Chương 61: Is One Hit Enough?

The moment the orc chieftain's club touched Kichan's shoulder, several elves swallowed their breath. The duel circle had been formed inside the broken boundary markers. The orcs had planted their shields in the ground to make a semicircle, and the elves clung to the tree trunks and low railings beyond, bows aimed. In the center were Kichan, the orc chieftain, and the World Tree fruit guarded by the water drop. The sound was loud. The small birds perched on the leaf railings above took flight all at once.

This was the club used to chop through trees. Its end, studded with iron nails and beast fangs, pressed against Kichan's shoulder, and the impact traveled down into the ground. The dry leaves around bounced once. Kichan did not budge. His shoulder rang with a heavy thud, and a slight irritation rose. That was all. The orc chieftain's laughter vanished. Kichan turned his head and checked his shoulder. His clothes were a bit torn, and dirt clung to them.

"Ah." He brushed his shoulder with his hand.

"You tore my clothes." Riphiel, on the sabertooth tiger, opened her mouth. Normally she would have added an explanation at once, but this time her eyes widened before the words came.

"Is that the problem right now?"

"It is a problem." Kichan lifted his chin toward the orc chieftain.

"Done?" When Riphiel relayed those words, a low murmur spread among the orcs. The orc chieftain tried to grip his club again, but strength would not enter his fingers. The arm he had just swung was trembling. Kichan raised his wake-up rod.

"It's my turn, right?" Riphiel said very quietly.

"Yes." The elf elder hurriedly tried to step forward.

"Wait, if you kill that chieftain, the orcs will—""I won't kill him." Kichan took one step toward the orc chieftain. He did not strike the head. He did not strike the chest. Only the arm holding the club, the leg bracing, the center where strength gathered remained. He lowered the tip of his wake-up rod. The orc chieftain took his stance to endure. He spread his feet and raised his club before his chest. A short battle cry rose among the orcs. The elves' bowstrings grew tauter. Kichan stepped in one pace forward.

And with the tip of his wake-up rod, he struck between the club-holding arm and the ground. Boom. The sound came once. The orc chieftain's club slipped from his hand. His wrist went slack, his elbow sank, and his body's center crumpled to one side. The chieftain dropped to his knees. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author's preferred platform and support their work! He did not fall. But everyone knew he could not fight any longer. The forest went quiet. Kichan put the wake-up rod over his shoulder.

"Back off." Riphiel did not joke this time. Nor did she raise her voice. She relayed it briefly to the orcs. The orc chieftain, on his knees, raised his head. One knee was buried in the wet dirt, and his fingers still clutched at empty air as if searching for the club that had slipped away. And he laughed. This laugh held no provocation. It was the sound of admitting defeat. He struck his chest once and gestured to his pack. The orcs began slowly withdrawing. The elves could not lower their bows.

Partly because they did not trust the retreating orcs, and partly because they could not trust the scene they had just witnessed. Even the elves on the tree railings leaned forward. Kichan felt those stares gathering once more on his back, his hand, his wake-up rod. Riphiel said.

"That was worth watching this time."

"Don't compliment me."

"It is not a compliment, it is a record."

"Don't record it either." In that gap, Dust was crawling toward the fruit again. The water drop immediately blocked its path. As the small water film popped up, Dust stopped. Kichan looked at that and spoke quietly.

"You. Stay put." Dust flicked a leg. The orc chieftain stopped again while retreating. He pointed at Kichan, then at the World Tree fruit. Finally, he struck his chest. The elf elders' hands gripped their staves again. Riphiel interpreted very low.

"He says the one thing he owes is still valid. However, he says that fruit tempts him too." Kichan only turned his eyes toward the orc chieftain.

"You lost, so shut your mouth and go." Riphiel hesitated.

"Shall I relay that as is?"

"Yeah." Riphiel relayed it very briefly. Hearing it, the orc chieftain laughed loudly. Yellow fangs showed, and again one finger went up. He raised one finger toward Kichan. One thing he wanted. It was a sign that it still remained. And he withdrew with the orc pack beyond the forest. Shields and axes and pieces of broken clubs vanished past the boundary. The horn sound faded as well. Only then did the elves move.

As if the frozen village was breathing again, footsteps returned to the tree paths and the ground trails. They moved the wounded deeper inside, raised the broken markers, and checked the fences around the young branches again. Hands grew busy laying the injured under leaf-canvas shelters. Several elves who had been aiming their bows at Kichan moments ago averted their eyes. Several looked even more blatantly. Kichan hated that.

"It's over, right? I'm going." The elder blocked his way. This time, he did not thrust out his staff. He lowered his head. Kichan found that more uncomfortable.

"What now." Before answering, the elder looked down toward the World Tree fruit. The fruit was placed in front of the water drop, and Dust was circling around beside it.

"We must determine what is to be done about that fruit and that child of water."

"Another meeting?" The corners of the elder's eyes were weary. He too did not like the word meeting.

"This time, we ask the World Tree." Kichan raised his head. Inside the village, the branches of the colossal tree covered the forest above like a night sky. It could not be compared to the young branch the orcs had been targeting moments ago. A single root wrapped around the village center like a small hill. Kichan lowered his wrist toward the water drop. The water drop trembled quietly while looking toward the World Tree. It was not frantically trying to jump out as before.

It was a small trembling — frightened, glad, not knowing what to do. Kichan sighed.

"You have to go too?" The water drop went pop. In that gap, Dust tried to bite the fruit again. Kichan said immediately.

"Not you." Dust stopped. Riphiel spoke very brightly from the side.

"Fortunately. The fourth agenda item is World Tree confirmation." Kichan's head slowly turned toward Riphiel.

"Don't call it an agenda item."

"Then I shall call it a rite."

"I don't like that either." Riphiel earnestly considered it.

"A time for asking the tree?" Kichan closed his eyes. The elder turned his body toward the World Tree. The elves opened a path. A narrow path appeared between the broken fences, wet earth, and fallen markers inside the village. Kichan walked with his wake-up rod over his shoulder. The water drop at the end of his sleeve quietly followed. Dust followed, watching the fruit. Riphiel, following on the saber-toothed tiger, added.

"In fact, the expression 'a time for asking the tree' is fairly accurate." Without looking back, Kichan said.

"Let me hit you once." Riphiel hid behind the sabertooth tiger.