Chapter 88 – The Black Forest (1)
“Thank you again. I won’t forget your help. I will send messengers to Nameragon and Spinoa.”
Nadia’s expression was somewhat disturbed as she spoke. It was due to the dark elf standing with them.
“It is the first time I’m leaving Nuridot. I’m really excited.”
Anor joined Crockta and Tiyo’s party.
He had awakened the power of a necromancer that his mother had left him. At the same time, his identity as a dark elf was thrown away. He released everything that had accumulated in the meantime. A person who gave up being a dark elf, that was Anor.
There was also the tragedy that occurred at the town hall. As he left the hall, he took the orcs that infiltrated the town and turned them into his puppets. However, he deliberately didn’t kill some orc warriors. He left alone through the barrier outside the town.
The surviving orcs once again attacked the town hall. The dark elves had to fight against the orc warriors themselves.
Using the advantage of numbers, they were able to overpower the orcs. However, the fact that the orcs were an elite tribe warriors while the dark elves were people unfamiliar with fighting still held true. Multiple lives were given up in exchange for their resistance. Countless casualties had occurred.
Anor just shrugged when questioned about this. Perhaps it was a bonus.
Nadia knew that he had been persecuted due to being a dark elf and his dead mother having the bloodline of a necromancer, so she couldn’t blame him. She was also complicit. Of course, the other dark elves didn’t think so. The object of dislike had turned into hatred. In particular, those who lost family members in the town hall wanted to jump at Anor.
Nadia spoke to Anor, “Anor.”
“Well, sh…”
“Take care of yourself.”
“Ba… no, no, yes. Well…”
The shock from the hall had been so great that profanity was an automatic reflex.
“Then we will be going. Stay alive. Bul’tar!”
“Take care. Don’t discriminate against other species dot!”
Crockta and Tiyo said their final words. Nadia nodded. Anor just nodded instead of saying goodbye. Then they turned around. For the man who had been persecuted for life in Nuridot, this was his first time leaving for the outside world.
Nadia prayed to the gods as she watched them walk away.
The honorable orc, Crockta. The cute but macho Tiyo.
“Anor, is this the first time you’re leaving Nuridot? Kiki, aren’t you a hillbilly?”
“This crazy dwarf…ah no…I’m sorry.”
“Were you going to curse me just then dot?”
“I’m not sure… why do I keep doing this?”
“This bastard! Come here!”
“I-I’m sorry!”
In addition, the dark elf who reflexively cursed, Anor. Nadia could feel that these three were the key to the future of the north. But when she saw Tiyo hitting Anor, she started to become worried about the future of the north.
“God help them.”
And protect our dark elves from the mad chieftain. Nadia once again prayed.
***
Crockta, Tiyo, and Anor built up a reputation for helping the dark elves in trouble as they headed towards Nameragon. Now the dark elves in the north started to know their names.
“It would be good if Third Dragon was also together with us,” Anor touched his necklace as he spoke.
He had buried Third Dragon at Nuridot Forest. Then he made the necklace out of one of Third Dragon’s teeth.
“By the way, when are we arriving in Nameragon?” Anor asked.
He was a dark elf, but he knew nothing about the geography of the north. Crockta checked on the map.
“We will arrive at Nameragon once we cross this mountain.”
There was a high mountain in front of them. It would take too long to go around. In addition, there was something unique about it.
“If we try to cross this mountain… we’ll have to go through the Black Forest.”
“Black Forest?”
“Yes. There is no explanation about why it is called the Black Forest.”
Crockta checked the map again before putting it away. It was a map of the north that he received from Nadia. It was much more detailed than the previous one. According to the map, it would take a day or two to reach Nameragon.
“The Black Forest?” suddenly asked Anor.
“Why, do you know it dot?”
“I’ve heard about it. It’s said that the Black Forest is dark…”
“Is that it?” Anor adjusted his ears. He looked up at the sky like he was recalling a distant memory. “It’s said that a hermit lives in the Black Forest.”
“A hermit?”
“Yes. He used to appear in the past, but I think he has been hiding lately… I don’t know the details. That is the only thing I remember about the Black Forest.”
Hermit of the Black Forest, it was a very romantic name.
“Won’t it be interesting?”
“That’s right.”
Crockta grinned. In the world of Elder Lord, a new adventure would begin once one ended. The Black Forest was waiting for them.
[It is hard to meet the hermit of the Black Forest.]
The system message resurfaced after a long time. Was there going to be a quest to find the hermit?
[He has a mighty power and is friendly to anyone. If you meet him, you will be able to get his help.]
[The meeting itself is a reward, so there will be no reward for finding him.]
Crockta frowned.
[But I prepared a small quest for your hard work in finding the hermit.]
[The hermit of the Black Forest isn’t a human, elf, orc or gnome.]
[If you meet him and please him, you will be given a new skill.]
He didn’t understand but there were more reasons to meet the hermit of the Black Forest.
“Heh, another adventure is waiting for me dot. Hey, foul-mouthed person!”
“I’m not a foul-mouthed person!”
“Don’t lie.”
“I’m really not…”
“Foul-mouthed person, do you want to make a bet? Who will find the hermit of the Black Forest first dot?!”
Then Tiyo started running towards the mountain, Anor followed after him. Crockta quickly trailed after them. They reached the Black Forest in an instant. And at the very beginning of the forest…
They met an ogre.
“…Heok, heok.” Tiyo was catching his breath from running up the steep mountain. A gigantic mass was sitting in front of them. Tiyo started trembling. “Wow, is that guy the hermit?”
“I-I’m not sure.”
The message window said that the hermit of the Black Forest wasn’t a human, elf, gnome, or orc. If so, maybe he was an ogre. The ogre was doing something. It slowly turned its head. There was blood around the ogre’s mouth.
“Grrr.”
The eyes of the ogre became ferocious as it found its targets.
“It doesn’t seem like it dot.”
The ogre got up, with the body of the bear it had been eating was at its feet. In the real world, bears were dominant predators but in the world of Elder Lord, they were just snacks for ogres.
Crockta pulled out his greatsword. Anor was still reluctant to use the power of a necromancer, so he was forced to step behind.
“Anor, please step back. I am going to solve this.”
“Is it okay?”
Crockta smiled instead of answering. Of course, the ogre was a powerful monster. Organized troops were required to defeat it. Crockta had met a group of ogres at Quantes and had barely defeated them with the support of the gnomes garrison.
But now it was different. Crockta was no longer an ordinary warrior.
“Huhu, Crockta’s abilities can’t be ignored.”
Tiyo folded his arms and settled in to watch Crockta fight. Crockta prided himself on his skills and lifted the greatsword.
The ogre approached Crockta with a distorted face. The ground shook wildly with every step. This was the power of an ogre. However, it wouldn’t be a big battle. Now his greatsword could be freely manipulated as it headed towards the ogre.
Take a look, Black Forest. Hermit of the Black Forest. His greatsword would kill this ogre, just like its name. No one could stop him!
“Bul’tarrrr!”
Crockta ran forward The ogre’s fist flew. Crockta grinned. And…
He was hit by the fist.
“Cough!”
Crockta flew through the air towards the spot where he had jumped.
Cheolbudok!
It was a psychological shock, as well as a physical one. Crockta couldn’t stand up for a while.
Tiyo sighed, “Should I be laughing or worried…?”
Crockta curled up from the pain caused by those words.
“Grrr…”
The ogre was approaching them. Tiyo lifted General. Crockta got back up. He raised his hand to stop Tiyo.
“This is my fight.”
“Are you okay dot?”
“I just made a mistake.”
Crockta once again raised Ogre Slayer. This was a fight for his pride. Crockta vowed to end the ogre as he rushed forward. The ogre grabbed a club and confronted Crockta. The two weapons met. It was a tremendous force.
Crockta pretended to lure the ogre into a power struggle, then turned to destroy the ogre’s balance. Then he stabbed into a gap.
“Kuweeeoooh!”
However, the ogre’s kick was also heading towards Crockta’s abdomen. It was a quick reaction rate. Crockta’s sword sliced the ogre’s side while the ogre kicked Crockta’s abdomen. Both of them stepped back at the same time.
“…Hoo.”
Crockta raised his greatsword.
This ogre was different from the ones he met before. The movements were fast and contained techniques. It was much more efficient than the ogres who only fought ignorantly with strength. It was like an ogre who learned martial arts.
Crockta’s eyes became cautious. It was also the same for the ogre. It thought of Crockta as a plain orc, but it realized that this orc was different from the others. The strength and skills exceeded the orcs that it knew.
Furthermore, the orc cut its skin. It meant that the orc’s swordsmanship had at least reached the pinnacle level.
The two look at each other and laughed. They had met a rival here.
“How interesting.”
“Grrr…”
The two collided again.
The blade swept past the nose. The club slid over the head. Both of their attacks missed each other by a hair. If Crockta tried to cut the neck, the club would aim for the abdomen. If he tried to stab the leg, the club would aim for his head. The fierce fighting continued.
He hadn’t expected to have such a high-level confrontation with an ogre.
Crockta grinned. The ogre also smiled. Then they wielded their weapons towards each other again.
Leyteno’s Greatsword Technique passed by the club, the tip of the sword moving like a snake. It was a movement difficult to imagine for a greatsword. Its target was the heart of the ogre.
“……!”
The ogre also showed unpredictable movements for its size. It twisted its body and avoided the tip of the sword. It lifted a hand from the club and swung it at Crockta. An unexpected blow. At that moment, Crockta moved his greatsword.
He grabbed the ogre’s massive arm and pulled it. He used inertia to throw the ogre’s body. The ogre lost its balance and fell due to Crockta.
“Ohhhhhhhh!”
The giant ogre that was double Crockta’s size. Crockta threw the huge body down.
Kuuong!
Due to the big size, the ogre’s head immediately bumped against the ground. It was also against hard rocks. Blood spilled from the ogre’s head and it lost consciousness.
Crockta took a deep breath.
“Hoo…”
Then he raised his right hand. A posture of victory.
Tiyo and Anor clapped.
“It was a tremendous battle and that ogre is very good dot.”
“It was incredible. Furthermore, you won against an ogre!”
Crockta held Ogre Slayer. Then he looked down at the unconscious ogre.
“……”
Crockta placed Ogre Slayer on his back.
“Just go.” For some reason, he didn’t want to kill this ogre.
Tiyo nodded in agreement at the manly sensibility. “Huhu, he felt it.”
“Felt what?” Anor was confused. Tiyo slapped Anor’s back and said, “A man’s sympathy dot.”
Anor was confused. Tiyo clicked his tongue at Anor’s expression.
“You won’t understand…”
At that moment, Anor was filled with the desire to curse Tiyo.
“You, you just wanted to curse, right? Isn’t that right? Isn’t it?”
“…No.”
“You are an elf with a double personality!”
“Ah, no!”
“Ehehe. Try swearing. Where is it? Try it dot!”
“Shit…”
They left the ogre and headed deeper into the Black Forest. This time they met a goblin.
“……?”
The goblin was sitting on a rock with a zen-like expression. Crockta’s group stopped and the goblin slowly opened his eyes. His eyes were filled with giddiness.
“Kieeeek.”
The goblin rose from his spot. A short bow was held in his hand. He loaded an arrow and aimed it at Crockta.
“…It is my turn dot.”
Tiyo stepped forward, holding General in his hands. The goblin and gnome’s eyes met.
Tiyo cried out, “This forest, it is interesting!”
Tiyo raised General. At that moment, the goblin’s arrow flew towards Tiyo’s head. Tiyo avoided the attack by rolling on the floor. Then he immediately retaliated. General’s bullets flew towards the goblin.
His target was the goblin’s head. However, the goblin just moved his head and avoided the attack.
“Ah…!”
The goblin grinned and said, “It is still insufficient.”
“……!”
“You have no heart in your attack kyak.”
It was a goblin who knew how to speak the human language like Kyawak who Crockta met in the past.
“Don’t make me laugh!
Tiyo fired General again. But the goblin just used minimal movements to avoid the bullets. Splendid rays of light filled the Black Forest.
“A real shooter doesn’t fire like that.” The goblin pulled back his bowstring. His short bow trembled as it was pulled back to the fullest extent. The goblin’s arrow aimed exactly at Tiyo.
“This is heart kyak!”
The arrow was shot and a storm appeared.
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