The Fall of the Warrior Orc
Nam Gyuil dashed into the building. The Warrior Orc was a simple brute—it would surely follow.
“Wooaaargh!!”
As expected, the Warrior Orc barreled in after him.
There was one reason Nam Gyuil had lured it here.
‘Drones are watching outside.’
The cameras could capture the current situation, so he had to avoid that. Fortunately, this old building had no surveillance cameras.
‘Use the blind spot to take out the drone first.’
That way, he could hide his use of magic from everyone.
Whirrr.
The drone tried to follow into the building. But the noisy whir of its wings drew the Warrior Orc's attention, and it smashed the machine with a single axe swing.
Thanks to that, the perfect environment for casting magic was set.
Nam Gyuil's lips curled into a smirk. It felt wrong to say it, but he'd benefited from the Warrior Orc's foul temper.
“Wooaaargh!!”
The Warrior Orc that had crushed the drone let out a roar. It had been making noise nonstop, as if trying to seize the initiative before the fight even began.
Nam Gyuil exhaled slowly. Before diving into the real battle, he steadied his mind. Tension sharpened his senses.
Nam Gyuil conjured a fireball.
Whoosh.
The fireball streaked toward the Warrior Orc, trailing a fiery red tail. The beast snorted dismissively, as if nothing that puny mattered.
Utterly confident.
The Warrior Orc raised its axe high and brought it down. The blade cleaved the fireball in two. The mana-coded edge sliced through the flames themselves.
A truly spectacular sight.
‘Not easy, as expected.’
Nam Gyuil thought that and leaped back swiftly. The Warrior Orc stomped once, closing the distance in an instant with its explosive leap, putting Nam Gyuil within striking range.
‘What the hell?!’
Nam Gyuil paled inwardly. At this rate, that razor-sharp axe would split his skull.
He aimed his staff at the beast's face. This time, he unleashed a more advanced spell than the fireball.
Whoosh.
Hot flames roared from the staff's tip, radiating in a straight line. Its power far exceeded the fireball's.
The Warrior Orc hurriedly turned its head to dodge. But its reaction was a half-beat too slow. The flames scorched its hair and grazed its ear.
The beast's eyes twitched in pain, but it stubbornly swung its axe anyway. Nam Gyuil bent his knees and barely evaded.
It was that close. The keen axe blade whistled past his eyes.
A chill ran down his spine.
Thud!
Having dodged the axe, Nam Gyuil felt a burning pain in his side.
“Gah!!”
A scream burst from his lips. His body bounced off the floor, slammed into the wall, and stopped.
“Huff... cough.”
The throbbing agony made even breathing difficult. Nam Gyuil barely lifted his head.
The Warrior Orc must have followed up with a kick right after the axe swing. He'd been so focused on dodging the blade that he hadn't imagined a kick coming.
‘No pushover.’
Well, the beast's injuries weren't light either. Part of its neck and face were burned red, the skin blistered and swollen.
Nam Gyuil pushed off the floor, stood, and aimed his staff at it. They'd traded one blow each. He hurt like hell, but the enemy had taken serious damage too.
‘Getting the ingredients for an advanced elixir is a pain.’
Nam Gyuil cast another spell. He formed a rock, wrapped it in flames, and maximized its destructive power. It resembled a meteor.
Boom.
With a burst of air pressure, the flaming rock shot forward. He even added wind magic to accelerate it further, pushing the power to extremes.
The Warrior Orc frowned. It was too powerful to block and too fast to dodge.
“Huuuugh!”
The beast drew a deep breath and bulged its forearm muscles.
“Wooaargh!!”
It struck the rock with its axe blade from below.
Kaboom!
A massive impact echoed. The orc put everything into it. The rock's force was so immense that he could feel the axe vibrating in his grip.
“Wooaaargh!”
The Warrior Orc split the rock in two. Monstrous strength.
But in cleaving it, the beast exposed a gap—its side was open.
Nam Gyuil closed in swiftly. The Warrior Orc, still recovering from splitting the rock, felt puzzled. Why was he rushing into close quarters after fighting with magic all this time? Mages preferred distance. No matter—he'd just tank it and counter. Without a mana sword, it couldn't even scratch him.
But.
Stab!
Nam Gyuil's Poison Knife began coating itself in mana.
A mana sword.
The strike pierced the Warrior Orc's thigh.
“Kraaagh!!”
The beast groaned. It tried to aim its axe at Nam Gyuil's head, but its strength drained away. The Poison Knife's ability was poison.
The Warrior Orc was poisoned, hit with severe dizziness and nausea. Its head went foggy. Vision blurring, it staggered back.
Nam Gyuil seized the moment, aimed his staff at its face, and cast. The flaming rock smashed into the Warrior Orc's visage.
Thud!
The beast's head whipped around. Its neck went limp—probably snapped.
Finally, the Warrior Orc's corpse toppled backward like a felled tree.
Thud.
Dust billowed from the accumulated grime on the floor as the massive body hit.
Nam Gyuil panted heavily.
“Barely won.”
It had underestimated close combat while fixated on the magic—that's how he'd pulled it off.
Nam Gyuil slumped down. With the fierce battle over, a cold chill settled in as the adrenaline faded.
‘Good thing I brought the Pharaoh's Staff.’
Thanks to it, he'd fought on equal footing with magic.
Nam Gyuil removed his shirt and checked his side. The spot kicked by the Warrior Orc was bruised purple.
‘Hurts like hell. Every movement stings.’
He stood. Time to claim his reward.
‘The Warrior Orc's heart.’
The final ingredient for the advanced elixir was his.
“Gyu-il hyung... sob.”
Lee Chanu sniffled, calling Nam Gyuil's name over and over.
Thanks to him fighting the Warrior Orc, they'd safely rescued the civilians and returned to Wangsong Lake Park.
The mood in 01 Team was somber. They all believed they'd survived thanks to Nam Gyuil's sacrifice.
Hwang Ilsu was lost in grief, silent. Han Kangsu clenched his fists, and Hong Shinu fought back tears, her eyes red.
Then.
“Why are you all crying?”
The sudden voice made them whip around. There stood Nam Gyuil.
“Hyung!!”
Lee Chanu rushed over, checking for injuries.
“How...?”
His face was blank with surprise.
Nam Gyuil chuckled.
“I said I'd just buy time against the orc.”
“So you ran away mid-fight?”
“Yeah. Tricked it somehow and got out. Got a little banged up, though.”
Nam Gyuil pressed his side as he spoke. The hit spot still ached.
“Is it a serious injury, sir?”
Hong Shinu fretted, her eyes full of worry.
Nam Gyuil ruffled her hair.
“I'm fine. Just hurts a bit.”
Han Kangsu grinned and bellowed.
“As expected of Sergeant Nam Gyuil! I believed in you. I knew you'd come back.”
Hwang Ilsu snorted. This guy had been worried sick moments ago, yet he lied smoothly.
Hwang Ilsu stepped forward.
“With the team leader back, shall I hand over command?”
“Yeah, once treatment's done.”
Nam Gyuil patted his shoulder, signaling him to keep leading for now.
He headed straight to Park Heeryeong.
“Sir. Sergeant Nam Gyuil reporting for duty.”
“Oh, Gyuil!”
Park Heeryeong's face lit up at the sight. He'd been lamenting the news of Nam Gyuil's self-sacrifice to buy time.
“You okay?!”
“I tricked the orc and barely made it back. But I took a hit, so I'd like a checkup at the military hospital.”
“Checkup?”
Park Heeryeong eyed him. An injury from an orc fight could be fatal. But he looked fine on the surface.
‘Gyu-il isn't one to whine. Is he hiding the pain? For the team's morale?’
Park Heeryeong's expression turned grave. He approved immediately.
“Yeah, if it hurts, get treated quick.”
“Thank you, sir.”
Nam Gyuil went to the military hospital with the medic. On the way, he asked the driver a favor.
“Can we stop by the house Hunter Agency provided on the way?”
“Why?”
“Got an item I need for the orc fight.”
“......”
“Please. It's really important.”
“Sigh, fine.”
The driver headed to his place.
Nam Gyuil placed the Warrior Orc's heart on the table the moment he entered. He pulled out the golden horn and golden leaf hidden under the bed.
He grinned.
‘Now I just need to refine the advanced elixir.’
That's why he'd insisted on the hospital. Sure, his side hurt and needed checking, but still.
‘To wipe out the orcs, I need the advanced elixir.’
He began preparing the ingredients. Since he'd killed the Warrior Orc with the Poison Knife, its heart might be tainted. But Nam Gyuil had already taken a poison resistance elixir. No worries there.
Whirrr.
First, he blended the heart in a mixer. Then he poured a low-grade elixir from the fridge into a pot, added all the advanced ingredients, and simmered.
The golden horn was small, no prep needed. He infused mana during simmering to draw out the effects fully.
Thus, the advanced elixir was complete.
Gulp, gulp.
Nam Gyuil downed it and immediately began mana cultivation.
He felt the change. His mana purity surged, his mind cleared refreshingly. His vision sharpened, like a fog lifting. A heavy yet warm energy circulated through his body.
Not painful—comfortable, even. His body lightened, the throbbing side pain fading gradually.
Exhale.
Nam Gyuil ended the session with a long breath. He checked his side. The massive bruise was gone. The advanced elixir had healed him too.
He gripped his longsword and activated mana sword.
With higher purity, he sustained it far longer. Before, only a moment; now, over five minutes. Effortlessly.
‘Over an hour's possible now.’
This meant he'd mastered mana sword completely.
Nam Gyuil clenched his fist.
‘Stronger still.’
The orcs were scattering to expand territory—a welcome development.
‘Take them down one by one.’
Nothing to fear now. Full power against each would suffice.
‘The counterattack begins.’