Chapter 37
Chapter 37
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 37
Chapter Title: The Empire's Monsters
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Days before Jerome arrived in Jaun and began his search for Miron.
Ribbit, ribbit.
Even the Dragon Mountains, infamous among humans, were only so by human standards.
Nature's laws still held sway in these treacherous peaks.
A foolish frog, forgetting to hibernate in the cold, croaked its last at a pond when an unwelcome guest approached.
Slither, slither.
The cautious predator struck swiftly from behind the dim-witted, pitiful frog.
Shaaaa!!
Chomp!
After devouring the frog and a few other creatures,
the predator, lucky enough never to have failed a hunt that day, slithered out of the pond in high spirits.
Or tried to.
Kuuuung!
Splat.
Under mysterious massive footsteps, the snake predator was flattened without even realizing it had died.
Likewise, the footsteps' owner didn't notice the mere insect of a snake.
"Ugh, it's cold. Damn it. This idiot lump would more than suffice, so why the hell does the boss insist on sending me all the way?"
A small figure atop the giant silhouette grumbled, but the voice was drowned out by the thunderous steps.
"Goddamn it."
The footsteps headed to the eastern edge of the Dragon Mountains' end, the fringes of Dalton Kingdom.
Jaun.
The long night passed, and our group finished preparations to head to Banten.
Ash and the ranger unit checked Longbow's condition and stocked arrows, while Saladin meticulously inspected Mimi and Nene's weapons and states.
And me too.
Steel
Iron Body (Stage 2)
As I circulated Steel, I felt my body harden from every corner.
'This confirms I've solidly reached stage 2.'
While journeying to find Milia, I'd passed the new year and turned sixteen.
Merely sixteen.
At that young age, I'd completed stage 2, Iron Body.
In my past life, I hadn't even awakened to Heterogenous Powers yet.
Plus, this unidentified aura.
Now, no average Sword Expert could touch me.
Maybe a top-tier Sword Expert or a 6th-circle mage equivalent.
Unless Camille the Duke went mad and sent the 4th Star Knight Order, any half-baked pursuit force was something I could smash and spare change.
Yeah.
'Now's the time to fully reveal my changed self.'
The moment had arrived. Once this was over, no one would treat me like a bug anymore.
The true starting point to change those days when my family and kingdom crumbled while I achieved nothing.
I steeled myself and opened the door.
"Let's go."
Time to cross the final hurdle of this journey.
Outside Jaun's gates.
Our fully prepared group rode nonstop along the highway.
How far had we gone?
Even on a remote stretch far from Jaun with no signs of people, nothing suspicious appeared. Right then.
"Hmm, we've come plenty far. Think that princess or whatever didn't send pursuers?"
Saladin uttered that remark.
"Stay sharp. We're almost there."
"Huh?"
I shot a glare at Saladin, still oblivious to his blunder.
And sure enough.
"500 meters ahead. Something blocking the road. Size suggests a boulder."
Ash eyed the obstacle on the highway.
A boulder. No way one just appeared in the middle of this deserted road.
"Everyone, battle ready!"
As I shouted, the elf rangers summoned spirits and nocked arrows to longbows, just like everyone else thought the same.
Ready to loose at any ambushing forces.
But.
We'd prepared for hidden enemies around the road, yet no arrow flew even as we reached the boulder's front.
"Did a rock really roll here?"
Saladin said, puzzled.
Something's off.
The anomaly hit 100 meters from Ash's spot.
Twitch!
The boulder slowly moved.
No, not a boulder.
'It' wore black armor mimicking rock, but was a living being.
Standing, 'it' neared 5 meters tall.
"Roooaaarrr!!"
A powerful presence echoing like the High Orc Hatan I'd fought before filled the road.
Less oppressive than Hatan's, but far more savage.
"...An ogre?!"
One elf ranger blurted in disbelief.
"Whoa! What the hell? An ogre? Did the Holy Empire tame this? They're going all out now?"
Saladin beside couldn't hide his shock either.
Yeah.
It was shocking. Even I was, though for different reasons.
'The monster unit's already combat-ready?!'
Livia, called the Demon Pope in my past life.
Not just for conquering the continent.
Even as a 'Holy' Empire, they mass-produced war machines that made black mages weep.
Monster units deployed at this stage already.
'They're far more prepared than I thought.'
The Holy Empire had readied for war much sooner than expected.
I revised my thoughts but stayed calm.
Even a monster unit ogre.
Just one? No way we'd lose with this force.
As I thought that, the ogre slowly opened its mouth.
"Tch, boiled grubs. What the hell were you doing in Jaun to show up slacking like this?"
"The ogre talks?!"
Saladin yelped in surprise.
As if.
In my past life, even during the great war, no tales of monster units speaking.
Then, a small silhouette emerged from the ogre's nape.
Of course.
"Daring to keep me waiting. You've got resolve, I assume?"
A dwarf appeared from behind the ogre.
Its appearance wasn't threatening at all.
"What, that's the whole pursuit force?"
One elf ranger muttered in absurdity.
Ogres were threats to normals.
To forest-born elves, just risky boars they met often.
Plus just one dwarf.
As the rangers unwittingly relaxed,
the dwarf slowly raised its right hand.
Whoosh!
A massive crimson flame formed before its hand.
The flame shot toward the muttering elf.
"!"
Boom!
The flame engulfed the elf's spot with a fierce blast.
Crackle, crackle.
When smoke cleared, no elf ranger—but me.
No time to warn; I'd shoved the elf aside with Steel active and blocked the flame.
Smoking hem. Steel protected my body unscathed.
But if the elf had taken it? Vaporized to ash.
"Oh? Blocked that?"
The dwarf atop the ogre's shoulder reacted with surprise.
"Whoa, whoa. Impressed. Thought it'd end with offing some pointy-eared bugs."
I brushed off lingering embers trying to reignite my clothes and glared at the dwarf.
No incantation or prayer—just instant flame generation.
And its vicious persistence to burn targets.
I knew who wielded such flames.
Crude compared to hers, like a chick's blood.
Still, this method.
Undeniably.
Identical to Viscount Wendinel, Crimson Flame Mage's fire magic.
In my past life, when Holy Empire paladins' auras overwhelmed my Steel.
That flame searing past skin into my guts.
The chilling sensation lingered vividly.
The continent dubbed her Crimson Flame Mage for her unique flames.
How does this dwarf know the method?
The ogre resembled past monster units, and this dwarf too.
Both akin to Holy Empire's great war debuts.
No, both crude.
Ogre creakier than past ones, dwarf's flame lukewarm.
Prototypes, if anything.
Guess I must visit Ballista later.
Camille the Duke sent both. His territory held the answers.
Of course, first.
Subdue that dwarf.
The dwarf muttered, stroking its chin.
"Blocked my flame. Hmm, let's see... Not long-ears, so no elf... Saladin the puppeteer Black Lion's a puppet-playing scrub... Aha."
The dwarf nodded, belatedly grasping my identity.
"You're the 'bug' leeching off the Shield Family?"
Twitch.
A vein bulged on my forehead at the dwarf's words, but it ignored it.
"Whoa, the boss was right—something to you after all? Got some tricks. My flame ain't easy."
Clap!
The dwarf, self-amusing, clapped lazily.
"Eh, fine. Outcome won't change anyway. Tia?"
The ogre responded.
"Grar?"
The dwarf pointed at Milia.
"Kill everyone but that pretty elf."
Then.
"Roooaaarrr!!"
Thud thud thud thud thud!
With the dwarf's decree, the ogre charged.
But elves weren't fools.
"All units, disperse! Open distance, turn the ogre into a pincushion!"
Ash yelled at the approaching ogre; rangers reacted instantly.
Fighting close-range was idiotic.
Especially a possibly Empire-modified one—drain its strength safely.
The ogre pursued but—
Clang!
Unrepaired Mimi and Nene hampered it.
"Called you scrubs!!"
For some reason furious, Saladin's control made Mimi and Nene fiercer than usual.
Nene's hands wielded venom; green gas darkened to black.
Mimi matched: tongue blade first, then Shatter spraying hidden weapons from joints like mad, tormenting the ogre.
Seizing the opening, distancing elves intercepted.
Twang! Twang!
Ting! Ting!
Elf arrows bore faint auras but barely scratched the ogre.
Its tough hide plus thick armor.
"Stand aside."
Ash stepped front, drawing her bow.
Creak.
Her longbow, twice thicker than others, drew.
Her arrow flew at the ogre.
Thud!
Pierced unlike others, but shoulder-blocked—no major damage.
Seemed elves and Saladin needed time for the ogre.
While assessing—
Step, step.
The dwarf dismounted the ogre's shoulder, approaching me slowly.
"Let's have our fun, you and me?"
Fwoosh!
The dwarf grinned, flames rising.
"Favor: don't die easy. Been ages since one endured my flame."
A small flame shot from it at me.
Fwoom!
"Damn it! What the hell are the Empire bastards making?!"
Saladin bellowed in frustration.
The ogre, thought an easy mark, proved tougher.
Ogres were simple brutes by size and strength.
Thus, not hard for human-combat specialists like elves or him.
Just time-consuming.
But this one differed. Crude but disciplined moves like a knight cadet.
If they breed an army of these...!!
Continent kingdoms might crumble under Empire boots.
Saladin unwittingly worried for Jerome.
From actions, dwarf held higher rank obviously.
And that flame.
Chantless, intense heat.
Unfavorable matchup for close-range Jerome.
Hurry, kill this monster, aid Jerome.
Sure, he treated people like dogs, picked snide barbs, flipped clothes.
But first friend-like guy.
Saladin desperately maneuvered Mimi and Nene against the ogre.
"Damn! Drop already, you freak... Huh?"
A glimpse of Jerome made Saladin blurt dumbly.
"Fuck, what."
Jerome vs. dwarf veered unexpectedly.
The dwarf's flame sped at me.
Hot even at distance. Normal person? Instant ash.
Saladin might've struggled against it.
Mimi and Nene weak to fire.
But.
"Hup!"
I deeply breathed, surged Iron Fist, punched hard right.
Bang!
Flames enveloping me scattered in rings from my fist.
"...!"
Like blocking for the elf—easier even—dwarf's flame extinguished.
Dwarf's eyes widened slightly in shock.
No need to be that surprised.
"Hey, Holy Empire lackey. One question."
Twitch.
Vein on dwarf's forehead.
"...Heh, sure. Last words for a soon-dead fool. Speak."
I countered while snuffing embers.
"Who taught you that flame?"
Camille was knight-typical. Meant Ballista had a flame user.
Not Wendinel. She was from a fallen nation.
Another unknown?
"Hahaha, curious about that?"
Dwarf laughed heartily.
"Fine, promise kept."
Dwarf's hand moved; shaped flame assaulted again.
"After turning you to ash first!"
Fwoooosh!