Please give the novel a rating or a review on NovelUpdates
———-

Chapter 86: Beating Back the Orc Assault

Orcs! They actually caught an orc!

A living orc! Kill that brute!

Reiner dragged the orc’s mangled body with a rope and hauled him back to the city.

His actions drew plenty of attention along the way.

Reiner dragged the orc to a soldier.

“He’s yours; they plan to raid the city, so interrogate him fast before we miss our chance and suffer irreparable losses.”

The soldier shouldering a long-hafted axe took the rope and nodded slightly, saying, “Much obliged; may I have your name…?”

“Reiner, an adventurer passing through,” Reiner replied. “When I have downtime I’m in the tavern, so if there’s a reward just give it to the barkeep for me.”

The soldier nodded woodenly.

Having made more money today, Reiner headed for the Adventurers’ Guild to cash in, then planned to swing by the tavern to see what decent food was on offer.

He meant to buy some and bring it back to treat Nora.

She had really earned it today.

Unable to resist, Reiner planted a kiss on Nora’s cheek.

Just then Elyanna tugged Reiner’s sleeve and asked in all seriousness, “Reiner, did they just say they intend to attack the town?”

“Yes, they did. Why?”

“Then we need to stay on guard; if the orcs notice their comrade missing, they might launch the assault early.”

“Really?”

“In recent years the orcs invaded several times; they finally took heavy losses and stopped bothering us, so I know their habits.”

No sooner had Elyanna finished than Nora pricked up her ears.

They all heard a stirring blast of horns and looked up in unison.

Flaming boulders were falling from the sky toward the town.

Elyanna raised her staff high, and a cerulean defense barrier unfolded with a complex magic circle.

The rocks slammed into the town one after another, making the ground shake without pause.

The rubble-built city wall could not withstand the impact and, after only a few hits, was smashed open.

Screams erupted all around.

Boulders crashed into Elyanna’s barrier, and the burning stones turned to dust as they passed through, showering several people.

Her barrier flickered a couple of times but held.

Elyanna gritted her teeth and endured.

Fortunately, the stone rain had ceased.

Panting, Elyanna said, “Reiner, the orcs are charging… let’s run!”

Reiner looked at the breach where several orcs had already rushed in, roaring savagely as they bolted toward the crowds.

The next instant a thick earth wall shot up from the ground and sealed the gap.

Reiner had acted.

Even so, several short orcs riding black wolves vaulted onto the wall.

Wielding long spears, they moved with agility in tight packs and quickly speared the soldiers standing on the crumbling rampart.

“Daisy, you and Elyanna find somewhere safe to hide and stay out of the fight if you can.”

“Yes!”

“Wait! I… I can help… “

Elyanna did not finish before Daisy dragged her away.

“Martina, hack as you like, just don’t stray too far from us.”

“Got it!” She donned her helmet and sprinted out.

She soon fixed on a tall, burly orc.

One might have expected an even match, yet Martina merely feinted once and cleaved the moment the orc left an opening, killing him outright.

Before long, soldiers in chainmail wielding pole-axes arrived from all directions to reinforce the wall.

The situation came under control quickly.

Junice asked Reiner, “What should we do?”

“They don’t look completely disorganized, so there has to be a commander giving orders; let’s see if we can find him and take him out.”

Reiner conjured a stone ladder, climbed the wall, and saw several squat siege carts rolling out of the forest.

Junice chanted a spell and hurled a Fireball at them.

The orcs pushing the carts went up in flames, yet the carts themselves remained unscathed.

Seeing droplets in the wheel tracks, Junice suddenly understood and said, “They soaked the siege carts in water.”

In this bitter cold, freezing the wooden wheels would stop them dead.

“Never mind… just keep burning the orcs and don’t let the carts get close.”

Nora suddenly tugged Reiner’s shoulder and pointed to several tall standards raised deep in the woods.

A horn sounded, and the orc war banners swayed gently.

If he was right, that had to be where their chieftain was.

He was about to unleash a big Fireball when Junice beside him cried out.

An arrow had pierced her right arm.

Reiner quickly pressed her down, hid behind the wall, and began charging a Fireball in secret.

Boom!

The gate was being rammed by a siege cart, the broken-stone wall beneath them shook, and rocks kept tumbling down.

Ignoring any complaints the tree-hugging elves might have, Reiner jerked up and fired a Fireball larger than half his body toward the fluttering banners.

The Fireball dwindled in his sight, and a few seconds later a powerful explosion rocked the forest.

His aim was a bit off, yet the towering vortex of flame needed only 5 seconds to reduce the standards to ashes.

Reiner crouched behind the parapet and poked out half his head to peek.

It was the first time he had directly felt the power of his full-force strike.

It was terrifyingly strong; the blast covered at least 200 meters and turned nearly an entire stretch of forest into a sea of fire.

If those two elves found out, they would surely give him grief again.

At that moment the dull horn sounded once more.

Unlike the earlier rousing blasts, this one sounded dispirited.

Reiner saw the orc soldiers break and run, tossing their axes aside as they scurried back into the woods.

At the same moment the forest fire went out.

It was as if a sheet of dew descended from the sky, snuffing the flames completely.

Reiner noticed that the surrounded orcs, without the slightest hesitation, sliced open their own throats with their axes.

Their decisiveness seemed utterly devoid of fear.

The human soldiers let out a triumphant roar and began hugging one another in celebration.

Martina meanwhile returned to the group.

Her armor was spattered with orc blood.

“These orcs were a bit clever,” Reiner could not help praising.

Martina lifted her chin, a trace of pride in her tone, and said, “They were weak; my great-sword cut through them without effort.”

Reiner looked around and saw many fallen defenders lying on the ground.

It really was just that she was far too strong…

It took several human soldiers to gang up on a single orc warrior, yet Martina cut them down without even blinking.

Just then, Junice beside them suddenly collapsed against Reiner.

Her face was frighteningly pale…

———-
Support the Translation! 🌐✨

Your donations not only show appreciation but also keep the translator motivated! Every contribution helps continue bringing you more of what you love. Thank you for being a part of this journey! 💖

https://www.ko-fi.com/maxoofie