Chapter 22
Chapter 22
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 22
Chapter Title: Slaying the Cadrazin
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***
At that moment.
Arthur cleaved through the underbrush with his kukri, racing toward somewhere deep in the forest.
A full-grown ogre stood nearly ten meters tall.
But the ones that had appeared were only half that height.
They were still in their growth phase.
Like the orc shamans, these ogres had a leader directing them.
If that leader was here too, it had to be killed before it matured.
A fully grown one would spell disaster.
Its punches could smash an armored vehicle, and its body was so tough that even autocannons and missiles couldn't bring it down.
The silver lining was that, like the others, its vital points were the same.
First, blind it by attacking the eyes, then sever the cluster of nerves at the nape of its neck.
Once it was immobilized, destroy the brain.
In truth, targeting the head of a creature over ten meters tall wasn't easy.
It was even harder in this gunless world.
That's why it had to be eliminated before it reached maturity.
As Arthur barreled through the thickets without pause—
“……!”
He came to an abrupt halt and crouched low.
‘This smell…….’
It was like the stench from a sewer.
Mixed in was an unforgettable reek once you'd caught a whiff.
It was that monster's scent.
He didn't know what it was called here, but back on Earth, it was known as a Cadrazin.
‘Is that it?’
Arthur peered intently toward the source of the odor.
A moment later.
A massive monster burst through the dense trees.
A horned ogre—a Cadrazin!
‘It’s finally here.’
As expected, it was in its juvenile stage.
Murderous intent flashed in Arthur's eyes. If he failed to kill it today, catastrophe awaited.
It had to die.
Arthur gripped his kukri tightly and scanned the surroundings.
He mapped out a path to its head in his mind. Then he swiftly climbed the largest tree along its route.
He held his breath, waiting for it to draw near.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Its footsteps grew closer.
After a few seconds—
“Grraaah…….”
It let out a bizarre groan as it passed right beneath him.
‘Now!’
Arthur leaped onto it.
The moment he landed on its shoulder, it stopped and slowly turned its head.
The instant their eyes met—its snake-like pupils locking onto his!
Arthur kicked off and plunged the kukri into its eye.
Splat!
Green blood sprayed everywhere as it shrieked.
“RAAAAAGH!”
Arthur twisted the kukri in its eye socket before darting to the nape.
There, protruding prominently in the center, was its one vital point.
A dense bundle of nerves!
Destroy that, and it was done.
As Arthur gripped the kukri sideways to strike down—
“RAAAAAGH!”
It sensed him and thrashed wildly.
“Damn it!”
Arthur tumbled off.
Boom!
“Urgh!”
A gut-wrenching pain surged through him, like his organs were churning.
At least he'd minimized the impact on the way down—small mercy.
“RAAAAAGH!”
It whirled around, and their gazes met through its remaining eye.
It raised a foot and stomped down with full force.
Arthur gritted his teeth and rolled aside.
Boom!
He sprang up and bolted toward a cluster of trees.
He ducked behind one, unslung the Cheytac from his shoulder, and drew it.
“I’ll smash that other eye too.”
He loaded a bead and steadied his breath.
“Grraaak! Grraaak!”
The beast rampaged madly, snapping every tree in its path as it pursued him.
A moment later.
Its roars and footsteps halted abruptly.
‘Now!’
Arthur burst out.
He aimed the Cheytac at the Cadrazin’s face.
The scope caught its bloodshot red eye—he squeezed the trigger.
Bang!
Splorch!
Green blood erupted like a fountain, coating its face.
“RAAAAAAGH!”
It bellowed in rage.
Arthur seized the moment, scrambling up a tree and launching himself at it again.
He landed near the nape and drove the kukri down with all his might.
Crack!
“Damn it!”
Unlike the ones he'd fought on Earth, this one's hide was ironclad—and it wasn't even fully grown.
“You think I’ll give up?!”
Arthur summoned his mana.
A reddish aura shimmered around the kukri like a haze.
Power surged through his body.
“Pierce!”
He slammed the kukri down.
Crunch-!
Green blood gushed as it howled.
“RAAAAAAAAGH!”
Arthur yanked the kukri free and heaved downward.
The beast toppled forward like a felled dead tree, legs splayed.
Boom-!
“Gah, krrk!”
The impact jolted through Arthur as he fell with it, but he endured and stood.
He wrenched the kukri from the nape and positioned himself before its head.
Its nerves severed, it couldn't move.
Keeping it in sight, he reloaded the Cheytac with a bead. Then he jammed the muzzle into its maw and growled.
“Die.”
Bang!
Its skull exploded like a watermelon.
“Whew.”
As Arthur exhaled—
“RAAAAAGH!”
Far off, a Cadrazin—no, an ogre's roar echoed.
He knew that sound all too well; he could guess the situation.
The furious bellow of peak rage.
It was at its most ferocious now.
Arthur's face hardened as he sprinted toward the orc habitat.
‘Just hold on a little longer.’
***
“Damn it! Our attacks aren’t landing at all!”
“Fall back, everyone.”
Skevin issued the order, then shouted at Millerph.
“Cover us!”
“Got it.”
Millerph hurled a Fire Lance at the ogre Skevin was charging toward.
“Grraaak!”
As it howled and flailed, Skevin scaled its knee and climbed swiftly upward.
Landing on its shoulder, he stabbed its eye just like before. Then he darted to the nape and plunged his sword into the vital point.
“RAAAAAGH!”
It collapsed with a wretched scream.
Thud!
Two left now.
“Huff, huff. Almost there.”
Skevin panted raggedly as he rushed toward the one Herot was facing.
“Cover me!”
“Yes, sir!”
Herot yanked up a tree twice his girth.
“Please! Just die already.”
He swung it at the ogre with everything he had.
As it staggered back—
Skevin, who had climbed the tree, dropped down and smashed his sword into its head.
“Die!”
Sploosh!
Green blood sprayed over his face.
“Grraaak! Grraaak! Grraaak!”
The ogre thrashed insanely.
Skevin clung to his sword, but the swing of another ogre's arm sent him hurtling to the ground.
Smack!
“Argh!”
As he screamed in agony, the ogre he'd attacked lurched and collapsed onto him.
“Damn it!”
It felt like his ribs had shattered— even slight movement stabbed like a dagger.
Herot saw Skevin pinned and rushed over.
“Captain!”
“Stay back!”
Just as the ogre was about to crush Skevin, Herot dove in and pulled him free.
“RAAAAAGH!”
But Skevin rolled on the ground, writhing in torment.
Millerph rushed up and cast a healing spell.
Skevin recovered miraculously fast and stood—physical wounds mended, but the mental shock lingered.
He still couldn't use mana.
“Just one left.”
Herot glared at the final ogre, radiating killing intent.
Its aura intensified, then it unleashed a roar.
“KYAAAAAAAAGH!”
“What the—?!”
The knights clutched their ears, grimacing as if their eardrums might burst.
The ogre stood still after its cry.
It wore an expression like it was waiting for something—everyone exchanged puzzled looks.
A moment later.
The ground trembled as the fleeing orcs swarmed back in droves.
“What?!”
“Why are these bastards back?!”
Faces hardened at the orcs' return.
Millerph recalled one of the ogre’s abilities upon seeing it.
“It’s summoning the orcs. It can control lesser monsters.”
“Damn it!”
Skevin scowled and bellowed.
“Knight Order! Charge!”
“Kill them all!”
The knights, who’d been forced to watch helplessly, charged with fire in their eyes.
They unleashed merciless attacks, venting their frustration.
“Chiiik! Kill them all!”
“Chiiik! Kill the humans or we die!”
The orcs fought back with desperate fury.
A fierce clash erupted between the knights and orcs.
Meanwhile, the ogre alternated glares between Skevin and Millerph, exuding malice.
As if it knew who its real opponents were.
“Count on you again.”
“Buy me time.”
Millerph extended his staff toward it and murmured a low runic incantation.
Flames blazed fiercely from the staff head.
This was on another level from his previous spells.
As he prepared, Skevin and Herot drew the ogre’s attention.
Seconds later—
“Fire Rain!”
Millerph’s shout rang out.
A massive fireball shot skyward, then rained down like hail.
A full 6th-circle spell.
As the ogre fixated on the fireballs, Skevin charged.
Believing this his final strike, he poured every ounce of strength into it.
His black hair turned snow-white as a deep blue aura cloaked his sword.
As the fireballs pelted the ogre, he swung.
“Die!”
Shing-.
The heavy arc sliced through both its legs effortlessly.
“RAAAAAAGH!”
It screamed as its legs severed, toppling sideways.
Skevin rushed its face without pause, thrusting at the eye.
Just before the blade struck—
“Urk!”
Its hand clamped around him.
Immense pressure crushed in.
His body felt like it would burst.
Millerph saw it but had exhausted his mana on the spell.
“Damn!”
“Captain!”
Herot snatched Skevin’s fallen sword and charged the ogre.
But he too was seized.
Crack!
Bones snapped as Herot screamed.
“RAAAAAAGH!”
Both in dire peril.
The Devil Squad and knights were too busy with the orc horde to notice.
“No choice.”
Millerph steeled himself, slammed his staff into the ground, and spread his arms wide.
“O light of life~ Descendant of the World Tree, I beseech thee…….”
The staff glowed brightly as energy drained from his heart—
Bang!
‘That sound!’
Millerph’s eyes lit up.
The ogre’s eye exploded, and it shrieked.
“RAAAAAGH!”
In agony, it hurled Skevin to the ground.
Bang!
Its remaining eye burst.
“Grraaak! Grraaak!”
It flung Herot too, rolling madly.
Millerph halted his spell and turned toward the sound.
From the pitch-black forest, Arthur emerged.
Drenched head to toe in green blood, he gripped his kukri and charged the ogre like a bolt.
His eyes, brimming with killing intent, evoked the Death Knights dubbed 'warriors of evil'—chillingly so.
“Y-Young Master…….”
Tears streamed down Millerph’s face, overcome with emotion.