Chapter 44
Chapter 44
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 44
Chapter Title: 21. Black Dog (3)
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It was an orc shaman with its eyes blindfolded by cloth and clutching a wooden staff.
That orc had no physical form.
It had color, but faded like washed-out light, and even reaching out a hand yielded nothing to grasp.
The orc stared quietly at Yuri.
"I asked who you are."
The orc's mouth twitched. Suddenly, it darted to the side. Yuri's gaze followed. The orc's expression twisted even further.
As if it absolutely shouldn't have been spotted by Yuri, but now it was caught and flustered.
"What is it?"
Thinking about it, it was bizarre.
An orc wandering the barracks, yet no one paid it any mind.
Yuri realized he alone could see this orc.
"What's your true nature?"
Yuri swung Guilty. Like slicing through a current, the orc's form scattered... then reformed.
The orc recoiled in terror, stumbling back.
"So it does take hits."
The orc's mouth flapped open with some unheard words.
"Hey, you there."
Yuri called to a passing soldier.
The man rushed over.
"Yes, Your Highness."
"Reach out your hand here."
"Pardon?"
"Touch the empty air."
"Yes..."
The soldier did as ordered. His hand passed straight through the orc.
"A-are you punishing me, sire? I swear I haven't done anything..."
"Nothing like that."
Yuri gave another order.
"Here. Slash at it with your sword."
"Is there something there?"
"Just try."
The soldier swung. Nothing happened. Not even a momentary scatter like when Yuri struck.
The orc shouted something again. Of course, no sound reached them.
"Your Highness, why make me do this..."
"Right here."
Yuri raised his sword, pointing straight at the orc's face.
"There's a ghost."
"Pardon?"
"Looks like only I can see it."
"What do you..."
"I see ghosts."
The soldier backed away. The fearful type.
Yuri twisted his face into a sinister leer and whispered,
"This one's eyeing you, smacking its lips. Probably got you marked. Seems you've got some heavy sins weighing on you. What crimes did you commit, anyway?"
"I-I'll take my leave, sire."
The soldier bowed hastily to Yuri and bolted the other way.
Yuri let out a sigh, fretting over Brioll's discipline.
"A real criminal, huh?"
He looked back up at the orc.
It had stood motionless through Yuri's whole experiment. Just as before, observing him.
The orc reached out, trying to paw at Yuri.
"Hands off."
Yuri swung Guilty. The orc's form rippled wildly.
Whatever damage it dealt, the orc retreated several steps, clutching its staff tight.
"Visible only to me, huh..."
Yuri pressed forward, jabbing relentlessly with Guilty. The orc kept falling back.
No blood spilled, but its form continued to fade. Definitely working.
The orc turned tail and fled.
Yuri gave chase. A pursuit erupted out of nowhere.
Without substance, the orc phased through every obstacle in the barracks at will. Yuri dodged and leaped, stumbling several times in the process.
"Your Highness, what are you doing?!"
"Catching an orc!"
"Pardon?"
But no one else saw what Yuri did.
"I'll make you show your true colors."
That was the moment.
Black smoke billowed from the orc's body. It whirled around and lunged at Yuri.
Yuri halted in shock, swinging Guilty to meet it.
The orc ignored the blade, wrapping Yuri in its black haze. A chilling energy seeped through his entire body.
"What the..."
And with that, the orc dissolved into smoke.
Yuri rubbed his forearms. The cold still lingered.
He checked his meridians.
An impure energy had spread throughout his body.
But circulating the Mana Circulation Method drove it out, cleansed by the Heart-Soul Severing aura.
"What in the world?"
Had he really just fought an orc ghost?
For something like this, he needed a mage.
Yuri grabbed a meal tray from the mess, then barged into Hernando's tent.
"Hernan..."
He flung open the flap.
"..."
Hernando and a handful of knights and soldiers sat around a table.
They froze at Yuri's sudden entrance, eyes wide in shock.
"Wha, Your Highness..."
The nearest soldier fumbled in panic, dropping a card.
Yuri scooped it up and checked the rest of the man's hand.
Pretty good cards.
"Hey."
"Y-yes, sire."
"Hold this and stand in the corner."
"Yes, sire."
Yuri handed the soldier his tray. The man smartly backed away.
"Now, let's see how good Sir Jared's hand is..."
Abysmal.
"Scram."
Yuri hauled him up and delivered a hard kick to the rear. Jared staggered out of the tent.
"Next, Sir Stegen, was it? Your hand..."
"Whoa, Your Highness."
"Solid hand. You're free to go."
"B-but..."
"You wouldn't regret it, would you?"
"No, sire!"
The knight fled.
Yuri went through every player's hand, letting the good ones off and smacking the bad.
Hernando remained last.
He gripped his cards tightly, face grim with resolve.
"Your Highness. Surely you won't resort to violence against me..."
"Nah."
Yuri dragged over an empty chair and straddled it backward.
"Got a question."
"Phew, that's a relief. What is it?"
"Saw something weird in the barracks just now..."
"The cards aren't weird."
"Not that."
Yuri described the unidentified orc he'd encountered.
Hernando tilted his head, then grew serious and leaned forward.
"Shamanism. An orc shaman come to scout the Allied Forces."
"Shamanism?"
"Yes."
Hernando crossed his arms, deep in thought.
"An invisible incarnation..."
"Powerful stuff?"
"No, but it's suspicious."
He gathered the scattered cards from the floor as he continued.
"I think I know what I'll be doing tomorrow."
"Drop fireballs like Marilrose did."
"That worked because we were near Balshard. Overt spells like that get countered easily."
Mage firepower saw rare use on the battlefield. Other mages could neutralize it too simply.
Thus, battlefield mages served mainly to suppress enemy mages.
Marilrose, as a magitech specialist, held overwhelming control around Balshard—enough to summon fireballs.
"Can't say for sure, but it reeks of forbidden power. Black magic, probably..."
"Black magic?"
"Yes."
Hernando paused in thought, then said,
"Tomorrow, I'll focus on dispelling the shaman's tricks."
"No fireballs?"
"That's Marilrose's thing."
Yuri cocked his head.
He recalled the devastating firepower Hernando had unleashed in his previous life. Dispels be damned—it obliterated everything.
Were the circumstances different back then?
"That dangerous, huh?"
"Not really. The Tower researched it ages ago. Handle it right, and it's easier to counter than most."
"Solid."
If Hernando said so, no need to worry.
Yuri stood.
"Alright then..."
The soldier stood in the corner, tray in hand. He flashed an awkward smile as their eyes met.
"Enjoy your meal."
"Yeah."
Morning came.
The Allied Forces didn't rush. They intended honest brute force over tricks. The orcs felt the same.
Allied Forces readied their assault, while the orcs shored up their defenses.
Yuri mounted up and took position with the knight order.
This time, no direct charge. Their role was to skim the enemy lines, drawing eyes.
Of course, they'd plunge in at the first gap.
"Nervous?"
The knights glanced at Yuri's words.
"No need."
He infused his voice with strength to lift the unit's spirits.
"Same as before. Stick close behind me, and it'll all be over before you know it."
With that, Yuri raised his lance. The knights mirrored him, hoisting theirs high.
Brioll's banner whipped in the wind.
"Brioll!"
Yuri's shout ignited the Brioll troops' roar. It echoed across the plains.
The Bursen unit beside them caught fire next, bellowing their own nation's name.
The fervor spread.
Unit by unit, they cried their kingdoms' names, morale surging.
The entire Allied Forces thrummed with energy.
Thirteen nations from across the continent shook the plains in turn.
Yuri shouted again.
"We're vanguard once more. Any complaints?"
"None!"
"Any cowards itching to hide behind someone else's back?"
"None!"
"Arrow-shy cowards here?"
"None!"
"Want to be the first to take orc heads?"
"Yes!"
"Want to wipe out the orc seed for good?"
"Yes!"
"We'll make sure those ugly dog bastards never dare eye Brioll again. Sidor Count won't get his twisted hobbies anymore!"
The knights burst into laughter.
Yuri turned his gaze.
Trumpets blared from the Empire lines.
Battle was on.
Yuri drew a deep breath.
How many would die?
How many soldiers?
Of the knights who'd just laughed, how many?
They had to kill and die.
Watch the dying and the dead.
Could he claim no part in it?
Yuri nudged his horse a step forward.
Two steps, three. Now no one led him.
Standing at the fore.
That was the bare minimum duty he could shoulder.
Yuri charged ahead.
"Brioll!"
His signal unleashed the knights.
Not just Brioll—other knight orders on the same mission speared out from the main body.
A volley of arrows rained from the orc lines.
Yuri wrenched the reins at once. His horse wheeled, and the Brioll knights turned in unison.
Arrows thudded into the path they'd veered from.
"Stay ready!"
The Brioll knights advanced as if charging, then pivoted. They skimmed the orc barricades, galloping sideways.
Up close, the arrows' paths straightened.
"Eyes sharp, follow me!"
Arrows kept hunting the knights. Horse screams and tumbling bodies sounded from behind.
Yuri gritted his teeth, reins clenched.
"Run!"
He glanced back briefly.
Infantry from the main body charged relentlessly. With the knights drawing eyes, the clash had begun.
"Now..."
Fall back to breach the lines the main body cracked, or exploit a gap.
Yuri lifted his eyes.
Defenses thinning bit by bit.
"Your Highness!"
Turning at the call, he saw the Bursen knights—who'd feinted alongside Brioll—closing in.
"Shall we break through together?!"
Yuri couldn't help but grin.
No option like "fall back" for these Bursen knights.
Then Brioll couldn't lag behind.
"You confident?!"
"Absolutely!"
The two knight orders surged side by side.
Leading Bursen was Hose, his massive bulk straining his mount.
Yuri bellowed at him,
"Sir Hose! Your weight tiring the horse, forcing an entry?!"
"Sharp eyes, sire!"
"Better move before it collapses!"
"It's dire!"
"Then let's go!"
"Charge!"
Yuri wheeled his horse's head. Hose followed suit.
They barreled toward the orc barricades side by side. Straight on meant impalement on sharpened stakes.
But they didn't slow.
"Ready?"
Yuri stroked his horse's mane and hooked his lance to the saddle. The trained steed caught his intent and snorted.
The stockade loomed.
Yuri planted a foot on the saddle.
The horse sidestepped.
Yuri vaulted over without hesitation. Hose matched him.
As the horses veered aside, the knights leaped the barricade into the orc camp.
Like a locust swarm descending.
Yuri yelled to his horse,
"Catch you later!"
He rolled once to absorb the impact, then raised Guilty high.