Praise the Orc! Chapter 67:
Chapter 67 – Season of Hunting (2)
It was a large man carrying a machete at his waist . Bright eyes shone through matted hair .
Crockta spoke, “I am alive . We are…”
But before Crockta could finish speaking, the man aimed his machete at Crockta and said, “Get lost, you thieves . ”
“We aren’t thieves…”
Crockta tried to explain but the machete moved even closer . The blade touched his skin . Crockta’s eyebrows twitched . But it was a fact that they had invaded the man’s home . He decided to step back .
“I understand . We’ll leave . ”
The machete moved back . Tiyo, watching from the side, jumped in . “Ah! We…!”
“Shut up . Kid . ”
The shocked Tiyo looked at the man and said, “What did you say? K-Kid?”
Crockta seized Tiyo before he could aim ‘General’ . The man approached the magic staff that was protecting the area . He touched something and the blue energy emerged again . It spread all over the place, creating a dim shield around the fence .
“I just wanted to say that we didn’t mean to do anything . Stay alive . ”
Crockta said politely as he stood before the hole . The man glanced at Crockta and didn’t respond . Crockta shrugged and crawled out through the small hole . The man gazed after the receding Crockta and muttered, “Annoying people…”
Then he approached the cow that was staring at him . It was the cow that Crockta and Tiyo saved .
“You look well Skolla . Were there any problems?”
It was a soft voice, unlike the previous wild person who seemed like he would swing the machete at any moment . The man rubbed his cheek against the cow’s face . The cow gave a long cry .
“What?”
The man responded like he could understand the cow’s words . The cow cried out again, “Moooooo…”
The man’s eyes deepened as he looked back . He stared at the hole that Crockta and Tiyo went through . The man spoke .
“That doesn’t mean that you owe them . They came in on their own so they can take care of the problems themselves . ” The man gazed into the air before sighing . “I understand, I understand . Don’t worry . ”
He approached the other cows and repeated the same greeting . Then he gathered the cows together and feed . After that, he looked at the forest that unfolded beyond the fence . This place was always damp and cloudy . A forest of darkness . Ordinary people who entered would get lost and become the prey of the creatures .
The cows drinking from the water trough gave long cries . “Moooooo…”
The man filled his quiver with arrows . “I understand . ”
***
“He is a very bad person . Isn’t that right Crockta?”
Crockta responded to Tiyo, “It is true though . That we were uninvited guests . ”
“But we protected his cows . ”
“We also called the wyverns . ”
“Hmm hmm! Yes, but he called me a kid dot!” Tiyo jumped up and touched Crockta’s shoulder . “I am tall for a gnome dot! I’m not a puny kid! I’m only small compared to Crockta dot!”
“Kulkulkul . ”
“Don’t laugh dot!” Tiyo whined .
They relied on the compass to head north . If they continued through the Forest of Creatures then the north would appear .
“Surprisingly, there aren’t many creatures . ”
They thought that they would be attacked endlessly the moment they entered the forest, but it was more calm than they thought . In particular, there seemed to be no signs of creatures in this area . The sounds of birds and insects were gone as well . There weren’t even any wyverns occasionally roaming the sky .
Crockta touched the handle of his greatsword .
“Tiyo . ”
“Huh?”
“Shh . ” Crockta raised a finger to his mouth . “Go quietly . ”
“What did you see…?”
“I didn’t see anything, but the area is too quiet . The Forest of Creatures is infamous for its dangerous creatures . There is only one reason for the silence here . ”
“……”
Tiyo understood what he meant and nodded . The absence of nearby living beings meant there was a nearby predator that they couldn’t tolerate . Maybe Crockta and Tiyo had stepped foot into a dangerous place .
“Let’s go quickly . ”
“Understood dot . ”
They killed the sound of their footsteps and started to move . Vines dangled from tree branches and covered their view . Crockta pulled out his greatsword and sliced through them . The obstacles weren’t a match for Ogre Slayer and were cut off cleanly .
“Why would that guy live here?” Tiyo muttered .
“I don’t know . ”
Crockta was also curious about the man’s story . It was a talent to have pierced a wyvern in an instant . What was the reason for living in this place? The man was apparently a hunter .
“It is in order to hunt . ”
Hunters lived by hunting . They proved themselves by killing stronger game . There must be a reason for the hunter to set up camp here . What type of opponent was the hunter trying to catch here?
“……”
At that moment, Crockta flinched . A huge shadow had just passed above him .
“What?”
Tiyo raised his head . The branches, leaves, and vines covered the sky, so he couldn’t see it properly . It was just a **** shadow .
“Wyverns?”
The moment they were about to resume walking…
The shadow passed over their heads again .
“……!”
Crockta grasped his greatsword while looking up at the sky . The big body quickly passed through their field of vision . It was obviously bigger than a wyvern .
“Tiyo!”
“I-I saw it . ”
Tiyo was already grabbing ‘General’ . He aimed the muzzle towards the sky, but the shadow didn’t appear again . Tiyo looked around .
“What?”
Crockta and Tiyo moved slowly as they watched the sky . At that moment, a beast’s growl resounded out from behind them, “Grrrrrrr…”
Crockta hurriedly raised his greatsword . Beyond the vegetation and vines, the form of the giant beast was being revealed .
“That…what…?” Tiyo murmured in a trembling voice .
The enormous face of an old man was staring at them, but its revealed teeth were that of a beast . Beyond the disheveled hair that was like a shaggy mane, two wings spread open, making its size even bigger .
It was a monster with the face of an old man, the body of a lion, and the wings of a bat . It was called a Manticore, a strong monster that appeared at the end of a dungeon .
It approached Tiyo and Crockta . Crockta immediately retreated from its giant presence . The wrinkled face distorted .
“Grrrrr… . ”
It was a horrible appearance . It resembled an old man but the strangely heterogeneous nature aroused disgust in him . The gangrene-infested face pushed forward and it opened its mouth wide, baring sharp teeth .
“Kraaaaah!”
The Manticore rushed forward . At that moment, Crockta almost unconsciously looked away . It was such a horrible existence . The momentum of the charge made him feel like he was facing a tank alone .
At that time, a light emerged from behind Crockta’s back and hit the Manticore .
“Grrung!”
The Manticore slowed down . The rays of light continued to strike the Manticore . It was the support bombardment from Tiyo’s ‘General’ . Crockta grinned .
He was almost ashamed .
He tensed the muscles in his body and stared at the opponent in front of him . His muscles swelled like they were going to burst . He pushed against the ground with his strong thighs . Crockta leaped towards the Manticore with his greatsword .
The Manticore cried out,“Kuaaaaaaaaah!”
Crockta wasn’t phased and shouted his battle cry, “Bul’tarrrrrrrr──────!”
A near physical pressure!
The loud roar triggered the Essence rank skill, Army Crushing Roar . The Forest of Creatures instantly shook . The Manticore hesitated . A tremendous momentum was coming from the small orc rushing towards it .
Steam seemed to rise from the orc’s greatsword .
The Manticore swung its paw . Crockta’s Ogre Slayer and the Manticore’s claws collided . Sparks flew . As soon as the two attacks clashed, the Manticore tried to bite Crockta with its sharp teeth .
“I won’t allow you dot!”
‘General’ fired towards the Manticore again . The shooting was focused on the eyes . The Manticore was tormented by pain . Crockta didn’t miss the gap created by the attack and stabbed Ogre Slayer into the Manticore’s chest .
It was a greatsword that could tear even ogre skin . It made its way past the Manticore’s thick skin and penetrated the epidermis . The blade was lodged within . The Manticore screamed, this time much louder and worse than before, “Kiyaaaaaaaaaaack!”
Crockta was thrown back .
“Ugh!”
It was the same with Tiyo behind him . He shook his head . Then a black aura started to flow from the Manticore . When the Manticore swung its tail, a black spark emerged and hit Crockta .
Crockta was unable to avoid it and flew back .
“Cough!”
Blood emerged . The black aura dug into his body and tried to crush Crockta . Crockta twisted his body as he tried to resist . The energy moved around his body like a snake . He sensed that if left alone, the energy would tear his body apart from the inside .
It was at that moment .
[The Despairing Demon’s Belt (Hero) has responded to the demonic magic power . ]
[Its resistance to demonic power is used . ]
The belt around his waist started moving . The black energy retreated without invading Crockta any further . The belt’s steel teeth drooled . Crockta hit the belt and calmed the Demon’s Mouth down . The mouth shut and once again fell asleep .
Tiyo muttered, “That isn’t an ordinary guy dot . ”
Now the Manticore was staring at Crockta and Tiyo with red eyes . It was already a mysterious creature but it had become more powerful after absorbing the magic power of the Forest of Creatures . The black energy was seen every time it moved .
“This is truly the Forest of Creatures . ”
Crockta raised his greatsword .
His tone was casual but his body was trembling . He was unsure of how to deal with it .
“I will cover you in the rear . ”
Tiyo manipulated the trigger of his rifle with a determined expression . He adjusted the output of ‘General’ . General’s bullets were fired using Tiyo’s strength and would eventually endanger him, ut now wasn’t the time to worry about that .
“We won’t die here . ”
“Of course dot . ”
The Manticore neared them . Crockta’s eyes shone . He read the movements of the Manticore . It shook from side to side . At that moment, the Manticore’s terrible face appeared right before his nose .
“……!”
A tremendous speed . The ugly face resembling an old man looked at him, like it was possessed by an evil spirit . It swallowed Crockta’s upper body .
“Uwaaat!”
His vision became dark . The stench of rotten bodies coming from the Manticore wafted into his nose . The teeth would chew on his body . Crockta closed his eyes in preparation for the moment . But the Manticore’s mouth opened again . It retreated .
Crockta thrashed in search of outside air . He smelled the saliva on his body . He turned his head and checked the Manticore .
“……!”
An arrow was lodged in the Manticore’s neck . Outside of Crockta’s field of view, another arrow flew, this time penetrating the Manticore’s cheek .
“Kieeeeh!”
Black aura rushed out from its injury . Crockta looked at where the arrows were flying from and found the same man from before . He calmly fired his bow . Another arrow pierced the Manticore .
“What are you doing?” The hunter asked . It was far away, but Crockta could clearly read his lips . Crockta nodded and focused on his greatsword . The blood vessels in his body swelled as he firmly grasped Ogre Slayer .
Leyteno’s Vigorous Greatsword Technique!
Crockta jumped up . His goal was the Manticore . Ogre Slayer tore through the Manticore’s neck . It wasn’t completely cut before of its big size, only going halfway .
The Manticore shrieked again . Blood poured out from its half cut neck . Crockta jumped up against to finish off the Manticore . The Manticore struggled but it couldn’t resist . It completely lost its head and collapsed to the ground .
The ground shook as the huge mass hit it .
“Hoo…”
The Manticore’s terrible face stared at Crockta . Crockta kicked it towards the opposite direction . He didn’t want to see anymore . Crockta said to the hunter, “Thank you for saving us . ”
But the hunter didn’t answer . He approached the Manticore and started to dismantle the body with his machete . First of all, he cut off the skin of the Manticore’s face . Then he dissected the body and extracted a heart-like organ . A rotten smell spread out from it .
“What are you doing?”
“……”
The man wiped the blood on the machete against the Manticore’s mane .
“…This guy’s face can drive away many creatures . The heart is a lump of muscle, but it has the power to restore energy . ”
Indeed, it was the knowledge of a hunter . The man stuck his machete in the Manticore and looked at Crockta .
“Why did you guys come here? Do you like adventures?”
The hunter seemed a lot older close-up . The wrinkles on his face showed the traces of time and his beard had started to turn white, with gray hairs mixed in . However, the body was robust and didn’t match the aged face .
Crockta replied, “We are going to the north through the Forest of Creatures . ”
The man laughed . “What does that mean?”
“Do you know about the north?”
“It is impossible . Foolish guys . ”
“Huh?”
The man scoffed at Crockta as he pulled an arrow out of the Manticore’s body . “It is impossible to pass through the Forest of Creatures . ”