“…It’s coming.”
Gowen closed his eyes and listened closely to the sound of battle. When he heard the thickets being pushed through, his eyes suddenly opened.
“GURUuRUuOOOAa!”
What appeared before him was a goblin as big as an orc. It bellowed a ferocious howl as it swung its great sword. For a moment, Gowen couldn’t help but be wide-eyed upon seeing the monster. But it was only for a moment, as he immediately reacted and rolled on the ground to dodge the attack. If not for his assiduousness in his training, he would not have immediately reacted and pulled out his long sword to narrowly dodge that attack.
The blade grazed past his side, but such a wound was a long way from being fatal.
The goblin’s pair of crimson eyes, redder than the red of blood itself, looked at him.
“So you’re the boss of the humans.” The monster said.
Its voice was heavy, almost as if the very winds of the abyss carried it, but Gowen had already regained his calm.
“I take it you’re the monster that can think then,” Gowen said back.
As Gowen picked himself up, he brandished his long sword.
“Surrender, and the killing will stop,” the monster said.
With the sword wielded high up above its head, the goblin appeared twice his size, yet Gowen did not cower. He wielded his sword pointed to the ground as he assumed a defensive stance.
“The same is true if you die.”
Gowen’s job was to keep this goblin or whatever exactly it was from moving any further. Gulland might be guarding the saint, but that was no guarantee that the saint would be able to safely leave the forest.
As Gowen looked at the monster before him, he wondered. Are there any more monsters like this?
The goblin before him was just too different from the others. The most common type they’ve fought was of course the normal goblins, followed by the rare variant, which numbered three, and then the noble variant, which so far there’s only been one of. That was a considerable army for some horde of goblins around these parts of the forest.
But then… considering how a goblin such as this could appear before him… was it really reasonable to assume that that’s all there was to the goblins’ forces?
“…This was unexpected.”
While they were yet to actually cross swords, if a goblin like this – a lord class perhaps – frequented these parts of the forest, then developing the forest any further now would prove to be problematic.
The right course of action would be to leave the forest as soon as possible, preserving as much of his forces as he could, then slowly whittling down the monsters of the forest from the edge of the forest. But in order to do so—
“What’s the matter? Why aren’t you coming?”
He would first have to defeat the imposing foe in front of him.
◇◆◆
The man before me seems to be the boss of the humans. His relaxed stance showed no openings. And though I hold my sword above my head, appearing as threating as one could be, the man stood unwavering, even talking back to me calmly.
Even though he looks like a butler with that combed down silver hair of his and that mustache, the feeling I get from him is undoubtedly that of a powerful warrior.
“If you won’t surrender, then—”
If he thinks he can stop my blow, he is horribly mistaken. Come! Feel the weight of my sword!
But while I filled my muscles to the brim with power as I lifted my sword, eager to bury my blade into the man before me, the shouts behind me kept me from making my move. My subordinates are probably fighting there.
I don’t know which one, but it’s either the beast-rider horde I sent ahead led by Gi Gi and Hal or the survivors of the village. Either one is bad.
What do I do?
Do I try and kill the man in front of me now? Or do I help them first?
The beast-rider horde have few goblins in their horde, while the survivors of the village are bound to have suffered heavy casualties.
…I’ve decided.
My goal is to take back what’s mine. I have a lot to pay the humans back for, but I don’t want to lose any more of my men.
I’m probably still too far from this man’s range. Moreover, he’s not coming. That’s good.
Immediately, I turned around and bolted off, sweeping away the humans that blocked my way.
—Please make it in time. I don’t want to lose any more than this!”
The humans jeered as I ran away.
Then in no time at all, thanks to my strengthened muscles, I was there at the battlefield where my subordinates fought.
“King!” Gi Gi ran up to me as soon as he saw me.
Battling against these foot soldiers with these numbers must have been a challenge.
Gi Gi was dyed in red and a thick steam could be seen rising from his whole body as he approached me. He looked reliable.
“Are you alright!? What about Hal!?” I urgently asked.
“He went ahead to recover the king’s treasure,” Gi Gi replied.
Without intending to, I grit my teeth when I heard those words.
“Where!?” I asked.
“Up ahead… Just leave this place to us, King,” Gi Gi said.
“I leave it to you then!”
We both know it’s dangerous, but still… Reshia is near! If I stretch my hands just a little further, I can reach her!
Sorry… Just hold on tight, goblins. I will save her and get back to you as soon as I can!
“As you will,” Gi Gi said.
“You are to hold this area, Warriors of Paradua! Endure just a little bit more! Muster your courage and fight!” I bellowed out to the warriors before I left.
Then I ran… I ran so fast it seemed like all my earlier movements so far were a joke.
“RESHIAaAa!!”
I ran through the blood stained road as I called out her name.
Will it reach her?
Wait for me, Reshia. Wait for me just a little bit more.
I don’t care if this is destiny or fate! Whatever it is I will tear it apart!
◆◆◇
“Ugh… What a disaster.”
Hal held his spear tight as he looked down on the three goblins of Paradua, laying lifelessly on the ground. His poor judgment had cost them their lives.
But he didn’t have the time to regret. He was already chasing that four-legged thing that was tugging along that carriage. It didn’t matter that the previous attack was as strong as Rashka’s, that carriage needed to be stopped, and there was no other way to do so but to chase it.
“The first of Paradua’s Spear enters!” Hal announced his entrance to encourage himself as he passed by the horses.
He was right at the heel of the target. That earlier attack was strong, but Hal figured that an attack like that couldn’t possibly be used right next to the carriage. The humans wouldn’t possibly let themselves get caught in their own attack.
Hal was further convinced of his hypothesis when no attack came when he neared the carriage.
“I will— What!?”
But just when he was about to strike down the horses, a short dagger came flying at him, burying itself into his shoulder. When he looked up to the front seat of the carriage, he saw a small human wielding a dagger, around which was the bridle of the horses fastened.
“Sorry,” the human said.
“NUuuAAaa!” Hal screamed.
Dagger after dagger buried into Hal and his beloved steed, Miou, forcing them off the humans’ trail.
Hal was a chieftain, however, and the moment he realized his spear wouldn’t reach the horses, he threw it. He did not have the luxury of taking the time to aim, but his spear still managed to graze one of the horse’s leg before it buried into the ground, slowing down the carriage.
“Tch… Darn.”
Mill took the bridle again after ensuring the coast was clear.
“The horse is injured,” she yelled to Gulland, “we need to change horses or the horse will die!”
“…Don’t stop! Keep going!” Gulland said back.
He was sitting at the roof of the carriage, allowing him to see much more than Mill could. Gulland’s lips twisted into a fierce smile.
“Cavalry up ahead. They’re here to welcome us,” Gulland said.
Mill heaved a sigh of relief when she saw the heavily armed cavalry approaching.
—We’re saved.
But then why weren’t they stopping?
There were at least 30 in the approaching cavalry. It was not the main force yet, but it was one of the strongest forces from the western fief.
But while she was wondering, Gulland suddenly laughed. “It’s here! Ha ha ha! The big one is here!”
Reflected on Gulland’s eyes was the king of goblins chasing after them.
◇◆◆
The carriage is up ahead.
—I’ve caught up!!
Iron Second brimmed with ether as I eyed the cavalry passing by the carriage.
“Turn me into a blade!Enchant”
The human cavalry stirred up clouds of dust as they ran at me.
When our distances zeroed, and our paths crossed—
“Screw off!”
The first battle was with the vanguard. The human struck out his lance, but it only passed by the side of my face, as I struck back in turn. With my great sword clad in ether, I tore through the human like a piece of paper.
—Don’t stop!
A second and third lance came right after the first. In response, I invoked my ether.
“My body is like a cloud of dust!Accel”
Using my great sword as a shield, I invoked Accel to pass through the cavalry in one go, brushing aside the horses I touched before quickly stopping in front of the knight before me.
“GURUuuoOOOO!”
Ignoring the recoil, I swung my great sword from below to blow away the horse along with its rider before invoking Accel again.
“Turn around! Don’t let it reach the carriage! Protect the saint with your honor on the line!” One of the knights said.
And from that I knew.
Reshia is here!
I wrung out every bit of strength I had as I kicked off the ground and filled my legs with ether.
That explosive sensation pushed me into what felt like a wall of air.
But even as that wall pushed against me, I channeled Accel even harder.
It was hard to breathe while being pressured by that wall, but in no time at all, I managed to shorten the distance to the carriage.
But still… I can hear the horses’ hooves kicking against the ground as they neared me. Breaking through with the temporary speed boosts from Accel was indeed not an easy task.
The longer this battle goes on with these horses on my trail, the worse off I’ll be.
They’re nearing me! Looks like they’ve also brought their best!
“DieeEee!”
I swung my sword behind me in a desperate attempt to defend.
“King!”
“Gi Ga!?’
But then Gi Ga suddenly jumped out of nowhere, riding on the back of a beast-rider, to keep the knights from approaching any further.
“Kill the king’s enemies! Don’t let even a single one pass!” Gi Ga said.
More goblins appeared as he said that. Not one of them was uninjured, but they grit their teeth and blocked the approaching knights all the same.
“Breakthrough!!” Yelled one of the knights. “Kill the big one!”
I’m… I’m… I’m going!! Gi Ga!
“Watch my back!”
Don’t die… I found myself wanting to say, but I kept those words from coming out.
After seeing Gi Da’s death, I know that it’s exactly by putting one’s life on the line that one can fight hard.
But still… I hope they survive.
Losing loyal retainers is a great loss for me.
Keeping one’s warriors alive is needed for a king to realize the path of conquest.
Which is why I will only chase this carriage up till the brink of the humans’ territory. After that I’ll have no choice but to retreat. I can’t just stand idle while my subordinates die one after another in the forest.
Saving Reshia is nothing more than my selfishness.
But despite that, my subordinates are willing to put their lives on the line.
As I thought that, I filled my legs with ether.
“NUUuuOOOAOaAAa!”
I filled them with so much ether it felt like they would explode.
I lost my arm during the battle with the ogre lord trying to do two things at the same time with my ether, but after evolving, I should be able to do it now.
Cracks appeared on the level ground. My whole body was supported by my left leg as my right lifted. Ether exploded behind my right leg, pushing me forward.
A wall of air greeted me once more, as I lifted my left leg and my right descended to support me.
With Accel and my ether-reinforced muscles working together, I moved at a speed unknown to those on horse. And in the blink of an eye, I was nearer than ever.
—Just a bit more!
Running as fast as I could that even my breathing stopped, I was finally right behind the carriage. I just needed a little bit more and my hands would reach her.
But the heavens were cruel, and it was at such a time that a man appeared to call upon a storm.
“Ruler of Wind and Lightning!Astaroth”
Suddenly, wind and lightning filled my vision
◇◇◇◇◆◆◆◆
Level has risen.
1 -> 3
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