Chapter 203

Chapter 203 - Conquistador (4)

Currently, the jungle is in a state of chaos. It's the same as waves continuously rolling in due to an earthquake occurring under the sea.

The original masters who occupied the existing ecosystem were pushed out one after another by the Rakshas, causing their territories to tangle with each other's.

It is a situation where even the jaguars that reigned as the overlords of the jungle temper themselves and flee to hideouts.

"Kuaaaargh!"

Two orcs bleeding profusely are fleeing. Behind them, a group of Smallfolk is chasing.

If it's 1-on-1, they could crush them thoroughly, but they also know that, so they always move in groups.

"Iyolyolyolyol-!"

Letting out a bizarre screech and chasing them excitedly made them burst with anger, but there was nothing they could do.

Combining the Smallfolk's unique reckless belligerence and agility, a body type optimized for the jungle, and dexterity in handling weapons, they are recognized strongmen in the area.

"Gruh! Damn it!"

Among the fleeing orcs, the one with an injured leg gradually fell behind. At this rate, he will be caught anyway.

"Let's fight!"

"As long as it's not me, it's fine."

He requested the comrade to face them together, but what came back was only mockery. When being chased by a predator, you just need to be faster than the guy right next to you.

"Damn bastard!"

"You're the screwed one. Hahaha."

To even provoke while escaping alone towards the river.

The orc with the injured leg held back trying to throw an axe at the back of the guy who was his comrade until just now. If he did, he would have to face the Smallfolk empty-handed.

The Smallfolk, who narrowed the distance in an instant, surrounded the orc.

"■■■■!"

"■■!"

Looking at them chattering while rolling their eyes craftily, the orc ground his teeth. It was exactly like the situation in the past when he hunted wild boars with his comrades.

Seeing them discuss how to kill him after reducing him to prey made him burst with anger.

"Dieee!"

The axe the orc swung cleaved the empty air. The Smallfolk are fast on their feet and short in stature. To hit them, he had to break his stance here too, and the other guys didn't miss that opening.

Thwack thwack!

"Kuaak!"

With one failed attack, 4 holes appeared.

"Kireurereu."

"Kehehe-!"

At the scent of blood spreading strongly, the Smallfolk let out fishy laughs.

Despite being the shortest among the intelligent races, their teeth are large and sharp. Exaggerating a bit, it's a figure like a bear trap hanging over a child's neck.

Brown tongues stuck out long between the shark teeth and licked the blood on their respective weapons.

The Smallfolk hold their weapons in a reverse grip to make up for their lacking muscle strength. Because of that, the wounds are all piercing wounds and deeply penetrating.

In the second exchange of blows, the orc's attack was blunter due to his injuries and naturally missed.

Thwack!

"Kuak!"

Attacked from behind again and having his Achilles tendon torn, the orc collapsed. Afterwards, a scene like a swarm of ants devouring an earthworm played out.

However, even as the orc was hacked up and dying, he held a faint smile.

Splash!

Because the orc who abandoned him and fled was ambushed by an anaconda. The sight of him being coiled and squeezed around the old tree-like snake body was truly refreshing. It's the best gift for the journey to the netherworld.

"Uup!"

The orc being squeezed by the anaconda already had several ribs broken. Due to abnormal blood flow, his face turned bright red, and blood flowed from his eyes where capillaries had burst.

"..."

"..."

Facing death, the two orcs looked at each other silently. Although they fought and separated in this life, on the road to the underworld, they were scheduled to amicably become traveling companions.

* * *

The path heading to the Smallfolk's territory was full of countless corpses. Strictly speaking, it would be more accurate to call it food waste rather than corpses.

"As expected of the jungle? They picked them clean very frugally."

They were cleaner bones compared to the traces of any monsters Eugene had tracked until now. There wasn't a speck of anything that could be called flesh left, but the punitive force had to pinch their noses.

"Ugh, smell of shit."

"What kind of shit did they scatter everywhere?"

Since food was scarce, the predators ate up even the large intestines without leaving anything behind.

Of course, they couldn't even eat the feces, so they slammed the intestines around to empty the contents, causing a terrible stench to vibrate.

"The jungle looks full of life on the outside, but in reality, it's no different from a desert. The creatures here are always starving. There's another nickname it's called besides green hell..."

"Green desert, right?"

At Eugene's words, Yakson nodded.

"Whether plants or insects, they all harbor poison and have little nutritional value. It's sad to speak ill of their living ground, but."

"There seems to be even less to eat than usual right now. Since the number of mouths has increased greatly."

"The ones excited would be the large crocodiles or anacondas."

Underwater is an impregnable territory. Feasts will be set up here and there with careless strangers.

"Are there really no monsters of medium weight class or higher? If there was even a Troll at the very least, the chaos would have been suppressed somewhat."

Medium to large monsters like Trolls or Ogres have strong pride in their territories. If such guys were here, it wouldn't have become this much of a mess.

"There aren't. There's no prey around here to maintain such a large body. It would only fill the bellies of parasites. Occasionally, inexperienced Bugbears from the outskirts of the jungle come in, but they can't last long. They often pick up something with poison and run away with diarrhea."

In the jungle environment, walking on four legs, a suitable size, and resistance to diseases. These three things were absolutely advantageous.

Or being able to live underwater like anacondas or crocodiles. Since they competed by increasing their size instead of poison underwater, fish the size of an adult's forearm were overflowing.

"This time it's a fishy smell?"

Traces of an arapaima that was dragged from the river and eaten could be seen.

It's a fish Eugene's army was treated to in Divide, but it's large enough that just 3 of them could feed the entire advance party.

"They're coming."

Yakson and Homi, who were advancing at the very front, clenched their fists. The Dwarves gripped their spears and shields tightly, burning with fighting spirit.

A few seconds after Yakson's warning, the bushes shook and a tapir popped out. Upon seeing the army standing firmly in the front, the tapir was startled and fled to the side.

"Iyolyolyolyol-!"

Dozens of Smallfolk popped out chasing after it. Even upon seeing Eugene's army, they weren't intimidated at all and charged.

"Only Rakshas are scary and we look like easy pickings?!"

The Smallfolk at the vanguard were directly impaled on the spears of the dwarven warriors who shouted with a scolding tone.

"Fire!"

Cassandra and the female warriors, who were already aiming, pulled the triggers of their repeating crossbows. Although the power is weak, at a close range, it is fatal to Smallfolk with weak skin.

"Kyak-!"

"Kkauk-."

Short, cute screams rang out and the Smallfolk fell one after another.

Even those who avoided the vital spots couldn't last long due to the poison applied to the bolts. The coagulant poison that entered through the blood vessels ruined the heart in an instant.

"Kuheek-."

The Smallfolk that was struggling while bleeding from its nose soon became quiet. It was because chunks of clotted blood got stuck in its blood vessels and heart like a chimney uncleaned for 100 years.

- Their heartrates are more than twice as fast as a human's. The coagulant poison will display the best effect.

For 30 years, Yakson had thoroughly researched the enemies that would become a threat while protecting the natives.

The Smallfolk chasing from the rear didn't realize a slaughterhouse had opened in the front. As they continuously jumped out, they were pierced by spears and bolts, departing from the world.

"Killed them all. We continue advancing."

Eugene brushed off the blood that got on Last Autumn. The purification operation had merely just begun.

When they attacked the Smallfolk campsite of about 80, the guys were in the middle of skinning hostages and cooking.

"Damn it, a merciful death..."

Rampage aimed his heavy crossbow at a groaning hostage.

"They are Rakshas, not Cat-folk."

"Aha!"

Rampage slyly shifted his aim and blew away the Smallfolk skinning the hide.

"■■■■!"

A guy wearing flamboyant bone decorations pointed at Eugene's army with the wooden ladle he was using to stir the pot. Probably looks like a chieftain.

The Smallfolk who had their meal interrupted threw their crude bowls and rushed in all at once.

Since they had no distinction between tableware and weapons, they could enter combat right away even during a meal.

As dozens of Smallfolk jumped in fiercely holding weapons in reverse grip, the Dwarves also raised their shields instead of striking back.

"Spear and shield!"

"Don't be careless! Solidify the lines!"

Between them, Eugene passed by, pulling out Blackout.

At the entrance of the jungle, he used a sword because space was lacking, but in a wide clearing like here, the story is different.

'A monarch standing at the vanguard, shouldn't he be stopped?'

Such a thought crossed Yakson's mind, but there were no subordinates stopping him. Rather, they looked at their liege lord with a face harboring a sort of expectation beyond trust.

Around the time the vanguard Smallfolk entered within a 3m distance, a black storm raged in front of Eugene's army.

Puhwaaaaak-!

The Smallfolk swept up by it were cut in two and showered down heavily.

Eugene, nimblely changing his grip on the handle, used the momentum to swing in reverse.

Peeoeoeok-!

Once more, a blood spray dyed the leaves of the jungle.

With merely two swings, the Smallfolk rushing in from the beginning were completely ground away.

Patter patter.

The guys in the rear were covered in the blood, entrails, and flesh of their own kind.

"..."

"..."

"...Hiccup!"

Although the language is different, the sound of hiccuping was exactly the same as a human's.

The faces that were contorted like anger management disability relaxed and stopped abruptly. It was a sight Yakson, who had lived in the jungle for 30 years, had never seen before either.

Clatter.

The chieftain dropped the wooden ladle he was holding.

Chatter.

And chattered his shark-like teeth.

At that sight, Eugene's subordinates very briefly thought they were pitiful, even though they were monsters. Just enough to pull the crossbow trigger about 0.1 seconds late.

* * *

Approaching the dining table after sweeping the campsite, there were two dead Rakshas with their breath cut off.

In the case of humans, they would be chopped into reasonable pieces and go straight into the pot or be roasted, but species with a lot of fur like Rakshas are skinned first.

In this case, there is no such thing as granting a merciful death. Since the sadistic Smallfolk enjoyed the screams the cooking subjects let out as snacks.

"Smallfolk don't dig burrows unlike goblins."

"The places to use as campsites in this jungle are limited, so it shouldn't be too hard."

Following Yakson's guidance, Eugene destroyed the Smallfolk's campsites one by one.

The subordinates were also outstanding elites, and Eugene's appearance staging a massacre every time he stepped into a campsite was the god of war himself.

To be at this level even in the remote backlands where combat power drops due to various reasons. Within the domain where the light of civilization touches, he would have no match.

'Before long, a king will appear in Britannia.'

It was Yakson's impression after watching the battles. More modifiers were unnecessary.

Typically, at the vanguard of an army, a standard-bearer holding a large flag is positioned. It is to inspire the fighting spirit of allies and simultaneously overawe the enemies.

Right now, Eugene played that role. When he stood at the vanguard wielding a giant axe and raising a blood storm, even the most fierce monsters of the jungle tucked their tails and trembled.

"Excellency. Your attitude of taking the initiative is admirable, but you should preserve your jade body now..."

"It's fine. Even if I only use my strength a few times in the front, the battle turns into a pursuit."

Slowly, there were some subordinates requesting Eugene to step back, but he didn't accept it.

"I can't see anyone shooting things like blowguns either."

Above all, ranged weapons aiming for the gaps in armor were virtually non-existent. In pure close-quarters combat, there was no chance for Eugene to get hurt.

"As the Smallfolk are small in stature, their lung capacity is nothing stellar either. The prey exposing tender bare skin weak enough to pierce with a blowgun is about human level."

"But they're already extinct."

At Yakson's words, Eugene replied coldly.

The combat method of the weak-muscled Smallfolk is to charge quickly and stab their weapons using their body weight. The reckless and belligerent nature evolved to match such a combat style.

Although it lowers the survivability of each individual, the accumulating notoriety makes people fear the Smallfolk group. That way, the survival rate of the whole increases.

It's a lifestyle mainly adopted by the quadrupedal or intelligent beast-men forming civilization in the wild, like Smallfolk and Rakshas.

Hence, at the point they turned their backs, that combat power weakened greatly.

"The bastards are fleeing!"

"Stop pursuit! Towards the bushes!"

Instead of a dangerous battle in the bushes, the Dark Elf female warriors released the dogs.

"Bark bark-!"

"Woof woof woof-!"

Although Smallfolk are fast, it's impossible for a biped to shake off a quadruped.

The war hounds chasing with spattered saliva each pounced one by one on the bastards they had their eyes on. A body size smaller than even a goblin couldn't withstand the jaw strength of a fierce dog.

Crunch!

Snap!

Crack!

Rather than the sound of chewing flesh, the sound of chewing cartilage resounded noisily.

"Krrrrrr-!"

A certain Smallfolk had its neck and thigh bitten respectively by two war hounds and pulled. Unable to withstand that force, its abdomen tore open and intestines like straw ropes spilled out.

It was a gruesome sight, but no one frowned. Because while subjugating the campsites, they discovered multiple remains of captured Cat-folk.

- It's horrible.

Perhaps to relieve the stress of being chased from their homeland, traces of sadistic torture remained.

Several Smallfolk screamed fiercely and swung their weapons, but it was useless. Crude weapons at the stone-age level and weak muscle strength unable to bear their body weight. Such things couldn't pierce the dog armor.

"Pee-eek!"

At Homi's whistle, the war hounds calmed their excitement and returned in perfect order.

"Pant pant pant-."

Panting with hanging tongues between their blood-soaked lips, the dogs sat in a line and took a posture.

That isn't a control that can be achieved through training or a dog whistle. It was strictly the domain of magic.

"Miss Homi has already entered the path of a Druid. To awaken without anyone's teaching means her affinity is extraordinary. I'm curious about that lineage."

Yakson looked on with interest. Since even as a Druid himself, this level of controlling beasts is impossible.

A monstrous strength second only to Eugene or an abnormally sensitive sense were also far from ordinary Beast-folk.

"That's exactly the part even I really want to know."

However, Homi also had no memories of the events before meeting Eugene. In the first place, she herself wasn't even interested in her past either.

- It's the matter of finding your roots, isn't it?

- I'm satisfied with my current life.

- Don't worry about money. What do you think I rose to Count for?

- Shh...

Wondering if she wanted to imitate Valda, Homi blocked Eugene's lips and shook her head. Since her fluffy tail covered his mouth instead of an index finger, the thought of resisting didn't occur to him.

"Anyway, having talent is good news, right? Then will recovering her voice also be fast?"

"Of course. It's the blood of a beast that took away her voice, but the power she uses to handle war hounds right now also originates from the blood of a beast."

Blowing the whistle for the first time is difficult, but once you can blow it, changing the tone is easy.

* * *

Eugene's punitive force wasn't always late.

"Refugees!"

Dozens of Cat-folk showing clear signs of hardship climbed trees and were resisting desperately.

However, the wounds increased from the barrage of stones thrown from below.

"Oh my god!"

"Those demon-like bastards have good skills too."

Like ants, the Smallfolk formed a ladder with each other's bodies and attacked the refugees on the tree.

"Kyaaa-!"

An unfortunate Cat-folk young lady was grabbed by her ankle. She frantically tried to shake them off, but it was useless. The Smallfolk forming the ladder clung onto her as they were and dragged her down with their body weight.

"Daughter!"

"No!"

Even the middle-aged man appearing to be the Cat-folk young lady's father was dragged down and fell together.

"I apologize, but I will go first."

At that sight, Yakson couldn't bear it and broke formation, rushing out. The last 'go first' part was heavily mixed with a growling tone.

His trapezius muscles swelled rapidly, and the veins on his limbs bulged pitch black. At the same time, black fur began to grow out and cover him.

The gentle eyes containing tolerance were dyed in a dark yellow light and flashed fiercely.

"My body is merely the iron mace of God."

However, what came out from the protruding wolf-like snout was a prayer.

With the changed oral structure, it was close to a monster's mumbling, but having practiced countless times, it could be understood sufficiently.

The werewolf's fingers with pitch-black claws sprouting touched the cross worn around his neck.

"Yakson!"

"Yakson has come!"

Being famous in the area, the faces of the Cat-folk screaming from atop the tree were steeped in hope.

"A long-awaited survivor! Rescue all of them!"

At Eugene's command, the Dwarves and Dark Elf female warriors also marched out all at once.

Except, just one person. There was one person standing blankly, not obeying the command.

"Homi?"

At her sight not listening to commands for the first time, Eugene was also panicked, but soon realized the reason.

"..."

Because Homi was in a state of having reached a sort of enlightenment.

- To awaken without anyone's teaching means her affinity is extraordinary.

It was exactly as Yakson said.

Homi had already become proficient in the mystery of controlling beasts with her voice. Now it's time to advance to the next stage of progress.

Meanwhile, the sight of a Druid transforming before her eyes awakened something sleeping within Homi's blood.

To others, it was merely a human transforming into a werewolf. However, Homi could see and feel the mystery of beasts moving within Yakson's body.

And she instinctively imitated it.

"Your hands...?"

Homi's nails, which had always been trimmed neatly, had lengthened to almost 3cm.

It was different from Yakson's pitch-black claws who rushed out first. Gracefully sparkling in silver like her hair, they revealed razor-like sharpness.

Her physique also grew even larger, reaching a level matching Eugene's.

From the parts not covered by armor, beautiful silver fur was revealed elegantly.

"Beautiful."

A Dark Elf female warrior mumbled with a captivated expression even amidst combat.

Wearing armor with a figure of Homi that would regard a fur coat made of Yeti pelt as a rag.

It was a sight combining the most elegant parts of wildness and civilization.