Against the Orc Soldier
【〈Greatsword〉Orc Soldier】【Rank 4】
【Mana Capacity: 134/150】【HP: 246/580】
【Overall Combat Strength: 529/898】41% down
【Condition: Weakened】
The largest of the Orcs, nearly 3 meters tall. Besides the greatsword, he wears only bracelets and a loincloth, probably because even human sizes don’t fit his giant frame.
【〈Spear〉Orc Soldier】【Rank 4】
【Mana Capacity: 141/160】【HP: 235/520】
【Overall Combat Strength: 521/868】40% down
【Condition: Weakened】
A light warrior type, only slightly larger than a common Orc. He wears leather armor on his shoulders and chest, and his movements are fast and his attacks precise.
【〈Two-Handed Axe〉Orc Soldier】【Rank 4】
【Mana Capacity: 146/175】【HP: 252/550】
【Overall Combat Strength: 627/998】37% down
【Condition: Weakened】
2.5 meters tall, wearing crude iron breastplate and gauntlets. He uses a Combat Art and saw through my surprise attack, so I’m most wary of this one.
“…………”
As expected of Rank 4… At their original stats, I might have had a hard time winning even one-on-one, but now they’re afflicted by my poison, and their combat strength has fallen to about the same as mine.
Still, the poison only reduces HP and Status stats, so their combat Skill levels remain at 4. Looking at their movements just now, it would be futile to expect any drop in concentration due to their weakened state.
And what I need to worry about are the four ordinary Orcs still remaining.
I don’t think they’ll interfere with their halved combat strength, but the battle situation could change drastically depending on their movements.
『Buooooooooh!!』
Finally losing patience, the 〈Greatsword〉leapt towards me.
The giant frame of nearly 3 meters bore down, gouging the ground, and I dared to step forward against the roaring, descending greatsword.
Evading a wide-range two-handed weapon at a half-hearted distance is meaningless. As I closed the distance, the 〈Greatsword〉immediately tried to intercept me with the hilt of the sword.
But I’d already experienced that interception method with Feld. Using a special footwork, I slid sideways and attacked the 〈Greatsword〉’s knee joint with my Black Dagger.
『Bumooh!!』
Noticing that, the 〈Greatsword〉kicked at me with a leg like a log.
I instantly gave up the attack, using the kicked leg as a stepping stone to jump backward and create distance.
『Bumooh!!』
As if seizing that opening, the 〈Two-Handed Axe〉, who had been watching quietly, jumped out.
Judging that I had the advantage in speed, he swung the axe horizontally, mowing down a wide area. I used the momentum of my jump to put my hands behind me and rotate further to gain distance, and the wind pressure from the axe passed just behind my back.
Pulling several knives from my thigh where the rotating skirt fluttered, I threw them.
The 〈Two-Handed Axe〉, chasing after me, calmly deflected the throwing knives with his iron breastplate, and continued his pursuit with the same momentum.
I judged that getting too close to him would be dangerous. Retreating backward, I threw the Pendulum horizontally, spreading my hands wide, and pulled the thread with Body Enhancement strength. The Pendulum, flying in an arc, intercepted the approaching 〈Two-Handed Axe〉.
『Bumo!?』
Wary of the Pendulums approaching from the left and right, the 〈Two-Handed Axe〉jumped back, surprised by the unfamiliar attack.
I also manipulated the thread to change the Pendulum’s trajectory, and the 〈Two-Handed Axe〉, realizing it was a blade, swung his axe high.
『Bumooh!!』
A flash—
The Two-Handed Axe’s Combat Art 【Iron Break】 deflected the two Pendulums, and the shockwave attacked me.
“Guh.”
I barely avoided a direct hit, but even so, the aftershock I couldn’t evade blew my light body away.
『Gaaaaaah!!』
The 〈Spear〉 attacked me as I lost my balance. I instantly deflected the approaching spearhead with my Black Dagger, but the 〈Spear〉 continued with a body blow, sending me flying.
“Tch!”
Using Martial Arts, I regained my posture while rotating like an acrobat, and the 〈Greatsword〉, who had approached behind me unnoticed, was raising his sword to strike me.
“—【Phantom Pain】—!”
The 〈Greatsword〉, momentarily stiffened by the Dark Magic I chanted, glared at me and kicked me away.
The 〈Greatsword〉, without armor, probably has a resolve against pain. But I, who was able to guard in that instant, managed to brace myself while rolling through the leaf mold of the forest.
Using the momentum, I stood up as if jumping, and when I spun the Pendulum for deterrence, the three Orc Soldiers who had been chasing me finally stopped.
“…………”
『『『………』』』
As if resetting, the Orc Soldiers took their distance and glared at me again.
Seeing the higher-ranking species fighting advantageously against the opponent who had killed their comrades in an instant, the remaining Orcs cheered and clamored.
Even in this brief battle, my HP has been reduced by more than 30%. In contrast, I haven’t even managed to land a single blow yet.
This is 【Rank 4】.
Even with their combat strength reduced, they still have the combat experience and techniques that led them to that rank, burned into their souls without fading.
…………I’m an idiot.
I thought I could somehow fight three Rank 4s even if their stats were lowered and their combat strength became equal.
I know that carelessness leads to death, but I became complacent just because I got a little stronger.
These three Orc Soldiers recognize me, a mere human child, as an “enemy” and are trying to seize victory for their comrades without letting their guard down.
Yet I, facing three Rank 4s, foolishly thought of fighting with “reserves” for the next battle.
Spitting out the blood that had accumulated in my mouth, I relaxed my body and took a half-stance, and the Orc Soldiers raised warning growls as if wary, and readjusted their weapons.
Remember that you are a “weakling.”
Remember how you’ve fought until now.
You’ve never had a proper victory against a superior opponent, have you?
You’ve almost died many times even in this past year, haven’t you? And how did you survive?
What I can do is only “my” fight.
Consider. Set traps. My fighting style wasn’t “proper,” was it?
Submerge your emotions deep in your heart and become just a single “iron blade.”
I’ll show you “my” fight, which doesn’t appear in ranks or combat strength.
『…Gah…Gaaaaaah!!』
The 〈Spear〉 Orc Soldier noticed that the atmosphere of the battlefield had changed and jumped out.
“—【Shadow Snatch】—”
I scattered ten small clumps of darkness around me and jumped down into the depths of the forest, which was beginning to darken as the sun set.
『Bumooh!!』
The 〈Spear〉 chased after me, wary of the “darkness” drifting around me.
I moved through the dark forest, dodging the thin trees scattered around.
The moment the trunks of about 30 centimeters blocked each other’s view, the spearhead of the 〈Spear〉 pierced the “Shadow” of me that had passed behind the tree trunk.
『Gugaaaaah!?』
My Dagger, which had circled around to his back, gouged the 〈Spear〉’s neck, and a scream of pain echoed through the dark forest.
Not deep enough yet. Not a fatal wound.
But sensing the presence of the 〈Greatsword〉 and 〈Two-Handed Axe〉 approaching me, I ran through the dark forest again without finishing him off.
『Bumooh!!』
The charging 〈Greatsword〉 mowed down the thin trees along with the “Shadow.”
Even a mass of Mana Particles that is just a humanoid shape is difficult to distinguish instantly if it is switched in the dark forest.
『Gaaaaaah!!』
The 〈Greatsword〉, momentarily dominated by anger, stepped in without caution. At that moment, a Hidden Weapon jumped out from the “darkness” that the 〈Greatsword〉 stepped on, piercing through his instep.
『Bumooh!?』
Even if he has a resolve against pain, he can’t move properly with a blade pierced through his foot.
Even so, the 〈Greatsword〉 readied his sword and guarded the surrounding “darkness” while stopping his feet.
At that moment, he noticed the presence of “me” approaching from behind and turned around, but the 〈Greatsword〉, judging that the figure was a Shadow because it was completely black, searched for the real me and was pierced in the crotch with a Dagger by the black “me” who was in front of him.
『…Guh…Gah』
The 〈Greatsword〉 knelt down with a thud, and I also peeled off the Shadow camouflage from my surface and exhaled.
I judged that the Greatsword was not dead but would be unable to move for a while, so I ran towards the regular Orcs to deal with the approaching Two-Handed Axe.
As I ran towards them, dragging the Two-Handed Axe along, the four Orcs hastily readied their weapons.
Barely dodging the four weapons being swung down, I slipped through them and scattered tear gas poison powder from my pouch.
“BumoOOOOOOO!?!”
The Orcs, their eyes affected by the irritant, began to swing their weapons wildly out of pain and fear, attacking each other.
At that moment, the Two-Handed Axe, having caught up, unleashed Iron Break.
Using the Orcs writhing in pain as a shield, I weathered most of the impact, then hid in the shadow of a surviving Orc and burst out as two pitch-black Shadows.
“BumoOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!”
The Two-Handed Axe hesitated for a moment, seeing my disguised form as a Shadow. But that was only for a moment, and he immediately rushed towards one of the Shadows.
With some conviction, he chased after one Shadow directly, and the swung axe struck, passing through and dissipating the Phantom.
The Two-Handed Axe, seemingly having drawn a blank, grinned, and as the other Shadow approached silently from behind, he swung a full-force blow, turning around.
“Bwo!?”
But that Shadow was also shattered by the axe and easily dissipated.
The Two-Handed Axe was momentarily stunned, noticing small fragments of “Darkness” scattered around him from the shattered Shadows. As the Two-Handed Axe tried to retreat, a crossbow bolt, fired from the “Darkness,” pierced one of his eyes.
“BumoOOOOOOO!?!?”
Furthermore, I, who had been concealing my presence with Stealth from behind him, stabbed the Two-Handed Axe in the back with a Black Dagger.
The Two-Handed Axe, with his high detection ability, had been careless, thinking he could find me at any time. He “heard” a breathing sound from one of the Shadows and assumed it was me.
But although I could attack, my Blade couldn’t reach the head of the higher-ranking species due to my height. As I was unable to deliver the finishing blow, the surviving Orc and the Spear rushed over.
“BoOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!”
The Spear, letting out an angry roar, unleashed a full-force Thrust towards me.
The aim was my heart.
To help his companion in distress, to kill me with a single blow, the Rank 4’s precise strike, focused to the utmost limit, pierced my heart without a fraction of deviation.
“Gua…”
That overly precise strike perfectly pierced the small “Darkness” I had stuck to my chest, and the tip that emerged from the other “Darkness” pierced the head of the Two-Handed Axe.
I believed in your strength—the ability of a Rank 4. If there had been even a slight lack of precision, I would have been the one to die.
“BumoOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!”
As I moved from the collapsing Two-Handed Axe towards the Spear, the last Orc jumped at me, trying to stop me.
“—[Noise]—”
The last Orc and the Spear, with an angry expression, threw away the weapon that had killed their companion and attacked me as I chanted Dark Magic.
The Spear punched me to keep me in place, and taking advantage of that gap, the Orc swung down a Hand Axe from behind, but the attack passed over me and shattered the Spear’s head.
The pain must have subsided, but the Orc’s vision was severely impaired by my poison powder.
Even so, the Orc, relying on sound to attack, attacked the Spear’s head with the Hand Axe, relying on the sound of [Noise].
“Gugaaaa!!!”
Even though he was still alive, the Spear grabbed the Orc’s neck and snapped it.
As that blood-soaked face turned towards me, my figure, with the Black Dagger swung back greatly behind me, was reflected in his wide-open eyes.
“—[Thrust]—!!”
“Gah.”
My Combat Art was unleashed, piercing the blood-soaked Spear’s head from the front.
And finally, after finishing off the Greatsword, who was still crouching, I was finally able to eliminate all the Orcs in this place.
“…Haa…Haa…”
Almost completely depleted of Mana, I dropped to my knees on the spot, and before I became starved, I put a pill in my mouth and swallowed the last Mana Recovery Potion in one gulp.
I don’t think my Mana will be fully recovered for a while even with this…
I had even stopped breathing to disguise myself as a Shadow and deceive the Two-Handed Axe’s detection, so my HP had also dropped to half.
…That’s twenty-five. Halfway there.
I put another pill in my mouth and crushed it, then stood up on trembling legs and started walking towards the Abandoned Village where the Orc General was, to stall them for the remaining few days.
Three Orc Soldiers defeated.
What Viro was saying, “Combat strength is just a guideline, don’t rely on those numbers,” is what this means.
Next time, Aria returns to the Abandoned Village and begins assassinating the Orcs.
Next update will probably be around Thursday.