Chapter 62
Chapter 62
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 62
Chapter Title: The Trolls' Betrayal
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A tsunami-like surge of water crashed into the orc unit.
As the orcs lost their footing and toppled over, the dwarf warriors launched their assault.
The dwarves had seized the advantageous positions for battle, but roars and groans echoed from every direction—no one could claim clear superiority.
They said an orc's strength surpassed that of a bear. These were no foes to take lightly.
Orcs climbing up from the valley, and dwarf warriors defending the heights above.
It was nothing like the glamorous battles depicted in fantasy books or movies. It felt more like the wars humans fought before the invention of guns, what they called modern weaponry.
The acrid stench of blood pierced my nose.
Watching the battlefield consumed by madness, my fingers trembled. It was utterly different from the fights I'd endured in the fourth round.
Was it the blood of a man boiling? My heart pounded as I observed their clash.
It wasn't fear. Nor was it terror of them.
The emotion stirring in me was closer to excitement.
Just seeing game characters in the flesh was thrilling enough.
But witnessing their battle firsthand?
"Hoo..."
I wanted to join the fray, but I held back, watching them and biding my time.
It was my first mission like this, so I proceeded with caution.
[Will you join the Dwarf/Orc battle?]
[YES/NO]
'Did it read my mind?'
Right on cue, the system offered its choice.
Faced with options for my first-ever mission, I hesitated over which path to take.
The presence of NO meant I didn't have to join the fight.
I had no clue about the rewards—or if there even were any.
Should I dive in or sit it out? I wavered.
'By the original script, the orcs should have overrun the elf village...'
I glanced at the X-Virus troll horde trailing behind me. They flicked their tongues with eerie cries, as if begging for prey.
"...... YES."
['Kim Cheonjae' the player has joined the Starfall Hill Valley Battle.]
[Help the Dwarf King subdue the orc horde.]
[Reward: Job-Exclusive Skill Book]
I clapped my hands.
Clap!
"Sweet!"
The orcs swept away by the valley stream began climbing back up one by one. I pointed at them.
"Targets: orcs. X-Troll unit, deploy."
The purple-skinned zombie trolls charged toward the valley with grotesque shrieks.
The orcs spotting the trolls erupted in cheers.
-Trolls! The trolls have come to aid us!
-As expected of the orc captain—he even foresaw this and called in reinforcements.
-But why's their skin purple?
The orc captain muttered to himself.
"Trolls...?"
The orc unit's morale soared at the sight of the trolls.
Just a few dozen trolls, but they were monsters of far higher value than orcs.
By the balance of the Land of Ruin, one troll could take on five orcs.
Dwarf King Deniro bellowed.
"The trolls aren't many in number. Ignore them and fight on!"
The orc captain, looking baffled, shouted.
"Press the dwarves with this momentum!"
-Uwaaah!
Thud thud thud thud—
The trolls racing toward the valley,
-Kyaaah!
Attacked the orcs.
Crunch!
An orc whose neck was bitten tumbled into the valley, groaning.
"Kugh."
"Kreeeek."
"Kuhhh—ugh. Why...."
The trolls that followed tore into the orcs as well. The orcs, already tangled in their fight with the dwarves, couldn't even grasp the situation.
-C-Captain! The trolls are attacking us!
-Aaagh! What the hell is this, get... get off me, graaah.
-S-Save me!
But it was too late.
Dwarves in front, trolls behind—the orcs couldn't collect themselves.
No matter how vast their numbers, showing an opening led to this. A perfect example.
The orc captain yelled.
"Uwaaaaaah! You damn troll bastards, how dare you betray us and side with the dwarves."
Deniro tilted his head.
But he said nothing. To him, it was just a golden opportunity.
As time passed, the chaos settled.
The dwarves emerged victorious. The orcs' spirit broken, they fled in all directions, the remnants losing all will to fight.
I descended slowly to the valley floor with Daeho.
All eyes turned to me.
The fighting halted abruptly, silence falling.
Step. Step. Step. Step.
The black aura emanating from my body spread like mist around me.
I beckoned to the X-trolls.
"Return."
The trolls ceased their attacks and retreated into the forest. The orc captain, regaining his senses, shouted at me.
"You! Were you controlling the trolls?!"
I dismounted Daeho without a word and walked toward him.
As the distance closed, a few orcs lunged at me.
Swoosh—
An orc soldier swung his axe with full force,
Clang!
Striking my armor's shoulder.
"......Fool."
The orc's attack dealt me no damage whatsoever. My HP bar above my head didn't budge even a sliver.
I swung my fist lightly.
It sank into the orc soldier's solar plexus.
With a 'tang!', his plate armor crumpled. The blow landed true—the orc clutched his gut and collapsed.
-Khek.
I grabbed the orc soldier by the hair and shoved him toward the valley.
Splash!
Then I strode up to the orc captain.
'Bigger than I thought.'
I had to crane my neck to look up at him. Roughly 190 to 200 cm tall, his massive bulk made him loom even larger.
I gazed up at him and declared boldly.
"Yeah, I was controlling those trolls."
"Why are you interfering with us?"
"......Just because."
"Just because?"
"Yeah, just because."
With the battle paused and quiet settling in, birds swooped down.
Tweet tweet tweet.
"I've heard you're a war maniac. You gonna hold back from charging me?"
"......"
"I'll call you a coward, then."
"......Bullshit."
The orc captain's eyes bulged as he swung his axe at me. I blocked it casually with my forearm, then drove my fist into his side.
Clang!
His armor dented in the exact shape of my fist.
"Khek."
His head drooped.
I ripped the head of 'Don Vito' from the chain around his neck.
Thwack!
"......Huh?"
[You've discovered a hidden story of the Fifth Round.]
[Activating memory fragment within 'Don Vito's' remains to replay the story video.]
Suddenly, my vision went white, like a fog had rolled in.
An out-of-body experience, just like in the third round.
When I came to, the fog parted like stage curtains, widening my view.
'What the hell is this.'
A forest.
Deep woods filled with lush, dark green leaves. A lithe young man strode through them.
'A boy, maybe...'
Silver armor, a sleek dagger at his waist. A dwarf.
Not the stocky, short-statured type I knew.
He was hobbit-sized, close enough to pass for human.
'That must be Don Vito.'
Grrrrowl!
An orc's cry echoed.
He grinned and dashed toward the sound, dispatching the orc in one strike.
"Hey!"
Swoosh—
Clang.
The orc's head hit the ground.
"Whew—too weak."
Don Vito ran a hand through his hair. His handsome face peeked from under his helmet.
'Good-looking guy.'
Not what you'd expect from a dwarf.
Seemed like he'd come out to test his strength by hunting orcs.
'Hmm.'
I floated up into the sky and surveyed the area. An orc fortress loomed nearby.
-Kyaaah!
A woman's scream rang out.
Don Vito's face lit up with joy as he sprinted off again, like he'd been waiting for trouble.
At his destination stood Elf Helm's princess, Silvia.
Judging by her face...
Mid-teens, maybe.
"P-Please, spare me."
The orc pinning her down leered vilely.
"Hold still."
Crunch!
A whoosh of wind sliced from behind the orc. Don Vito's blade twisted through bone and burst out the gut.
The orc turned, saw Don Vito's face, and rasped.
"You.... Dwar.... f...."
Then collapsed.
Thud.
Don Vito beamed innocently and offered Silvia his hand.
"An elf, huh."
Silvia glanced between the fallen orc and Don Vito, forcing a smile.
"Yes."
She took his hand and rose, hiding behind his back.
"Don't be scared. He's dead anyway."
"......"
Silvia's hand trembled. Don Vito took it and lightly kissed the back.
Smack.
"Don't shake. I'm right here."
"......"
Don Vito chuckled as he escorted her to Elf Helm. No idea what they talked about, but they seemed friendly.
I snickered at their antics.
'Like a teen romance comic. Cute.'
Upon reaching Elf Helm, Silvia bowed in thanks.
Don Vito laughed heartily, patted her back, and vanished into the woods.
Silvia waved at his retreating figure.
Then the fog curtain draped before me again.
'Aw yeah, nice. What's the second story?'
The thick fog shivered, then parted to reveal a new scene.
Silvia shouted.
"Hey, Don Vito!"
Don Vito flailed his arms like an idiot and bolted into the woods.
"Catch me if you can!"
I thought,
'Damn.'
Silvia and Don Vito played tag, always just out of reach.
When she'd stretch to grab him, Silvia would pull back just a bit; when it looked tough for her, Don Vito slowed down.
"Haa.... Hey, Vito! I'm beat, can't go on."
"Yeah? I could do this all day."
"That's you. I'm a girl."
"Girls need strength too. Dwarf women train every day."
"I'm an elf."
They locked eyes and burst into giggles.
After tag, they strolled up to the top of Starfall Hill, chattering nonstop.
Nothing deep—just what they ate yesterday, what to do when it rains, where to meet tomorrow.
Like any young couple on a date.
"So, valley tomorrow?"
"Sure. But why do you keep scratching your eyebrow?"
"Oh, this.... Habit. Got scratched by wolf claws as a kid. Do it without thinking."
"......I see. But Vito, you're so clueless."
"Huh? Why?"
"You don't get what girls like."
"......Girls, huh. My mom loves roast wild boar."
Silvia snapped her fingers against his nose.
Snap!
"Not that!"
"Ow.... Why hit me."
"Sigh.... Never mind."
"Hmm, so what do girls want?"
"......Do I have to spell it out?"
Don Vito scratched his head.
As they talked, the sun set and night fell.
Seated before the World Tree, Silvia and Don Vito gazed at the sky.
Stars rained down, illuminating the night.
They looked at each other.
And the second curtain of the story fell.
'Aw, come on!'
I pondered quietly until the next scene.
So when did Don Vito die?
And if the dwarves and elves knew of his death, why didn't they enact their orc extermination plan?
Before the questions resolved, the next scene appeared.
Don Vito wore not armor, but formal dwarf attire for festivals.
Like human suits, but made of leather.
"Girls are weird.... Flowers everywhere, but she wants this."
He sniffed the bouquet as he headed to the World Tree.
On the path up Starfall Hill, an orc ambushed him from the forest's edge.
-Grraaah!
"You bastards."
Don Vito reached for his waist—but no sword.
He hadn't thought orcs would reach the World Tree and left it behind.
An unprecedented orc advance on Starfall Hill.
Don Vito fled the orcs. Even while running, he clutched the bouquet tight to keep it intact.
-Kuwaaah!
-Hey, let that guy go!
-Why?
-World Tree up ahead has an elf girl. Grab her instead.
-Elf girl? Heh heh heh, nice.
Don Vito skidded to a halt.
"......You damn bastards."
He set the bouquet down and charged the orcs. No chance of winning.
Few races could face fully armed orcs barehanded.
He was brutally broken.
Bones snapped, blood sprayed from his mouth.
Even then, Don Vito screamed.
"Not Silvia!!!"
The orcs mocked him as they stomped his head.
One of the three orcs grabbed his hair and whispered.
"......Oh ho. This necklace—mark of the dwarf royals?"
The orcs crowded in to eye the necklace.
-Oh, for real?
-We could use him to pressure the dwarves.
Kabata nodded.
"Good...."
In my out-of-body state, I flew at Kabata and kicked his jaw—but passed right through.
'Fucking hell.'
The fog curtain fell again.
Clutching my frustrated chest, I awaited the next scene.
Seconds later, it parted.
Dark.
A door creaked open in a pitch-black room packed with shadows.
Creak.
A prison? Faint light seeped in, revealing the space. A tiny room, one-room size.
Rats and bugs crawled the floor. A man in shackles lay collapsed.
Skin and bones.
An orc entered, tapping his cheek.
"Dead?"
"......"
"Delivered your letter to His Majesty. This one's on Kabata's whim, so keep that in mind."
"......"
"Why the hell did you go there unarmed...."
"......"
The orc, keys in hand, looked down pityingly.
"Even as a spy, I can't spring you from here. You know that, right?"
"......"
"That's all I can do. Sorry, Don Vito."
Don Vito forced his mouth open.
"Thanks."
[The story video ends.]
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