Chapter 39
Three High Orcs had attacked the carriage.
Two of them had been defeated by the Twin-Headed Silver Wolves, leaving one.
That one had been mercilessly overpowering the Sky-Cleaving Sword.
The three members of the Sky-Cleaving Sword lay helplessly sprawled on the ground.
They had barely escaped with their lives, but were covered in wounds from head to toe.
The High Orc swung its great hammer down to finish them off.
Two silver shadows darted in to intervene.
Destra, the short-haired swordsman with silver hair, stepped in front of the three and firmly blocked the heavy blow with his straight sword.
Meanwhile, the male scout stabbed the High Orc with his dagger, while Sinistra, with his long silver hair, attacked with his straight sword.
The two back-line fighters simply waited behind, as if leaving everything to the three of them.
The High Orc had easily handled the Sky-Cleaving Sword, even three against one, but now the tables had turned—it was being pressed back by the three members of the Twin-Headed.
None of the three used powerful Skills, but their deft swordplay and teamwork gave the High Orc no opening to attack.
They steadily wore it down...
The short-haired swordsman went for the High Orc's left arm...
The long-haired swordsman went for its right...
They sliced them off at the same time.
The two leaped into the air...
"—Silver Scissors!"
Their voices overlapped as their two straight swords crossed like a pair of scissors.
The High Orc's head separated from its body and rolled across the ground.
In the silence that followed...
"Combat over!" "All clear!"
The two leaders of the Twin-Headed called out.
After a moment of stunned silence, the passengers cheered.
The two escort knights approached the Twin-Headed and expressed their gratitude.
"You saved us."
"As expected of the Twin-Headed Silver Wolves."
"Unlike some people..."
The escort knights cast a cold gaze at Guy and the others.
"So these are the promising stars, the Sky-Cleaving Sword?"
"Their reputation certainly isn't reliable."
"Even D-rank adventurers would have done a better job."
None of the Twin-Headed said anything, but their expressions made it clear they agreed with the knights.
—The Sky-Cleaving Sword relied on Skills and brute force alone.
Some adventurers whispered as much among themselves.
Some dismissed the rumors as jealousy, but the Sky-Cleaving Sword had just proved them right before everyone's eyes.
"Looks like the rumors were true. They can't use their Skills anymore."
"Still, they're ridiculously weak."
"If they're B-rank, they should be able to beat a High Orc without Skills."
The Twin-Headed's words were true.
Skills weren't meant to be used one after another; they were trump cards for the moments that mattered.
"We can't fight because we can't use our Skills" just wouldn't cut it.
That was obvious to B-rank adventurers who had steadily risen through the ranks on their own strength.
The Twin-Headed had used Skills this time because they needed to defeat the High Orc as quickly as possible, but an opponent of its caliber could be defeated safely given enough time, even without Skills.
And yet...
"Serika, heal them. Just enough to get by."
Destra, the short-haired swordsman, ordered Serika, the healer.
Serika was reluctant.
If she could, she would have left the three of them behind right there.
But a leader's orders were absolute.
Reluctantly, she cast Heal on the three.
As instructed, she kept the healing to a minimum.
Their serious wounds closed, but the smaller ones remained.
Even standing up would be painful, but Serika couldn't have cared less.
She had no intention of showing them any more mercy.
"Come on! Get up already!"
The male scout kicked the three who were still lying on the ground.
The other two joined in...
"How long are you going to lie there?"
"Get in the carriage. Now."
They weren't hurrying them along just to be cruel.
They did feel that way a little, but they needed to leave as quickly as possible, before monsters drawn by the commotion attacked.
Guy and the others should have known that, too, but...
Wincing in pain, Guy and the others slowly got to their feet. The Twin-Headed members forcibly shoved them into the carriage.
"You can sit in the back and get drunk."
"We won't be counting on you as fighters, so take your time."
"Weaklings should stay out of the way and keep quiet."
The passengers threw them the same contemptuous looks.
But...
"Damn it..."
"Tch..."
"..."
The three could only hang their heads and hunch their shoulders in defeat...