Chapter 66
Chapter 66
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 66
Chapter Title: The Orc Chief's Tent
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As we entered the prison, the guards who had been dozing against the wall woke up.
The lax security made it easy to exploit.
“Yawn—another prisoner?”
My orc replied.
“Yeah.”
Elves and dwarves were locked in a flimsy log jail. Bound in iron collars, they couldn’t put up any resistance.
The prisoners who had arrived first looked at us. I slowly loosened the slackened ropes around my wrists, freeing my hands.
‘…Three of them.’
The guards approached to take custody of us.
That’s when it happened.
I snapped the neck of the lead guard.
Crack.
Jo Youngki followed up by slamming the left guard with an overhead strike, then drove his elbow into the orc’s mouth.
Crunch!
A dull thud echoed as the orc’s tusks hit the ground.
“Guh!”
Jo Youngki grabbed the orc’s head and zapped it with electricity, knocking it out.
The right guard stood there stammering in shock, but Kim Yeonhee drove a kick into his gut, pinning him against the wall before shoving a knife into his mouth.
“Say one word. Your tongue gets cut out.”
“Uh… guh…”
“Kim Cheonjae! What about this one?”
I approached the remaining guard and said,
“Want to live?”
“Guh…”
“Where’s the key?”
“Guh.”
He shook his waist, making a metallic jingle. I ripped the keyring from his belt.
“Kim Yeonhee.”
“Yeah.”
“Kill him.”
“Kill him? Didn’t you say we’d let him live if he gave us the key?”
“I just asked if he wanted to live. Never said we’d spare him for the key.”
“…Okay.”
Kim Yeonhee slit the orc’s throat. If he’d been in his right mind, he might’ve put up a fight.
Disciplined troops would’ve been tougher, but these were pushovers.
If only all the orcs were this stupid.
I freed the elves and dwarves in the prison.
“Th-thank you. I never thought we’d get out of here…”
“God has finally sent a savior.”
“Now… I don’t have to go there… I’m…”
I asked the trembling female elf,
“What’s ‘there’?”
She hesitated, glancing at me nervously. Another woman from the same cell stepped forward, gripping her shoulder, and answered for her.
“Kabata’s bedroom…”
Kabata’s bedroom.
“Where’s Kabata’s bedroom?”
“The big house halfway up the mountain… that tent…”
“Is Kabata there?”
“Yes…”
“What happens there?”
“…”
I wanted to ask more, but she didn’t seem to have the composure for it.
I stepped back, ending the conversation.
“First, get out of here. Jo Youngki, let’s move to the next spot.”
Jo Youngki tilted his head.
“Huh? Shouldn’t we get these guys out first?”
“Too late if we do. Kim Yeonhee, you take them and get out of the orc fortress.”
Kim Yeonhee’s eyes widened in surprise.
“Huh… huh?! Me alone?”
“Yeah. You can handle that, right?”
“…Seems tough.”
“You can do it. Don’t worry—just run for the fortress exit.”
“What if they come at us?”
“Fight them off.”
Kim Yeonhee swallowed hard.
“Me alone?”
“Can’t do it?”
“…”
Jo Youngki looked back and forth between me and Kim Yeonhee.
“Kim Cheonjae, I’ll help them escape, then come back.”
“I told you, it’ll be too late.”
“Kim Yeonhee alone is dangerous.”
I replied irritably.
“We’re this deep in. Risk comes with the territory. I said I’d pay you handsomely.”
“Didn’t know it’d be this risky.”
“…So. You backing out?”
“No. I’m in, but let’s switch things up a bit.”
“Why now? You said you got it earlier.”
“Didn’t realize it’d be this dangerous once we got here. Sorry, but tweak the plan.”
I didn’t want to botch the op over NPCs we didn’t need to save.
I set my face in stone.
“No. Plan stays the same.”
“…So we kill them all?”
“Did I say kill them? I said stick to the plan.”
“Same difference. How’s Yeonhee supposed to get them out of the fortress alone?”
“I factored that in when I pitched this to you. Backing out now—what then?”
“…”
One of the dwarf prisoners spoke up.
“Don’t know your plan, but don’t worry about us. Go on ahead.”
“…”
“We were dead anyway. If you’re here for Kabata, finish the job.”
His words said one thing, but his body trembled.
I sighed softly and whispered,
“Phew.”
“Skeleton pigeons, launch.”
Everyone stared at me in confusion.
“Kim Cheonjae, skeleton pigeons?”
“…”
Seconds later, an orc roar echoed from outside the prison.
—Raaargh!
It was here.
I gripped Dragon Fang tightly and said to Jo Youngki,
“Jo Youngki, last chance to choose. Prisoners or money. Pick one.”
“…”
“Money or prisoners. Which?”
Jo Youngki rolled his eyes.
A chance to see if money or elves mattered more.
“Money.”
Chakan i was right.
Money in the end.
Jo Youngki continued with a glum look.
“I’ll pass on the money.”
“Pass on the money?! You? The bald guy who puts cash over his life?”
“Yeah, can’t leave my beloved elves like this.”
Obsessed with elves even in PC games.
I nodded.
“…Got it. Take the prisoners and get out of the orc fortress.”
“…You?”
“I’ll push on with the next op alone if I have to.”
“You’ll die.”
“Me?”
“Yeah, you.”
I shrugged.
“…Won’t happen, so don’t worry.”
“I know you’re strong, but you can’t take on the horde alone.”
Not wrong. No player could solo an orc legion.
“Then I won’t fight.”
“…Huh?”
“I told you. One goal here: uncover the ‘ritual’ Kabata’s running.”
“…Fine. I’ll be quick—don’t push it.”
I waved him off.
“No need to come back. Once the prisoners are out, use your power to seal the entrance.”
“Seal the entrance? How’ll you get out?”
“Handle it. And no pay for the second op.”
“…”
“Your choice. Run with the elves.”
Conversation over, I stepped out of the prison.
A skeleton pigeon soared over the orc fortress like a stunt flyer.
Oil-soaked skeleton pigeon and its rider, the skeleton bomber.
Meant to save it for the main event, but oh well—using it now.
Damn Jo Youngki.
“Drop.”
The pigeons folded wings and plummeted. Fast as a pro pitcher’s fastball.
Whiiish—
The bomber waved its arms excitedly.
—Kieek! Keeek!
Boom!
Flames erupted.
Kaboom!
Explosions rocked the place.
The pitch-black orc fortress lit up bright.
Leather tents and wooden barracks blazed. Black smoke billowed as orcs scrambled to put out the fires.
—Fire! It’s a fire! Enemy raid!!
—Elves? No! They wouldn’t risk the forest burning. Dwarves! The dwarves are attacking!
—Hey, you! Report to Orcus and Kabata, quick!
I yelled at Jo Youngki to hurry.
“Don’t stop—run for the exit!”
He glanced around, then bolted for the entrance with the prisoners.
“Kim Cheonjae, see you later.”
“Yeah, now run!”
“R-right. Everyone, follow me!”
Jo Youngki and the prisoners ran.
An orc warrior spotted them and shouted.
—The prisoners are escaping!
—Son of a bitch! They started the fire too.
—Grab those bastards! Kill ’em if you have to—just grab ’em!
Orc attention scattered. I seized the gap and dashed deeper into the fortress.
Individually strong, but without a leader, they were a rabble.
Just the entrance hit, and the whole place was chaos.
Thud! Thud!
The ground shook.
Far off, a giant orc lumbered toward the entrance. A towering brute, like a walking tree trunk.
Fifth round main story final boss, the orc chieftain’s secret weapon.
[Orcus]
A monster armed with demon virus.
I ducked behind an orc tent and watched.
Longer HP bar than anyone I’d seen. Two full bars.
Too much to fit in one, so split.
Orcus roared.
—Rooooaaar!!
Orcs echoed back in unison.
—Roar!
Morale surged.
The ragtag orcs snapped to attention and moved with purpose.
Orcus spotted fleeing Jo Youngki and bellowed,
“Human!”
His voice shook the air.
Jo Youngki froze for a split second and turned.
Familiar face, no panic? Wrong.
Jo Youngki’s face hardened.
‘Small bladder…’
I dropped one flying pigeon right on Orcus’s face.
Boom!
“Grraaah—!”
Orcus clawed at his eyes.
I bolted deeper into the fortress. No point lingering.
If they all woke up before I checked Kabata’s room, even I’d be in trouble.
Tatatatatat—
Black armor blended me into the shadows.
By the time orcs heard my footsteps and turned, I was gone.
That fast.
Like a jungle predator.
Less than five minutes from entrance to the heart.
I looked up at the biggest structure here.
Not a wooden house—a massive tent.
Not like the ones before. Big enough for a circus troupe to perform in right now.
“…This is it.”
I peered cautiously inside. Pitch black, couldn’t see a thing.
Game wouldn’t let you enter, so I’d never seen.
No barrier here.
‘…Dangerous.’
A fishy stench assaulted my nose.
Not faint on the wind—thick, sinking deep into my chest.
Blood so pungent it turned my stomach. Followed by zombie rot.
No idea what was inside, but this ‘ritual’ was no joke.
What the hell was in there?
I stood before the tent, lost in thought.
Go in?
Or not?
Heart pounding.
Instinct screaming danger.
“Phew.”
Would I hesitate with teammates? Or trust myself and charge?
As I wavered, a blue window popped up.
[Enter the tent of Orc Chieftain ‘Kabata’?]
[YES/NO]
System giving options—must be important.
“…”
Back in the PC days, challenging new story with Jeongwoo, this happened once.
Just a game, but some inexplicable dread stalled us.
I’d always told Jeongwoo:
[No big deal. Let’s just do it.]
“…”
Yeah.
No big deal.
Let’s just do it.
[YES]
[You are the first challenger of ‘Kabata’s’ tent.]
[Current entrants: 1/10]
[The chieftain of the Orc Fortress welcomes your challenge.]
‘…What?’
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