Chapter 69
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 69
Chapter Title: Clumsy Ruckus
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No time for pointless posturing.
And definitely no desire to die.
"Monsters are like a raging current. Left alone, they'll sweep everything straight ahead in a straight line. Weak, lightweight things like us would get carried away. But what if there's a rock blocking the narrow pass? Wouldn't the current divert around it?"
I kept rambling on, ignoring the blank stares from the fainting brothers.
"Who knows? If the rock completely plugs the gap, nothing gets through. That's what I'm saying—I'll play the rock."
No interest in bickering endlessly with these smug bastards. Time's short.
"And if we hole up inside? Got enough food to hold out?"
"Fuckin' shit. Nope. Hehet—."
Ibu, knowing full well she'd eaten through our supplies, grinned like a brainless goddess, running her tongue over her gums. Hunting for scraps of meat stuck between her teeth, probably.
How long could we hold out, anyway?
We'd starve, then our legs would give out the moment we bolted for another gate, and we'd get caught.
Quick and decisive is the way to go.
I snapped at the guys mulling over my words.
"I'm not pushing you lot to your deaths, so quit yapping and getting in the way."
Luke's temperament always strikes me as ridiculous.
And amazing.
His innate warrior's blood makes him boil the instant he spots a strong foe, but thanks to the cool-headedness he's picked up along the way, he calms right down.
"Yuderg. There should be a siege bow in the armory."
"I know exactly what you mean, sir."
Thank goodness we had a weapon expert.
"Requiya, Yuderg. You two help out. Hurry—they're coming soon."
A siege bow is bigger than a man.
Usually used for sieges.
Nothing says it can't be for defense.
Same principle as both sides using catapults.
It's a solid choice for smashing battering rams or mobile towers.
And stocking one in a fortress with no incoming enemies? Makes me think they prepped for big monsters.
"Loginin. Only you guys can draw the siege bow from here. You know that, right?"
"Leave it to us."
Loginin thumped his chest with his fist.
What a surprise.
I figured the fake holy knights would bitch and moan about taking orders from me.
A siege bow's string needs a steel hook and a geared winch to draw.
But we're short on hands, and no time to set up latches.
Silver-grade holy knight strength should manage it somewhat—we'd just have to trust them.
"Fuckin' shit. What about me?"
Ibu shuffled over barefoot, dragging her feet with a gritty scrape, her axe slung over her shoulder.
"Aigoo, Lady Ibu. You'll hurt yourself."
"Pfft, I'm Ibu. Won't get hurt."
Yeah, Ibu could be useful. Her body's still not fully recovered, and her head's not all there, but still.
Fighting'll help draw out her potential. I know from experience.
I'd figure out her job later...
"Erakins, stand by inside the gate. Shut it once everyone's in."
"I'll fight too. Gotta protect Lady Ibu—."
"One ogre axe swing, and your head's gone, waist's severed. Still wanna?"
Erakins paled instantly, one hand fumbling around his waist.
I'd seen a guy get bisected—looked agonizing.
Up on Negaf Arron. Killed him mid-frenzy, never got his name.
And who was protecting who here?
"Get up on the wall and swing a torch. Guide the thieves so they don't wander off."
"Got it."
Erakins climbed the wall, lit a torch, and jammed it near the fortress gate.
Then he held one in each hand, crossing them overhead and waving.
Probably looked like a beacon of life to the thieves.
Loginin assisted Erakins.
Propped his shield on the wall and unleashed divine power.
"Light—."
Loginin's shield lit up the front like car headlights, stretching far.
At Requiya's call for more hands to haul the siege bow, Steron and Sergei bolted to the armory.
"Ibu, stand by. Stay put."
"Fuckin' shit. Got it. Ibu stays put real good. Slept thousands of years on that Lubbek rock without moving. Even when Ibu had to pee, never pissed inside the rock—."
"Got it. Ibu's amazing."
"Yeah. Thanks, Captain Kalruk."
The two holy knights set up the siege bow, aimed forward, and checked the string.
The burly Loginin grunted.
"This thing's so damn strong, can't even draw it halfway. The string's twelve layers thick. Gotta be over five hundred strands."
Didn't know the details, but it sounded brutally hard to draw.
"Yuderg, Fred—help out. If it won't work, ditch it."
They were among the strongest normal humans—should help.
"Sergei. Armory—grab bows and arrows. When the others return, hand 'em out one by one and send 'em up."
"Yes, sir!"
Bows were just a backup anyway.
To distract the ogres—nothing more.
"Requiya."
"Just give the order!"
Requiya called back from atop the wall.
"You know what to do without me saying?"
"I'll stir up some demon mischief—make 'em fight each other."
After all our time together, Requiya knew his role cold.
"Fuckin' shit. Here they come. Runnin' crazy fast. Super duper quick."
Had to be several kilometers at full sprint.
What were those terrified bastards thinking, not daring to look back?
Wonder if they're realizing now why our journey with the fake holy knight was all running—prepping for today.
Footsteps and panting grew audible as they closed in.
I grabbed Loginin's sword and stepped forward.
Cruk, leading the pack, opened his mouth to report but was too winded.
"Don't stop—get inside. Saw everything."
"Fuckin' shit. Don't stop. Inside. Captain saw, not Ibu."
One, two, three, four... twenty.
"Five dead?"
No one answered.
Wasn't really asking.
I don't know the thieves well.
Didn't memorize names, never chatted one-on-one.
But I remember a few.
One guy whose face stayed bright even on that hellish trek—he's missing.
"No Walter..."
Fastest runner among the thief recruits.
Good with a bow too.
From some nameless kingdom's back-alley pickpocketing scene.
Caught with his little brother—kid died of illness.
When we left the mountain stronghold, he was the one who lingered longest, gazing back at the burning den with sad eyes.
Hope he found a path to live and bailed.
I went to draw my sword but stabbed it into the ground, scabbard and all.
Too many ogres.
What good's this toothpick against them?
"Fuckin' shit. Here they come. Way too many."
"Neutralize the leader upfront and the king—that should do it. Kill a few, and the rest'll scatter."
"Fuckin' shit. Sorry, Captain Kalruk."
Ibu confessed out of nowhere.
"Sorry for what?"
"Ibu's fault. They're comin' for revenge 'cause of Ibu."
What was she on about?
I pieced together Ibu's ogre history.
Answer came quick.
"They sensed you woke up and the local ogres came for payback? Thieves just ran into the monsters on patrol by bad luck?"
"Fuckin' shit. Smart guy. That's what Ibu means."
Out of left field, but made a weird kind of sense.
She was axe-swinging against ogres before getting sealed, after all.
So the ogres kept chasing despite the distance from the thieves, trusting instinct she'd stick near the fortress.
Doesn't change shit even if wrong...
Not important anyway—brush it off.
Ibu seemed genuinely sorry, sneaking side-glances at me.
Her look cracked me up—my cheek twitched.
"Hey, by that logic, it's my fault for waking you—so no need to apologize."
"Fuckin' shit. What ya mean?"
Ibu blinked wide, flicking mud off her bare feet with her axe. Still no shoes.
"I woke you, so they're coming for me. Don't blame yourself."
Ibu clamped her mouth shut, staring hard.
Pondering it, I guess.
Crazy bitch, empty head—but Ibu ain't dumb. Smells a bit dumb, though.
"Even if it's on you, I'll take responsibility. I'm your guardian."
Ibu's eyes sparkled as she stared.
Too intense—I turned away.
"Incoming."
Ogres now a hundred meters out.
Looked beat, but the two leads were hauling ass.
"Spot the king? What's that one in front?"
"Fuckin' shit. Black steel panties guy? Strongest minion, prob'ly."
Ibu shrugged like you don't even know that?
Too plausible—no comeback.
"Smaller than the king. Gotta be a minion. Ibu never seen king or that guy before."
Distance down to thirty meters when the last thief dashed inside.
Like clockwork, something thicker and longer than a spear launched from the wall.
Shiiing—.
Couldn't fully draw, so waited till close range.
Kwaang—!
Harpoon-like arrow, but the armored ogre blocked easy with his axe.
No damage, but dead-on accuracy.
Good enough for grunts.
That precision and power without practice? Can trust the holy knights.
"Ibu, leave the minions to Requiya. We handle the king and armor guy."
"Fuckin' shit. Got it."
Asked Ibu about ogre weak points during setup—nothing useful.
Big head, big feet, tough panties make good rags, heavy sharp axes...
No head, no move...
Tuned out after that.
No time for plans anyway.
Trust Luke's sharp mind and charge in clumsily.
"Fuckin' shit! Watch Ibu fight and copy! Urraa—!"
Afternoon sun blazing over the plains, at the north gate—a barefoot goddess with axe charged out.
Oh, beautiful, pantastic, brilliant...
Posture I'd never seen—pure ecstasy.
Sackcloth dress, or dress-sack?
Whatever—curious what power hides in that slender frame.
Didn't realize—dragonkin fanboy.
Never got why Yuderg, Erakins, and thieves went gaga over Ibu.
But that fluid, elegant form? Had to admit it.
Ibu's a goddess.
No shoes, head's off—but goddess.
Hating on Ibu? Envy, jealousy—heresy.
"Urraa—!"
Ibu leaped high.
Blood-red cape—stolen from ex-Red Dragon Knight—flapped wildly.
Like a banner heralding goddess descent.
Cropped hair gleaming fresh in the sun.
Oh, fuckin' shit. Super duper beautiful.
Armored ogre swung his axe.
Like swatting a pesky fly—tail more effort.
Kwaang—!
"Fuuuuckiiiinnn shiiiit—."
The goddess Ibu soared far, far away.
Agh, you moron...