Ch-63: Behemoth (5)

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After discussing with Frillite, it was decided that I was the one going back. She would be more helpful than me at subjugating the Behemoth, if they encountered it.

I had no regrets about missing the subjugation because I only needed the soul of the Behemoth to absorb it into my glyph.

So I led my party members and the cavalry out of the forest.

No matter how hard they ran, there was no way the soldiers could run faster than the beasts. By the time we got out of the forest, the beast horde was nowhere to be seen, only the traces they left behind proved their existence.

"Get on your horses, at once!"

Before leaving the forest, Randolph handed over the jurisdiction of the soldiers to me. It means that I have the authority to command these soldiers, for now.

At my command, the soldiers hurriedly mounted their horses.

"Follow the monsters!"

Led by me and my party at the forefront, the cavalry of three hundred soldiers started galloping along the trail of the monster horde.

Their traces pointed that they were heading towards the city, and not the villages.

'I hope it's not too late.'

If the gates aren't breached, we can still fix this somehow. But that was just how I wished the things to be.

When we arrived near the city, we were greeted by the wide open gates and terrified screams coming from inside.

The situation inside the city was a mess.

Beasts and monsters were rampaging around the city at will, and citizens were darting around for shelter in panic. The guards didn't have the strength to subdue the beasts.

'Why can't I see the soldiers and knights?'

Even if more than half of the troops were deployed to the forest, there was still ample room for resistance.

However, this was not the time for doubts.

The more I uselessly waste my time on thinking, the more people will die. I turned my attention to the knights among the soldiers I brought with me.

"Are there any knights experienced in commanding soldiers?"

Some of the knights raised their hands.

Among them, I selected the five that stood out above others. There was simply no time to check out how good their commanding skills really were.

"Listen carefully. The soldiers will be divided into five units. And the knights I just pointed out will take the command of one unit each. Do you understand?"

"We are in charge? But hero is…"

"I am a foreigner. I know less about the geography of this city than you do. So, lead your soldiers and subdue the damn monsters that are rioting in your city!"

– Yes, sir!

The knights saluted and hastily began to divide the soldiers into five units.

They will do the rest themselves.

'What's left for me is…'

– Kihahaha!

The harpy b!tches flying in the sky.

Harpies caught people in their claws, released them from high air and joyfully giggled at their victim's desperate screams.

These bird brain motherf**kers!

You think nothing can happen to you guys just because you can fly your asses up to the sky? Think so!

If that's what makes you confident.

Just wait, you feathery thots.

Let's see how many holes can I puncture in your bodies.

I rushed with my party members upto a tower.

The tower, though only a little taller than an ordinary building, presented a very good view as it was open in all directions.

This will be enough.

"Eri, prepare your spells."

"Hmm."

Eri nodded.

She seemed to understand the reason we had climbed the tower was to make her use the spells.

"Can't you just wipe them out all together with the strongest spell in your arsenal?"

"Huh? No, that's not possible here."

So that would injure the innocent citizens too, huh?

"Clairvoyance and magic missile. Do you know these spells?"

I do think she learned both of them in the dungeon.

Clairvoyance was a buff spell that increased the accuracy in the game, but in reality it literally broadens one's field of vision.

Magic Missile was a magical version of [Mana Strike] in the game, but in reality it is a mass of mana that can be manipulated.

Perhaps she understood my reason for mentioning these two spells, Eri's eyes widened in horror.

"You aren't telling me to do double incantation, are you?"

"Uhh, indeed."

"Do you know how much concentration and mana does double incantation even require!?"

"There are mana potions we found in the dungeon. You can use them all."

Mana potions are much more valuable than recovery potions.

After scouring the whole dungeon, we only got to secure five mana potions in total.

'Quite a pity, but…'

Now was not the time to save.

Eri shook her head even though I had allowed the use of mana potions.

"No, it's impossible! What you're saying is to kill the monsters by carefully manipulating the magic missile while looking around with clairvoyance! Do you know how much concentration does that require?! If I misspell, I'll just faint. But if I lose control of my mana–"

I placed my hands on her delicate shoulders, while she kept repeating that it was impossible.

"Eri, we have to make the impossible possible right now, I know that it's hard for you, but–"

– Aaaaaah!

A desperate scream echoed in our ears.

Splat!

The sick sound of a man's body falling from high above resounded.

I looked straight into her eyes and said.

"You gotta do it, Eri."

Eri's eyes peered out and went back and forth to the place where the poor guy had just fallen. She bit her lips tightly and gave a bitter expression.

"Okay! Let's do it! Yeah, do it! Screw whatever is going to happen!"

"I believe in you."

"Don't believe in me. I don't even know if I can do it."

Eri sighed, caught her breath, and closed her eyes. The indigo jewel at the tip of her wand began to glow.

It means she had started to chant.

I looked back at the other two.

"You guys stay and protect Eri from harm."

"Us? Cloud, are you going somewhere else?"

"The two of you are ample enough to protect Eri. I have to do what I can."

After I finished speaking, I immediately jumped off the tower.

"Kihehehehe..?"

The harpy, who was ripping apart the human corpse she had just dropped, looked at me and was startled. She belatedly flapped her wings and tried to escape, but…

It's late, bird b!tch.

I grabbed the harpy by her neck and launched myself on the roof of the building just opposite the tower.

Now, let's see if you can still laugh and fly your ass into the sky.

"P-Please forgive me…"

The harpy requested with a quiver.

…?

"What, what did you just say?"

"Yes, yes! Please forgive me, I…"

"Why don't you go and spit your sh!t somewhere else, b!tch?"

Cruukh-!

I crooked the harpy's neck and flung it away.

Cruukh-!

I crooked the harpy's neck and flung it away. Tossing away the lump of organic mass that used to be a harpy, I turned my sight to examine the situation within the city.

The situation was not looking good.

Although the reinforcements had arrived, the ferocity shown by the monsters was still very strong. In fact, the impact was so small that most of the monsters weren't even aware that the reinforcements had arrived in the first place. The guards were getting pushed back by the rapacious beasts and monsters, and their morale plummeted bit by bit.

'Disregarding other things, I can't let the morale break.'

If we lose morale in this situation where we are already hanging by a thread, the damage will be irreversible.

I had to raise the morale somehow.

"Cough, cough."

I cleared my throat.

It's been a while so I don't know if it's gonna work out.

"Proud citizens of Roberto!"

I shout out loudly with mana infused in my voice.

* * *

It was a peaceful day as usual.

Those days when he did the patrol duty with relaxation and ate apples given by the proprietress of a fruit shop, or hurried out after receiving a report from a citizen to drive out roistering drunkards.

Beyond the city, the number of beasts and monsters had increased in numbers, and he had heard that soldiers and knights were dispatched as a result, but Hans didn't pay much attention to it.

He had no doubts that those thick walls and gates would protect the city.

He just wished that the outlying villagers who were disturbing the overall security would leave the city soon.

So idle were his thoughts.

Until the gates were pushed open by the harpies.

The gates opened, and the beasts and monsters waiting outside rushed into the city.

No one expected the gates to be opened so easily. Therefore, the horde of the beasts and monsters was nothing less than a heavy surprise. People ran away screaming in horror. The guards fought against the damned beasts to protect the citizens.

Because that's what a guard does.

However, the hairy bastards strengthened by the appearance of the Behemoth were much more stronger than the guards expected.

"Aaaaah..!"

– Chwiik! Chwiik!

Hans was rolling on the floor with a boar. It was the result of attacking the wild boar from the rear that was rushing towards a girl. The boar somehow tried to get back up again, and Hans used muscle strength to hinder it.

However, the strength of the boar was much stronger than that of Hans'. As the wild boar hurled wildly, he bumped onto the ground.

"Ouch…!"

He cannot let it go on like this.

Hans made that decision and drew his sub-armed dagger and pierced the wild boar's eye.

The wild boar leaped with a painful scream. Hans twisted his dagger, while trying not to get jerked apart from the boar.

– Kiiii!!!

With a loud scream, the boar took a few more unsteady steps and collapsed.

"Ha… ha… what a f**ked up wild boar…"

Hans breathed heavily.

""

He had only killed three so far, but his body was spent. His thick cloth armor had long been torn to shreds, and there were scratches all over his body.

He wanted to rest a little, but the dire situation did not allow him to do so.

"Aaaagh! Someone help!!"

Hans snapped his head towards the familiar voice.

"Captain!"

The guard captain in charge of the Second District was being bitten by a wolf. Hans picked up a spear that was rolling on the floor and threw it at the wolf.

Sooop!

The spear inserted itself right into the wolf's rear.

Making the wolf stagger.

The guard captain did not miss the opportunity and swung his sword and severed off the wolf's neck.

And then he slumped down.

Hans ran towards him.

"Are you alright?!"

"My mind wants to say it's okay… But damn it, it doesn't make sense."

The guard captain's condition was much worse than that of Hans. There were bruises here and there, as well as deep cuts in the places where the wolf had bitten.

"Captain, when will the support come?!"

The guards were being pushed to the brink by the sudden attack of the beast horde. But if soldiers and knights come from the inner city, things will be much better.

Hans asked him with such hope.

"Ain't coming."

"Huh?"

"No one's coming. That damned young master briefly checked the situation with the knights, then went back in and bolted the inside doors shut."

"F**k, that doesn't make sense! Are you saying that the Duke and the young master have abandoned Roberto?!"

"It's more like waiting than abandoning. They have probably sent a messenger to the troops they have stationed outside. Those aristocrats intend to hole themselves within the inner walls until the troop returns."

"…its us who are abandoned, not Roberto, huh."

At Hans' words, the guard captain gave him a toothy grin.

"When did they ever treat us like humans? They only see us as livestock that adds value to their fortune. Those who can't pay taxes even lesser than that. They would probably be thinking about bringing in new livestock, hah."

Because there are just so many people who would pursue the opportunity to live in a big city.

"…"

Hans bit his lips at the harsh reality.

He never talked about it, but he was secretly proud of his job as a guard. He felt a sense of deep satisfaction in having contribution towards defending Roberto, and further devoting himself to his noble masters.

But…

The aristocrats who he looked up to—threw him as well as the citizens of Roberto like pieces of worthless crap.

When was it that he and others were made sworn to show allegiance and devotion to the noble blood…

Hans felt a deep sense of deprivation.

He stood up wobblingly. He turned his head and looked around.

– Aaak! My legs! My legs!!!

– Mary! Aaaaah! Let me go! Whaa?! Aaaw!!

– Mommy! Mommy!!!

– Somebody help me! There, Mr. Guard! Please get me out of here!

The man whose leg was bitten could not escape. As he was, surrounded by various beasts, becoming a living prey.

From the mother and daughter, one harpy snatched the mother, and the other harpy soon clutched the child chasing the mother. The two harpies looked at each other and giggled—dropping the mother and the daughter at the same time. Both the mother and the daughter fell from above, and the moment they hit the floor, they splattered like clay.

Someone shouted for help from the wreckage of the collapsed building.

Grrrrr.

In all this, Hans made eye contact with a wolf.

The large white wolf bared its sharp fangs as soon as their eyes met.

Hans loosened his grip on the sword.

His arms drooped and his eyes closed.

He no longer wanted to live. He had no desire to survive.

""

That was the moment he was about to give up on life.

– Proud citizens of Roberto!

A man's deep voice echoed throughout the city.

You can read fully translated chapters, including the last chapter, for $20.

p(a)treon.com/Daoist02