Chapter 48: Two Birds with One Stone Using the Subjugation (2)
Baron, who was in charge of the western command, looked over the soldiers, rcenaries, and adventurers before speaking.
“First, we’ll establish a base here and begin the subjugation! Prepare imdiately!”
At his shout, everyone began to move busily.
As I watched them, a question ca to mind.
“Base?”
Co to think of it, in my previous life, I had never even gone on a subjugation. I used to tremble just at the sight of a monster.
I was always so cowardly that all I did was hide.
Naturally, I didn’t know the first thing about how a subjugation was prepared or carried out.
Then Jade stepped forward and explained.
“A subjugation usually takes about five to seven days. At most, it can last several months, or even years. So, of course, we set up bases and move around while driving out the monsters.”
“……”
“Why are you looking at
like that?”
Jade’s unusually serious expression made
feel strange.
“It’s just… kind of annoying.”
“Pardon? Master! That’s quite a harsh thing to say!”
“No, it’s just weird since you seem to know this so well.”
“I’ve been on a few subjugations back when I was in the Knight Order. It’s just botherso, that’s all.”
“Is that so? Then, do we need to set up our own base separately?”
“I brought a tent, just in case.”
Now that I looked, a large backpack was strapped to Jade’s back.
He set it down and began to pick a spot, just like Jen’s party.
“Hmm… I should see for myself how skilled Baron and Cayman really are.”
I already had a rough idea about those two.
Of course, that knowledge ca from my previous life.
Even then, they were quite competent.
But compared to Jade now, their swordsmanship and stamina were leagues behind.
A sly smile crept onto my lips.
Jade, catching a glimpse of my face, felt a chill run down his spine.
“Master… what are you planning to do?”
“We ca for a monster subjugation, didn’t we? I’m just making sure it’s done properly. Might as well check out our target while we’re at it.”
I recalled the group led by Gedwin that I’d seen earlier. There were nine of them in total, currently setting up their tents just like everyone else.
“These people are completely different from you and , Master. Soone could lose their life if things go wrong.”
“If that happens, I’ll save them. Just make sure you protect Jen and the others. Leave the rest to .”
“Excuse ?”
Before anyone could notice, I slipped quietly into the forest.
Once I was completely gone, a wave of dread washed over Jade.
“This feels like sothing big is about to happen…”
Just then, Jen approached him.
“Where did Sir Raion go?”
He had co to ask because Raion had suddenly vanished.
“Rather than worry about Master, I think everyone should focus on getting ready.”
“Pardon? What do you an…?”
“Monsters might swarm in soon.”
“Monsters?”
Just earlier, Cayman, the knight, had gone on a scouting trip and confird that the monsters were quite far away.
The distance was around 220 to 250 mirs—quite a stretch, given the terrain.
It was far enough that even monsters with sharp senses of sll wouldn’t notice them.
“There’s a chance! Hurry and prepare!”
Jade hastily dropped his pack and grabbed only his sword.
He quickly made his way toward the hill Cayman had returned from earlier and peered down below.
His sudden movent caught Baron’s attention. The man, who had been commanding the soldiers, strode toward him.
“Hey! Scouting is the soldiers’ job! If you’re an adventurer, fall back—!”
“Shh—!”
Jade quickly covered Baron’s mouth as he watched the front.
In that mont, Baron finally recognized his face.
He knew very well that this was the royal knight who had recently entered the lord’s castle with the prince.
Baron pushed away the hand covering his mouth and asked,
“Sir Jade! What are you doing here?”
He thought the prince’s group was still staying at the lord’s castle.
“I joined secretly for an important reason. But that’s not important right now—be quiet!”
Thudududududu—!
From the forest below the hill, the trees began to shake.
Even just from the tremors, Jade could tell this wasn’t an ordinary disturbance.
“Monsters are coming! Quickly, ready the troops!”
“What? Monsters, you say!”
Following Jade’s gaze, Baron looked down and saw it too.
Dozens of orcs were charging in a pack through the forest.
“Monster sighting! Monster sighting! Soldiers, ready yourselves imdiately!”
The soldiers, who had been resting after setting up their base, flinched in surprise at the sudden shout, quickly checking their equipnt and standing up.
The sa went for the rcenaries and adventurers.
Still standing on the hill, Jade imdiately drew his sword and prepared for battle.
anwhile, I was dashing through every corner of the western forest of Kanas, driving the orcs together.
Releasing a fierce killing intent, I frightened the orcs, and they began to flee instinctively.
Of course, the direction they were being driven toward was none other than where Kanas’s subjugation force had set up their base.
“This should be enough.”
The number of orcs I had driven together was roughly seventy.
The western subjugation unit numbered thirty-two, and with twenty-two rcenaries and adventurers, there were a total of fifty-four—more than enough if they coordinated their assault properly.
Kratch! Kaaargh! Kaaaargh!
The orcs charged forward, roaring incomprehensible cries.
Eventually, they collided with the subjugation troops.
“Rear units, hold the line with the defensive formation! Attack units, surround them as best you can!”
The subjugation force’s plan was to lure the orcs inward and hunt them down from within.
As the soldiers moved accordingly, the rcenaries and adventurers charged into the midst of the formation and began slashing the orcs down.
However, their numbers were insufficient to completely surround over seventy orcs.
In the end, small gaps began to open, and the flank was breached.
No casualties yet—but it was only a matter of ti.
At the center, Jade swung his sword. The blade, entrusted to him by , traced a busy arc, cutting down the orcs one after another.
Beside him, Jen and his companions were also fighting hard.
But with only D-rank skills, there was a clear limit.
Even though the soldiers, rcenaries, and adventurers pushed back, the orcs’ monstrous strength and stubborn vitality began to turn the tide against them.
“It can’t be helped, then.”
At so point, I had climbed up a tree, quietly observing the battle.
“As I thought… those bastards really are acting just like they look.”
My gaze shifted to one side.
There, Gedwin and his group were busy gathering cores while fighting the orcs.
The problem was—they were even sneaking around to collect the cores from orcs they hadn’t killed themselves.
Because of their greed, they started clashing with other rcenaries and adventurers who were actually fighting, causing the formation to collapse even faster.
“To think they’d be this greedy in the middle of chaos.”
It was so ridiculous that I was montarily speechless.
Frowning deeply, I leaped into the battlefield.
Shwaaak!
A sword similar to Jade’s was drawn, splitting three orcs in half in a single stroke.
Thud! Thwack!
Between the arcs of my blade, my fists and feet flowed naturally into motion, striking the orcs in rhythm.
While fighting, I moved closer to where Gedwin was.
He and his n were too busy stealing cores to notice anything else.
They had to grab as many as possible before the subjugation troops could reorganize their defenses.
“How’s it going? Hurry up!”
“We’ve got fifteen so far!”
“You bastards! Why are you taking the cores of the orcs I killed?!”
A few adventurers who had just finished fighting nearby shouted when they noticed them.
“In a place like this, whoever takes it first owns it! Hey, shut that guy up!”
Gedwin’s n started creeping toward those adventurers. They were just far enough from the main formation that no one could see them.
The subordinates drew closer.
The adventurers tried to back away, but before they knew it, other subordinates of Gedwin had already circled behind them.
They all had their blades drawn, but Gedwin and his crew’s infamy was well-known even among them.
“Damn it!”
Just then—
Soone shot out from behind, grabbed one of Gedwin’s n by the head, and hurled him aside.
Thud—!
“Gahk!”
The man crashed into a tree and lost consciousness with a single groan.
“You filthy bastards. Stealing the cores of orcs you didn’t even kill yourselves.”
“Who the hell are you?!”
“Who do you think? I’m a hunter—co to hunt you lot.”
The man was none other than .
I had cut straight through the battlefield between orcs and soldiers to get here.
“You’ve got guts. Do you really think you can take all of us on by yourself, with that strange sword of yours?”
“I guess this form looks strange here. Still, it won’t stop
from cutting you down.”
Swinging the sword resting on my shoulder, I charged.
With a burst of Absolute Step (Jeolbo), the blade’s trajectory sharply curved at an angle.
Resounding Step (Jingak) and Hand-to-Hand Combat Art (Subak) followed seamlessly through the flow, striking down Gedwin’s n one after another.
It all happened in an instant.
“What the hell is that guy?!”
One of Gedwin’s n, retreating slightly, fired a crossbow in panic.
Pak—!
The bolt hit
squarely in the back.
A smile crept across Gedwin’s lips.
“Heh-heh-heh! So much for your big mouth—looks like you let your guard down after all!”
But the bolt didn’t stick—it simply fell to the ground.
Thud…
“…Huh?”
I was only wearing a dark green casual outfit. It wasn’t made of any plate or leather armor.
“Why so surprised? Never seen a combat uniform before?”
Whack—!
At the sa ti, I reversed my grip on the sword and struck Gedwin in the neck.
“Gahk—!”
It was strong enough to break bone—but I only knocked him out at the last mont.
“Anyone else want to try ?”
As I released a nacing aura, the remaining subordinates froze in place.
Just then, Jade broke through the orcs and spotted .
“Your Highness!”
In his urgency, he called out not “Master” but “Your Highness,” rushing toward .
“Why did you leave Jen and co here?”
“That area has mostly been handled. The troops are regaining formation, so there should be no issue.”
“That’s a relief. Then take care of the remaining ones here.”
At my order, Jade quickly surveyed the surroundings.
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