Chapter 20

Chapter 20: Gray Wolf II

[Race] Goblin

[Level] 12

[Class] Duke; Horde Chief

[Possessed Skills] > > > > > > > > > > > >

[Divine Protection] Goddess of the Underworld, Altesia

[Attributes] Darkness, Death

[Subordinate Beasts] Kobold (Lv9)

[Abnormal Status] >

The gray wolf was 2 meters long, making it bigger than me . Scars could be seen here and there on its gray fur . But those scars did not give the image of weakness, instead it exuded an aura of experience .

Wolves with a small build and brown fur followed the gray wolf . There were 20 of them, but in contrast to the fearsomeness of that gray wolf, those wolves were but fodder .

Now, although we might be inside a forest, it’s not as if there’re trees abound everywhere equally . There are also some places where the trees are less dense, and some areas that are plains . And the gray wolf chose the plains, an area with little trees, for their hunt .

I need to buy time for Gi Gu and the others until they’re able to find a way out, and run back to the village .

As I thought that to myself, I looked on at the approaching threat .

I have never fought with a gray wolf before, but I know… that thing is without a doubt formidable! Yet despite that, I couldn’t help but smile .

––– Strong? Formidable? What’s that got to do with me? A place like this isn’t fit to be my grave!

At those thoughts, I raised my voice, and ordered the goblins,

“I will hold the rear! Now, run!”

At my voice, the goblins ran with the escorts .

The attacking wolves formed a line as they began to close in, their fangs ready to strike from a multitude of angles .

“Let my body be inviolable (shield),” I chanted .

I braced myself for the oncoming fight, and casted a shield over my body, keeping the damage to the absolute minimum .

Just dodging won’t be good enough in this fight . Even if I were to dodge all of their attacks, that won’t be good enough to create an opening for a counterattack .

One of the wolves went after my legs from my lower right . Another tried to seal my arms from the opposite side . And from behind me, another leaped, aiming for my neck .

Everything happened in the blink of an eye . A speed at which Iron Second couldn’t possibly hope to reach . The small stature of the wolves didn’t help as the colossal size of my sword in contrast to their dwarfed stature left me in an uncomfortable position .

Yet despite that, I swung my sword .

With an overbearing strength that could summon winds, I swung my sword . Iron Second flashed, and the wolves before me were cut in halves . The sword completed its swing, but it rested not . Following the trajectory it had come from, the sword returned, and in its path, it blew the remaining frightened wolf away, sending it into the air .

The [Skill] > had shown its worth .

My dignity in full display, I bellowed out an earthshattering howl, activating the [Skill] > .

“GURUuuRUAA!”

With it, my foes stopped in their tracks, unable to move .

––– Now, what will you do?

The gray wolf before me remained unperturbed .

Perhaps it’s planning to leave the hunt solely to its subordinate wolves without lifting a finger, but I can’t have that . Of course, killing all of these wolves isn’t a problem for me, but that’s not the problem . The problem is that there’s a possibility that the wolves might just ignore me, head straight for the main unit instead, and kill the non-combatants one after another .

That result is unacceptable . Which is precisely why I must show my strength, and keep them pinned here . When their leader comes to understand that it’s not possible to defeat me unless it personally comes to fight, then it will make its move . And once it does, its subordinates will stay in order to protect it .

And as expected, regardless of how composed that graywolf was, it still took a step forward from its pack .

–––Oh? So you feel like doing it?

The subordinate wolves were already that fast . What more this gray wolf? I’ll have to pay careful attention, and make sure to accurately measure the distance between us .

“UwooUUwooUu!”

At the gray wolf’s howl, its body turned into a blur .

Before I knew it, my body was in midair . A blow had hit me from the side, sending me into the air into a flip .

–––Fast!

Although it got me, thanks to the shield I casted earlier, I didn’t receive any fatal damage . Only, my chances of winning had just gotten dimmer .

How am I supposed to fight against something that’s so fast I can’t see it?

–––No, right now, my focus isn’t to kill it, but to buy time . I shouldn’t –

As I was ruminating on the situation, the wolf turned into a blur again .

I felt a blow land on me, and I was sent into the air again . Then the gray wolf calmly closed in on me .

–––Not good! At this rate, I’m going to lose!

Who is the hunter? Who is the hunted? At that moment, the gray wolf had clearly answered that question .

◆◆◆

With a slash from its long sword, Gi Gu slayed the brown wolf before it . Then it looked behind .

Gi Gu’s revered chief had not yet returned .

The first time Gi Gu had caught sight of that chief, he was already far stronger than Gi Gu . A blue-skinned body that was far bigger than Gi Gu’s .

That memory left in the goblin a sense of fear that to this day ruled over it .

Gi Gu had after all only become the leader of the horde because of its predecessors’ death . A position that merely rolled over to its feet so to speak .

There were no goblin rares during that time either .

Gi Gu believed in its own fortune . And at the same time, it had hoped not to repeat its predecessors’ mistake .

And just as Gi Gu had hoped, in its time as chief of its horde, they were able to gather more food . And they had even succeeded in catching humans .

But then that goblin came . And it easily slayed their enemies . And once again, Gi Gu and its horde had found themselves under someone’s lead again .

But this time, they were far more numerous than before . And their food supplies were even more abundant . So much so that they probably would never taste the pain of starvation ever again .

Then there was that time when Gi Gu first learned the taste of the double head’s meat . It was a taste that he would never forget .

But that goblin was not content, no . That goblin carried with him a frightening ambition . He wished to gather under him the numerous goblin villages .

And that ambition sparked desire in Gi Gu’s eyes .

Each time Gi Gu saw the chief, fire would light from inside its heart .

But whether these feelings that Gi Gu felt were loyalty or jealousy, Gi Gu did not know .

Gi Gu knew only one thing . The chief leaving would be problematic .

That alone Gi Gu understood .

…The king hasn’t come yet, thought Gi Gu .

“Gi Go,” called Gi Gu out to the newly added goblin rare .

The goblins were currently struggling hard against the wave of wolves before them as they fought to make a path of retreat .

“Keep going like that!” ordered Gi Gu .

Then Gi Gu ordered the opposite to its own men .

“Come! We need to save the king!”

◆◆◆

Without trying to bite at me, the wolves rammed themselves against me as the gray wolf waited for me to run out of strength .

That overly calculating fighting style rendered me powerless . If only the wolves would come to bite at me, then I might still have some chance at winning so long as I’m able to stop one or two of them . But the gray wolf continued to have the wolves relentlessly throw themselves at me, while it waited outside of my range, rushing towards me from time to time in a speed I can’t match . And each and every time I would be sent flying .

“GU, RUuuu…”

Using my sword like a cane, I helped myself up .

Even though I know they’re just trying to tire me, I can’t let up the shield, otherwise, the surrounding wolves will tear me to pieces . I don’t have any other choice, but to cast my shield, and try to kill the wolves to the best of my abilities .

The situation is getting bleaker and bleaker .

But at the same time, there’s no other path for me to take .

What to do?

But then right at that moment, the area behind me suddenly became noisy .

I saw Gi Gu kick away the wolves surrounding me as it came to my side with reinforcements .

“Chief, please return,” said Gi Gu .

Thank you, I thought .

Only, this still leaves us with the problem of the enemy here . But…

“I understand . We’ll retreat like this . Restrain the wolves!” I ordered .

And slowly we retreated, carefully making sure that the wolves won’t be able to surround us .

The wolves probably chose a place with few trees because of their fighting style . So in that case, retreating to a place with plenty of trees should increase our chances of winning .

“UwoooUuUUu!”

At the gray wolf’s howl, the subordinate wolves spread apart, widening their surround over us .

“Gi Gu, keep your guard up as we enter the forest . ”

As I gripped my sword, I kept my gaze on the gray wolf . I slowly retreated, and the gray wolf calmly closed in on us .

So long as we keep this, we’ll be able to retreat as soon as we enter the forest .

But as I thought that to myself, I let my guard down . It was only a moment, yet it was at that very moment that the gray wolf attacked, and my response was too slow . At the very moment where we were about to enter the forest, away from the flatlands, the gray wolf vanished, and it instantly closed the gap between us .

“UwoooUUun!”

That loud bellow shook the earth .

Behind me was a tree, in front of me was the unstopping rushing gray wolf . At the same time, the brown wolves closed in from all directions .

“Gi Gu, run! Don’t let –“

Without even any time to give any orders, the gray wolf sent me flying . My body slammed into the trees, and the force of the trees breaking passed through the shield into my body .

After two or three bounces, I stood up .

“Gu, Ku…”

As I stood up, I braced myself for the wolves’ next attack, but it didn’t come . Not the gray wolf, nor the wolves surrounding Gi Gu could be seen . All of them were gone without exception .

–––Did they let us go?

Staggering, the worst scenario flashed through the back of my head .

–––Don’t tell me, they…

“Gi Gu, we’re heading for the main unit!”

I struck my unmoving legs, and I began to sprint for the main unit .

“Release,” I muttered .

As the darkness surrounding me receded, Gi Gu and I made way for the main unit at full speed .

◆◇◇◆◆◇◇◆

For driving away the gray wolf, your level has risen .

12 => 14

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