“Make way!”
The Orc Elder led the procession with a majestic stride. Wherever he walked, young Orcs bowed their heads in respect or welcomed him with wild cheers. It was a different kind of reverence than the polite applause nobles received in the city. The Orcs welcomed their Elder in their own unique way.
“Uwooo!”
“Chshk, chshk!”
“Shut it, you runts! You’re too loud!”
“Bwahaha! Let’s roar louder! Maybe his old ears are finally unclogging!”
“I told you to shut up, you lot!”
Laughter erupted from all sides. Orcs stationed here and there made ridiculous noises and caused a ruckus. Although the Orc Elder grumbled, a broad grin stretched across his face. They were called savages and were certainly ignorant, but the Orcs were a race that was hard to hate.
“Well, human? There’s a certain warmth to the Orcs’ home, isn’t there?”
After walking for a long while, the Orc Elder suddenly spoke. At his low, rumbling voice, I walked in silence for a moment before answering honestly.
“Yes. They can be exhausting, but… they’re a race I’d like to be friends with.”
“Heh, you’re an honest one. True, we Orcs can be a bit much.”
The Orc Elder chuckled, puhuhu , as he leaned on his staff. As we continued, the presence of other Orcs gradually thinned out. Eventually, only the Orc Elder, myself, and the elite Orc warriors accompanying us as guards remained. The path became incredibly rugged.
Beyond a simple mountain trail, a steep uphill climb stretched out before us, as if we were walking along a precipice. Facing a path that seemed impossible to traverse on two feet, the Orc Elder raised his staff and struck the ground.
“Well, we’ve arrived. You impudent human.”
With those words, the steep slope surged violently like a crashing wave.
A moment later, the hill that had been filled with tall trees and thickets vanished without a trace. In its place, hills bristling with all sorts of blades were revealed. A mountain made of swords, spears, axes, and bloodstained helmets.
To put it simply, a mountain made of Steel.
While I was momentarily captivated by the mystical sight, the Orc Elder spoke.
“This is the fourth Sacred Land of our Orcs, the 「Land of Bitter Cold」.”
The Orc Elder slowly turned around, framed by the mountain that exuded a mysterious atmosphere. He stared at me with his piercing blue eyes and spoke in a heavy voice.
“Now, impudent human. Choose the Sacred Relic you desire from here. You have proven your worth in a legitimate struggle, so you have the right. Choose anything.”
After a long journey, I had finally arrived.
“The blades planted here all belonged to heroes who fought in great struggles in the past. We keep them here to honor those who went before us and to ensure their descendants remember them forever. We have gifted them the glory of being close to the sky.”
The weapons embedded in the Sacred Land were all crude and old. Compared to the Dwarf-made steel sword I was currently holding, they were of poor quality. In fact, that was only natural. Orc smithing techniques were subpar, and the weapons they used were primitive compared to those of other races.
“The will of those warriors resides within these blades. Human, as a Descendant of Steel, you should know that my words are truth, not a metaphor.”
“…Is it really alright to give such precious items to me?”
“Puhuhu, of course it is.”
The Orc Elder laughed heartily at my question.
“Those fellows will consider it an honor to become a part of you. Their blood must be boiling because they couldn’t fight more before they passed, but if they permeate your soul, they’ll be able to engage in some very interesting fights.”
“…”
“All Descendants of Steel live within an endless struggle. To be mixed into such a soul would be a joy for those warriors. To be honest, even I feel like joining you right now.”
The Orc Elder looked as if he truly meant it.
Despite being an old shaman who had accumulated wisdom over a long life, he was still an Orc at heart. I could still see a burning heat in the old Orc’s eyes.
“Now then, which sword will you choose? I am quite curious.”
As the Orc Elder urged me on, I walked toward the center of the Sacred Land without hesitation. The sword I was to take had been decided from the start. As I strode toward the direction Liam had pointed out, there stood a sword that was absurdly thick.
I grabbed the hilt of that sword without a second thought.
“Ho-oh.”
Holding the hilt of the blade deeply embedded in the ground, I pulled with all my might. Only after taking a deep breath and clenching my teeth was I able to dislodge it. It was an excessively heavy sword. As dirt splattered in all directions, the full form of the sword I had drawn was revealed.
“You’ve chosen a very interesting fellow.”
It was too large to be called a sword.
*
The blade Liam referred to as 「Wildness」 was a sword categorized as a greatsword. Even among greatswords, it was exceptionally massive and thick—so large it could be called a mace rather than a sword. With my current physical abilities, it was a struggle just to lift it, let alone swing it.
「It is a very old thing, young descendant. Among the Orcs resting in this Sacred Land, I chose the one most suitable for you.」
I struggled to carry 「Wildness」, examining its features. The surface of the blade was covered in nicks and scratches, and for some reason, a faint, metallic scent of blood wafted from the well-honed edge. I felt a chill, wondering how many lives it had taken during its time.
While inspecting 「Wildness」, I suddenly asked Liam.
“There’s something I’m curious about.”
「What is it?」
“Master, how do you know the memories contained within a sword just by looking at it? No, beyond that, you couldn’t have even seen 「Wildness」 directly, so how…?”
「Puhuhu, you’re asking sooner than I thought. You were curious about that?」
Come to think of it, it was strange.
Liam could read what memories were contained in a blade just by looking at its exterior. This time, he had even picked out a sword located in the distant Orcs’ Sacred Land, claiming it was suitable for me. When I asked about that mystery, Liam hesitated for a moment before answering.
「Because I am the Master of All Swords.」
“…Excuse me?”
「It is too early for you to understand. But you will come to know everything in time.」
Liam’s eyes were as sharp as a blade.
It felt somewhat unfamiliar.
「That is, if you reach a level where you can set foot in the Land of Swords.」
For a brief moment, Liam seemed less like a friendly ancestor and more like a being far removed from me. Not a grandfather I could casually joke with, but an absolute existence looking down on all things from an unimaginably high place. Like a great being worshipped and looked up to by everyone in a religion.
While I was momentarily overwhelmed by his presence, Liam gave a smirk and spoke.
「Don’t think too deeply on it for now. There is a long way to go, young descendant.」
Then, Liam pointed somewhere with his finger.
「Isn’t it time to talk to the other old man? Go and receive your gift.」
“…”
「It seems he’s prepared a rather decent gift.」
At that moment, the tent flap opened, and the Orc Elder walked in, letting out his characteristic puhuhu laugh. Entering with heavy footsteps, the Orc Elder plopped down on the floor and looked at me.
“Human, do you like the sword of our great Orc warrior?”
“Yes, well…”
“Then you must receive another gift.”
Right.
The settlement of the gifts I was to receive here wasn’t over yet.
“Stretch out your hand, Descendant of Steel.”
*
The Orc Elder’s hand was incredibly large. It was big enough to crush my entire head with just one squeeze. Grabbing my small hand, the Orc Elder chanted some sort of spell.
“Hmm. As expected, it won’t be smooth.”
“What won’t be smooth?”
“Your fate.”
A blue gleam dwelled in the Orc Elder’s eyes.
“Descendant of Steel, the path you will walk is filled with blood and struggle. I suppose that’s only natural, since you took up the sword to hunt such a terrifying monster.”
“…”
“Well, Descendants of Steel have always walked such paths. That is why we Orcs loved them. Orcs always worship warriors who challenge the unreasonable and the impossible.”
I couldn’t tell what the Orc Elder was seeing.
He exuded a mysterious atmosphere. A very mysterious one.
“You will soon face a Mystery.”
“A Mystery…?”
“Among the many Mysteries existing on this continent, a particularly vicious and terrifying one. Those who live in darkness, whom many races fear and avoid. They will reach out to you.”
The Orc Elder spat out words that were hard to understand and then let out a puhuhu laugh.
“Giving you great help would be an insult. But a little help should be fine. Human, I know what gift to give you.”
Having said that, the Orc Elder let go of my hand and slowly moved his palm to stroke my head. Along with that, a sudden heat rushed in, as if my head had caught fire. Starting from the crown of my head, it heated up inside my skull, then down to my eyes and the bridge of my nose. While my breath hitched for a moment, the Orc Elder spoke.
“Descendant of Steel, with your still immature sword, you cannot cut through a Mystery. So, when a darkness you cannot handle falls upon you, this will help. This is a gift from the Orc Shaman Sherdic to the descendant of a great warrior.”
With those words, the Orc Elder completely removed his hand from my body. The heat I had felt just a moment ago vanished as if it had been a lie. While I sat there dazed, the Orc Elder gave me five blue stones.
“Take them. They are Guardian Stones.”
“Guardian Stones?”
“Looking into your fate, I saw you were held back by a useless past, unable to leave for distant places. This will help. Bury these around your land. The will of the ancestors contained in the earth will drive away profane intruders.”
Guardian Stones.
I had heard of them.
Powerful magic tools that the Witches of the Sky Empire installed in the estates of high nobles for a high price, or placed in their own labyrinths to repel intruders. They were hard to obtain and had a guaranteed effect, and he was just giving them to me?
“Is… is it really okay to just give me something like this?”
“It’s fine. To Orcs, they’re just useless pebbles. Those are stones needed by the other six races who fear struggle and death. Puhehe .”
I felt my heart warming up.
「You’re happy because you got something for free, young descendant.」
“…”
「You’ll go bald if you keep that up.」
If only Liam hadn’t chimed in.
“And you may return whenever you wish. You, who have proven yourself a brave warrior and shown an Orc-like spirit, will now be treated as one of our kin! Not as a weak human, but as an honorable Orc warrior!”
The Orc Elder spoke with a sincere face.
“If you are in trouble, climb to the peak of the mountain. And cry out for our help from a place close to the sky. Then, we will go to help our friend anywhere! As you know, we do not fear a fight, no matter who the opponent is. Whether it be a Dragon ruling the Sky Mountain Range, the Dragon King governing the vast sea, or the Emperor of a renowned empire on the continent!”
The word ‘friend’ spoken by the Orc Elder carried a great resonance. They were ignorant, but they were a pure race that did not lie. They were stupid, but their loyalty was rock-solid. I felt deep in my heart that the Orc Elder’s words were not empty. No matter what difficulties arose, they would be reliable allies. That was the Orc I had learned about in a short time.
If you become friends, there is no race more reliable than them.
“Yes, thank you.”
“Ah. By the way, human, I’m saying this because you’re truly Orc-like, but do you have any intention of settling down here? My daughter, Sherizik, is very beautiful, and I feel I could trust you with her! Even though she’s a girl, her muscles are large and magnificent, and she’s already a wonderful child over 3 meters tall—”
“Whoops, I think I need to go quickly. I just remembered an urgent matter I absolutely shouldn’t miss…”
“Hey, hey, don’t be like that! Human! At least have a refreshing glass of Orc beer!”
…Well, the part where they drive people crazy couldn’t be helped.
I rushed out of the tent as if fleeing. Behind me, I could see the Orc Elder reaching out with his thick hand, calling me pitifully.
“Human! Human! Hey!”
And I also saw an Orc standing next to the tent, with braided hair, standing modestly. Judging by the silk women’s clothing she was wearing, she seemed to be the Orc Elder’s daughter.
「That was one of the most significant crises we’ve faced recently.」
“If I had let my guard down, it would have been all over. To think he was hiding such a dagger.”
Seeing the Orc Elder’s daughter, Liam and I shared the same sentiment.
She was a female Orc who looked more powerful, majestic, and had the air of a formidable general than any elite Orc warrior I had seen here. I ran and ran without looking back.
“Come again, human!”
“Next time, let’s have a duel! A human who passed the coming-of-age ceremony—it sounds fun!”
“Visit anytime, I’ll be sharpening my axe!”
I listened to the somewhat bloodthirsty yet affectionate farewells of the Orcs.
It was exhausting and tiring, but…
Well, I thought it wasn’t such a bad time after all.
“But there’s no place around here to temper a new sword. Rather than carrying this big thing around, I’d like to just devour it first…”
「I do not recommend that.」
“Yes? Is there a reason?”
While descending the mountain path, Liam gave a rare warning.
「The digestion process for this sword will be quite arduous. It would be better to eat it after we return.」
The digestion process would be arduous.
It was the first time Liam had used such an expression.
“Understood. I guess another fucking shitty situation is waiting for me.”
「…」
Seeing as he didn’t deny it, it seemed to be true.
Fuck.
Anyway, we took the long way back and returned to the estate.
And then.
“…Hmm.”
The estate I returned to after a long time was quite different from before.
「The scent of blood is thick.」
I could tell as soon as I arrived at the estate.
“There really isn’t a single day I can spend in peace.”
As expected, my life never goes smoothly.
“What on earth is this?”
「Residue of malice. An omen of disaster. To put it more simply, the traces of a Black Mage.」
Really, just great.
「It seems a very shitty uninvited guest has entered your estate.」
