---

Ogre.

Commonly referred to as Green Skin, the ogre is a monster so prevalent in fantasy that everyone is familiar with it.

As it’s also known as a “muscle pig,” immense strength is a must, with tough skin that makes blades struggle to cut through. Depending on the setting, it can also possess high-speed regeneration.

“But wait. Isn’t ‘Green Skin’ a bit discriminatory based on skin color?”

I’ve long thought that the term “Green Skin” might actually be a jab at our color. Is it just that nobody here understands there’s no racial discrimination based on skin color?

Anyway, today is our goal.

“How long has it been since we’ve faced a proper monster?”

Goblins are just too weak. Honestly, it felt more like dealing with a kid with a weapon, akin to scolding a little brat lurking behind anonymity rather than facing a monster, and it felt good.

And War Wolves? They’re just puppies. There are countless training videos out there, and if you’ve watched even one, hunting them becomes too EASY.

Lastly, Rhino Horn. What’s the point of defeating a herbivore monster? It’s no different from throwing a stone at a spider hanging in a web and thinking, “I won!” like a fool.

In that regard, I’m genuinely excited for today.

In this world, ogres are considered D-Rank monsters, but they’re often depicted as quite formidable in other realms.

I can almost taste the anticipation already.

“Heheheh.”

“…Could you perhaps do something about that strange laugh?”

“But I’m excited! What am I supposed to do?”

Luna, don’t you feel excited? It’s an ogre, isn’t it?

“They’re all doing quests for money. Unlike you, Luke, they’re not chasing romance.”

We have no choice but to work to survive, but we want to earn a lot.

Isn’t it because risking our lives brings in money that we have to do this?

They have no idea what joy it is to live in a world without monsters.

Waking up at seven, getting ready for work, laboring till six, and by the time I get home, it’s seven again—that feeling is foreign to them. After eating and playing for a few hours, it’s already time to sleep again.

This life has been repeating for decades. How boring can it get? In a way, adventurers are practically freelancers, working when they want and skipping out when they don’t feel like it.

With no bosses around, there’s no chance of getting chewed out, and luckily, I don’t have to attend mandatory parties with some crazy boss.

“Should I form a Monster Union later on to spread the greatness of monsters?”

Making weapons and armor from monster materials, eating monsters to substitute for lacking food, and in some regions, monsters are cultivated as local specialties.

This is why when favors keep coming, some think they’re entitled.

“So where do we go from here?”

“We need to go left from here.”

“Sigh… Why does it have to be so bothersome?”

A forest is a forest; what’s this left and right business?

“We can’t help it. The Empire places a heavy emphasis on cultivating talent, so the academy always takes precedence.”

Tch. Damn Empire.

I should’ve realized when Adela mentioned being near the academy earlier.

We didn’t know it, but it seems today is the academy’s practical day.

Earlier, I stumbled upon a professor from the academy, and those who didn’t know Luke mistook me for one of their students because I was dressed in a uniform. The professors who knew I dropped out only gave me a warning.

They mentioned that only students could wear the uniform, and I acknowledged that.

Of course, I had no intention of changing clothes.

“Are they ordering me around without even covering the cost of the clothes?”

Clothes are so expensive these days. Back in my past life, just a branded pair of sweatpants went for over a hundred bucks.

Who would listen to someone barking orders without paying for clothing?

“By the way, forgetting to inform me that today is the academy’s practical day is just too much from you, Adela. Isn’t it?”

“······.”

Luna was staring at me with a look that clearly held a lot to say, but she remained silent.

Her sleepy eyes seemed to be an added bonus.

“What’s with that gaze?”

“It’s nothing.”

What? She almost sounded like she wanted to say something.

The first way to anger someone is by leaving them hanging, and the second is—

“Luke, we seem to have arrived.”

“Oh?”

I glanced around.

No, I didn’t even need to look around.

“Luna, you’re amazing. How did you know we arrived?”

There are no compasses, no GPS showing our location on a map.

All I see in the forest are trees, yet she always seems to know when we arrive.

“I can hear it. The sound of heavy footsteps. And there’s a smell too. An odor that seems to have not been washed in years.”

Upon saying that, Luna narrowed her eyes slightly, as if doubting the truth of her own words.

‘In times like these, being human is just so convenient.’

I can’t smell anything, and she finds the way for me.

“Luke, it’s coming.”

“What’s coming?”

“It’s to the right from where we’re facing, about 45 degrees.”

“So what is it?!”

Seriously, what is it?

Why is she the only one in the know?

At that moment, a huge, fat figure emerged in my peripheral vision as a tree fell ahead.

It was over 3 meters tall.

Its entire body was a deep green, with slightly protruding jaw and upward-curving fangs, wielding a gigantic wooden club the size of its own arm.

Today’s target for eradication: the ogre.

“Wow… It really does smell as bad as you said, Luna.”

I hadn’t noticed from a distance, but now that it was close enough to see, I understood.

Last time I soaked a War Wolf with a mixture of vinegar and chili powder, it had an annoying pungent odor that struck my brain; this grotesque smell emanating from its filthy body clouded my judgment, forcing me to grimace in disgust.

“Hey, wash yourself once in a while! You stink like crap!”

It’s a forest, so there must be water around; if it’s that dirty, it’s clear they haven’t bathed in ages.

Usually, I’m the one being reprimanded, but hearing my own admonishment gave me a new appreciation for my parents’ feelings.

Roar!!!

Suddenly, the ogre turned and let out a scream, like a ruffian hearing my scolding.

“…Well done. The element of surprise is gone now.”

“How could I hold that back after seeing it?”

It’s literally caked in dirt, you know?

Even if I wanted to complain more, there was no time for that.

The moment the ogre recognized its enemy, it swung the massive club it was holding.

A wide horizontal swing. The overwhelming power turned trees into splinters.

“Whoa. That’s terrifying.”

With a single swing, trees splintered and scattered in all directions.

With strength like that, surely it would be slow, right?

There’s a stereotype that bigger and stronger beings are slower, but this swing effortlessly dismantled that notion.

“Take this! Emerald Splash!”

I took a Ninja Spike from my inventory and threw it at the ogre.

However, the spike merely bounced off its belly. A few managed to embed themselves, but the amount of bleeding was nothing that would kill even a human.

“As expected, I shouldn’t have tried to use a supporting character’s skill.”

Soon enough, it approached me.

“You’re caught now, you fool!”

They say its intelligence is low, but the ogre was so foolish that it stepped on the very Ninja Spike I had just thrown to the ground, not even noticing it.

It stepped right atop it.

Yet, a problem arose.

Roar!!!

Boom!

“What the?!”

I definitely saw it step on the Ninja Spike, but instead of any reaction, it lunged at me, bringing its club down.

Did it coat its feet with an invisibility cloak? Stepping on a Ninja Spike didn’t seem to faze it in the slightest, as if it were squishing an ant.

“Tch. So I can’t take it down that easily, huh?”

What a shame.

Then I’ll just have to use another method.

“Luna! Cut its Achilles tendon!”

As I commanded, Luna, who had been spectating, moved swiftly.

The situation unfolded in an instant.

Once.

The ogre’s gaze was drawn to me just long enough for Luna to swiftly pass behind it and try to slice its heel, but thanks to its tough skin, she couldn’t cut it on the first try.

Then again, twice.

This time, she rapidly slashed multiple times.

Only then did the ogre, with its Achilles tendon severed, fall to one knee on the ground.

Even with impressive regeneration, there’s no way it could restore that instantaneously.

So, what now?

“Time to get hurt.”

Did you know? No matter how big and tough a foot is, there’s always a weak point that is achingly vulnerable.

Everyone who knows, knows that pain well.

I withdrew my sword from my inventory.

Holding it firmly, I stood it upright.

“Take this, you bastard!!”

I plunged it right into the ogre’s toe.

To be precise, I hit between the toenail and the flesh.

Roarrrrrrrrr!!!!

The sound of pain was indistinguishable from its roar, but it was clear it was longer, indicating it was indeed screaming out in agony.

The blade pierced through the gap between toenail and flesh, spraying blood everywhere.

“It hurts, you bastard!”

Normally, calculating damage would be based on the formula (attack power – defense power); however, the damage from my ‘Nail of Resilience’ ignored defenses and dealt consistent damage, so there was no way it couldn’t be painful.

It wasn’t actually a “Nail of Resilience,” but since I claimed it was, it didn’t matter.

Of course, I continued to stab before its Achilles tendon could heal.

Thud. Thud. Thud.

Once, twice, three times.

At this moment, I am the needle of a sewing machine.

The high regeneration that once strengthened it became a demerit, causing even deeper pain with each stab.

Instead of just a wound that would heal, it was now a stubborn injury that kept regenerating and returning to the same place, amplifying the pain of the ‘Nail of Resilience’ a hundredfold.

Roarrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!

“Dad! Hey!? Wash yourself! Hey!? Didn’t I tell you to?”

“Luke!!”

“Huh?”

While I was merrily stabbing away, I turned my attention to Luna’s urgent call, only to see a club hurtling toward me.

It was the ogre’s desperate thrash.

I hurriedly raised my sword in defense, but by the time I realized, my body was already airborne.

The pain was just a bonus.

But, as a true manly man, there’s a line you must say even in times like this.

That’s right.

“This is my escape route!!!!”

 

---