Chapter 107 – Great Northern War (3)
The moment he arrived at Emeranian, there was a large group of orcs surrounding it and it seemed like it would be torn down at any minute.
Crockta got down from the caruk. Tiyo and Anor were still far behind him. Crockta had arrived here first on his caruk, due to his riding skill.
The number of arrows flying from the sky was gradually dwindling. The orcs climbing the ladders were close to the wall railing. The walls seemed on the verge of collapsing.
Crockta looked down. There was the body of a dark elf, staring up with white eyes. He looked at the dark elf’s hands. Clean hands. It was a rare white hand that had never touched a weapon and had a ring on the finger.
Crockta kneeled down and closed the dark elf’s eyes. He raised the elf’s hand to his abdomen. An engraving on the ring entered his eyes.
A L Y A.
Was it his name or the name of his lover?
He moved his hand towards his chest.
“──.”
Crockta heard something. He heard it clearly. The eyes of the body seemed to be looking at him. Was it the wind, or the dark elf’s voice?
He closed his eyes. After learning Introduction to Magic, Crockta’s senses had woken up. He felt the world. His mind drifted towards the world around him, as he listened to the sound of the wind and saw the heart of the grass.
It was the first step of the miracle called magic.
Crockta opened his eyes.
The bright sunshine shone down unto the world as a voice revolved around the earth and the sky. No, it was really the wind.
It didn’t matter. Crockta pulled out his greatsword.
“Don’t worry.” The wind blew again. The blades of grass lay flat down. “Lay down and watch.”
Crockta walked forward. The castle looked like a sandcastle that was just about to be destroyed by an army of ants. Orcs with weapons were constantly beating at Emeranian. A slaughter was just around the corner.
It was a virtually impossible stage to perform on. However, the breeze blowing in the air pushed at him. How could he refuse that soft touch? Crockta followed the flow of the breeze and raised his greatsword.
He strode towards the back of the orcs. A group of orcs. There was a wounded shaman and soldiers escorting him. Crockta looked over towards the wall. There seemed to be a skillful sniper. They shouted at Crockta.
They were questions such as ‘Who are you?’ and ‘Where did you come from?’
Crockta considered their questions.
Who was he? Where did he come from and where was he going?
He laughed. He brandished his greatsword.
The world slowed. The air vibrated. The particles of the world transformed and expanded. Ogre Slayer split the world. The bodies of the shaman and soldiers split in half and blood splattered out. It was Crockta’s answer.
Crockta moved promptly. He cut the enemy’s back without a sound. He eliminated the orcs heading towards Emeranian from the rear. The orcs waiting for their turn were stabbed. He broke the enemy’s spine and cut through them.
In order to reduce the difference in numbers, all attacks needed to be done efficiently. Deadly blows. He didn’t even need to check if he killed them.
“Kuheeok!”
He broke the enemy’s breathing. The arrows of the dark elves gradually stopped. Maybe they were running out of arrows. However, the number of people noticing Crockta’s presence had increased. Crockta smiled and exchanged swords with them.
Kwaang!
Kwaang!
Crockta’s greatsword split an enemy as the gates fell. The scenery inside Emeranian and the faces of the dark elves were visible. Orcs were rushing towards the gate like crazy. It was like a tide towards Emeranian.
The dark elves formed a barricade and blocked the orcs with their spears, but the orcs just stepped on the dead bodies and swung their weapons at the dark elves. The area around the gate became soaked with blood. The orcs were now entering the interior like an angry wave.
Suddenly, Crockta stopped. The wind blew.
He nodded. Crockta took a deep breath. He gathered air in his lungs. The air was condensed deep inside. His steel-like body blew air out. Then he shouted.
“Bul’tarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr──────!”
The battle roar ripped through the air! Then the ground shook. The orcs blocked their ears and looked back. Some fell due to the momentum.
Crockta glanced them in turn. They wouldn’t know the meaning of the word he just shouted. However, after this war was over. They would know the meaning.
Crockta grinned. He slowly opened his mouth.
“Calmahart, he is a neophyte.”
The orcs’ expressions changed. It was like they didn’t understand what they were hearing.
Crockta continued speaking. “Calmahart is a sissy and he will die by my hands.”
The orcs grabbed their weapons. The provocation was enough to make them forget about entering Emeranian. Crockta grinned.
“Are there any complaints?”
Crockta’s voice was heard clearly by everyone on the battlefield. The orcs turned from Emeranian to Crockta. The hostility aimed at taking down the castle, Crockta received it. Every hair on his body bristled. He couldn’t stand it and smiled.
The orcs in front of him were burning with a desire to kill him. But he didn’t feel afraid. The orcs yelled and cursed at Crockta. Countless insults and anger poured towards him.
Crockta nodded. “There are lots of complaints. Then…”
He raised his hands. The orcs and dark elves on the walls, thousands of eyes were pointed at him. He once again raised his hands towards them.
“Come.”
It was like a dam broke as the army of orcs pushed towards him. Left, right, front, and back, the orcs stepped on the companions and rushed like a tidal wave. Axes, spears, and swords filled his vision.
The world slowed down.
Dduok!
Blood splashed from the lead orc in the lead that was holding an axe. Crockta used gentle movements and stared at it. Red blood, the source of life.
‘I am alive.’
The tattoos on his body were burning. He seized his greatsword.
‘Or is it just breathing?’
He crossed swords with a saber that aimed at him. Hatred and anger, the sum of their emotions. Why did they get angry at the smallest things?
‘Honor.’
Feel angry towards things that were truly worth it.
Crockta brandished his greatsword.
***
An arrow hit the back of an orc that was running away. It was the last one.
The battle finished but none of the dark elves of Emeranian cheered. They just looked at him with eyes filled with awe.
“What is that…”
Countless orc corpses were scattered around. It was like a dam was built with the dead bodies. At the heart was an orc with a bloodied greatsword. The orc survived alone against such a huge army. Since the orc army was attacking him, the dark elves were able to slaughter the orcs as easily as aiming at targets.
There were no uninjured spots on his body. There were stab wounds where blood flowed down and a broken spear was inserted in his side. One arrow that flew the wrong way also pierced him. The wounds on his shoulders and thighs made it hard for him to stand.
However, he endured. The dance of a one man army.
“You, what are you doing?” Caska asked.
She was looking at a dark elf who raised his bow. The arrow was pointed at the orc.
“We don’t even know who he is.”
Caska’s face distorted. “Didn’t you see him attacking the orcs instead of us?”
“He is also an orc. Anyway… ouch!”
Caska kicked the dark elf. He grabbed his leg. She slapped the dark elf.
“This dog, are you a spy? The Great Clan paid you, didn’t they?”
“W-What are you saying?”
“Then why are you shooting the same side, you bastard!” She yelled angrily. The dark elf bowed his head. “Send a medical unit and treat that orc!”
The dark elves regained their minds at her words and rushed out. The orc entered the gate on a stretcher. The orc never let go of his greatsword, so the soldiers had to withstand the combined weight of the orc and greatsword. Many dark elves had to carry him at the same time.
Caska sighed as she looked at the dead bodies in front of the castle.
“I’m really sick of this.”
Her colleague laughed. “You will become sicker from now on.”
“It is as you say.” She leaned against the railing. Dust was still rising on the horizon. “The orcs are heading north and will come again.”
“It won’t end until the great chieftain is killed.”
“So…”
Caska glanced back. The orc was being carried by the medical corps. Sometimes he would regain consciousness and say something. The dark elves would stop and look at him.
“I’m sick of…”
They had been stuck in a siege with the orcs for a week. Thanks to the orc, they eventually destroyed the enemy. Now she would be able to take a break for a while. Until the next battle. Not just Emeranian, but other cities in the area were still under siege.
At that moment. A large dust cloud approached from far away.
“……!”
She reflexively raised her bow. Had more troops come already? According to the scouts, there was still some time. Her colleagues’ expressions hardened at Caska’s response. They stared at the horizon.
There was a caruk running while creating dust. And the one who was steering it…
A gnome.
“W-What is that?”
“Well…not an enemy?”
“A little…cute?”
The gnome had a scary expression on his face as he kicked the caruk. Behind him, a dark elf was holding his waist and shouting with a terrified face, as if telling him to slow down. They arrived in front of the gate.
The gnome looked up at Emeranian and shouted.
“I was so worried dot!”
“……”
The dark elves looked at each other.
“I will help you stop the orcs! My name is Tiyo!”
No one answered. Tiyo shouted again without any hesitation.
“Come and lead me inside the castle dot!”
“……”
Caska turned her head. “What is this?”
“He is called…Tiyo?”
“Tiyo? What is that?”
One soldier interrupted their conversation. “Tiyo, it is those guys. Travelers from the continent.”
“From the continent…that gnome?”
“Yes. A gnome and orc, and I heard that a dark elf recently joined to make them a group of three… The orc warrior earlier must be Crockta.”
“That guy is Crockta?”
Caska’s eyes widened. She had forgotten but now she remembered.
She recently heard that travelers from the continent were being active in the north. They went through the Luklan Mountains to Nuridot, Nameragon, and Spinoa, while their leader, an orc warrior, was on a completely different level from the orcs here.
He was stronger than anyone and righteous. He said that the Great Clan didn’t have honor. Orc warrior Crockta.
“Come in.”
The dark elves let Tiyo and Anor in. The gnome shouted and bluffed as he entered the castle, but they soon headed off to see Crockta.
Caska looked at their backs and nodded.
“The rumor was real…”
He was an orc who dealt with numerous opponents alone without looking back. The monstrous sword slew the enemies left and right.
Caska’s expression became determined. Her colleague laughed at her appearance.
“Look at that. Are you serious?”
“What?”
Caska looked at him.
“If the orc survives, will you really give him your first kiss?”
Caska laughed. “Why, do you think I can’t?”
“He is a good guy but… That orc could refuse.”
“What are you talking about?”
Caska pointed to her face. The traces of battle such as fatigue and dust were piled up, but her dark blue eyes shone brightly. She had a straight nose and red petal-like lips. A solid and voluptuous body toned through training. A beauty even among the dark elves.
Caska laughed as she indicated her face.
“There is no way he is a eunuch.”
