Chapter 51
Chapter 51
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Haken Wert
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Enoch scooped up a heaping plate of bubbling stew and ate while observing the situation. Merchants rushing about. Knights and mercenaries were erecting barricades with wagons to block the rear path, devising at least some basic tactics.
‘What a hassle they're making.'
Did they really need to go that far? If the ogre showed up, fight it; if not, rest. Common sense dictated prioritizing the stew that would surely burn soon over preparing for an ogre whose arrival was uncertain.
Of course, everyone else thought differently. Zeke Frain's guard captain, Zatum, scanned the surrounding terrain with sharp eyes.
'If there's an ogre, it'll have its horde too.'
The ogre's moniker was 'Tyrant of the Forest.' A moment's thought made it clear why—it wasn't called that for nothing. Ogres commanded armies of weaker monsters.
'Our forces... they're a bit shaky....'
Young Master Zeke Frain was exceptional, of course. He had no peers his age, and even overall, he was no slouch. Other nobles were hailed as geniuses just for reaching Expert Beginner at his age—this was monstrous growth.
But the problem was that "not lacking" wasn't enough against an ogre. Even setting the horde aside, a single ogre was considered comparable to a Master. Probably half of them here wouldn't survive.
"Young master, are you sure it's the Thousand Kills Star?"
"Yeah! I'm sure! So let me go already!"
Zatum pinned the young master—who was trying to charge ahead—into a corner and eyed the Thousand Kills Star.
A man who, for some reason, had tilted back his mask slightly and buried his face in his stew. Since the Purity Star and Thousand Kills Star emerged in the same era, he was probably around the young master's age.
The Purity Star and Thousand Kills Star were rated as equal in talent. But the young master had received systematic training from a marquis house, while the Thousand Kills Star likely hadn't—so he probably wouldn't amount to much real firepower.
That was how history usually went. The socially adept Purity Star typically outshone the isolated Thousand Kills Star. Emperor? That was just a weird emperor.
Kroooaaar──────!!
The roar drew closer. Damn it. It was definitely heading this way. Zatum shouted.
"All hands, form up! Mercenaries, support from the rear! Jumping in recklessly will just break our formation!"
The mercenaries nodded at the unusually gentlemanly knight. Truth be told, they preferred it this way. Why step forward and die like dogs?
"It's coming!"
Someone's shout served as the trigger, and thunderous footsteps echoed from beyond the forest. All monster steps. Gulp—someone swallowed hard nearby. As the knights gripped their swords tightly,
"Yonia, the stew's burning? Eat first. You'll get hungry at night if you don't."
"Come on! Can't you see it's serious right now? Why do you always make me tense up when I shouldn't and relax when I should!"
The banter from behind nearly broke the tension. Those bastards. If they weren't going to help, at least stay quiet.
Kyaaak────!
The monsters finally appeared. Zatum cautioned once more.
"Young master, you absolutely cannot charge ahead alone."
"I know...!"
"Maintain formation steadily."
A low incantation. A chilling aura spread at the same time, making Zatum turn involuntarily. Stupid move. Even green recruits didn't do that. But Zatum could swear.
'What the hell is that?'
Anyone who didn't turn would be the weird one. Dozens of neat purple lightning rods arrayed in the air. They didn't match the Thousand Kills Star at all, who was just casually sipping stew and waving his hand.
'An improved Lightning Arrow...?'
He didn't know what it was, but he could tell it would pack a lethal punch even if fired as-is. But that wasn't the end.
Paatz────
Dozens of lightning orbs floated into the air. No fool would mistake what they were. Cannonballs. Meaning those rods weren't mere Lightning Arrows—they were gun barrels.
"Railgun."
A magic name Zatum had never heard. He yelled on instinct.
"Everyone, down...!!"
Even as he shouted, Zatum threw himself flat,
And whoooosh────────
The air tore apart with a deafening screech. That was it, in other words.
"Wh-what...?"
Zatum raised his head and frowned. Then rubbed his eyes. He tapped his helmet a couple times, then rubbed his eyes again.
"Huh...."
The forest ahead had vanished without a trace. All that remained were dozens of straight furrows gouged into the earth. And between them, a single ogre.
Kroooaaarrr──────────!!
The enraged ogre bellowed. Zatum glanced back at Zeke Frain.
"Young master, you said he was the Thousand Kills Star."
"Uh... yeah, I think so?"
Looks like the young master was just being a young master.
*
Enoch nodded in satisfaction at the railgun's power.
"Hm. Not bad at this level."
When was it? He'd faced a monster wave once before. If he'd had railgun then, he probably could've handled it solo.
Slurp—he took a mouthful of stew. Explosive flavors burst in his mouth. A taste that made his head bob involuntarily.
"Fuu.... Yeah, today's stew turned out great."
"Uh... thanks?"
"Yeah."
Yonia was a damn good cook. It reminded him of Capree, probably running her restaurant in Dendalro right now. Should pick up some food next time he swung by home.
Kroooaaarrr──────────!!
The ogre seemed pretty pissed. From what he recalled, it took Master-level or better to take one down—got him a bit curious.
"Let's see...."
Paatz—stepping forward warped the scenery in an instant. The ogre's ugly mug was right in his face.
'Tyrant of the Forest, was it?'
That sounded right for its moniker. Enoch smirked.
"Close enough."
Some talking beasts had called him that occasionally.
Kkuk—the fist he clenched crackled with lightning. What he envisioned was heaviness. One step beyond Adolf's crude secret technique.
Mein Kampf
Human fist met ogre fist.
Kuuuung──────!
Shockwaves kicked up dust around them. Enoch murmured lightly.
"Maintain formation steadily."
Dozens of gun barrels arrayed behind Enoch's back. The ogre that had just eaten them recognized it and howled savagely.
"Krohk...!"
The massive bulk several times Enoch's size moved swiftly. Quick on the uptake? It had noticed his aim wasn't fully honed yet.
'Need a bit of tweaking for this.'
Enoch shifted his trajectory. Just do it the usual way. Lightning talons gleamed over his hooked fingers.
*
Have you ever seen an ogre get shredded? At least everyone here could nod from now on.
"No way, he really is the Thousand Kills Star...?"
Zeke Frain, who'd witnessed it firsthand, couldn't comprehend. The Thousand Kills Star should be around his age. Stats so far suggested at most a year or two difference.
But that guy was clearly a Master no matter how you sliced it. Zeke himself was Expert. And he'd grown up with every resource a marquis house could provide? Did that even make sense?
An unsolvable mystery. Zeke Frain shot to his feet.
"Whoa? Young master, don't do anything weird—just sit tight."
"Ah, I won't cause trouble!"
His guards were elite in the marquis house, treated well. Couldn't just boss them around. Not that he planned to.
Still, sometimes it felt oddly like they bossed him around instead.
Zeke Frain scratched his head and approached the Thousand Kills Star. Sorry to his tense guards behind, but curiosity was killing him.
"I'm Zeke Frain le Demisto. I challenge you to a duel!"
Gasps erupted from the knights behind. The elf by the Thousand Kills Star stared like he was insane. But hey, what was the worst that could happen—death?
*
Long story short, he nearly died. The Thousand Kills Star just swung his scabbard while sitting, and Zeke Frain went to visit his late great-grandfather.
"What the hell?"
"Young master, rub this on it."
Zeke Frain rubbed his eyes with the egg his guard handed him. They were so swollen he could barely see.
The next day, even on horseback after sleeping it off, Zeke Frain pondered deeply. What the hell was that?
The knights were debating why the ogre had descended to such shallow woods and where all those monsters had come from, but he wouldn't change anything by chiming in. So he kept mulling it over—but still no clue.
"I challenge you to a duel!"
That night, he challenged again.
He woke up the next day.
*
The request was proceeding smoothly, aside from this weird guy being a constant nuisance. Smooth to the point it was almost suspicious.
"It's about time, huh."
"Hm?"
Yonia, sitting on the wagon blowing a leaf flute, tilted her head.
"Haken Wert?"
"Yeah."
Per Iris's words, he wouldn't give up the chase just like that. She'd urged him to contact the Sword Empress multiple times, so he kept his guard up constantly.
"Somehow feels like it's coming soon.... Ugh...!"
A chill. Instinct moved his body faster than realization.
Drip—
Red liquid trickled from Enoch's left eye. Blood, and fluid from the bisected eyeball.
"Hm, dodged it? Good instincts."
A man approached with leisurely steps, like out for a stroll. But no one here dared move. An overwhelming presence crushed the space.
"E-Enoch...."
Yonia's face drained white as she spoke with a voice on the verge of tears. Half his vision gone. Burning pain. The humiliation of another ambush. Boiling killing intent.
"You filthy human...."
Enoch rose. Something surged from his left eye socket. Lione would faint if she saw. He clenched his left hand, golden ring glinting. At the same time, he unleashed Thunder God Transformation at full power.
"You little sh—"
"Halt!"
Someone blocked between Enoch and the man. A boy who'd grown familiar lately—Zeke Frain.
"Attacking out of nowhere! You're clearly a villain!"
'He seemed crazy, but....'
Guess he really had lost it.
*
Clang!—A dish on the cupboard shelf shattered on its own.
"Why's this making me so uneasy."
The Sword Empress calmed her roiling heart.