Chapter 64
Chapter 64
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 64
Chapter Title: Piercing the Orc Encirclement
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Having evaded the orcs by reading the terrain of the land and surrounding forest, along with the scents and sounds, Baukalrak halted his advance just before the Beast Forest.
"From here on, we can't secure enough distance to avoid the orcs. They're crawling all over the place. Kruk."
At Baukalrak's words, Beskin spoke with a hint of regret.
"Orcs crawling everywhere... I never imagined they'd deploy so much force to the Beast Forest just to block us. I didn't know that orc we saw back then was so meticulous."
I shook my head, correcting Beskin's assumption.
"That's not it, Beskin."
"Pardon? Then why deploy so much force here specifically?"
Of course, Beskin had a point, but the Hatan I'd seen wasn't the type for such airtight precision.
Given Hatan's temperament from back then, it was more likely...
"They're preparing for war with the elves. Elves aren't 'humans,' after all."
If Hatan had succeeded in subjugating the southern Dragon Mountains region, the elves in the rear would be the biggest obstacle of all.
Especially Minerva, who could take on the chieftains of the great elven villages and make them fold ten times over.
She'd be a massive hindrance to unifying the orcs north of the mountains.
'Preparing for war against Minerva, one of the Thrones' masters...'
This implied two things.
First, Hatan's level was higher than expected.
Second, the number of orc tribes he'd rallied was greater than anticipated.
No matter how fast Hatan had grown, he couldn't have reached Minerva's level, who was already seated on her Throne.
Yet preparing for war meant that, even if Hatan himself wasn't aware, his 'orcs' deemed themselves a match for the 'elves.'
Regardless of actual power metrics, Hatan's ability to swiftly conquer orcs and his bold, wagering nature marked him as a born overlord.
One capable of ruining not just our house's future, but the kingdom's.
In that case, I couldn't afford to stay cautious forever.
Kwak!
My fist clenched naturally.
"Sir Beskin, Saladin. Prepare for battle."
"Planning a forced breakthrough, young master?"
Beskin asked as he drew his sword.
"If Hatan's gearing up to invade the elves, we have no more time. We need to settle this here before things worsen."
"Yeah, roll the dice. Let's see how far they roll."
Saladin, looking as if he'd cast everything aside, began operating his enhanced Mimir and Nene.
"Baukalrak, bring Miron and follow behind us. You're in no shape for combat right now."
"Krruk. Got it."
Baukalrak, fully aware of his own state, piggybacked Miron without protest.
"Alright, let's move. Baukalrak, where's the thinnest part of their encirclement?"
Baukalrak closed his eyes, flared his nostrils, and focused.
A moment later.
"Kruk. That way."
Following Baukalrak's guidance, our group raised our combat readiness and began advancing slowly.
I'd wanted to avoid fighting if possible.
But in this urgent situation, even I had no intention of evading any longer.
I am Steel.
In my past life, I was one of the continent's finest in chaotic melees.
Shyna was a rookie ranger assigned to an elf ranger unit just ten years ago.
In the human world, that'd make her a seasoned veteran, but to long-lived elves, ten years marked her as a total greenhorn.
She should still be shadowing veteran rangers to learn the forest's ways, but the Beast Forest's dire state left no such luxury.
The orcs encroaching on their territory had grown numerous lately.
Before long, even rookies like Shyna had to stand watch amid the powder-keg tension.
True, compared to veterans, she handled lighter orc presence areas, but it was still a battlefield.
A single doze could spell disaster, so she strained to keep her eyes wide open.
Yet she couldn't stifle the yawns from prolonged duty.
"Haaah... Damn orcs, why'd they suddenly go berserk... Huh?"
Rookie or not, Shyna was an elf ranger.
Her visual acuity outshone ordinary elves.
So spotting the distant commotion wasn't odd.
Still, she rubbed her eyes.
"Ugh, too exhausted lately. Hallucinating now."
Slap! Slap!
She roughly smacked her cheeks.
How tired must she be to see illusions?
This was wartime.
Mistakes weren't forgivable.
Now sharper, Shyna focused on the distant 'phenomenon.'
A moment later.
Her mouth slowly gaped open.
"Th-that..."
Stammering briefly, Shyna urgently yanked the leaf whistle from her chest and blew hard.
Piiiieek!
The high-frequency only elves could hear spread outward.
Not content with the signal, she spun and rushed to alert veteran rangers.
It wasn't orcs charging, but something equally bizarre.
Beyond her judgment.
Behind her retreating back.
In the distance—no, closer now—orc heads were exploding one after another.
In the pitch-black forest, devoid of light.
Yet more events unfolded there than ever before.
"Chwiik!!"
The blocking orc swung his axe fiercely.
The axe tattoo on his neck marked him as an elite from the Red Axe tribe.
Great village orcs, each rivaling trolls in might.
But that was until moments ago.
Perseok!
Now, with his head burst, he was just a corpse—nothing more, nothing less.
"Krr. Mixed in with the orc scent is something else! Just 300 meters ahead lies elf territory!"
Orcs everywhere and the darkness made navigation tough, but Baukalrak's keen nose from the rear guided us flawlessly.
"Chwiiik!"
As we broke through relentlessly, a massive orc appeared—one unseen before.
A head taller than others, clearly a frontline commander against the elves.
Unlike regular orcs, one hand held a shield, the other a greatsword.
"This, place! Cannot, pass! King's, plan. Chwiik! Disrupt, no!"
Hatan's plan.
Deal with pesky southern elves, then push into northern human lands.
The south was blocked by our pact, so northward it was.
'Can't let that happen.'
Though hitting only the Holy Empire would be ideal.
I poured Steel into my right hand, stomped hard, and accelerated.
"Chwiiik! Hu-man! Kill!"
The commander shielded himself and swung his massive blade.
Deceptively swift for his bulk.
A credible threat. But it couldn't pierce my Steel.
Alone, I might've ignored it as before, smashing heads.
But...
I wasn't alone.
Orcs lunged from my left as I charged undeterred.
Chwaaaaak!
The left-side orcs collapsed mid-leap.
Frozen necks dropping, not a drop of blood spilled.
The Ice Knight, Beskin, covered my left flank.
"Chwiiiik! Human, strange, technique, chwik!"
The commander tried ordering at Beskin, who'd decapitated his allies.
"Chwiik! Th-that human too, to-ge-...?!"
Mid-sentence, the orc stiffened with a thud.
Saladin's Nene poison from the right rear was corroding him.
"Whew, with a sturdy tank like you, poisoning's a breeze."
Saladin's unexpected leisure irked me.
"What're you doing? Table's set—do your thing. Go smash its head."
Saladin just jerked his chin with an annoying smirk.
...We were piercing their lines easier than expected, so I should be pleased.
'But seeing him comfy pisses me off for some reason.'
Perseok!
With Nene locking its movement, I dispatched the commander easily. We pressed toward elf territory.
"Krruk. We're clear now. No orc scents around."
Baukalrak confirmed after sniffing grass, trees, and earth thoroughly.
We'd reached elf domain.
But no relaxing yet.
"No time. Once Hatan learns we broke through, he'll chase."
Hatan, prepping war with elves, would accelerate if humans infiltrated.
A human-elf alliance would jeopardize his expansion rear.
"Time crunch aside, where to? Think the Beast Forest is your backyard?"
Saladin, guarding rear via strings, retorted.
"Don't worry. Guides are coming. Ah, here they are."
"Guides? You already coordinated with the elves?"
"Not exactly, but look."
I pointed to treetops.
Elves encircled us, one knee bent, bows drawn taut.
"See? Our guides to the queen have arrived."
"...Since when do 'guides' mean elf rangers?"
"Uh... now?"
Saladin, Beskin, Baukalrak—even Miron—glared sourly.
Hey.
Result matters. If they take us to Minerva, they're guides.
What's their deal?
"Who are you?"
The elf rangers, alerted by Shyna's report, had witnessed our rampage.
Great village orcs were mountain powerhouses even elf rangers struggled with.
Elites rivaled trolls; grunts fought with tribal pride, making them thorny foes.
Yet a tiny group under ten pierced their heavy encirclement.
The good don't come; the come aren't good.
Unknown motives for invading elf turf, but if trouble...
Elves braced for casualties today.
Thus, bows stayed trained despite our orc-clearing aid.
"I am Jerome. By Bakkus von Carviot, ruler of Banten, I come to audience with your queen, Minerva."
I raised arms, signaling no hostility.
Elves' queen loyalty absolute.
Mentioning her would at least get a hearing.
But their reaction was odd.
"Jerome...? Rings a bell."
"Ah! The human Ash captain mentioned?"
"The one key to saving the princess?"
Murmurs rose.
At my name, wary glares melted into fondness.
"Oh! Young master Jerome! Sorry we didn't recognize you."
The lead elf, who'd questioned us bow-first, leaped down.
Like reuniting with an old friend, I asked back.
"Do you know me?"
He laughed heartily.
"Hahaha! Of course! Who forgets their lifesaver? Without you, I'd be ashes from that dwarf mage's flames back then—with the ogre."
Ah.
The elf I saved fighting the dwarf mage and ogre.
Face seemed familiar.
"No time here—come with us. Not just Ash captain; the princess misses you too."
He gestured; encircling elves eased bows.
They posted rear guards, then slowly led us to their village.