Chapter 273: Invisible Threads

A mass of muscles towering over three meters tall. Their arms were like logs, their bodies like cliffs. The charge of these giant orcs felt like a fortress crashing into them.

Since orcs lacked metallurgical and forging skills, their weapons were basically clubs made from felled trees or swords and axes stolen from humans. Since there were no weapons suitable for the giant orcs, they grabbed fallen trees and swung them like clubs.

“Grraaahh!”

The lead orc let out a hellish roar, swinging down its log.

The knights scattered instantly. Hindered by the muddy ground, some stumbled along the way, but everyone emerged unscathed.

Mud flung up by the logs hit their armor like a rain of gravel. It was just mud, but the impact stung. If it hit their heads, it wouldn’t be so easy to brush off.

…Huh?

Lutz felt something odd about the behavior of the orcs.

Weren’t orcs supposed to be somewhat intelligent, often provoking and mocking their opponents? He remembered fighting a group of orcs who were quite talkative.

What were these giant orcs? They attacked without greeting, without even pointing and laughing at the knights covered in mud before the fight started. Their eyes were vacant, drool hanging from the corners of their mouths.

Were they excited about the joy of killing people? It didn’t seem like it.

…Were they afraid?

The sound of the wind interrupted Lutz’s thoughts.

A massive tree, like death made tangible, came crashing down from above. Lutz leaped aside to avoid it, guarding against the splattering mud with his arm. Drawing his beloved sword “Kyouka Suigetsu,” he struck back with a slash, slicing the thigh of the giant orc. But it was shallow.

…Well, that’s okay. If it’s in close range, I won’t miss the swinging log!

Lutz immediately launched a counterattack. But before he could, the orc’s left arm extended unexpectedly, attempting to crush Lutz.

Surprised by the unexpected move for a moment, Lutz quickly regained his composure and swung his beloved sword. Three fingers, as thick as an adult man’s arm, flew through the air, spraying blood.

But the momentum didn’t stop there. A powerful slap, its impact struck Lutz.

“Guu!”

Lutz groaned as he staggered back. If the orc’s fingers hadn’t been severed, he might have lost consciousness. That was fortunate.

He created distance. This was bad. He had entered the range of the log again.

Lutz quickly scanned left and right. Gerhardt, Josel, and the knights were all facing other orcs. He couldn’t expect support. Just as he was about to give up hope, he caught sight of a figure approaching them from the edge of his vision.

To coordinate with him, Lutz decided to attract the enemy’s attention.

“Hey, big guy, lucky for you I cut off your left arm. You’d better scram before you bleed out!”

Normally, a regular orc would either get angry or laugh at this, but this orc swung its log without changing its frightened expression. It repeatedly slammed the log into the muddy ground as if it were not acting of its own will. Faced with such a fierce attack, Lutz couldn’t counterattack.

That’s fine. The giant orc’s eyes were now focused solely on Lutz.

Waiting for the opportune moment, Keith, gritting his teeth, leaped out with his sword held horizontally. It was a desperate ambush attack he had to endure the urge to shout.

The giant orc swung its log downward, and Keith’s sword deeply pierced its unprotected side.

“Die, you pig bastard!”

Keith tried to pull out his sword, but it was firmly wedged between dense muscles. So he kicked the hilt of the sword to drive it deeper.

“Guaaahh!”

The orc’s movement didn’t stop. It let go of the log and swung its arm wildly. Realizing it was futile to strike with the sword, Keith backed off and drew a knife from his waist. Although it was a proud knife made by a royal artisan, it seemed unreliable against the giant orc.

Lutz rushed to Keith’s side.

“Thank you for saving me.”

“No worries. Can’t let the blacksmith steal the show. But still…”

The two stared down the giant orc. Its breath was ragged, its movements sluggish, but it still hadn’t fallen.

“Maybe if I gouged its side, it would cry out in pain even more. If it were me, I’d definitely scream, piss myself.”

“Look at that face, it definitely seems to be in pain.”

The orc’s face was twisted darkly, as if expressing despair. So why could it still move? Why could it still fight?

“Should we consider that it’s being controlled by someone, or perhaps its consciousness has been taken over…?”

There is someone who can take over the body of monsters like giant orcs, and the terrifying thought sent shivers down Keith’s spine. Was Leonard’s death merely a harbinger of doom? What was he fighting against, and what killed him?

Keith clenched his knife, steeling his courage. He had bid farewell to Leonard; now his duty was not to mourn his death but to carry on his will and fight.

The giant orc charged, its head shaking violently. Keith didn’t want to see anything anymore, didn’t want to fight, yet his body moved on its own. Its sight seemed pitiful to Lutz’s eyes.

“I will free you now,”

Ancient characters engraved on Kyouka Suigetsu gleamed brightly.

Even though his body moved regardless of pain, Keith’s sword remained deeply embedded in the orc’s side. His bodily functions dulled. Lutz was able to respond adequately to the giant orc’s movements.

He cut off its extended right arm, slashing it in half. Dodging its kick, he deeply cut its thigh.

Keith grabbed onto the staggering giant orc’s neck from behind.

“It’s over!”

The knife sliced through the carotid artery. Blood sprayed out like a fountain, mixing with rain and mud, spreading out. What flowed out was the very life of the orc.

Keith stepped back, his face half-dyed in red. The massive body fell backward, sinking into the mud. Though its consciousness was completely severed, its body still twitched as if trying to move.

Lutz and the others remained vigilant, holding their weapons. Regardless of the manipulator’s intentions, the host’s body had reached its limit and ceased to move.

“What was that…?”

“I don’t know. Let’s think about it after we’ve taken them all down.”

Lutz brushed back his wet hair and ran off to support his comrades.

“He’s one tough bastard, that’s for sure…”

Keith smiled wryly and then followed Lutz’s back.

Finally, he was starting to remember the feeling of running on the battlefield with reliable comrades.

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