Chapter 54 - 054_Blue Wolf Tribe Chief
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054_Blue Wolf Tribe Chief
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As a result of the reconnaissance of Ussogoud by the unit led by Rodney, about 500 beastmen lost their lives. Baron Jegsus and the others wondered why a reconnaissance squad achieved such results, but through that reconnaissance, they were able to grasp the enemy's strength.
"Are there fewer than 500 enemies left?"
"Yes, the presence has decreased considerably. I believe there are fewer than 500."
From the magnitude of the presence when they were attacked at night, Rodney felt that there were less than 500 in Ussogoud.
"Commander, now that we know the numbers, there's no need to sit idly! Let's go on the offensive!"
"Hmm. The enemy is holed up in the old lord's manor in the center of town. First, the cavalry will advance ahead, and the infantry will follow. After surrounding the manor, the projectile unit will attack. Is that acceptable?"
"Yes!"
They argued over who would take the vanguard and finally decided.
Rodney said nothing here. Before this war council, he had a discussion with Baron Jegsus and Geldovas. Since Rodney had already slaughtered 1000 beastmen, the two bowed their heads and asked him to leave the vanguard to the other nobles.
Since this battle was predicated on a peace agreement, if they didn't quickly earn war merit, the battle would end.
If they could avoid fighting, that was for the best, so they had slowed the march until now, but once the battle started, the nobles would try to earn war merit.
There was also the jealousy if Rodney alone earned all the war merit, but it was also largely that it would not let the nobles save face.
Rodney was not particularly attached to war merit, so he agreed to this and only reported the reconnaissance details at the war council.
Since the vanguard was decided, just as they were about to move, a soldier rushed into the tent. According to the soldier, beastmen had come out of Ussogoud.
"I thought we would attack, but we were caught first. Everyone, prepare to fight!"
"Yes!"
The Dedel Territory army was deployed behind the Zabalujeen Territory army.
The number of beastman mercenaries was maybe just over 300. As Rodney said, less than 500. Baron Jegsus and Geldovas thought there were probably no ambushes.
From among that beastman mercenary group, a rather large beastman stepped forward.
"I am Feld, Chief of the Blue Wolf Tribe! I challenge you humans to a duel!"
Even among beastmen, wolf-type beastmen are not much different in size from humans. Among those wolf beastmen, a rather large blue-furred wolf tribe beastman proclaimed himself chief and challenged to a duel. Moreover, he said to let him fight the one who massacred beastmen in Ussogoud.
At this time, Rodney was in the rear, so he didn't hear the chief's voice.
Among humans, refusing a duel would be a disgrace. But the opponent was a beastman. Refusing would probably not be a disgrace. However, refusing would affect the soldiers' morale.
Baron Jegsus consulted with Geldovas and decided to have Rodney step forward.
"Let us have Lord Forbus step forward. If it is Lord Forbus, who opened the treasury, I think there will be no problem."
Baron Jegsus immediately sent a messenger and called for Rodney. He explained the situation to Rodney, who came wondering what was happening, and asked him to accept the duel.
From a distance, the chief gave the impression of a powerful warrior. Since he was called chief, it was easy to imagine he had the power to lead beastmen.
"I understand, but I don't know if I can win."
"If it is Lord Forbus, who opened the treasury, there is no chance of failure."
When Geldovas said that, Rodney sighed, thinking he was saying optimistic things.
Rodney stepped forward to where the chief was waiting. Seeing him up close, he could tell his size. It was the first time he had encountered someone larger than Rodmel, including humans.
The chief wrinkled the bridge of his nose and glared at Rodney.
"I am Feld, Chief of the Blue Wolf Tribe. Who are you?"
"I am Rodney Elias Forbus. A knight baron of the Kuodo Kingdom."
"Are you the one who killed my kin?"
"I am. Do you want revenge?"
"Hmph. The weak are killed, and the strong survive. That is the way of the world."
Rodney felt a certain sense of refreshing honesty in words typical of a beastman.
"Then why did you nominate me?"
"That's simple. I want to fight strong guys. That's all."
The chief was unabashed in saying that strength is everything. And that was not just the chief, but all of the Blue Wolf Tribe.
So they fight strong opponents to prove their own strength. That is all, and it is extremely important for beastmen.
"If I win this duel, the Blue Wolf Tribe will surrender. Is that acceptable?"
"I don't mind. Either way, I don't think those guys can beat someone who can beat me."
"What are the restrictions on weapons and root power?"
"Use weapons and root power as you like."
A no-holds-barred match. No grudges whether winning or losing. However, losing means death.
"My kin, if I lose, surrender!"
The chief shouted loudly toward the beastmen. The volume was so great that Rodney's eardrums vibrated violently.
"Come to think of it, what should I do if I lose?"
"Nothing. Even if you tell them to surrender, you don't have that authority, do you?"
"You understand well, don't you."
"If you lose, the rest are just rabble. We'll just crush them."
"Not necessarily. My subordinates are strong."
"But I am stronger!"
The chief was full of confidence. His eyes showed that he wasn't even considering losing.
"Enough talking. Come on, let's fight to the death."
"Understood."
Rodney drew the White True Steel Sword.
The chief also extended sharp claws, and his already muscular body bulged even more.
"Fuu..."
He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. He calmed his mind, feeling the chief's killing intent as a pressure that seemed to cut into his skin.
Here, Rodney used Haki. The chief flinched and leaped back greatly. When Haki hits, a normal human would at best faint, at worst have their heart stop.
The chief distanced himself from Rodney to avoid being entangled by the Haki.
"You figured it out."
"My hair is standing on end. What did you do?"
"If you want to know, you'd better beat me."
"Fine. I'll win and make you tell me that secret."
The chief's figure blurred. In an instant, he closed the distance and appeared to Rodney's right side. He precisely attacked a position difficult for Rodney, who held his sword in his right hand, to respond to.
No Blue Wolf Tribe member could keep up with this movement. It was the power of a man who had led the Blue Wolf Tribe, known as a martial faction even among the beastmen who believed might is right, for many years.
"Hah!"
"Whoa!"
Rodney reacted to the attack. He dodged the sharp claw attack by a hair's breadth and attempted a counterattack. The chief reacted to the counter and it didn't land, but that single exchange chilled the chief's heart.
"Not only dodging, but counterattacking too. You're impressive."
"I don't want to die, so I'll do what I can."
They both showed ferocious smiles. Rodney himself didn't intend it, but his smile seemed like that of one who had joined the ranks of a warrior race without realizing it.
The chief was fast and powerful. If Rodney took that blow, he might not remain unscathed.
But Rodney was stronger. Not only strong, but elegant. His movements were light and supple, as if dancing. The chief's claws only tore through Rodney's afterimages.
The battle between two strong fighters captivated the onlookers, and each movement had an indescribable sexiness.
Beastmen and humans alike were entranced by the battle of these two. It was something one wanted to keep watching forever without the battle's outcome being decided.
The battle between the two continued for over two hours. During that time, they moved without rest, accumulating fatigue, and gradually their movements began to show roughness.
The chief was breathing heavily from his shoulders, and large beads of sweat gushed from his entire body. Seeing that, one could tell how exhausted he was.
Rodney was also tired, but not to the point of heavy breathing.
A gap gradually formed between the two. That gap eventually became as deep as a valley, and the chief's movements stopped.
"To think I'd struggle this much... The world is vast."
"I'm happy to hear that, but I'm just desperate because I don't want to die."
"You say that. You haven't even gotten serious yet, have you?"
The root powers Rodney had activated so far were only Haki, Monster Arm, Diamond, and Acceleration. Of course, the constantly active Kashima Old Style was at the core.
"You have a trump card too, right?"
"Hehe, hahahaha! You understand well. From here on is the real show. Hey, strong human."
"If that's how you feel, I won't hold back either."
"That's more like it, or it wouldn't be fun."
When the chief strained, his entire body's muscles swelled. It was clearly a different level from the initial muscle bulge.
The leather armor he wore burst off, and the blue fur that was on his back spread all over his body. His face, which had been close to human, transformed into that of a wolf.
The chief, now about two sizes larger. His appearance should be called a giant wolf.
"Hey now, that's cheating..."
"Gahahaha! It's been a while since I used the Blue Wolf Tribe's hereditary root power, Blue Wolf Form."
"I should probably transform too, but I don't have that kind of root power. Sorry."
The chief moved. Rodney was sent flying. The others couldn't see what happened. In that instant, the chief unleashed 30 attacks.
Rodney defended against all those attacks, but was sent flying by the recoil. As expected of a chief, his golden true steel gauntlets had scratches.
Even with sharp claws, he never expected that the chief's bare-handed attacks could damage the hard golden true steel gauntlets.
"You blocked my attack. You're wasted as a human."
"I assume that's a compliment, but I have no intention of becoming a beastman."
"I am praising you as much as possible. If possible, I would have wanted a son like you."
"I'm honored."
No one's eyes could follow the movements of the two. A flashing, blazing exchange of blows.
The chief's movements were completely different from before. Yet Rodney could discern the chief's movements. This was due to the root power Rodney possessed.
Monster Arm and Diamond obtained from the Life Light Stone of the ox-head that appears on the 5th layer of the Abandoned House Labyrinth. Acceleration obtained from the Life Light Stone of the horse-head on the same 5th layer. Gale obtained from Selvanui Labyrinth in another country. By Combining these four root powers, Rodney has activated Wind-Forest-Fire-Mountain.
Its effect is to raise attack power and defense to the highest level, and furthermore to elevate speed to the realm of gods. That speed far exceeds the level humans can achieve.
Unfortunately, since Gale is obtained from a Life Light Stone in another country's labyrinth, Wind-Forest-Fire-Mountain is a root power that no one other than Rodney possesses.
With overwhelming speed, Rodney's White True Steel Sword tore through the chief's hide, which was harder than steel.
The chief's claws did not reach Rodney, but Rodney's White True Steel Sword reached the chief. In terms of measure, it was only a slight distance, but the chief felt it like an infinite length.
"Gah..."
He barely avoided instant death through wild intuition rather than root power, but the chief was gushing blood from his entire body. If he continued to bleed like this, he would soon be unable to move.
"To think you wouldn't even take me in Blue Wolf Form seriously... I lose. Kill me."
The chief sat down on the ground and canceled Blue Wolf Form. He was honorable. He didn't compromise in battle, but he could discern strength. He was a refreshingly honorable man.
"You admitted defeat. There's no need to kill you."
Rodney used Swift Recovery to heal the chief's wounds.
"Do you not think that I will bare my fangs again after this?"
"Then I'll just defeat you again."
"Kukuku. So that's the extent of the difference in strength. It's refreshing, in a way."
The chief stood up and turned his back to Rodney.
"I have lost! From now on, I surrender to this man, Rodney! All of you, follow!"
When the chief declared defeat, voices of sorrow were heard from the beastmen. Everyone obeyed the chief's words, and no will to fight was felt.
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