Chapter 21

The barrage of arrows turned the ogres into porcupines in the blink of an eye.

It didn’t stop there.

Swish!

A chain-tipped iron spike shot from the giant crossbow mounted on a wheeled cart, piercing through the ogres’ bodies.

“Uaaaaaah!”

“Kreeeeeh!”

The ogres were unable to put up a proper resistance against Iota’s army’s ambush.

Exhausted and worn out from fighting each other, they had no strength left to fight back against the human attack.

Thud!

Bang! Boom!

One by one, the ogres fell.

“Keep firing.”

But Oto refused to deploy his troops, insisting on long-range attacks.

‘He’s so cold-blooded.’

Camille was inwardly surprised.

‘To not give an attack order even in this situation…’

It was a perfect time to issue a charge order.

Yet, Oto only gave orders for long-range attacks.

As if he was reluctant for the soldiers to get close to the ogres…

And that was indeed the case.

“Kreeeeeh…”

“Uuuuuh…”

Even as the ogres were on the verge of death, Oto did not give the charge order.

“Cease fire!”

“Cease fire here too!”

Oto only gave the charge order after they ran out of arrows.

“Charge!”

Oto finally issued the charge order.

“Waaaaaah!”

“Seize them!”

The soldiers rushed in and mercilessly stabbed the nearly dead ogres, ending their lives.

There was no close combat.

It was merely a slaughter of the dying ogres…

“Waaaaaah!”

The soldiers let out a victorious cheer.

During the years Oto had been tyrannical, the Iota army hadn’t even hunted goblins, let alone ogres.

So, it was natural for their morale to soar after successfully hunting ogres.

“Congratulations on the victory.”

Camille knelt on one knee before Oto.

“Don’t be. This is just the beginning.”

There were about 40-50 ogres in the area.

To wipe them out, this operation would need to be repeated 3-4 more times.

“Still, a victory is a victory.”

“Thank you.”

Oto smiled.

“Let’s return and rest.”

“Understood.”

Thus, the first ogre extermination operation was successfully concluded.

* * *

As Camille was surprised, Oto’s strategy was thoroughly pragmatic, pursuing extreme efficiency.

Oto lured the female ogres to where the males were, made them fight each other, and only used long-range attacks to gain an advantage, avoiding any direct conflict.

It was as if he wouldn’t tolerate even a single casualty…

Indeed, even after four ogre extermination operations, no soldiers had died or been injured.

There were a few minor injuries, like sprained ankles or scratches from branches, but that was all.

‘If I ever met a commander using such strategies and tactics on the battlefield…’

Camille was deeply impressed by Oto’s tactics.

‘Just thinking about it makes me feel suffocated.’

It was clear to Camille now, as it had been when facing the Condor before, that Oto never fought a losing battle.

Oto set up the victory before the battle even began.

Thus, there was no need for reckless moves or taking losses.

He just needed to thoroughly pressure and toy with the enemy until they collapsed on their own.

So, from the enemy’s perspective, it felt like being wrung out in a wringer.

‘When did he study such strategies and tactics…’

Camille found Oto’s transformation both strange and astonishing.

“Is this the last one? Lulala.”

Oto looked very pleased.

“You seem happy.”

“The ogre extermination is almost over. This area will become a trade route for merchants, and I’ll collect tolls regularly. Hehehe.”

“Do you like money that much?”

“Of course, don’t you?”

Oto asked as if it were the most obvious thing.

“The most important thing for a poor guy like us is money. Our finances are already tight.”

“You’re right.”

“The timing is also good.”

“Really…?”

“Yeah~”

Oto joked.

“Just in time, a promising merchant guild might become our first customer, trying to meet their delivery deadline~.”

“…?”

“If that guild has great potential and could grow big, and if we build a good relationship, we could both win… something like that?”

“Well… it would be nice if that happened, but whether it will actually happen….”

Camille didn’t take Oto’s words seriously.

She just saw it as Oto’s wish.

Meanwhile, the final ogre extermination operation proceeded very smoothly.

The operation was nearing its end.

“Uaaaaaah!”

“Uuuh! Uaaaaaah!”

The male ogres, who had been knocked out, were being fought over by the female ogres, who were engaged in a fierce battle.

All they had to do was wait for the female ogres to tire out.

“It’s time to give the attack order.”

“Shall I? All troops, charge!”

As Oto gave the order, the soldiers began to run towards the exhausted ogres.

However,

“Something is flying this way!”

A knight pointed to the distant sky and shouted.

‘No way…’

A sudden thought crossed Oto’s mind.

‘Is it already…?’

He looked up at the sky.

A giant lion with wings was approaching at an alarming speed.

The problem was that the lion had more than one head.

“Roar!”

The large head in the center was a lion’s, but the other two were not.

“Squawk!”

“Bleat!”

On either side of the lion’s head were a wyvern’s head and a goat’s head.

Chimera.

A terrifying monster that could eat ogres as a snack.

“Why are you… here?”

Oto looked at the Chimera with a bewildered expression.

* * *

Oto knew that a Chimera lived in the area.

The Chimera was an event monster that appeared randomly, usually after a character’s awakening.

Of course, very rarely, in about one in a thousand games, it would appear in the early stages.

Gamer Kim Dojin had experienced this absurd situation before.

The game started, and the Chimera appeared, turning the territory into a wasteland and swallowing Oto de Scuderi whole, resulting in a game over.

However, this incident only happened once in thousands of games, and even Oto’s memory of it was hazy.

Sometimes, the Chimera never appeared throughout the game, so it wasn’t particularly on his mind.

But for the Chimera to appear at this moment…

“Retreat, retreat!”

Oto shouted.

“Quickly, all troops, retreat! Scatter!”

Oto didn’t intend to fight the Chimera.

Why?

The Chimera wasn’t a monster that could be defeated by ordinary soldiers firing arrows.

“Scatter! Run to the dense forest! Run as far as you can!”

Camille also agreed with Oto’s judgment and issued a retreat order.

However, the Chimera didn’t seem to have any intention of letting the fleeing soldiers go.

To the Chimera, humans were tender, delicious snacks.

So, it wouldn’t stop hunting just because the soldiers were running.

Whoosh!

The Chimera, diving almost vertically, pounced on a fleeing soldier.

Crunch!

It began to tear the soldier apart while still alive.

“Aaaaaah!!!”

A terrified soldier’s scream echoed.

Regardless of life or death, the fear of being torn apart by a lion, wyvern, and goat simultaneously was unimaginably terrifying.

Grit!

Oto clenched his teeth at the horrific scene.

Why?

Anger outweighed fear.

He wanted to kill the Chimera that was greedily devouring the soldiers.

“This brat.”

Oto unconsciously pulled out the “Kairos’ Punishment” item from his inventory.

The only way to defeat the Chimera now was to use “Kairos’ Punishment” to strike it down.

“Camille, I leave the rear to you.”

Oto turned to Camille, left those words, and launched himself at the Chimera.

Swoosh!

A chilling cold swept over him, and an unknown power began to surge.

The very power that had destroyed the terrifying Condor, who had become a fearsome being through a contract with a demon!

- I have one question.

At that moment, Kairos’ soul spoke to Oto.

* * *

‘What is it? Speak quickly.’

Oto answered Kairos’ question in his mind.

- Did Argon unify the continent and receive the title of Emperor?

‘Yes, he did.’

- What happened after that?

‘What happened to what?’

- Is the empire he built still standing?

‘It’s gone now. About 150 years ago, right?’

- …I see.

Kairos’ voice sounded somewhat bitter.

- I understand. Thank you for telling me.

‘Why did you ask that suddenly?’

- I was just curious. Whether the empire he built, even after betraying me, still stood.

‘Ah?’

- It seems you need power.

‘Yes.’

- I’ll lend it to you for a while. In return….

Kairos set a condition.

- When the time comes that you no longer need my power… destroy the mace.

‘What do you mean by that suddenly?’

- Being betrayed by a sworn brother, someone I trusted and cherished like a real brother, was a deep regret. I couldn’t close my eyes, feeling wronged and resentful.

‘Hmm.’

- That’s why my soul couldn’t leave this world and remained in the mace. But now, I can’t take revenge, as too much time has passed.

‘So?’

- When the time comes that you no longer need my power… melt the mace.

‘What?!’

- What’s the point of staying in this world when there’s no one to take revenge on? I didn’t live a life of lingering resentment. It’s better to go to the afterlife cleanly than to remain in this world attached to a mace.

Hearing this, Oto thought that perhaps Kairos wasn’t the terrifying tyrant recorded in history.

Of course, he didn’t let his guard down, as hasty trust could lead to betrayal.

- What do you think? I won’t try to take over your body anymore. In return, when the time comes, melt the mace. Now, I want to rest.

‘Alright, let’s do it that way.’

Oto decided to accept Kairos’ offer.

After all, once he awakened and grew to a certain level, he wouldn’t need “Kairos’ Punishment” anymore.

It seemed like a good idea to destroy the mace and allow Kairos’ soul to rest.

- Fine. I’ll help you defeat that monster.

‘How…?’

- Throw the mace.

‘Throw it?’

- Just throw it!

‘Alright.’

Oto threw the mace with all his might as Kairos instructed.

Whoosh!

The mace began to fly towards the Chimera at an incredible speed.

The Chimera was not easily intimidated.

Swish!

Recognizing the mace flying towards it, the Chimera slightly twisted its body and swung its snake-like tail like a whip.

- Sssss! Sssss!

Just as the Chimera’s tail was about to deflect the mace.

Whoosh!

The mace, which had been flying in a straight line, suddenly changed its trajectory and dodged the tail.

Whoosh!

Bang!

The mace struck the goat’s head among the Chimera’s three heads.

“…!”

Oto was startled by the scene.

What just happened?

Could it be… sword technique???