Chapter 37
Scorching Wind and the Orcs. The distance between them gradually shrunk.
Having come out before the other Orcs, the Orc General led the ordinary Orcs. To cover them at any time, the Orc Archer and Orc Mage readied their bow and cane. The Orc King, who had set up the settlement, calmly watched from the back.
「Milein, How many Orcs can the 3 of you fight?」
Rei asked Milein who had readied her long sword as he set up his Death Scythe, ready to swing down.
「That’s right. If you leave out the high ranking species, we can take 3 Orcs. If it’s just holding them off, we can even take 5. But, it’s a little hard if there’s a high ranking species.」
「I see. Then I’ll take care of all the high ranking species including the Orc King. Scorching wind will handle the 5 other Orcs.」
We will take care of all the high ranking species including the Orc King. After saying that to Milein, Rei turned around as if he had already forgotten and glared at the Orcs.
「Wait, seriously? I mean, are you sane?」
「Well, we’ll manage. Set, you’re responsible for the Orc Archer and Orc Mage. Use of all skills is permitted. I’ll fight the Orc King after I clean up the Orc General.」
「Guru~」
Set gave a cry, acknowledging Rei’s instruction.
Though Milein twitched in reaction to Rei saying he allowed the use of all skills, she judged that it was the last resort he mentioned a little while ago and readied her grasped sword at the Orcs.
「Sulunin, Ecryll, you’ve heard it. Apparently our opponents are the 5 Orcs.」
「Seriously, to depend on a G rank adventurer……I’m ashamed at our weakness.」
「Sulunin-san, our top priority now is to survive.」
Ecryll encouraged the Sulunin, who as the oldest person, was depressed as leaving everything to a boy in his mid teens.
Rei had a faint smile as he saw this and took up his Death Scythe.
「What, don’t worry. I can let Set help right away if things go according to my plan. ……Set!」
「Gururu~!」
At Rei’s signal, Set gave a sharp cry. A mass of water appeared in front of Set at the same time. It was the Water Ball skill that Set had received after absorbing the magic stone of the Water Bear.
「Eh? What is the Griffon……」
Sulunin, who knew a lot about magic and monsters, froze for a moment after seeing that. As if not caring, Set fired the water ball anyway. His aim was not at the Orcs in the vanguard……instead, it was at the high ranking species of Orcs who could support from range at the back. In particular, at the higher risk Orc Mage.
Though the Orc Archer, who had already set up it’s bow, shot an arrow at the water ball coming towards them, the water ball used by Set could be manipulated to some extent. Though it would probably have been shot down by the arrow if it flew straight, the water ball drew a curve in the air, dodging the arrow……and exploding the head of the Orc Mage it was aimed at.
Though the Orc Mage tried to block the water ball with magic, the Orc Mage needed to say an incantation to cast a spell, he wasn’t a match for Set who could freely handle the water ball just by thinking about it and fell to the ground with his head destroyed, blood and brains scattered into the surroundings.
Orcs are basically stupid, so in a sense, the Orc Mage was a peculiar existence that could use magic. It was an existence that could manipulate a strong magic power and couldn’t be compared to those around it. Aside from the Orc Archer and Orc General who were also high ranking species, the ordinary Orcs’ movements slowed after seeing a high ranking species being brought down immediately after the start of combat.
And by the time that had happened, Rei was running along the ground towards the Orcs. He chanted an incantation as he closed the distance to the Orcs.
『Flame, you are a snake. Therefore, burn my enemy as I desire.』
The flame gathered around the Death Scythe, which was a magic casting tool. He jumped on the spot, straight towards the Orcs ahead. Activating the Shoes of Sleipnir, he jumped even further into the air above the Orcs. He landed after passing over the 5 ordinary Orcs. The only one left was the Orc General, wearing poor armour, in front of him. Aiming for the body, he struck out with Death Scythe, sweeping from the side.
「Bumoo~!」
He probably sensed that the attack was dangerous, as expected of the high ranking species, Orc General. However, perceiving the danger, it was his ruin that he tried to block the Death Scythe by raising his sword. The single strike from the Death Scythe, cut through the sword that was used as a shield without resistance, the point of the Death Scythe, pierced into the Orc General’s side.
The misfortune of the Orc General was that he didn’t know the Death Scythe was a magic item. Though Rei easily wielded the Death Scythe, its weight exceed 100kg. Because of its ability, Rei could swing it around at it’s full length and breadth inexhaustibly without felling it’s weight. With the Orc General’s physical strength, it was impossible to block Rei’s basic strike.
『Dance Fire Snake!』
The magic triggered at the same time. A flame snake shot out from the tip of the blade that was stuck in the Orc General, it pushed forward while burning his whole body.
「Bumooooooo~!」
His body was burned alive, the Orc General gave a scream due to the acute pain in his body that he couldn’t suppress as if he was dying. His loud scream, as if forgetting they were acting secretly to escape, echoed into the surroundings.
With such severe pain, the flame snake entered from his pierced side and went up his ribs, shoulder, throat, face and finally his brain, putting out the flames of life.
Being burnt alive, it was so ghastly a scene that the other Orcs merely stared at Rei, who had just killed their Orc General commander, in silence. It was the same for Scorching Wind, the three sent dumbfounded looks at Rei.
And the moment everything stopped, Set instantly flapped his wings, running into the sky.
「……Ha! Sulunin, Ecryll Cover me. I’ll take care of the 5 Orcs we were charged with. Rei is a G rank and killed the Orc General instantly, as a C rank party we’re not allowed to say we can’t take 5 Orcs.」
「I understand. The formation?」
「Same as usual. However, as safety is a priority, Sulunin will focus on support magic, mainly healing magic. The attack will be by me and Ecryll’s bow.」
「Okay.」
Quickly instructing the battle formation, Milein quickly went for the Orcs who hadn’t recovered from their confusion. At the same time, Sulunin finished his incantation and cast a support magic, Milein’s long sword shone brightly.
「Haah!」
With a voice filled with spirit, the sword sliced out. With Sulunin’s support magic, it cut through the neck, sending the head flying, with barely any resistance.
With the current support magic cast on the sword, Milein had the confidence to cut the bodies of the Orcs in two, even though they had their boasted muscle and fat which gave more defense than ordinary armour. However, given the number of enemy targets, even though the target was small, she aimed at the neck so she could land a fatal injury.
The body of the Orc fell to the ground gushing out blood, a moment after the head flew off.
「That’s 1!」
「Bumoo~!」
Seeing that, as expected, the other 4 Orcs recovered. The Orcs to the right and left of the fallen Orc stabbed at Milein with their spears.
「Ecryll!」
「I won’t let you do that!」
Milein shouted sharply while parrying the spear thrust from the Orc on the right. Hearing her instruction, Ecryll rapidly shot several arrows in succession at the Orc on the left who had also stabbed out with a spear.
「Bumo~!?」
Several arrows pierced the Orc, forcibly halting the spear’s movement. Though the arrows themselves did little damage and were stopped at the fat, the moment they pierced in, they obstructed the movement of the spear, stopping it. And the next moment, several sharp wind blades cut the Orc, slicing continuously.
「Bumoo~!?」
Sulunin’s wind magic cut off the right hand and left foot of the Orc who then fell to the ground, covered in deep cuts.
「Die!」
Milein dodged the stabbing spear attack of the Orc on the right and shouted as she swung her sword down sharply, cutting the neck.
「That’s 2!」
While shouting, she looked around for an instant. Set was flying in the sky, trying to attack the Orc Archer. Against that, the Orc Archer desperately shot a few arrows at Set.
But……
「Gururu~!」
The beak of the Griffon, who had the upper body of an eagle, opened with a cry. Flames were spit out from it, blowing away the surrounding darkness. To the arrows that Set’s flame breath was aimed at, everything except the arrowheads, which were made of some animal bones, were burnt up. The arrowheads were sent flying in different directions from the impact.
「Fire Breath? It used water a little while ago, what the hell is that Griffon……rare species?」
Sulunin saw that and muttered reflexively.
To the side of where Set and Scorching Wind were fighting, Rei’s fight with the Orc King was also starting.
Though Rei overwhelmed the Orc General with brute strength and the weight of the Death Scythe, as expected, the Orc General was like a baby compared to the Ork King who led the Orcs. He had a huge sword in his hand, it was a magic sword that could clash with the Death Scythe and would be called a great sword if used by an ordinary person.
「Haah!」
Attacking with a scooping strike from below, it caught the Orc King’s great sword with a high pitched, metallic gin~ sound.
Originally, Rei had wanted to attack by swinging it down, however, Rei’s height was only 165cm, shorter than the ordinary Orc. If swinging down to attack was difficult against an Orc General, then it was impossible against the even larger Orc King.
An inhuman muscular strength that could go evenly again the Death Scythe which weighed over 100kg, that was the Orc King.
(Tch, should I have used the Dancing Flame Snake on this guy and not the Orc General? ……No, that’s impossible. If I aimed at the Orc King from that position, the Orc General would have blocked me. Then, what to do? My attacks are not effective because of his weapon. In other words, I should make him lose his weapon. So that means……)
「Corrosion」
The weapon skill of the Death Scythe that he had received from the magic stone of the Queen Ant, Corrosion. It was a skill that gradually corroded the enemies weapons and armour when they clashed. To use it, Rei clashed with the Orc King’s sword.
However, the effect of corrosion was only increased by a degree after a single clash. Therefore, it was necessary to use corrosion each time he clashed with the Orc Kings great sword.
「Corrosion」
The Orc King blocked the side sweeping strike with his great sword.
「Corrosion」
The Orc King repelled the blade of the Death Scythe, raised in a reverse Kesagiri.
Such a fight repeated for a few minutes. Normally, as the user’s magic is consumed if a weapon skill is used, the consecutive use of weapon skills usually wouldn’t be done. However, Rei was described by Zepairu as having an extraordinary magic power. He continued to activate corrosion without appearing to be tired.
Sweeping from below, striking from the side. Evading attacks and using the momentum to stab at the Orc King’s throat with the handle.
That looked like a magnificent dance. But though sword dancing existed in Elgin, this was more likely to be called a scythe dance.
「……」
Ecryll, who had readied her bow to support, caught site of Rei’s figure in the hard fight and spaced out as she admired his movements.
「Ecryll!」
However, in an instant, she was pulled back to reality by Milein’s shout as she cut an Orc.
And, at the same time Ecryll aimed at an Orc with her bow, the moment finally came.
「Corrosion」
The sword clashed with the Death Scythe. The Orc King’s great sword had gradually changed colour due to the effect of the corrosion……the moment it collided with the Death Scythe, its blade was cut right in two.
「……」
Several times. No, the Orc King turned his eyes in silence to the Death Scythe, which had triggered corrosion dozens of times before cutting his loved sword in two.
The Orc King had noticed his own sword was taking fatal damage. However, it still wasn’t impossible to fight the man with vast magical power in front of him with his sword.
No, he had judged that he could endure the attacks of his enemy because his sword was a magic item.
「Bumoooooo~!」
Raising a shout that echoed into the settlement, he hurled the handle of the great sword at Rei. To the blinded Rei, he threw out his fist to crush him with a physical strength that exceeded the Orc General.
「Indeed, truly someone who can sit on the throne. But……」
Using the handle of the Death Scythe to deal with the handle of the great sword, he used the momentum to avoid the Orc King’s fist. Passing by each other……he went for the the belly of the big Orc King with the Death Scythe’s blade at the same time.
「Bumooooooooooo!」
Death cries. While raising a cry that could only be called as such, he stayed on the spot without falling to the ground.
Though his body was only connected by a single piece of skin, still, the Orc King stood without falling to the ground. It could be said that it was the pride of a king.
「……Ah. I understand」
The king had neither fallen to the ground or died. In the case a king was defeated by the enemy on the battlefield, he would be decapitated. Rei sensed that atmosphere from the Orc King and approached him with his hand on the Death Scythe.
「Farewell, proud king of the Orcs」
「Bumoooooo~!」
Zan~!
It was the fastest attack of today. People watching only saw an attack like a flash of light as the Orc King’s neck was cut.
Almost at the same time, Set made a steep dive from the sky, crushing the Orc Archer’s head with his eagle like claws as Milein split the head of the last Orc.