……!
The Tribe Chief misinterpreted Rena’s composure.
After all, he had been worrying unnecessarily.
This girl before his eyes was the real monster.
The fear the Tribe Chief felt from her was on par with that of a ruler-class monster he had briefly encountered.
No, it was much more suffocating.
The Tribe Chief was no longer afraid of the arrival of a ruler-class monster.
Because she would not lose.
“So, shall we now address the most important thing?”
Rena smirked.
It was a mischievous smile.
For a moment, the Tribe Chief was confused by the sudden change in atmosphere, his eyes darting around.
“Huh, don’t pretend you don’t know. I’m not an easy mark. Don’t expect me to go easy on you.”
The Tribe Chief fell into confusion.
Realistically, was there something else to consider?
What else could there be besides the greatest threat, the ruler-class monster?
There was something.
“This thing, this one.”
Rena formed a small circle with her index finger and thumb.
“Our accounts must be settled precisely.”
There’s no such thing as a free lunch.
「The player is entering the main story!」
「By achieving specific conditions, the player enters the hidden route of the main story!」
―――――――
[The Great Forest’s Turmoil]
The Tribe Chief of the Kalbaengi Orc Tribe has requested your help.
Although you accepted it, you feel an uncomfortable uneasiness.
It doesn’t feel right.
The wind is unexpectedly chilly, the atmosphere strangely eerie, and it seems like bad luck.
Is this your misconception, or is it the truth?
Whether to trust your instincts or dismiss them as superstition is your choice.
※Caution: There is a risk of a ruler-class monster appearing. As this is a high-difficulty quest, proceed with caution.
※Quest tip: Find an ally.
Reward: Growth points…
―――――――
“Hahaha, uhhaha!”
The ‘Monstrous Snake’ slowly awakened at the busy laughter.
“Finally found you! Python, ruler of the Great Forest!”
Who dares to disturb the sleep of a well-resting snake?
Unsurprisingly, it was a human.
A feeble species that repeatedly ventures into this Great Forest, despite their obvious weakness.
The ruler-class monster, the Monstrous Snake Python, promptly ignored them.
No matter what these humans did in front of him.
Humans were incapable of harming him.
It was an innate species difference.
In this infernal forest, Python was unanimously acknowledged as the apex.
The number of monsters that could pose a threat to him could be counted on one hand.
Moreover, those ruler-class monsters did not move recklessly.
Hence, Python peacefully took a long nap during the dangerous period after his molting.
An expression of confidence that his life would not be in danger.
Rather, it would be a loss to remain overly alert and awake.
Shedding skin was an energy-consuming process for snakes.
To recover strength, all the food stored beforehand had to be completely digested.
It was a task requiring a long time.
He still needed much more sleep.
Python closed his eyes to continue his interrupted nap.
“You have no idea what we endured to face you! There were many sacrifices! The Red Rose Knights Order even had to use the time of their initiation ceremonies to reduce casualties further! And even then, those of us remaining are only a few survivors!”
These humans would be dealt with by other monsters before he had to lift a finger.
Human flesh was soft and full of deep flavor, making many monsters drool.
Though the flesh might appear less fresh covered in blood, there are those who eat only rotten meat; so, it mattered little.
Python needed to sleep longer.
“…the pests keep buzzing.”
Should he kill them all at once?
Python held back.
The energy he would expend moving his body would likely outweigh the mana he could recover by devouring them.
“Nevertheless, we have succeeded in finding you! The many sacrifices made for this day will be remembered as noble martyrdom in history!”
…buzzing like insects.
Python suppressed the urge to wipe them out.
The magic circle floating in the air was surprisingly large.
Using magic? What audacity.
Python wasn’t even yawning.
Python’s magic resistance was far beyond the capability of a mere magic circle.
There was no need for retaliation.
The magic circle would naturally break and shatter, its reverse flow killing the humans instead.
This complacency was his mistake.
Python’s condition was not normal.
He was currently recovering his strength after molting.
The unknown magic found its way through the cracks caused by this.
Suddenly, pitch-black tentacles, fiery red eyes, and ominous mist enveloped Python’s entire body.
Shiiiiiiik!
Python convulsed like a calf with its tail on fire.
His massive body began to thrash wildly, shaking and collapsing the large cave that was his nest.
“Uhhaha! We’ve succeeded!”
The humans, confirming the success of the magic, collapsed in laughter.
Their bloodied bodies had endured for too long.
Having achieved their goal, they had no regrets in life.
As a massive wave of Python’s body passed above them,
Their laughter was buried beneath the collapsing cave.
「Quest Scenario Modification Notice」
「※Caution: A ruler-class monster will definitely appear!」
*
Wooowwoo!
The echoing cry in the air caused the mountain birds, or winged monsters of the Great Forest, to flutter and fly away in alarm.
The Orcs are the most commonly encountered monsters in the Great Forest.
It wasn’t because they were specially strong, but because they had an exceptional breeding rate.
Scholars often cited their breeding capacity as their greatest strength.
Their numbers were quite overwhelming when a tribe gathered all its warriors.
Even other monsters in the Great Forest avoided them when they gathered en masse and shouted.
Cruuuuu!
A war with the Silver Scaled Lizardman Tribe was imminent.
Many tribe members would die.
The Orcs were unfazed.
Judging the prospects of victory was the Tribe Chief’s responsibility.
An Orc tribe member’s duty was simply to fight until death and enjoy the thrill of battle.
“Ho? Were you making a speech before the battle? Something like a battalion commander’s address?”
The mood among the Orcs, which had been fluctuating between excitement and madness, abruptly subdued when an insolent voice interrupted.
Unnatural as it was, it seemed normal for the Orcs.
Rena’s eyes scanned the Orcs with the curiosity akin to a child’s.
The Orcs strained every nerve to suppress their shivering bodies.
They knew what kind of monster this human was.
Dragon Fury, the pressure of a dragon, didn’t just affect the Tribe Chief and Warrior Chief.
Every Orc in the village at the time faced this transcendental fear.
Even though only remnants and leftovers had reached them, it amounted to an insurmountable force for the Orcs.
However, this monster was currently on their side.
With a war impending, this fear transformed sufficiently into reverence and trust.
…if only they knew the price this monster was after, they would have been less at ease.
“Chup. Ah, sorry. I sometimes drool because of excessive saliva.”
How could anyone be so shameless in their excuses?
The Orcs had noticed.
Rena’s eyes had been staring at their necks.
It was the gaze of a predator sizing up its prey.
Or more precisely, the gaze of a mosquito or a bat targeting the blood vessels beneath thick skin.
Ever since encountering her in the village, it was always the same.
“Eh, they won’t come over.”
Rena mumbled to herself.
Seeing more wouldn’t wear them down physically, but emotionally, it surely had.
Rena demanded a lifetime supply of beverages in exchange for her mercenary services.
The Tribe Chief had offered treasures and enchantments, but Rena wasn’t interested.
She already had all the gold and silver from a dragon’s lair, and enchantments, while intriguing, were merely lower-tier magic, weren’t they?
So, what could the Orcs offer now?
Essentially, it boiled down to their bodies, or rather, Rena’s taste for their blood.
Only the negotiation process wasn’t easy.
The Orcs resisted fiercely, as if possessed by protesters with turbans on their heads.
It was just like donating blood, occasionally withdrawing a bit to offer as tribute, but they seemed to misunderstand it somehow.
Apparently, they hadn’t heard the notion that regularly drawing blood could be healthy for the body.
Whether pseudo-science or real science, Rena herself didn’t know.
In the end, through negotiation,
Rena achieved the monumental feat of securing the Orc tribe’s submission!
How her request for beverages turned into total submission was still a mystery even to herself.
Nevertheless, she had gained what she wanted.
The tribe members were willing to offer everything she asked for as long as she accepted them as subordinates.
Ironically, only Rena felt uneasy; from the Tribe Chief’s perspective, it was a wise trade.
It’s in the nature of the world for the weak to bow to the strong.
It’s not as if any old monster could simply become a subordinate of a ruler-class monster.
In normal circumstances, the Tribe Chief might have begged, “Please take us in!”
Instead, by giving the lives of only a few members, this was an absurdly advantageous deal.
The tribe members also accepted it without complaint.
Given their reactions to Rena, it was questionable whether they’d remain silent if chosen as sacrifices.
But the rest would likely be happy as long as it wasn’t them, so it was fine.
It was a monstrous way of thinking.
“It’ll be over soon.”
Numbers are violence.
This was a fact proven by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army, who relied primarily on overwhelming numbers in their tactics.
With this scale, nothing should be impossible.
Neither Rena nor the Orcs entertained thoughts of defeat.
“You should avoid fighting head-on and instead hide to prepare for a surprise attack.”
Kung!
Baduki complied immediately.
Such treacherous surprise attacks were indeed the main hunting strategy of the Ghost Wolves.
In the merciless, survival-of-the-fittest wilds, treachery was a commendable trait.
Baduki had planned to act this way even without Rena’s instruction.
“Well, shall we set out?”
That’s when it happened.
A furious wind blew like a storm.
This was followed by a rumbling thud.
The Orcs struggled to maintain their balance as the ground shook.
An earthquake? A landslide?
No, it was different from natural disasters.
“Did you split your forces to other locations?”
The Tribe Chief shook his head.
All the forces of the Kalbaengi Tribe were gathered here.
With his intelligence, conducting a high-level strategy like splitting the frontlines before a decisive battle was a bit too much to ask.
“Then what is it?”
Rena perked up her ears.
This sounded like someone was fighting.
Vaguely detected presences suggested it.
“I don’t know. Let’s go!”
We will know once we see.
Rena led the way.
