novelStage Curtain Rises
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Translator's Corner (Cast: a French Pierrot and a Nurse)
Nurse: Umm, are you alright?
Pierrot: Depends on what you mean.
Nurse: What other meaning is there?
Pierrot: For example, when you say alright do you mean health or conformity to norms? Further, what do you mean by health? And which norms? And how do you know that you are not mistaken about your definition? In short, I fear we may have to investigate what you believe first to realize whether I am, in fact, alright.
Nurse: I meant neither of those, I was simply wondering why you were standing there staring into space.
Pierrot: How depressing! To think that people no longer want to investigate their beliefs! I despair! The ethically-neutral world made me despair!
Nurse: Okaaay. How about I escort you to the reception room. Let me know if you need any help.
Pierrot: Where is the stairs?
Nurse: Down the hall to your left, why?
Pierrot: One step forward, headfirst twelve floors down.
Nurse: Let me call the doctor.
Pierrot: He is useless.
.
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Forest Disturbance Arc
Chapter 32 - Stage Curtain Rises
Leveling the ground in their wake, the orc army advanced into the forest.
Trample them! Trample them! Trample them! Trample Them!
While lifting their voices, with a glow in their eyes, the orc army advanced into the forest.
There was not a single normal thought in their minds.
Everything their eyes fell upon was food.
They forever hungered, and only the desire to eat pushed them forward.
Collapse.
Again, a comrade had fallen.
But they were overjoyed. More food! They thought.
Normally, he was their dear comrade.
Now, he was but a lump of flesh to eat.
He was still breathing, but to them it meant the meat was fresh.
Those fortunate to be walking close immediately began disassembling the corpse.
The liver was reserved for the squad leader, but the rest went to he who grabbed it first.
*Guchaguchaguchagucha*
A disgusting sound reverberated through the land.
The always hunger.
And, their strength rises the hungrier they are.
That is the effect of the unique skill [Starving Ones].
As far as they eat their fallen comrades, as long as their hunger remains unfulfilled, their strength will continue to rise.
They are the 200, 000 orc army.
Under the control of the Orc Lord, an army that marches through the hell of starvation.
Never to see salvation.
Just marching forward to satisfy their hunger. Never being able to satisfy it...
An endless hell.
Before them lay the Ogre village.
They are only rank D monsters.
Normally, they could only feel fear towards the rank B ogres; directing killing intent at them would have been unthinkable.
However...
Trample them! Trample them! Trample them! Trample them!
Their feet would not stop.
Rather, they ran towards the food.
Towards the rampaging ogres, their relentless strength!
How many comrades were torn to pieces, how many cut down...
However! That matter not to the orcs who saw the fallen as merely more food.
They were overjoyed.
Perhaps they could satisfy their hunger, if a bit.
A single ogre had fallen.
Immediately, the orcs crowded the corpse and began dismembering it.
Drinking blood and devouring flesh. Oh... but that did not satisfy their hunger.
But, the orcs bodies had changed-they absorbed the ogres' strength.
Seeing their friends gulped down by lowly orcs, the ogres let out a scream of agony.
Lamenting the weakness of their overwhelming power...
Gradually, those filled with power appeared from within the orcs.
Devour our comrades, and make their powers ours!
Devour our enemies, and make their powers ours!
And again they eat.
Without any fear of death. Someday, their power will grow and surpass that of their king.
Their king.
The ultimate orc, the Orc Lord!
Their march continues.
And now again the prey has appeared before them.
.
The Lizardmen's head paled upon hearing the report.
His greatest fears had come true.
According to the report, the powerful Ogre village had disappeared after a single day.
They were devoured by the orcs.
There was no more room for suspicion.
The Orc Lord had appeared.
If by numbers alone, 200, 000 D-rank orcs against 10, 000 C+ rank Lizardmen; that could have been an unexpectedly even fight.
However, now that the orc lord had appeared, they were no longer D rank monsters.
It would be best to expect their abilities to have risen by 1-2 levels.
At least, they would be C rank. Worst case scenario, they would have the power of C+.
By numbers alone, relentless assault on our exhausted position would prove unbearable, and even a single loss could prove decisive.
Moreover, due to the presence of the orc lord, he could no hope for their food to run out.
Even if their numbers dwindle, their strength would instead increase.
Furthermore, if there was any hope of reinforcements they could barricade themselves in... but as things stand that would end in a hungry death.
They have no choice but to attack.
The head bitterly concludes.
Gabil, who he sent to gain the cooperation of the goblins, has yet to report.
However, if they waste too much time there, their enemy will only grow stronger.
In worst case scenario, he might just have to lead the troops into battle before Gabil's return...
Suddenly, he felt an aura stronger than he had ever felt before approaching.
The head decided not to show any resistance to this being.
Calling for a subordinate, he ordered that the guest be guided in.
The lizardmen had previously collapsed some of the routes of their natural labyrinth, and having those cleared by someone would be unpleasant.
The being who approached them certainly had that much power.
Now, all he had to do was wait.
Led by his subordinate, a single demon had appeared.
Darkish skin, blue-black hair, blue eyes, and a height of 190 cm.
For a monster, he had a rather slim build. However, his presence radiated composure and unblemished strength.
A being from whom he felt overwhelming power.
The Head kept a hundred warriors stationed around him.
With a single word, he could command them all to arms... however, that would surely mean their deaths.
Upon seeing this demon, the Head felt that very fact.
「Pardon us, we are rather troubled at the moment, and cannot provide an adequate welcome. What business would You have with us today?」
The young lizardmen warriors got angry at those words.
"Why must we grovel before this suspicious character" They thought.
The head would normally praise such thoughts, but now it would only bring misfortune.
If they spoiled his mood, he could, without a doubt, massacre them all.
The young ones have too little experience with the phenomenal. They do not have the ability to judge other's power.
However, contrary to his fears,
「No serious business. Calm yourselves.
My "name" is Souei.
My master wishes to form a alliance with you.
I have been sent for that purpose. Think of me as a messenger.
Rejoice. My lord has refused to abandon you.
Moreover, he offers to become your allies. What be your response?」
Completely in contrast to his first statement, such a speech he delivered.
The meaning of the words aside...
That is, the message was brief. However, he seems to demand an immediate decision.
But... the head needed to think.
Souei. So he called himself, this demon. A named monster with overwhelming power.
And such a monster serves someone. If they side with such a being, than perhaps even the Orc Lord could be defeated?
Moreover, they are offering an alliance and not servitude. That would mean that the lizardmen would be treated as equals.
What choice did he have but to accept? So he thought.
But at that moment,
「Head! Why do you permit him to run his mouth thus?
Where he hails from we don't know, but the proud lizardmen shouldn't flatter such a pompous fool!」
「Exactly! Gabil-sama should soon return, and then we alone could handle the lowly orcs!」
「Right. Their master probably fears the orcs and came to cling onto us. Doesn't he simply want us to save him? How charming!」
The ones who so shouted were Gabil's subordinates.
Caught with his mouth open, the Head's face twisted in horror and dismay.
Even if you idiots can't understand the power of the man in front of you, to go and reject someone's offer of an alliance...
Yes, his speech was slightly impolite. However, it is unbecoming for some foot soldiers to show disrespect to a messenger.
Moreover, for someone of higher status to himself journey to us offsets any possible disrespect...
He had thought he sent a group with an outgoing personality to the negotiations, but that seems to have backfired.
Have we angered him?
Thinking so, he looked at Souei.
He had not averted his sight, but looked straight at the head. He seemed to have no intention of humoring the noisy idiots.
The head felt relief.
He could not let a group of ignorant people to ruin the conversation.
「Silence!」
With a single word, he shut that group up.
He then sent a signal to his bodyguards,
「I will decide what we do. You have no right to speak here! Reflect on your foolishness tonight!!!」
Gabil's subordinates he had sent to prison.
They were making noise on their way out, but he had no time to deal with them.
And, to the messenger,
「I apologize for their rudeness. I intend to accept the alliance. However, I fear we must hurry. Normally, we would select a neutral zone to discuss the details, but this may be currently impossible. Could I ask you to come here, instead?」
Hiding his inner nervousness, the head asked that question.
To request someone of such clear superiority to appear before them! The messenger had every right to be angry.
However, the messenger, with no concern for the head's worries, replied
「Understood. To have received such a quick decision, my master will be glad. We are pleased to fight along with you. Now then, after we finish our preparations we shall join up with you. Then, you shall be able to have an audience with our lord. Act as you see fit!」
As if completely natural, so Souei replied.
Appearing as if he had never even considered the possibility of being rejected.
"Had I refused, would he simply destroy the lizardmen?" This thought filled the Head's mind.
He was certainly not overthinking it.
The demon before him had enough power to do so...
「We intend to join you in at most 5 days. Until then, do your best to survive. And, by no means should you attempt to attack alone!」
Leaving these words, the demon in front of him disappeared.
Without a sound, as if a passing shadow.
5 days...
If they just needed to wait that long, they could certainly manage.
The orcs may grow stronger, but they could now hope for reinforcement.
How large the reinforcement would be, he didn't know; however, even if Souei were to show up alone, he could possibly turn the tide of battle.
Clinging to this one hope and preserving one's strength is surely the best decision here.
Having made his decision, the Head declared
「Hold the Castle! Until reinforcements arrive, hold it no matter what it takes!」
And, waiting for the decisive battle, the lizardmen hid in the labyrinth.
.
Gabil awoke.
Then, he needed some time to remember what had happened.
And, filled with indignation, he jumped to his feet.
「You have come to, my lord!」
A worried subordinate had said.
「I caused you some worry. Seems like they set a trap ahead of time... 」
「A trap, you say?」
「Yeah. Those fang wolves, used an ingenious trick...
They sent their master under the guise of a common wolf!
Inviting me to lower my guard, such dirty trick. Rulers of the plains they called them, but they're just beasts who employ cowardly and cheap tricks!
I had intended to battle with them fairly, but seems like I was mistaken about them!」
「I, I see... so it was like that. Were it not for their trick, Gabil-sama would certainly be victorious!」
「Is that how it was! Those dastardly wolves!!! To resort to such dirty trick!」
Gabil nodded to such a reaction.
It was as they said. There could have been no other reason for his defeat.
However, for the proud and powerful race to employ such dirty tactics...
Gabil was disappointed in the wolves.
「However, it is also true that we would have no use to take such cowardly creatures as our comrades! With that in mind, this might actually have been for the best. 」
「As you say!」
「Right, right!」
Their group laughed loudly.
「By the way, this is just my personal thought, but I find it strange how Gabil-sama has always stayed as the raid leader. 」
「What?」
「No, I don't mean that he is incapable. Rather, the opposite!
I find it strange that we keep following that decrepit Head... 」
「Continue」
「Yes. I think that the old head should just retire and have Gabil-sama succeed as our leader.
If he does, then the orcs would have no reason to look down on us. 」
「As you just said!
We should display Gabil-sama's power before all the lizardmen, have him purge those who reject him, and start a new age for our race. What could bring our race greater joy!!!」
Gabil nodded.
「So you guys had thought the same thing, huh? I had just been thinking whether it was not a good time to make my move!
Would you fight alongside me?」
He looked around him.
The lizardmen could only imagine a new age unfolding before them.
They were certain that they would seize tremendous power...
And,
「Will you represent us?」
One of them asked.
Gabil lightly nodded.
「So the time has come... Very well! Let us fight together!!!」
He declared.
Surrounding him, cries of joy could be heard from the lizardmen.
Thus, the fool has taken the stage.
And thus, the curtain rises as chaos spreads on the stage.
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