The trees had been snapped and felled by force, and the ground was torn up as if it had been dug up.
It was as if a stampede had broken out, and the hunters who had received the report and come to check on the situation gasped.

The surrounding area was open, but the smell of the beast still lingered in the air. It was a sign that a large number of animals had been nesting in this place until just now.
But there is no sign of the creature that gave off the smell.

The fort built near the entrance to the forest, carved out of the rough wood, was empty, and the watchtowers on all sides were empty. The gates, which had been tightly closed, were now wide open.
If you look carefully in front of it, you can see that the ground is covered with countless footprints.

Originally, there had been a village there.
It had been abandoned long ago due to a decline in population, but recently, a demon had used the space to build a fort and take up residence.

The name of the demon that the town of Gura has been on the lookout for recently is called Orc.

It is a subhuman demon that is wise enough to use tools, social enough to form groups, but feared for its ferocity and its preference to attack human settlements.

Their individual abilities are not that great compared to hunters and knights who make a living fighting, but the most troublesome aspect of this demon is its high fertility.

Orcs multiply. Their speed is second only to that of goblins, which are said to be the most fertile of all subhuman demons, and there have been cases where small groups of a dozen or so have swelled to hundreds in less than a year.
In some cases, a small pack of a dozen or so orcs has grown into a pack of several hundred in less than a year. When this swollen pack is led by a prominent individual, the orcs become an existence that threatens even the land of man.


The pack nesting in the vicinity of Gura was an extremely dangerous pack that possessed such characteristics.

It was impossible for a mere group of Orcs to build a fort, let alone an abandoned village.
It was assumed that there was definitely an Orc king with unique abilities. And an Orc pack led by such an individual would be extremely formidable.
If they attacked carelessly, human knights and hunters with superior equipment might be defeated.

To destroy the orcs that are holed up in the fortress and have a geographical advantage, a considerable amount of strength is required.
In the preliminary investigation by the hunters, several Orcs were confirmed to be watching the surroundings from the top of the watchtower, and it was judged that it would be dangerous to go out to defeat them with the forces stationed in Gura, and they were in the process of replenishing their forces.

However, there was not a single Orc in the fort, where several hundred Orcs were predicted to be holed up just a few days ago.

'What's going on?

'Really, the Orcs are disappearing.

With puzzled and wary expressions, the hunters sneaked inside the fort.
It was only a few hours ago that the hunter who was in charge of the watch brought the information that the pack of orcs had left the fort.

The pack of Orcs had not responded to any of the provocations we had made to fish them out of the fort several times. This change in trend came as a bolt from the blue to the town of Gura, which had been steadily gathering strength.

We prepared ourselves to see if they would finally attack, but there was no sign of the Orcs appearing near the town, and it was unlikely that a pack led by a leader who was wise enough to build a fort would attack without sending out scouts.

'As reported, there's no sign of a natural enemy that would make the orcs run away. ......'

'Look at the footprints-- they've been stepped on quite vigorously. They seem to be quite excited. ......'

The fortifications were far more crude than those made by men, but there was no sign of any destruction from the outside.
The guards informed us that a group of Orcs and a particularly strong individual - probably the leader of the pack - had run out of the fort at a furious pace. When I first heard the report, I thought it was a joke, but now that I can actually see the empty fort and the surrounding area, it shows that the information from the guards was correct.

We don't know where they are now, but they are a huge herd of about a hundred animals. They'll find us soon enough.
The hunters looked at each other when they confirmed that there was no sign of the natural enemy that had threatened the city of Gura.

'I don't see any. ...... Okay, I don't know what happened, but let's destroy this d*mn fort before they come back as planned.

There's a steady stream of troops gathering in Gula. Once the fort is gone, we'll have the upper hand in the fight even if the herd returns.
Nodding to each other, the hunters in the town of Gura began to prepare to destroy the fort.







It was a swarm of demons, clearly visible even from a distance.
The countless eyes glittering with light and the smell drifting on the wind. The swarm of Orcs that swept across the plains like a wave was truly worthy of the word "frenzy.

The horses, which should be used to running in the world of demons, were neighing in fear.
The expression on the faces of the members of the Foreign Mist , who had gone through many hellish situations before, was also tense because of the obviously bizarre crowd of demons.

Arnold pulled out his beloved sword and said as if to spit out.

'What in the world-- d*mn it, after the spirits, there's now a pack of orcs! Is this normal in this country?

'And they're not normal. They're so excited they're losing their minds. ......'

There's nothing special about a pack of orcs. They are not hunting, nor are they trying to attack human settlements. No, I don't think they would march so madly for that reason.
The Orcs, who were pushing forward single-mindedly, crushed their fallen comrades who had slipped and were somehow heading towards Arnold and the others.

For Arnold, a dragon slayer, a few Orcs were nothing. And for the members of the Foreign Mist, who had gone through many adventures together, a pack of Orcs was not much of an opponent.

But this time, the numbers were different.
There were several hundred orcs just by eye measurement. Normally, a party of hunters would not be able to collide with a horde of this size during an adventure. There were far too many for one party to take on.

The stingray that had been measuring the distance and speed of the onrushing group clicks its tongue loudly.

'd*mn it, with that kind of momentum, we'll never get away. Mr. Arnold, we've got no choice. It's just that there are so many of them. There's nothing we can't do.

'......, set up a defensive formation.

There was a look of determination on the faces of Aei and the rest of the group.

They raised their giant swords, which were as tall as they were.

The golden blade created from the bones of the thunder dragon that Arnold and his team had defeated in Nebula Nubes was electrified, as if it remembered when it was still a dragon.
The armor made from the material of a demon with superior magical power sometimes contains the power of the demon before it was born. Arnold's great sword - the "Thunderbolt Flash" from which it takes its name - is the best example of this.
It's a great way to make sure you don't get caught in the middle of the action.

It's a great way to make sure you're getting the most out of your investment.

'...... Where is the "Thousand Transformations"? It must have passed through here.'

'Well. But their behavior is clearly abnormal. Maybe--maybe they're running away from that guy.''

Stingray's shoulders shook, and his lips twisted into a smile.
Orcs are known for their wisdom, but also for their bravery. Orcs, especially those that have developed into large packs, do not choose to flee over a few things.

But Arnold, who has reached level 7, knows better than most that level 8 cannot be measured by common sense.

'...... d*mn it. I'm not sure what to make of that. I'm not sure what you're talking about.

You suddenly notice a bottle of potion on the ground. It's a valuable commodity, but now is not the time to hesitate.
You'll be able to find a lot more than just a few of them.

His organs tremble, and a hot power surges through his body, centered on his heart. A strong sense of elation blew away the tension. The Orc pack looks at Arnold and the others, but shows no signs of stopping.

A sound, a vibration approaches. A cloud of dust obscures your vision.

As he dumps the bottle on the ground, Arnold cries out in a voice that sounds like thunder.



'All right! I'll teach your lacking brain that it's not the Thousand Transformations you should be afraid of, but me, the Thunderbolt Flash!

'--xamaka......wagamure,kuruwasetanoha............!

'?

Arnold caught the blade that fell on his head with his upper stance.

The strong smell of a beast lingered in his nose. A pair of golden eyes, clouded with murderous intent, looked down at Arnold from close range. The purple lightning scattered, and the lightning of the thunder flash burned through the blade, but the body was not shaken in the slightest.

What fell from the sky was a strange Orc wrapped entirely in black armor.

It was one and a half times the height of an ordinary Orc. Its jet-black fur was covered with countless scars, and its left eye had been blown out. The long-handled battleaxe he held in both hands was rugged but well polished, and it was clear that it was not just a weapon, as it was not destroyed by the thunderbolt.

But above all, what made it different from ordinary orcs was the strong glint of intelligence in its eyes.

A superior individual. A heretic of the Horde. A demon born to transcend its species.

A heavy blow. You can feel from it a power that transcends orcs and that ordinary hunters cannot match.

In response to the obvious sign of a powerful enemy, Arnold put all of his strength into it and wielded a thunderous flash.
The black-haired orc retreated greatly and shouted while spitting. He was speaking in one language, but his voice was filled with strong emotions like a torrent.

'Liseiga--kiel. Kyouf, sen'i, kononioi, warera wo yobu. Kuruwa cell. Honnou, tamashii, yaku. I don't know. I don't know why I'm here. I'm not sure what you're talking about.

'...... What are you talking about?

'What are you talking about?

'Mr. Arnold, let's crush them before they swarm us!

Roar meets roar. Killing intent pierces the flesh.
Arnold intercepted the black blow that was suddenly thrown down in front of him with his sword.