r18novel Chapter 167 - Suppression [1]
Chapter 167 - Suppression [1]
The arrows laced with paralytic poison kept raining for a while down at the clearing.
W H I I I I I S H--!
The constant whistling sound of the sharp projectiles cutting through the night air created a terrifying melody over the village. The shafts were being fired from the top of the eastern hill, tracking every single attempt the hunters made to secure cover under the wooden eaves of their buildings.
"AVOID THEM ALL!"
The wolf-kins had no choice but to avoid all of them; but because of the sheer number of the arrows—a lot of them were still hit.
PHUCK!
"GURGH?!!"
They would dodge incoming arrows, but the place they would dodge to was still rained down by arrows.
It was a perfectly calculated trap that left no safe zones in the open field. Every single point of evasion had already been anticipated by the gnolls who were launching the continuous barrage from above.
And because of these—PSSHK!
The sound of iron tearing through flesh and fur began to rise from every corner of the settlement.
"GAH..!"
THUD-
A quarter of the wolf-kin tribe was paralyzed; they’re all lying on the ground as they spasm.
Their bodies would freeze up instantly upon the poison entering their bloodstream, their muscles tightening until they collapsed onto the muddy earth. They could only twitch helplessly, their eyes wide with a mixture of confusion and intense frustration as their mobility was completely stripped away.
Weak paralyzing poisons don’t work on the wolf-kin tribe because of their thick fur and absurd body—this just shows how amazing the mutated plants Grainne and the agricultural team had produced.
Verc smiled a little seeing the wolf-kins fall one by one from the arrows.
He kept his hands loose at his sides, watching the enemy numbers dwindle before the actual melee combat had even begun. Every single hunter that fell onto the dirt right now was one less opponent his vanguard would have to struggle against in the upcoming clash.
But soon enough—PHUCK!
The last arrow hit the soil... the barrage of arrows stopped.
The sudden silence that followed the final impact was heavy, the smoke from the central bonfires drifting across the quiet clearing where dozens of paralyzed bodies lay completely still.
"..."
Lunar, and the remaining wolf-kin warriors; they all looked at Verc when this happened.
They ignored the arrows protruding from the ground around them, their focus locking entirely onto the lone figure standing at the boundary of their territory. The glare on their eyes were so sharp, and they just want to kill the person that initiated the attack on their village.
The raw hatred radiating from the surviving hunters was thick enough to make the air feel hot, their lips curling back to reveal rows of razor-sharp fangs.
Lunar wasted no time when the arrows stopped, he pointed at Verc, and with bloodshot eyes—
"KILL THAT GUY!!!"
He roared that.
The command was a deafening howl that shook the leaves of the surrounding trees, shattering the temporary quiet of the night.
BOOM!
The wolf-kins kicked off in unison, and their target; Verc.
The ground groaned under the simultaneous weight of nearly seventy fully grown hunters launching themselves forward like a pack of starving beasts. Their eyes were locked onto his throat, their bodies moving so fast that they left dark trails across the orange firelight of the clearing.
"..."
They were all so fast, but Verc was still standing still—calm without an ounce of fear or nervousness on his body.
He didn’t even shift his stance or reach for his weapon, his crimson eyes tracking their rapid approach with the cold, calculating indifference.
Then—CLICK.
He flicked his fingers.
The sharp sound echoed clearly above the thunderous noise of the rushing beastmen.
And the next thing the wolf-kins knew—BOOM!
The dark tree line behind Verc seemed to explode outward as massive figures tore through the thick undergrowth.
"GRAAAAAHHH!!!"
"IT"S OUR TIME!!!"
"PROTECT THE LORD!!!"
A bunch of massive orcs came out from the dark forest behind Verc and started rushing at them!
They moved like an iron wall, their heavy boots trampling the grass as they formed a solid defensive line directly in front of their master. They were all massive in size, and they’re all wearing steel armors!
CLAAAAAANGGG—!!!
The two forces slammed into each other with a violent, bone-shattering impact that sent a massive shockwave across the dirt.
The wolf-kins’ claws clashed with the steel weapons of the orcs!
The sound echoed through the clearing.
There were only 30 orc warriors, but they all stopped the nearest wolf-kins from reaching Verc!
Groo’s soldiers stood like solid stone pillars, using their massive physical frames and the unyielding strength of their new equipment to absorb the full momentum of the charge without giving up a single inch of ground.
FWISH~
Then as they were doing that—6 small kobolds slipped through the chaos—STAB!
Then with their spears; they started stabbing the wolf-kins that were locked-down by the orcs!
The tiny creatures moved like shadows between the thick legs of the orcs, their small statures allowing them to slide completely unnoticed beneath the line of sight of the big wolf-kins!
STAB!
"KEUK...?!"
They targeted the exposed thighs, ankles, and flanks of the hunters who were currently struggling to push back the orcs.
Their strength wasn’t enough to kill the wolf-kins—but they can pierce through their hides—and so—the tip of their weapons were also laced with paralyzing poison!
The iron points broke through the fur with quick, precise thrusts, depositing the potent substance directly into the muscles of the attackers. Within moments, the struck hunters would freeze up--THUD!
They they would fall onto the ground.
But even after seeing their comrades get stopped and fall onto the ground—the other wolf-kins still continued rushing!
The sheer ferocity of their tribal pride wouldn’t allow them to retreat from a direct challenge, their pack mentality driving them to overwrite their fear with raw aggression.
"We are far superior in numbers, kill them all!"
Lunar was also the reason behind that.
The chief was shouting from the rear of the formation, his booming voice steadying the wavering morale of his hunters as he pointed out the obvious numerical disadvantage of the invaders.
"They only have a handful of soldiers! Surround them and tear their throats out!"
He bellowed.
Verc thought that he was really smart, and it made sense to him why lunar became the chief.
He smiled as he watched Lunar manage the chaotic battlefield, noting how quickly the ruler had assessed the situation without succumbing to panic. He wasn’t fazed by the sudden force that came out of the forest, Lunar was able to figure out quickly that they’re in advantage in terms of number and still pressed forward.
It was a logical choice for a commander who trusted the raw stamina and overwhelming power of his people to win a war of attrition.
’Too bad, not everything is decided by numbers.’
Verc thought to himself.
And just as the second wave of the wolf-kins were getting near—FWOOOSH~
Five weird looking fruit flew in the air; their skin was green and wrinkled.
They spun through the darkness, their uneven surfaces catching the firelight as they landed perfectly in the gaps between the oncoming wolf-kin warriors.
TAK—
The small fruits struck the dirt with a soft, dull thud.
And when they hit the ground—SWIIIIIISH—!!!
The outer skins split open instantly, releasing a massive surge of concentrated mana that reacted with the damp soil! Thick vines appeared from them and wrapped around the enemy warriors!
FWIP!
"GRRGH?!"
"W-WHAT SI THIS?!!"
"GRRRGAA!!!"
The green, thornless ropes expanded with terrifying speed, slithering up the legs and torsos of the wolf-kins like living serpents, binding their limbs tightly against their sides.
The vines restrained them!
The targets thrashed violently, using their immense physical power to snap the wooden fibers, but the mutated plants simply grew thicker and tighter in response to the strain, locking them in place.
The secondary wave of the attack force had been completely neutralized before they could even touch the iron line of the orcs.
And seeing that—
"Suppress them."
Verc calmly ordered that with a smile on his face.
His tone was entirely relaxed, his voice easily carrying over the screams and curses of the bound beastmen.
TAP.
At his order—Groo, Pwyll, Bernia, Rick, and the orc family heads stepped out of the dark forest.
They walked in a neat line, their weapons drawn and their expressions entirely focused as they prepared to execute the final phase of the containment strategy.
(The Orc Family Heads; [Jagan], [Pol], [Don], [Epona].)
"Yes, My Lord."
The eight answered in unison, and without another words—B A M!!!
They rushed in to join the battle.
FWIP—
Verc shifted his weight, his coat fluttering slightly as he looked past the immediate chaos of the frontline.
"..."
His eyes then landed on Lunar.
The wolf-kin chief was at the far back, his eyes widened by what he was seeing in front of him.
The giant commander was staring at the rapid collapse of his second wave, his mouth slightly open as he realized that his entire force was being systematically disassembled by a group that didn’t even cover half his numbers. The absolute superiority he had boasted about just minutes ago had vanished into thin air.
Then—
The heavy atmosphere between the two leaders seemed to tighten, the noise of the battlefield fading into a dull hum.
"...!"
Lunar’s eyes suddenly locked onto Verc.
He recognized the true source of the disaster, his chest expanding with a furious growl as he realized that the pale man was the core that held this terrifying army together.
Verc smiled, and unsheathing his sword—SHHHHK—
The silver blade of the [Moon Blade] left its scabbard with a crisp, clear chime that cut through the rumbling grunts of the fighting monsters.
"I guess it’s my turn to do my role."
He muttered that.
He balanced the hilt in his palm, his crimson eyes glowing with a calm, dangerous intensity as he stepped past his guards to face the chief directly.