East Road Quest

Chapter 78: The Guardian of the Dark Forest

The orc, covered in black fur, picked up the Tome of Light’s Extinction that Jade had dropped. The book, not particularly large to begin with, looked almost like a cute notebook in his massive hands.

“I saw one of those creatures vanish. Was that your doing?” the orc inquired.

Jade surveyed the area behind him. Rhinoceroses were still writhing and groaning, pierced by arrows.

“Can’t you understand what I’m saying?” the orc asked when Jade didn’t respond immediately. He tried another language, possibly that of the Kun tribe, but naturally, Jade couldn’t comprehend it.

Swallowing hard, Jade asked in Elvish, “How do you know Elvish?”

The orc chuckled. “The language we’re speaking isn’t Elvish; it’s the common tongue, used by all races.”

“But humans don’t use it…”

“They did in the past. It was your people who abandoned it.”

Confused and in pain, Jade was at a loss for words. His abdomen hurt so much he felt paralyzed, and breathing was difficult.

The orc pressed on. “I’ll ask again. Can you extinguish demons?”

“Yes.”

“With this?” The orc held up the book.

“That’s right.”

The orc examined the book before kneeling in front of Jade and grasping his neck and waist.

Startled, Jade exclaimed, “What are you doing?”

“Bite down. I’m going to pull you out of the tree.”

“Wait! You mean to pull me out of the tree, not the branch from me, right?”

“Speak, and you’ll bite your tongue!” the orc warned.

With no other choice, Jade took a deep breath and clenched his teeth.

The orc pulled Jade out of the tree branch.

Despite his best efforts to endure, a scream escaped Jade’s lips.

“Aaargh! Ugh!”

The orc took a cloth from his bag and roughly bandaged Jade’s wounded side. It was a crude form of emergency treatment.

“Now, show me. Extinguish a demon,” the orc commanded, forcing the book into Jade’s hands.

Struggling to breathe through the pain, Jade retorted, “I regret not learning Elvish curses. Why should I prove anything to you?”

“For two reasons. First, if you have such power, I need it. Second, if you can’t prove you’re not a demon, I’ll kill you,” the orc said, looking down at Jade’s belly.

“I’ll die anyway if you don’t treat me.”

“Is that a threat? I almost killed you once already!” Jade growled.

The orc glanced at Jade’s wound and shook his head. “You won’t die from that. Just show me.”

Jade had no strength left for deep thought.

“Damn you. Fine, I’ll show you. But I’m too weak to go to them, bring one here.”

The orc turned and dragged over a rhinoceros pierced by an arrow. When it resisted, he knocked it out with a punch. The rhinoceros lay motionless before Jade.

“Do it,” the orc said.

Jade was incredulous.

‘Another one who toys with demons as if it’s a game.’

Even unconscious, the rhinoceros twitched. Jade wanted to extinguish it quickly, if only to rid himself of the revulsion.

He opened the book and said, “On my way here, I encountered a demon called Tyrant, trapped by an arrow and engulfed in blue flames…”

The orc watched silently as Jade performed the ritual.

Jade found the passage to extinguish dark demons and read it aloud. A white light transferred from the book to his hand.

Kneeling, Jade placed his hand on the rhinoceros’s shoulder and asked, “Did you do this?”

“Yes. Have you heard about the death of the Goat King in the Kuman Plains?”

“My companion killed him.”

Jade turned the rhinoceros to light. Despite being a mere low-level demon, the recoil of the extinction pushed Jade back.

He fell on his buttocks while still kneeling, a fall of barely a foot. Yet, the impact was enough to nearly knock him out.

“A true magician of extinction,” the orc remarked with an impressed grimace.

“What’s your name, human?”

“Jade. And you?”

“Merald.”

Clutching her stomach, Jade asked, “You’re the guardian of the Dark Forest, aren’t you?” The orc nodded affirmatively in response.

“Yes.”

Before her battle with Buffalord, Ruby reviewed her previous fight with the Hydra in her mind. When she cut off one of the snake’s heads, while the severed part reattached, the other heads attacked vigorously.

The pain was shared. When one head suffered, the other four screamed in agony.

But that didn’t stop their movements. Breaking the horns of a goat and embedding them into the lion’s head only halted those two; the snake’s head still spat venom, and the lion’s head continued to spew endless fire.

‘I need to rethink my strategy and come back later.’

Ruby blinked several times. Her blurred vision briefly cleared before clouding over again. Her mouth felt dry, and her fingertips were numb. She felt as giddy as if she had been drinking merrily.

‘This reminds me of the drinking bet with Everic.’

Everic was a renowned dwarf drinker. He boldly approached Ruby and challenged her.

‘No matter how good you are at fighting, you can’t beat me in a drinking contest!’

Ruby accepted the challenge, irritated by his arrogance.

She couldn’t remember how much she had drunk. She saw herself opening the fourth jar, remembered the astonished looks of Everic and his dwarf companions, and when she woke up, she was sprawled on the rock she used as a bed at home.

She must have returned alone, but she couldn’t remember if she had won or lost. However, since Everic had been silent ever since, she assumed she had won. But now, her mind was even more muddled than then, which was clearly serious.

Buffalord did not come down from the tree branch. The distance was about thirty-five steps, though it seemed like forty. The size of the scythe he held was unclear, and his attack pattern did not come to mind quickly.

‘There’s a double-edged scythe on each end of the chain. It’s a weapon that can be thrown. So, how should I fight?’

Ruby stretched out the chain to her sides, readying herself for battle.

“Where are you from? Are you reinforcements called by the guardian?”

Buffalord inquired.

Ruby usually indulged her opponents before a fight. If they cursed, she cursed back; if they recited poetry, she responded with better verses; if they boasted, she outdid them with even more annoying arrogance. But now, she couldn’t afford to do so.

Her head was spinning too much.

‘I need to finish this quickly.’

Without responding, Ruby swung the chain and charged at Buffalord.

Buffalord leaped to another tree, dodging Ruby’s first attack and even managing a counterattack.

The attack of the scythe with the chain was irregular but precise. The attacks that slithered between the trees like a snake seemed to track Ruby as if they were alive. Moreover, there were two of them.

‘Normally, you swing the scythe like a sword and hang a weight on the end of the chain, but throwing the scythe? As if to prove he’s not a demon, he uses the weapon in his own way.’

As the chain scythe passed, branches broke off and fell.

Ruby changed her position several times, jumping irregularly up, down, left, and right, but the scythe targeted her precisely as if alive.

She tried to time her attack for when the scythe was stuck in a tree, but it tore through the wood, blocking her view.

All the attacks were like that, making it almost impossible to strike first and difficult to counterattack.

It felt like every movement was anticipated. The scythes Buffalord held seemed not just two but dozens.

The attack paused for a moment.

As leaves bounced off the ground and fell from the trees, Ruby focused and pinpointed Buffalord’s location. Even when not attacking, Buffalord moved endlessly, not revealing his position to Ruby.

“Seeing your condition, I don’t even need to fight anymore.”

Only Buffalord’s voice was heard.

“You won’t last five minutes if I leave you alone.” The enemy always showed a gap when they were careless. Now, the moment he decided to bide his time instead of fighting, he revealed his position.

Ruby spotted Buffalord hiding behind a large tree.

‘My judgment is cloudy. It seems like he’s deliberately showing himself. If I rush in carelessly, I’ll be countered by the chain scythe. Let’s match him here.’

Ruby spun the chain, making a whirring sound and increasing its range with each turn.

‘If you can do it, so can I.’

Buffalord handled the chain scythe freely in the forest full of trees. Ruby had been observing it and had just learned.

Ruby threw the chain. Like Buffalord handling his chain scythe, the chain twisted between the trees, aiming for Buffalord’s side as he hid.

Buffalord, startled, dodged to the side.

‘Finally, you show yourself.’

Ruby leaped towards him and punched down. Buffalord was struck squarely in the chest and fell away. However, even in the midst of falling, he slashed Ruby’s chest with his scythe, preventing her from delivering a decisive blow.

Ruby fell in the opposite direction from where Buffalord had fallen.

She had been slightly cut on the chest, but she could land lightly from this height. Before even landing, Ruby planned her next move in the fight.

‘He will run in one of three directions. I can’t see well, but if I focus on three directions, I can find him. I’ll track him down and then figure out five ways to break him.’

Ruby prepared to run as soon as she landed, but contrary to her thoughts, she landed on her back instead of her feet.

“Huh?”

He was catapulted high into the air like a ball, only to fall and collide with the ground once again.

The impact of the collision mixed with the poison’s influence left him unable to regain his senses. Once lost, his sense of balance was not easily recovered, making it difficult to even stand up.

“Damn it. I should have focused on landing properly rather than the next attack.”

Ruby placed his hands on the ground, gasping for breath, waiting for his balance and vision to return. But they did not. His vision remained blurry, and the dizziness persisted.

Ruby staggered to his feet.

First, he surveyed the spot where the Buffalord should have fallen. Only traces of the fall remained; the creature was nowhere to be seen. It seemed to have fled in one of three directions. However, having missed the moment, he could not determine which way it had gone.

With his dulled senses, Ruby couldn’t tell if the Buffalord had simply fled or if it was hiding somewhere, preparing for another ambush.

“If it has fled, I can’t catch it in my current state. And it won’t attack again. That means it’s targeting Sapp. Taking her hostage would be easier than facing me head-on.”

Ruby turned and headed towards the spot where Sapp was hiding.

“But why is Sapp alone? Where’s Jade? They should be together. If Sapp is captured by that dark beast, does that mean something has happened to Jade?”

Instead of Sapp, a large, unfamiliar figure stood in her place.

“Am I seeing things?”

Ruby shook his head vigorously, scattering the poison and saliva from his face.

The strange figure was still there upon a second look.

“It’s not a hallucination.”

The figure was a black-skinned orc with dark fur.

Ruby had encountered many orcs in the past, as well as elves and dwarves. They were strong races that stimulated his fighting spirit and taught him many combat skills, both directly and indirectly. But he had never seen a black-skinned orc before.

“Who are you? There was no sign of your approach. Is this also because of the poison?”

Ruby took a deep breath and glared at the orc.

The orc said something, but it was inaudible. Ruby’s ears were ringing. He realized that the forest’s noises had also disappeared.

“I’ve lost my hearing. This is bad.”

His senses were gone, leaving only instinct.

Instinct warned Ruby.

“This one is strong.”

Stronger than any demon he had encountered since being released from the temple.

Perhaps even more than the Angel Chief he met five hundred years ago…

Sapp was startled by another monster blocking her view. She thought she had been taken hostage again. But the orc reassured her with a deep, calm voice.

“Sapp, right? Don’t worry. I’ve come to help at Jade’s request.”

“Father Jade?”

“Questions later.”

The black-furred orc held a bow nearly as tall as Sapp and muttered as he placed a large arrow suitable for the bow.

“Quite skilled, to fight Buffalord to such an extent.”

He pulled the bowstring, aiming at something.

Sapp mustered the courage to ask the orc.

“Are you… aiming at Ruby right now?”

The orc held his aim for a moment before lowering the bow.

“No, Buffalord. But that one always has quick wits. He’s escaped again.”

“Is Ruby alright?”

“For now. Look, there she comes.”

Soon, Sapphire’s eyes caught sight of Ruby staggering towards them. However, upon spotting the orc, she immediately prepared for battle.

“Don’t worry. Jade sent her to help us.”

The orc repeated the same words to Ruby.

Ruby, still unsteady, suddenly flung her chain.

The orc caught the thrown chain with his hand and bellowed,

“I am not the enemy.”

The orc, still wary of Ruby, asked Sapphire,

“Does this one not understand the language of elves?”

“No, Ruby knows all languages!”

“Then does she attack anyone indiscriminately?”

“Not at all! She’s aggressive, yes, but always converses with her opponent and sets her own criteria before engaging in battle.”

After explaining to the orc, Sapphire shouted at Ruby,

“Ruby, this person is not an enemy!”

Whether this orc was who he claimed to be and truly sent by Jade was uncertain, but somehow, he seemed trustworthy.

Above all, this orc did not carry the distinctive stench of demons. Instead, he was surrounded by a fresh, grassy scent. However, to Ruby, it might have appeared as if Sapphire was being held hostage, prompting her to step forward assertively in front of the orc.

“He’s here to help us. We mustn’t fight.” Ruby, not listening, threw another chain with her other hand. The orc caught it as well.

Ruby spoke in a poorly pronounced voice, stuttering,

“Sapphire, run. Leave this one to me…”

Sapphire quickly realized,

“Her ears, she can’t hear! Right, she was poisoned earlier and said her vision was impaired.”

Ruby was barely breathing, and her unfocused eyes looked elsewhere.

The orc groaned softly,

“Poisoned by Heldra? Then she’s doomed. Before she loses her mind and causes more trouble, I have no choice but to kill her…”

“She won’t die!”

“Heldra’s poison kills anyone within 10 minutes of infection. There’s a cure, but we can’t get there in time. It’s better to give her a peaceful end now…”

“Ruby will hold on longer!”

Sapphire yelled loudly, her voice echoing through the forest.

Even she was surprised by the volume of her own voice. The orc looked down at her, momentarily startled.

Sapphire, emboldened, emphasized once more,

“I stake my life on it.”

“Is that so? Then let’s keep her alive for now.”

The orc spoke as if he were going to catch a rabbit, released one chain, and tossed his bow aside. Then he yanked the chain he was holding.

Ruby resisted for a moment, then used the recoil to spring forward. She moved so fast that Sapphire couldn’t see her.

The orc deflected Ruby’s punch and rammed his shoulder into her chest.

Ruby let out a choked sound and slumped over the orc’s shoulder. And with that, the situation was resolved.

‘Ruby has…’

Sapphire was not pleased to see Ruby subdued; instead, she was bewildered.

‘…lost?’

The orc muttered in a matter-of-fact tone,

“This one is faster than I thought. If she were in her normal state, capturing her would have been difficult.”

The orc, carrying Ruby, pulled out a long awl from his waistband.

Sapphire rushed in and grabbed the orc’s forearm.

“What are you going to do with that?”

“It must be inserted into her neck. Let go.” The orc said with a menacing look.

“I can’t let go!”

Sapphire shook her head.

“Then hold on.”

The orc raised his hand and stabbed the awl into Ruby’s nape.

Sapphire could only hang from his forearm, watching Ruby being pierced.