Return of the Max-Level Lord Chapter 48
Baron, who was in charge of the western command, looked over the soldiers, mercenaries, and adventurers before speaking.
“First, we’ll establish a base here and begin the subjugation! Prepare immediately!”
At his shout, everyone began to move busily.
As I watched them, a question came to mind.
“Base?”
Come to think of it, in my previous life, I had never even gone on a subjugation. I used to tremble just at the sight of a monster.
I was always so cowardly that all I did was hide.
Naturally, I didn’t know the first thing about how a subjugation was prepared or carried out.
Then Jade stepped forward and explained.
“A subjugation usually takes about five to seven days. At most, it can last several months, or even years. So, of course, we set up bases and move around while driving out the monsters.”
“……”
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
Jade’s unusually serious expression made me feel strange.
“It’s just… kind of annoying.”
“Pardon? Master! That’s quite a harsh thing to say!”
“No, it’s just weird since you seem to know this so well.”
“I’ve been on a few subjugations back when I was in the Knight Order. It’s just bothersome, that’s all.”
“Is that so? Then, do we need to set up our own base separately?”
“I brought a tent, just in case.”
Now that I looked, a large backpack was strapped to Jade’s back.
He set it down and began to pick a spot, just like Jen’s party.
“Hmm… I should see for myself how skilled Baron and Cayman really are.”
I already had a rough idea about those two.
Of course, that knowledge came from my previous life.
Even then, they were quite competent.
But compared to Jade now, their swordsmanship and stamina were leagues behind.
A sly smile crept onto my lips.
Jade, catching a glimpse of my face, felt a chill run down his spine.
“Master… what are you planning to do?”
“We came for a monster subjugation, didn’t we? I’m just making sure it’s done properly. Might as well check out our target while we’re at it.”
I recalled the group led by Gedwin that I’d seen earlier. There were nine of them in total, currently setting up their tents just like everyone else.
“These people are completely different from you and me, Master. Someone could lose their life if things go wrong.”
“If that happens, I’ll save them. Just make sure you protect Jen and the others. Leave the rest to me.”
“Excuse me?”
Before anyone could notice, I slipped quietly into the forest.
Once I was completely gone, a wave of dread washed over Jade.
“This feels like something big is about to happen…”
Just then, Jen approached him.
“Where did Sir Raion go?”
He had come to ask because Raion had suddenly vanished.
“Rather than worry about Master, I think everyone should focus on getting ready.”
“Pardon? What do you mean…?”
“Monsters might swarm in soon.”
“Monsters?”
Just earlier, Cayman, the knight, had gone on a scouting trip and confirmed that the monsters were quite far away.
The distance was around 220 to 250 mirs—quite a stretch, given the terrain.
It was far enough that even monsters with sharp senses of smell wouldn’t notice them.
“There’s a chance! Hurry and prepare!”
Jade hastily dropped his pack and grabbed only his sword.
He quickly made his way toward the hill Cayman had returned from earlier and peered down below.
His sudden movement caught Baron’s attention. The man, who had been commanding the soldiers, strode toward him.
“Hey! Scouting is the soldiers’ job! If you’re an adventurer, fall back—!”
“Shh—!”
Jade quickly covered Baron’s mouth as he watched the front.
In that moment, Baron finally recognized his face.
He knew very well that this was the royal knight who had recently entered the lord’s castle with the prince.
Baron pushed away the hand covering his mouth and asked,
“Sir Jade! What are you doing here?”
He thought the prince’s group was still staying at the lord’s castle.
“I joined secretly for an important reason. But that’s not important right now—be quiet!”
Thudududududu—!
From the forest below the hill, the trees began to shake.
Even just from the tremors, Jade could tell this wasn’t an ordinary disturbance.
“Monsters are coming! Quickly, ready the troops!”
“What? Monsters, you say!”
Following Jade’s gaze, Baron looked down and saw it too.
Dozens of orcs were charging in a pack through the forest.
“Monster sighting! Monster sighting! Soldiers, ready yourselves immediately!”
The soldiers, who had been resting after setting up their base, flinched in surprise at the sudden shout, quickly checking their equipment and standing up.
The same went for the mercenaries and adventurers.
Still standing on the hill, Jade immediately drew his sword and prepared for battle.
Meanwhile, I was dashing through every corner of the western forest of Kanas, driving the orcs together.
Releasing a fierce killing intent, I frightened the orcs, and they began to flee instinctively.
Of course, the direction they were being driven toward was none other than where Kanas’s subjugation force had set up their base.
“This should be enough.”
The number of orcs I had driven together was roughly seventy.
The western subjugation unit numbered thirty-two, and with twenty-two mercenaries and adventurers, there were a total of fifty-four—more than enough if they coordinated their assault properly.
Kratch! Kaaargh! Kaaaargh!
The orcs charged forward, roaring incomprehensible cries.
Eventually, they collided with the subjugation troops.
“Rear units, hold the line with the defensive formation! Attack units, surround them as best you can!”
The subjugation force’s plan was to lure the orcs inward and hunt them down from within.
As the soldiers moved accordingly, the mercenaries and adventurers charged into the midst of the formation and began slashing the orcs down.
However, their numbers were insufficient to completely surround over seventy orcs.
In the end, small gaps began to open, and the flank was breached.
No casualties yet—but it was only a matter of time.
At the center, Jade swung his sword. The blade, entrusted to him by me, traced a busy arc, cutting down the orcs one after another.
Beside him, Jen and his companions were also fighting hard.
But with only D-rank skills, there was a clear limit.
Even though the soldiers, mercenaries, and adventurers pushed back, the orcs’ monstrous strength and stubborn vitality began to turn the tide against them.
“It can’t be helped, then.”
At some point, I had climbed up a tree, quietly observing the battle.
“As I thought… those bastards really are acting just like they look.”
My gaze shifted to one side.
There, Gedwin and his group were busy gathering cores while fighting the orcs.
The problem was—they were even sneaking around to collect the cores from orcs they hadn’t killed themselves.
Because of their greed, they started clashing with other mercenaries and adventurers who were actually fighting, causing the formation to collapse even faster.
“To think they’d be this greedy in the middle of chaos.”
It was so ridiculous that I was momentarily speechless.
Frowning deeply, I leaped into the battlefield.
Shwaaak!
A sword similar to Jade’s was drawn, splitting three orcs in half in a single stroke.
Thud! Thwack!
Between the arcs of my blade, my fists and feet flowed naturally into motion, striking the orcs in rhythm.
While fighting, I moved closer to where Gedwin was.
He and his men were too busy stealing cores to notice anything else.
They had to grab as many as possible before the subjugation troops could reorganize their defenses.
“How’s it going? Hurry up!”
“We’ve got fifteen so far!”
“You bastards! Why are you taking the cores of the orcs I killed?!”
A few adventurers who had just finished fighting nearby shouted when they noticed them.
“In a place like this, whoever takes it first owns it! Hey, shut that guy up!”
Gedwin’s men started creeping toward those adventurers. They were just far enough from the main formation that no one could see them.
The subordinates drew closer.
The adventurers tried to back away, but before they knew it, other subordinates of Gedwin had already circled behind them.
They all had their blades drawn, but Gedwin and his crew’s infamy was well-known even among them.
“Damn it!”
Just then—
Someone shot out from behind, grabbed one of Gedwin’s men by the head, and hurled him aside.
Thud—!
“Gahk!”
The man crashed into a tree and lost consciousness with a single groan.
“You filthy bastards. Stealing the cores of orcs you didn’t even kill yourselves.”
“Who the hell are you?!”
“Who do you think? I’m a hunter—come to hunt you lot.”
The man was none other than me.
I had cut straight through the battlefield between orcs and soldiers to get here.
“You’ve got guts. Do you really think you can take all of us on by yourself, with that strange sword of yours?”
“I guess this form looks strange here. Still, it won’t stop me from cutting you down.”
Swinging the sword resting on my shoulder, I charged.
With a burst of Absolute Step (Jeolbo), the blade’s trajectory sharply curved at an angle.
Resounding Step (Jingak) and Hand-to-Hand Combat Art (Subak) followed seamlessly through the flow, striking down Gedwin’s men one after another.
It all happened in an instant.
“What the hell is that guy?!”
One of Gedwin’s men, retreating slightly, fired a crossbow in panic.
Pak—!
The bolt hit me squarely in the back.
A smile crept across Gedwin’s lips.
“Heh-heh-heh! So much for your big mouth—looks like you let your guard down after all!”
But the bolt didn’t stick—it simply fell to the ground.
Thud…
“…Huh?”
I was only wearing a dark green casual outfit. It wasn’t made of any plate or leather armor.
“Why so surprised? Never seen a combat uniform before?”
Whack—!
At the same time, I reversed my grip on the sword and struck Gedwin in the neck.
“Gahk—!”
It was strong enough to break bone—but I only knocked him out at the last moment.
“Anyone else want to try me?”
As I released a menacing aura, the remaining subordinates froze in place.
Just then, Jade broke through the orcs and spotted me.
“Your Highness!”
In his urgency, he called out not “Master” but “Your Highness,” rushing toward me.
“Why did you leave Jen and come here?”
“That area has mostly been handled. The troops are regaining formation, so there should be no issue.”
“That’s a relief. Then take care of the remaining ones here.”
At my order, Jade quickly surveyed the surroundings.