Hero without Blood or Tear

“Kraaaaah!”

“Aaaaah!  Krrra!”

The power of the absorb blood and tear, which has reached experience level 3, was already on a different plane.  In an instant, 30 orcs held on to their necks as they gasped and died.

They rose up as ghoul slaughters.  The remaining orcs were barely able to withstand the series of attacks from the ghoul slaughters.  This is a boring fight.

“Um?”

Looking over to a side, one big orc stood with a devastated look on his face.  His facial expression was saying that what was happening was unbelievable.  I kicked an axe that had been abandoned on the ground towards him.

“Do you want to find out which is stronger, your axe or my sword?”

At that moment, the facial expression on the orc changed.  Although the language was different, it appeared that the right meaning has been delivered.  He angrily picked up the axe.  And in Orc language, he denied me and criticized me as an evil being.

Certainly, the commander would be far from the warrior’s pride in which they believed in.  As if to punish me for thinking that, the orc bravely ran towards me with the axe in his hand.

Reflecting the moon light, his eyes turned red with blood.  Certainly, that was the display of pride from a man who lived all of his life as a warrior.  Then I, too, display comparable…..

Tang!

With a sound of a gun fire, the warrior with that high pride fell to the ground.  And he never moved again.  I lowered my head in apology.

“Sorry for not keeping my promise.  I forgot that I had a gun on my waist.  As you may also know, when there is a gun, it is hard not to fire it.”

The battle was already waning down.  Although several orcs tried to escape, they fell and roll on to the snow after getting hit with the axes that were thrown by the ghoul slaughters.  In an instant moment of time, 50 orcs have been killed.

“My lord.  What do you plan to do now?”

In response to Krulark’s question, I ordered the bodies to be hung on the Thunderbolt Tree.

“I feel like trimming a tree, so do your best.”

As it merely issuing a command alone did not satisfy me, I personally directed it.

“No, don’t place them all in one section, but spread them out.  Gosh!  Krulark!  Go and tie the ropes by yourself.  Geez!  The ghouls are good fighters, but have no talent in this type of work!”

With ropes tied around their necks, one by one, the orcs were hung on that black, burned, dead old tree.  I approached the dead body that was to be hung last.

“Give me a knife for a minute.”

“Here, sir.”

After removing the dead orc’s shirt, I wrote a few words on his back.

[Our patience is limited.  You will become.  Pretty ornaments on this tree.]

I wrote it in hobgoblin language.  My Hobgoblin grammar was a mess, but it didn’t matter that much.  That was because, even the hobgoblins could not write their own language.

There really wasn’t a reason to reveal as to who wrote it.  That was because there were many, who lived in this mountain region, who hated the Thunderbolt Tree Faction to death.

“All set.  OK, hang it.”

Prrrd!  Prrrd!

As the rough rope shook the tree, the snow that was on the dead old tree fell down, all around.  Like tiny crystals under the moon light, they sparkled beautifully.

“This evening is certainly ambient!”

I was impressed by the great looking tree.

***

This time, we moved towards the place called the Wild Hog Rock.  We arrived after five hours of travel time from the Thunderbolt Tree.

“Philly, tired?  I’ll let you rest once we get back.”

Philly was breathing hard as white steam came out of his nostrils due to the long travel time on the mountain.  I fed sufficient water to Philly.  Poor thing.  My heart ached a little.

“My lord.  It’s over there.”

“It really does look like a big wild hog.”

Due to the darkness, the silhouette of the big rock, which was totally black, surely looked like a big wild hog.  And there were some ogres and hobgoblins congregated and gluttonously gorging on something.  On the second look, I could tell that it was a bear.  Looking at the squashed head, it must have been smashed by an ogre’s bat.

“Krrrng?”

A one eyed ogre with a bear’s thigh in its mouth showed an interest in me upon discovering me.  With blood stains around the mouth, it certainly had a scary look.

“Chruup.”

The one eyed ogre licked his chops while looking at me.  That bastard must certainly know how humans taste.

Hee-inng!

Scared, Philly jumped.  Kwang!  Kwang!  Kwang!  The ogre then ran towards here and stretched his hand out.  He must have thought that I would not bother to resist, in the first place.

It appeared as if he was taking food from the shelf.  So, I stretched out my hand too.  Then the ogre and I, like that famous Michael Angelo’s <The creation of Adam>, came in contact with our hands.

Although that moment was short, the result was definite.

Kwaaang!

Bone dried up, the ogre fell on to the snow.  Then the other bastards who were watching stood up in shock.  Looking at them, I thought a little as I stroked my chin.

“Since there is no tree here, I suppose I would just chop them up.”

Then like preparing a fish, I sliced them up in to pieces.  It did not even take 5 minutes to kill them all.

“I will leave a message here as well.”

Using much of their blood as ink, I wrote on the Wild Hog Rock.

[To the cowards, with respect.]

Perhaps, neither of the factions would think that someone else was driving a wedge between them.  They have been living isolated lives in the mountain for so long.  They were bound to be close minded.  Even if someone wise was among them, the wraths that boiled blindly in both factions could not be stopped.

***

The next day.

Krulark brought interesting news.

“My lord.  It was reported that an ogre, dispatched from the Wild Hog Rock Faction in an attempt to make a protest, and demand explanation, has been stoned to death by the Thunderbolt Tree Faction.  Both sides have exploded, and are out of control.

At this time, without any concern for the demon dragon, they were in full preparation stage for a war.  They have decided on a full head on clash to determine the victor.

“Did they by any chance decide on the place and date as well?”

“Yes, my lord.”

“Gosh, how can they be so honorable.”

If it was a war between humans, the battle would start with a surprise attack, at an unknown time.  But they have decided to arrange a sword and axe fight, two days in advance.

“At what time?”

“It will be an early morning, they said.”

Looking at their standards of time as being nocturnal behaviors, early morning would normally mean 3-4 in the afternoon.  Krulark said that there was a good location.

“I know of a high place where the battle fields can be seen in a sweep.  From that vantage point, the situation could be assessed in a glance.”

“That is great information.  Krulark, do you want to go set up a table and a chair for me in advance?”

That was a great time to have a tea time.