“So, according to the assault team’s report, they haven’t found a way to bring down the door yet, am I right?”
「那么从突击部队的报告来看，目前还没有找出破坏门的头绪吗」

“Yes!”
「是！」

The Quagoa whose pelt was streaked with red frowned as he heard his underling’s report.
拥有少许被红色染上毛皮的掘土兽人听闻部下的报告后歪曲了脸。

He was Yozu, commander of the Quagoa vanguard. He possessed a hide that was as tough as orichalcum and his resistance to metal weaponry was even greater than that of regular Quagoa. He was a superior member of his species, a Red Quagoa.
他正是这个先遣队的指挥官由欧兹，拥有自夸与山铜同等硬度的毛皮、持有比一般的掘土兽人们更加优秀的金属武器耐性。是被称为赤·掘土兽人的上位种族。

Yozu turned his eyes from his bowing subordinate to the fortress on the other side of the suspension bridge. Beyond the fortress was a tunnel, and after the tunnel was the Dwarven city.
由欧兹将视线从低下头的部下移向吊桥另一边的要塞，穿过那座要塞之后的坑道深处，在那前方展开的就是矮人的都市。

After conquering it, they would have a good location for a base and all their competition for ores would also be eliminated at the same time.
将那个攻陷的话，在得到更好的据点的同时、还能够将矿石的竞争对手完全一扫而空。

The combination of lebensraum and an unprecedented haul of ores and minerals would make the Quagoa great again.
支配领域的扩大与有机会与得到至今未曾见过的矿石相互连接的，掘土兽人们也能变得更加繁荣吧。

Once that happened, the Quagoa would someday come to rule the entire mountain range.
那么一来，总有一天一定能将整座山脉置于掘土兽人们的支配下吧。

“If only we could defeat those Dragons…”
「只要能够打倒那些龙的话……」

Yozu looked around worriedly after accidentally blurting out his true thoughts.
不经意漏出了真实想法的由欧兹慌张地环视周围。

If anyone reacted, they gave absolutely no sign.
没有人做出任何反应。

That put Yozu somewhat at ease.
由欧兹感到了少许安心。

The Quagoa had taken the former Dwarven capital as their home base.
掘土兽人的根据地，是占据了过去被矮人们称为王都的场所。

The Royal Palace still stood proud within the city, but it was now the domain of a Frost Dragon, one of the White Dragons who could exhale freezing breath.
虽然那座都市的中央聳立着的王城，但那裡却被所謂的霜龍的、能夠吐出冷氣吐息的、白龍一族所支配。

The Quagoa had forged an alliance with the Frost Dragons. However, anyone who knew even a little bit about the truth would know that this was nothing like a relationship of equals. The Lord of the Clans might have prettied it up by saying that it was for mutual co-prosperity and whatnot, but not even the Lord himself believed what he was saying.
姑且掘土兽人们与龙族们达成了同盟关系。但只要知道少许知情的人就能断言，那绝对不是所谓的同盟的对等关系吧。就算、氏族王以共存共荣之类的辞藻去美化，但大概氏族王本人也没有相信自己所说的那番话吧。

The truth was that the Dragons were strong, and their servants, the Quagoa were weak.
实际上是，不过是身为弱者的掘土兽人们在侍奉着，身为强者的龙族们。

To the Dragons, the Quagoa were little more than emergency rations or convenient pawns.
对龙族们来说掘土兽人什么的，不过就是作为紧急食粮或是方便的棋子吧。

Yozu had once met the Dragons in the presence of the Lord of the Clans, and that was the impression he got after hearing the mighty voice which emanated from its massive jaw. He was also shocked at the sight of the Lord bowing and scraping before the Dragons.
由欧兹曾经与氏族王会面过龙族们，从那个巨大下颚所发出的言语的片段中感受到了的那样的氛围。氏族王在龙族的面前也令人惊讶地谦恭。

He did not want to see a great hero reduced to that state, but Yozu was not stupid. He keenly understood the insurmountable difference between the might of the Dragons and the Quagoa.
不想看见伟大的英雄那种姿态，但是由欧兹也不是笨蛋。龙族和掘土兽人。他的内心深处完全能够理解这两者之间无法跨越般的力量差异。

Even so, he could not permit the Dragons to treat them like idiots.
即便如此，也不可能容许如此把人当成笨蛋的行径。

...We can’t do anything about it now. If we fight that Dragon Lord, the Quagoa race (we) will suffer irrecoverable damage even if we win. But… someday.
（……现在还不行。与那个龙王战斗的话，即使是胜利了被称为掘土兽人的种族[我们]也会遭到再起不能的损害。但是……总有一天）

He was not the only one holding that wish in his heart. All the Quagoa who had met the Dragons -- in other words, all the upper-class Quagoa -- had the same desire.
保持这个悲愿的不只是他，与龙族们会面的掘土兽人们——上层的掘土兽人的所有人都抱持着
相同的情感。

To begin with, they needed to find a way to become immune to freezing breath. If Quagoa like that were not born, they would take terrible losses.
首先如果不找到能够完全防止冷气的手段的话——那样的掘土兽人不出生的话就不能减少损害。

The search for that way would take a lot of time.
那将会花费多少时间呢。

Yozu swept away his dark emotions. Right now, he had to destroy the Dwarves. That had not been done yet. It would be foolish to let worrying about the future affect what he could do in the present.
由欧兹将灰暗的心情扫去，现在首先要击溃矮人，那个还没有完成。因考虑太多将来的事而阻碍现在的脚步可是本末倒置。

Yozu summoned his subordinates.
由欧兹叫来部下。

“Oi, destroy the fortress and then see if we can widen the tunnel walls to let more people in. We need to prepare as much as possible before the main force--”
「喂，破坏要塞、调查是否能够将坑道的墙壁削除让更多人进军，在本队到来之前得尽可能的做好准备吶——」

Suddenly, Yozu’s ears stood up. He thought he had heard a scream from somewhere.
在此时由欧兹忽然耳朵竖起，不知来自何处、感觉听到了悲鸣一般的声音。

No, it might not have been a scream. It might have been a threatening noise made by a monster. The problem with being underground was that it was very difficult to tell where sounds came from.
不、不能断定是悲鸣，也有着是什么怪物发出的威吓声音的可能性，像这样的地下世界麻烦的就是很难以判定究竟是从哪里发出了声音。

This time, however, he knew instantly.
然而、这一次他却立即做出了判断。

That was because he saw the Quagoa from the assault team fleeing from the fortress while screaming at the top of their lungs.
因为作为突击部队送出的掘土兽人，从要塞慌慌张张大声喊叫逃回来的姿态映入了他的眼中。

A hubbub came from the Quagoa around Yozu.
由欧兹周围的掘土兽人们发出嘈杂声。

Given the state of the Quagoa who had come back, it was very clear that they were terrified and confused. Several Quagoa even shoved their buddies from behind, and the latter tumbled into the Great Rift.
从回来的掘土兽人们不具有协调性来看，很能明白他们现在正在处于混乱之中。甚至有好几只的掘土兽人们从背后被伙伴推挤、掉落到大裂缝里。

“What’s wrong? Is there an emergency?”
「怎么了？发生了什么紧急事态？」

One of Yozu’s subordinates answered: “We’re not sure. Could it be a Dwarven counterattack?”
对于由欧兹直白的疑问某个部下回答。

「不清楚，是不是矮人的反击呢？」

That was not possible. A Dwarven counterattack was well within the expected range of responses. It would not cause the assault teams to flee in panic.
那是不可能的，矮人的反击是在预料范围之内的事。这不可能是突击部队的人们会慌慌张张大声喊叫逃出的理由。

It must have been some sort of special attack. Yozu had once heard that boiling oil was very painful.
是受到了什么特别的攻击吧，比如他就曾近听说过加热过的油是相当痛的。

“Gather the men and find out what’s going on. If it’s a Dwarven counterattack, continue the advance. We must not let them take the fortress back.”
「将士兵带来，去问问发生了什么事。如果是矮人的反击的话继续前进、绝不允许要塞被夺回」

Yozu’s men formed up into a company per his instructions, and they began crossing the bridge.
遵守命令的部下们统整出一团部队，开始渡过桥。

The screams continued during this time, and the assault team continued fleeing.
在那期间仍然发出悲鸣声、突击部队逃了回来。

What were they running from? Was it the result of the mysterious power called magic?
到底是从什么东西的手上这么拼命逃回来呢，是不是由魔法这种不明所以的力量所造成的呢。

As Yozu thought about the matter, a pair of silhouettes appeared at the door of the fortress.
由欧兹在动脑思考时，要塞入口突然出现人的身影。一共有两只。

They were big, black… somethings.
是、漆黑的、巨大的什么东西。

“--What, what are those? Giant Dwarves? Dwarf Lords?”
「——那、那是什么？巨大的矮人吗？矮人之王？」

Yozu had never seen such beings before. Although he knew that the Dwarves used armor as part of their equipment, and that some sets of armor covered the entire body, what he saw now was completely different from what he had seen then.
是由欧兹至今未曾见过的外形，虽然认为在矮人们使用的武装之中的铠甲、其中也有穿着后包覆全身的东西，但是与那个有着决定性的差异。

In their right hands they carried wavy-bladed greatswords, while in their left they had massive shields.
右手持有波纹状的巨剑、左手持有巨大的盾。

Given that the Lord of the Clans was slightly different from regular Quagoa in appearance, the Dwarven Lords probably looked different from regular Dwarves.
就好像氏族王与一般的掘土兽人外观上有着少许差异、矮人王的话外形也会与一般矮人有所不同的吧。

Yozu did not know the true identity of the beings which stood at the entrance of the fortress like Nio statues. However, his animal instincts told him that they were dangerous entities.
(TL Note: Nio statues = temple guardian statues modelled after the Bright Kings of Buddhism)
由欧兹并不知道，如同仁王般站立于要塞入口处的两个存在的真实身份。但是，他以动物的本能理解了那是过于危险的存在。

He also understood why the assault teams had fled from those monsters with all their might.
也理解了为什么突击部队会从那个怪物身边全力逃跑。

His subordinates around him were frozen in shock, the same way he was. The only beings that still moved were the Quagoa running from the fortress. They did not look back; their energies were fully focused on getting across the suspension bridge.
周围的部下们看见那个之后也是同样惊愕的杵着不动。还在活动的就只有从要塞逃回来的掘土兽人。完全不回头看背后、只是一个劲地奔跑想要渡过吊桥。

The black suits of armor roared.
黑色铠甲发出咆哮。

Even at such a great distance, the cry ripped through the air and made his fur stand on end. Yozu’s guts clenched and turned cold. It was like feeling a Dragon’s roar through his entire body .
明明离得这么远，大气的鸣动却能够震的毛皮发麻，让由欧兹的心胆因寒冷而紧缩，简直像是全身受到了龙的咆哮一样。

As though on cue, he saw Quagoa slowly emerge from beside the black suits of armor.
以那个为信号一般、从黑色铠甲的侧面看见了挪动着的掘土兽人们的身影。

Did they escape? Or did they betray us? No, that’s not--
（逃过了吗？是背叛了吗？不、不对！）

Yozu’s eyes went wide.
由欧兹瞪大了双眼。

One of the Quagoa he saw was missing its head.
出现的一只掘土兽人的上方并没有首级。

He squinted, and saw that several Quagoa were trailing their innards behind them, while others seemed to be shambling in an uncoordinated manner, the left and right halves of their bodies moving out of sync,  as though they had been cut in half.
定睛凝视仔细看的话，出现的几只掘土兽人们有的拖曳着内脏、有点身体左右行动是分开的——就宛如被纵劈成两半——的样子。

Beings that moved even when they could not be alive were --
行使着不可能活动之物的存在，有的话那就是——

Magic! Magic that controls the dead!
（是魔法！使役死者的魔法！）

“Is that the Dwarves’ secret weapon?”
「难道说那个就是矮人的王牌吗？」

Yozu agreed with what his subordinate had said.
由欧兹同意部下所说的话。

Did they have an ace in the hole besides lightning-enchanted weaponry?
除了使用雷的武器阻止入侵之外、还留有其他的王牌吗。

“...Are they Golems?”
「……是格雷姆[Golem]嗎」

It was said that when the Dragon took possession of the Royal Palace, it had fought monsters with those names. Apparently, they looked like armored statues.
龙族支配矮人的王城之时，曾经听说过他们与有那样名字的怪物战斗过，据说那个是铠甲雕像的外观

“Are those the Dwarves called Golems?”
「那个是矮人的格雷姆吗！？」

Yozu shook his head at his subordinate’s question.
对部下的疑问由欧兹摇摇头。

“No, Golems are monsters. The Dwarves probably raised those.”
「不、所谓的格雷姆是怪物。那恐怕是矮人所驯养的吧」

“Like the Nuks we tamed, then?”
(TL Note: ヌーク)
「就像我們馴服的努克[ヌーク]一樣吗、但是」

These Nuks were magical beasts.
所谓的努克是魔兽。

Their males were 3.5 meters long and weighed 1200kg. They were shaggy four-legged herbivores who could survive on even a little bit of algae. They were tough enough to survive in heavy snowfalls, so many monsters in the Azellisia Mountain Range fed on them.
雄性的话有三点五公尺、体重达到一千两百公斤，被长毛所覆盖的四脚草食兽，仅有一点绿苔也能够生存，因为拥有在豪雪中也能够生存的生命力，栖息在安杰利西亚山脉全境，以这个为食的怪物有很多。

In any event, there was no telling how well those black Golems could fight, but given the fleeing Quagoa and the assault teams’ diminished numbers… no, more than that, Yozu’s goosebumps and his cold sweat told him everything.
总之那个黑色的格雷姆铠甲具备有多少战斗能力还不明白，但是从逃回来的掘土兽人的数字和突击部队的数字差来考虑的话、不、在此之前欧兹倒立的汗毛就已经说明了一切。

Beating them would not be easy, but fortunately, they only seemed to be watching them from afar and not trying to cross the bridge.
要战胜那个并不容易，但是、幸运的是他们只是睥睨这里并不打算过桥。

“It, it seems they came to take back the fortress.”
「看、看来是为了夺回要塞而来的呢」

“Y-yes, that’s right. Alright, form up again while they’re still stopped. At the same time, we’ll prepare to -- they’re moving!”
「说、说的是呢，好。在那家伙停止行动期间重新编队，同时计划对策——动了！」

The black suits of armor broke into a run, charging at the suspension bridge.
黑色铠甲跑了起来、冲向吊桥。

“Who was that! Who said that they were there to take back the fortress?!”
「是谁！哪个家伙说是为了夺回要塞！」

“Commander! Now’s not the time for that! What should we do!?”
「指挥官！现在不是说那个的时候！到底该如何是好！」

The Quagoa Yozu had sent out bared their claws, ready for battle.
由欧兹送出在吊桥上的掘土兽人们伸出爪子准备作战。

The black suits of armor braced their shields and blew through the Quagoa where they made contact.
而黑色铠甲则架着巨大的盾朝向那个冲撞后炸裂。

Sent flying by overwhelming power, many Quagoa fell from the suspension bridge. The black suits of armor did not stop. Though they slowed down a little, they continued their charge forward with shields raised, like rampaging walls.
被压倒性的力量所击飞、好几只的掘土兽人从吊桥掉落下去。而且黑色铠甲并没有停下脚步，继续架着盾、尽管速度稍微被减缓仍然为了渡桥而前进，宛如是墙壁猛冲了过来。

If this kept up, they would soon cross the bridge completely and reach this place.
这样下去的话、不久之后就会完全渡过吊桥到达这里了吧。

And then, when that happened… what would happen? Realizing the mortal danger which awaited him, Yozu shouted.
那么、那个时候、会变得怎样呢。生命危险发出喊叫。

“Cut, cut the bridge!”
「将、将吊桥破坏！」

If they destroyed the bridge, the main force would only be able to use the flanking route, and that would waste a lot of time. The Dwarves would probably strengthen their defense in the interim. Thus, one could consider their first objective of taking the fortress to be a failure.
如果将吊桥破坏的话，本队的入侵将只能使用迂回路线、非常花费时间。在那期间矮人们会加强防御吧，如果考虑到夺取要塞作为第一目标的话，这个作战是失败的。

After the loss of manpower and resources during this operation, failure would not be a matter that could be simply excused by a rebuke. However, all that paled in comparison to the danger of letting those black suits of armor cross the bridge.
考虑因作战而耗费了的物质和人员损害、不是遭到斥责就能了事的。但是，比起那个，如果让那个黑色铠甲渡桥过来的话会显然会更加危险。

If they reached this place, everybody here would die. The black suits of armor were such beings.
如果来到这里的话，这里的每一人都会确实死亡吧，那个就是那样的存在。

“Didn’t I tell you to cut the bridge?!”
「不是说了破坏吊桥了吗！」

The Quagoa could not help but watch the black suits of armor smash their men away with their unimaginable might. At the second cry, they finally managed to move. However, almost all the Quagoa who had been sent out from the rear were had been sent flying into the abyss, and there were only a few Quagoa left on the bridge to face the black suits of armor.
第二次的指示、别过眼不看黑色铠甲以压倒性的力量将掘土兽人们弹飞出去的部下们、总算开始了动作。但是，从后方送出的掘土兽人们几乎都被吹飞、掉落到了奈落的底部，在桥上与黑色铠甲对峙的仅有少数。

All of those Quagoa desperately bit and clawed at the steel suspension cables of the bridge.
多少只的掘土兽人们拼命的啃咬吊桥的绳索、用爪砍上。

“Have one of the assault teams stall their advance!”
「让一个部队突击、让他们在吊桥阻止它的行动！」

Being told to stop the Golems right after being told to destroy the bridge was no different from a suicide mission. Even so, a suicide squad immediately assembled and bravely went forth.
明明说是要破坏吊桥却被派去在吊桥上阻止格雷姆行动、与被说去死没有两样。即便如此仍立即就编制了一个部队，敢死队奋勇前进。

As expected, the suicide squad bounced off the shields, but some of them managed to get past and hurled themselves upon the black suits of armor. However, the black suits of armor paid them no heed. Being bitten did not seem to hurt them, and they continued their advance.
情况果然还是一样、被盾给弹了回来，但有好几只成功的绕到了背后、猛扑过去。但是、就连那个也无视。就算被牙齿啃咬也不见疼痛的感觉、继续突进过来。

The bridge had not yet fallen.
吊桥还是没有掉落。

If this kept up, the black suits of armor would make it all the way across.
这样下去的话会完全渡过的。

As Yozu realized this, his body began moving on its own. He leapt down from his command post high above, and used the force of his landing and the sharpness of his claws to deliver a hit to the steel cables of the bridge.
如此感受到的一瞬间，由欧兹的身体不由自主的行动，从坐镇指挥的高处毫无犹豫的跳跃下、乘着落下的气势加上爪给予吊桥的钢索一击。

A great ping tore through the air.
叮、响起了劈开空气般地巨大声响。

The suspension bridge rose and fell like a gigantic wave, and broke.
吊桥经过巨大波动摇晃、瓦解。

Yozu could not withstand the serpentine thrashing of the suspension bridge and was thrown into the air. However, he managed to grab a dancing cable before he was swallowed up by the yawning darkness beneath him. Since Yozu could not control his movements in mid-air, it was an unimaginable stroke of luck for him. He pulled himself along the cable as his body swayed in mid-air, and managed to make contact with the edge of the cliff.
由欧兹无法承受吊桥有如巨蛇在断气前一般的翻滚动作、而被抛出了空中。但是，在自身被眼下的黑暗所吞噬之前，由欧兹在虚空中抓住了在跳舞一般的绳索。在无法控制姿势的空中、能够做到那件事是万中无一的侥幸。由欧兹一边扭转身体一边在空中用力将绳索拉到身旁、在悬崖边缘着陆。

However, he did not even have the time to catch his breath. A malevolent cold filled his body. Yozu listened to his instincts and threw himself prone.
但是连放松喘息的时间都没有、身体如打了寒颤一般感觉到恶寒，由欧兹决定听从直觉将身体卧倒。

In that instant, a screaming object swept past the fur on Yozu’s back. Unbelievably enough, that object was a flying Quagoa. Under these dire circumstances, the black suit of armor had managed to throw one of the suicide squad members at Yozu with its ridiculous arm strength.
剎那间、发出呻吟声飞来的物体掠过由欧兹背后的体毛。不可置信的是、飞来物体的真实身份是掘土兽人，是黑色铠甲在迫不得已情况下、用那个荒唐臂力的将敢死队其中一员全力投掷了过来的。

The thrown Quagoa hit one of Yozu’s men, who was still frozen in shock. The two of them disintegrated into chunks of gory meat with a brief, agonized cry of “Pigya!”
被投掷的掘土兽人与呆立不动的由欧兹的部下们碰上，部下们「啪！」的一声留下短暂悲鸣最终成为了肉块。

However, that was all, because the suicide squad and the black suits of armor vanished into the Great Rift.
但也就到此为止了，在桥上的敢死队成员与黑色铠甲们都消失在了大裂缝中。

Silence filled the air.
周边被静寂所支配。

Yozu slowly peered into the darkness of the Great Rift. He was not the only one to do so; all the survivors looked into the darkness that had swallowed everything. All of them knew that there was no surviving that drop; even so, they could not erase their fear that the black suits of armor would come clambering up the sides of the chasm.
由欧兹蹒跚地向大裂缝的黑暗之中窥视。并不只是由欧兹，残存下来的所有人、凝视着吞噬了所有一切事物的黑暗。明知道从这里落下的话不可能幸存，那些家伙会不会手攀上悬崖边缘爬上来的不安仍然无法抹去。

After what seemed like forever, Yozu finally sighed in relief.
到底经过了多少时间呢，由欧兹在心中做出安心的叹息声。

They did not look like they would be coming back.
似乎没有回来的样子。

Looking around, he saw that there were precious few of his men who had survived.
向周围放眼望去、幸存下来的部下数量很少。

Even so, the fact that they had survived against those black suits of armor was worthy of praise.
即便如此以那个黑色铠甲为对手还能够存活下来，应该值得加以褒奖才对吧。

“We’re pulling back!”
「要撤退了哦！」

If they did not report those Golems to the people on top, things would be very bad for them.
如果不快点向上层报告关于那个格雷姆的话，事情会变得相当不妙。

If those were being mass-produced, it was the Quagoa who would be annihilated instead. Yozu did not feel that there were only two of them.
如果那个被量产的话、掘土兽人们反而会被全灭视为吧。由欧兹并不认为那个个体就只有仅仅两个。

“...How fearsome those Dwarves are.”
「……令人畏惧、矮人」

Yozu deeply regretted underestimating the Dwarves. To think they knew how to produce such monsters--
由欧兹对于看轻了矮人的事感到非常后悔，竟然有制作出那种可怕怪物的技术——

“In any case, we need to inform the main body about this. Messengers!”
「首先、不得不将发生的事尽早传达给本队。傳令！」

The people who ran over in response to Yozu’s call were the Quagoa Riders, who far exceeded the average Quagoa in mobility. They possessed a special ability which made them immune to the fatigue caused by extended sprinting.
呼应由欧兹的叫唤马上奔跑过来的、是能以远优于一般的掘土兽人的速度移动、被称为掘土兽人·骑兵的人们。他们的特殊能力是不会感到由疾跑产生的疲劳。

The reason why he had called this many of them over was because moving in small numbers ran the risk of the entire group being wiped out by a monster ambush. That was not to say that moving in force guaranteed safety, only that they could absorb casualties and still survive long enough to pass their message on to their headquarters.
叫出一定人数的原因是如果以较少数人移动的话，会有遇到怪物袭击就全灭的可能性。并不是说如果有这个人数就能进行安全的移动，而是为了就算有数人死亡也要有某个人能幸存并抵达本队，这安排就是出于那样的目的。

“Alright! Go! Don’t forget, your mission is very important!”
「好了！去吧！不要忘记你们的任务是非常重要的！」

Yozu gave another order as he watched them leave.
目送他们、由欧兹传达了下一道命令。

Needless to say, it was to fall back immediately to meet with the Lord of the Clans.
不用说那便是从这里撤退，为了与氏族王会面进行讨论。