Chapter 57: Ogres in the Highlands

I entered the mountains of my Garrison, following the stream up toward the summit.

‘Should I check out my territory?’

It was just my desire to see my entire Garrison with my own two eyes.

So I walked diligently along the river from morning, and managed to reach the top around midday.

“Wow.”

I let out a sigh as I gazed at the scenery that spread before me in a single glance.

Beyond my mansion, which looked quite refined, I could see the sea.

The sea stretched so far that its end was nowhere in sight, boasting a clear, deep blue. Above, the sky was dotted with clouds like tufts of cotton candy.

“Beautiful.”

It was Irene, voicing exactly what I felt in my heart. I simply nodded in response, since I felt the same.

Lowering my gaze, I looked at the farmland behind my mansion.

In the wide fields, the logs selected through the lumber work were lined up in rows. My slaves were moving those logs.

All of them were heading toward the western side of the Garrison.

Some logs had already been transported there and were being stacked high. That seemed to be the site where the walls would be built.

I’d received a report that the construction site was moved a bit forward compared to the original plan, but it looked like it had been moved quite a lot, not just a little.

I shifted my gaze to the other side.

There, a massive forest spread out before me.

The forest adjoining the cliff had been partially cleared at the entrance, so that part was visible, but behind it, the woods stretched so deep that their end was impossible to see.

However, as I let my gaze wander further along the forest, I grew a bit puzzled.

“Should I call that damaged? Or ruined? That looks like a road?”

At the end of the forest, near a small mountain, there was a section that seemed to have once been a road.

The reason I thought so was because that spot had noticeably fewer trees, and if you drew a straight line, it led right toward my Garrison.

The trees there were also much smaller than the others, mostly young saplings.

“I’ll have to check that out later.”

For a while, I simply admired my territory.

When I overlaid the map we’d drawn not long ago, my anticipation only grew.

“Let’s go back.”

I turned around.

I had planned a month for hunting.

Within a month, I’d gather as many Magic Stones as possible, return to the Garrison, and devote the winter to Artifact Creation.

Today’s goal was to reach the end of the area I’d explored before.

If I walked diligently, I could reach it by nightfall.

So I hurried my steps.

***

A week had passed since I entered the mountains.

In that time, there hadn’t been many monsters to face.

All I encountered were wild animals, which Irene could easily take care of without me needing to use a single spell.

I consistently used detection magic to look for prey, but aside from the Wolf pack and the Orc Village near the Garrison’s edge, there weren’t any other monsters around.

“Nothing here either.”

“Hmm, just traces that a village was here.”

Occasionally, while wandering the mountains, I found traces of monster villages—rotting corpses and piles of bones.

All that remained there were huge footprints and clear signs of battle.

“It looks like a predator appeared.”

That was the only logical conclusion.

After all, even the Orcs near the Garrison had been driven down the mountain, despite the fact that it wasn’t even the harshest part of winter yet.

Most likely, a predator swept through the area, devouring everything, and the Orcs came down in search of food. That seemed to be the most plausible answer.

“Could it be an Ogre?”

“Ogre?”

Irene brought up the Ogre, known as the Tyrant among surface monsters and called the strongest of them all.

There aren’t that many Ogres, but whenever they appear, they cause catastrophic damage.

Would they be called Tyrants and the strongest for nothing? They’re just that powerful and fearsome.

To deal with an Ogre, you’d need to be at least a 7th Circle mage or a Swordmaster.

Even then, there’s no guarantee you could defeat one.

Why else would the title ‘Ogre Slayer’ exist?

At present, there are only two beings on the entire Creseria Continent with the title of Ogre Slayer.

One is a Duke of the Pecaboris Empire, and the other is the one known as the Mercenary King.

If such an Ogre attacked, my Garrison would be wiped out in an instant, and after the pillage, even the Londinium Empire Administration would be on high alert. It would become a huge problem for the Londinium Empire as well.

“Come on, no way.”

I didn’t think it was an Ogre.

If it really was, the only answer would be to run immediately.

No matter how exceptional my traits are, there’s a limit.

That was when it happened.

KROOAAAR!

An earth-shaking roar echoed through the mountains, reaching both my and Irene’s ears.

CRASH! BAM! BAM! BOOM!

And from far away, I heard the sound of trees crashing and breaking, and then the ground began to tremble.

Since we were on high ground, we could spot the source of the commotion from afar.

“Ah, damn it, we’re screwed.”

The being running toward us was an Ogre.

An Ogre had really appeared.

“Damn, this is insane. Why are there two of them?”

What was even more shocking was that there were two Ogres.

It was enough to drive anyone mad.

I stared intently at the two Ogres. Though they were a fair distance away, I could see them clearly enough.

“Are they youngsters?”

I couldn’t help but think so.

From what I’d heard, Ogres were at least 310 units tall and could grow up to 50 units—an enormous size.

But those Ogres I saw were just over 211, clearly not fully grown.

But an Ogre was still an Ogre.

Whatever they were fighting, every swing of their arms knocked over tall trees, kicking up clouds of dirt and dust.

It looked like a disaster had struck.

As I watched more closely, I finally spotted what the two Ogres were fighting.

“What, a Troll too?”

Their opponent was a Troll.

That monster with green skin and immense vitality.

A fully grown Troll usually surpassed 207 units, and that Troll was definitely an adult.

Trolls can be handled as long as you have someone skilled enough. Of course, they’re still tremendously powerful monsters, so you have to be careful.

I’d rather the Troll win.

It’d be much easier to deal with a Troll than an Ogre.

The battle between the two Ogres and the Troll was truly intense.

The massive wooden club swung by the Ogre was as thick as a person’s torso, and every time it swung, trees and even the earth and rocks around seemed to scream out.

And there were two Ogres.

The Troll wasn’t wielding any special weapon.

Instead, everything nearby became a weapon.

He’d swing chunks of fallen wood, hurl rocks, or use his fists and feet to fight hand-to-hand.

The fight started out evenly matched.

Neither side was giving an inch.

But as time passed, the outcome became clear.

“KUWEEE!”

One Ogre’s club struck the Troll in a rather bad spot.

With a sickening sound, blood gushed out.

Watching that scene made a cold sweat pour down my back, and I couldn’t help but imagine the excruciating pain in my mind.

“Ouch…”

The Troll collapsed forward, knees clamped tightly together.

Just from his posture, it was clear where he’d been hit.

“At a time like that, all you can do is think of your parents and endure the pain.”

I thought of the only way to overcome that kind of pain.

But the Troll had no such chance.

THUD! THUD! THUD! SMACK!

Both Ogres began beating the Troll’s back relentlessly.

It was a merciless clubbing.

Not long after, the Troll fell to the ground, lifeless.

“KRAAAAH!”

The two victorious Ogres roared in triumph.

Their victorious howl echoed through the mountains, but since they were my enemies, not allies, it only filled me with fear.

“This isn’t good…”

That was all I could think.

Of course I’d feel that way.

There were two Ogres—the Tyrants and worst monsters of the surface—right here in this mountain.

Luckily, they weren’t fully grown. If I had encountered two adult Ogres, the only answer would be to sell my territory and run away for real.

But I couldn’t just leave the Ogres be.

It was better to kill them while they were still immature.

That would increase my chances.

“Do you think we can take those Ogres?”

I asked Irene.

She answered all too easily.

“If it’s you, Master, you can do it. The Darkrai swordsmanship is perfect for fighting giant monsters like those.”

She brought up the family swordsmanship and said it was possible.

Damn, does she want me dead? I looked into Irene’s eyes, but they were full of trust and conviction.

“Sigh…”

I had to think of a good plan.

For now, I’d retreat and find a safe place to spend the night.

If those Ogres spotted us, it would mean death—no question.

I took Irene and moved as far away from the Ogres as possible.

***

After encountering the two Ogres, I spent the next three days running into countless monsters in the mountains.

There were Lizardmen, who usually live in the swamps, Warbears and other beast-type monsters, and all sorts of smaller ones like Goblins and Kobolds—all fleeing from the Ogres.

The problem was that they were all heading toward the Garrison, so I had no choice but to hunt as many as I could.

If I left them alone, not only would it bring harm to the Garrison, but the entire ecosystem could collapse.

What if the waterfall atop the mountain became polluted?

All the crops would be ruined, and everyone living here would die as well.

So I busied myself, hunting every last monster.

“Fire Spear, Wind Spear!”

The skills I conjured flew toward the horde of Goblins ahead.

Thunk! Boom!

Two were killed on the spot, and I rushed in, swinging my sword.

“Spinning Blade!”

In the midst of the Goblins, I swung my sword wide.

-Skill ‘Spinning Blade’ has leveled up.

Seven Goblins at my feet fell in a heap.

“Irene, check if there are any Magic Stones.”

“Yes, sir.”

At my words, Irene, who’d been standing a bit away, came over quickly.

Right now, we were focused on only two things.

I hunted any monsters moving toward the Garrison, and Irene checked the bodies for Magic Stones.

We only cared about the Garrison and Magic Stones.

Thanks to my relentless effort, there were no more monsters heading for the Garrison.

Instead, they were moving down the mountain or staying put.

None of them tried to go back.

The Magic Stones kept piling up, and just as I thought I might finally leave the mountains, something happened.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

“Ah, damn it, that Ogre bastard…”

Off in the distance, the Ogre started moving in my direction.