Of course, Hagen probably thought he was apologizing, but to the bandits on the receiving end, his words only made them froth at the mouth like rabid dogs. Meanwhile, I waited calmly and patiently, and as soon as the bandits struggled their way up the steep slope, I fired at them. With such unstable footing, how could these bandits possibly dodge the repeating bowgun? The lead bandit, riddled with bolts, toppled backward, dragging the others with him in a cascade. The ensuing rumble of falling soil and gravel sounded almost like a landslide.
“Damn it! We can’t just let this happen! Return fire with arrows!”
The bearded man, who seemed to be their leader, wielded a hefty sword as he barked out orders. At his command, the bandits drew their bows and began launching arrows in our direction.
“Hmm, they’re putting up quite the fight.”
“But what good will it do?”
I sidestepped the poorly aimed arrows, noting their amateurish archery skills. Their bows and arrows were crude, and their lack of teamwork—failing to create a proper crossfire—was evident. They could shoot all day and still not hit us up here. However, while they were busy firing, others were attempting to climb the cliffside.
“This isn’t good. It might be time to retreat.”
“Agreed.”
Hagen, hearing my words, casually picked up a large boulder, easily the size of a human torso. It must have weighed at least 100 kilograms, but Hagen carried it as if it were nothing and marched toward the cliff’s edge. If I found this sight astonishing as his comrade, imagine the terror of the bandits below. Standing at the edge, he looked down at the climbing bandits.
“Sorry, fellas. I know it must’ve been a tough climb. Why don’t you head back down and rest?”
“Argh!”
“That crazy bastard!”
The bandits screamed as Hagen, shaking his head as if in pity, spoke with mock sorrow.
“Aww, don’t be so upset. It breaks my heart to see you like this. You wound my delicate heart. Idiots~!”
Then, with a dramatic flair, he pushed the boulder down at them. A heavy thud resonated, followed by the sound of bodies and debris tumbling down. Judging by the racket, a fair number of bandits were taken out by the rock.
“Arghhh!”
“Damn it! Those bastards—kill them!”
The bandits’ curses echoed in their frustration. Losing their cool would only dull their judgment. I glanced at Hagen, who dodged the raining arrows while standing atop a rock.
“Ha-ha-ha! How dare you crawl into the domain of the Velkysus Rangers! You’ve got guts, I’ll give you that. Now, let me show you something unforgettable! Hah!”
With those words, He suddenly dropped his pants—though only to his knees for mobility.
“Behold! The size! The angle! The sheer magnificence!”
He swung his hips, making a slapping noise as his thighs struck… well, you know.
“You ordinary folk could never have imagined such perfection existed! Ha-ha-ha!”
“……”
At this point, I couldn’t even muster the energy to stop him. Lately, I’ve found myself wondering if I should request a new partner, but no other candidate would likely be much different. After all, we, the Velkysus Rangers, were unmatched in this rugged terrain. Strength in numbers wasn’t necessary, which meant no elaborate facilities or entertainment to distract from the boredom. In such isolation, frustration was inevitable. By comparison, Hagen and Bugs were relatively tame.
“Kill that bastard!”
Enraged by Hagen’s antics, the bandits charged blindly. But by then, Bugs and I, fully reloaded, unleashed another volley of bolts from atop the rocks. This exhausted our ammunition, but the effect was decisive. The bandits, devastated, tumbled back down the slope.
“Damn it! Flank them! We’ll be wiped out if this continues!”
Finally, they came to their senses, abandoning their futile uphill charge to find alternate routes.
“Man, even bugbears catch on faster than this. It took them this long to think of flanking us?”
“Yeah, slow learners for sure.”
With that, we moved.
“Time to retreat!”
“Right. Route 16 it is.”
“Kairas! Go inform the base! We’ll lead them toward Route 16. Got it?!”
“Got it. I’ll take this path, so lure them well!”
“Leave it to us! See you later, darling!”
Hagen blew me a mock kiss, which I dodged with exaggerated disgust.
“Will you knock it off?!”
“Aww, don’t hate me!”
“Hate? Try utterly despising you!”
“That’s just proof of my love.”
“……”
Arguing further would only make me look foolish. Gritting my teeth, I leaped into the thickets.
“Let’s move!”
With a spring in my step, I darted through the underbrush. The rain-soaked ground squelched underfoot, splashing water with every step.
“Phew! Is this enough? Hmm. Well, it doesn’t look like there are any pursuers. And it’s not like Hagen or Bugs would lose to a bunch of bandits.”
I stopped running through the forest and turned around to look back. As expected, not a single ant was scuttling behind me. We, the Velkysus Rangers, are seasoned experts when it comes to mountains. No matter how strong or agile an opponent is, no one can match us in navigating through mountain terrain. This place is our home. Even if the bandits put in their best effort, once they face us, they have no means of retaliation. They can’t even catch up to us after we ambush them with quarrels and vanish.
“Hmm. Tch. Ended up killing someone again, huh.”
It wasn’t my first kill, but taking a life never feels good. That said, I wasn’t wallowing in guilt like, “Oh no, I killed someone!” It was more like my mind felt a little unsettled. Perhaps it would’ve been different if it were a fair fight to the death, but shooting arrows from a safe distance and running away feels undeniably cowardly, no matter how many enemies there were.
“Damn those stupid bandits. Coming into the Velkysus Mountains without any real skill—how annoying!”
Grumbling to myself, I turned my head left and right to scan the surroundings. The forest was bursting with vibrant green life, shedding its winter coat. Even in the faint drizzle, the fresh greenery radiated vitality. The rain-soaked leaves exuded a rich, woody fragrance, and the trees that had looked lifeless all winter now appeared rejuvenated. The light drizzle that had been drenching the forest was finally letting up.
“Whew. What a breathtaking sight.”
I exclaimed as I gazed at the rising mist, as if the ground were boiling over. If a sea of clouds is called an ocean of clouds, then should a sea of mist be called an ocean of mist? This place had turned into a genuine ocean of mist. The scattered trees looked like islands, and the mist surged toward them like waves. From this perspective, it seemed like an idyllic spring moment. However…
“Huh?”
I suddenly felt a strange sense of discomfort and turned around. It was as if someone was watching me—an eerie sensation. But there was no sign of anyone actually hiding and staring at me. It felt more like the presence of something supernatural rather than human. This indescribable feeling left even me, the one experiencing it, unsure of how to explain it. Lowering my stance, I cast a wary gaze around my surroundings. It wasn’t bandits. Whatever it was, it was far beyond something like that. Something entirely different was happening here.
“What the hell is going on?”
I muttered, though there was no one around to answer me. The silence was overwhelming. Not even the sound of birds could be heard. A cold shiver ran down my spine, and my body trembled enough that my teeth chattered. Was it because of the rain-soaked chill? I cautiously placed my hand on the hilt of my sword. A sudden and intrusive thought hit me, as if a stone had been thrown into the still waters of my mind. It felt like an unwelcome invasion into my psyche. Tense and alert, I scanned the area once more.
“Where are you…?”
A dizziness swept over me, as if the world around me were spinning. Confusion set in. What was out there? Who—or what—was causing this unease? Could I at least get a clue? The uncertainty was maddening.
“Where are you…?”
I murmured as I licked my lower lip. It tasted salty—not rain, but sweat. Cold sweat. Damn it. It was the first time since becoming a Velkysus Ranger that I had broken out in a cold sweat.
“…”
Nothing was happening. Damn, what’s with a Velkysus Ranger like me getting this wound up? I slowly started to relax, easing out of my defensive stance. But then, as if it had been waiting for that moment—
Thud!
“A bird?”
I raised my arm to shield my head and looked around. Birds were suddenly taking flight from the forest. Something felt off.
“Nocturnal birds?”
Not just the nocturnal ones. Predatory birds like owls, eagles, and hawks, which would normally prey on the smaller birds, were all fleeing in panic without a care for their usual prey. Damn it, what’s about to happen here?
Rumble…!
“It’s here!”
A powerful tremor shook the ground. It felt as if I were on a swaying ship. I crouched low, carefully observing the terrain around me.
RUMBLE!
The ground trembled with an intensity far beyond the earlier vibration. The earth itself quaked violently, and trees, firmly rooted after the long winter, were being uprooted as if they were mere toys on a wobbly table. Trees that massive looked as light as feathers. What the hell was going on?
“Damn it! An earthquake?”
I rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding a falling tree. The sharp cracking sound of snapping branches echoed through the forest as the trees toppled. However, the dense forest prevented them from falling completely, as the collapsing trees leaned against their neighbours. Even the trees seemed to show solidarity, supporting their fallen companions. It was enough to bring a tear to my eye…
“What nonsense am I thinking?”
I muttered, shaking off the absurd thought and scanning my surroundings. The tremors came in waves, each one as powerful as the last.
“Damn it!”
Cursing to no one in particular, I moved to a safer spot. How long did it last? Finally, the tremors subsided, and calm returned.
“Phew. What the hell? An earthquake out of nowhere? This area isn’t even prone to earthquakes…”
