Chapter 339 - Making the Rounds

Making the Rounds

Political considerations had played a greater part than geography in allowing the Gray Ghouls to settle here. Naturally, they had only lasted because Border Guard's standing army had never gone out of its way to hunt down monsters and demonic beasts. ["Why should I?"]

According to the lord of Border Guard who had departed before Marcus, hunting monsters such as Gray Ghouls was an unnecessary measure and a waste of troops. As a result, they had done little more than kill a few monsters here and there, tidying up around the Penn-Hanil River and several other trade routes to keep them open. By now, at least, they had cleared the main road around Green Pearl and opened the highway to Martai, but even those were not entirely secure. ["Is someone dumping monsters on us?"]

That was the complaint Marcus had voiced upon taking office. Monster dumping meant luring a gathering of monsters into a neighboring territory. Of course, nothing of the sort had happened. Still, his complaint was understandable. The monsters seemed to pour out of a bottomless pouch. A Knoll colony had even appeared when the pioneer settlement north of Border Guard was establishing itself. Cultist involvement or not, that could only happen if there were enough creatures to draw upon. It showed just how many monsters lived in the region—and how inhospitable the area around Border Guard was. For those reasons, they had fought monsters defensively, avoiding preemptive extermination campaigns. There were clear reasons to maintain that defensive strategy. Losing troops would make it harder to prepare for the threat of Aspen, and the surrounding monster populations were hardly weak enough to fight without losses. Around Border Guard alone, there were more than three places that every merchant shunned for their danger, though they fell short of being true Demonic Realms. These areas had earned the nickname "lesser Demonic Realms." That was also why, when the centaur colony settled in the Grateful Forest, they had tried to deal with it early: they feared it might become another place where monsters and demonic beasts accumulated. These were the things Krais had wanted to explain to Encrid. There were plenty of other reasons to clear them out, but Encrid had not really listened. What did their history matter? Couldn't he simply slash, cut, and wipe them out?

He wasn't wrong.

* * *

The ugly Ghoul died. The full explanation could have gone on forever, but to put it simply: "I got there first." "My club got there first." The moment two fighters with strength beyond human limits began competing, it was over. Rem had brought two axes and a flanged mace, and used all three weapons. Most impressive was the moment he used the mace: he planted an axe at his feet as though throwing it down, drew the mace slung diagonally across his back, and brought it crashing down. WHOOSH! BOOM! A deafening crash rang out, and the mace demonstrated exactly what violence meant. It did not merely crush the skull of the Ghoul stepping forward. It ground away every trace of its upper body. It was a union of monstrous strength and skill, like a massive boulder plunging from the sky. Muscle and the weapon's destructive force combined to wreak unnatural devastation. From the Ghoul's perspective, devastation was precisely what it was. Unusual Ghouls or otherwise, Rem smashed and shattered everything in his path as he advanced. His bludgeoning breakthrough was brutal. And Audin did not stand idle either. "I send you to the Lord's side." Though his entire body was a weapon, he held a club in each hand. The clubs, their ends banded with iron, had originally been reddish brown. They soon turned black. With Ghoul blood soaking into them, there was little hope of recovering their original color. "O Lord." One cry, two steps. Between those steps, his clubs swung left and right, smashing Ghoul skulls. Precise, snapping blows regulated his strength to deliver only what was needed. The delicacy of his technique stood out in contrast to his bulk. Yet none of its bold vigor was lost. That bold vigor joined sheer brutality to open a path to the Ghoul leader. It felt as though the two had somehow exchanged roles, but Encrid thought both Rem and Audin suited their present styles rather well. The Ghoul leader had possessed enough intelligence to lay something resembling a trap, but they broke through it.

Smashed it.

Shattered it. It had gathered Ghouls and attacked, calling that a trap, but what could it do? They had broken it by brute force. And those two weren't even the only ones here. "I'm fighting too!"

Dunbachel rampaged as well. "Abominable. Utterly abominable."

Sinar drew Nidle. "Sit back and watch. Teresa the Wanderer is coming through."

Teresa swung her shield and sword, soaking the earth in Ghoul blood. This time, Encrid had no need to step in. He did not realize it, but he had been spurring them all on from the moment he began gleefully swinging his swords alone, gaining insights into the Righteous Sword Technique and whatnot. Merely watching his battles, watching him fight, made their blood run hot and drew them toward joining in. How could it not? He swung his swords with such absorbed delight that even someone who had never held one would wonder whether it might be fun and quietly pick one up. He almost looked as though he were dancing with his shoulders as he fought. How much fun must he be having to look like that? It was only natural that it affected others. Encrid's growth since encountering the knight had spurred everyone on. Their combat prowess exceeded that of most proto knights, and they had put in further effort despite already reaching that level. The moment Rem and Audin heard of the knight, they realized they could no longer treat fighting as play. The same was true of Sinar. 'Deeper.'

She immersed herself in swordsmanship. What she had considered complete was not complete at all. There was no end. She had changed her thinking. Now she had to walk forward with her sword. Were Dunbachel and Teresa any different? Some grew stronger; others put their hidden strength to proper use. Fighting like that, they conquered a place nicknamed a lesser Demonic Realm, supposedly impossible to clear without a knight order, in less than a day. And that was despite the considerable expanse of the gray forest. A battlefield that Krais had estimated would require at least two Companies to fight for ten days while accepting losses was cleared in a single day. Quite a few monsters escaped in the process, but they could hardly chase down every last one. "We done now?"

Rem flicked the black blood from his axe onto the ground as he asked. Encrid shook his head. "Let's finish everything while we're out here." That had not been Krais's original plan.

["I'd prefer we deal with them one at a time. There's no hurry."]

He had even said as much. Two more threats on the level of lesser Demonic Realms remained nearby. Krang's plan had been to finish this one, return to rest and resupply, then tackle the others one by one. Encrid changed the plan. Since they were already out, they could make the rounds before returning. There was no reason to hesitate. Ghoul corpses littered their surroundings. The survivors dared not come near them. They were too busy fleeing. "Let's go."

Encrid took the lead, and everyone followed. They headed straight out of the forest. Along the way, he busied himself moving from one companion to another and asking questions. "What was that sword technique earlier?"

His first stop was Rem. "Which one?" "When you swung the mace. You did it differently than usual." "Want to learn that too?"

Rem went straight to the point. Exactly. Encrid wanted to learn. He offered no particular response, simply waiting for Rem to continue. The answer hardly needed saying. Rem stared into Encrid's blue eyes. Straightforward eyes. Eyes that plainly showed his determination to do what he intended. Was this excessive greed, or was he simply insane? Rem decided it was the latter and answered. "The destructive force changes depending on where you set the pivot when you swing a weapon. That's especially true if you're holding a blunt weapon. Told you, didn't I? Different weapons need different handling." Encrid was startled. Since when was Rem so articulate? What an eloquent explanation. "Are you possessed? An evil spirit?" "What?" "Why are you so good at explaining?" "You fucking..." A minor scuffle ensued as Rem abruptly threw a punch and Encrid caught and redirected it, but no one slowed their pace. After briefly reviewing what he had heard and learned from Rem, Encrid went over to Audin. "Those snapping blows..." "Controlling strength. I am more accustomed to doing it with my fists, but holding something does not make the knack disappear. Blend a heavy technique with speed, then apply strength only at the moment of impact. You must be able to control your grip and tense and relax the muscles throughout your body at will."

Audin answered before Encrid could finish asking. "Is that Balaf-style martial arts?" "Just a weapon technique." The word "just" told Encrid that Audin was hiding something. He did not press. What did the name matter? "How do I get the hang of it?" "Repetition. We can work on it when we return." That was enough. All he had to do was learn. Next, he asked Dunbachel how Beastmen used their bodies, but her explanations were worse than Rem's. No, judging by today alone, Rem could have passed for an academy instructor. In truth, his explanation had not been quite that eloquent, but it had made that much of an impression. These things were relative, after all. "Why are you looking at me?"

Listening to Dunbachel's absurd explanation, Encrid had turned to look at Rem, who asked the question. "Begone, evil spirit." It wasn't Encrid who spoke. It was Dunbachel. Having watched Rem tussle with Encrid earlier, she apparently wanted to put in a word herself. Beastmen were vulnerable to their desires. They were a race that could not be satisfied until they did whatever they wanted to do. While Frogs faithfully pursued a single, goal-oriented desire, Beastmen were swayed by momentary impulses. Naturally, the results tended not to be good. This was one such case. Dunbachel had been unable to resist the urge to speak. "Sure, here it is. My axe. Just catch it here with your forehead." Hearing Rem put forehead-meets-axe so politely, Encrid examined him again, checking for any strange presence. "There is no evil spirit, brother and sister."

Audin spoke upon seeing that. Rem did not actually swing his axe. "Let's just spar to our hearts' content when we get back. Yes, let's do that."

Encrid intervened as needed, then asked Dunbachel to explain again. "Just leap well and gouge well."

That was Dunbachel's answer when asked how to use a scimitar. Encrid was not disconcerted. This much was fine. He was an exceptionally good listener. After several questions and answers, he reached a conclusion. 'Swordsmanship that uses footwork and cuts with the whole body.'

It used the springlike movement of the muscles. In terms of The Oniak Sword Technique, its beginning was closer to Swift Sword, but because the attack carried weight, it ended as heavy sword. That was the shape of the swordsmanship. "I don't know its name. I learned it as a child and have practiced it my own way ever since." Since Rem had begun overseeing Dunbachel's training as a whole, her swordsmanship had improved beyond recognition. Encrid heard about and watched some of it. It seemed worth learning, though not something he could learn from words alone. He moved on again. "Is there something of mine you covet too?"

Teresa. He had long coveted her skill with sword and shield. It would not be a bad idea to obtain a shield and learn when they returned. "It is said that where there is a desire to learn, there is a path. Watching you taught me what that means, Captain."

Those were Teresa's words. She was quoting the scriptures. After following Audin around, even her manner of speaking was coming to resemble his. "A shield is a tool for blocking, but depending on how you use it, it can become an excellent blunt weapon."

Teresa explained well. Encrid considered that a great relief. As they traveled, asking and answering questions, a look at the map showed they were nearing their destination. A marsh came into view. "Bugs?"

Dunbachel asked. Encrid nodded. The pale-green marsh was a treasure trove of medicinal herbs. Many kinds of colony-forming plants and aquatic plants lived together there, along with numerous amphibians and reptiles. "Fine land."

Sinar's eyes shone, a change from her lamenting over the forest. She worked with poisons and medicines. How valuable must this marsh be to someone like her? This was why Krais had argued so passionately for reclaiming it. ["We must reclaim the marsh. We cannot lose it to mere monsters. That must be the dearest wish of everyone born in this land who calls it home!"]

What a shamelessly sanctimonious speech. ["Medicinal herbs grow there?"] ["Yes!"]

Krais had no need to feign enthusiasm. ["If we restore that place, we can do more than serve as a trading hub. We can produce specialties of our own. Of course, we'll need to kidnap a few decent alchemists from somewhere."] He said kidnap, but he would coax them into coming. Finding people was one of Krais's specialties. Finding goods was another. He had not acted like the unit's all-purpose merchant for nothing. That marsh now lay before them. The problem was that someone already occupied it. "A whole lot of little buggy bastards."

Rem muttered. Those bugs were the owners. Monsters came in endless varieties. This was one of them: insect monsters. BZZZZZZ! The beating of insect wings assailed their ears. Sinar's hand settled on Nidle. Dozens of flies, each the size of a finger joint, swooped right up to their faces. Bloodsucking flies. Nidle left its sheath and sliced through space and flies alike. Neither fast nor slow, the sword strokes flowed smoothly without pause. It was a series of strikes more delicate than any she had shown before. SWISH! SWISH! SWISH!

The Fairy's blade sang again and again. That delicacy had been evident against the Ghouls, but now it was even more pronounced. Her swordplay, seemingly a form of Fairy swordsmanship, displayed precision pushed to its limits. 'She could slice a leaf into layers.'

So Encrid thought. And indeed she could. Filleting leaves formed the foundation of her swordsmanship. Her blade snapped, curved, chopped, cut, and pushed, precisely splitting, crushing, severing, and piercing the insects. After sending them tumbling down, Sinar looked back. "If you lack confidence, you'd best stay back. You may hide behind me, my betrothed."

The Fairy of inhuman beauty spoke without expression. "You on something?"

Rem dug in his ear at her words. "The Lord watches over us, and bids us send even the smallest creatures up to Him."

Audin answered with a prayer. Dunbachel extended her claws and stabbed the insects to death rather than using her scimitar. Bloodsucking flies were a nuisance. Once they bit, they sucked ten times as much blood as an ordinary leech. That did not make them difficult to handle. Even ordinary merchants could avoid or kill them if they had the nerve. Wearing leather several times thicker than usual made them manageable. Of course, anyone who could stab them with a sword or a claw as soon as they appeared had no need for thick clothing. Even Teresa, who seemed the least nimble, knew how to crush the insects with short swings of her shield. Encrid dealt with them in the same way as he drew alongside Sinar. It was a matter of precision: see the insect's trajectory as a line, then cut through the middle to kill it. Striking with the flat was more efficient, so he did just that while speaking to the Fairy beside him. "That swordsmanship..." "Shall I teach you as a betrothal gift?" "When shall we get betrothed?" When he answered her joke with one of his own, the corner of Sinar's mouth moved. Just a little, but it might have lifted slightly. Of course, her usual expression returned at once. "You are truly greedy." Whatever she said, his desire to learn remained unchanged. And he met her with a straightforward gaze. He was not asking her to reveal mysteries or secret teachings. The fundamentals would be enough. 'I know what I lack.'

And so he knew how to advance. Encrid was a yearning pilgrim. He saw the direction his desire pointed and wanted to walk that way. What had enabled him to create new sword techniques? Learning, practice, and observation. He was doing the same even now. "That's the one."

After saying she would teach him the swordsmanship when they returned, Sinar looked ahead. The king of the marsh appeared before her—no, before the whole party. It was a monster at least five times the size of a hornet, with six wings and sharp teeth. It had something resembling a bee's venomous stinger underneath, a swollen abdomen, and a distinctive mouth that split open sideways. It was called a Bell. BRRRRRRR! The sound of its wings reverberated in every direction. The insect, chilling even to look at, charged with a swarm of similarly shaped bugs behind it. They moved as a group. That entire mass was a single entity. They were several times more troublesome to fight than Ghouls, but— THUD-THUD-THUD-THUD! They burst and died as soon as they charged. The largest insect, which ruled as king, died to a stone Rem threw. "I killed that one this time, right?"

He looked back as he spoke, apparently still competing with Audin. Audin smiled gently. Encrid thought the religion-obsessed bear would concede. He would say something like, "As you wish." Wasn't that the sort of person he was? "I didn't see it." Encrid faltered, misstepping in the middle of the fight. He did not fall. Instead, he turned it into a forward step. A short horizontal swing of his sword bludgeoned two insects to death with the flat, so the stumble never became an actual mistake. "At least make your bullshit believable." "It isn't a lie. I didn't see it, brother." Audin, too, was an incurable member of the Lunatic Company. Encrid paid them no mind. Nothing he said would change those bastards. "Let's go." And in the end, Encrid visited the third lesser Demonic Realm as well. It was the final stop on their rounds.