Frozen Earth #3

 

“Come, come!”

Gauss shouted, clutching his club. Wapha clapped his knuckles together and grinned.

Kang, Kang—

A jarring metallic sound echoed throughout the arena.

Wafa was experienced. He even seemed to enjoy the fight.

The type who doesn’t rush in, but rather waits calmly while observing the other person’s actions.

“Okay, if you don’t come, I’ll go!”

Gauss’s patience ran out first.

Knock—!

Gauss kicked the ground and rushed towards Wapha.

Wapha’s fist cut through the air. It was slow but heavy.

“Dodged!”

“Oh-”

The crowd cheered.

Gauss rolled along the ground in a cloud of dust, missing the path of Wapha’s fist.

A big swing and a miss. There’s a gap in Wafa’s stance. Now it’s Gauss’s turn to attack.

Snap!

Gauss swung his club with all his might. The sound of bones breaking could be heard from here, and the watching orcs all held their breath.

Gulp.

Blood dripped from the corner of Wapa’s eyes.

Is this the end?

The head is a vital organ of the human body, even in non-human orcs.

It wouldn’t be strange if he collapsed at any moment, but the atmosphere he felt from Wapha was somehow strange.

“Immortal! Immortal!”

“Immortal Orc Wafa!”

The crowd that had bet on Wafa began to shout in unison.

“Ehehehe.”

Wapa, his head stained with blood, chuckled.

Gauss’s face turned pale.

Wafa raised both hands toward the crowd, eliciting a cheer, like a fat rocker.

“Immortal! Immortal!”

Gauss did not just sit by and watch.

He rushed in again and struck Wapha in the neck. This time, his neck was broken.

However, the smile on Wapha’s lips still did not disappear.

“Foolish Gauss. I am a recipient of Lady Camula’s grace. I won’t die from a club like that.”

“Oh my god⋯.”

Clink, clank.

Wapha twisted my head with both hands and fixed my broken neck.

Gauss took a step back, then another. Judging by his expression, he had already lost his will to fight.

“This monster⋯!”

“Thank you for your hard work, Gauss.”

Wapha approached Gauss, rocking his stomach.

Then he grabbed Gauss’s shoulder and punched him indifferently.

Puck- crunch!

The scene that followed couldn’t be described as a duel. It was simply an execution.

Gauss was captured by Wapha and beaten to death while standing.

“Oh- Lady Kamula.”

Wapha roared, raising his blood-stained fist to the sky.

“You made money. Congratulations.”

Jonathan looked back at me and smiled wryly.

***

The subsequent flow was not a very pleasant sight to watch.

Two unidentified monsters wearing black hoods climbed onto the arena stage.

While the excited Wapa was still breathing heavily, the monsters approached Gauss’s corpse.

“⋯.”

The monster reached out his hand over Gauss’s still-warm corpse.

A blue, pale hand. A black magic rippled within it.

Gulp, gulp.

Black magic overflowed from Gauss’s eyes, ears, nose, and mouth.

Then Gauss, who was already dead, got up again, bending his back.

‘It’s necromancy.’

I was watching the live production process of Eternal Slave, which I had only heard about.

“So that’s how they make it. Interesting.”

Thanks to my direct visit to the arena today, I gained valuable information: the fact that Kamula’s subordinates also possess a fairly decent level of necromancy.

Obviously, Camula’s own necromancy would be of a higher level.

“So, is Gauss going to go mining now?”

When I asked, Jonathan shook his head.

“No. I understand that the slaves created by those defeated in the arena are kept separately in Camula’s castle. Of course, I don’t know the details.”

“Oh, my. So it seems they’re gathering slaves with decent fighting skills to use as soldiers.”

“Maybe so. Either way, it’s terrible.”

Jonathan looked at the revived Gauss with a disgusted look and said.

I felt that the orc audience, including Jonathan, had become somewhat quieter.

As the duel ended, the excitement died down and was replaced by anxiety and fear.

And a glimmer of relief.

He might console himself by thinking that at least he didn’t end up like that.

“Jonathan, let’s go.”

Jonathan nodded. We gathered our bets and headed toward the entrance.

On the way out, an orc leaning against a pillar with his arms crossed spoke to me.

“Your pockets look thick. You’re lucky, human.”

“who?”

“That man is Bethdi. He is Wapha’s brother, as I told you before.”

Jonathan whispered in my ear. I remembered. ‘Despicable Betty.’

I heard that this guy is just as skilled as Wafa.

Clearly, he was granted the grace of Camula, and became immortal, unable to die from even the slightest injury.

“You’re not going to take all that money, are you? Come and play often. Winters are long in the north. There’s nowhere to play in this town other than the arena.”

Bettdi let out a low laugh. Unlike Wapa, who had a protruding belly, Bettdi was short and thin.

It looks more like a goblin than an orc.

“Okay, I’ll do that. But there’s one thing I’m curious about.”

“what?”

“Can I fight in the arena too? It looks like fun watching you guys fight.”

“Estelle!”

Jonathan grabbed my wrist in a hurry. He dragged me to one of the pillars and shouted at me with a menacing expression.

“Are you crazy? You’re human! You’re not a slave like us, and you don’t deserve to die a dog’s death in a place like this.”

“Why are you making such a fuss? Seeing them fight, I thought it was worth a try.”

“Have you ever seen a duel like mine? Wafa and Betodi don’t die! No matter how well you fight, you can’t win against a gladiator who can’t die.”

It was understandable why Jonathan was concerned.

Well, I guess I’m not going to stop you since you’ve become attached to me.

If you stick by my side, I can take care of you and sweetly collect money, but if the money suddenly gets cut off, I don’t like that.

I tapped Jonathan on the shoulder casually.

“I didn’t tell you, but immortality isn’t just theirs. If it’s just about not dying, then I’d be second to none, and that would be sad.”

“⋯What? You don’t mean—”

“Yeah. I’m a necromancer too.”

Jonathan’s eyes widened. He looked me up and down, his mouth agape.

“But- just looking at her appearance, she looks like just a human girl… I heard that not everyone can learn necromancy…”

“Did I really come all this way to sightsee? I came with a plan. You said Wafa and Betdi, right? They’re the leaders here. I’ll start by stepping on them.”

I looked over my shoulder at Betty.

Betty was also looking this way. His narrow eyes held a sinister smile.

“You orcs won’t understand who’s superior unless you show them with force.”

“Hmm⋯.”

While Jonathan was silent with a trembling face, Betty approached us.

“Are we done talking? Human, your offer is certainly welcome. We’ve seen so many fights between orcs that we’re sick of them, so if someone as interesting as you steps forward, we’re grateful. Just let us know whenever you want to fight.”

“Really? Can I choose my partner too?”

“Of course. Anyone who wants it.”

“That’s right. Then let’s choose right away.”

I paused for a moment, pretending to think. Then, I pointed at Betty.

“I want to fight you. Oh, and that pot-bellied orc from earlier too.”

“⋯Are you serious?”

The smile disappeared from Betty’s face.

“Human, I said you could choose your partner however you wanted, but that didn’t mean you could say whatever you wanted. Once you’ve decided, there’s no going back. You understand that, right?”

“Don’t worry. I’m an adventurer too. I won’t hold a grudge even if I die.”

“⋯You want to face me and Wapa at the same time? I don’t understand. Are you confident you can win a two-on-one fight, or are you just an idiot⋯?”

“Who’s fighting two on one? It’s two on two. Jonathan here will fight too.”

I patted Jonathan’s shoulder and pulled him aside.

“Now, wait, what did you say?”

The smile disappeared from Jonathan’s face.

***

“Estelle, it’s impossible! I’m no good at fighting.”

Jonathan frowned.

The match will be held in ten days. We decided to focus on special training during that time.

“I don’t expect much from you. But you have to step onto the arena stage at least once.”

“Why?”

“I told you. You orcs won’t listen unless you show them the upper hand with force.”

I had already marked Jonathan as the future leader of the Orcs.

Among the simple-minded and ignorant orcs, Jonathan was a useful person as he was relatively intelligent.

Wafa and Betdi were already tainted by Kamullah, making it difficult to convert them to my side. A new leader had to be created.

“I’ll do the fighting. Don’t be afraid. Just come up next to me and take the fame of defeating Wapa and Betdi.”

“But⋯.”

“So, while I’m fighting, don’t die in vain. This special training is about holding on for that brief moment.”

dump.

After completing 150 push-ups, Jonathan fell to the ground, hitting his chest.

Jonathan, his breathing ragged, kept letting out ragged breaths.

“I still don’t understand… Estelle, if what you say is true, I wouldn’t be much of a force even if we fought together. Are you saying you could defeat Wapa and Betdi alone?”

“Oh, that’s right.”

“What if, by any chance, I lose? What happens to me? I’ll be a slave forever, right?”

“I guess so? I don’t know. I’ve never even considered a scenario where I lose.”

“Haha, what the hell. I’m going crazy.”

I kicked Jonathan’s back as he lay on the floor with his chest down.

Jonathan groaned and arched his back like a shrimp.

“Hey. Break time is over. Wake up.”

“It hasn’t even been five minutes, Estelle… It’s harsh. At least from what I can tell right now, you’re harsher than Camula.”

“It’s none of my business how you feel. Next up is 300 squats. Get started.”

Jonathan grumbled and got up.

Now my leg seemed completely healed. It no longer seemed difficult to move.

‘I quit drinking alone. No, I’m going to make you quit.’

From today onwards, I will not allow myself to drink even a single drop of the poisonous liquor that paralyzes the mind and weakens the body.

Okay. Project name: “Slave Revolution.” The rebellion begins here.

This grumbling orc may look shabby now, but he will one day become my trusted servant who leads the snowfield orcs.

Okay, so what’s next?

‘I need to meet with the Orc Elder.’

I mentally formulated the next plan. The attack on Camula was proceeding smoothly.