The night was heavy with clouds that choked out the moonlight. Cloaked in a darkness perfect for a surprise raid, the members of the Orc Subjugation Force took up their assigned positions.
Eight groups were stationed around the Orc settlement, positioned at the North, Northeast, East, Southeast, South, Southwest, West, and Northwest.
According to the strategy Bobbs had outlined, the Axe of the Thunder God would lead with a flashy assault from the east. Since the settlement was still under construction, that side was the most heavily guarded. Once the Orc reinforcements were drawn toward the eastern front, the other parties would strike from the gaps left behind in the other sectors.
Some had voiced concerns that the Axe of the Thunder God would bear the brunt of the Orcs' counterattack, making their position the most dangerous. However, Elk, the leader of the party, had silenced them with a single sentence: "Trust us—we’re an A-Rank party." That he could convince them so easily was a testament to the trust they placed in his past achievements and overwhelming strength.
Rei’s role was different. He wasn't tied to any specific location; instead, he was to act as mobile support, utilizing Set’s mobility.
"Set, it’s almost time. Are you ready?"
"Guruu."
In the darkness, Set gave a low cry, its body silhouetted against the faint moonlight filtering through the clouds.
Initially, some had worried that a Gryphon, having the upper body of an eagle, might have poor night vision. However, those concerns vanished once Rei testified that Set had been able to see perfectly well when they spent a night in the Forest of Magic.
"Orcs... your lives end here today. You’ll be nothing more than nourishment for me and Set."
Almost as soon as Rei murmured those words, several bolts of lightning rained down violently on the eastern edge of the settlement. It was the magic of Min, the mage of the Axe of the Thunder God.
"It’s started. Set, our targets aren't the rank-and-file. We’re hunting the High-ranking Species—Generals, Mages, and Archers. Our top priority is the one leading this pack."
"Guruuu!"
Below them, they could see groups of Orcs scrambling toward the east. Despite the panic of the sudden raid, they were still moving with a degree of organization. Taking advantage of the confusion, the other adventurer parties began their infiltration, striking the Orcs from behind as they mobilized.
Rei scanned the chaos from above, searching for his prey.
"Found them!"
Rei’s eyes locked onto five Orc Archers. They were drawing their bows, aiming at an adventurer party attacking from the southwest. Caught up in their own skirmish, the adventurers didn't seem to realize they were about to be sniped from the shadows.
"Set!"
"Guruuu!"
At Rei’s sharp command, Set gave a piercing cry and dove. It looked like a bird of prey stooping for a kill.
An arrow from one of the Orc Archers whistled through the air, piercing the left leg of a man at the rear of the party, then his torso, and finally his right arm. It was a stroke of grim luck that the other two arrows missed, thudding into the dirt. The wounded adventurer collapsed, and his companions scrambled to drag him behind a building. Seeing their prey escape, the Orc Archers grew frustrated and began raining a volley of arrows down on the adventurers' cover.
Had they been skilled human archers, they would have immediately relocated to find a better angle. This was the Orcs' own settlement; they held the geographical advantage. However, the fact that they remained stationary was proof that, despite being a High-ranking Species, they were still just Orcs.
Furthermore, an archer is at a severe disadvantage once an enemy closes the distance.
"Hah!"
Rei leaped from Set mid-dive, using the momentum to bring down the Death Scythe. The blade was already humming with Magic Power. The Orc in his sights didn't even realize it was under attack before a Vertical Cleave split it in two. Its body fell in separate halves with a wet, heavy sound as its internal organs spilled onto the ground.
Beside him, Set slammed into another Orc Archer, its talons crushing the monster's head instantly.
Rei caught a glimpse of the headless corpse hitting the dirt as he transitioned his momentum. Without pausing, he whipped the Death Scythe upward, catching a third Orc Archer before it could even process what was happening.
Set landed and lunged with its beak, tearing a hole in an Orc’s throat. A second later, its talons lashed out, causing the monster's torso to practically explode.
"Bumo!?"
The final Orc Archer finally realized they were under attack, but all it could manage was a cry of confusion. In the next heartbeat, the Death Scythe swept horizontally, and its head was severed cleanly. It took several seconds for the headless body to realize it was dead before it finally collapsed, blood geysering from the neck.
"Set, any others?"
"Gururu."
Rei looked at Set, who was scanning the area. The Gryphon gave a small shake of its head. Judging the area clear, Rei moved quickly to store the Orc Archer corpses and their gear into his Misty Ring.
"Rei? You saved our necks."
The speaker was the leader of the party that had been pinned down. They had evidently planned to charge the archers' position once the arrows stopped. Behind the leader stood a typical light warrior equipped with a sword and leather armor.
"Where’s your other member?"
"Treating the one who got shot."
"Do you have enough potions?"
"Yeah, the supplies we were issued are holding up."
Before nightfall, Rei had distributed the potions and mana potions he’d carried in his Misty Ring to all the parties. The third member was likely using them now.
"Wait, where did the Orc Archer bodies go?" the warrior behind the leader asked, looking confused by the empty ground.
"I put them in my Item Box. They’re High-ranking Species, so it’s better I hold onto them now to avoid any disputes over the loot later."
"I guess that makes sense," the warrior muttered, and the leader nodded in agreement.
"I’m heading back up to provide support for the other sectors. Stay sharp."
"Yeah, we will. Thanks again."
"Don't mention it. It’s the job."
Rei climbed back onto Set’s back.
"Set."
"Guruu!"
With a short run, Set beat its wings against the air and ascended.
"It’s getting lively down there."
"Guruu."
From their vantage point, Rei could see fires breaking out in various parts of the settlement. Likely, someone's flame magic had caught the wooden Orc dwellings. For Rei, the rising flames provided the perfect light to survey the battlefield.
"Hm?"
In the flickering orange light, Rei spotted an adventurer party heading toward a small shack in the north.
They were likely the rescue team for the women he had discovered during reconnaissance. However, they had the misfortune of running right into a group of Orcs emerging from the building.
The northern team consisted of three adventurers. They were facing five Orcs. One of the monsters was significantly larger than the rest and wore actual armor—an Orc General.
"I can't exactly just watch them get slaughtered."
Moreover, the anger he’d felt seeing the captives earlier today was still simmering. He decided he might as well vent it here. With a cold smile, he pointed Set toward the new fray.
"Set, that’s our next stop."
"Guruu!"
Set dove again. When they reached an altitude of about ten meters, Rei leaped from its back. He activated his Sleipnir's Shoes, walking briefly on empty air as he plummeted toward the Orc General.
"Bumo!?"
True to its status as a High-ranking Species, the General sensed something falling toward it. It reflexively raised its massive greatsword above its head.
Under normal circumstances, that would have been a solid defense. The weapon was a massive slab of iron, easily capable of blocking almost any standard attack. But Rei wasn't using a standard weapon.
"Don't think that toothpick can stop me!"
He brought down the Death Scythe. The weapon was a Magic Item, a byproduct of Beast Magic created by materializing Rei’s own immense Magic Power. It was enchanted to sharpen its edge with mana and to feel weightless to Rei despite its actual mass of over 100 kilograms. When that much weight and mana hit a mundane weapon, the result was predictable.
The Death Scythe sliced through the Orc General’s greatsword as if it were made of paper. It continued through the monster's helmet, its skull, and its armored torso before slamming into the earth. The impact created a crater two meters wide, sending up a roar of displaced dirt and stone.
"Bumo!?"
The remaining Orcs spun around to see their commander split perfectly in half, the two pieces of its body slumped on either side of the crater.
Set followed Rei down, refusing to give the stunned monsters a moment to recover. With the momentum of the dive and its own raw strength, the Gryphon swung its talons, obliterating another Orc’s head.
"Now! Strike!" Rei shouted.
The adventurers snapped out of their shock and lunged at the remaining Orcs.
The three-man party—a swordsman, a spearman, and an archer—coordinated perfectly. The swordsman buried his blade in the back of an Orc’s neck, killing it instantly. Arrows from the back-liner peppered another, and as it staggered, the spearman drove his weapon through the monster's head with a desperate cry.
"Bumo!"
The final Orc looked around. Its leader had been cleaved like a log, a Gryphon was tearing its kin apart, and the humans were pressing the attack. Realizing it was the last one standing, the Orc lost its nerve. It threw its sword at Rei as a distraction and turned tail, sprinting into the darkness.
The adventurers started to give chase, but Rei swatted the thrown sword aside with his scythe and held up a hand.
"Let it go."
"Why?! It’s getting away!" the spearman demanded.
Rei turned to them with a ferocious smile. The adventurers flinched, overwhelmed by the sudden intensity of his gaze.
"Every Orc in this settlement is going to die tonight anyway. Whether that one dies now or in ten minutes doesn't matter."
Silenced by the cold logic and the sheer pressure Rei exuded, the adventurers stood still.
"Besides, your objective isn't to rack up a body count. It's to liberate the women in that shack, isn't it?"
"...Right. You're right," the swordsman said, nodding. Rei recognized him as one of the people from Bobbs' meeting—the party leader.
"I’ll leave the shack to you. Get them back to Bobbs' position. From what I can see from the air, this area is mostly clear for now. I'll hold the line here until you’re gone."
"Thanks. We owe you one."
The three men gave a quick nod and hurried into the shack. Rei watched them go, letting out a small sigh.
Initially, the rescue was supposed to wait until after the settlement was secured. However, seeing the fires spreading, the party must have decided the captives were in immediate danger. There was also the risk of the Orcs using them as human shields if the battle turned against them.
Rei and Set kept watch for a few minutes until the men re-emerged from the shack.
They were escorting two women. One was the woman Rei had seen during the day; she looked Haggard but was managing to walk. The other was in worse shape, unable to stand and currently being carried on the spearman’s back.
"We’re moving out. We’ll be back as soon as they’re safe."
"Go."
After a brief exchange with the leader, Rei and Set watched as the three adventurers disappeared toward the outskirts of the settlement.