Chapter 17
Chapter 17
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 17
Chapter Title: Ambush in the Valley of Rest
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"...Different. This one."
The single strike that had precisely severed Karak's neck.
Traces of the aorta being sliced clean through in one go were visible.
Karak's dead face still bore an expression of shock from the surprise attack.
In other words, even after recognizing the enemy's assault, he hadn't managed a proper counterattack before being neatly finished off.
"At least it means they didn't send just any riffraff."
"Chieftain! Chieftain! Over here—tracks!"
At the shout from one of the tribesmen, Urk tore his gaze from Karak's corpse and slowly moved his feet.
True to the report, a chaotic scatter of footprints came into Urk's view.
Footprints of varying sizes all pointed in the same direction.
"...Heh. Headed for the Valley of Rest, huh."
"Kuhuhuhu! Humans... fools! Think we're... idiots!"
Urk's words drew mocking snorts from the orcs following behind him, echoing through the air.
How many humans had tried luring the Red Fang Orc Tribe—rampaging freely across the Fire Mountains—into the Valley of Rest?
They'd hatch their utterly predictable plans, only to panic soon after.
Frustrated by the cliffs that refused to yield to their will.
And in the end, they'd lose their lives pointlessly.
That was why the Red Fang Orc Tribe had named the valley the Valley of Rest.
A reliable source of a hearty meal for the tribe dominating the Fire Mountains region.
And a place granting eternal rest to their foolish enemies.
No name could suit it better, they were certain.
Krunch!
Urk gripped the axe slung over his shoulder with more force.
These insolent fools had dared cause trouble at the critical moment when their 'guests' had arrived.
He wouldn't be satisfied unless he granted them a particularly special death.
"...Good. You'll serve as offerings for the reborn Red Fang Orc Tribe. I'll capture you alive, skin you, and toss you into a boiling cauldron."
Murderous bloodlust began swirling in the eyes of the chieftain, Urk.
Looking down from the cliff atop the Valley of Rest, the lush forests of the Fire Mountains region created a spectacular sight that could make one forget this was the land of great calamities.
But the few humans standing on the cliff couldn't simply enjoy the view.
No, they gazed down below with eyes filled with unconcealed terror.
Rumble rumble rumble!
The orcs forcing their way through the dense foliage into the valley entrance pressed down on them, suffocatingly so.
"...Damn it. We should've just taken out the sentries and gone back. Hey, Captain. You really have a plan, right?"
Though Helena's healing magic had mended all their physical wounds, the fear lingering in their hearts remained untreated.
Ralph kept whining incessantly.
Sylvia Clonen—who had arrived at the valley first with Ian and Dane to complete some preparations—glared at him with pitying eyes.
"...Coward."
"Why, you little—!"
As the two were about to clash again, Ian intervened.
"Enough, both of you. They're coming."
Unaware or uncaring of the Latent Dragon Squad crouched low on the cliff watching below, one orc from the Red Fang tribe stepped forward slowly.
A full head taller than the others, Chieftain Urk drew in a massive breath.
Huuuuuuh!
The deeply inhaled breath soon turned into a thunderous roar that shook the valley.
"Come out!!!!"
Come out—come out—come out—
Urk's shout echoed and lingered within the valley.
"I already know you're here!!"
As the echoes faded, Urk's cry continued.
"Hiding won't help—you're probably up on the cliffs at best! If you don't show yourselves now, I'll tighten the noose from both sides and tear you apart myself!"
The Latent Dragon Squad members squeezed their eyes shut.
It was over.
The Red Fang orcs, thoroughly familiar with this valley terrain, had seen right through the captain's plan.
'Damn it all, are we really orc chow for sure...!'
The squad members' resentful glares turned to Ian.
This mission had been impossible from the start.
Not goblins, but a tribe nearing a hundred orcs.
How were six people, including the captain, supposed to handle that?
'Because of the Second Young Lord's pointless bravado, I'm gonna die here.'
Ignoring the squad's panic, Ian calmly stood up, unperturbed by their reactions.
"Dane, just do exactly as I instructed earlier. No worries."
"...Believe it or not, no choice now. Hope it goes as planned, Captain."
Satisfied with Dane's response, Ian's lips curved into a grin.
Whoosh!
Ian leaped straight down from the cliff.
Using the cliff wall and tree branches, he descended quietly onto the muddy ground at the base.
Urk glared at him with murderous fury.
"Found you, you filthy rat."
"...Interesting. Never thought I'd see an orc speaking crisp Continental Common without the snorts."
"Hmph! For us under Golden Heaven's banner, the common tongue is a given. So, now you grasp what you've done?"
Clang!
Urk lowered the axe from his shoulder and took a step forward.
"You insignificant humans dared touch our tribe—one of the calamity dominions. Should I take that as a declaration of all-out war with Golden Heaven?"
This had happened right when the 'guests' arrived, of all times.
Urk had no intention of letting Ian and the hidden intruders die easily—not when he needed to restore the Red Fang tribe's damaged prestige before the guests.
A menacing aura poured out in waves.
Ian let out a sigh at Urk's intimidating presence.
"...This'll be trickier than expected. Guess I'll have to shut that mouth for good."
But the sigh wasn't from fear.
Just annoyance at the unexpected hassle.
He might even have to reveal one of his trump cards already.
Urk had no intention of patiently listening to Ian's cryptic mutterings.
Shing!
Urk leveled his axe forward and issued a low command to his tribesmen.
"Don't kill them. Keep 'em breathing. I'll chop off every limb, cauterize the stumps with fire, then boil them alive in the cauldron right in front of the 'guests' myself."
Time to show these humans exactly what happens when they mess with the Red Fang orcs of the Fire Mountains.
"Rooooaaar!"
At Urk's order, the orcs roared and charged toward Ian in the valley depths.
It was a shame they couldn't snort freely under Urk's suppression, but what could be done?
It was a necessary sacrifice to serve under Golden Heaven.
And in return, they could ravage the intruders and sentries to their hearts' content—no loss there.
The sight of over a hundred red-fanged orcs charging en masse was chilling to the bone.
But Ian merely raised both hands high, unflappable.
"First things first—better clear out the small fry."
Clap!
The sharp clap from Ian's hands meeting.
A sound small enough to be drowned by the orcs' roars and stomping, yet it reached Dane perfectly up on the cliff.
'The signal!'
Vmmm!
As Dane formed hand seals, mana swirled around his hands, compressing into shockwaves.
Energy Bolt.
A basic 1st-class spell anyone initiated in magic could use.
Its versatility allowed greater mana compression and expansion with higher classes, making it a favorite among mages.
Dane poured every ounce of strength into firing an Energy Bolt at the pre-installed magic circle on the cliff.
Impressive for his age, but still short of a 3rd-class mage's destructive power.
The cliff wouldn't crumble from that alone, it seemed.
Kabooom!
But combined with Sylvia's pre-set device, it unleashed far more power than expected, crumbling part of the cliff.
An outstanding strike given his level—but the orcs just scoffed.
"Kreeeek! Human... idiot!"
The charging orcs unleashed their pent-up snorts under Urk's watch, mocking Ian's group.
Yes.
What collapsed was merely 'part' of the cliff.
The Red Fang orcs had endured countless rockfall ambushes from humans in this valley.
And the results were always the same.
The valley's tough bedrock never shattered easily as humans hoped—just a few pebbles at most.
No dumb orc in the Red Fang tribe would get hit by such a feeble rockfall.
So this time would be no different.
Just like why this place was called the Valley of Rest.
They'd grant final rest to these arrogant humans who saw orcs as brainless, savage pigs.
The orcs leisurely dodged the falling rocks, closing in on Ian.
Soon, they'd hack off that cocky human's limbs.
But contrary to the orcs' expectations...
This rockfall's outcome differed greatly from the past.
Ian's target from the start wasn't the orcs.
It was the valley floor itself below them.
Kabooooom!
A deafening boom rang in the orcs' ears.
"?!"
"Kre, kreeek?!"
The orcs' advance halted in panic.
Inevitable, really.
With the ground collapsing, no land-dwelling creature could stay steady.
Unlike the solid cliffs, the Valley of Rest's floor had softened over ages from weathering and constant dampness.
Add the weight of nearly a hundred massive orcs plus falling boulders...
Enough to shatter even poorly compacted ground.
'Of course, that alone wouldn't break it.'
So Ian had prepared one more measure.
Sylvia's device aiding the cliff collapse.
Clonen assassin clan special bombs planted on the floor too.
Blue Bomb.
The Clonen assassin clan's pride—a bomb specialized not in raw explosion, but in scattering massive vibrations on detonation to crumble terrain.
Low lethality despite its power meant fewer handling restrictions, so Sylvia had plenty.
And now...
The Blue Bomb had opened the gates of hell for the orcs.
"Grghhh... Y-you cowardly humans. I won't... let you get away!"
Crack, crumble!
Orcs trapped between rocks and debris clawed their way out, grinding their teeth.
But Ian's special gift for the orcs wasn't over yet.
"Cowardly? Says the ones who sent a hundred charging at me alone. Loose lips sinking ships, huh."
Smolder, smolder!
From the gaps in the ruined ground where orcs had fallen, a purple mist began slowly spreading.
"Kre, kreeek?"
Excited and heedless, some orcs inhaled deeply—the purple mist snaking into their nostrils.
...Throb!
"Gr, graaaaaagh!"
"Guwaaaah!"
Soon after, the mist-breathing orcs screamed as pain invaded their bodies.
Throb, bulge!
Veins erupted wildly across their skin amid the agony.
How much time passed?
Seeing kin foam at the mouth and roll their eyes back, the horrified orcs scrambled to climb to solid ground.
"D-don't breathe! That powder... deadly if inhaled, kreek!"
"Idiot, no breathing means you die anyway, kreek!"
"Kreeek! Breathe and poison kills you, fool!"
"What the hell do we do then, kreeek!"
"J-just climb up fast! Hurry!"
Chaos erupted in the valley depths in an instant.
Below in the valley where the valiant Red Fang orcs had always bestowed rest upon enemies...
Rest now came for the orcs themselves.