61 – Episode 61
The Wendigo suspected that Osa had received incorrect information, but Osa’s information was accurate.
Gel Mir was greedy and violent, but she was a young girl with the intelligence and cool-headedness to hide her true nature.
When everyone wanted to immediately rip off the traitors’ skin and tear out their bones, Gelmir was patiently waiting for the time to drive them out.
If there had been no incident, Gelmir would have caught the traitors, set an example, and proven that justice exists in the world…
“My…My eyes!!!”
“Gel, Gelmir. Calm down!”
“Did I just tell you to calm down? They, they took the light from me!!!”
Unfortunately, the change was unexpected because it came suddenly. If it was a predictable accident, why would it be called an accident?
What killed the hero was not a monster’s poison or a legendary sword, but a blind arrow shot by an ordinary person.
One arrow flew through the thick fog and tore out Gelmir’s eye.
Gelmir, who lost half the light in the world in a moment of inattention, let out the anger he had been suppressing until now.
“I can’t stand it any longer. I can’t stand it any longer! Now, it doesn’t matter who the traitor is! I will kill all the idiots who fell for him and turn them into food for crows!!!”
Reason cannot overcome emotions.
When Gelmir’s reason was swept away by extreme anger, the chiefs expressed their disapproval and began to stop Gelmir.
Gelmir had no intention of losing his warriors because of his personal grudges.
“Gelmir! You were the one who said we should wait until we hunt down the traitors.”
“Besides, they are also leading the warriors, so if they keep going like this, they will lose… Huh!?”
However, Gelmir lightly dismissed such protests. He grabbed the protesting shaman by the neck and lightly lifted him up.
A mighty force that could not be believed to belong to an old man strangled the shaman…
Wood clack
“Just keep going. If you can convince me, I’ll listen.”
Gelmir, who threw the corpse of the shaman to the floor, looked around with angry eyes and growled.
Those who faced Gelmir’s murderous eyes broke into a cold sweat and quickly looked away.
Who would dare open his mouth when the shaman was unable to resist even before his eyes and his neck was broken?
“… I guess there isn’t one. Then get ready to move. Tell the warriors about the fight and whisper honor.”
“Al, I understand.”
“Great. I will do that.”
Gelmir, who captured the chieftain and the sorcerers at once, pulled out the arrow, scraped up the remains, and stuffed them into his mouth.
He savored the fishy taste and swore that he would pluck out the traitors’ eyes, chew them, and swallow them.
… And the Wendigo, possessed by her crow, was watching.
* · * *
“Oh. Maybe it would have been better to make the commander angry from the beginning.”
“What do you mean by that all of a sudden?”
When the Wendigo watched Gelmir cut off the neck of an allied shaman and was amazed, Geron was dumbfounded and asked the Wendigo.
If you want to check the situation of your enemies, you pretend to be possessed and suddenly ask, “What does that mean?”
As Skadi, the shaman, and even Osa, who had made the mistake this time, looked, the Wendigo released her possession and explained the sight she had seen.
“At the end, Gelmir pulled out the arrow stuck in the eye and chewed it up. To be honest, it wasn’t a good look.”
“Huh. Pulling out the wounded eye and chewing it up… I can’t help but admit it, even though it’s an enemy.”
“That’s right. He is a rough person who can’t be compared to simple warriors.”
“It seems he is not respected by the warriors for nothing.”
“???”
The Wendigo was taken aback as Geron, the shamans, and even Skadi shook their heads. It wasn’t the reaction he expected.
If you say you pulled out your eyes and chewed them up, wouldn’t it be natural for people to think you’re crazy?
“Is that a big deal?”
“Even though he lost his eyes, he still had the will to fight. As someone who was once a warrior, I can’t help but admire him.”
“My mother said that a warrior who overcomes pain and moves forward deserves respect. When I think about it that way, I don’t think Gelmir is an ordinary warrior.”
When even Geron and Skadi, whom she trusted, acknowledged Gel Mir’s bravery, the Wendigo was shocked.
He thought he had adapted to this world quite well, but he still could not easily accept their honor and bravery.
The guy who killed his allies because he couldn’t control his personality is a brave warrior, but isn’t he just a maniac and a rioter?
‘… No matter how violent I act, I’m still worse than the guys in this world.’
The Wendigo didn’t dwell on things she couldn’t understand. If she doesn’t understand, wouldn’t it be best for him to just not care?
Above all, thanks to Gelmir’s violence, or rather his bravery, the two armies will inevitably clash.
“Geron. Tell the warriors to surround them and hide quietly and wait for the signal.”
“What if you say it’s a signal?”
The Wendigo pulled out an ice sword that rose from the ground and held it out to Geron.
“When a roar echoes through the forest, tell them to drive away the enemies at once.”
It was no different from her words that the Wendigo would come forward in person. Geron looked at the Wendigo as if he knew that would happen and nodded her head.
“As expected. I can’t deny that Gelmir is brave, but he’s probably worse than the spirit.”
“……”
“Why are you doing this?”
Geron’s compliment was sincere, but the Wendigo glared at Geron with a straight face.
It must have been said as a compliment, but it felt strange to be associated with Gelmir.
… Maybe they do it even knowingly.
* · * *
“Tear the traitors to death!”
“I knew from the moment the supply was delayed. They were planning to starve us from the beginning and make us weak.”
“f*ck. My shoulder is still throbbing from where I was hit by the arrow. I will definitely split the shoulders of the bowmen.”
Gelmir was not the only one who became angry. Anyone starving with arrows raining from above and supplies cut off was bound to develop a poison.
In such a situation, when Gelmir threatened to gouge out the eyes of the traitors, the warriors advanced with angry shouts.
Of course, the other chieftains were not happy about this situation. The lives of the warriors were their lives, but they were dissatisfied with the fact that the respect of the warriors was directed to Gelmir.
If the warriors who fell in love with Gelmir’s brutality left the tribe, they might suffer losses even after the expedition was over.
Even if you have a lot of loot, if you do not have the power to protect it, it is no different from holding on to an illusion.
And Gelmir also realized that. No matter how much he was swept away by his emotions, his intellect was not completely faded.
‘It might be better… To punish the traitors like this and negotiate with the spirits.’
The reasons why sorcerers became obsessed with sorcery were as varied as their numbers.
Eternal life and resurrection from the dead were common, and some dream of awakening to the truth of the world or entering the halls of the gods in a mortal body…
Gelmir was quite unique among them. The reason he became obsessed with his magic was purely because of his desire for power.
In that sense, the current situation was quite sweet to Gelmir.
The sight of the warriors risking their lives and advancing according to his orders was thrilling.
If they fight for him, it won’t be impossible for the king!
‘… To do that, those guys have to die.’
“Gelmir? Why are you staring at me like that?”
“Shut up and move forward. If you show your back to the enemy or come back without a drop of blood on your weapon, I will personally cut off your head!”
“… I understand.”
The anger that had been burning up until now was easily extinguished in the face of the sweet prey of power, but Gelmir had no intention of giving up the weapon of anger.
As he spewed out anger and scolded the chiefs, they avoided their gaze and stepped forward. Although it was humiliating, it was unavoidable to be afraid of Gelmir.
Gelmir glared at the back of their heads and prayed to the gods for the first time in a long time. I hope that the arrows that flew at him will fly at those guys.
… And his prayer was granted.
“Whoa!?”
“?!”
One of the chieftains who came out to lead the warriors was pierced in the neck by an arrow that flew silently. Gelmir sensed that the arrow was no ordinary arrow.
Unlike the noisy rain of arrows, there was no sign of the arrow that pierced the chief’s neck.
It’s clearly a trick of a shaman or a spirit…
‘On the contrary, this is a good situation for me!’
Gelmir ran forward with a wry smile. Of course it was not to warn the chieftains.
He held the neck and hugged the cackling chief and expressed his sorrow.
“A brave warrior could die like this! This is impossible. How could such a brave warrior die from an arrow rather than a sword or an axe!”
“Kruk…”
Even as he was dying, the chief tried to open his eyes and open his mouth to the acting of Gelmir, who could not see.
Of course, Gelmir did not allow it. Is there any reason to give him even the slightest reason to go astray in his plan?
Gelmir put his ear to the chief’s mouth, waited for him to die, and cried out in tears.
“Listen! Proud warriors. Even as he lay dying, he was enraged by the cunning of the traitors and worried about the grievances of the warriors who died in disgrace!”
“Crack the skin off the backs of traitors! Let’s rip off their spines, tie them to a cross, and throw them to the crows as food!!!”
“That’s right. That’s right! Don’t be afraid and move forward. Engrave the price of their betrayal in your bones. Honorable warriors!”
Gelmir’s false tears and the warriors’ burning hearts turned the death of a chieftain from a dog into a heartbreaking death.
The warriors forgot the purpose of coming to the forest and ran through the rain of arrows, shouting for revenge. Should I say it’s thanks to that?
“They are traitors!!!”
“Kill them! I’ll kill them all and throw them to the dogs!”
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“f*ck. You were the first to betray. You damn bastards!”
The two armies clashed across the veil of fog. The momentum, which felt tense at first, was quickly transferred to Gelmir’s forces.
Unlike Todel, who hid behind the warriors, Gelmir ran around the battlefield and began slaughtering the warriors.
Gelmir swept across the battlefield, swinging an ax and a sword, and a puddle of blood appeared where he passed.
Todel watched the scene and let out a silent scream.
‘Well, how can I fight with a guy like that!’
Jealousy, which was Todel’s driving force, was useless in the face of Gelmir’s overwhelming power.
How can we deal with a monster that kills humans by cutting them down as if they were straw?
Chiefs may be breaking through the fog to command warriors, but the situation was different for shamans.
Just as Todel was hiding behind the warriors and watching the bloodshed unfold, the shamans were also watching.
They became thoughtful and grabbed Todel’s body and shook it.
“Todel. Try to say something to the spirit! If you do this, you’ll all be killed by that monster!”
“Well, that…”
“I absolutely do not want to clash head-on with Gelmir. How can I fight such a monstrous old man? Quickly, quickly, ask the spirit for something. You are the spirit’s loyalist!”
Normally, they would have kept an eye on Todel for the future, but the shamans were desperate to know Gelmir’s notoriety and skills.
Spells and power are all good, but you can only get anything if you live!
‘This damn thing… If I could have contacted you, I would have contacted you a long time ago!!!’
Todel was equally embarrassed. Although he was jealous of Gelmir, he had no desire to clash head-on with him right away.
I was planning to aim for it only after I had at least gained the spirit’s favor and acquired magic and power!
“Dang, don’t panic! If it were a spirit, it would of course have reacted to the movement of Gelmir’s army at the same time. In a little while, the spirit will appear with reinforcements!”
Todel tried to calm his shamans by shouting loudly, but it had little effect. No matter how hard he tried to hide his embarrassment, he couldn’t completely hide it.
Those who noticed that things were wrong slowly moved away from Todel. It was only a matter of time before the enraged Gelmir realized who the traitors were at the center of.
Those who expected sparks to fly moved away, and those who had not yet given up surrounded Todel as if they were detaining him.
“What are you all doing? Even if we join the warriors right now, it won’t be enough!”
“… Even if the warriors survive, won’t everything end if you die? I’m trying to keep you safe.”
“These… These bastards!”
Todel’s eyes widened in anger, but there was nothing he could do. Todel swallowed his dry saliva and peered beyond his fog.
Even though the situation was getting worse, Todel saw a very thin glimmer of hope.
‘Their momentum has decreased!’
Gelmir’s army, which was ready to wipe out Todel’s army at any moment, lost momentum at a certain point.
Todel’s army was not particularly strong. Those who made mistakes because they didn’t have the confidence to choose a major in the first place can’t possibly be very talented.
The reason why Gelmir’s army lost momentum even for a moment was purely due to the sudden death of its commanders for unknown reasons.
Coincidences continued to occur where arrows flew from somewhere and pierced the commander’s head or neck.
… But that wasn’t enough to stop Gelmir’s forces.
Instead, as the chieftains and shamans who were supposed to be in charge of command died and fell away, Gelmir rushed to the battlefield with joy.
Once this moment was over, and he left the forest, he planned to roast and boil his warriors and turn them into his own warriors.
It was a confidence that was possible because he was a shaman, a warrior, and a chieftain.
No one could stop Gelmir, and it didn’t take long for him to cut his army in half and reach Todel.
“Todel! Come out and raise your sword. Then I will forgive your sins by plucking out your eyes!”
As Gelmir, covered in blood, approached with an eerie smile, the shamans surrounding Todel took a step back.
“Gel, Gelmir. We were just deceived by Todel.”
“That’s right. We never meant to mess with you!”
“… Good. I will forgive you if everyone puts down their weapons and kneels.”
The shamans, who were looking at each other, threw their weapons on the ground and knelt down.
Todel became angry and insulted them, but the shamans did not care at all. Because they had no intention of dying with Todel.
Todel held the dagger with trembling hands and glared at Gelmir. A clear fear flashed in his eyes.
‘I can’t die like this…!’
“Caw!”
It was then. A large crow flew from the sky and cried loudly.
Gelmir did not pay much attention as there were many corpses around, but Todel began to smirk as if the crow was a messenger of salvation.
Gelmir laughed at Todel, probably because he thought he had gone crazy facing death.
“Todel. Maybe you should have lived with less greed and lived in a more appropriate manner. If you had done so, you would have been able to leave with a reasonable reward.”
“H-hahahahaha! You don’t know anything. In a little while, in a little while, the spirit will come…!?”
Gelmir had no intention of listening to Todel’s nonsense. The red ax that had cut down dozens of warriors was swung towards Todel’s neck…
“!”
At that moment, Gelmir saw an ice spear flying through her fog. He reflexively flipped his body and took a step back.
Todel looked back at that sight. There was only one reason for Gelmir to react like that.
It was clear that a spirit had appeared to save him!
… Of course, that didn’t happen. The ice spear that flew right through Todel’s body.
Todel died with his eyes wide open, as if he couldn’t believe it. Fortunately, Todel had quite a few companions on the way to hell.
Several more ice spears flew out and pierced the bodies of the shamans. There was no use in avoiding instant death.
A fierce cold burst out and froze his body. The shamans gave their orders without even having time to scream.
“… Damn it.”
Gelmir frowned and muttered as she stared into the fog that her spear had blown through.
A huge shadow was approaching him, with an ominous glow in its eyes.