## Chapter 72 – Ogre Raid
“Ugh… What? When did it get so dark?”
“You’re finally awake?”
Copson rubbed his eyes and got up. He was having such an amazing nap that I didn’t want to wake him. No, honestly, it was better to just leave him alone. I had a good time with Claudia, after all.
“Did the ogre show up?”
“If it had, all the sleeping bastards would be dead.”
“I suppose so.”
Copson got up, stretched, and started doing gymnastics. I didn’t really want to describe the bizarre movements he was making while emitting strange shouts.
Anyway, time was rushing towards the dark night. Unlike the warm daytime, the temperature began to drop rapidly. Clouds were gathering. It looked like it was going to rain.
If the moon rose and the clouds covered it, we couldn’t expect any moonlight. The difference between having moonlight and not having it was huge. In this world without electric lights, the only light sources at night were primitive torches, oil lamps, and a few types of magic.
Those were all very weak compared to modern lighting.
Monsters, not humans, had the advantage in such a dark space.
Monsters’ senses were better than humans’, if not equal. I felt a little uneasy. The weather was bad. If it started to rain, just waiting for the ogre would be exhausting.
If the ogre was aiming for that, we would be in a tough spot.
Looking around, I saw that the other adventurers were also feeling the cold and starting to light more bonfires. I thought I should light a fire too. Temperature aside, it would be disadvantageous for us if it got dark.
“Claudia, we should light a fire.”
I got up from my seat.
“No, wait.”
“Hmm?”
Claudia stopped me.
“Ogres don’t have very good eyesight. If they’re going to ambush us at night, they’ll probably go for the light. Other adventurers have already lit plenty of fires. They’ve become bait. We can hide in the dark and wait. I won’t miss the ogre with my senses, so it won’t be too late to act after it appears.”
Her tone was very logical, and I nodded. Claudia’s reasoning, clearly based on experience, was valid.
“I, is that so? But if it rains, our body temperature…”
“You and I can just hug each other, right?”
“Ah, right.”
“Hehe, let’s move.”
I looked at Copson. He shook his head, expressing his will.
“Look, the young lady has come down from the watchtower. I’m going to wait near there. If I get the chance, I might be able to hear the young lady’s voice a little more.”
“Uh… good luck.”
Copson disappeared like a moth flying into a flame.
“Well… your friend is gone. Shall we go, just the two of us?”
Claudia grabbed my hand and pulled me along. We needed to find a suitable place to lie in wait. It would be good to make a hiding place, but Claudia calmly explained that there was no need because there was plenty of bait. I don’t think she realized she said that, but she was treating the adventurers as bait without a second thought.
Is it because she has the blood of another race…? She was ruthless in that regard.
“Hmm… it’s so different from the desert. I don’t really know where to hide.”
Claudia, who had been leading the way, expressed her confusion. Come to think of it, Claudia had more experience than me, but it was mostly in the desert. I seemed to have more experience in these lush, green mountains.
Then it was my turn to lead.
“Then I’ll guide you. I have a lot of experience camping in the mountains. I know how to hide from experience.”
“Really? Then I’ll trust you and follow you.”
I made sure not to stray too far from the open space as I navigated through the forest. It would be troublesome if I went too far and was accused of running away.
It was just before sunset when I found a suitable spot. It was a place where the base of a large tree and a large rock provided cover. I cut down branches with plenty of leaves and camouflaged the area.
“Hmm~. It’s quite cozy.”
“Right?”
I learned all this in the army.
I’m not kidding, my experiences in that crazy army were often useful in this world. If you want to go to another world, I highly recommend gaining experience in the military (just kidding).
As we hid, complete night fell. As expected, it started to rain. I had made a roof with the rain in mind, but it wasn’t perfect, and my shoulders were getting a little wet. The temperature dropped, and my toes were getting cold.
“Come closer.”
“Okay.”
Claudia hugged me from behind. I couldn’t really feel her body heat through the clothes and armor, but my heart warmed, and my body seemed to warm up too.
It was a little cold. We kept watching the open space.
Orange light flickered under the tents. The flames of the bonfires that hadn’t gone out yet twisted as if they were dancing. Even though the moon was covered and the surroundings were plunged into complete darkness, it was still clearly visible.
It would be the same for the ogre…
“Katt.”
Then Claudia stood up and said.
“It’s here.”
Her fist clenched around the sword in her hand. I also stood up and stood behind Claudia. “Can you hear it?” Claudia perked up her ears. “No.” But I couldn’t hear anything in my ears.
“Look over there.”
ㅡThump, thump. Thump!
The sound came from behind the open space, opposite us.
It was the angry footsteps of a giant shaking the earth. Claudia moved towards the open space. I followed her.
As we got closer, the open space began to get noisy, and
「 ㅡKurRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!! 」
ㅡThe ogre appeared, screaming.
“It’s an ogre!”
“Everyone! Everyone! Kill the ogre!”
“Waaaaaaah!!!!”
“Take it down!”
A giant that seemed to be 4 meters tall jumped towards the watchtower like a cannonball.
It was an unbelievable speed. The watchtower was the brightest place because there were tents underneath. The watchtower was bigger than the ogre. The ogre, annoyed by that, screamed and ran towards it like a moth flying into a flame.
The ogre’s massive body collided with the watchtower.
ㅡCrack!
The watchtower collapsed from the tremendous shoulder tackle. About five people flew into the sky from the impact. The adventurers buried under the collapsed watchtower wouldn’t be safe either. The ogre picked up one of the adventurers right next to it.
“Aaaaaaah!!”
With a mournful scream, one of the adventurers was crushed. It didn’t take 3 seconds for him to die. He was swung around with all his might and shattered as soon as he hit the ground.
“Oh ho ho ho ho! How strong! Ogre!”
What blocked the ogre was Lady Isvant. Even though several people had been instantly destroyed, she didn’t lose her composure. Is this the余裕 of the nobility?
She raised her huge greatsword and faced the ogre.
“Kill the ogre!”
The soldiers also reacted quite quickly. The scattered soldiers tried to surround the ogre. And Zauros shouted.
“Adventurers! Those who run away will be fined! I have a list! Attack him! Surround him! The young lady has promised a reward of 1 gold to those who inflict effective damage on that thing!”
“U, uwaaa!!”
“Kill the ogre!!!”
“1 gold is mine!!”
Some seemed to have already run away, but there were still dozens of adventurers left. Even though several of their companions had just been instantly killed, the excited adventurers read a chance of winning behind the young lady and swarmed in like bees, surrounding the ogre with the soldiers. And they swung their respective weapons.
The ogre tried to turn around at the fierce offensive. However.
“Where do you think you’re going!”
The young lady thrust forward with her greatsword at an unseeable speed.
The young lady’s greatsword grazed the ogre’s side as she slid and charged as if she were skating. Blood flowed, but it wasn’t a fatal blow. At the moment of being stabbed, it dodged the tip of the sword with the transcendent speed and agility coming from the muscles of that giant body.
ㅡKURRR!!!!
The ogre, twisting its body to evade, used that centrifugal force to swing its arm at the young lady. The young lady, quickly retrieving her greatsword and blocking it like a shield, was hit by the swung arm and flew away.
“Kyaaak!”
No, you idiot!
One hit!
“Young lady!”
Only then did the soldiers and adventurers rush towards the ogre. The excited ogre swung its arms like whips, and those who couldn’t avoid it flew into the sky. Humans can’t fly. But they flew. So they would die satisfied.
“The ogre gave them wings!”
I shouted, excited by the sight of people dying.
People’s attacks were working little by little. No matter how much the ogre rampaged, it was surrounded on all sides. Every time a blade cut through the ogre’s skin, hot blood splattered. I had to lend a hand too.
“Katt, calm down. It’s not time yet.”
Claudia walked through the chaos. She was a powerful warrior and an assassin. She sensed the screams of people, the roars of the ogre, the splattering blood, and the murderous intent of the blades cutting through the air, and timed the best moment. The moment Claudia revealed her killing intent was the moment the ogre would die.
ㅡSwoosh!
“Attack! Attack! We have more numbers! He’s dying!”
Zauros, who had rolled on the ground to avoid the ogre’s punch, spat out.
The ogre’s lower body was covered in blood. The adventurers weren’t complete pushovers, and although many had died, the rest were dealing pretty good damage.
ㅡkuR!!!!
When the ogre attacked the front, the people in the front retreated, and the people in the back stabbed its legs.
When the ogre turned back to target them, the soldiers in the front jumped out and attacked. It happened from all sides. Those who made mistakes fell out, and those who were skilled remained and repeated the work. The ogre’s damage accumulated.
As expected of those who lived by the sword, they were good at killing something for money.
ㅡWhoosh!
Then a fireball flew in.
“Mage support! Get out of the way!”
ㅡThud!
With a serious expression, Winnia fired a Fire Bolt. It fired five shots in a row, hitting the ogre’s chest and arms.
The exploding flames scorched and burned the ogre. The monster touched by the flames roared.
ㅡKURRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!
“It’s getting hot, lefu!”
The ogre, protecting its head by crossing its arms, trampled the adventurers and shot out in a straight line. One unlucky person was trampled and killed.
Seeing that, everyone threw themselves to the ground to avoid the ogre’s reckless charge. A straight road was opened in an instant, revealing Winnia.
The ogre ran towards Winnia.
“Now!”
Claudia, letting out a shout, jumped out like lightning. The arena was empty. Claudia, running with her body lowered like a leopard, raised her curved sword. I also ran after her.
ㅡShhshshshsh!
Claudia’s curved swords, held in both hands, sparkled in the darkness. She was running with her face covered by her forearm, so she sprinted while slashing at the ogre’s empty right calf and ankle.
I also swung my bastard sword with all my might, inflicting a huge cut on its calf.
ㅡFshh!
Blood splattered.
ㅡKUUUURRRRRRRRR!!
ㅡThud!
The ogre screamed and fell forward. I looked at Winnia. She had already taken refuge long ago. She, who had evaded, aimed her staff at the fallen ogre and chanted.
“Flame Arrow!”
The flying flame arrow was lodged in the ogre’s back. A huge explosion occurred, and the smell of burning meat wafted through the air. The ogre, literally roasted alive, writhed in pain and crawled towards the forest.
Did we win?
“N, he’s running away!”
“Kill him! We won!”
“Take him down!”
The soldiers and adventurers, seeing the ogre, the mountain’s overlord, crawling pathetically on the ground, shouted and rushed in. Now it was a competition of who would get the last hit. 1 gold would be paid as a reward to the person who took his neck. 1 gold was a huge sum of money that could change the fate of a low-life adventurer at least once.
Humans become the strongest in the face of greed. The adventurers, with a ghostly aura in their eyes, sprinted like hungry dogs. They were as fast as any short-distance runner.
Beyond love, friendship, and survival, when engulfed in greed, the inherent nature of human beings, they can exert a transcendent power that surpasses their own strength. They ran with that power as fuel.
But humans who fall into greed also become foolish at the same time.
I didn’t get caught up in the trend and pulled my body out with Claudia.
“Hiyop!”
The martial artist who arrived the fastest raised both arms. And he tried to slam his fist into the ogre’s head like a hammer. In fact, it would have been two hundred times better to hit it with a real hammer, but he didn’t care about such trivial things.
He seemed to firmly believe that his fist was more powerful than a hammer.
ㅡKKKKKUR!
“Aaaaaaaaah!!!”
Suddenly, the ogre jumped up, grabbed the martial artist who was trying to hammer his head with his fist, and ran towards the forest with all his might.
No one could catch that explosive speed.
