Our rest period ended, and we began the large-scale goblin extermination operation at Miroid Fortress.
As decided earlier, the first wave consisted of Kainzel-san, Cyrus-san, Ladarion, and the eight staffs who had remained behind.
Since Cyrus-san had returned to the castle yesterday, we needed to transport all ten of them to Mars Town.
The Pioneer can seat five people, so we loaded the eight staffs into Units One and Two, while Miriel and Sierra handled the driving.
Kainzel-san and Ladarion rode the Wolverine, which towed a trailer carrying supplies.
「Kainzel-san, I’m counting on you. Miriel, once you arrive, put the Wolverine into Home」
With that, I sent off the first wave.
「Bisha, Mebi, we’re heading to the simple fortress」
There was still gun cleaning and magazine loading to do, but I left the rough cleaning to the staff and had the dwarves load the ammunition. Otherwise, they looked ready to follow us there themselves.
I got onto the KLX230, with Mebi riding behind me.
Mebi was still only ten, so unlike Bisha, she lacked the leg strength and was too small, which was why I decided to take her on the back.
The giants had leveled the road to the simple fortress, so it had become decent enough to resemble a forest road, making the ride easy.
The distance was a little over fifteen kilometers. Since the KLX used kilometers, it was easy to understand. With miles, I never really had a sense of distance. Even speed had only been a rough feeling.
We arrived at the simple fortress in less than thirty minutes. A giant woodcutter who heard the engine came to greet us.
「I wondered who it was. So, it’s Takato」
Apparently, his name was Maizel, a woodcutter, and most of the timber used in Koraus was cut by him. When I gave him three axes bought in town, he happily agreed to guard the simple fortress while we were gone.
「Sorry to leave the place in your hands」
「No problem. I get to eat good food every day and drink until I’m drunk. I only just woke up after drinking too much again. If my wives found out, they’d chew me out」
It seemed woodcutting paid well. He had two wives and six children. What a winner in life.
「Ahaha! That’s the privilege of being left behind. Drink while you can」
「No, even I admit I overdid it. My wives scare me, after all」
Looks like every household has the wives in charge.
「Do you have enough food and alcohol?」
「Yeah, we have enough」
I had them build a storage shed and stock it with food, but I had never asked how things were going. I can’t keep track of every little detail.
「Bisha, Mebi. There’s a goblin group in that direction. Go thin them out a little. I’ll inspect around the simple fortress」
There was a group of around thirty. With their speed, the two of them should finish in about thirty minutes.
I brought the two girls’ equipment from Home.
「Mebi. You take too long to change. If you keep dawdling, I’ll hunt them all myself」
「It can’t be helped! I use a gun!」
Well, swords and guns require different gear. Gun equipment naturally takes more time.
「I’m going ahead──」
The heartless older sister took off running and left her younger sister behind.
「Ah, wait for me!」
She forgot her spare P90 and ran after her sister.
Well, it was only around thirty monsters. I figured there would be no problem without the spare, so I left it on the KLX.
「Maizel. I’m heading out. Close the portcullis for me」
The portcullis of the simple fort could only be opened and closed by a giant. There was a rope ladder set up just in case, though.
「Yeah, got it. Bears that still haven’t gone into hibernation are wandering around, so be careful」
There are still bears not hibernating? It already feels like November weather.
「Alright, I’m off」
With that said, I started running.
Today, coming to the simple fort was mainly for an inspection, but it also served as training for Cheat Time.
Cheat Time lets me use physical ability and magic power equal to a Hero’s, but only for three minutes.
Does that mean I’m borrowing the Hero’s power? Or is it raising my body to the level of a Hero? Or did that useless goddess simply grant me power? Depending on the logic behind it, the meaning of Cheat Time changes completely.
Ideally, it raises my body until it matches a Hero’s.
If that is the case, then using it could also count as training, maybe raising my base abilities, and it should sharpen my instincts for using magic.
Well, even if it is borrowed from a Hero or granted by the goddess, I don’t mind. For three minutes, I can use power equal to a Hero’s with no risk at all.
I sensed nearly a hundred presences two kilometers ahead.
If I used Cheat Time, I could get there in under a minute, but I had no idea what might happen, so I wanted to save one minute. I wanted to get as close as possible on my own, then finish everything in two minutes.
Once I got within about a hundred meters, I rested briefly, then started Cheat Time. When I closed in on one goblin, I drew the machete at my waist and cut it in two with a single strike. Then I moved to the next and cut that one down the same way.
I dealt with them one after another in single blows, and in one minute and thirty-six seconds, I exterminated one hundred and six goblins.
「Phew. I do feel a little tired」
I was too excited last time to notice, but it felt like the fatigue from running a little.
「So the energy for those three minutes comes from me?」
No, my own body was doing the moving, so of course I would get tired. I guess I won’t know for sure unless I use it several more times.
In twenty-four seconds, I gathered the goblins’ moisture and cast it far away, then returned to the simple fort.
I thought I’d study whisky, so I gathered all sorts of bottles, but I still can’t bring myself to touch them. Because I can’t handle alcohol.
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