118
My Villains, Chapter 118
31. Phantom Hunter (1)
After deciding to go a bit further into Graduel Mountain, we supplemented our supplies like torches and food. We were prepared to camp out if necessary. Fortunately, it was summer, so we didn't need to bring extra blankets.
After leaving the gate, we took the northern road and climbed the mountain slope.
Graduel Mountain was a mountain with gently curved rocks. Unlike other nearby mountain ranges, it had relatively few thickets.
Perhaps because of this? The mountain pass entrance leading north and the high peak looked tantalizingly close, yet no matter how much we walked, it felt like we never got any closer.
After climbing for about half a day, we were out of breath. As the sun was about to rise overhead, we decided to take a rest.
The leader Amias looked at his companions catching their breath and said,
"Mira and Boonie, go south. Steedman and Cole, go northwest. Jenesa, you're with me in the northeast. Everyone, don't let your guard down even while resting."
As soon as the order was given, the mercenaries scattered, sitting in areas with clear views and keeping watch in all directions.
Initially, they might have looked pathetic, but Amias's group wasn't entirely made up of greenhorns.
The oldest leader Amias and the archer Cole were said to have war experience.
Perhaps because of this, whenever they huddled together and whispered, they seemed to improve in various ways.
Well, it seemed they were trying to prove their worth, but I didn't find it particularly annoying. Instead, their youthful ambition seemed to spread to me, raising my own motivation.
At that moment, Ellen suddenly spoke up.
"That peak."
"Huh? What peak?"
Ellen pointed to the highest peak in the middle of Graduel's three peaks.
"Didn't I tell you before? The flow of magic is strange."
"Oh, so the source is at that peak?"
"I'm not sure it's exactly at the peak, but probably nearby."
Hmm, how strange.
In Chapter 3 of the game, there was no reason to climb this peak. The scenario ended by driving out the Anupads army sitting on the mountain pass.
I gazed at the peak, lost in thought.
"By the way, Ellen."
"Yes?"
"Didn't you say the reason the magic flow became strange is because something is pushing the magic out from there?"
"More or less. Why?"
"It just looks like an ordinary mountain to me."
"Did you think some kind of dimensional rift would appear?"
"Not quite."
The dimensional rift Ellen mentioned refers to a phenomenon where the second dimension becomes close to the current world. It's an extremely rare occurrence, happening only once every 30-40 years.
"We have no way of knowing what phenomenon is happening here. We'd need to climb up there directly."
"Hmm, do you want to?"
"...I'm curious, but it might not be worth risking danger."
While they were talking, Mira with freckles suddenly shouted in a shrill voice,
"Oh, oh! There!"
Everyone's gaze turned to the mountain slope below.
Wait, below? Not above?
"Greenskins!"
"Damn, there are quite a lot."
"Everyone gather!"
Beldin the scribe's warning echoed. Recently, the number of monsters had decreased, but their scale had grown...
While the mercenaries hurriedly took their positions, I surveyed the Greenskins. There seemed to be more than forty goblins and just under twenty orcs.
"Gweoeo eak!"
"Quaksaka!"
The orcs and goblins were screaming loudly and climbing the slope. They seemed to have been eyeing us for a while, charging without hesitation.
Utequais, looking down at them, smiled wickedly.
"Good. Over 100 points."
"Krh, you crazy guy."
I let out a cynical laugh and narrowed my eyes, observing the orcs.
The leader of the group seemed to be an Orc with a face dyed a dark bluish-gray, whether it was a birthmark or paint. Unlike the other poorly armed companions, he was holding a high-quality chain mail armor, a solid metal shield, and a sleek-shaped war hammer.
'Warrior Modor'. In the game, he was the first boss appearing in Chapter 3.
If it's Modor, he should be accompanied by a caster... Well, there's no particularly noticeable one around. What should I do?
Ellen, floating her body, pulled out her wand and said, "This won't do. We need to reduce their numbers first."
"Wait a moment."
"Why?"
After a brief hesitation, I spoke up.
"Use magic when I signal. And, Utequais."
"Speak."
"Protect Ellen."
"Huh?"
His eyes widened, seemingly completely unexpected.
"Me?"
"There are too many goblins. I'll deal with them myself."
I looked directly into Utequais’s pitch-black eyes.
"Absolutely do not let her get hurt."
"...Understood."
As Utequais nodded, the battle began.
The archer Cole fired the first arrow. Perhaps due to previous training? His arrow-drawing posture seemed more stable.
"Kiek!"
As one goblin fell to the arrow, the others screamed like madmen.
"Koagral-!"
"Koag thuchat!"
Though the Greenskins were making a loud noise, the Amias group had already stood shoulder to shoulder, solidifying their defense. They weren't just standing in six, but had blocked the path using small rocks and hollows so that attacks could only come from the front.
However, this is a rocky mountain with little vegetation. Some goblins circled around the steep slope.
As the leader Amias looked surprised by this, I quickly shouted, "Focus on the front! I'll handle that side!"
Simultaneously, I drew Hrunting and charged at the goblins.
"Ardai!"
"Uishal!"
As some of them shouted noisily, those holding bows shot arrows.
Just blocking with a shield deflected most of the arrows. The goblins' crude bows couldn't even scratch the plate armor.
The subsequent collision.
These were small and quick creatures, barely reaching my waist. If Utequais had faced them, he would have been quite wounded.
But for me, with heavy armor and a fast sword, they posed no threat.
"Huup!"
Sliding down the steep slope, I swung my sword.
A white sword flash cut through three goblins, staining them a deep green. Every time the blood-stained blade swayed, two or three goblins would die.
Sometimes there were those who tried to dodge quickly by ducking or leaning back, but they were inevitably caught by the persistently following blade and had their throats slit.
"Yaksa hum!"
"Shahaa!"
Having lost a dozen companions in an instant, the goblins' momentum was broken. I didn't hesitate and spread my hand on the shield.
Kwagak!
A dark green blood shower burst from the steep slope, covering the goblins. Seven or eight fell with their entire bodies in tatters.
"Tovi, tovi!"
"Zork-sha!"
As the goblins were in disarray, the Orcs came huffing and puffing.
"Koagral-!"
"Quaksaka!"
Just before the Orcs charged with momentum,
"Va'arka, ethuron, zaich!,"
A small Orc hiding among his own tribe was whispering in a bizarre voice. Seeing the orange light erupting from his eyes, I immediately shouted,
"Ellen! Target that sorcerer!"
Before my shout could even end, an ice spike was shot from behind.
Ellen's level had risen, and the ice spike had become longer and sharper. The brutal projectile plunged down the mountain slope and instantly pierced the 'Madman Pangkog'.
"Kkeureuk,"
Because blood and air leaked from his pierced throat, Pangkog ultimately failed to cast his spell.
"Pangkog!"
"Koag! Koag tha tzatguwi!"
Enraged Orcs charged forward with savage screams.
About ten or so charged towards the Amias group, while the rest rushed at me.
And at the forefront of those charging at me was the warrior Modor.
"Khg, khuash!"
His face dyed black and savagely white fangs were striking. He raised his shield and charged straight at me.
"Huup,"
I drew my battle spirit. And then, I charged to meet Modor.
Because all the goblins were dead or had fled, Ellen could enjoy a bit of freedom. She was floating about three meters off the ground, looking down the mountainside.
"Koag, shahaa (Die)-!"
The heavily armed Orc Modor collided with Phoenix.
Phoenix, who had grown stronger in recent days, was not pushed back even a bit when clashing with the giant Orc through pure strength.
No, it wasn't just not being pushed back - he was actually gaining the upper hand.
Phoenix easily deflected Modor's hammer and then pierced the neck of the Orc trying to attack from behind.
"Zork, Quaksaka (Damn it, attack)!"
Five Orcs surrounded him and charged with a ferocious momentum.
Then Phoenix moved like a possessed person with a short groan of ‘Hoo’.
He twisted his shoulder to snatch an axe, swept away a shield and hammer, dodged iron clubs with snake-like steps, and then split a spear with his dark green blood-stained blade and stabbed its owner's eyes.
The swordsman full of holes that I saw a few months ago was gone. The current Phoenix was displaying skills worthy of being called a knight.
Even Ellen, who was a novice in martial arts, could see that Phoenix wasn't in much danger. Ellen suppressed her instincts and turned her wand in another direction.
Bang, bang!
Where Ellen looked, angry Orcs were pounding on a shield wall.
"Kwuk! Hold!"
"Damn it, my hand."
The three vanguards seemed preoccupied with holding their ground. The mercenaries behind were busy restraining those trying to attach to the shield wall.
'Much better.'
Ellen thought this and chanted a spell.
"Influ-unt, archuire ensa—ra (Answer, the guardian calls)."
A spell she had now become so familiar with that the inscription was almost ingrained. Two fire arrows rose simultaneously and were immediately shot.
Swoosh!
Like lightning falling from the sky, two streams of fire struck.
"Kuwoeoek!"
Orcs with their upper bodies engulfed in flames screamed. The other Orcs grew even more frenzied and swung their weapons.
"Euk, ooek!"
"Damn it, my strength."
Mira and Steedman, holding shields, were pushed back by the frenzied Orcs and tumbled backward.
At the moment the Orcs were about to assault the mercenaries,
"Die-!"
Bang!
An Orc hit by a huge stone rolled down the slope like a ball.
The barbaric berserker roared while swinging the stone, and Ellen kept shooting fire arrows without pause.
"Shaha! Tovi (Flee)!"
As the Orcs finally retreated, Ellen turned her gaze towards Phoenix.
Other Orcs were already lying as corpses, and only the leader was facing Phoenix.
Kwak!
Phoenix's shield edge struck Modor's pitch-black nose. Modor withstood the shock with his core strength and swung his war hammer with full power.
Boom!
A threatening air-splitting sound.
Though he could have retreated, Phoenix swung his sword to meet it. At the same time, he slightly twisted his torso to deflect the hammer on his armor.
In an ordinary situation, the hammer would have struck the thick shoulder guard at an angle without causing any impact.
However, at the moment of impact, the war hammer glowed with a ‘Woong!’ sound and with a bang!
It deeply dented the black shoulder guard.
"Kkeueuk!"
Surprised by the unexpected shock, Phoenix gritted his teeth and swung Hrunting.
Jjeeoek!
The head of Modor, who had been wearing a triumphant expression, was split in two.