Chapter 95 : Chapter 95
Chapter 95. The Pursuer
The High Orcs hiding in the crevices of the canyon threw their spears simultaneously.
Shushushushuk―!
Twenty spears were thrown at the Harpy Queen.
A javelin attack pouring in from all directions.
In that moment, the queen's eyes turned yellow.
Her specialty, the 'Precognition' ability.
However, nothing was reflected in her pupils.
She twisted her body in mid-air in a flustered panic, but it was useless.
The spears thrown at her were 'Spears of Certain Hit'.
They were weapons with the 'Certain Hit' attribute, which never missed their target.
Psh-psh-pshuk―!
The spears accurately pierced the Harpy Queen's torso and wings.
At that moment, the Harpy Queen's tearing scream vibrated through the canyon.
Kieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeh—!!!!
The Harpy Queen, pierced by the spears, staggered in mid-air, and due to the shock, she lost her balance and began to plummet into the canyon below.
Fwoong―!
The Harpy Queen's pupils were shaking as if in disbelief.
As the falling Harpy Queen's massive shadow sank into the dark floor of the canyon.
"It seems the path that Sir Guide illuminates is the path for us High Orcs. Kek, kek……"
Gracia clicked his tongue as he watched the falling Harpy Queen.
He was a superior Orc shaman.
Given enough time to prepare, he was a being who could significantly amplify the power of his curses.
Just like now.
Gracia's eyes, who was waiting at the bottom of the canyon, emitted a red light.
Swish―
He extended his hand upwards.
⌜Black Spirit's Bindings⌟
A faint light from his fingertips flickered and began to gather over the curse's mark that had been prepared in advance at the bottom of the canyon.
Shaaaaaaa―
A darkness far deeper than a shadow rose from the bottom of the canyon.
Black specters with gaping holes for eyes, noses, and mouths.
The black specters that flew towards the falling Harpy Queen began to rotate rapidly around her.
Again, the Harpy Queen's pupils turned yellow with precognition, but.
Even if she wanted to dodge, the spears lodged in both her wings restricted her movement.
In the end.
Kdeudeuk―!
The specters that clung to the Harpy Queen's body began to form dense, binding shackles.
Kieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek―!!!!
The Harpy Queen screamed and struggled, but Gracia's curse only tightened its grip on her body.
And, she fell just like that.
Kugugugugugugung―!!
Only after piercing her body with the Spears of Certain Hit and successfully landing Gracia's curse, were they finally able to pull her down from the sky.
Through the dust cloud, the Harpy Queen's bright yellow gaze flashed.
Her eyes were stained with various emotions such as bewilderment and anger.
Kdeudeudeudeuk―!
She swelled her body as if to break Gracia's binding curse at any moment.
The dozens of spears embedded in her body also seemed insufficient to end her life.
"Truly a being worthy of being called the king of monstrous birds."
The physical ability of the creature trying to escape the 'Black Spirit's Bindings' was astonishing.
"But, it's a useless struggle."
Gracia raised his hand again.
The light from his fingertips granted freedom to the black specters.
⌜Soul Liberation⌟
The power of the curse that had been binding the Harpy Queen was released all at once.
The result was a massive explosion.
Kwaaaaaaaaaaaaaang―!
A huge black haze rose up, centered on the Harpy Queen.
A curse containing both spiritual and physical power.
The Harpy Queen, who was at the epicenter of the explosion, was not safe.
Her feathers, which boasted a pure white light, were stained red with the blood she shed.
One of her legs, which was like a dead tree, and one of her wings were completely broken.
Kieeeee…….
The queen, who let out a pained cry and flashed her yellow gaze, did not seem to have lost her will, but she had no chance of winning.
Gracia was not the only one at the bottom of the canyon.
Thump―
The 20 High Orc warriors who had been hiding in the canyon had gathered before he knew it.
And.
"You've worked hard."
"What have I done? It was all the Guide's doing. Kek, kek……"
In the meantime, Hyunwoo, Lucas, and Van had also descended into the canyon.
Everyone was surrounding the fallen Harpy Queen.
"Now, we must finish this."
Swish―
Gracia raised his hand.
The 20 High Orc warriors charged at the Harpy Queen simultaneously.
* * *
It was a perfect trap.
But the Harpy Queen did not fall easily.
‘…An astonishing physical ability.’
Twenty Spears of Certain Hit had pierced her body.
Moreover, they had successfully landed Gracia's pre-prepared curse twice in a row, but.
Kieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeh—!
The Harpy Queen, letting out a cry like a wounded beast, fought fiercely among the High Orc warriors.
Waaaaaaaaaaaaah―!
Even when the elite warriors all rushed in to pressure the queen, her firm gaze did not waver.
She just scattered her bright yellow gaze and dealt with the warriors one by one.
Even with a broken wing and having lost most of her mobility, the queen dodged most of the High Orcs' attacks and counterattacked.
Crack―!
"Keu—!"
"Don't charge recklessly! Just maintain the encirclement!"
An excited warrior rushed out and had his side torn by the queen's sharp talons.
Maintaining the encirclement and applying firm pressure to prevent her escape.
This was what Hyunwoo had instructed.
It wasn't over just because they had pulled the queen down from the sky.
To kill the queen, who possessed overwhelming physical strength and the ability of precognition, a process beyond that was necessary.
Shwiik―! Shwik―!
The Harpy Queen, with her broken wing dangling, swung her talons wide.
The High Orc warriors retreated significantly, but they did not break the encirclement surrounding the queen.
They just aimed their sharp spears and swords at the queen.
Whenever the queen tried to shake off the encirclement, Lucas's magic exploded.
⌜Crimson Blade⌟
Kwadeudeudeuk―!
The queen could not carelessly break the encirclement due to the magic that ground the surrounding rocks like a blender.
While the others were pressuring the queen, Hyunwoo looked around.
He saw Van lying unconscious outside the battlefield.
Judging by the net wrapped around his body, it seemed he had fallen safely from the canyon.
Gracia was standing one step away from the battlefield.
He was preparing for the next step, as per Hyunwoo's advice.
He had to be the one to finish off the Harpy Queen.
Swish―
Hyunwoo gripped the hilt of his sword and waited for the right moment.
The queen's last desperate struggle when cornered.
The opportunity was when she used 'that technique', her final desperate move.
'Because that's the only moment her precognition ability disappears.'
And, a short while later.
Hyunwoo's eyes lit up when he saw the queen's bright yellow gaze extinguish.
'Timing!'
Hyunwoo, having met the moment he had been waiting for, moved.
Sreureuk―
His figure blurred and disappeared into the Footsteps of the Abyss.
In the meantime, the queen's eyes turned pitch black.
Black eyes that were completely filled, as if the pupils had filled the whites.
As the prelude Hyunwoo had spoken of began, the High Orc warriors crouched down and prepared to defend.
"Everyone, be careful—!"
As Gracia muttered and was about to use a defensive curse.
The Harpy Queen straightened her upper body and let out a roar.
Kaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaak―!!!!
At the same time,
Shwishwishwishwishwishwishwishwik―!!!
All the feathers on the queen's body scattered in all directions simultaneously.
Crack―! Crack―!
The flying feathers embedded themselves in the rocks like they were tofu.
And, it was the same for the bodies of the High Orc warriors.
Crack―!
"Keuuuuuk……!"
Groans came from all directions.
No matter how much Gracia's protective curse was protecting their bodies, it was a power that could not be fully withstood.
Although they were called feathers, the feathers, nearly 1 meter in size, were weapons in themselves.
Everyone's body was covered in wounds.
The momentary gap when the High Orcs had fallen.
In that gap, a black shadow began to be reflected in the pupils of the Harpy Queen, who was trying to break through their encirclement.
And.
Soon, the emotion of 'fear' settled in the queen's eyes.
Now that she couldn't use her 'Precognition' ability, the ominous aura felt from the black shadow was enough for her to feel fear.
The queen's eyes met the black shadow's.
A human.
Fwoong―!
The human who had flown above the queen's head was crouched low, holding the hilt of his sword.
The human, Hyunwoo's, eyes turned red, the black tattoo on his body glowed, and,
Click—
The hilt of his sword was enveloped in black light and was drawn.
⌜Volones Swordsmanship (4-Star)―68%⌟
Kwaaang―!
His body, enhanced by mana, was shot forward, pushing his flesh like a giant wave.
His appearance was like a black lightning bolt.
Kieee―
The Harpy Queen belatedly screamed and swung her talons in a desperate struggle, but.
Shwiik―!
The black lightning struck faster than that.
The flashing sword not only cut through the queen's talons but also sent her head flying.
Seogeok―!
The head, which was comically small compared to her body, was cut off in a single stroke.
The severed head fell to the ground.
Thud.
The king of monstrous birds.
The king had lost his life in vain in his own territory.
Hoo―
Hyunwoo let out the breath he had been holding and flicked his wrist to shake off the queen's blood from Cheonbyeondo.
More definitive proof that the hunt was over.
His swordsmanship proficiency had exploded.
⌜Volones Swordsmanship (4-Star)―83%⌟
A whopping 15% increase!
It was a testament to how formidable a creature he had killed.
“……”
A deathly silence descended upon the battlefield.
Even though the queen, who was like an enemy to the High Orcs, was dead, no one let out a cheer.
Because too many warriors had been sacrificed to catch the queen.
Just then, Gracia began to move.
Thump. Thump.
He slowly approached the queen's head that had fallen to the ground and lifted it.
Thump—
"Here is the proof of the High Orcs' victory and valor! We are those who know no fear, and today. We have once again defeated our enemy."
Gracia looked around at the party.
The High Orc warriors and Hyunwoo's party.
Their eyes still flashed with the heat of battle, and the dust covering their bodies spoke of the fierceness of the battle they had experienced.
However, none had suffered injuries that drew blood.
An indescribable great victory!
"The king of monstrous birds is dead, and we have survived. We have once again proven that the High Orcs are the true masters of this land."
The nomadic High Orcs only ended a fight when they were victorious.
"This is our victory."
A declaration of the end of the war.
As his calm words ended, the warriors raised their weapons.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
One by one, the weapons were raised, and a firm will was engraved in their red eyes.
The fight was over, and they had once again protected their territory.
The valuable experience of victory would make the High Orcs stronger.
The fight was over.
* * *
On a midslope of the rocky mountain.
Looking around, Argas narrowed his brow slightly.
The range of the Montis Rocky Mountains was much wider than he had expected.
He hadn't found even a shadow of a harpy, let alone the Harpy Queen.
Click—
The sword at his waist was slightly drawn from its scabbard and then sheathed again.
Argas's action of lifting and lowering the sword with his thumb.
It was a habit that came out when he was deep in thought.
‘…Was I deceived?’
He recalled the face of the trash he had dragged to the entrance of the rocky mountain.
The trash who had been consistently obsequious with a look of terror.
It would have been difficult for such a person to make up a lie.
As he was thinking this and heading towards a new rocky mountain, he discovered a bloodstain on the path.
And, even the feathers scattered around.
Argas's eyes sharpened.