Chapter 95 : Urgulak

Chapter 95: Urgulak

‘So he really was at the Swordmaster level.’

But it was different from the Stage of Full-Sword that Grand Duke Laitena had shown last time.

Back then, what I had seen from his sword was some kind of concept that seemed to branch directly from the “sword” itself. I had felt it as “death.”

The sword and the swordsman’s will had merged together perfectly, refining each other’s souls, condensing infinitely.

Through the sword, he had derived a new concept and finally given it form. That was Grand Duke Laitena’s Steel Qi.

On the other hand, what this orc named Urgulak was showing now was not such a refined will.

Rather, it was the very soul itself—boundlessly free.

It wasn’t that he had achieved unity with his axe. Instead, he had smashed his overflowing nature into it, subjugating and saturating the weapon completely.

‘In that he imbued his will into a weapon, it’s the same as the Stage of Full-Sword. But in that the will failed to merge with the weapon’s soul, it is different from the Stage of Full-Sword.’

If I had to put it, he was standing at precisely half the step into the Stage of Full-Sword.

Yet that didn’t mean his power fell short compared to Sword Steel.

As though to declare he had no need for a weapon’s soul, he had pushed his own soul’s force (soul power) to its limit, wielding it as overwhelming violence.

The crimson-black aura that flooded the surroundings was proof of it.

And all this without practicing any aura cultivation method... To think he could forge such a fierce, colossal aura with nothing but mana naturally guided by sheer will.

The ancient sword arts truly had a sky-high ceiling. With each step up the stages, the leap in strength was absurd.

I too, by ancient standards, was a Peak Expert, and by modern standards had reached the apex of Swordmaster. And yet, even I wasn’t confident I could defeat that orc.

That was how incomprehensibly vast the difference in power had been between Peak Expert and Swordmaster in the ancient era.

Of course, if I were to use Magical Armor, then the story would change....

“Snort!”

Urgulak, who until now had alone held the foremost line, blew out a sharp breath through his nose and glanced back at me over his shoulder.

With his rugged, jutting square jaw and his serrated teeth bared, he gave me a wide grin.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Urgulak. Since you’ve come, could you do me a favor and let me rest for just five minutes?”

Bold.

This orc.

That strike just now had certainly been powerful.

But it was equally certain that he had pushed himself far beyond his limits.

After fighting nonstop for three nights and four days, using such a technique while covered in wounds?

Frankly, it wouldn’t be strange if he collapsed unconscious this very moment. No doubt rest was what he craved most.

And yet, Urgulak’s tone was utterly light.

As if saying, “If not, then forget it.”

“Five minutes? You think that’ll be enough? You’ve got more than five holes torn through your stomach and chest right now.”

“Khh— this much is nothing.”

Really now.

Was this orc-style bravado?

I was just about to smile and pull out a Peak Recovery Potion when it happened.

[Do you require healing?]

A voice of the Sacred Relic <Ea> echoed in my mind.

“Ea?”

[Yes. Ea. Standing by.]

“Can you heal him?”

[Energy transmission is possible within 40 kilometers.]

Ah, so that meant its power could be used freely within 40 kilometers?

“Then heal him.”

[Understood. Targeting complete. Transmitting Heal.]

Paaahhh!

At once, Urgulak’s body blazed with radiant light.

“Huh?”

He looked at his wounds, closing in an instant, and asked me,

“This your ability?”

When I nodded, he grinned wide again.

“Impressive. Saint.”

The orc race truly had a straightforward nature.

[Healing complete. However, fragmented mana is still surging internally. Stabilization is impossible with my power. His spirit has also taken severe damage. That, too, cannot be healed with my ability.]

So, Ea’s ability was limited to external wounds.

It wasn’t like an Elixir, which could perfectly restore even internal injuries.

I narrowed my eyes and studied Urgulak.

“Five minutes won’t cut it for you. You’ve got internal injuries, and it looks like your spirit’s taken a hit too....”

“Oh~ So the Saint’s eyes can see even that?”

Urgulak slung his massive axe over his shoulder as he spoke.

“Well, this much is nothing. A wound of glory.”

“A wound to the soul is dangerous.”

“It’s all the same.”

“You’ll die from it.”

Even if he didn’t die, he would suffer for the rest of his life. I knew that well.

But Urgulak stayed unshaken.

“Dying doesn’t scare me.”

Hmm....

“You’re scared, aren’t you?”

What a lie.

I could feel his will vividly now.

Whether it was because he was wounded or simply the nature of orcs, his will overflowed uncontrollably.

Most of it was fighting spirit, but deep within it was a clear root of fear.

Urgulak didn’t deny my words.

“Of course I’m afraid. But I’m not afraid of dying.”

“Then what?”

“I’m afraid of the people I know dying.”

Ah.

“I’m afraid of the village disappearing. Afraid of kids like Sheneril losing their friends. Of the children scattering apart, unable to laugh, living in gloom. That’s what I’m afraid of.”

Urgulak grinned and pointed once at my chest, then once at his own.

Now that I noticed, hanging from the rawstone necklace that dangled down his chest was a single transparent Eternal Blossom.

The very same flower that hung from my Magical Armor.

“Sheneril gave you that, didn’t she? She doesn’t hand those out to just anyone. You’re a good human, huh? Saint.”

I agreed, Urgulak.

You seemed like a good orc too.

Just now, he hadn’t even mentioned Olomnima, the orcs’ sacred ground.

“Afraid of the kids not being able to smile and living gloomy lives?”

That one line felt exactly like my own heart speaking....

Ha, damn. Now that makes me want to fight.

“Take this.”

“Oh. Thanks.”

I tossed him a High-grade Potion.

That much would at least soothe some of his internal injuries.

I gripped Banroa tightly.

Already, new monstrous anomalies were tearing through the air and appearing.

“You said five minutes?”

“Yeah.”

“I’ll give you ten.”

“Huh?”

“Rest exactly ten minutes, then fight again.”

“Sure thing.”

“Rest well. Ten minutes later, you’ll be fighting alone again.”

“Eh? What about you? Where are you going?”

Me?

“I’ve got to kill the ones who started this mess.”

The expected duration of this mission had been three days, hadn’t it?

It seemed the cult’s ritual was supposed to run for three days.

But I had no intention of sitting around quietly and waiting it out.

Rather than enduring the ritual, it was better to kill the ones performing it. Isn’t that more efficient?

“Let’s finish this quickly and get some rest.”

Uuuung—!

From Banroa’s blade tip, a dark-blue Aura Blade swelled forth.

*         *         *

Ten minutes.

Guarding Urgulak at my back, I slaughtered two newly-born monstrous anomalies and hundreds of demonic beasts in precisely ten minutes.

“Ten minutes are up.”

Urgulak.

This massive orc—whether he fully trusted me, or was simply thick-skinned to a fault—had sprawled out flat on his back and snored the whole ten minutes.

“Krugh... snort! Ah, already ten minutes? Snort! Had a good rest!”

“Good. I’ll leave it to you now.”

“Alright. Just keep your eyes ahead. Those cult bastards—they won’t go down without a fight.”

Was that… worry for me?

It felt strange.

In my era, orcs were nothing but monsters... and now, here I was, being worried about by one.

I let out a short laugh and fixed my eyes on the destination.

At the end of the gorge, beyond it on a hill.

The Book of Fate had marked a crimson vortex exactly there.

There could only be one meaning.

Endless monsters being spawned.

Curses pouring down.

It hadn’t started for no reason.

The cult’s ritual was being conducted there, and if I overturned it, the battle would end right then and there.

In our victory.

And yet, still,

I felt nothing.

Even if it was quite far, with my senses, I should have detected something by now....

No matter how I looked, it was just an ordinary hill.

But I trusted the Book of Fate.

Over there lay the source of all this.

“I’ll be back.”

The skill of the Magical Armor, [Acceleration].

The royal charge technique, [Tempest].

Paaaahng—!

I dashed forward at full sprint.

With every strike of my foot against the ground, the distant little hill swelled closer and closer.

Three kilometers ahead.

Then,

Two kilometers ahead.

Up to that point, nothing had reacted.

Then—

Jjiiiiik!

Suddenly, the air split open like human skin being torn apart.

Inside was something pitch-black, murky, writhing.

Jjiiiiik!

Jjiiik!

Jjiik!

All around me, space itself tore apart.

And through those rifts thrust forth all manner of grotesque things.

Some resembled mantises. Others had pig heads, ram heads, ox heads sprouting here and there. Some were amorphous—tentacles, shadowlike masses, things defying description.

‘Good. So this is the right direction?’

Oddly enough, I felt relieved.

Seeing all these monstrous anomalies and beasts blocking my path only confirmed it: beyond them, the cultists were surely there.

I drew Banroa.

[Awakening of the Sword Spirit]

I overlaid my Sword Energy, at its peak, atop the Sword Aura that had reached the extreme of Swordmastery.

Kwa-ga-ga-ga-gak!

White flames swallowed the world.

The monsters ripped apart by Banroa scattered as white ash.

One step. Another step.

Cutting, splitting, I ran forward.

But more and more monsters tore through space to block me anew.

Jjeooong—!

At times, there were powerful anomalies that even repelled my aura and Sword Energy.

Kududuk!

Others, though severed, pushed through to lunge and open their maws.

Pusshuk!

Some sank into the ground and shot up beneath my feet.

Pressed back, slowing bit by bit, I finally ground to a halt just one kilometer from my goal.

‘This is tough....’

The monsters weren’t the only problem.

The curse had suddenly intensified.

As if all the wide-spread malediction had concentrated solely upon me.

My vision flickered.

My skin itched.

My ears throbbed with pounding hallucinations.

Enduring that curse devoured my mental strength and soul power at a frightening pace.

‘...Should I stake it all here?’

The skills engraved in my Magical Armor numbered four in total.

[Acceleration], [Shield], [Awakening of the Sword Spirit],

and [Storm Blade].

So far, the only ones I had used were [Acceleration] and [Awakening of the Sword Spirit].

‘Defend with [Shield], pour all remaining strength into offense. And if I use [Storm Blade] on top of that....’

Storm Blade was the strongest attack skill, capable of destroying an entire wide area.

That would pierce through.

I’d carve a path in one stroke, then dash straight to the target point.

I had just steeled my resolve when—

“Since they’re all clustered together, all the better!”

From behind me, a colossal figure vaulted over with terrifying speed.

Kwaaaah!

Crimson-black aura swept forward like a tidal wave.

Monsters split apart like rotten logs.

Green, ashen, blue, red—blood of every hue spurted like fountains.

“Hey, Saint! Stick right behind me!”

It was Urgulak.

Why the hell are you here... huh? You were supposed to guard the rear.

“I came because there’s nothing left back there anyway! You wiped out all the monsters, so it’s wide open now!”

Urgulak laughed heartily, battering everything around him with his twin axes.

Like an unstoppable landslide, he swept away the monsters, dragging me forward, forward.

Damn it... that way, his internal injuries would only worsen, locking in permanent damage....

Truly, this orc was impossible to rein in.

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