Chapter 14
Chapter 14
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 14
Chapter Title: Slaying the Orc Shaman
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***
“Chwiik—kill them all.”
The orcs' eyes flashed with murderous intent as they indiscriminately massacred the goblins.
Kek! Kek!
Kek—!
The goblins' screams echoed from all directions.
Among the orcs, one that was about 1.5 times larger and held a staff bellowed loudly.
“Kill the humans too! Chwiik chwiik—.”
“Chwiik.”
“Chwiik chwiik—.”
The orcs snorted hot steam from their flared nostrils as they thoroughly ransacked the village.
Boom!
Crash!
Clatter bang—!
Dozens of orcs turned the village into a smoldering ruin, setting it ablaze.
The flames grew fiercer, engulfing the entire village.
Skevin, who had arrived first at the village, roared.
“Attack!”
“Uaaak!”
The Phoenix Knight Order that followed scattered in all directions and launched a counterattack.
Arthur, who had dismounted just before entering the village, drew a dagger from his waist.
He then shouted to the trainees who had also gotten off their horses.
“Search in groups of three!”
“Uaaak!”
They quickly formed groups and dispersed.
Arthur surveyed his surroundings to assess the situation.
He had thought fighting them in the dark would be difficult, but it wasn't.
It was as bright as daylight, and the monsters were visible through the flames.
From the looks of it, the goblins had been nearly wiped out.
The problem was the orcs.
There were dozens of them, swinging massive axe-like weapons without mercy.
But the knights didn't retreat—instead, they bravely cut them down.
That was when it happened.
Bwoooong—!
A horn sounded from somewhere.
Rumble rumble rumble—.
The ground shook as if an earthquake had struck.
“What is it?”
Arthur looked around in slight confusion.
At the base of the mountain ahead, an enormous horde of orcs came charging wildly.
“Hmm…….”
Arthur's face hardened.
Around that time.
“Charge!”
With Skevin's shout, the knights spurred their horses forward and rushed at the orcs.
They unleashed attacks while sweeping through the orc horde.
“Kek!”
Swoosh!
“Kek kek!”
The orcs collapsed helplessly.
This was Arthur's first time witnessing the prowess of the knight order led by Skevin. He hadn't expected them to be terrible, but he hadn't anticipated excellence either.
Yet they exceeded expectations.
The varied tactics they employed in response to the unfolding situation were quite good, and the knights' swordsmanship was outstanding.
‘If only the knights' skills were upgraded further, they could rightly be called the Empire's Spear.’
As Arthur watched silently with a satisfied expression.
“……!”
He sensed killing intent from behind.
He spun around quickly.
A single goblin charged at him, radiating malice.
Arthur dodged to the side and thrust his dagger lightning-fast into the goblin's chest.
Kurk!
As the goblin flopped down, he swiftly slit its throat.
For enemies, there was only death—no hesitation.
After dispatching the goblin in one go, he scanned the surroundings.
Two orcs that had been chasing the goblin approached, exuding fierce killing intent.
“Chwiik, kill.”
“Chwiik, all humans must die.”
Arthur was startled to see the orcs speaking with snorts.
“Monsters that talk?”
“Kill! Chwiik—!”
One raised its axe high and charged.
Arthur didn't blink; he reversed his grip on the dagger and waited for the distance to close.
The orc swung its axe.
Arthur twisted his body to evade while stabbing the dagger into the orc's neck.
He then rushed at the remaining one.
“Chwiik! Die!”
The orc swung its axe wildly.
Arthur easily dodged the attacks while striking the vital points with his fists.
Thud!
He followed with a kick.
Bang!
A heavy impact resounded, and the orc staggered back.
“Chwiik chwiik! It hurts!”
Even after precise hits to the solar plexus and side, it didn't fall.
“Real tough as rocks.”
Arthur landed a few more punches and kicks, but they had no effect.
He realized bare hands wouldn't work.
“Test over—now die.”
Without mercy, he plunged the dagger into the orc's heart.
“Kurk.”
The orc flopped down.
Arthur shifted his gaze to the battlefield.
The trainees were engaging the orcs as well.
A single trainee couldn't handle an orc alone, but in groups of three, they took them down easily.
However, as time passed, the number of injured increased.
He decided to quickly find and eliminate their commander before their side suffered more casualties.
Arthur scanned the orc horde thoroughly.
He spotted one issuing orders under the orcs' protection.
The ones guarding it looked stronger than the others.
It seemed perfect for testing the results of the past week's training.
‘Wonder how much stronger I've gotten.’
He charged toward them.
Attacks from orcs came from all sides during his approach.
But thanks to Sensory Awakening, their assaults posed no threat.
He dodged lightly while stabbing and thrusting with the dagger.
The orcs fell powerlessly.
The trainees who saw this gaped in astonishment.
“N-No way…….”
They couldn't believe a person could move that fast.
The knights were beyond surprised—they were shocked.
They marveled at Arthur's elusive movements, but even more at how he targeted vitals to fell them in one strike.
They had never seen such attacks.
Moreover, he didn't look strained; a smile played on his lips as if he were enjoying it.
Under the blazing sunlight, the red hex hat he wore stood out intensely.
Each time the skull on the hat reflected the light, it seemed to smile.
Even though he was an ally, it was chilling.
“Y-Young Master…….”
At that moment.
Skevin, surrounded and pressured by orcs on horseback, leaped off swiftly and swung his sword.
“Haaap!”
Blue aura erupted from the sword like an explosion.
The attacking orcs had limbs severed and collapsed.
“……!”
Skevin's eyes widened.
The aura was much denser than before, and above all, he had felled four in one strike.
Thinking it might be luck, he swung again.
Slash!
The same result. The orcs in front collapsed helplessly.
“This is…….”
As Skevin reeled in shock.
“Chwiiiiiik—!”
A sharp scream echoed.
Everyone's gazes snapped toward the sound.
There stood Arthur, having plunged a dagger into the orc shaman's head.
“Gasp!”
Mouths dropped open.
“Y-Young Master…….”
Even Skevin stammered in astonishment.
The orc shaman dropped the staff it cherished like life itself and toppled backward like a felled tree.
Thud!
Arthur yanked the dagger from the shaman's head and shouted loudly.
“Sweep them away!”
“Uaaak!”
The knights roared in unison.
A tremendous momentum crashed over the orcs like a tidal wave, unleashing merciless attacks.
Without their commander, the orcs were little more than a rabble.
The knights slaughtered them without quarter.
The survivors scattered into the mountains, but the knights pursued and killed them to the last.
One hour later.
All the monsters that had raided the village were eliminated, their corpses piled like mountains.
Skevin approached Arthur.
“Cleanup is complete.”
“Any casualties on our side?”
“No deaths. Three seriously wounded, seventeen lightly—total twenty.”
“All trainees, right?”
“Yes.”
Skevin's demeanor was exceedingly polite.
Facing nearly two hundred monsters with such minimal losses was thanks to Arthur eliminating the shaman.
He had expected Skevin to be stronger, but not to this degree.
The orcs around the shaman, called battle orcs, were twice as strong as regular ones.
Even the knights hesitated to attack without pairing up.
Yet he had taken down five alone.
Without proper protective gear, just with a dagger.
Could I have done it?
He could have defeated them, but he wouldn't have dreamed of facing them without armor.
It was beyond impressive—it bordered on madness.
“I'll head back with the trainees, so finish up and return.”
Arthur turned and signaled the trainees with a hand gesture.
They mounted their horses in unison.
Arthur hopped onto one of theirs and left the village.
Skevin watched his receding figure, his face filled with admiration.
He vowed once more.
‘I will definitely be chosen by the Young Master.’
***
“You must have many takeaways from today's battle. Rest from training today and sort out your thoughts. Dismissed!”
“Uaaak!”
The trainees' faces brimmed with awe for Arthur as they responded.
His figure battling the orcs was peerlessly brave and chillingly ruthless.
A devil!
That's how he must have appeared in the orcs' eyes.
When he pinned the shaman's head with the dagger while massacring them unilaterally!
A thrill ran through their bodies.
It was like seeing the heroic figure they had only imagined.
Even Skevin and the knights dispatched orcs one-sidedly, but none left as profound an impression as Arthur.
Through this battle, Arthur became their idol.
With an idol born, the trainees also confirmed how much stronger they had become.
Though they fought orcs in groups of three, it was unimaginable before.
Even more astonishing was that they had felled orcs.
At first, they thought it coincidence, but as they fought, they realized they had grown beyond imagination.
Orcs were no longer objects of fear.
This was all thanks to Arthur.
They were confident they would soon become full knights and join the 1st Phoenix Knight Order.
‘We will follow you faithfully.’
They gazed at him reverently until he disappeared from the training ground.
Arthur, atop the ramparts, silently stared toward the western mountains.
Battling the monsters had allowed him to evaluate the knights' and trainees' training progress.
Physically, no issues, but technically and tactically, much room for improvement.
Fortunately, no fatalities, but one village lay in ruins because of them.
This must never happen again.
The solution was monster subjugation.
“Need to push harder.”
As Arthur's eyes grew cold.
He sensed a presence behind him.
Thanks to Sensory Awakening, he could even discern the nature of the aura.
Gentle yet powerfully strong—it felt like Millerph.
Sure enough.
Millerph approached and bowed politely.
“I heard. Your first deployment today.”
“Not deployment—training.”
“I see.”
Millerph smiled.
Arthur, still facing the western mountains, asked.
“How much longer?”
“Probably two more days.”
“Hurry as much as possible. Who knows when they'll come down again.”
“Yes.”
After responding, Millerph glanced at the dagger at Arthur's waist.
“Was it tough fighting them?”
“Not really.”
“You'll learn swordsmanship from now on, then.”
“No.”
“……?”
Millerph tilted his head.
“Swords don't suit me.”
“Then you'll fight with just the dagger?”
“Probably.”
“Hmm.”
A dagger alone wouldn't suffice against enemies.
Considering the upcoming territory war with Yarve Count, he needed a sword or something equivalent.
“Do you have a weapon in mind? I can find it for you.”
“You won't find it.”
“……?”
“It doesn't exist in this world.”
“What do you…….”
Arthur turned to Millerph with a wry smile.
“I'll handle it.”
“If you insist, why not visit the village blacksmith?”
“Village blacksmith?”
Wesley's words suddenly came to mind.
—If something unfortunate happens to me and you need help, go to the blacksmith Ban in the village. He'll lend his strength.
“Ban, you mean?”
“Yes. His family inherited techniques and alchemy from the dwarves, so he can make what you desire.”
“Dwarf techniques…….”
It sparked hope that he might create it.
‘If I have that…….’
Nothing would be fearsome.
“I need to meet him right away.”