Chapter 221
Chapter 221
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 221
Chapter Title: Ancient Orcs Charge In
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Chapter 221.
Ancient Orcs charged forward.
Their massive builds far surpassed anything human.
And from those frames sprang unimaginable power.
Any ordinary person would have been too terrified to resist, smashed into a bloody pulp and sent flying.
But the one facing them was no ordinary soul.
"Seven Dragons!"
With Kim Woo-ram's shout, his spear split into seven and swept the front lines.
Kwaaang!
It was an unbelievable sight for a single spear thrust.
Dozens of Ancient Orcs flew back without so much as a scream.
Pshaaa!
Blood sprayed from them, spreading like mist in the air.
"Left flank secured! Five on the right!"
Behind him, Kang Byung-gyu briefed the battlefield situation.
All the while, he hurled daggers without pause, targeting gaps in the Ancient Orcs' defenses.
Puk!
One with a dagger through its forehead toppled backward.
"Thanks!"
With Kang Byung-gyu's help freeing up his movements, Park Min-seong pulled a glass vial from his pouch and tossed it forward.
Crack!
As the vial shattered, pale green smoke billowed out.
[Status Effect Potion: Paralysis]
Over a dozen Ancient Orcs that inhaled the smoke froze solid in an instant.
Park Min-seong seized the moment and activated another skill.
"Attribute Shift!"
He felt a huge chunk of mana drain away.
Then the ground beneath the paralyzed orcs rippled.
Like quicksand.
The stiffened Ancient Orcs couldn't resist and sank straight into the earth.
"Hoo!"
Park Min-seong took a deep breath as he waited for Kang Byung-gyu's next briefing.
His ability to grasp the full battlefield and issue orders was like watching a soccer playmaker in action.
"Min-seong, get ready!"
Had they planned this beforehand?
Even without a subject, Park Min-seong knew exactly what Kang Byung-gyu meant.
He gathered his mana.
In the past, the massive drain would have stopped him from even trying.
But things were different now.
He had grown beyond compare.
On top of that, the academy and the kingdom backing him had poured in vast funds.
'I can do this now.'
Park Min-seong steadied his pounding heart and waited for the order.
And soon, the voice he'd been hoping for rang out.
"Now!"
Park Min-seong's class, Alchemist, wasn't just about brewing potions.
"Iron Giant!"
His mana and the materials in his pouch vanished as the skill activated.
Fwaaa!
A geometric magic circle etched itself into the ground at his feet.
The circle glowed with blinding brilliance matching the cost he'd paid, summoning something immense.
Kuuung!
An enormous Iron Giant matching the skill's name appeared.
A blue colossus incomparable to mere Ancient Orcs.
Its body seemed forged from solid metal, the ground cratering under its weight.
The Iron Giant charged at the oncoming Ancient Orcs.
Teeeeeng!
Kang Byung-gyu wondered if the idiom "swept away like autumn leaves" was made for moments like this.
Three-meter-tall Ancient Orcs collided with the Iron Giant and soared into the air.
It was pure dominance.
Kang Byung-gyu stared blankly for a moment before snapping back to reality.
He had no time to get distracted.
He quickly scanned the surroundings via his minimap.
Then he realized the time had come.
"Da-hye, now!"
At Kang Byung-gyu's call, Kim Da-hye flipped open her sketchbook as if she'd been waiting.
"'Summon.'"
A bright light spread, different from Park Min-seong's skill.
What emerged was the weapon she'd shown most optimized for mass slaughter.
Cluster Bomb.
Also called a submunition bomb, it was banned under international law back on Earth.
The mother bomb exploded, releasing hundreds of bomblets to devastate the target area.
A weapon that fit the name "massacre" perfectly.
Kim Da-hye detonated the summoned cluster bomb in the air above the Ancient Orcs' rear.
Kwaaaang!
No massive explosion for its size.
But the power was beyond imagination.
Hundreds of bomblets rained down on the Ancient Orcs like a hailstorm.
Dudududududududu!!!
Flesh tore from bone.
The bomblets pierced, shattered, and pulverized the Ancient Orcs with ease.
Blood geysered, chunks of meat flew.
A single attack.
It halved their numbers from over seven hundred.
'No wonder it's banned.'
If used in war?
The bomblets would destroy soldiers and civilians alike.
The thought alone was horrifying.
But they needed it now.
Plenty of enemies remained, and soon there'd be several times more.
Kang Byung-gyu glanced back with that in mind.
There stood Seo Woo-jin, watching them calmly like an observer.
'Whew~'
Seo Woo-jin whistled inwardly.
Full of admiration.
Kim Woo-ram, trained by Ban Slane, was still raw but fulfilling his role.
He perfectly held the front against the charging Ancient Orcs.
Kang Byung-gyu went without saying.
He grasped the battlefield flawlessly, positioning teammates optimally for efficient orders.
His credit was largest in holding back such numbers so easily.
'And Park Min-seong.'
Honestly, Seo Woo-jin hadn't seen much appeal in the Alchemist class.
Sure, his potions worked in various situations.
But other heroes had similar skills.
Throwing pre-made potions was less convenient than instant-cast skills.
So he'd thought it unremarkable...
'I had no idea he had skills like that.'
He'd heard before.
But hadn't paid much attention.
Seeing it firsthand, Park Min-seong's skill was impressive.
The downside was the mana, money, and materials consumed, but the performance was outstanding.
'No wonder it's B-rank.'
He needed to reassess Park Min-seong.
With such great skills, his future potential was exciting.
'Finally, Kim Da-hye.'
Seo Woo-jin looked at Kim Da-hye, blankly recovering her mana.
One attack wiped over three hundred Ancient Orcs.
He'd heard of her exploits while he was away...
'Seeing it up close is insane.'
Kim Da-hye excelled in group fights.
Far better against hordes of weaker foes than single powerhouses.
Hundreds or thousands at lower levels—she dominated.
'This growth method is best.'
Hunting strong foes via summoning stones wasn't bad.
With his help, she'd hunt easily and safely.
Like bus hunting.
But corralling and mowing them down like this seemed faster.
'Considering Da-hye's goals, rapid leveling is key first.'
She needed maxed mana above all.
Seo Woo-jin nodded, watching his teammates continue the fight.
'No need for me yet.'
They were handling it fine without him.
Not tired, didn't seem to need help.
The issue was elsewhere.
'It's about time...'
Seo Woo-jin activated his Divine Dragon Eye.
Chaos energy poured out, instantly scanning the area.
Ten meters, a hundred, farther still.
Kilometers of terrain mapped clearly in his mind.
As Seo Woo-jin sensed the other group,
Kwaaaang!
An explosion erupted in the distance.
About three kilometers away.
"It's starting."
A smile tugged at Seo Woo-jin's lips.
The blast sent Ancient Orcs fleeing madly.
Like mountain beasts escaping fire.
It happened simultaneously at five spots.
Around 2,700 Ancient Orcs now surged toward them.
An insane number.
Given their strength scaling with numbers, they rivaled ten thousand regular soldiers.
'Can they handle it?'
Seo Woo-jin imagined his team fighting that horde without him.
'Hmm...'
Negative outcome.
Squeezing every last drop, they'd thin the numbers significantly.
Maybe kill most.
Around two thousand?
But that was the limit.
Stamina depleted, mana faster still.
They'd resort to pure physical combat, no skills.
Two B-ranks were non-combat classes, the others C-rank.
Not A-rank heroes—melee alone couldn't handle that swarm.
'In the end, I'll have to step in.'
That was the plan from the start.
But he wouldn't solve it alone.
The team minus him would lead the fight.
For their growth.
'That much is enough.'
With him there, they wouldn't die.
They might face danger, but he wouldn't let them die pointlessly here.
'Push to their absolute limits, help only if it gets dire.'
Seo Woo-jin heightened his senses slightly.
Kang Byung-gyu, throwing daggers and calling orders nonstop, turned to look.
His expression asking if the time was now.
"They're coming."
Kang Byung-gyu sighed at the words.
They'd anticipated and prepared...
"But I wish they hadn't."
Kang Byung-gyu gave a bitter smile.
The 2,700 Ancient Orcs worried him, but more so the other heroes pulling this stunt.
"Don't mind it. I'll handle that later. Just focus on leveling up here."
"...Yeah, thanks."
Seo Woo-jin grinned at Kang Byung-gyu's nod.
'Yeah, leave the rest to me.'
He had no intention of letting the culprits off.
He sensed the heroes behind the incoming orc horde.
He shot them a murderous glare.
Though they'd neither see nor feel it.