< 54. Baidian Mountains (3) >
#54
Four of the six villages were located near a river that wound along the base of a mountain range. Ronan looked back at Asher who was scared and opened his mouth.
“Fighting and killing are completely different.”
“What… does that mean?”
“Fighting is a process to achieve a goal. War is a representative example. “The reason for doing such nonsense is usually to acquire land or money not to burn the enemy’s territory and bathe in the blood of prisoners.”
“Isn’t that right?”
“But if killing itself is the goal it’s a different story. It’s much faster and more convenient. Think about why Balon VII was called the Blood Emperor.”
Perplexity appeared on the faces of the three people. Coming from Ronan’s mouth it was an incredibly intelligent and clear explanation. Ronan who took another drag on his cigarette continued.
“Asher. “Do you remember dropping the mace on the goblin’s face before?”
“That’s right….”
Asher pursed his lips and nodded his head. It was an experience I will never forget. He still clearly remembered the sound of the Luna Goblin’s skull being crushed.
“What we have to do today is similar. It just gets a little bigger. “Your role will be big.”
“My role is big…?”
“You’ll find out when you try. “Let’s go stop the river first.”
“You mean to stop the river?”
Asher tilted his head. Instead of answering Ronan began to walk with long strides. The remaining three people took turns looking at each other’s faces with bewildered expressions.
No one expected it until then. They knew that in just a few hours they would be crowned as the bloodthirsty of the Orcs living in Baidian.
****
It was just around dawn when the Orcs of the Wild Rock Tribe noticed the strange incident.
“Chief Chwiik! “Something strange happened!”
An orc carrying a war hammer on its back entered the chieftain’s tent. Before long the chieftain who had been sleeping among the female orcs woke up.
“…What’s going on Chwiik?”
“The river has disappeared Chwiik!” “I need to fetch water but I can’t!”
“The Chung River disappeared…?”
The chief frowned. I couldn’t understand what was being said.
“Say it so I can understand Chwiik. “Why is the river disappearing?”
“Chung! It’s really gone! “Not only me but all my brothers saw it too!”
“Chwiik! Do it!”
The chief threw the hatchet that was lying on the bedside. Kwasik! The hatchet flew as it spun and landed between the eyes of the scout orc.
“Chwieeek…!”
“You’re stupid Chwiik.”
The body of the scout orc fell backwards. As I was trying to sleep again I heard a voice from beyond the tent.
“Chief Chwireuk! “It’s a big deal!”
“Whoa….”
It seemed like something was going on. The chief sighed and put on the bear skin. As I went outside I could see the tribe members gathered around.
“Chung! “The chief has arrived!”
“What are you doing here if you’re not even cutting down trees?”
“Chuhiik! “The river is gone!”
Even the workers doing the logging work were saying the same thing. The chief eventually gathered his tribe’s warriors and headed to the river. Rather than preparing for when the river really disappeared I was thinking about how to punish the idiots who were talking nonsense.
But it didn’t take long to realize that what they said was true.
“Chwiik?”
The Chief Orc’s eyes widened. Where the river should have flowed there was only a wide hollow hole. The rocks on the riverbed were drying out in the morning sunlight.
“Chwi Chwi…what’s going on! “Chwiik!”
“Chung! “The river has really disappeared!”
The orcs began to murmur. The water which should have been up to the chest was so low that it could only wet my ankles.
The orcs walked into the middle of the pit that used to be a river as if they were possessed. Fish that had lost their home were dying with their white bellies exposed. I was in the middle of looking around.
“Where did that strange bird go!! “Chwiik!”
“Chwiik definitely came here!”
The forest on the other side of the river shook and a group of orcs jumped out. Red palm patterns were stamped on their bodies. The Chief Orc opened his eyes wide.
“Cwihiik? “Not enough fist knives?”
“…Chung?”
They were a fist knife tribe that settled across the river. It was also a tribe that was particularly contentious as it expanded its territory recently.
The correct answer came out. The chief of Deulbawi holding an axe shouted in an angry voice.
“Chung! Not enough fist knives! “You guys did it!”
“Chwiik! That’s what we say! “When I woke up the river was gone!”
“Kwaaaaak! The cowardly fist knife stole the water! Kill it! ”
The orcs of the Wild Rock tribe rushed out. The Orcs of the Fist Knife Tribe who were momentarily confused also roared and ran out. Two groups of orcs clashed in the middle of a dry river.
Loud shouts and the sound of metal echoed through the mountains. At that time another group of orcs appeared from the downstream side of the river.
“Chuaaak? “What are they?!”
This time it was the Iron Sand Tribe living near the downstream. Their chief soon came to a similar judgment as the other two. The moment the warriors of the Iron Sand Tribe with their clubs raised joined the fight orcs came down from upstream.
“I found it Chwiik! “They are river thieves!”
Before long the four tribes began to tangle and fight. Blood and shouts sprang up every time the barbaric weapons were swung.
The liquid splashing at my feet was closer to blood than water. The battle was reaching its peak. The orcs’ feet began to vibrate slightly.
– Coo coo coo coo…
“Chwiik?”
The chief of Deulbawi who noticed the strange incident turned his head upstream. Now that I think about it I thought I heard something. As my field of vision which had been narrowed by the battle widened a nightmarish scene came into view.
-Kwakwakwakwakwa!!
“Chwiiik?!”
A high and rough current that I had never seen before was rushing in breaking the trees growing along the river. A few orcs noticed and screamed. They tried to run away in a hurry but other orcs who were already excited plunged spear knives into their backs.
“Chuck!”
“Chwiaak! “I have captured the chieftain of Wild Rock!”
“Chwireuk! Let go of this! “You idiot!”
The torrent reached where the orcs were within a few seconds. The orcs blinded by battle only then realized that their river had not been stolen.
Quaaaaa! The river swallowed up the orcs.
“Chwiaaaaaak!”
“Ororok…! Save me…!”
Hundreds of orcs were swept away by the current. Probably half of them would have died while floating away. Ronan who was watching the scene from a nearby peak nodded.
“There was a reason Adeshan liked it. “It kills the effect.”
Water attack was one of the strategies Adeshan frequently used in his previous life. It was after she successfully suppressed a group of rebels who had risen up in Tuang that she began to make a name for herself.
It would have been a perfect Ade Shan strategy if she had set fire to the forest around the village but Ronan had no intention of going that far. No matter how much Saranterra you are you can’t smile while looking at the mountain range that has been reduced to ashes.
“Everyone worked hard. “Did you do a good job saving up your sleep and building a dam?”
Ronan said that and looked back at the three dumbfounded people. Marya’s lips parted softly as she watched the devastation.
“Is this… a club activity?”
“Whaha…hahaha….”
Braum was laughing awkwardly like someone with facial paralysis. Asher who had become something similar to a war criminal overnight was just looking at the river that had begun to flow again with empty eyes.
“I’m going to hell….”
No matter what anyone says the number one contributor to the operation was Asher. He built a dam using the trees that Marya and Braum had cut down last night and the rocks that were around. Because Asher had telekinetic powers he was able to complete the work in such a short time.
“Now let’s go rob empty houses. Marja Braum. “Follow me.”
The unfortunate thing was that there was still work to be done. Ronan who had drawn La Mancha gestured to the two people.
“Ha…you’re going in the end.”
“hmm! “To be honest I’m nervous.”
Marya and Braum picked up their greatswords. Ronan said squeezing Asher’s shoulder.
“Can you do it?”
“…I’ll try my best.”
“good. Think of it as just closing your eyes and dropping the mace. Sita you stay here with Asher.”
“Pyeol-ah!”
Sita who returned from the mission to lure the orcs climbed on Asher’s head. Sita was also clearly a key member. He would be a reliable escort while Asher did the work he was instructed to do.
Ronan and Marja Braum headed to the nearest village. It was no exaggeration to say that only workers remained in the villages where the warriors left.
Indeed they were able to enter Deulbawi Village without any particular restraint. Ronan looked inside and muttered in a relaxed voice.
“It’s quiet.”
“It’s quiet? this?”
“By Orc standards.”
It was something I said sincerely. There seemed to be only a few dozen at most but this was as good as nothing.
Only a few blue-collar orcs and enslaved goblins were left wandering around the village. The orcs who belatedly noticed the group’s presence shouted.
“Chwiik?! “This human?”
“Cook! “Kill it!”
Orcs holding tools rushed in. Ronan swung La Mancha maintaining her light gait.
Suddenly. With each stroke two of his heads fell to the floor. La Mancha’s blade filled with antiquity cut through the orc’s skin like tofu. A massacre continued as smooth as a river.
“Hmm! “Get out of the way!”
“Chwiak!”
Braum indeed showed the composure of an upperclassman. He was next to Ronan defending against attacks and steadily taking down each of them one by one.
Kang! When the orcs whose attacks were blocked by Braum’s great sword hesitated Ronan cut off their heads. The Orcs who had lost over ten comrades began targeting Marya.
“Chwi chwiik! “Those humans are strong!”
“female! “Aim for the Chwiik woman!”
“…under.”
Marja grabbed the hilt of her sword. I’ve always only dealt with people or magic dolls but this was my first time dealing with monsters.
As learned. Lin Mar Ya chanted like that and swung his great sword sideways. Suddenly. The waist of the charging orc was cut in half and blood and internal organs poured out. Marja’s eyes widened.
“Why do I listen to this so well?!”
“I’m telling you this but you need to realize that you’re really strong.”
“Aaaah! “Die!”
There was no time to feel the impact of the killing. Marya swung the great sword again with an expression of disbelief. Whoa! A slash made with an ignorant sound completely cut down two orcs that were running in a row.
“Chwiheoeook!”
“Chwireuk! “Women are strong too!”
The work of the supreme blacksmith Doron. Her great sword which became heavier as it contained mana was already heavier than Braum’s. Braum smiled bitterly as he watched Marja handle her great sword.
“Hahaha is this the difference in talent…!”
“It’s a difference in aptitude. In my opinion you look better with something other than a greatsword Braum.”
“Hmm?! “Did you hear that?”
Braum blushed. Ronan asked him not to make that face because he was in a bad mood and then slaughtered the orcs. At that time a sound as if something huge was cutting through the wind echoed above her head.
-Whoa!
When I raised my head I saw huge rocks and trees flying in a parabola. These were rocks that Asher launched with telekinesis. The megaliths that flew through the high altitude were supposed to fall on two villages that were not affected by the craft.
“Well you’re doing well.”
It was flying so excitingly that concerns were put to naught. The advice not to think about the tragedy that would occur at the point of impact seemed to have had an effect. After confirming that there were no more orcs charging in Marya and Braum lowered their great swords.
“Are you done already?”
“It’s so vain…!”
“It’s thanks to you guys following along. I still have five more to clean up so take a break. “I’ll clean up after myself.”
With Ronan leaving those words behind she headed toward the deepest part of the village. When the chief’s tent was opened the female orcs and the cowards who ran away out of fear of a fight with their cubs were revealed.
“Damn it…! This human…!”
There was no sense of will to resist from the unarmed Orcs. He was just looking at Ronan with fearful eyes.
Ronan slowly walked towards them. Various bones and pieces of clothing were caught in the feet. There were many human bones and most of the bones had clearly visible teeth marks. It must have belonged to a merchant who was passing through the mountain range or an adventurer who had been unluckily captured.
Yeah it’s all like that.
Ronan muttering under his breath pulled at the hilt of his sword.
****
“Tsk.”
Ronan covered in blood spat on the floor. His cleaning up was over quickly. Anticipation was rising from the blood-soaked sword body.
The Deulbawi tribe was completely destroyed. Ronan began searching inside the tent to find something worth taking.
He wasn’t a monster that gathered wealth like Luna Goblin so he didn’t have much expectations. Suddenly Ronan’s eyes landed on the corner of the chieftain’s bed. A lump of a familiar shape caught my eye.
“no way….”
It looks like a bunch of meat and has shiny golden eyes. The identity of the lump was undoubtedly Curse Eye. Ronan hurriedly picked up the curs eye and cursed.
“Fuck this precious thing…!”
However about half of them were gone. It seemed like the orcs took a bite and threw it away because it didn’t taste good. Ronan sighed and threw Curse Eye’s body away.
‘So you’re saying you live somewhere in the damn mountains?’
I had to think as positively as possible to maintain my senses. It was a car that looked around to see if there were one or two more. Marya’s cries were heard outside the tent.
“Ro Ronan!!”
“what’s the matter?”
The voice was urgent. Ronan who hastily left the tent narrowed his eyes. An elf woman was lying between Marya and Braum.
“What is that again?”
“I found it while searching the tent. “Did they keep it there to eat later?”
“Are you fucking alive?”
Marja nodded her head. An elf woman in a tunic was breathing heavily her hands and feet bound by ropes. Ronan frowned.
“Why didn’t you untie the rope?”
“That…no matter how hard I try it won’t cut.”
“what?”
It was an incomprehensible sound. Ronan immediately pulled out La Mancha and slashed at the rope that bound the woman’s wrists. Ting! The blade bounced back with a feeling as if it had hit the ogre’s skin.
“Huh?”
No matter how many times I tried it it was the same. La Mancha which was able to cut down even the cave giant was unable to use any power. At that time her woman’s lips parted softly.
“It’s no use….”
“What happened? What on earth happened to you?
“Uh…uhh….”
A moan of pain escaped her woman’s mouth. She didn’t appear to have any injuries but she probably had internal injuries.
Ronan fed the woman with the potion she carried for emergency use. After a while the woman her complexion much improved opened her mouth.
“Huh…huh thank you…I’ll tell you the details later…could you take me with you…? “It can’t be solved using normal methods.”
“Do you want me to take you with me? “Where?”
“If you go up the mountain range… there is a temple… go there…”
Ronan’s eyes widened. The woman was definitely talking about the temple of Sarante. Eventually she made a statement that seemed to drive a wedge.
“Sa Sarante…take me to him….”
