Chapter 38

The Fight Ends, but the Forest is Vast

There is only one orc left. And he would have to face both of us. I see Daniela jump down from the tree in the corner of my eye.

“Asagi, do not let your guard down.”

“Right.”

I answer briskly, keeping my focus on the orc. The important thing was to avoid being hit.

“Oingrraaawrr!!”

The orc howls in front of us. But we would not be overwhelmed by its volume. It was nothing compared to when Beowulf roared. I spread my feet and stood ready to move at any moment, the swords held in front of me. There was a different weight to each sword. The one made of ice was much lighter. So I should use the ice blade to intercept attacks and the steel blade to deal them.

The orc now raised its club in the air. It aimed for my head and swung downward. Of course, such an obvious attacks would never land. My feet dig into the ground before an almost explosive force carries me away from the spot. This fight was going to be one of agility.

With the same momentum, I slide to the side of the orc and slash his sides with one hit of the ice blade. This sword had cut off an orc’s head, so I had no complaints regarding its sharpness. Now the orc was crying with pain as it swung its club madly, not even seeing a target. The heavy weapon noisily cuts the air over my head. I stay in a crouching posture as I vault out like a bullet, it’s the steel sword that next slashes at the orcs ankles.

His foot flies away without much resistance.

“Oigyaahaghhh!!!”

Having lost its balance, the orc rocks back and forth for a moment before falling to the ground. I catch my breath and hold my sword ready. There is a saying about cornered rats attacking cats. You never knew what an enemy would do once it became desperate.

“Asagi, do it!”

I hear Daniela shout from behind me and I nod and take a step forward.

As if hearing my footsteps, the orc suddenly starts to flail around as if it has gone mad. Its club swung recklessly in all directions without thought. I was not going to be able to approach it like this. Well, magic it is then. Thankfully, the orc would not be able to move from where it was.

I stab the steel sword into the ground and hold the ice sword horizontally. Then I imagine that magic is being discharged into it as I point the tip of the blade toward the orc. The trigger is pulled in my brain. The missile of ice fires straight into the orc, entering its forehead.

The shock is so strong that the orc is blown backward and crashes into a tree. There is a loud sound of flapping wings as a flock of birds flies away from the suddenly swaying tree. I apologize to them inwardly, as I sigh and pull the steel sword out of the ground.

“Hahhh…”

“Good work, Asagi.”

She offers her fist which is still gripping her bow, and so I offer my sword-gripping fist in return for a nice b.u.mp. Apparently, Daniela really enjoyed these little interactions. So did I, really. It makes us feel like a real team.

“That club was dangerous.”

Yes. The combination of an orc’s power and that club… It is remarkable. There would not be a body left to bury if you let your guard down.”

Yeah… Really, what frightful enemies.

I look down at the fallen orcs. The first with an arrow in its brain. The other lay beheaded. Then the last, with its ankle slashed and a shard of ice stuck in its head. It had only been a minute or two, time-wise, but it had still been an intense fight.

We retrieved the fangs from the orcs as proof before returning to the campsite. Unlike the forest wolf fangs, these were thick and long. The wolf fangs were for eating, while these seemed more like weapons.

I looked up at the sky. The clouds had thickened again, making the moons look hazy. It would probably be about two hours until it sank and the sun rose.

“This succession of night attacks is getting tiresome.”

“That is what you can expect from traveling. Can you imagine doing this alone?”

That brings me back to when I had traveled alone. That was really… I didn’t want to sleep in any trees ever again. And while it could save you in a forest inhabited by wolves and goblins, what about orcs? I’m sure they would just knock the tree right over. And while I have yet to see one, if there were ape-like monsters here, then there would be almost no point in sleeping in the trees.