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45. Chapter 45 – Rampage
“Don’t stop your feet! Don’t stop your hands! If you want tomorrow, hurry up!”
Emrid, Commander of the infantry company of the Liberitoa Trade Federation, raised his voice. He understood that his subordinates were working hard.
Still, Emrid rushed to get the job done even for a second faster.
“The installation team is fighting with monsters, the enemies are more than 40 orcs!!”
“Phil’s platoon shall deal with them, the installation team will continue to work.”
Each country had sent soldiers on a battalion scale into the forest on the outer edge of Myard, but things were only getting worse.
It would be easier than attacking the fortress defended by the Highserk soldiers. Emrid wanted to hit himself, who thought so before his departure.
Even Emrid, who led the subjugation corps in the Demon Territory that existed near his homeland, thought that even the word 'struggle” would be like a warming up before the storm. And for sure, there would be a company unit that had drawn a “Bad luck” card and was destroyed.
First of all, the number of monsters was unusual. The number of monsters that they came into contact with while traveling just about 1km easily exceeded 100. Not only small monsters such as Goblins and Kobolds, but at least Orcs, and more than that, there were monsters classified as B class such as Ogre, Lizardmen, and Lamia.
“The shortest route is just to go straight, but there is the habitat of “Abyss Bird”.”
The adventurer leading them called on Emrid who opened the map. No one didn’t know “Abyss Bird”. A monster in the sky that sometimes fought for territory with the flying dragon subspecies.
“A-class monsters, why are such a monster lurking around. What about another route?”
When it came to A class monster, it was necessary to take the opponent with a platoon. Still, it wouldn’t a guaranteed win. If there were multiple of them, even a company unit would be in danger.
“There is, but we need to get out of the area where insect-based monsters are living.”
“What kind?”
“Mainly B-class equivalent spiders and ant-types. There are also a few worm-types. If you are unlucky, you will encounter a giant centipede. Well, if you can use fire, you can get rid of them, but――”
The adventurer stopped speaking and looked at the barrel in the handcart.
“Luggage is luggage. Fire is strictly prohibited.”
The contents were black water from Liberitoa, which was extremely ignitable and volatile. If you used fire magic carelessly and ignited it, the route to retreat from the forest might get cut. It was a really annoying situation for Emrid who was in command there.
“We’ll go by the detour. It’s easier to take on than Abyss Bird.”
There were multiple ways to counter insect-based monsters, which usually came largely in number but low in risk. It should be better than opponents who would fly over and land on the ground only when attacking. At the point where Emrid decided the course, angry voices rose from behind the formation.
“It’s “Gigant Ghoul”!!”
Among the ghouls who were obsessed with living people, “Gigant Ghoul” was a monster that had failed to become high-ranking species such as Lich, and the giant rotting flesh that had swelled up to about the same size as Cyclopes and had high regenerative ability was reflected in Emrid’s eyes.
“Volk’s Squad Come. We’ll crush him.”
Emrid’s decision to use the reserve unit was quick. Although they could escape by running, it was a troublesome opponent who would track the prey endlessly and shouldn’t be left unattended if they wanted to continue their plan. And they couldn’t just abandon the installation team.
“I will help. If you stop it from moving around, I’ll kill it with wind magic.”
One of the leading adventurers told Emrid. He was skeptical if the adventurer could really get rid of it, but he heard that the adventurer that was chosen to lead had good skill. Even though the appearance was just a young girl.
“I’ll stop it with my magic. I’ll leave the rest to you.”
The squad at the rear had already begun fighting, one soldier got crushed by the bloated arms, and another one got crushed with the upper body.
“This is for my subordinates.”
A few spears and a lot of arrows pierced the upper body, but it wasn’t effective against the undead. The scratches that Emrid’s subordinates slashed were also reproduced with a creepy sound.
“Eat this, idiot.”
Emrid refined his mana and touched the ground.
“《Earth Crack》”
After a lag of a few seconds, the ground cracked and some were rising. It was easy for soldiers to avoid it, but it wasn’t the same for the Gigant Ghoul, which was huge and slow-moving. The rotten skin with many layers of sag, those both feet, which sprinkled the liquid, were swallowed by the ground. The swollen ghoul tried to crawl up, whirling his upper body. Emrid stopped his men who were trying to slash the monster.
“Evacuate!!! Don’t enter the range of magic!!”
The adventurer who was a little younger than Emrid had released the mana she had kneaded. A gust of wind blew through a forest.
When the blade of the wind released from the girl hit Gigant Ghoul’s head, the neck flew away together with the wind as if it had been hit by countless slashes.
It was 《Wind Fang》, a skill manifested by the wind attribute that Emrid also knew.
“Get away!! It’s still moving.”
Gigant Ghoul which just lost its head, swung the huge arms, but the movement gradually slowed down and finally stopped completely.
The contents leaked, and the stinky smell like boiling down the sewer irritated the nasal cavity of Emrid. He had no idea how much food it had eaten to be so bloated.
“It’s annoying even after dying twice.”
Emrid confirmed the damage while completing first aid for the injured. There were 2 dead and 1 injured. Still, it was small damage for destroying a monster comparable to the top of the B class.
“Your name is Leethia, right? Thanks.”
“I’m glad that I could be a help. This is also for Myard after all.”
The light of hatred was visible in the eyes of the girl. Emrid determined that it was aimed at the Highserk Empire, which invaded her hometown.
Emrid heard that they hired adventurers for an exorbitant amount of money, but some were joined because of their hatred against the Heisserk Empire, which now controlled their country.
Emrid couldn’t even tell the feelings of her or Lefty, who took the job of hitting Highserk to the point where they left their party.
Even so, Emrid was pleased that the number of excellent handpieces had increased.
“Adventurer, I asked for directions.”
At the same time, Emrid was anxious. Emrid felt chills on his spine as to what would happen when the forest that had a lot of B class monsters even on the outer edge, got burned.
His reason had argued that the plan should be canceled, but as the military personnel, as well as the Company Commander, he had no choice but to carry out the duty.
◆
There was a feeling of entrapment in the rural areas that became the effective territory of the Highserk Empire. Yogim, one of the farmers in such a village, was thinking about the future of the village. Young people were mobilized at the Battle of Aidenberg, and only one who managed to return because he fled from the battlefield. According to him, the rest were killed in action or taken prisoner.
There were rumors that if many were alive, they would be released in a few years, but Yogim wasn’t optimistic. The village lacked enough people to work in the fields, and the resources were squeezed by the Myard army and the Highserk army to the extent of the bare minimum, basically, the people and resources were equal to zero.
Even the retired old people and children were sweating to mess with the soil. The villagers who helped transport the goods said that the battle between the five countries was still going on the border of the Ferrius Kingdom.
Picked up the branches that fell in the forest and put them in a basket. If you could use even one magic, your life would be convenient, but Yogim couldn’t use magic, and his physical strength was average. He knew that he was an ordinary man himself.
“What is it? The forest suddenly gets so bright.”
The depths of the abhorred forest connected to the demon territory were faintly bright. Riding on the wind, the smell of burning arrived. Yogim scratched his head, thinking that it was just a wildfire or something that was a nuisance.
The army of Myard had already been destroyed, and fire extinguishing activities must be carried out only by the villagers. Yogim must have been chosen as one of them. Yogim was on his way back to the village, but naturally, his steps were getting faster.
Yogim was average for sure, but he had one mysterious ability. It was an ability that would be useless in peacetime. When at the crossroads of life and death, Yogim’s intuition had always been good. Whether he was chased by the Horned Grizzly in the woods or fought against the Highserk as a soldier of the Kanoa Kingdom, Yogim could stay alive following this intuition. His son, Moyes, inherited that ability and escaped to the village, when he was fighting against Highsek as a Myard soldier.
Went through the center of the village and reached his home on the outskirts. There, his wife Deborah, and his son Moyes, chopped the potatoes and prepared their meals.
“We need to run away!!”
Yogim shouted in a surprisingly loud voice.
“Is it a pursuit of the Highserk soldiers?”
Yogim’s wife had a sharp eye on her son’s pursuit.
“No, the forest is in a bad state. It feels like it’s about to be destroyed.”
Yogim could be taken by his imagination, or perhaps he was lost in mind, but Deborah said without question.
“Moyes, connect the carrier to the horse and load only food and weapons.”
“Mama!?”
“Are you stupid? I won’t say it twice.”
Moyes stiffened his body for a moment but then rushed to the back of the house as soon as he could.
“Both you and Moyes have the skill of 《Intuition》. If it says that you must run away now. Is the village hopeless?”
“Mama, remember, a flock of ogres attacked the village a long time ago?”
“Yeah, Myard soldiers suffered a lot of damages.”
“It feels like a toddler’s mischief compared to this time.”
“…That dangerous?”
Yogim’s ears caught people’s screams.
“They’re coming”
Screams and angry sounds from all over the village, and people were fleeing.
A wave appeared from the woods. A wave of monsters. Monsters rushed in violently. Not just a kind of monster, but a wide variety of monsters were approaching like a torrent.
“A rampage huh, some country has really done it, damn it!!”
More than 10 silver wolves with excellent movement speed rushed under the Yogim. Yogim didn’t hate dogs, but he hated Silver Wolf.
It seemed that Yogim’s body, which was full of muscle, looked attractive, and the wolf sprinkled saliva and opened its jaw.
Immediately before reaching Yogim, the head of Silver Wolf was crushed by the hand extending from the side.
“Oi! What do you want to do, to my husband?!”
Yogim’s wife slammed the dying Silver Wolf’s body against another Silver Wolf, then she jumped at the Silver Wolf.
The flank was hit by a fist, the skull was crushed, and the Silver Wolf was beaten to death. Yogim always had a hard time fighting with his wife whenever she started to use her fist. He was inevitably bruised no matter what he did to resist. If Deborah hit him directly, his soul would be sent to hell in no time.
Yogim pulled out a stick-shaped fence and turned his gaze to the approaching Silver Wolf. He was determined that it should be easier to deal with than his wife Deborah, a former adventurer who had the skill 《Super Strength》 and 《Iron Body》. Yogim might be a better choice to fight rather than Deborah, but there was no escape for the Silver Wolf.
Yogim, who had read through the Silver Wolf that jumped in with a feint with 《Intuition》, inserted a fence into his mouth. He didn’t need power. He just holds the bar fence with his right palm and hips and clenched the bar with his left arm.
After that, the silver wolf would be skewered. Yogim wanted to praise it for being a good dog. Another one was friendly, the wolf jumped into Yogim’s throat.
Yogim welcomed him in a hug. Wrap his arm around the throat of the Silver Wolf, flipped the body, and twisted it. Without his skill, 《Intuition》, Yogim was nothing more than a muscular man, even though he was once an adventurer, his power was average at best.
“How long do you want to keep playing? Let’s go quickly… before it’s too late.”
Beyond Deborah’s sad gaze, a giant monster rushing into the village was reflected.
“There is even Tyrant Worm?”
Peasants who attempted to counterattack with farm tools and self-defense weapons were also struck to the wall to death by the Tyrant Worm. Yogim and Deborah wanted to do their best to keep the village last longer, but it was hopeless.
“Let’s move our butt. The burden is too heavy for a weak peasant. It’s just right to leave it to those Highserk soldiers.”
Yogim together with his family left the village, which had become a hell of screams. Of the 478 villagers, only three people and one horse were saved.