Chapter 38
The Orc Champion was built more like a Troll than an Orc, and strangely enough, it had six arms.
Despite its brutish appearance, it charged with surprising speed.
“All mercenaries except the newbie and Jebeon-i, get up there.”
“Yes, sir!”
I drew my sword again and addressed the mercenaries.
With that kind of momentum, the Silver Rank mercenaries would be swept away in an instant.
Only Jebeon-i and the newbie would be of any real use.
As the mercenaries retreated up the hill, I gripped my sword and charged straight at the Orc Champion.
*Grawr!!*
The Orc Champion, wielding a weapon in each of its six arms, roared and swung as I approached.
…*No fucking way it can use all those arms effectively, right?*
Even humans sometimes get their two arms tangled up.
No way an Orc could handle *six*…
*Bang!! Bang, Bang!!*
*Shit*, it *can* use them.
I quickly retreated, dodging the rapidly descending attacks.
“…Are you alright?”
“We’ll see.”
“We…”
“Help when the time is right.”
I didn’t say I *didn’t* need help.
Jebeon-i and the newbie could be a big help if they timed their intervention right.
Hadn’t I learned that sparring with Daren and Kaiden?
Past a certain point, numbers are king.
“Alright, let’s do this.”
The best outcome would be if I handled this alone, though. Steeling my resolve, I approached again.
*Uwaaar!!*
The Orc Champion seemed pleased that I’d retreated earlier. I took my stance and focused my Aura into my eyes.
Then…
The Champion's movements slowed, and I felt like I'd entered a different world.
*Saaak.*
I could see a red *Trace* connecting me to the Orc Champion.
The Void Family’s Vision Track showed me the most efficient Kill-Path.
Following that path, I used *Fleet*.
*Kwaang-! *
My body shot forward in an instant.
I moved according to the pre-determined inputs.
My outstretched sword aimed precisely at the Orc’s neck.
And then…
*Kang!!*
A dull sound echoed as my sword bounced off.
“What the…”
Disoriented, the *Fleet* wore off.
I landed on the ground from my airborne leap.
*What was that?*
It felt like I’d hit armor.
I definitely hit its neck…
Puzzled, I looked at the Orc Champion I'd just passed.
*Thud, thud, thud.*
Something like scales fell from its neck.
…*What the fuck is that?*
Does becoming a Champion reinforce your skin like that?
I’d never heard of an Orc having scales.
Especially scales that perfectly protect vital spots like that.
*Grawr!*
And they were so transparent I hadn’t even noticed them before the attack.
Anyway…
The Orc Champion, its eyes bloodshot as if it felt its life threatened, swung its weapons wildly at me.
“Oh, shit…”
*Thump, thump! Clang! Bang! Wham!*
Dodge, dodge, parry, block, *hit*.
“*Gah!*”
I gasped, the impact of the club momentarily stealing my breath.
*Fuck, even if I dodge and block, it’s endless.*
What’s more…
Five attacks later, *another* arm was coming down.
Lying on the ground after the last blow, I desperately considered my options.
Guard?
No, I couldn’t block this brute force attack.
Hadn’t I tried parrying once, only to have my stance broken and end up like this?
Just as I decided to roll out of the way…
*Whoosh-*
A figure flew in from beside the Orc Champion.
“Haa!”
It was the newbie, wielding a thin, long spear.
*Fwoosh!*
The newbie’s spear pierced the Orc Champion’s first shoulder.
*Graaagh!*
The Orc Champion, seemingly in pain, turned its attention from me to the newbie.
*Good boy, I knew I could count on you.*
I immediately sprang to my feet.
And then…
“Sever!”
Releasing the spear, the newbie drew a sword and began to slash at the Orc Champion with dazzling speed.
Faster than when he’d swung that wooden sword at me. So fast that even I could barely follow the flurry of attacks.
*Graaar-!!*
But the Orc Champion’s skin was thick. The newbie's attacks only left shallow, small cuts.
Well, that was enough.
While the Orc Champion was distracted by the newbie, I approached and swung my sword.
I aimed for its legs.
Two legs were a better target than six arms.
I swung my sword, gathering my Aura.
And then…
‘*Rush*.’
*Bang!!*
The *Rush* landed squarely on its shin.
*Guuurgh-! *
The Orc Champion stumbled from the impact.
“I’ve arrived as well.”
Jebeon-i joined the fray, wielding a massive hammer.
“What’s that?”
“I didn’t think a sword would penetrate that thing, so I borrowed this.”
Huh, he had a point.
Even the newbie, with his thin Katana, hadn’t been able to cut deeply despite all his attacks.
Hitting its knee with a giant hammer would be more effective.
“Be careful, old man. One hit from that thing and you’re done.”
“…I’m still in my prime.”
I’d seen the Champion’s strength.
Could Jebeon-i withstand a direct hit?
That newbie's quick, he seems alright.
Furthermore, like he figured this wasn't the time to conserve strength, his movements are beyond normal, almost on par with an Aura User.
If Jebeon-i fights, he'll really lose.
Well, whatever.
With Jebeon, a pseudo-Aura User, joining us, we've got three superhumans.
We've finally got six usable arms.
I gathered my Aura again and ran towards the Champion, distracted by the newbie.
It seems like I should be the one to land the finishing blow.
I aimed again for the neck where I'd peeled off the scales earlier.
Are the scales growing back?
What is he, some kind of lizard?
It seems like he's definitely not a normal Orc Champion.
Well, they all die the same when their head's chopped off.
I kicked off the ground and leaped towards the Orc Champion.
*Grrroooar!!!*
Seeing me, the Orc Champion stretched out the two arms on his right side.
I dodged one arm by twisting my body.
*Slice-*
I landed, slicing off the fingers of the other arm.
*Whoosh-*
But.
As I landed, another arm swung at me from the opposite side.
It never ends, it just never fucking ends.
Blocking seemed foolish, so I threw myself out of the way again.
"Hyaah!"
At the right moment, timed with Jebeon swinging his hammer below the Champion, I jumped.
I had to go when those two were drawing its attention.
So.
*'Fleet.'*
I used Fleet once more.
In the slowed-down world, I leaped with explosively enhanced physical abilities.
Like a projectile, I landed behind the Orc Champion.
Just as I was about to swing my sword—
*Rustle—!*
I saw the scales growing back on its neck again.
…Automatic defense? This bastard is really suspicious.
Well, it's fine.
I've seen it once already.
I focused my Aura and imbued my sword with Rush.
Then.
*Bang!!*
*Graaagh--!!*
I detonated Rush, blasting away the scales on its neck.
While still floating in the air—
*Whirl.*
I spun my body to regain balance.
Then, I swung my sword at the exposed neck of the Orc Champion.
*Thwack!!*
Without a foothold, the blade only went in halfway.
*Gurgle…!!!*
But that was enough to sever its windpipe.
Then.
*Thump!!*
The Orc Champion's massive body collapsed as I landed.
"Whew…"
Did I get him?
Looking at the fallen body, it twitched intermittently, but it didn't seem like it would get up again.
*Thud!*
Watching it, I pulled my sword from its neck.
Then.
"Newbie, stay put. Jebeon, follow me."
I left the newbie behind and gestured to Jebeon.
"Yes? Where are we going…?"
"We're going where that thing came from."
No matter how I looked at it, that thing wasn't natural.
What kind of mutant has six freely moving arms and scales that grow over vital spots?
So, I intended to go straight into the cave where it came from.
"W-wait a moment."
But.
Seeing me like that, Jebeon stopped me and pointed uphill.
"Bring a lantern!"
Ah.
Come to think of it, Jebeon can't use Track, right?
The sun was already starting to set, so we wouldn't be able to see anything inside the cave.
With Jebeon's single gesture, the mercenaries who were on the hill came down.
"Then half of the mercenaries, follow me."
Since I'd called the other mercenaries down anyway.
Half would stay behind, and I entered the cave with the rest.
"Ugh."
"This is…"
As soon as we entered the cave, a foul odor hit us.
It wasn't just a bad smell, it was toxic.
"Shine the lantern carefully."
To see what was inside that caused this smell,
I went deeper into the cave, led by the mercenary with the lantern.
For now, there was no presence felt inside.
It seemed like the Champion lived here alone.
Past the rotting carcasses of animals, presumably its food, and the filth presumed to be its excrement,
we arrived in front of a giant well, which seemed to be the real source of the foul stench.
"This is…"
"A well in a cave."
The Orcs definitely didn't make this.
Who built this and left it here?
"Shine the light here carefully."
I approached the well with a few mercenaries.
And then.
"Th-this is."
"Gasp…!"
The mercenaries who checked the well first recoiled in horror.
Wondering what it was, I checked and saw bodies crammed inside, covered in maggots.
"Urgh…"
"Blech…"
A sickening sight, enough to make even the strong-stomached mercenaries retch.
Even I, accustomed to corpses, couldn't help but grimace.
"Kane-nim, this is…"
"Everyone, withdraw. We're going back to the city immediately."
This was definitely not something we could handle on our own.
It seemed like there was definitely outside interference.
I glanced over.
Beyond the well filled with corpses, deeper into the cave.
I looked at the stone decorations faintly illuminated by the lantern.
Well.
I had a rough idea of which faction was involved.