Chapter 20 | The Assassin Decides to Help
Following the path that new groups of monsters were traveling, I closed in on my quarry. Using the blood of felled orcs and goblins, I disguised my scent and kept as far out of sight as possible without losing the trail.
My approach was both daring and cautious. Getting caught now would’ve put me in the direst situation imaginable. Catching the eye of even a single monster meant dealing with an endless stream of them that would surely overwhelm me.
It was a terrifying thought.
After running for about three kilometers, I finally found it.
The demon resembled an orc but possessed a few distinguishing features. It was wearing armor made from a magical beast’s skin, and its body was riddled with old scars. Its white hair and long beard gave it the appearance of a grizzled veteran who’d seen many battles.
Most startling was its detached jaw. Orcs and goblins were crawling from its gaping mouth. It was a grotesque sight, to say the least.
“That is really unpleasant to look at.”
Evidently, this was the method by which the demon was creating new monsters.
I pulled a signal flare out of my pouch. It was a special item given to those who’d been tasked with finding the enemy army’s leader.
I lit the fuse. The end of the thing flew upward and exploded with red light. It quite resembled a firework.
That will be visible from kilometers away. Epona should be here soon.
The problem was…
“I suppose this was bound to happen.”
Every orc and goblin in my vicinity was bearing down on me now.
The flare alerted the hero to this location, but it also broadcasted my site to the enemy. I could’ve stayed safe by launching the signal from farther away, but that would’ve meant a less accurate beacon.
To make matters worse, I couldn’t run. If this demonic, grizzled orc moved, then this all would’ve been for naught. I had no choice but to stay and watch it.
The agile goblins closed in on me by swinging like monkeys from the branches of surrounding trees. When the first one leaped at me, I threw a knife at its forehead, piercing through it and two others and knocking them all out of the air.
Thankfully, the surrounding forest limited the giant orcs’ maneuverability. That afforded me enough time for an incantation.
“Firestorm!”
The flames of my spell burned right through the orcs’ thick hides. I’d trapped all of the heat inside the storm by increasing the spell’s precision, creating a cage to prevent any flames from escaping.
Two more orcs crumpled into smoldering piles.
Unfortunately…
“It’s like a drop in the ocean.”
There were still hundreds of monsters. Killing a few of them at a time wasn’t going to accomplish anything.
Closing my eyes, I retrieved a flash grenade and threw it at my feet.
The world was bathed in white. I used that moment to run and hide.
While the orcs and goblins tried to search for me, it didn’t seem like they were very good at sniffing out concealed opponents.
…All right, I’ll hide right here until the great hero arrives.
I moved from one obscured spot to the next, keeping an eye on the demon all the while. My discovery seemed unlikely.
Something was odd, however. The demon appeared intelligent. It should’ve understood that my flare had been a signal for the hero. Curiously, it didn’t seem to care, though. I had to observe it carefully. The creature was definitely up to something.
As I watched, I realized monsters were returning from the front lines.
I looked closely and realized those orcs that’d come from the forefront were carrying something. It appeared to be a big sack, and whatever was inside it was occasionally moving.
On the demon’s order, the monsters opened the sack, revealing a group of students who’d been paralyzed by some sort of poison.
“So that’s what they’re planning.”
Orcs already could increase their numbers by kidnapping females and impregnating them. The demon had used that instinct to make them collect students…to use as shields.
This was how the demon intended to exploit Epona’s weakness. It was a strategy built to capitalize on Epona’s fear of harming her allies.
Even after being discovered, the demon hadn’t retreated because it wanted to face the hero.
…This is bad. Can I save the students before Epona gets here?
“If there were one or two students, I’d be able to pull it off. But twenty-three of them…”
It was impossible. Killing those orcs surrounding the hostages was simple enough, but I couldn’t grab over twenty people and carry them out.
A sudden explosion caught my attention.
“I finally found you—my enemy. I will kill you and fulfill my duty. I’ll become a real hero. I’ll protect the Alvanian Kingdom just like I promised Mireille I would.”
Epona had left a path of destruction in her wake. Everything around her had been mowed down. Craters burst into the earth with each of her steps. Her strength was as unbelievable as ever.
The horde of orcs laughed, and the orc that looked like a war veteran—the demon—walked forward.
“The hero is still but a child, green and unskilled.”
“You’re not wrong, but that won’t stop me from accomplishing what I’ve come here to do.”
“Oh-hooo, you are brave. I’d give you my name as a reward for making it this far, but a human wouldn’t be able to comprehend it. I suppose I’ll settle for a rough translation. I am General Orc, the most powerful orc of all.”
It seemed a fitting name for a leader of orcs and goblins.
“I’m Epona, the hero.”
“Oh-ho-hooo. Epona. I will remember it. Let’s have ourselves some fun, hero. I was hoping to give my side an advantage before everyone else wakes up.”
General Orc’s words were nonchalant, but they undoubtedly held some significance.
What’s he playing at? While I was considering that question, the battle began.
The horde of burly orcs rushed at Epona.
Even such gigantic creatures were no match for the hero. Epona swung an arm as if swatting away a fly in annoyance. The motion spilled the innards of several orcs at once. Then she used a simple blast of raw mana to send everything around her flying in all directions.
Her strength was overwhelming. For some reason, however, General Orc began to laugh and summon more monsters.
Epona’s movements grew clumsy. The orcs brought out the kidnapped students to use as shields. They’d tied the students to their hideous stomachs.
“You coward!” Epona exclaimed.
“This is strategy. Monsters can’t afford to fight fair against the hero, you know,” General Orc said with raucous delight.
Epona continued to fight, taking care to avoid injuring our captured classmates.
While Epona was an unskilled fighter—both due to her inexperience and her absurd strength—her strong defenses usually made up for that.
“Hmm, I thought you’d understand this without me having to spell it out, but…you seem like you don’t get it. Stop fighting, or else.”
General Orc gave a signal, and an orc bit off a male student’s head, killing him.
Epona ground her teeth and glared at the demon, but she didn’t stop fighting.
“Hmm, the hero sheds no tears.”
“If I lose, you’ll kill them anyway.”
I’d thought for sure the tender and meek Epona would’ve surrendered after seeing something so gruesome, but she grasped the reality of the situation quite clearly. She was right in thinking the students were dead if she gave herself up. It was better not to concern herself with the hostages.
She didn’t look at all like the person who’d been wracked with guilt after hurting Tarte in the last battle. It wasn’t her allies getting hurt that Epona found so unpleasant. It was them dying by her hand that she despised.
“Gah-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha, yes, yes, yes! It seems like you’re not such a fool after all. But why are your movements becoming so clumsy?” General Orc needled.
The orcs with hostages tied to them moved forward.
Epona fought awkwardly as she tried to avoid the captives.
Epona’s great fear only comes from killing people herself.
Her expression betrayed her thoughts to me. Epona was hoping the monsters would kill the hostages so she could go all out.
The longer the fight raged on, the stranger Epona’s behavior became. Every step was less graceful than the last. Her eyes were shining, and a smirk was spreading across her face. I could see her mana increasing, and her muscles were bulging.
She’s drunk on blood and battle.
“YOU’RE SOOOO ANNOOOOYYYIIIIIIIING!”
Epona swung her fist as hard as she could, piercing through both an orc and a hostage.
“NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! I—I DID IT AGAIN!”
After Epona’s scream, the orcs charged at her, brazenly thrusting the hostages forward. Instinctively, she counterattacked, killing more students.
Epona’s face went pale, and she began to shake.
…She has some skill that causes her to lose reason when fighting, and the shock of killing people brings her out of it.
Epona vomited before collapsing to the ground. It was clear she couldn’t continue fighting.
“There’s no way I can just sit back and watch,” I said.
Saving the hostages on my own would’ve been impossible. However, Epona’s presence made it possible. I hadn’t just been idly watching. I’d been working on a plan and waiting for the best time to leap in and save the captives.
The time had come for me to join Epona. I’d already broken my promise once, and I wasn’t about to do it again. I still had to apologize to her, after all.
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