I Alone Regress in a Hero Party That Was Annihilated - Chapter 72

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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#72. Counter-Pursuit (2)

 

The Purosange Family Rangers gathered here were the ones who had attacked the Mörsolt Family’s merchant group in the past.

 

And they were about to pay the price for that attack.

 

However, the being that attacked the Purosange Rangers was not human.

 

Kuu—ddddddddddd…!

 

The ancient frozen land that had been frozen for thousands of years began to crack and shatter like thin ice trampled by a mischievous child.

 

Ice sheets dozens of meters thick split apart as bitter cold winds erupted from deep within the earth.

 

And the sharp-eyed Purosange Rangers saw it clearly.

 

Like a nightmare awakening from the heart of the earth, a massive form slowly rose through the cracks in the split ground.

 

As ice and stone shattered and white snow scattered in all directions, the king of the frozen ground raised its head.

 

[Uuu—ooooooooooo!]

 

How could one describe its terrifying appearance?

 

A giant centipede.

 

But its perceived size couldn’t be expressed with the simple word “giant.”

 

It felt like the spine of a massive mountain range had been pulled out and was writhing.

 

Long, sharp ice spikes that seemed to pierce the sky densely covered its entire back.

 

Each segment forming its long body was wide enough to build a small village, and beneath them, hundreds of long legs roughly scraped against rock and snow.

 

[Kyaaaaaaak!]

 

It opened its compound jaw made of dozens, hundreds, thousands of layers wide, trying to tear the eardrums of every living creature in the region.

 

Some of the Purosange Rangers collapsed to the ground with a thud.

 

They were overwhelmed by the primitive hatred and destructive instinct emanating from the Frozen Horror’s eyes.

 

This massive monster symbolizing nature’s violence raised its head to look down at its offspring.

 

[….]

 

A young one groaning with countless arrows embedded in its body.

 

And these arrows reeked of the scent of the hairless monkeys nearby.

 

The remnant of the ancient Mythical Age spewed forth its rage.

 

Whooooooom! Thud thud thud thud thud thud!

 

With a single casual swing of the Frozen Horror’s tail, over thirty Rangers were crushed to pulp.

 

“R-run away!”

 

Pinin shouted in a terror-stricken voice.

 

The Purosange Rangers immediately whipped their horses.

 

However.

 

Twang—

 

The first Ranger to flee tumbled down along with his horse.

 

“Th-there are traps on the ground!”

 

“What!?”

 

Pinin quickly scanned the ground.

 

Where the snow had been dug up, snares made of fishing line were visible.

 

Between trees, or not far from rocks.

 

Thin fishing line snares were installed everywhere, catching the Purosange Rangers.

 

The horses the Rangers rode collapsed one after another, suffering fractures.

 

Pinin shouted.

 

“Abandon the horses!”

 

There was no choice but to avoid the fishing line traps hidden beneath the accumulated snow.

 

However.

 

Thud―!

 

If they abandoned their horses, they would have no mobility to escape from the Frozen Horror rampaging in fury over losing its offspring.

 

[Krrrr―waaaaaaaaar!]

 

This giant centipede, whose appearance had barely changed since the Mythical Age, began crushing and killing all the hairless monkeys before its eyes.

 

Pinin gritted his teeth.

 

“Those damn Mörsolt bastards! To set up such a trap!”

 

They had been completely played.

 

Featherback, that damn bastard, had kidnapped a Frozen Horror’s offspring from somewhere and tied it up here.

 

When the offspring hit by Purosange’s arrow screamed and bled, the mother that had been roaming the region came rushing like lightning.

 

[Krooooooo!]

 

The Frozen Horror had already massacred over a hundred Rangers.

 

“Damn it! We’re not the ones who kidnapped your offspring!”

 

Pinin screamed in desperation, but there was no way the centipede could understand him.

 

Just then.

 

“…Huh?”

 

Pinin’s eyes widened.

 

The Rangers who had fled to the opposite side to avoid the Frozen Horror.

 

For some reason, they were collapsing with single screams, thudding to the ground.

 

‘They even abandoned their horses, so why?’

 

Even if the horses tripped over snares, why were the people falling too?

 

Pinin could only stare with wide eyes, unable to understand what was happening.

 

“…!”

 

Soon he was able to realize the reason.

 

…Slice!

 

On the snow-covered floor, something was crawling and cutting the ankles of the Rangers.

 

…Slice! …Slice!

 

White hair the same color as the snowy field, a white shield covering the back, and a white blade swinging at a speed barely visible to the eye.

 

…Slice! …Slice! …Slice!

 

Featherback was crouched low in the snow-filled trench, cutting down the Rangers on the surface.

 

* * *

 

Featherback was lying prone in the trench, watching the situation.

 

‘…It was worth erasing my scent.’

 

Featherback had broken through ice and entered the seawater a day before the Purosange Rangers fell into the trap, completely washing away his body odor.

 

Thanks to that, all the knights including Hounded beside him had to groan from the cold.

 

“Centipedes have a keen sense of smell, right?”

 

“Good thing we washed off the armpit smell and crotch smell.”

“Good thing you got rid of the armpit and crotch smell.”

“Right. You really needed to wash yours off. I thought my nose was going to rot.”

 

“Well, it was worth spending all day bathing in that salt water with ice floating around.”

Seeing the actual size of the adult-class Frozen Horror, they couldn’t help but mutter that they had done well to follow Featherback.

When I actually saw the massive size of the adult Frozen Horror, I couldn’t help but mutter that I had made the right choice in following the feedback.

Soon, Featherback drew the Dragon Fang Sword Adara.

Soon, Federbeck drew his dragon sword, Adara.

“Now, let’s get to work.”

“Alright, let’s get to work.”

This entire area was covered with steep hills, so if they wanted to escape, they had no choice but to come this way.

This entire area is covered with steep hills, so if they want to escape, they have no choice but to come this way.

They could go other ways, but while being chased by a Frozen Horror, they would have no choice but to pick the slightly easier downhill path.

You could take a different path, but when you’re being chased by a Frozen Horror, you have no choice but to pick the downhill route that’s even slightly easier.

Sure enough, the Purosange Rangers came running frantically toward the trench where Featherback was lying in ambush.

Sure enough, the Purosange rangers came charging madly toward the trenches where the Federbacks were lying in ambush.

Ahead was darkness, and all they could see was just flat ground.

Darkness ahead, with nothing visible but the flat floor.

With the monster Centipede rampaging behind them, who has time to check whether the ground ahead is thin ice or what?

 

Soon after, the Purosange Rangers step on the trenches.

 

The tree branches and snow that had been thinly piled on top of the trenches collapsed, causing numerous casualties.

 

“Gack!”

 

The first Ranger to fall into the trench was instantly killed as wooden spears stuck in the ground pierced through his neck, heart, and groin.

 

The next Ranger to fall was lucky enough to only have both thighs pierced through, but.

 

“Welcome, kid. Now farewell.”

 

He couldn’t avoid Hounded’s hand that immediately thrust a sword into the back of his neck.

 

…Thunk! …Thunk! …Thunk! …Thunk! …Thunk! …Thunk! …Thunk! …Thunk!

 

The Purosange Rangers who stepped on what they thought was ground and fell into the trenches either died skewered on the wooden spears stuck in the bottom or had their necks cut by the swords of Mörsolt Knights who were waiting beside them.

 

“You guys keep working in the trenches. I’ll go out for a moment.”

 

While the Mörsolt Knights cleaned up the Purosange Rangers who had fallen into the trenches, Featherback took his sword and went outside the trench.

 

When the short-statured Featherback covered his body with a white shield and lowered his stance, he became almost indistinguishable from the snow-covered ground.

 

The Purosange Rangers mistook Featherback, who was crouched low with his shield covering his head, for just a bulging snow pile and stepped forward.

 

The result, of course.

 

…Slice!

 

Was Ankle Severing.

 

…Slice! …Slice! …Slice! …Slice! …Slice! …Slice! …Slice! …Slice! …Slice! …Slice! …Slice! …Slice! …Slice! …Slice! …Slice! …Slice! …Slice! …Slice! …Slice! …Slice! …Slice! …Slice!

 

Featherback continued to eliminate the Purosange Rangers.

 

Just cutting the ankle allows the Cold Aura to penetrate into the body through the bones, paralyzing the entire lower body, and when that happens, the spinal cord turns into thin ice.

 

The cold that travels up the spine freezes the brain, making a person’s body shrivel up like an insect.

 

In the end, being cut by Featherback’s sword is no different from losing one’s life at that very moment.

 

Crack―! Thud! Thunk! Crunch!

 

Featherback avoided the area where the Frozen Horror was rampaging and cut down the fleeing enemies.

 

It was a similar process to when he had dealt with the Orcs on the Snow Mountain before.

 

Just then.

 

“You bastard!”

 

Suddenly, an arrow struck Featherback’s shield.

 

Ting―

 

The frost-covered arrow fell weakly to the floor.

 

Pinin was glaring at Featherback with bloodshot eyes.

 

Featherback said.

 

“You managed to reattach your right wrist quite well. Must have used expensive herbs?”

 

“Shut up!”

 

Pinin fired an arrow.

 

Featherback raised his shield to deflect the arrow and kicked an ice fragment on the floor.

 

Whoosh―!

 

The chunk of ice flew toward Pinin.

 

Pinin redirected his arrow to hit the ice chunk.

 

Crack―!

 

The ice chunk struck by the arrow shattered into pieces.

 

Right at that moment.

 

Swoosh!

 

Featherback’s face had closed in right before Pinin’s nose.

 

“Huk!?”

 

The moment Pinin gasped at the enemy’s unimaginably fast speed.

 

Crack!

 

Featherback’s shield struck Pinin’s body.

 

Hit in the neck by the edge of the shield, Pinin felt as if his neck bone had snapped.

 

“Kek!?”

 

Was it not an illusion but actually broken? His body wouldn’t obey him.

 

Pinin collapsed face-down on the ground like a fatally wounded frog and wet himself.

 

But Featherback showed no consideration for Pinin’s condition.

 

“Get up.”

 

Featherback roughly grabbed Pinin by the hair.

 

Soon, Featherback stripped away Pinin’s cloak, bow, and dagger.

 

Swoosh— Swoosh— Thud!

 

He carelessly hung the bow on any tree branch and draped the cloak over a rock.

 

The dagger he deliberately stabbed into the center of a tree trunk.

 

“That should be enough for traces.”

 

Featherback’s gaze turned back to Pinin.

 

Pinin tried to escape from Featherback, but strangely he had lost all sensation in his lower body since being struck in the neck by the heavy edge of the shield.

 

Thud—

 

Featherback kicked Pinin in the side, sending him tumbling down the hillside.

 

There, a Frozen Horror was just finishing devouring a Ranger.

 

“Hiiik!?”

 

Pinin desperately clawed through the snow field and crawled up the hill.

 

He barely managed to drag himself up using only his upper body strength since his lower body wouldn’t move, but unfortunately, Featherback was waiting there for him.

 

Slash―!

 

Dragon Fang Sword Adara fell from above and severed Pinin’s right wrist.

 

“Ghhk!?”

 

Pinin couldn’t scream.

 

Right behind him, the sound of human flesh and bone being crushed in the Frozen Horror’s maw could be heard clearly.

 

Then, Featherback opened his mouth.

 

“Do you remember what I said before?”

 

“…?”

 

“I said if you squirmed around annoyingly one more time, I’d cut off your left wrist too.”

 

“…!”

 

Pinin didn’t have a chance to say anything.

 

The sword flash Featherback unleashed severed Pinin’s left wrist as well.

 

“Aaaaaaahhhhh!”

 

Having lost both hands, Pinin screamed.

 

Featherback shrugged his shoulders.

 

“Directly killing the Grand Duke of Purosange might become a bit troublesome in terms of justification.”

 

“You, you… youuuu… Even after doing this…”

 

“So you’re going to die to Centipede. Stupidly messing with a Frozen Horror’s offspring and getting caught by the adult.”

 

Having finished speaking, Featherback delivered a kick.

 

Thud―!

 

Pinin, kicked in the face, rolls backward tumbling down.

 

With both wrists severed and gone, he can’t grab onto anything.

 

“Aaaaaaahhhhh!”

 

Pinin lets out a scream that could be rage, terror, or both.

 

Behind him, the Frozen Horror waited with its massive maw gaping wide.

 

Crunch—!

 

Pinin’s upper body gets shoved into the Centipede’s maw.

 

…Crunch! …Crunch! …Crunch! …Crunch!

 

The Grand Prince of the noble house that once ruled the Northern Region had been reduced to mere frozen ground meat.

 

Featherback, looking down at the sight, shrugged his shoulders.

 

“With this, Purosange has lost any justification they could claim.”

 

If it were said that Mörsolt had launched a surprise attack on Purosange and killed the Grand Prince, there would be room for moral condemnation.

 

But in this case, there was no evidence anywhere that Featherback had killed Pinin.

 

“Mörsolt was never here tonight.”

 

Behind Featherback as he turned away, nothing remained except the corpses of Purosange Rangers and the Mother Centipede who had lost her young.

 

It had been a clean night.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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