Chapter 313 - The Demon with Pink Eyes
Sebastian Blake:
We started fighting the orcs emerging from all sides of the forest. They charged at us with wild growls and crude weapons. Confusion clouded my mind as I tried to make sense of the situation. Theodore had assured us that we wouldn't be killed, but now, seeing the hatred in these creatures' eyes, I began to doubt.
Are they really trying to kill us?
My heart was racing. Questions raced through my mind as I blocked a strike and slashed at one of their legs. The orc let out a cry of pain, its furious eyes locked onto me. This definitely didn't feel like a simulation or a controlled attack.
Suddenly, I heard a scream.
"Ahhh!"
I turned just in time to see Princess Melina being pulled into the forest. A rope had wrapped around her waist, and she was being dragged away.
"Melina!" the prince shouted, but before anyone could react, something blue cut through the air. In the blink of an eye, a figure spun at high speed, and in a single motion, Nathan Everhart decapitated all the orcs around the princess.
"Th-thank you, you saved me, Nathan," Melina murmured, her voice trembling, as Nathan lifted her into his arms and placed her back at the center of the formation.
"Melina!" the prince yelled. "Why didn't you burn the rope? You have the most powerful fire ability there is!"
"I-I got nervous!" the princess replied.
"It was my mistake, my prince," Anastasia interrupted, raising her axe with determination. With a swift motion, she threw several coins toward the forest, each striking a tree at high speed. When her axe touched the ground, a wave of electricity surged through the coins.
BOOM!
One by one, the coins exploded, creating holes in the trees and killing the hidden orcs.
She was just a servant of the family?
The soldiers around us took defensive positions, activating spells to create elemental barriers.
"Defensive formation!" I shouted, gathering the soldiers around the royal family.
"Staying here will only attract more of those creatures!" Tiffania said, gripping her staff firmly. She struck the staff against the ground, and a massive yellow barrier rose around us, glowing with a soothing light.
"You're right," I replied, trying to process the situation. "We need to get out of this open field. There are too many gaps, and we're vulnerable!"
The soldiers nodded, and we began to organize ourselves to break through the forest, searching for a safer place.
Nathan Evenhart:
Our group ran through the forest. Either way, if we were to split up, we'd have to pass through the camp area, so we were moving together. Fireballs floated around us, illuminating the surroundings. The forest was dark, and the vegetation was dense, but there was a lot of noise around us—footsteps.
That orc spoke to me, but apparently, no one else understands that language, only me and Cylla...
I had to play it off, but in the midst of all that chaos, I wasn't sure if anyone else had heard me talking to the orc.
Either way, he didn't give me any answers.
The killing intent didn't work on those creatures. They didn't seem to feel fear.
"What do we do, Tiffania? A lot of people must be injured. You have to help heal them!" Syvis exclaimed, her voice tense as we ran through the rough terrain.
"First, I need to ensure your safety. I can't waste time worrying about others right now," the Saint replied, gripping her staff tightly.
"That's not right!" Syvis retorted, her tone indignant.
"I don't care. That's my duty."
A sharp sound cut through the air. A volley of black arrows shot from the trees, whistling in the wind.
Tiffania struck her staff against the ground. A dome of golden light expanded in an instant, blocking the arrows, which bounced off and fell harmlessly to the ground.
"Attack!" one of the elves shouted, raising his bow.
The archers around us drew their strings, mana-infused arrows glowing green as they shot. When they hit the ground, they exploded into roots that intertwined, forming spiky barriers around us.
A deep roar echoed, and a high-speed spinning axe came hurtling toward us.
"Take cover!" Duncan shouted.
He raised his arm, and a stone barrier emerged from the ground, blocking the impact with a dull thud.
"Who's crazy enough to attack the Academy?" he growled.
The sound of heavy footsteps echoed through the forest. Enormous creatures began to emerge from the vegetation: orcs. Tall, with green skin, bulging muscles, and boar-like faces, they wielded axes and spears, growling like wild beasts.
"AARRRGH!"
"Form up! Stay close to me!" Tiffania ordered, her staff glowing.
"We should run! We can't handle this!" Sebastian shouted.
I ignored them both.
I drew the Cursed Blade, electricity crackling along the blade as I dashed forward.
"Kinue, Chloe, support!"
The two responded immediately. Kinue fired ice stakes while Chloe conjured golden lightning that struck the nearest orcs.
One of them tried to hit me with a brutal punch.
I spun, dodging, and retaliated with a lightning-fast kick to its chest, sending the creature flying back.
These guys are strong.
Another orc charged. I threw the Cursed Blade, and it cut through the air in a zigzag before piercing the creature's chest. The blade discharged an electric wave as I extended my hand, and the sword returned, spinning, to me.
"More coming!" Cylla appeared at my side. She spat fireballs, hitting a group attempting to flank us.
Another orc lunged at me, its axe coming fast toward me.
I advanced, the Cursed Blade crackling with lightning. I pierced the creature's wrist, and the sword's magic took effect, making it scream in pain and pull its arm back, trying to break free, but the blade flew back to me.
"Your magic beast is actually useful," one of the knights said to me.
"You have no idea."
More monsters began emerging from the forest. Princess Syvis raised her hand, and a sea of roots surged forward, holding the creatures back. She swung her plant sword, which transformed into a sharp spear with a tip resembling a large cactus thorn, and began repelling the enemies. I saw her throwing seeds from a pouch at her waist.
The seeds burst open, transforming into dozens of sharp ball-shaped cacti that struck the orcs. Some stepped on the plants and fell, while others were hit in the face. Syvis's enchanted relic shifted form, becoming a bamboo tube. She loaded seeds into the tube and blew, firing them at high speed. The seeds erupted into piercing flowers. The orcs kept running but soon started dropping one by one.
Poison! A paralyzing plant.
Syvis transformed her weapon back into a spear and continued fighting.
Looks like she doesn't need my support.
I kept moving through the group.
"Ahhh!" I heard a scream and saw one of the knights being captured.
"Thunder Dash!" I murmured, sending an electric impulse through my body. In a burst of speed, I sliced the orc's head off as I ran.
The knight fell but quickly stood up and thanked me.
"Watch out!" the Saint shouted as orcs began throwing spears in our direction. I dodged, running while Tiffania raised a light barrier to protect us.
"Attack!" Alice yelled, summoning ten water golems in the shape of soldiers that charged at the orcs.
Chloe, focused, conjured a polar bear made of ice that rushed toward the enemies. Arrows and spears struck the bear, but it kept moving forward until it leaped onto the orcs.
I seized the opportunity and threw my electrified sword toward the water golems attacking. The drenched orcs received a violent shock.
I think I'm revealing too much, but in this case, I have no choice.
Anastasia swung her massive axe with fury, electric arcs dancing along the blade as she cut a path through the orcs. Sparks flew with each strike, and the ground trembled under the impact of her attacks.
I retreated to the formation. The elven archers shot arrows, and when they struck the orcs, roots rapidly spread, binding their legs. Meanwhile, the human knights advanced with flaming swords, slashing through the creatures as their blades crackled with fire.
"There are too many!" Princess Melina cried, conjuring a sphere of purple fire that exploded in flames over the trapped orcs.
I looked around. The situation was getting worse. More orcs emerged from the forest's darkness, as if sprouting from the ground. Their incendiary arrows whizzed through the air, the flaming tips illuminating the battlefield. Even while dodging, the fire began to spread to the surrounding trees, creating a suffocating atmosphere.
They're surrounding us...
Suddenly, a massive tree trunk came rolling at high speed, breaking branches and stones in its path. It barreled straight toward one of the knights.
Kinue leaped in front of the trunk. With a single punch, she shattered the solid wood, splinters flying in all directions.
"T-thank you!" the knight stammered, clearly impressed.
A bolt of ice cut through the air, striking the trees ahead and creating crystalline ice barriers that blocked the charge of more orcs.
"We need to keep moving! If we stay still, we'll be surrounded!" I shouted, firing a lightning bolt at a group to our left.
I felt that something was wrong. More and more orcs appeared.
Where did these monsters come from? My Celestial Eyes gave me the information, but they are creatures not listed in any bestiary.
I snapped my fingers, and the Cursed Blade, still embedded in the chest of a dead orc, floated back to my hand in an electric arc.
"Is that an enchanted relic?" Prince Duncan asked beside me, panting as he took down another enemy.
"Yes, it is," I replied, spinning the blade and channeling more mana into it.
"That's quite a relic," he commented before focusing on a stone sphere in his hand. The sphere heated up, and as it turned a shade of orange, he threw it. The ball of stone and fire flew in a perfect arc, exploding in the middle of a group of orcs and scattering flaming shrapnel.
However... the more we fought, the more creatures appeared. They were being drawn to the conflict.
This won't work. They're coming in droves. I need to... cut the problem at its root.
"Cylla, follow me!"
Without waiting for a response, I activated the Thunder Mantle. Lightning enveloped my body, crackling through my arms and legs as I dashed forward at high speed.
I cut through the formation, veering to the side and into the forest. Cylla followed closely, her feline form swift and agile.
I moved like a lightning bolt, tearing through the darkness. Trees and leaves flew with the thunderous energy, and the orcs that crossed my path were instantly knocked down.
BAM!
I crashed into a larger group, hitting the ground with violent force. The energy expanded in a burst of electricity, throwing the creatures back, their metal weapons acting as lightning rods.
"Cylla, fire!"
She opened her mouth and unleashed a torrent of flames, consuming part of their group.
"Who sent you?" I asked coldly, my gaze fixed on the orcs that were still breathing. Some only grunted in response, bestial and mindless.
"They're the ones who can't speak..." I murmured to myself.
More orcs started to come.
I charged at them. A quick kick sent one of the orcs crashing against a tree, while Cylla fired a fireball, incinerating another that tried to flank me. I moved fast, the Thunder Mantle crackling around me as I cut down the orcs with the Cursed Blade. Some screamed as their legs were severed, others fell writhing.
An axe swung toward me in an arc. I intercepted the blow with my blade, diverting the force to the side. Before the orc could react, I buried the Cursed Blade into its chin, blood spurting as its eyes dimmed. Another came from behind. I rolled on the ground, dodging at the last second, and Cylla leaped onto it, tearing its face with her claws.
Then, a raspy voice echoed.
"Strong human... you have a different scent..." growled a larger orc, the only one that seemed capable of speaking. "The scent... of him."
"Him?" I frowned, snapping my fingers. The Cursed Blade, still embedded in another orc, shot back at high speed, striking the speaking orc from behind. He screamed, convulsing as the blade's curse activated, draining his strength.
I approached, kneeling beside him, the blade still lodged in place.
"Who are you talking about? Tell me! Who has this scent?" I pressed, keeping my tone firm.
The orc spat blood, his eyes wide with pain.
"The... scent... of..." His words were cut off by a violent spasm. His body began to tremble uncontrollably, and then, suddenly, he went still. Dead.
I hadn't finished him off. So why...?
"Beloved," Cylla called, her voice urgent. I turned and saw the silhouettes of more orcs emerging through the forest mist, their sinister figures approaching. But they were the mindless ones again. Only grunts, no words.
I raised my hand, my eyes glowing as a stream of lightning burst from my fingertips, electrocuting the orcs and sending them flying back. The smell of burned flesh mixed with the air already heavy from the forest fires.
I needed to end this before it got out of control.
Activating my Special Eyes, I concentrated on the flow of mana in the environment. The aura of an elemental being manifested beside me: the Storm Golem. Dark, crackling clouds formed its ethereal body, sparks of energy dancing around it.
"You know what to do," I ordered.
The golem, without hesitation, flew in the opposite direction, ascending into the sky as more lightning gathered around it. At the peak of its power, it shattered into a thunderous explosion, dispersing its essence into dark, charged clouds that began to spread, bringing rain to extinguish the growing fire.
Problem solved... for now.
I ran back, reaching the group still fighting. I saw Princess Melina hurling fireballs at an orc charging toward the archer Bron. He threw himself backward and shot an arrow directly into the creature's eyes, which screamed in agony. Sebastian seized the moment and finished the job, driving his sword into the beast's neck.
"There's a path through the forest that's not on fire!" I warned, pointing to the area where the clouds were already doing their work.
"You're actually a decent fighter," Anastasia commented, appearing at my side with a confident smile, her axe drenched in blood.
The rain began to fall, soaking the charred earth, while lightning flashed in the distance.
But even with the danger passing, one thought wouldn't leave my mind.
The scent of him? Who do I share the same scent with?
Edmund Valemont:
I was running to help a student. I saw Viktor grouped with the shooter mages; he had been healed by a healing mage.
A portion of the human knights had gone after the royal family, leaving us with fewer and fewer people to help with the defense. Everyone was doing their part. I saw arrows flying, fireballs soaring, and squads of earth mages launching spiked rocks at the monsters charging toward us.
We were heading to one of the tunnels. Princess Rose was guiding the students. Stone towers had been erected near the tunnel, and shooter mages were targeting anything that approached. The entire camp area was overrun by creatures, and the elevator section... it wasn't even feasible to get close. The whole path was filled with orcs, knocking down trees to block the route and setting the forest ablaze nearby. They were piling up in that place, building their own fort, even breaking parts of the ground to create barricades.
'Clink'—my sword clashed against the blade of another large monster. It looked like an orc, only fatter and without the boar-like face. I spun to the side, slashed its legs, and drove my sword into its head. I started running, creating columns that propelled me upward.
"Fire!" I shouted, aiming at one of the large monsters, and hundreds of stone needles struck its face.
"Aaargh!" it screamed in desperation, thrashing around. I had hit its eyes. It began to slam into the trees.
I made spikes grow rapidly, piercing its feet. It fell, and the moment it hit the ground, I made thorns sprout, impaling its face.
"Got another one!" I said, sprinting toward the next target. They were a bit dumb, but they were very strong.
I was circling the area along the forest's edge; going inside seemed too dangerous. Every time I got closer, my body instinctively pulled back, as if standing before a great predator. Whatever was in that forest, I didn't want to find out.
I kept killing the large monsters and taking down the soldiers.
Ahead of me, a massive tsunami of water swept through, dragging the monsters away. It was the squad of one of the knights with mages providing support.
I continued forward and saw another large monster about to crush a student with a rock.
"Damn it! I won't make it in time," I said, pointing my hand, gathering mana, and shooting a stone at its face. Just before hitting it, the stone exploded into dust.
The monster looked confused, giving the student enough time to get up and run.
Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through my back.
"It can't be..." I said, realizing I had been hit by an arrow. I pulled it out quickly, and blood started pouring from the wound. I ran toward a torch and pressed it against the injury, trying to cauterize it.
More of those orcs came in droves, and others charged straight at me. One of them approached with an axe ready to strike. I rolled to the side and tried to conjure a thorn, but before I could complete the spell, a kick sent me flying.
"Damn..."
"Arrgh!" it growled, approaching with the axe. Another orc appeared and stomped on me, knocking the air out of my lungs. It grabbed a spear and brought it close to my face.
I'm going to die!
"Fire Mist!" someone shouted, and a cloud of flames rushed forward, followed by fireballs raining down. The orc's face was scorched. I rolled to the side, slipping out from under its foot.
A hand reached out and pulled me up.
"Came to return the favor, idiot. I'll never owe anyone anything," Viktor said, then blasted the orc with a jet of fire. The creature ran away, engulfed in flames, screaming.
I took his hand and stood up.
I was about to thank Viktor, but then something happened.
We both stopped, completely paralyzed by fear, our eyes wide open. I felt my lungs freeze, an overwhelming urge to hide, a raw terror that made me want to bury myself underground.
"How annoying..." a feminine voice spoke, emerging from the trees. "I just wanted to watch the show, but this is so boring."
The woman had long black hair and wore a black dress. Her skin was slightly pale and gray, with dark, lightning-like patterns running across it. Beside her, a black serpent slithered as if it were her companion.
She stared at me, her pink eyes piercing into my soul. I felt as if I were being watched by a great predator.
What's happening to me? Is this fear?
She walked slowly toward me, and I remained frozen, still holding my sword, trembling with fear. She looked at me and laughed.
"How lucky I am, finding that pathetic boy again," she said, then glanced behind me, toward Viktor.
"AHHHHHHHHHH!" I heard Viktor's voice, his scream.
What did she do to him?
The woman laughed uncontrollably, her laughter echoing. I forced my entire body to look back and saw only Viktor on the ground, sitting with his hands over his ears, screaming in despair.
"Hey, boy?" she said, approaching him. "How's your 'mommy' doing? Still sick? Still as moribund as I left her? Like a vegetable, unable to speak or think?" she asked, laughing while Viktor screamed, staring at her.
What is happening here?