Chapter 197: An Angel
Logan soon arrived at the meeting point, where many men were already waiting.
"Ah, Logan! You came. I can’t tell you how grateful I am," a middle-aged man said enthusiastically as he walked over to greet Logan, who had just climbed down from his horse.
"It’s no trouble at all, Mr. Dunkel," Logan replied with a smile. "You’ve always been there for the people of this village whenever they needed help. It’s only right that we return the favor."
"It’s good to see you, Logan," a young man around his age said. "Knowing you’re with us gives everyone much more confidence."
"You’re giving me too much credit, Nadeem," Logan replied as he unsheathed the sword strapped to his horse’s back. "Let’s just hope all of us make it home safely."
"Yes. I hope we all can return safely. Let’s move out now," Mr. Dunkel, the village chief, said.
"Yes." Everyone nodded before entering the forest together.
"Mr. Dunkel, are you certain that monster is inside?" Nadeem asked as they walked.
"Yes," Mr. Dunkel replied. "Several of the village boys saw that creature enter this forest yesterday. This place used to be completely safe. Who would’ve thought a green orc and its pack of jackals would suddenly appear and start terrorizing our village?"
"I heard it’s a green orc?" another young man asked.
"That’s right. A very powerful one," Mr. Dunkel answered. "If not for those two experts from the capital, our village would’ve been in serious danger."
"Are those two already inside the forest?" Nadeem asked.
"Yes. They’re searching for the green orc as we speak. Our job is to make sure none of the jackals escape the forest."
After another fifteen minutes of walking, they finally reached their destination.
"Alright, everyone," Mr. Dunkel said. "Spread out and surround the forest. Remember, don’t let a single jackal get out."
Everyone nodded before dispersing in different directions, surrounding the entire forest so that not a single monster could escape.
There were a total of thirty-one people, including Logan. Each person was positioned roughly one to two hundred meters apart. Since the forest wasn’t particularly large, the group was enough to surround the whole area.
Logan stood beside a massive boulder overlooking the forest and waited in silence.
Minutes passed, yet not a single jackal came his way. There was no sign of the green orc either. The other thirty men guarding the forest were experiencing the same thing.
Meanwhile, back at the house...
Logan’s wife was quietly reading a book when suddenly...
Booooom!
A deafening explosion echoed through the village.
"Nooooo!"
"Someone help!"
"N-No! Not me! Arghhhhhhh!"
Desperate screams erupted from every direction.
"What’s going on?" Logan’s wife murmured as she sprang to her feet. She hurried outside, only to collide with a woman frantically fleeing while carrying a small child in her arms.
"What’s happening?" Logan’s wife asked.
"M-Monster!" the woman cried in panic. "A monster has appeared! It’s killing everyone in its path!" Without waiting another second, the woman rushed away.
Logan’s wife froze briefly before another scream snapped her back to reality.
"Ahhhhhhh! Don’t kill me!"
The terrified cry belonged to a kid.
She immediately turned toward the sound.
A towering green figure was slowly advancing toward a little boy. A massive cleaver scraped against the ground as the monster dragged it behind him.
No one dared to step forward.
Logan’s wife reacted without hesitation and sprinted toward the child.
The green orc raised its cleaver high into the air, preparing to bring it down.
At that very moment, Logan’s wife lifted her hand as she rushed forward.
A brilliant white magic circle instantly appeared above the orc.
The next instant...
Boom!
A bolt of dazzling white lightning descended from the formation.
Zappp!
Whoooosh!
The lightning struck the orc head-on, blasting the massive creature backward. Its cleaver flew from its grasp before spinning through the air.
Booooom!
The hulking monster crashed into the ground, leaving behind a large crater.
Yet only a moment later...
It slowly climbed back to its feet. Its crimson eyes locked onto Logan’s wife.
"There you are." A hoarse voice echoed.
Everyone froze.
It wasn’t because Logan’s wife had effortlessly blasted the monster away with white lightning.
It was because...
The one who had spoken was the monster itself.
"I’ve been looking for you, Lady Ariana," the green orc said as it slowly walked toward her. "An angel hiding among humans. Did you truly believe you could escape your fate so easily? Your sister has been waiting for you.
It is time for you to return."
The entire village fell deathly silent. Every face was filled with shock after hearing those unbelievable words.
Ariana slowly raised her hand once more.
Another radiant white magic circle appeared, this time hovering before her palm.
"My sister?" she said coldly. "I have no such hypocritical sister. I will never return to that murderous family."
Her icy gaze fixed upon the orc.
"Leave... or die. The choice is yours."
The magic circle shone even brighter, radiating an overwhelming aura as it prepared to unleash another devastating spell.
However, the green orc merely chuckled.
"You think I came here without knowing your strength?" it said with a sinister grin. "One of the four Elite Angels, personally blessed by the God of Light." Its smile widened. "But if your sister was the one who sent me after you... Don’t you think I would’ve come prepared?"
Ariana’s eyes narrowed, but she didn’t lower her hand.
The green orc slowly raised its arm.
From a distance, the massive cleaver suddenly shot through the air and flew straight back toward the green orc.
Thud!
The hilt landed firmly in the orc’s outstretched palm.
Without wasting a moment, the orc took out a pill and swallowed it.
Instantly, the aura surrounding its body transformed. A terrifying killing intent erupted from it, causing the very air to grow heavy.
Then...
The orc vanished from where it stood. Like a bolt of lightning, it shot toward Ariana.