Chapter 26: The Orc Shaman's Trap
The sky inside the dungeon, no different from the outside world, was bathed in serene moonlight. Amid the fluffy, dreamlike atmosphere, the growing unease signaled something ominous. It meant the situation was grave.
"What are we waiting for anymore?! This isn't just Pania Guild's problem now. Let's search the area right away!!"
Ma Pildu bellowed, as if there was nothing left to see. I agreed with him. Lee Soo-jung might be a high-rank hunter, but the others were essentially D-rank porters, no better than civilians. If civilians had been captured by monsters, their chances were slim to none. The situation was trickier than it seemed.
Yoo Jae-hyun leaped into the air with his Concentrated Fire skill. After scanning the surroundings briefly, he descended slowly.
"...It's too dark to see well."
Aside from the lanterns scattered around the clearing, pitch blackness enveloped everything.
Before Yoo Chae-eun could stop him, she nocked an arrow. A scorching flame enveloped it.
Taat!!
The arrow transformed into a blazing fireball and streaked through the air. The flames ignited the dungeon's trees on a massive scale.
"...Nothing there?"
In the direction the arrow had flown, nothing was visible. Just scorched earth remained, burned away in an instant.
Would you like to use the Guardian Angel skill?
"Yeah. On our members first."
Whoosh, whoosh.
Golden particles formed in my palm. My now-familiar wings fluttered, lifting me off the ground. Ignoring the golden dust falling to the earth, I ascended slowly into the sky.
Voices of awe rose from below. The people on the ground looked like tiny dolls. But that wasn't important right now.
"I'll take another look, so check the drone footage for the last sighting."
I could see the tiny figures on the ground nodding. Slowly, I scattered golden light over the surrounding forest. A sacred, noble glow swept through the once-dark woods like a wave. This should let not just me in the air, but everyone on the ground see clearly too.
"...There's really nothing."
No exaggeration—aside from trees and grass, no living creatures were visible. Normally, wouldn't scouting orcs get spotted in a situation like this? Beyond anger, curiosity gnawed at me. I flapped my wings once and descended.
The moment my feet touched the ground, my wings folded neatly against my back, no longer uncomfortable. In the blink of an eye, people gathered around.
"I had a feeling, but not even a rat in sight. Anything from the monitoring?"
I tuned out the murmurs, like they were at a zoo. Yoo Chae-eun approached with a stiff expression.
"...The drone didn't capture them after they reached this clearing."
"No one saw them get kidnapped either..."
After reaching this clearing. The Maxas Guild Master's eyes wavered. In her gear that accentuated her voluptuous figure, she looked anxious, as if she knew something.
"Seojun-ssi, we need to leave this clearing!!"
...What?
As everyone froze in confusion, Kang Ga-young came running from afar, shoving people aside. Then Yoo Jae-hyun shouted, realizing something.
"It's curse magic."
Kwarung--!!!! Pajik!!!
Cracks spiderwebbed across the ground. As the earth shook like an earthquake, we braced ourselves to stay balanced.
She'd said curse magic earlier. If so...
"Purifying Light!!"
Blue light spread through my vision. My golden wings scattered a deep ocean-blue radiance. A vast blue magic circle etched into the ground. Even I had to squint against the blinding light.
The quaking earth finally stilled.
Only after the light fully faded did I slowly open my eyes.
"What in the world...?"
Someone's mutter made me look around. An unbelievable sight greeted us.
The trees were gone, replaced by encircling orcs. Among them, three massive orcs unlike the rest stood out, staffs in hand. They spun in circles, wailing in bizarre tones.
"Buhiik~. Buhiik~."
"Buhik, buhuk?! Buhiik?!!"
The sight was utterly repulsive. Seeing the monsters rejoice like they'd cornered their prey triggered an instinctive revulsion. The curse broken, they looked flustered but glared at us with hardened eyes.
"Whirlwind Spin."
Her light brown hair whipped in the wind. Kang Ga-young's sword created a beautiful arc.
"How dare you eye us, you worthless vermin."
She muttered, spinning her blade. The sharp sword whipped up winds around her.
Pukeok!!
Her sword pierced the lead orc shaman's gut. The orcs charged with cries of shock and rage.
"Buhuk!!!! Buhiik!!!!!"
An orc's thrown axe spun straight toward me. But zing!! Kim Na-yoon whipped her spear, batting it away.
Simultaneously, Yoo Jae-hyun fired a straight red beam—a railgun. It tore through the orc shaman and others in front, eliminating them instantly.
The last orc shaman, finishing its chant, unleashed massive flames from its staff.
"Aaaagh!!"
"Healer-nim, heal me! It hurts."
A woman from Maxas Guild, burned, pleaded desperately with her guildmate. But a robed woman in the rear cried out weakly.
"...I can't. I've already used it all. This morning."
"Then at least my sister! I'll hold out with potions..."
I couldn't ignore the sisters. With a wave, fresh green light seeped into their wounds.
"Thank you. So much."
They thanked me, then gripped their weapons and turned to the fight. Fully healed, their resolve sharpened.
Lee Se-ah hurled throwing knives rigged with bombs everywhere. Buffed with superhuman strength from seeing men, the orcs crawled on even with severed arms or broken legs, grinning maniacally.
Thuk!!
"A girl obsessed with men is just~ so uncute?"
Kim Na-yoon's spear stabbed the fallen orcs' heads—pok! pok!—finishing them. Even as their skulls shattered, their lust-filled eyes fixed on me, Ma Pildu, and Yoo Jae-hyun.
Taat!!
Yoo Chae-eun's arrow whistled through the air, embedding in the last orc shaman's throat. The wind spirit trailing it drove the arrow deeper.
"Buhik? Buhuhuk!"
The staff clattered from the orc drawing its circle on the ground. The shaman closed its eyes in frustrated defeat.
The remaining orcs lost their will, weakening. We cleaned them up neatly without me needing to step in.
"...How did they illusion all of us?"
"Orcs are slaves to lust. But shamans handle magic, so they have some reason. They charmed us, maybe slit throats while we slept."
Maybe sparing the men. The thought sent chills down my spine.
"...Then the earthquake earlier."
"Just an illusion. They planned to strike while we panicked and braced."
Listening to the Yoo siblings explain, I scanned the area. A barren plain without trees, and actually bright daylight...
"Probably the ritual on the ground. Good thing Seojun erased it."
"To fall for those lust-crazed orcs?!"
Not just hunters, even porters raged. But the real issue was the kidnapped.
"Hng. So where to now? We need to hurry."
"Kill the boss and rescue them?"
Kim Na-yoon and the Maxas Guild Master asked worriedly. Unlike Yoo Jae-hyun's stunned silence, Kang Ga-young answered.
"Give up."
"What?!"
"The orc shamans' curses are different. Random, but potent if brewed slowly over time. They've likely warped to the chieftain by now. How long to get there? By arrival, it'll be over."
"......"
"Men might survive somehow. Women..."
Kang Ga-young shook her head. Sunlight caught her light brown eyes, matching her hair. Her face was stunning, worthy of Asia's top beauty rep. Her words were harsh, though.
"...Give up? You call that human?!"
Yoo Jae-hyun glared sharply. His eyes held emotions beyond mere anger. If she were a man, he'd grab her collar.
"For the record, Cheonsu lost two hunters too. Orc shamans are rare."
She tilted her head slightly, adding,
"Only choice is straight to the chieftain. Maybe recover bodies."
"......"
A suffocating silence fell. Then Yoo Jae-hyun spoke, voice drained.
"She's right. Tragic, but hunters live near death. We protect people, fight monsters—move fast."
Everyone nodded grimly. They packed tents hastily, eyes burning.
The designated target desperately needs Guardian Angel.
Guardian Angel is activating.
Right. I'd set it on Pania members earlier. And this message meant...
Lee Soo-jung was in danger. Like the subway before.
Guardian Angel activated again. Glorious golden wings unfurled majestically.
"I'll protect them. Hurry and come get us."
I'm the healer. It's my duty to shield members. Lee Soo-jung is my comrade.
Yellow particles burst from me. Instinct told me she was alive.
"Seojun-ssi, no! Too dangerous!!"
Yoo Chae-eun cried out. Jeong Ye-na, watching from afar, ran with wide eyes, reaching out.
But soon, I'd teleport to whoever needed me most.
"Wait! No. Wait? Ah, no. Oppa!!!"
Her distorted face, the first I'd seen. Pupils darting anxiously. Her pale skin ghostly white. Finally, Kang Ga-young clutching her head.
My vision blurred rapidly.
