All-Master Player Of The Academy [EN]: Chapter 211

106. City of Warriors – 1

As the two stared blankly at each other, Mya-ne, who was in Ian’s bag, jumped out.

May received Mya-ne, who quickly ran over, and smiled wryly.

“Mya-ne got bigger?”

“Well, time has passed. But what brings you two here?”

“What else? The Empire Academy’s training exercise.”

“Running training? Well, being chased by orc riders wouldn’t be a bad exercise.”

May and Philoa blushed.

The Empire Academy’s training.

Infiltrate an area with frequent monster sightings, in pairs.

Afterward, the instructors provoke the monsters to maximize their alertness, then the students escape.

The monsters’ vigilance is considerable.

Therefore, successfully breaking through their vigilance and escaping undetected demonstrates skills valuable in war.

“Well, it’s rare for anyone to escape completely unnoticed. Most get caught midway, fight, and then escape.”

Philoa said as she stood up, and May sighed.

“The area we infiltrated was the Windclaw tribe in the southern great plains. Our goal was to infiltrate their territory and escape.”

She held up two necklaces made of wolf teeth from her chest.

“We almost avoided getting caught this time.”

“I was a little surprised. I knew they tamed dire wolves, but who knew they’d ride them?”

“Is that so unusual?”

“The Windclaw tribe didn’t traditionally have orc riders.”

Philoa stated firmly.

Taming and riding dire wolves is a skill possessed only by certain orcs in the south.

And until now, the Windclaw tribe lacked this capability, limiting their mobility.

But this time, things had changed.

It seems technology transfer occurred during the propagation of faith [referring to a religious or ideological influence].

‘Technology transfer may have occurred in other ways as well. Let’s investigate,’ Ian thought.

As Kirke reported, May released Mya-ne and asked,

“But what are you doing here?”

“I have a few things to investigate. And there’s also the Academy Exchange.”

“…Are you participating in the Exchange?”

“What else would I be doing?”

“Hmm. This Exchange is a lost cause then.”

The opponent must be pretty strong if they’re giving us pause.

Ian chuckled as the two quickly gave up.

“You never know, give it your best shot.”

“No thanks.”

“I have no intention of committing suicide. Whew.”

I’ve rested enough, I should head back now.

Philoa and May pointed toward the Empire’s walls.

“By the way, you mentioned you have something to investigate.”

“Should we help?”

Ian shook his head at their offer.

“If you insist.”

“I’ll report your arrival to the Academy. Oh, and there are other students undergoing training near the great plains right now. If you have this, you can get help if you encounter any Empire Academy students.”

“I don’t think I’ll need any help. Anyway, I gratefully accept it.”

As Ian put the badge Philoa gave him into his bag, Mya-ne, who was in front of them, ran over.

May smiled as she watched Mya-ne slip into the bag, peeking out.

“Then see you next time.”

The two moved away toward the Empire.

Ian, watching them, walked in the direction they had been chased from.

‘Kirke, scan the surroundings.’

There are no special features.

‘What’s the location of the orc village they were in?’

You can reach it by heading south for two hours.

Ian walked silently across the great plains.

The endless great plains held quite a few monsters besides orcs.

While walking, cutting down monsters blocking his path, a lone tree standing on the great plains caught his eye.

And a large, delicious-looking fruit hung from that tree.

For someone lost on the great plains and out of food, it would be a lifesaver.

As Ian stared intently at it.

A black-haired nomad riding a horse approached from the side.

“Hey!! Don’t go near it!!”

It was a pretty nomad girl with sharp eyes, riding quickly on a white horse.

Armed with a bow and arrows, she shot an arrow at the tree Ian was looking at.

“Kyaaaa!!”

As the arrow accurately hit the tree, the tree sank into the ground.

Then the ground moved.

“That’s a land maw [a carnivorous creature]. It looked like a tree, right? That’s actually the land maw’s tentacle.”

It uses that to lure in and devour those who are lost and wandering.

She said in a lively tone and smiled at Ian.

“I saved you, right? Then shouldn’t you say something?”

Ian, who was staring blankly at her, said indifferently.

“Do you know Valla?”

“Huh? How do you know my brother?”

She slowly moved her hand to the weapon on the saddle.

Holding a scimitar, a common nomad weapon, she looked at him warily, and Ian took out his badge from his chest.

“Ian Brandon.”

“Oh?! Ian?! Are you that Ian?!”

The girl jumped off her horse in amazement.

Quite excellent horsemanship.

She dismounted, looked up at Ian, took off her wool hat, and smiled brightly.

“Nice to meet you. Lyza Killhart. The successor of the Killhart tribe.”

“Huh? Isn’t Valla the successor?”

“He was removed from the position last time. Well, as you know, Valla oppa [older brother] is a bit…unrefined, right? I sent him to the Academy, but there’s no hope. But he’s competent as a warrior, so he decided to become a great warrior.”

The position of tribe leader isn’t just about being good at fighting.

This was especially true for the Killhart tribe, which held considerable influence among the southern nomads.

As such, she said proudly that she, who might not be good at fighting but could use her head well, had become the successor.

“Oppa also acknowledged it.”

“Well, Valla isn’t good at using his head. Even though he became a Master.”

“That’s what I’m saying. Anyway, I’ve heard a lot about you. Ah, should I use honorifics?”

Ian shook his head at her lively chatter.

What does it matter whether it’s casual or formal?

“It’s just like oppa said.”

“What did Valla say about me?”

“That you’re not interested in anything in the world, and that your free spirit is more suited to nomads.”

She smiled brightly, her black eyes sparkling.

“Hmm. Then I guess I didn’t save you earlier.”

According to what she heard from Valla, Ian possessed skills comparable to that terrifying Empire Emperor.

Therefore, he could have easily dealt with the land maw even if it attacked.

“Oh? Were you perhaps planning something? Did I get in the way for no reason?”

“It’s not like that.”

“That’s a relief. Ah, but what brings you here?”

“That’s what I wanted to ask. Why is the successor of the Killhart tribe here? Without any guards.”

“Ah, I’m just wandering around because I have something to investigate.”

“Investigate? Has someone gone missing from the Killhart tribe?”

“Yes. Our tribe’s merchants went to the Empire last time, but they’re overdue and haven’t returned.”

“Could they have been captured by the Empire?”

“That’s impossible.”

She denied it firmly.

The Empire does fight with the nomads, but only with those who resist them.

“Plus, when I inquired at the walls, they said the Killhart tribe’s caravan had already left.”

“Then they might have been attacked after entering the great plains. Skilled nomads wouldn’t get lost on the great plains.”

“That’s right.”

So she was constantly wandering around, hoping to find a trace.

“But that doesn’t answer my question.”

“Ah, guards? I don’t usually bring guards. I’m a nomad with southern blood, too.”

Even if a problem arises, I can escape and resolve it.

Ian shrugged at her confident statement.

“If you’ve asked everything, I’ll ask too. Ian, why are you here? Ah, are you perhaps coming to the Killhart tribe? Then I’ll guide you.”

“It’s not like that.”

Ian told her about what happened in the Forest of the Martialist and the Forest of the Elves.

She grew serious upon hearing the story of monsters forming societies.

“Oh, that’s going to be a headache.”

“That’s right. There are many monsters on the great plains, right? And there’s also Grimmer, the city of orcs, right?”

“Yes, that’s right… Hmm… Wait a minute. Then could that be it?”

She fiddled with the wool hat she was holding and nodded.

“There’s something that’s been bothering me.”

“What is it?”

“If you go a little further south from here, there’s the Garan Gorge. Special patterns that didn’t exist there until a few years ago have appeared.”

“Really?”

“We just thought it was some kind of ritual or ceremony performed by people passing through the great plains…”

Perhaps that could be evidence of the monsters’ faith.

“Why don’t you go take a look there? Oppa said that you know everything once you see it?”

“I tend to.”

“Then go take a look.”

Lyza immediately mounted her horse.

“You don’t have a horse, do you? Get on behind me.”

“I can run, so don’t worry.”

“Can you keep up with a nomad in the plains? Ha, this is a challenge to my pride.”

She smiled and shook the reins.

“Follow me if you can!”

The white steed moved.

Ian, watching it, stomped his foot.

“Whoa?! It’s really fast?!”

He quickly caught up with Lyza.

After running for a while, a gorge appeared.

Ian looked at the gorge, which was in a low position and easily missed from a distance due to the terrain.

A horse ran from afar.

“Wow, I’ve heard the stories, but I didn’t know it was real.”

“This is nothing. Is that it?”

“Yes.”

Ian, having gone down below, looked at the cliff in the center of the gorge.

As Lyza said, there was a Rubellin’s pattern [likely a specific symbol or design] on the cliff.

Traces of human sacrifice have been found.

At Kirke’s report, Ian looked around and headed to one place.

Lyza was startled when Ian picked something up while examining that place.

“A nail? But… judging by the size, it doesn’t seem like it belongs to a human?”

“It belongs to an orc.”

Ian threw away the large nail.

“Why is an orc’s nail here?”

“I wonder. Anyway, we should prepare for battle first.”

As he said this, the howling of wolves echoed towards the entrance of the gorge.

And…

Orcs riding those wolves were approaching Ian and Lyza with fierce eyes.

“Krrr!! Kuaaaa!!”

Dozens of orc riders.

Lyza, seeing them, grabbed her scimitar.

“…The guy in the back. He’s a Great Warrior-class [a high-ranking orc]. Ian, be careful. Great Warrior-class orcs are said to be able to beat Masters [referring to skilled warriors].”

He was larger than the other orcs, about two heads taller.

The orc, whose body was covered in scars on bulging muscles, silently stared at them.

How long did that gaze last?

“Kuaaaa!!”

He must not have liked Ian and Lyza being in the gorge.

Dozens of riders dismounted their wolves and charged at them.

As they charged with movements as if to tear them apart, Ian swung his sword.

-Swoosh!!

With a single strike that cut through the air, the riders’ heads all fell.

Lyza exclaimed as Ian killed dozens of orcs in an instant.

“Wow…”

“Are you coming too?”

As Ian pointed his sword, the orc called the Great Warrior opened his thick lips.

“You are strong. Lingan.”

“…H, he spoke?! An orc spoke?!”

“What’s so great about that.”

Unlike her, who was in shock, the Great Warrior Orc smiled at Ian, who was indifferent.

“While hunting unpleasant guys who don’t know honor and confirming holy sites, I never thought I would meet a strong person like you. Lingan, you are worthy of respect. So if you wish, I will take you to Grimmer.”

Ian smiled at his words.

“I was going to go anyway, so that’s good.”