Inferno Escape and the Orc Chieftain's Fall
The morning sun rose the day after the group tutorial. Namgung Seojun's party packed up their belongings from the cave they'd stayed in for a while.
"Today's the day we break out. We'll be running hard for a long stretch, so pack only the essentials."
The party members followed his orders, grabbing just what they needed. Then the group left the cave.
On the way to the orc village to execute their plan, Gisohee kept talking to Namgung Seojun out of worry.
"We just follow yesterday's instructions, right? But... it feels like you're taking all the risk, Seojun."
Seeing her genuine concern, Seojun replied with a relaxed smile.
"Just trust me."
He assured her to believe in him and follow along. Luring the orcs was a job only he could handle.
They arrived at the spot near the orc village that they'd scouted beforehand. Namgung Seojun scattered some grass to check the wind direction, then he and the party spread the ball-shaped incendiaries they'd prepared the day before at key positions.
"All set. When I make my move, you all follow the plan to the letter."
The party members nodded.
Quek.
One orc let out a guttural cry. The chieftain orc emerged from the house where he'd been staying. A subordinate reported that an intruder had ambushed them at the village entrance, and the chieftain instinctively knew this was the killer who'd massacred his minions recently.
Quekek!!
He immediately ordered all the adult orcs in the village to join him in hunting down the intruder.
"Haa... haa..."
At the orc village entrance, Namgung Seojun had taken out one orc with a surprise attack. He deliberately left traces behind as he fled. The chieftain led about twenty orcs in pursuit.
They chased him up the ridge beside the village—a terrain the party knew a bit from their stay—but the orcs' sturdy stamina and racial traits let them close in faster than expected. Seojun trusted his Super Sense to guide his escape.
Ping.
The twang of an arrow made him uneasy; they'd caught up quicker than he'd hoped. He pushed harder toward the direction his Super Sense urged.
Quek!
Spotting Namgung Seojun in the distance, the chieftain excitedly ordered his archer orcs to fire. But Seojun's movements were too flashy to hit reliably.
Que-que-kek!
Fast for a human. The chieftain ordered the slower orcs to fall back and pushed the pursuit harder with the faster ones.
Swish. Swish.
Quek!
Seojun dodged orcs entering close range, crashing through the underbrush. The frantic orcs hurled stones, but none hit him—thankfully.
I'm hitting my limit...
Still, Super Sense screamed to keep running. Following it blindly, a massive ravine suddenly yawned before him.
"...What? Jump in?"
The ravine's churning waters looked treacherous, yet Super Sense insisted: jump. Seojun had trusted this god-tier trait without fail until now, but his human instincts made him hesitate for a split second.
That instant!
Thwack!
"Argh!!"
A stone flung by the chieftain's sling grazed his right arm. It wasn't a direct hit, but a nasty bruise bloomed.
"Damn it!"
Ignoring the pain, Seojun hurled himself into the ravine without another thought.
"..."
The chieftain and his orcs were stunned. No human would dare leap into those rapids.
But then—
Quek! We-we... ek! Quek!!
At his subordinate's cry, the chieftain raced to the ridge and looked back at the village.
Quek?
The orc village was ablaze.
While Namgung Seojun pulled the chieftain and adult orcs away, the rest of the party had set the fires as planned.
"Oh? Looking good."
Once ignited, the flames spread rapidly. Dry forest from the arid climate, strong winds, and their prepared accelerants fueled the inferno's explosive growth. Soon, a massive firestorm engulfed the orc village.
Quek.
The female orcs fled with their young. But escape wasn't easy.
Boom. Boom.
Lee Guho, Jo Jaehun, and Kim Hoon picked off the fleeing orcs one by one from ambush points. As usual, Jo Jaehun and Kim Hoon blocked, while Lee Guho blasted them with spells.
Quik!
Gisohee, hidden in camouflage, sniped wounded stragglers.
The surprise fire and ambushes scattered the orcs in panic, fleeing far on survival instinct.
An hour was all it took for the blaze to consume everything. The party cautiously crossed the charred ruins.
"Watch for embers—move carefully."
With Gisohee leading, they crept through and reached the village's exit: an iron gate to the tutorial zone beyond.
"This must be it."
"Yeah, everything burned to ash, but this door's intact."
They'd longed for this exit, yet no one touched it right away.
"Seojun will be okay, right?"
The decoy weighed on their minds. Though worried, Jo Jaehun judged coolly.
"He told us beforehand: if we can go, we go first."
Dangerous area, even without orcs. Seojun had ordered them to escape if possible.
Just as Jo Jaehun finished—
Quek!
An orc cry echoed from somewhere.
"Inside, now."
Jo Jaehun led, followed by Lee Guho and Kim Hoon through the door.
"..."
Gisohee lingered last, staring at the glowing escape portal, torn.
Will Seojun be alright?
She knew her feelings: she liked Namgung Seojun. In this group tutorial hell, where survival stripped humanity bare, he'd been her light—generous, guiding, teaching. Respect had bloomed into deeper affection.
That's why she couldn't leave, fretting over him.
But he said... absolutely go. No matter what.
Seojun had foreseen this, telling her specifically to enter without fail. Finally, she stepped through, escaping the group tutorial zone.
Namgung Seojun, swept downstream by the ravine, dragged himself out where the waters calmed.
"Ow."
His body was covered in cuts and bruises from the ride. He'd clung to a log Super Sense spotted, dodging rocks and branches to minimize damage, but injuries were inevitable. He chewed pain-numbing herbs from his leather pouch.
"Ugh... tastes like shit."
Bitter and vile, but he forced it down. To escape this tutorial fast, he headed for the orc village.
By the time Seojun arrived, the village was ruins. Fires out, only charred frames remained.
Huh? But... why?
Nothing left, yet Super Sense warned: proceed with caution. Trusting it, he crouched low.
The moment he entered the village—
Ping!
A sharp arrow grazed his ear. Super Sense had jerked his head just in time, averting a fatal wound.
From the arrow's path loomed a massive green giant: the chieftain orc.
The others had scattered to save kin, but the chieftain had anticipated Seojun heading here and waited.
"Haa."
Seojun saw it as the final hurdle. He dropped his bag, drew his sword.
"Grr."
The chieftain tossed his bow, gripping his axe two-handed.
"..."
They glared. The chieftain charged first.
Quekek!
Seojun trusted Super Sense, rolling aside at the perfect moment as the axe swung.
Nice dodge.
The opening let him hurl his dagger, striking the chieftain's arm.
"Keh heh heh."
But minimal damage—just a scrape.
Dagger won't cut it.
Seojun gripped his sword two-handed and charged.
"Hah!"
Clang! Clang!
Sword met axe in fierce clashes. Their duel was brutal but straightforward.
Clang. Chieftain blocked Seojun's strikes. Whoosh. Seojun dodged the massive axe swings he couldn't parry, guided by Super Sense.
The chieftain's wide swings created gaps. Thrust. Seojun stabbed fast, but Clank! the gauntlet deflected.
Warrior vs. warrior: clash, dodge, thrust—repeating endlessly. The chieftain's stamina held firm, but Seojun felt his fading.
But!
I can read him now.
Super Sense let him predict moves. Seojun bided his time.
"Haa... haa..."
Seojun panted heavily; the chieftain bellowed triumphantly, breathing easy.
"Kekeke!"
His eyes sharp, Seojun knew: End it quick. Time wasn't on his side.
He resolved. Swish. One hand on sword, the other drew his rusty dagger.
Keeek?
The chieftain sneered, but Seojun lunged, sword swinging.
Whoosh.
Chieftain moved to block as before—but Seojun twisted his wrist, altering the blade's path.
Chaaang!
Dull ring as sword nudged the axe off course. In that instant, Seojun flung the dagger.
As if anticipating, the chieftain's gauntlet swatted it—
Seojun body-slammed forward.
Thud!
Headbutted the chieftain's face. Caught off-guard, the orc toppled.
Seojun drew his hidden dagger, plunging it into the chest.
Quek!!!!
In agony, the chieftain hammered Seojun's back with gauntlets.
Thud! Thud!
Despite the brutal blows, Seojun endured, thinking release meant death, pressing harder.
Kek! Eek!
The chieftain thrashed wildly, pummeling Seojun's back. Leather armor tore, wounds opened, blood soaked his pants.
Still, his hands gripped the dagger.
"Kuh... hng... ugh..."
The chieftain's breaths grew ragged, struggles slowed.
Finally!
Thud.
Both arms hit the ground. Dead.
Only then did Seojun exhale.
"Hah... ugh..."
Sheer luck. He'd seized the chieftain's brief lapse in a favorable moment, Super Sense guiding a desperate charge.
"Ah!"
Victory hurt. Back shredded, blood pooling—critical.
Gotta move... fast.
More bleeding here meant death. Seojun grabbed his bag, crawled to the exit.
"Let's go."
He opened the door, hurling himself into the white light beyond.
Thus ended their grueling escape from the group tutorial zone.