The Founding Monarch Became the Mastermind

Chapter 96

Now that I think about it, recently, the number of small and weak creatures had increased significantly, along with the appearance of some odd ones I had never seen before.

Out of curiosity, I caught a few, but then got bored and just left them alone.

After all, to Big Fang, anything was considered ‘small and weak’.

As long as they didn’t dare intrude into his territory, he didn’t bother with them.

But what if… on the off chance that that presence came to find him today?

“Krugh… damn it!”

Without realizing it, Big Fang bit his own tongue.

Blood was dripping, but he didn’t care and frantically scrambled. (It wasn’t a big deal—his tongue would heal quickly anyway.)

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

The ogre, who had been appointed decades ago as the ‘Monster Manager’ of the Brandin Mountains by Si-on, grabbed the massive black ebony axe—an axe with a blade the size of a human torso, forged by the Cheolsan Dwarves—and dashed out like lightning.

Even if its lifespan had extended two or three times, and it was on the verge of becoming a champion, elite monsters like him didn’t have human-level intelligence.

Thus, Big Fang had no elaborate plan.

The grand proposition in its mind was simple:

—A human who could kill me at any moment ordered me to manage these smaller, weaker creatures.

That was the basis of his logic.

-> Recently, the number of small and weak creatures suddenly increased.

-> Some less small and less weak creatures were bullying and eating the smaller, weaker ones.

-> Beat up the less small and less weak creatures on sight and somehow deal with the smaller, weaker ones.

-> PROFIT!

A truly flawless plan.

Even as Big Fang madly ran down the mountain, he felt that his brain had improved.

He was satisfied.

Of course, aside from that satisfaction, he was using all his senses—hearing, sight, smell, and even his sixth sense—to search for signs of those ‘less small and less weak’ creatures.

He found them quickly.

Living in the neighboring mountain next to Big Fang’s domain was one of his kin.

No, to be exact, it wasn’t exactly his kin.

A few years ago, when it was still immature, it had crossed into Big Fang’s territory without knowing any better and barely escaped with its life.

That’s why he wasn’t sure if it was really one of his kin.

Anyhow, Big Fang hadn’t forgotten the scent of that weird creature with only one eye, and now he ran after that scent, which arrogantly extended beyond its mountain peak down to the base.

“Krr?”

While chasing, Big Fang noticed something strange.

He didn’t always stay within his own territory.

Sometimes, out of boredom, he wandered to other places, and during his younger days, he had roamed the entire Brandin Mountain Range.

So, he knew all the types of scents of those ‘less small and less weak’ creatures.

Back when he was on par in strength with those creatures, he had fought many of them, and even had a close call where he almost got beaten.

‘Why are the scents of the less small and less weak creatures mixed together?’

It was strange.

This had never happened before.

Usually, the less small and less weak creatures didn’t leave their territories. Even if they did, at most two or three of them would fight for dominance, and that would be it.

But now, for the first time, the scents of different types of less small and less weak creatures were all mixed up near the base of the mountain.

On top of that, the scent of the smaller and weaker creatures was also scattered everywhere.

‘This is weird. And this…’

This signified bigger trouble.

If that inhuman human found out about this…

“Krwooooooar!”

Ignoring all the trees in his way, Big Fang sped up his sprint, tearing through everything in his path in a panic.

***

“Did you hear that?”

“Yeah, what was that?”

The Peregrine Division and Rozin soldiers, who had just obliterated a goblin nest of over 300 creatures, all simultaneously turned toward the direction of the Brandin Mountains.

While the Peregrine Division members slightly furrowed their brows, the regular Rozin soldiers were visibly tense.

It was only natural. Half of the soldiers had just experienced their first real combat.

Although the Peregrine Division had done most of the heavy fighting, and the soldiers had only cleaned up the stragglers, the sheer amount of blood and gore, with bones and innards spilling out, was on a different level.

Many soldiers vomited up their breakfast, and even those who didn’t were pale with fright.

In the midst of that, they heard a terrifying roar coming from the distant mountains. It would have been strange if the soldiers weren’t scared.

“Was that an ogre?”

“Sounds like it. I’ve heard that before back home.”

While the ex-members of the Janstrick Mercenary Group whispered among themselves, Si-on spoke with Friel.

“How many ogres are in the area managed by the North Mountain Elves?”

“The last time we checked, there were four. It might have increased since then, but they wouldn’t have come down this far.”

“That makes sense. Go and bring that Ste… Stella Gosan here.”

It still felt awkward to say the name of his late wife.

“Yes.”

Friel went over to the elf soldiers and soon returned with Stella, her golden bobbed hair shining.

Si-on took a quick glance at Stella’s status window.

Her natural talents, filled with S and A ranks, were still overwhelming.

Of course, it didn’t compare to his own, but it was still impressive.

“That roar earlier—do you think it’s Big Fang?”

“Yes, Instructor. Only Big Fang could let out a roar like that here. The other ogres are strong, but they’re nothing compared to him.”

“As expected.”

It had been so long that Si-on wasn’t entirely sure.

There was always the chance that another powerful ogre had been born and grown during his absence from the duchy.

“Either way, this works out. Stelman, gather the leftovers and clean up. After that, tell the soldiers to rest at the village we passed earlier.”

“Yes!”

“Send two men to keep watch over the soldiers in the village, but the rest will move with us. Bring only two days’ worth of food. Everyone’s still lively, right?”

“Of course. If they’re not, we’ll whip them until they are.”

Stelman grinned.

It sounded ridiculous, but coming from Stelman, it somehow made sense.

While the soldiers, still queasy, finished cleaning up, the Peregrine Division readied to move again.

Maybe not lively, but since they were all veterans, it wasn’t too tough for them.

“Move out!”

At Si-on’s command, the Peregrine Division’s Gaus moved in groups of ten, not in perfect formation, but in a pattern that allowed for the most efficient response if they were attacked. They headed toward the forest at the foot of the Brandin Mountains.

**

“Isn’t this a bit odd?”

“Yeah. This isn’t a normal situation.”

Even the war Gaus couldn’t move nonstop for several hours, so during their brief rest, the elf rangers exchanged words.

Humans nearby couldn’t help but join in.

“You’re right. We’ve come this far, and it’s weird not seeing any medium or large monsters. We thought the same thing.”

“Oh, you’ve dealt with monsters in the northeastern region?”

“Of course. Back in the Janstrick Mercenary Group, we were known for being monster hunters. Even to us, this seems strange. And you said this area was always crawling with monsters, right?”

“Exactly. By now, we should’ve run into a troll family, whether forest or rock trolls. Or we should’ve seen a manticore or a giant mantis or two.”

“Whoa? You have monsters like that here? Crazy.”

Still harboring fantasies about female elves, Miska quickly joined in the conversation, chattering away.

“A giant mantis is one thing, but a manticore is no joke. Did you ladies actually take down creatures like that?”

“Of course. Unlike the North Mountain or High Mountain regions, where environments differ, the South Mountain is filled with mixed species and insect-type monsters.”

That was true.

The North Mountain Elves operated mainly in the Forest Without Echoes, which was home to all kinds of creatures, from herbivores to carnivores, as well as bipedal small monsters and medium to large-sized monsters.

High Mountain didn’t have many forests, but it had a plateau with some open valleys, where goats, rams, and mountain lions lived, along with a mix of bears and raptors. As a result, bird-like monsters thrived in that region.

On the other hand, South Mountain was located near the end of the Brandin Mountain Range, where there were many lakes, ponds, and waterfalls. The diverse animal and plant life in that area meant the types of monsters were far more varied and complex.

“If you go up this stream a little further, you’ll reach the Elgraze Swampland. Normally, all kinds of monsters inhabit that area, and it’s usually their active zone.”

“But now, not even a trace of them can be found? Even though monsters are supposed to have multiplied?”

“Exactly. It’s even stranger.”

The expressions of the human soldiers, who initially joined the conversation to get closer to the female elves, turned a little more serious.

But their concerns didn’t last long.

Krwooooooooar!

Wooooooar! Woooooar!

Kiiiiiieeee!

“…!”

Everyone’s heads snapped toward the source of the sound.

Following the overwhelming roar they had heard earlier when they wiped out the goblin horde, another set of monstrous screams echoed in quick succession.

And this time, it sounded much closer.

Thwack!

The sharp eyes of the elite veterans, regardless of species, all focused on one person.

Si-on, who maintained his usual indifferent expression, smoothly jumped onto Blackie’s saddle.

“Everyone rested? Let’s go. I think we only need to travel about one more kilometer.”

“Yes!”

“Let’s go!”

Si-on, who was possibly the strongest in this place—no, in the entire Si-on Duchy, including the monsters—radiated a calm confidence that spread to the others.

Even though the situation was abnormal, if the leader—who was stronger than anyone else here—acted like it was no big deal, then it really wasn’t a big deal.

Why?

Because of everything they had witnessed so far.

Clip-clop! Clip-clop!

The Peregrine Division swiftly mounted their Gaus and moved out at a quick pace.

About ten minutes later…

“Wha…?”

The soldiers froze at the sight before them, utterly unprepared for what they were seeing.

The Elgraze Swampland was the largest lake in the southern Brandin Mountain Range, and it was indeed vast.

The sight of the ancient forest surrounding the lake, with trees intertwined and growing over the water’s surface, was a majestic and fantastic view.

For the soldiers, who had never been to this place, it was their first time witnessing this awe-inspiring scene.

Even the hardened veterans from the Janstrick Mercenary Group and the Black Eagle Regiment, men who normally had no sense of romance, might have taken a moment to appreciate the mysterious beauty of the swamp under ordinary circumstances.

However, the sight unfolding in the relatively shallow waters of the swamp made them forget any thoughts of admiration.

Kiiiiiieee!

Grrroooaaar!

An ogre, with one of its tusks grotesquely oversized, was sitting cross-legged on a massive boulder.

Next to it stood a dark, human-sized axe, and it was watching with its arms folded.

That alone could be explained, somehow.

A praying mantis, only slightly smaller than the ogre but with blade-like forearms sharp as swords, was in the middle of a fierce battle with a one-eyed giant, holding a log as big as a tree.

That, too, could be chalked up to the brutal law of nature.

But what couldn’t be dismissed was the scene surrounding them.

There, gathered around the battle, were manticores, griffins, swamp trolls, and forest trolls.

Any one of those creatures appearing alone would cause havoc in a typical territory. But here, a pack of them watched the ongoing fight as if they were spectators at an arena.

Even more bizarre, they were trembling, casting fearful glances at the ogre who seemed to be presiding over the entire situation like a leader or judge.