It was a very strange scene of a man, who exceeds two meters in height, to be stitched to the ground by a sword piercing through his back in a state of him having lost an arm and a leg.
If seen from the eyes of a human, that unbelievable spectacle would make them doubt reality or the contents of their own brain, but Renya doesn’t have any kind of deep emotions about it.
Renya, who looked down on the demon who isn’t stopping to struggle, as he is trying to escape or because of the pain, while the blood is gushing out, stepped on the hilt of the stabbed-in large sword and drove in the blade further deep down so that the demon can’t pull it out at all.
Without listening to the scream which was raised for a second time, Renya surveys the situation in his vicinity.
Although Renya held out for quite long and the elves did their very best by taking over the offensive from him, a number of 20.000 isn’t an amount which will collapse easily and quickly after all.
The number of deaths on the battlefield is to an extent that the air within the forest is tinged with the stench of blood. Moreover, the monsters are continuing their attack.
However, that happened while the number of attacks went down, albeit only little by little.
It’s likely that the news of the defeat of the demon, who is the head of the army, is spreading amongst the monsters, Renya guesses.
If the head is gone, a common army will be reduced to a disorderly mob, no matter how many numbers they had.
Moreover, where a crowd of monsters which aren’t overly bright is concerned, once a strong person gets defeated, it’s difficult for the ones under them to continue fighting.
“And yet the war is still continuing. How truly troublesome.” (Renya)
Once he grinds the hilt of the large sword while stepping on it, the scream of the demon, which doesn’t consist of any words, raises in tone.
It looked like he was incessantly talking about something, but Renya doesn’t know what he is saying.
Although it is entering his ears as words, he can’t bring himself to understand it in any way.
Once he tries to forcibly understand the words, it seems to be an endless repetition of the same old phrases like 「Stop」, 「Save me」 and 「If you do such things…」.
That’s completely cryptic, Renya shrugs his shoulders.
If this was about a general of an army, who properly treated the soldiers of the defence fortress and the elves working in there as prisoners, I would be able to show sympathy.
As you guys felt that you treated us properly, it is an extremely respectable demand to wish for our treatment to follow that example as well.
However, although Renya hasn’t seen the actual site, the demon and monsters should have trampled down the defence fortress to their heart’s content.
Without any scruples they should have done deeds, which are too disgusting to even imagine, to the soldiers and the women working in the fortress to a degree that there aren’t even any corpses left.
For such person to start talking about doing something about their treatment just because the positions have been reversed is really laughable, Renya thinks.
Since they came and started a violent war, they shouldn’t be in any position to complain if they get annihilated in reverse.
Once he starts to think like that, Renya considers the demon, who is making a racket by squealing around under his feet, as extremely disgusting and thus tramples down the hilt of large sword even more without any hesitation.
“You know, how about trying to reflect on your actions a bit?” (Renya)
While hearing the demon’s scream go to the yet highest level, Renya addresses the demon below his feet.
The sound of his voice is very gentle, but that gentleness basks the demon in terror instead.
“Reflecting on what you lot did, are you expecting for a fraction that you will be allowed to receive help? If you really believe that, I’m impressed of your fairly naive way of thinking.” (Renya)
Renya said it like that, but there’s also another reason why he doesn’t feel inclined to let the demon under his feet escape.
Once this demon saw the weapon of Renya, he started to talk about returning to his country.
That means, this demon probably recognised me as threat or risk factor, Renya assesses.
In other words, if this demon returns to his country alive, the information 「There is a dangerous person called Renya = Kunugi among the human race」 will become known by the demons.
Renya didn’t believe that he is such a dangerous being even a bit, however the issue is how the other side will think about that. If he ended up getting such label once, the demons would likely try to take some measures against Renya at any opportunity.
Renya didn’t consider that as great problem, but if it’s possible, it won’t hurt to keep the amount of problems small.
It will be a great joy for him, if he can live by eating suitably delicious stuff, having a comfortable home and somewhat serve people, who are a good addition in those areas, until his life span ends.
Although I will ward off sparks that rain or fall down, I don’t want to increase the sparks on my own accord.
Though, am I not naturally plunging into a downpour of sparks voluntarily, Renya thinks occasionally.
There’s nothing but giving up on that as it can’t be helped that there are inconsistent situations.
No matter how much I don’t waver, even if I wish for an uniform way of life, that’s not something I can decide.
“Enough of that…” (Renya)
In order to check the true identity of the voice he heard during the battle, Renya focusses his mind.
The technique, which is called telepathic communication, was something Renya was able to use as well, albeit it was only somewhat, as he used it with Frau once in a while.
<Kurowaal? Kurowaal-san the precipice?> (Renya)
<Who is a precipice!? Could you stop attaching weird nicknames to me? Although they are modest, that place is properly swelling and soft, even in my case!> (Kurowaal)
The reply came right away.
Setting aside his light surprise whether there’s a place which is soft or swelling, though it’s for the time being, Renya continues the conversation.
<How’s the situation on your side? I have settled the matter with the demon here.> (Renya)
<It’s at the point that the enemy forces are scraping at the core of the defence. We are barely holding out, but casualties have started to appear. The monsters are beginning to leave the barrier… eh? You defeated the demon!?> (Kurowaal)
<I defeated him. He is still alive though. Didn’t you see it?> (Renya)
I might have taken a hit if not for Kurowaal’s warning at the time the demon launched his attack.
It’s not so bad if it’s about spells, but from the view point of Renya, who is no more than a self-proclaimed normal swordsman, something like a sword flash being hurled at him exceeds the scope of his imagination.
<At the beginning I watched the fight, but not so much after halfway through.> (Kurowaal)
<Well, I guess that makes sense.> (Renya)
<Rather than that, please help us over here! I have somehow a feeling that it will be really close.> (Kurowaal)
Impatience is mixed in her voice, or rather her thoughts.
While wondering whether the situation was that bad, Renya answered.
<Huh? I already finished my job.> (Renya)
In Renya’s opinion the defence would be somehow successful with only the elves by maintaining the elven barrier as long as the mana for attacking didn’t become insufficient and if there was no demon.
Even without that, before Renya entered into combat with the demon, he had decreased the enemy numbers considerably. There are also many monsters who killed themselves.
Casualties will certainly appear, but that won’t lead to a collapse, he believed.
<We will give you a reward! Please!> (Kurowaal)
<Reward, eh… that depends on what you will give me, you know.> (Renya)
<What’s good for you!? If it suits you, anything’s fine!? I will offer you all tastes, the elves can provide, to your heart’s content!> (Kurowaal)
<… A carnivorous blonde is good enough.> (Renya)
Renya inclines his head to the side thinking that his choice might be a bit inadequate while answering.
The telepathic communication with Kurowaal gives him the impression that he has still much more leeway around the area of inserting erotic topics as reward. In fact, that’s because he noticed that she was apparently at her wit’s end to the degree of not minding her appearance.
The thing called telepathic communication is like a direct connection between minds and conveys quite directly things like wavering in the emotions of the person you talk with.
<You are an elf that handles her workman quite roughly…> (Renya)
<I will bear responsibility for all objections like grumbles or complaints. As all of it will be addressed later on, please hurry~!> (Kurowaal)
Finally, while listening to the thoughts of Kurowaal who started to cry, Renya returns to the elven encampment by hastening his walking, though only a bit.
Speaking of the conclusion, with Renya joining the fray, the defence line at the elven encampment became stable really easily and the scales of war tilted to predominance for the elven side.
A great number of monsters switched to escape at the moment the demon, who was the head of the army, was defeated. Even the monsters who hid from Renya’s eyes and had quite the will-power to steadily think that they will go back once they eat an elf, are at a loss how to continue with the do-or-die resistance of the elves and understand, even if only reluctantly, that anymore fighting will just increase the casualties once Renya came running with great haste.
However, at the time they realized it, it was already too late. The monsters, who persisted against the elves to the bitter end, are cut and pierced. It turned into a mess for them and their corpses littered the ground.
“I-I thought I was going to die…” (Kurowaal)
At the time the sky dawns faintly, almost all elves are sitting on the ground due to total exhaustion. Kurowaal, who said that, was gasping roughly while likewise sitting among them.
With her clothes being torn all over, she is in a terrible state as she has moreover stains of blood everywhere.
At the time when the battle was about to end it turned several times into close combat with monsters who passed through the barrier. Each time Kurowaal and the students of the school were thrown at the approaching monsters to achieve a numerical superiority and repelled them at any time.
Even though they had an absolute superiority in numbers it was the first time for most of the school’s students to directly cross weapons with monsters. In addition to the physical fatigue, their mental weariness was large.
“Such an exaggeration. It wasn’t a big deal, was it? I even dealt with the demon.” (Renya)
The only one being full of spirit among everyone that doesn’t feel like moving is Renya.
He is endlessly repeating the work of piling up the corpses of monsters, who have been stopped in the wilderness, scattered about in a range separated from the elven barrier which became the battlefield and whom he drags in in numbers of 5-6 at once, into a mountain after quickly dismantling them.
He is collecting the magic cores for the time being, although the ones from orcs and goblins are of low quality.
If it’s ogre class, the quality of the magic core will gradually become good. Moreover, Renya, who was taught by Kurowaal that it’s apparently possible to sell the ogre’s horn as raw material, ran around to gather the corpses as if it counts for anything.
By the way, the ogre’s horns will become raw materials for strong nourishment medicines if you grind them into a powder after drying them in the sun.
“20.000 against 700!? Even without including the demon, I believe that was a completely a losing battle.” (Kurowaal)
“Can you really describe it as losing battle if you can launch spells ceaselessly without having to worry about mana running out and moreover with an adequate barrier established at the encampment?” (Renya)
Once Renya says “Though I intended to do it quite easily”, Kurowaal, who has no energy to rebute, sinks into silence.
Certainly, if there wasn’t any mana supply from Renya, there’s no doubt that it would have turned into a much more horrible battle.
Since we probably would be unable to deploy such huge barrier in the first place, we might have been going “Hii Hii” under the belly of a orc about right now after getting crushed by the violence of numbers, Kurowaal is able to understand that as well.
Compared to that, it’s likely no exaggeration to say that he did it fairly easily.
“If possible, I never want to do it again.” (Kurowaal)
“I can’t promise you that at all.” (Renya)
Right next to Renya, who is laughing while saying that, Frau is digging a hole with all her might.
Although she is digging a hole into the ground with utmost effort after having borrowed something from an elven soldier, which he apparently brought along with the intention to dig a trench, Kurowaal doesn’t know at all what the heck she is planning to use that hole for.
During the battle Frau worked quite a bit while joining the soldiers as well, but there’s absolutely no hint of fatigue visible in her case.
Not only that. The hole, she is digging silently, has become quite large. One can see how Frau has been wholeheartedly digging the hole without rest.
“For the time being, please return to the city once and bring some oil and wood, Kurowaal.” (Renya)
“That’s fine with me. But what will you use it for?” (Kurowaal)
“There’s plenty of monster corpses remaining in the wilderness.” (Renya)
Renya says while surveying the battlefield which began to be illuminated by daylight.
“Don’t you have to deal with the aftermath?” (Renya)
“That’s indeed right. I will get it arranged right away. And let’s get help by choosing the people with minor injuries from among the soldiers.” (Kurowaal)
“That will save me troubles. After this there will be an event, too.” (Renya)
Kurowaal felt somewhat uneasy due to the word event, but, without questioning it, she selects the soldiers to help Renya and goes to get the arrangements in order for carrying firewood and oil from the city.
“Frau, do you have something string-like which is durable and resistant to fire?” (Renya)
“Master, use this ~no. It won’t burn. It won’t snap even if you pull 10 ogres with it ~no.” (Frau)
Renya receives the bundle of ropes held out by Frau.
“That’s amazing.” (Renya)
Finishing the series of work, Kurowaal, who temporarily returned to the city, prepared the firewood and oil requested by Renya and, while at it, went to explain the situation to Shion and Rona, who remained on standby at the transfer gate.
Kurowaal asked the two, who heard about Renya’s safety, to return to the city of Kukrika and entrusted them with her wish that they bring back the news about what happened here and what might happen on the human continent.
The two of them certainly agreed with her and passed through the transfer gate after asking Kurowaal to give Renya a message that they went back ahead.
Kurowaal, who saw the two’s backs off with a smile, returns to Renya’s location while pulling the a cart with their luggage.
Thereupon she saw Renya and Frau doing strange work.
While the soldiers, who helped out, watched over them with a somewhat complicated expression, Renya was constructing something by joining thick wood together crosswise.
After looking at that, Kurowaal isn’t able to see what they are intending to do at all, but it looks like they are assembling a quite the thick live tree.
“Umm, Renya. I brought the firewood and oil.” (Kurowaal)
Once she calls out to him timidly, Renya raises his face as if he had just noticed the existence of Kurowaal.
“Ah, good job.” (Renya)
“And, I have a verbal message from Shion-san. I’m told that they will return to the human continent ahead of you since they understand that you are safe.” (Kurowaal)
“I see. That’s true. I guess they have to go back to report about this time’s matter.” (Renya)
Even while nodding, Renya’s hands doesn’t stop to work.
Once he is able to link up the stand of the cross, Renya goes to pull a black object, that was left in a slightly separated place, with dragging sounds.
Kurowaal, who looked towards that object, had her breath taken away.
The light purple hair was sullied with blood and dirt.
The entire body is covered by a black iron armour, but the left forearm up to the elbow and the left foot up to the knee are missing.
A large sword is embedded into the body from the backside. Kurowaal immediately wondered whether it’s a corpse, but a short while looking at it she realizes that it’s still alive albeit breathing only faintly.
“T-That, is that possibly.” (Kurowaal)
“Ah, yea. This time’s ringleader-like demon.” (Renya)
He heaves the demon, whom he dragged along, on to of the cross’ stand in order to for it to lie on it’s belly.
Given that the large sword is pierced into its back, it’s not possible to have it face up.
From there on he drives the blade, which is sticking out from the belly into the cross’ stand by hitting the hilt of the sword into the body’s back.
Although it raises a frail voice, Renya ignores that, stretches both arms on the pole of the horizontal part of the cross and binds the area around the elbows with a rope, he got from Frau. Then he places both legs onto the vertical part of the cross and binds them with a rope around the area of the knees.
Once he erects the cross in the central part of the hole, dug by Frau with all her might, it completes the irregular crucifixion stand.
“Alright, all that’s left is to lay out firewood, oil and corpses of monsters under this guy’s feet.” (Renya)
The elven soldiers had somewhat a feeling to draw back due to Renya proclaiming this with a smile, however since it’s a fact that it won’t do if they don’t deal with the monster corpses, they start the work to move the monster corpses, which are still scattered about in the area, into the hole and onto the hill, which piled up after Renya pulled out the magic cores.
At the time they recovered their stamina somewhat, the majority of people, who participated in the battle, join in on the work and are able to pile up the monster corpses in the holes, Frau dug out at a quick pace, in elven wave tactics.
“Under his feet”, Renya said, but the finished mountain has ended up with a height burying the area around the demon’s chest completely.
“You bastards… doing such a thing… won’t finish with this…”
“Kurowaal, can you please ignite it quickly since he’s troublesome?” (Renya)
“Eh? I have to do it?” (Kurowaal)
Disregarding the voice of the demon which is audible in fragments, Renya told that Kurowaal and Kurowaal returned a question with an expression of surprise.
“Well, as long as it’s an elf, anyone will do though. Vengeance for the elves of the defence fortress, that’s the implication it has… besides, I believe you won’t be able to get much experience in setting a demon on fire, right?” (Renya)
“That’s true as well… well then.” (Kurowaal)
While the other elven soldiers watch attentively, Kurowaal, who takes one step forward, raises her voice and says to the demon,
“Demon! This is the fire of retribution for those of the fortress you killed cold bloodedly! Drop to hell after enjoying it to your heart’s content!” (Kurowaal)
“St-… Sto-… p!”
Without even having an ear for the demon’s constrained voice, Kurowaal casts <Ignite>.
The mountain, which was plentifully drenched in oil, immediately raises a red flame and begins to burst into thunderous flames.
Within the piled up mountain the demon, who was the only one breathing in there, raised a painful scream as it’s burning alive.
Because it is tough as thoughtless living creature, the demon will likely continue to burn for a considerable time until the end of its life.
Among the elves, who watch over that scene with various emotions within their chests, only Renya and Frau were moving as usual.
“Ah, it’s finished, it’s finally done. I wonder what I will receive as reward?” (Renya)
“Something that will turn into money or something that will be delicious is great, Frau thinks ~no.” (Frau)
Can’t you please shut up for a bit? Kurowaal thought while gazing at the black smoke which is enveloping the flaring fire alongside listening to the demon’s screams that are mixed within.
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