I’ve Reincarnated into an Elf

“Large-scale? They said there were only small-scale unit forces at first.”

-I’m not sure. I don’t know if that small unit was a decoy or what, but it seems their forces number around three hundred.

“Three hundred?!”

Eldmir exclaimed.

“No, this isn’t the time to discuss it here. We need to provide immediate support!”

-Calm down. That’s why youngsters are like this.

Artir clicked his tongue and sparks flashed before Eldmir’s eyes.

Artir approached Eldmir, who was surprised and hesitating, and spoke.

-Are the forest sentinels just for show? If they had been attacked by only three hundred troops, this forest would have fallen to other races or monsters. Those forces might seem threatening, but they are not our only enemies. Especially within this forest.

“….”

Artir’s words were correct.

It wasn’t just any place, but the Forest of the World Tree.

Where El Lyradelle’s blessings shone the closest and the grace of the World Tree was bestowed.

For the elves to fight against each other here was akin to an act of suicide.

Hadn’t Eldmir experienced that in a past life?

Moreover, the numbers were merely three hundred.

While not a small number, it wasn’t a large one either.

It was by no means a threatening force to the elven forest.

Eldmir, who had regained his composure, thought deeply and raised a question.

“Then, what about those few units? Who are they? Why were they discovered separately from the three hundred? Did they wipe them out?”

-It’s certainly… strange. No, those units weren’t found among the three hundred troops. They seem to be a separate detachment. Acting completely independently.

“…This is unbelievable. So you’re saying those guys are still lurking somewhere in the forest.”

Eldmir felt uneasy upon hearing those words.

The purpose of those enemies was undoubtedly to track down the Catkin sisters who had escaped.

But to engage the elves in a full-blown battle for just four individuals?

Eldmir continued to ponder.

He had played as an Orc before.

In other words, he could understand their strategy from the Orcs’ perspective as well.

Let’s think about it.

Why would the Orcs launch such a suicidal assault?

Why keep a small separate unit while using three hundred troops as bait?

Why…

…

…Beastmen.

Royalty.

The last royal lineage.

Their destined mission.

─Extermination.

“…I knew.”

-What? What are you talking about?

“They knew.”

Eldmir clenched his teeth and drew his bow.

His senses were warning of another impending death from an unexpected direction.

“Those kids are the last royal lineage. They knew that they were the last descendants of Kel Van, the last descendants of Kel.”

The last descendants of the War Beast.

The true essence of the Beastmen.

The Orcs weren’t ignorant.

“Truly, they intend to exterminate the Beastmen.”

Anyway, they would have had no reason to fear, as they were bent on destroying the Beastmen’s main base, the Kel Peninsula.

Especially for those warmongering individuals who consider war, destruction, and annihilation as their mission, it wouldn’t be surprising if the impending completion of their destiny was right before their eyes.

They are now resorting to any means and methods to eradicate the last roots of the Beastmen.

“Artir, protect those kids.”

-…Hmph. Can you feel it?

Eldmir nodded with a resolute expression.

“You all, never stray far from Artir’s side. Wait quietly. Got it?”

“W-where…”

“It’s nothing special. Just stay put.”

Having left his reassuring words for the anxious sisters, Eldmir departed.

Watching his back as he headed into battle, Artir muttered under his breath.

-Damn stubborn half-breed. Just try to come out of it unscathed.

・・・❈・・・

I can sense it.

Their presence.

I’m vividly feeling the presence of those I’ve seen in games.

Once comrades, now enemies, allies, and adversaries.

Together, we united the continent, and they even faced their doom at my hands.

Or they merely existed, never once crossing paths.

“…Nice to see you, I suppose.”

I revealed this while smiling.

It was a show to conceal tension, but even in hindsight, I crafted that smile quite well.

It didn’t feel awkward; it seemed like a suitable smile to face these warmongering individuals.

“Heh heh.”

They exhaled through monstrous faces with skin as tough as rocks.

Monsters.

Undoubtedly, they were unparalleled and fearsome monsters.

“To send high-ranking bloodlines on a hunt, in unit formations… this is quite the nuisance for the forest.”

Just as High Elves existed among the Elves, War Beasts existed among the Beastmen, and ‘Warhammer’ among the Orcs.

Names born out of reverence for races created solely for war, these beings were practically incarnations of warfare, each and every one.

Eight of them.

A formidable force specifically assembled to exterminate just four Catkin.

‘They truly meant it, these crazed monsters…!’

“Elf. Pointy-ears. Archer.”

“….”

“Step aside, if you don’t want to die. If you don’t move, you die.”

Deliberately speaking in curt sentences, their speech patterns were the same here as in the game.

They were beings overwhelmingly suffused with arrogance, so extreme that they couldn’t even be bothered to speak to entities they didn’t recognize.

I chuckled once again at Orcs, or rather Warhammer’s ‘mercy,’ and nodded.

“No, sorry, but I can’t do that. It just won’t work that way.”

I put strength into my hand gripping the bow.

An arrow was nocked.

Even in this situation, the Warhammers stared at me with emotionless eyes, unfazed.

Arrogant bastards.

“I’ve sworn by the forest. Even though the forest’s spirit is getting on my nerves, for now, I’m an Elf too.”

One could argue that their mindset had been influenced.

If it were not for the Elves’ endless annoyance and unyielding traditions, I would have lost interest long ago. But even so, humans had their roots.

From the very start, it’s not like I follow a style of oath I can’t keep.

“If you’re a man, you keep your word when you swear. Don’t you?”

Upon hearing my words, the Warhammers chuckled heartily.

Exhaling with a snort, the Warhammers subtly raised their weapons.

“You. Pointy-ear. You’re saying some interesting words there.”

Hey there, be thankful.

Silently, I aimed my bow at them.

A cold sweat runs down my back.

Eight Warhammers.

The chance of winning──To be blunt, there are hardly any.

The goal isn’t victory, but endurance.

Damn spirits.

For this moment, spread the word quickly.

Let the forest far and wide know that our enemies are here.

“What’s your name, archer?”

“…Eldmir Arhitea of El Ruel.”

“Quite a challenging name.”

A Warhammer chuckled.

He swung down the massive hammer that had been slung over his shoulder, and it struck the ground with a thud.

Boom!

The earth caved in.

The forest trembled, and screams erupted.

Birds fluttered into the air, and leaves rained down.

In the quake-like tremor, I had no choice but to readjust my stance.

Just swinging a weapon on the ground produces this level of power.

Truly, there was no other way to describe them but as monsters.

“So, make it a memorable one. Your name.”

In other words.

“Battle.”

“Even one Elf’s blood won’t fill us up.”

“But a brief delight might do.”

They must be asking for an enjoyable fight.

Damn battlemongers.

I chuckled as well.

Because I thought that smile was appropriate to face those damn battlemongers.

Only with that thought in mind, I smiled.

“Come on, let’s make it an enjoyable dance.”

It wasn’t that I wanted to enjoy this fight at all.

・・・❈・・・

“Did you hear that tremendous noise just now?”

With a deafening roar and a quake-like tremor, Esrin exclaimed.

Artir, too, felt the vibration and fell silent.

“This resonance… Such power to create such noise and impact… It can only be the Warhammers.”

Kelis muttered with a pale face.

-Indeed, it must be the Warhammers.

Artir floated through the air, lost in thought.

Warhammers.

The high-ranking bloodlines among the Orcs.

Their strength was unmatched among other high-ranking bloodlines, and their destructiveness was uniquely overwhelming compared to other races’ high-ranking bloodlines.

Just as the High Elves were peerless in archery and spirit magic, they were unrivaled in destruction as well.

There were many such beings, and Eldmir was currently engaged in battle with them.

‘What should I do? It’s true that I should go help him now, but…’

He glanced at the Catkin sisters.

Now that he thought about it, Eldmir was troubled by the favor he had asked of them.

Anyway, spirits typically didn’t listen to someone’s words unless they were requests from a contractor.

He was protecting Eldmir due to Elysia’s request, and he was guarding the Catkin sisters because of Elysia’s plea as well.

Nevertheless, despite all that, he was dissatisfied with the current situation because he was concerned about Eldmir’s well-being.

‘Me? Concerned? About that damn half-breed?’

He tried to laugh off his inner thoughts, but the uncomfortable feeling lingering in his heart didn’t fade away.

In the end, he let out a sigh, stopped floating, descended, and stood before the Catkin sisters.

-Hurry, we should move. We don’t know when they might catch up.

“Eldmir-nim…”

Esrin’s attempt to inquire about Eldmir’s well-being was cut short.

Artir, as if refusing to entertain further questions, moved forward in silence.

Ignoring the forest’s tremor caused by the advancing Warhammers, Artir and the Catkin sisters continued onward.

“…But if we keep moving like this, won’t we eventually be separated from those two?”

When Esrin cautiously asked, Artir responded as if it were no big deal.

-You think an Elf would get lost in the forest?

“Well, no, but we haven’t really coordinated our paths either…”

-Don’t worry. Beings bound by contracts with spirits can sense each other’s presence.

It’s a form of communion.

Those who have a contract with a spirit can instantly perceive each other’s location and status, and with concentration, they can even exchange intentions.

While detailed conversation is impossible, they can grasp emotions and to some extent, thoughts.

“But Eldmir isn’t your contracted individual, Artir.”

The Catkin sisters had heard various stories about Eldmir.

There were tales of Elysia’s pride in her foolish son, anecdotes not meant to be shared, and accounts that Eldmir himself had shared.

Though they had only interacted with him and his group for a brief night, Eldmir somehow became the center of attention, giving the sisters enough time to gather information about him.

Naturally, they had also heard that he was the only Elf who hadn’t formed a contract with spirits and that he held somewhat unconventional beliefs for an Elf.

-You don’t need to worry about him. Did I say that? Even chasing your traces was the work of that half-breed. I hate to admit it, but he’s the finest hunter.

“Heh… Eldmir-nim.”

They were aware that his skills were remarkably advanced for his age, but they didn’t know he had expertise in tracking as well.

As Eldmir’s additional story unfolded even in this situation, Esrin’s eyes lit up with interest.

“Esrin, now is not the time for small talk.”

Ersi, the second sister, chided in a hushed tone.

Esrin quickly lowered her gaze and apologized in a subdued voice.

“I’m sorry, sis.”

“…Let’s share stories once the situation improves.”

Seeing her like that, Ersi added in a softened voice.

In response, Esrin beamed a bright smile, and Ersi shook her head as if to say she couldn’t help it.

-By the way, is it really possible to regain divine power? I mean, can you really do that?

“We can’t be entirely sure. However… we must seize any glimmer of possibility and hope.”

-Tsk. Why did you lose divine power in the first place? I heard you even intermarried to continue the lineage of the gods, so why did you suddenly break away from the lineage as Warbeasts?

“That’s… a complicated story.”

The expressions of the Catkin sisters turned somber.

After exchanging awkward glances, it was the eldest, Kelis, who stepped forward and spoke.

“It’s a simple story. We committed taboos we shouldn’t have and incurred Kelga’s wrath, resulting in our loss of power.”

-Taboos? Are there such taboos even among the Beastmen?