Chapter 14: A Dwarven Firestorm and a Great Escape

BOOM—!

Light burst from Stroheim’s massive cannon, and with an ear-splitting roar, it began to demolish the camp at breakneck speed.

“Behold, pointy-ears! This is the pinnacle of dwarven engineering! An invincible gatling gun that fires 1,000 incendiary rounds per minute, ready to burn your forest to ashes!!!”

“And these are ‘20mm’ rounds! Each one can turn a living creature into minced meat!”

“How’s the light from my groin? Bright and beautiful, isn’t it?! Why so silent, children of the forest?!”

Perhaps because he’d been burned once before for holding back?

Stroheim didn’t hesitate, unleashing his groin-cannon despite others nearby. The elves, overwhelmed by the sudden firepower, were pushed out of the camp.

A golden opportunity seized.

As the elves were forced out, Carl showcased his fluid swordsmanship, swiftly disabling the restraints on the studs.

Regaining their strength, the studs, groins dangling, began escaping one by one through the hole Stroheim had blasted.

“Tch, even with this firepower, I couldn’t burn anything or even scratch them… Just how monstrous are these elves?”

The dwarf clicked his tongue, frustrated that his full arsenal only caused minor damage. I handed him another bag and urged him to give up.

“They’ve spent centuries honing swordsmanship and magic just for mating. It’s only natural that firepower like yours falls short.”

“More research is needed, then. By the way, thanks for the help! What’s the name of our benefactor?”

“Beatrice. Let’s save the chit-chat for later and focus on escaping. We don’t have much time.”

Even with the stud farm holding “top-tier” and “high-grade” captives in chaos, those mentally tough elves would recover quickly and start pursuing.

Though the studs were flooding out, it was only a matter of time before they’d be recaptured.

We had to seize this chaotic moment to escape the Great Forest as fast as possible.

“No jetpacks developed yet? Would be nice to have one.”

“How do you even know about those? They’re still just a project…”

“If you don’t have one, fine. Oh! How many rounds of that big, heavy stuff do you have left? Can you fire them at spots like this tree?”

“It’s possible, but… you’ll have to explain later how you know all our race’s secret projects.”

Stroheim fiddled with his groin-cannon, swapping it for an even larger, more glorious barrel.

He pulled out a few menacing-looking shells from the bag and loaded them into the cannon.

“These are still prototypes, but there’s no better place to test the ‘excellent conversation piece.’”

“Shut up and shoot! Before the elves snap out of it.”

“Don’t rush me, benefactor. I’m just as eager to fire.”

Click!

Taking a frankly obscene stance, the dwarf aimed his massive cannon at a narrow tree hollow.

…Did he have to strike that pose to fire?

My head spun, but I shook it off, assuming there was some reason. Questioning it would probably just assault my brain further.

Anyway, the dwarf fired a hot, white blast into the narrow hollow, and it slid right in.

BOOM—!

A massive explosion toppled the giant tree in one shot.

Smoke poured out, and captive studs came rushing from the hollow, further escalating the elves’ chaos.

“Seeing those pointy-ears’ stunned faces makes me want to shove another hot white round in there.”

“Stop with the misleading talk and let’s move. They’re so pissed they might start killing even the top-tier studs.”

The elves cherish their territory as much as mating.

Not only did we wreck their home, but we also freed decades’ worth of studs in an instant. Once they regain their senses, their murderous rage will be unimaginable.

“We need to get as far as possible to escape. Hurry!”

“Got it, benefactor. But there’s a big problem.”

“What?”

As I turned back mid-run, Stroheim flailed his short limbs with an awkward expression.

“This body of mine’s no good for running. And this cannon… it’s too hot from that shot. I can’t detach the barrel, no matter how I try.”

“…”

“Just leave me behind. I’ll buy you some time with this cumbersome body. Surely I can manage a moment.”

His face looked like he’d given up entirely.

But as I glanced at his stubby form, a brilliant idea struck.

An action impossible for the frail Beatrice of the original story.

A strategy only possible for the Beatrice with monstrous strength and stamina instead of magic.

“Old man, ever tried mobile shooting?”

“…?”

I lightly lifted the puzzled dwarf with one hand.

If hell descended on the mortal realm, would it feel like this?

The elf Kalia let out a hollow laugh, staring at the burning trees and fleeing studs.

“I underestimated that witch.”

Far off, the witch was sprinting with the “defective” dwarf in tow.

Watching her desperately run toward the Great Forest’s exit, Kalia felt not anger, but self-loathing.

How much had she mocked that foolish appearance at first?

When she fired an arrow to intimidate, the witch scampered like a frightened rat—hardly a witch pursuing the pinnacle of magic.

What is a witch?

A being who advances solely toward the peak of magic, willing to do anything to achieve it.

In her nearly 500 years, rising to a village elder, every witch Kalia met was lofty and bold.

Calling that a witch was an insult to the true witches she’d known.

But—

“I was wrong. A witch is a witch.”

Getting so thoroughly outplayed washed away those thoughts.

Who could’ve known?

That she’d risk everything to infiltrate the enemy’s heart and deliver a devastating blow.

Who could’ve predicted?

That the greatest escape in Great Forest history, something never seen before, would be caused by that foolish-looking witch.

“Sigh.”

Taking a deep breath to steady herself, Kalia was approached by an elf, panting and rushing toward her.

“Sister!”

“You’re here, Calis?”

“Now’s not the time for greetings! Another top-tier escaped! He knocked out our kin with mating and slipped away!”

“…That’s a problem. Sigh, trying to catch another top-tier, and now this mess.”

Should she have just dealt with them all, virgin or not?

Briefly regretting, Kalia shook her head, casting out the bad thoughts.

No, virgins are important.

A divine being who can impregnate any elf with a single release—too precious to lose.

And a top-tier, no less…

Looking at her lower abdomen, Kalia hardened her expression with resolve and used amplification magic to rouse her panicked sisters.

[Sisters.]

Tapping the ground lightly with mana, the chaotic elves turned to Kalia.

[We will now begin punishing those who defiled the Great Forest.]

As her words ended, the elves moved in unison, pursuing the studs.

“Calis, and the menopausal elves, follow me to chase the top-tier studs and the witch.”

Issuing orders while scanning the remaining elves, Kalia sprinted toward the witch’s group with a menacing expression.

‘No matter how fast they are, they can’t have reached the forest’s edge yet.’

When the witch proposed the “no-attack” contract, Kalia had contacted the beastmen tribes.

She’d told them the witch who killed their Guardian Spirit was trying to escape the Great Forest.

They were to wait outside, ambush her, and kill her on sight.

The beastmen eagerly agreed, thrilled at the chance to avenge their Guardian.

With beastmen blocking the way, the witch’s group would be delayed.

Catch up quickly, throw the witch to tentacle monsters, and ravish the escaped top-tiers on the spot.

…Or so Kalia thought, feeling a bit of relief, until a heavy gunshot pierced her long ears.

BRRRRRRT!!!

The sound of the dwarf’s groin-cannon that had wrecked the camp.

Chills ran down her spine as she sped to the scene, only to witness a horrific sight with her sisters.

“Argh… Aagh…”

“My heirs… I can’t sire heirs anymore… Arghhh!!!”

“Forgive me, ancestors, for failing to continue the line…”

The groins of the male beastmen chasing the witch’s group were all charred black.

Seeing this, Kalia and her sisters ground their teeth to dust, vowing to destroy the wicked witch.

“Making eunuchs into eunuchs… How can such evil exist…?”

Crunch!*

“I won’t let you die easily.”