Tutorial (3): Cave Assault and Orc Rebirth

As we entered the cave, I heard human voices.

"Green monsters incoming!! Everyone, get ready for battle!"

A group with some real fighting spirit.

I'd thought it'd be easy since they hadn't even posted sentries, but I was wrong.

Inside, several campfires burned, and shield-bearers stood in a tight front line formation.

The goblins charged recklessly. The clash of shields and goblins echoed through the cave.

Bang!! Crunch!

"Hold the line!!"

"Kill them!! Kill the humans!"

Humans with a proper formation couldn't be beaten by mindless charges. The goblins slammed into the shields and got cut down by human swords.

"Everyone, just maintain the formation like this and we'll win!"

A guy in the back—probably their leader—issued calm orders.

...This won't work as is.

The moment I stepped forward, the goblin who'd danced with his sword at the vanguard on day one charged in.

He'd completed the first quest like me. But he was bigger, with thicker limbs.

He collided with a shield, and instead of the goblin flying back, the human did.

The goblin exploited the gap, thrusting his sword into the men on either side. The shield wall faltered slightly.

He was destined for greatness, sure, but I had no intention of being outshone here. Not after surviving eight years on the lower continent.

"Don't panic, everyone! Just fill the gaps! We can win this!"

I hurled a dagger at the leader who'd been barking orders so annoyingly.

The dagger spun through the air, grazing between the shield-bearers and embedding in the leader's throat.

"Gurk...!"

The leader clutched the dagger in his neck, eyes rolling wildly. I smirked.

Idiot... Whether you pull it out or not, you're dead.

The humans in the back stared in disbelief. Without orders, the shield-bearers started to waver.

"Boss! Boss!!"

The humans' confusion boosted goblin morale, and they rampaged even more fiercely.

Soon the front shield line collapsed, and goblins poured through the breach.

Short screams, the slice of metal through flesh, the dull crack of breaking bones.

The shields were no longer a wall—just obstacles tripping each other up in the chaos.

Sword-dance guy went berserk at the front, cutting humans down. I kept throwing daggers without pause, obsessively targeting necks and heads to rack up kills.

Time passed, and the cave fell silent.

I was dumbfounded. A Rare-grade job on the first selection? That was rare as hell.

If I'd been human, I'd have picked Rare without hesitation—better performance than Common.

But goblins were too weak. The race itself was trash, so you needed to compensate elsewhere... which I couldn't. No matter how hard I struggled, mid-rank was my ceiling.

I needed a combat-strong race to cover my lacking talent and climb to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠high-rank.

Number 3.

My body started crackling. Muscles and bones expanded, the whole frame creaking.

Fucking hurts.

Turning a small goblin into an ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠orc required massive changes. Goblins at my eye level sank lower; my spine felt like it was being stretched segment by segment.

Bright green skin dulled to moss-like, then deepened to dark green. Each breath widened my chest, thickened my voice.

"Hurry... up..."

The voice from my mouth wasn't mine anymore. Flexing my arm, my forearm ballooned with writhing muscle. I clenched and unclenched my thick, lengthened fingers. This hand could crush anything it gripped.

Suddenly, a rusty iron sword hung on my back, a belt of daggers at my waist.

⋯

I checked my status window and nodded.

Then, a crackling sound came from beside me. Sword-dance goblin. He'd gotten rewards too, but something was different. Not green skin—deep red. And at least 10 cm taller than me.

Same orc. Different grain.

He turned to look at me. Our eyes met, and a chill ran down my spine.

In that instant, I knew. That wasn't a Common-grade orc.

Same orc body, but he'd gotten something Special.

I'd pegged him for talent, but this gap on the first job choice...

"...Fuck."

The curse slipped out. But I talked myself down—no need for despair.

It was just the start. Plenty of quests ahead. Steady grinding, and I'd catch up.

The red orc spoke.

"Grrr... You evolved too. I'm Brak."

"Kar."

I answered curtly and turned away.

What I wanted was the power to take on humans solo. Becoming an orc fulfilled that.

Time to break from the group and go lone wolf.

Sticking with them would make quests easier, but after party life, group dynamics felt awkward and stifling.

...Not like there's a party waiting anyway.

The long road ahead drew a sigh from me.

"Leaving?"

"Yeah. Solo from now on."

A new message floated in my head. No rest for me.

I left the cave, tracking signs of stragglers from the human group.

Four or five total.

Orc body plus mid-rank intervener experience. I could handle this solo.

Night fell, but my pursuit continued.

Orc eyes pierced darkness better than human ones; even in near-moonless woods, footprints and snapped branches stood out.

Signs multiplied—they were close.

I tried minimizing noise, but a big orc body couldn't hide easily.

Uncomfortable, but the price of power.

Finally, campfire light flickered ahead.

Closer, and I spotted a man leaning against a tree, scanning surroundings.

I halted.

Unlike my earlier big talk, my heart pounded.

Hunchback days: no real fights, barely swung a sword. Four years since.

Tips trembled—nerves? Palms slick.

Pounding grew to war-drum thuds: thump, thump, thump.

I didn't notice, but my eyes reddened.

Sweep 'em all now?

Body reacted before reason. As I stepped, I bit my lip bloody.

What the fuck...

Deep breath in, slow out. Then I recalled: orcs excite easily.

This is what ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠they meant.

Powerful, but not invincible. Give in to instinct, and it'd bite me hard someday.

Orc shell, human mind. My chest cooled.

Think slow.

Too risky charging in with this bulk—noise inevitable.

Decision made, I gripped a dagger, took aim.

Pierce the throat clean—no groan.

Arm tensed; forearm swelled. Throw.

Unlike goblin toss, the whistle cut sharper. Dagger sliced wind, pierced his throat in a blink.

He collapsed without a sound.

Hold. No reaction from his group.

Closer. Next targets: two by the fire, backs together, talking.

"...Was splitting off and coming here the right call?"

"Dunno. But to survive, we gotta run far."

Cowards who'd fled without fight.

Dagger in one hand, ready to draw iron sword from back.

One throw, one slash. Muscles taut like drawn bowstring.

Dagger flew; I launched.

One dropped, dagger in throat. The other had no time to retreat—sword severed his neck.

I was shocked. Severing a neck took huge strength. Orc body made it easy.

No traits or job, so not top marks, but impressive.

The fourth saw me, paled, bolted into woods. I didn't chase—dagger finished him.

Catching breath, I scanned. Done.

Orc power exceeded expectations—a whistle escaped.

Retrieved dagger, wiped blood rough, sheathed. Looted corpses for sundries.

Then.

Muffled presence nearby. I crouched low—but odd.

No intent to flee or attack. Turned slowly. There: human woman clutching a stick.

Eyes met. Hers: terror, resignation.

"P-please... spare me."

She knew running was futile. She'd seen the fourth crumple from my dagger.

Kill now, count up.

I looked down. Half a head shorter.

Mid-20s. Long black hair to chest, striking beauty.

A good idea struck.

"...Name."

"How does a monster speak Korean...?"

"Won't ask twice. Name."

"Kim... Ji-hyun Kim. Please... spare me."

I ripped vines from a tree, bound her hands and ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠feet, hoisted her over my shoulder, and vanished into the woods.