They left the edge of the farm and stepped into the dense forest behind it. The light was gradually swallowed by the thick canopy overhead, and the temperature dropped noticeably. The air was damp; the stench of rotting leaves and wet soil clung tightly to every breath.
Avana moved closer to Lioren, her voice lowering.
Avana:
"Lioren… do you think you know who did this?"
Lioren didn't answer immediately. His gaze swept across the ground, the tree trunks, the moss-covered rocks. Everything carried a feeling of being… tampered with.
Lioren:
"I think this is the work of ogres."
Basle frowned slightly.
Basle:
"Why do you think that?"
Lioren explained slowly, his voice calm but firm.
Lioren:
"As everyone knows, ogres are lesser monsters. Their intelligence is close to that of an adult human. They know how to set traps, how to organize, how to choose places to live."
"So the fact that they can use simple magic… isn't surprising at all."
Topas shook his head.
Topas:
"I think it's orcs."
Lioren:
"Orcs can be as brutal as ogres, but they lack intelligence."
"The idea of orcs using magic is almost impossible."
"So the conclusion is… it can only be ogres."
Basle said nothing, but thought to himself.
(That's impressive…)
They continued deeper into the forest. The farther they went, the more uncomfortably familiar the surroundings became.
Topas suddenly stopped.
Topas:
"Wait…"
"Haven't we been through this place… five times already?"
The air immediately grew tense. Lioren walked to a nearby tree and drew a deep slash into its bark with his knife—clear enough that it couldn't be mistaken. Then he gestured for them to keep moving.
A few minutes later, they were standing in front of… that very same tree.
Basle tightened his grip on his sword.
Basle:
"We've fallen into a trap."
Lioren (thought):
(An ogre that can even use terrain-manipulation magic… that's really strange.)
Avana took a deep breath and stepped forward.
Avana:
"Let me handle it."
"Holy light… the path of truth."
A pale golden light spread from her eyes, flowing down into the ground like water. Instantly, beneath the layer of soil and decaying leaves, countless footprints appeared—crisscrossing and tangled together.
Topas:
"Ogre footprints."
Lioren:
"Can you find a path?"
Avana frowned, struggling to maintain the spell.
Avana:
"No…"
"I can't see a main route. They deliberately scrambled it."
Lioren nodded.
Lioren:
"Then… everyone, get down to the ground."
Topas blinked in confusion.
Topas:
"Get down? Why?"
Basle didn't ask.
Basle:
"Just do it."
All three immediately obeyed.
At that very moment, a flaming sword erupted from Lioren's hand. The fire wasn't wild—it was tightly compressed, emitting a terrifying low hiss. He lowered his center of gravity and swung the blade in a perfect circle.
BOOM—!
Within a ten-meter radius, all the trees were cut down. Their trunks were scorched and then collapsed to the ground. Hot smoke billowed upward, dispersing all the terrain illusions.
Basle stared wide-eyed.
(What… he cut down every tree in the area?)
Topas swallowed hard.
(That's… terrifyingly strong.)
Lioren pointed toward the edge of the forest.
There, an ogre's head—burning—was rolling on the ground, crackling as it charred.
Lioren:
"It was the one that trapped us."
Avana trembled slightly, then pointed behind the ogre's head.
Avana:
"Everyone… look."
A cave entrance was revealed. Hanging at the entrance were the dried, shriveled corpses of women, and around them lay piles of skulls.
Basle gritted his teeth.
Basle:
"Let's go. We need to hurry."
They stepped into the cave. A wave of nauseating stench immediately hit them, forcing the group to stop.
Avana covered her nose.
Avana:
"What is this disgusting smell…?"
Lioren:
"It must be waste… and decomposing corpses."
They continued deeper. The light was faint; darkness swallowed everything.
Lioren:
"You all know how to deal with them, right?"
Basle:
"Kill them immediately."
"Don't let a single one escape to warn the others."
At that moment, in the darkness, two ogres holding bows aimed straight at Avana.
Ogre 1:
Gggggrrrrruuuuiuiua
"Women… women… women…"
Ogre 2:
Gggggrrrrruuuuuhhhh
"Women… torture… mating…"
Before they could fire, the ground beneath their feet suddenly surged upward. A massive rock crushed down, pulverizing both of them.
Basle:
"That was close—we almost got ambushed."
Before they could catch their breath, five more charged in, weapons raised.
Avana:
"Holy light… eyes that pierce the darkness!"
The cave lit up.
Basle:
"Topas!"
Topas:
"Stone body!"
A layer of rock covered Topas's entire body. The ogres' weapons shattered on impact. In moments, four were killed. The last one turned to flee.
Basle:
"Where do you think you're going—earth wall!"
A wall rose up, ending its life.
(Excellent coordination…)
(Avana provides vision, Topas tanks, Basle finishes.)
They moved deeper… and then heard the groans of humans.
Basle:
"That groaning…"
"They're inside!"
Basle was about to rush forward, but Lioren raised a hand to stop him.
Lioren:
"Calm down."
"This is probably the mating area."
"There will be a lot of ogres inside. We need a plan."
Avana:
"I can use holy light to blind them."
Lioren:
"Good."
"Basle, how many earth walls can you make?"
Basle:
"I can… but if they're too large, it'll be difficult."
Lioren:
"Topas?"
Topas:
"I can help too, but I'm not as good as Basle."
Lioren:
"Then the plan is this."
"Avana blinds them temporarily."
"Basle and Topas raise walls to separate them from the hostages."
"Then I'll deal with them quickly."
All three answered at once.
"Understood."
Lioren:
"Begin."
Avana stepped forward. The ogres turned toward her.
Ogres:
Gggggggrrrrruuuuukuusss
Avana:
"Holy light—"
She froze.
In their eyes… she saw herself. Despair. Helplessness.
Lioren:
"Avana! AVANA!"
Avana:
"Ho—holy… holy light…"
Too late. They grabbed her head, smashed her into the ground, tore her clothes apart.
Basle:
"Damn it!"
Four earth walls rose up, shielding her.
Lioren:
"Damn it…"
The ogres pressed blades to the hostages' throats.
Lioren:
"Avana, how is she?"
Basle:
"She's regained control."
"She can cast at any moment."
Lioren:
"Attack."
The walls vanished. Holy light exploded, blinding them. In that instant, new walls rose up, cutting the ogres off from the hostages.
Lioren formed a flaming sword.
One strike.
Then another.
Not a single one survived.