assistirfilmes Chapter 256
Chapter 256
Chapter 256: Just Hit The Weak Points. (1)
There are things people can do, and things they can’t.
How many monsters would one have to kill daily to slay a hundred thousand within half a year?
For junior knights like themselves, it was utterly impossible.
“.......”
The knights, who had remained silent, turned to look at Kaor.
That guy should have been throwing a fit, but he showed no reaction. Instead, he arrogantly kept his head high, as if confident about something. Judging by his expression, it seemed like he had already received a heads-up.
‘Well, that lunatic’s a crazy bastard anyway.’
‘Does he think he can actually kill a hundred thousand by himself?’
But they were ordinary people, normal human beings. If something didn’t make sense, they had to point it out.
So, the knights did what Kaor wasn’t doing and threw a tantrum in his place.
“No! How is that even possible? How are we supposed to kill a hundred thousand monsters in just six months with our skills?”
“Is there even a single person in this world who can do that?”
“We’re junior knights! Please show some consideration!”
Ghislain, however, didn’t even pretend to listen, speaking nonchalantly.
“Have you tried?”
“You don’t need to try something to know it’s impossible!”
“If I’m telling you to kill them, it means you can. What’s impossible about it? Has there ever been something we couldn’t do?”
The knights couldn’t refute that statement, so they shifted their arguments in another direction.
Even if they trained hard and somehow became strong enough to kill that many, there was another glaring issue.
“Do a hundred thousand monsters even live here?”
“They do. The Shadow Mountains are vast and deep. If monsters disappear from one area, they’ll keep crawling out from elsewhere.”
Ghislain continued speaking with an air of certainty.
“If you think the monsters are respawning too slowly or their numbers are dwindling, then move to the next mountain. If they’re not there either, try the next one. Just find them and kill them, no matter what.”
“.......”
“Send me the hides of a hundred thousand monsters within six months. Also, secure as many tendons as possible and send those too. If you work hard enough, it’s doable. Once you meet the quota, I’ll rotate in other knights to take your place.”
As always, the lord was as unreasonable as ever. Thus, the knights attempted a lighter form of coercion.
“Uh... haven’t you considered the possibility that we might just run away if we can’t meet the quota?”
“That’s fine. If you want to spend the rest of your lives wandering the continent in hiding until you die, feel free to run. For your information, I’m very persistent.”
They knew that all too well. They’d witnessed more than once how he pursued something relentlessly once he set his mind to it. If they ran, he would undoubtedly send pursuers after them for the rest of their lives.
The knights sighed deeply and pleaded.
“...We really don’t think our skills are up to the task.”
“You’ll get there by fighting nonstop. That’s how I trained here too.”
Ghislain grinned broadly. This place held very special memories for him.
Before he earned the title of the King of Mercenaries in his previous life, his nickname had been the Slaughterer of the Shadow Mountains.
‘Ah, I killed so many back then.’
There was a time when he was consumed by rage and constantly sought out battles. He had realized that risking his life in combat was the only way to improve quickly.
He couldn’t go to the Forest of Beasts, as the Duke of Delfine’s family was already cultivating that area. So he had chosen the Shadow Mountains as his alternative.
He had lived and trained here for years. He had slaughtered so many monsters that entire sections of the mountains had been left desolate.
‘I even came back here occasionally with my subordinates later on to earn some pocket money.’
Looking back, they were oddly fond memories. Returning now with a new group of subordinates, nostalgia washed over him, bringing a faint sense of joy.
But fond memories were fond memories, and training was training.
‘Let’s make sure they all go through hell.’
The knights stared at Ghislain with skeptical expressions. His claim that they only needed to fight nonstop left them uncertain.
The numbers were simply too high to fathom, and Ghislain’s confidence made the entire situation feel surreal.
‘He probably just means to give it our all, right?’
‘Our lord has always had an absurd sense of scale.’
‘Yeah, maybe he’s just setting a big goal to motivate us.’
Even as they clung to such hopes, a sense of unease lingered. Nothing Ghislain had ever done before was ordinary.
As he watched the hesitant knights, Ghislain spoke up.
“Don’t be scared. If you try, you can do it. We’re heading out to hunt right now, so get your weapons ready.”
At his command, the knights hauled out dozens of massive wooden crates.
The crates contained enormous two-handed greatswords, each large enough to crush or decapitate most monsters with a single blow.
Thud!
Ghislain grabbed one of the greatswords with one hand, planting its tip on the ground with a grin.
“Alright, let’s head out. Time to smash some monster skulls.”
* * *
Before departing, Ghislain moved deeper into the central area of the fortress rather than heading outwards.
Kaor, puzzled by his actions, asked, “Where are you going? The exit to leave the fortress is in the opposite direction.”
“To the labor depot.”
“Why? Are we recruiting people from there?”
“We can’t carry everything from the monster hunts ourselves, can we? We need people to disassemble the carcasses and haul the materials. We’re hiring porters.”
The group split up into a few large carts disguised as carriages, allowing for a quick and comfortable trip to the mountains.
Of course, returning the same way wasn’t something they could guarantee.
The coachmen, unwilling to risk danger, typically returned as soon as they dropped off their passengers. Only those willing to gamble on greater profits stayed behind at the mountain’s base.
Thud-thud-thud-thud!
The horses galloped with power, and as their speed increased, the carts began to rattle and shake violently.
Clatter! Clatter! Clatter!
The ride was horrendously rough. The carts had been modified purely to carry as much cargo and as many people as possible, with no regard for comfort.
“We’ll get you there fast! Just trust us!”
The coachmen cheerfully drove on, eager to maximize their earnings. Without even needing to be told, they naturally headed toward the most commonly visited foothills.
Hunters tended to frequent the same areas, so it was standard practice to head there first.
However, from the lead cart, Ghislain called out to the coachman.
“Change direction. Go the way I’m pointing.”
“What? Why?”
“Other hunters are probably hunting in the usual area. Since they hunt there almost every day, the monsters will have thinned out.”
“W-What?”
The coachman’s face turned pale. Even the original destination was considered dangerous. If the popular hunting grounds were risky, other areas would be far worse.
The lack of regular culling meant far more monsters would be present.
“Look, there are plenty of monsters where we’re already going! That’s the main route where monsters come down to the fortress! That’s why most hunters hunt there!”
“Why so much chatter when your customer’s giving directions?”
“This must be your first time here! Why would you deliberately go somewhere more dangerous? I can guide you safely!”
“This isn’t my first time. I want to catch more, so turn the cart. Or I’ll break it.”
No amount of persuasion worked. Reluctantly, the coachman gave in and changed direction.
“I’m heading straight back as soon as I drop you off!”
“Fine by me.”
The porters looked visibly uneasy. Entering an unfamiliar area would make it much harder to react to potential dangers.
Ghislain and the knights, however, didn’t seem the least bit concerned.
Ghislain’s confidence came from experience, while the knights simply didn’t understand the gravity of the situation yet. They still couldn’t fully grasp what was coming.
Finally, the carts stopped in a chillingly eerie location. The icy wind howled through the air, and the massive shadow of the mountain seemed to weigh down on everyone.
Setting foot here meant confronting countless monsters. Even the knights now wore tense, wary expressions as the threat became real.
But Ghislain jumped down from the cart with a broad smile.
“Alright, there are tons of monsters here. Let’s start sweeping through them while getting some training done. Don’t worry—there aren’t any freakish ones like in the Forest of Beasts. There are just... a lot of them.”
As soon as Ghislain finished speaking, a monstrous roar echoed in the distance.
Kaaaargh!
“.......”
The knights couldn’t utter a word. Before they had even set foot on the mountain, monsters were already rushing toward them, almost as if to welcome them.
“W-What the hell? They’re already coming at us?”
The monsters were a pack of Owlbears—beasts with the body of a bear and the head of an owl. Towering over the average adult male and with massive, muscular builds, they were notoriously ferocious.
“Owlbears are descending the mountain!”
“I told you this was a bad idea! Why didn’t you listen?!”
The coachmen and porters were thrown into a panic. There were dozens of owlbears rushing toward them, easily numbering in the tens.
The former hunter who claimed to have “hidden his strength” as a porter jumped back into the cart, shouting in fear.
“What are you doing? Let’s run! There are too many of them!”
This caused chaos among the group. While the coachmen could flee without consequence, the porters had already been paid. Running away now would damage their reputations and make it hard to find future work.
Even the knights, momentarily overwhelmed, showed signs of hesitation.
‘What the hell... Owlbears coming down the mountain?’
‘What kind of place is this? Are we seriously training here?’
‘This place is just as crazy as the Forest of Beasts.’
Owlbears typically lived deep within the mountains. For them to come down to the foothills meant they had either been displaced in a territorial conflict or had gone mad.
Kaaaaargh!
Leading the pack was the largest and fastest owlbear, far ahead of the others. Its mouth dripped with a vile liquid, and its eyes were blood-red. It was clearly deranged.
Ghislain smiled, seemingly pleased.
“Nice. We’ll get some quality hides right from the start. Watch closely—I’ll show you how to kill monsters easily and harvest their hides cleanly. All you have to do is target their weaknesses.”
His confident words made the knights nod in agreement. Any monster became easier to defeat if you knew its weaknesses and how to exploit them.
Even the coachmen and porters paused, momentarily calmed by Ghislain’s relaxed demeanor. He exuded the aura of a strong hunter who could face dozens of monsters alone.
Ghislain raised his hand and shouted.
“Prepare for battle!”
Clink! Clink! Clink!
The knights readied their greatswords but didn’t charge forward. They were waiting for Ghislain to demonstrate how to exploit the owlbears’ weaknesses.
Sssssss.
Ghislain’s eyes turned crimson. In that instant, it became unclear who was crazier—the rabid owlbear or Ghislain.
Boom!
With a burst of mana, Ghislain leapt forward.