout in groups, restricting movements at best.
'But their reduced numbers mean faster marching speed for us.'
He unfolded the map as he walked.
"At this pace... they'll reach the third medium in ten days."
Once they secured it, Jun couldn't harass like before.
"Can't even keep distance with [Burning Staff]."
One slip, and Hargon's glaive would cleave him in two.
"Choice time again."
Keep harassing with petty attacks?
Or go big once?
'That could deal real damage.'
Might even kill a medium he carried.
'But it's too much of a gamble.'
It was his trump card, saved for the decisive moment.
Selling the future for the present.
"That'd be putting the cart before the horse. Need another way..."
Fortunately, he'd prepared multiple plans for this.
"Let's think. How would he move? If I were Orc Lord? He'd think he has time now. So..."
"We've bought time. We detour."
He'd sent three hundred to the rear.
One hundred elites and two hundred field orcs.
"Going around the canyon will slow our march greatly."
Hargon shook his head at Dakuda's words.
"The canyon is suicide."
He hadn't forgotten the cave entrance collapse sealing Dakuda.
A steep canyon crumbling—that was the image.
He and his generals' sturdy bodies would survive, but regular field orcs? No.
Underdlings who hadn't even grown properly.
Most would die to falling rocks.
"We head here."
"The Silent Plains? But that's..."
Orcs' bodies were tough by nature. Muscles infused with mana.
But Hargon's destination had mana flow blocked.
No grass grew. Soil barren of nutrients.
No wind. A land of death where no life could thrive.
"He uses sorcery-like power. There, he can't."
"If he has a brain, he'll head to the Silent Plains."
Orcs would weaken too, but it was poison to a mage.
No mana meant no better than a civilian.
But orc marching would slow massively.
"Silent Plains detour takes four to five days to exit."
Obviously, no foraging or water en route, so stock up first.
"Adds more days."
Damn orc. Calculated this, thinned numbers to save supply time and accelerate march.
True to his Conqueror moniker, not just brute force.
Felt like a solid hit landed.
"But just a light jab?"
Not that painful.
After all, Jun had stalled for exactly this moment.
"Hm."
Jun's gaze swept the open plain.
Direction allies should arrive from.
Seeming lost in thought, he stared long without looking away.
"Should be here by now."
'That guy' should have arrived.
Yesterday at latest, today for sure.
"Not here means... failed to convince Leon?"
Judged forces insufficient?
As sun set and starry river invaded the sky, anxiety grew.
If he didn't come... Jun would fight solo, life on line.
"Ah."
A dot appeared far off.
[Bright Eyes] signaled something approaching.
The tiny dot gradually took shape over time.
"You're late."
Jun grinned.
The arrival was none other than Maya.
"Saw pigs on way. Detoured, took time."
Jun sighed in relief at her words.
If Maya reached here, things went well there too.
How'd she join so fast?
Answer panted beside her.
"How's the ride?"
"Worst."
Grrr.
"Speed's good though."
Maya rode a wolf rivaling a tiger's size.
One tamed by orc riders. She'd subdued a survivor.
"This one's tamable after all."
"Our tribe's method."
She pulled a fruit from her pouch.
Split the red fruit, extracted seed, jabbed into raw meat lump.
"Eat."
Tossed it; wolf snapped jaws, gulped.
"Calms 'em. Males only though."
"Neat."
Ask later sometime.
Anyway, Maya split from group to join Jun.
Long-overdue human chat lifted his spirits.
"Cook something first?"
"Time okay?"
"That wolf's beat. Let it rest."
"Got it. Gale, sit. Rest."
Grrr.
"Doesn't know 'sit' yet."
"Got it?"
Jun had slain over three hundred orcs harassing the Orc Lord.
Nearly a month, ten a day.
Could Jun solo destroy a medium?
He could say firmly.
Impossible.
"Why? Leader's magic not strong?"
"Sadly, bad matchup."
"Matchup?"
"Last medium lacks elites. But a super strong one's sleeping. High magic resistance."
Hence, Maya.
"Your skills can kill it."
"My value up in leader's heart?"
"Always was. Our merc's DPS."
"Aiden or me, better?"
"Lonely?"
Maya seemed bolder now. Asking such.
"Be honest. Won't tell Aiden."
"Elenora's best."
"...?"
Of course. High priestess.
Anyway.
"Chat over."
"Dodging why?"
"Time to fight."
"Tell later."
Suit yourself.
No answer ever.
Jun headed to the temple sealing the final medium, leaving Maya staring.