CH 14

The next morning, just barely before dawn, I woke up after a four hour of sleep and I guess that this body does not need that much sleep. Since it’s too early to have breakfast, I decided to prepare my stuff to go to Rukdiel, but after I finish this glass of water.

Since I already finished those left-over fishes from yesterday, I have no choice but to hunt something along the way.

(Since I have blade, I should practice dismantling as well.)

[Ah living sure is hard work] I muttered as if I’m talking to someone else.

It made me think, if I could try eating raw meat, it would definitely solve any nutrition problem but unfortunately, I don’t think I can stomach it.

I can’t still let go of my humanity. I tried saying something cool like that, though honestly, I who have lived a civilized life aren’t ready to give it up.

The sky is still dark, but it won’t stop me. I figured that we’re heading north-northwest and mase on our current speed we should reach the ruin of Rukdiel by noon.

I also have to fix my backpack and cooler to not impede my movement too much. I should also fix my tarpaulin sheet as it keeps rolling into a stick and keeps hitting the trees.

While travelling, I found what seems to be an old railway covered with grass so I decided to go that way. I remembered that Rukdiel possessed a train station and decided to follow the trail of the railroad and because of the scarcity of tree and vegetation in the vicinity of the rail road I was able to quickly get close enough to see the town before noon which is earlier than planned.

There’s a ruined of a fortified wall – I’m sure this would be Rukdiel)

Before I enter the town, I drop my luggage in a nearby tree and use the sledge hammer as a marking. After drinking a glass of water I’m ready to go and crossed over the collapsed wall while looking out for sounds and certain odor. Sure, enough I smelled that distinct odor.

(They’re here too as expected)

I exhaled and use mimicry to blend in to my surrounding and move stealthily. This would be an experiment to test if those goblins would be able to detect me.

Suddenly I heard a faint sound, and it’s definitely a voice, a human voice to be precise. Unfortunately, it belongs to man and one of them is making a loud noise.

I moved to the direction where I heard the voice and suddenly a goblin come running from the direction where the voice is.

(Heavily injured, and is running away. Looks like it’s in a midst of battle)

The fact that the goblins are fleeing means that there’s no existing “Leader class” here. It’s quite unclear whether this goblin settlement is just a pack or is being lead by another monster either way this would be a good way to observe how Canaanites do their battles.

I moved swiftly towards the battlefield while making sure that I don’t make a sound and just left the goblin since it’s going to die anyway.

Finally approaching as distance near the battlefield, I can now clearly hear the voices of both humans and goblins. I positioned myself at a sturdy looking structure that doesn’t look like it would collapse, and see what’s going on.

(This is perfect)

It’s a perfect position. There were 50-armed people surrounded by goblins in a hall like open space. There looks like 300 goblins there with 30% of them are armed with metallic weapons.

A pack of this size would probably have the ability to use poison, so even a 50 well-armed group wouldn’t be to careless. The evidence is the fact that not a single human corpse lying on the ground and the place is littered by goblin’s corpse. Against a well-organized group, goblins who are moving on their own proves to no match against outnumbered the humans.

In the command of a large man who sports a huge sword, the troops moved accordingly and the amount of goblin corpse dramatically increase

(I see so he’s the one in command… I guess it was his voice that I heard.)

[This is already finished]

I felt like I was just watching a game, but with the outcome already decided.

Those guys look like mercenary’s base on their equipment, I guess this 50 people were sent here to subjugate these 300 poorly equipped goblins. Just to be clear, being surrounded is obviously not good. However, the mercenary group doesn’t seem to care about it.

The goblins who are inferior in every way, including with their equipment, skill and strength have no way of dealing with the situation and found their numbers dwindling, while the mercenaries are pushing them around while chanting [The first to rush in is the first to die!]

(t/n this guy started talking/thinking like a commentator for a game, sadly the last time I watch a sports event that I’ve watched was the last championship Kobe Bryant won so I’m having a hard time reflecting that)

Oh! Looks like the goblin side decided to pick stones. And the other as well is went up to pick up some stone. But a confusion happened and some of goblin started running away!

The stone thrown were blocked by shields and leaves no effects. While the number of human arrows that rain down leaves no victim undamaged! It appears that the goblin’s frontline collapsed and some had started to escape. The humans assaulted the collapsed side by the order of their commander.

This is terrible! The goblin team is now being slaughtered without a way for a comeback. Those who failed their escape died and become mere stains to their sword and the humans now switched to perform a clean-up operation.

What an overwhelming victory for the human side!

I noticed, even though the mercenaries’ equipment are not the same the sport the same red cloth wrapped around their right arm. It looks like the traditional Canaanite practice that I know of is still being used. They are indicator or symbol of being a skilled mercenary.

[Cazetta – Find them!]

I picked up a few very audible Canaanite word.

When the man who looked like a mage was called, he closed his eyes and begin chanting.

Just to be careful, I step back and crouched down to a position that they wouldn’t see me and where I can peek through the rubble.

In under thirty seconds the mercenaries’ pursuit relentlessly and bombard a wide area with magic.

I dare say that I was a bit careless that I was one of the targets as well, because the mage pointed his staff at me and shouted loudly

(Is this detection magic works like a sonar or more like a thermal scan?)

Whatever, I don’t understand magic anyway.

It appears that they would divide their force, one group would proceed to clean up the goblins while the others would face me. I’m sure that they can’t see me but the fact that they can point their wand at me when I moved a little means that there’s some sort of marking in the works here.

If I retreat as fast as I can, it would be impossible for them to chase after me and catch up because of their speed so retreating is an option, but I would like to wait and see for the meantime.

Even if I fought them now and scavenge the town after I’m sure that there would be no more things to be found here due to the fact that humans have already been here and they might have already taken it. Secondly I don’t know what would be the outcome of the battle if I fought.

Honestly, I don’t think that they would be a threat with the way they fight. I can’t find any reason to be defeated but the only thing I’m not certain is the effect of magic.

As I was groaning in contemplation the mage started chanting again. Flames are emitted from his staff in a fashion of wide area clearly aiming to scorch me alive. I stood up from the position I’m hiding and at the same time dispels the flame with my fist while I’m release the mimicry, revealing myself.

The mercenaries are astonished to see me appears out of the flame. With a single word the commander has shut down his men’s murmurs and then he thrust his sword then swing it up and down seemingly like taunting me.

(Since you’re inviting me for a fight, It would be a shame to say no)

Some mercenary chooses this career just to enjoy this fight and the commander seems to be the same, a so-called battle junkie.

He exhaled and leapt from his spot and landed in front of the mercenaries.

(There’s 38 of them. There are three women. One looks like a priest)

The other two were dressed skimpily and is in very revealing clothes. They wore a jacked tied along their hot pants and a piece of clothes like a tube and there’s a knot in front of their chest. Are they okay with that? The defense seems kind of low.

The men? I don’t really care about them. They’re all equipped and I’m concerned about the odor of the few of them since they smell bad.

I walked straight to the plaza without paying attention.

(See? This looks exactly the opposite of the one before)

I took the trouble to position myself in the center of the square and let them surround me.

Now Let’s see how the mercenaries of this era is faring.