Chapter 68
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 68
Chapter Title: Trap Point
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*Thwip— Thwip—!*
The rapier pierced the orc's neck with precision.
Hitting a moving target would be difficult, but piercing the neck of an orc that had lost its limbs and was merely twitching was incredibly easy.
"Getting carried by a high-level player is amazing. I never knew hunting could be this easy."
Min Ju-ri beamed amidst the corpses.
If an orc had seen her, it might have died of sheer frustration.
"How many have we killed so far?"
"We've killed 52 in just 30 minutes. That's super fast, right?"
"..."
Ryu Min didn't answer.
By any other player's standards, it would be fast, but not by his.
He had killed 300 in an hour before, so this was only natural.
'As I thought, wandering around to hunt them takes too long. And there aren't even that many monsters in the field.'
Killing them was instantaneous.
It was finding them that took up more time.
'But if I raid a settlement, Min Ju-ri could get hurt.'
Imagine suddenly being surrounded by fifty of them.
It wouldn't matter if he were alone, but Min Ju-ri was with him.
Even for someone like Ryu Min, he couldn't guarantee her perfect safety if they were surrounded like that.
'I guess I have no choice but to find the Orc Shaman. That should cut down on the time spent searching for orcs.'
The Orc Shaman summoned orcs.
By using it, he wouldn't have to go around looking for orcs.
'We were already heading in the shaman's direction anyway, so I can just proceed as planned.'
Killing orcs along the way, of course.
Unaware that Ryu Min was heading for a boss, Min Ju-ri smiled brightly.
"At this rate, we can get all 300 in three hours."
"Three hours is too long. Let's shorten it to one."
"Huh? One hour?"
She asked again, thinking she'd misheard, but the answer was the same.
"I'll finish the quest for you within an hour."
"R-Really? But how..."
"We'll use the Orc Shaman."
"Huh? What's that?"
Ryu Min laid out his plan.
He would use the Orc Shaman's ability to summon orcs to power-level her.
"S-So, you mean you're not going to kill the Orc Shaman and just let it keep summoning?"
"That's right. I plan to keep it alive until we've killed 300."
In short, the plan was to milk the Orc Shaman for all it was worth.
From the shaman's perspective, it was the cruelest of fates.
"But Black Scythe, how do you know about the Orc Shaman? Isn't this your first time facing one?"
Far from being flustered, Ryu Min lied with a straight face.
"I fought one for a bit before I met you. That's how I know its location."
"Oh..."
"There's nothing to worry about. I'll eliminate all potential risks."
At his words, Min Ju-ri's eyes widened like a startled rabbit's before she broke into a pleased smile.
'He's surprisingly considerate.'
What was that saying? An image is just an image?
Min Ju-ri found herself thinking that you really have to get to know someone personally.
"We're here."
The two arrived at a village with a wooden stockade.
Perhaps because it wasn't very large, there were no orcs standing guard.
"There's a boss in a small village like this?"
It was natural for Min Ju-ri to be surprised.
It was a cozy village with only four or five huts inside.
But one shouldn't be fooled by appearances.
Ryu Min knew this was a trap to lure in players.
'Countless players have died here, thinking it looked easy to conquer, only to be overwhelmed by the horde of orcs summoned by the shaman.'
It was the same in his previous life.
Behind the village, the bodies of players hidden by the Orc Shaman formed a mountain.
It meant the creature was at least intelligent and cunning.
'But on the other hand, it also means it's a coward. It doesn't have the confidence to fight head-on. In fact, without its summoned orcs, it's a total pushover.'
That was why, even though he could kill the Orc Shaman in an instant, he planned to keep it alive for now to use it for hunting.
"This way."
Ryu Min led the way, and Min Ju-ri followed.
"How come I don't see any orcs?"
She glanced around, but there wasn't a single sign of them, making her wonder if orcs even lived here.
Of course there weren't.
No orcs lived here.
'Only the Orc Shaman.'
After passing three or four thatched huts, they came across a large one, different from the rest.
"The Orc Shaman is inside. It's laid a trap and is waiting for us to enter."
"An orc laid a trap?"
"Yes. Being a boss, it has some intelligence. These huts are just camouflage to make it seem approachable for players. In reality, only the Orc Shaman lives in this village."
"Oh... no wonder it was so quiet..."
"So the entire village is essentially a trap set up to lure and kill players."
"Then we've walked right into the trap, haven't we?"
Ryu Min nodded.
"At least, in the Orc Shaman's eyes."
"You have a plan, right?"
"Yes. We just need to turn its trap against it."
"The trap?"
"The trap is simple. The moment unsuspecting players enter the hut and step on the trigger point, the waiting Orc Shaman summons orcs to ambush them. It summons about 10 to 20 at a time. A number that would leave you helpless if you were surrounded."
Of course, Ryu Min was an exception.
He was confident he could kill them all, no matter how many attacked...
'But right now, the goal isn't to kill them, but to barely keep them alive...'
However, if a large number were summoned at once, it would be difficult to power-level her.
'And it's a pain to subdue them one by one.'
Not unaware of this, Min Ju-ri asked worriedly.
"What should we do? It'll be a hassle if they all come out at once."
"True. But it's not like there's no way around it."
Ryu Min explained his plan to lure out the orcs.
As she listened, Min Ju-ri's eyes gradually widened.
"Is that really all we have to do?"
"Yes."
"Will the Orc Shaman really fall for it?"
"Don't worry. It's already been tested."
Min Ju-ri, who had been looking doubtful, nodded as if she had made up her mind.
"That plan, leave it to me."
"You're going to do it alone?"
"Yes. There's no need for both of us to do it, right? I feel bad just being fed like a baby bird..."
"Are you sure you won't make a mistake?"
"Of course. From what I heard, I can handle that much. I can pull my own weight, you know."
Since Min Ju-ri volunteered, asking to be put to use, Ryu Min didn't stop her.
"Alright. Then I'll wait outside."
Min Ju-ri nodded and, with a rather tense expression, opened the door to the hut.
*Creeaak—*
She carefully entered alone.
There was no sign of anyone, as if it were empty.
*Creak— Creak—*
After passing through a hallway where every step creaked, she came to a spacious area.
It was large enough to easily accommodate twenty orcs.
'This must be the trap point Black Scythe mentioned...!'
The peculiar thing was the out-of-place red carpet on the floor.
Min Ju-ri gulped and recalled the plan she had just heard.
-The Orc Shaman is hiding inside.
-It's focused solely on the sounds of the door and footsteps, just waiting for a human to enter.
-We can use that to trick it and lure out the orcs.
-The method is simple.
-A little further in, there's a space with a red carpet.
-That's the trap point the Orc Shaman prepared. It's designed to summon orcs the moment someone steps on it, blocking their escape and surrounding them.
-We'll go right up to the carpet and then come back out.
-Then the Orc Shaman, thinking it just missed its prey, will send out a few scouts to lure it back.
-We'll just pick off those scouts.
'Right. It's simple. I just need to make my presence known and then run away...'
Tensely, Min Ju-ri stepped up to the edge of the carpet.
*Creak—*
After just making her presence known, she immediately turned around as planned.
And without looking back, she left the hut.
'Phew. It was nothing, but my heart is still pounding.'
As she clutched her chest in relief, she suddenly looked up.
Ryu Min was standing by the door, watching her nonchalantly.
"Are you alright?"
"Haha... Of course."
Seeing his unwavering, steely demeanor made her feel needlessly embarrassed.
"Did it work?"
"I went up to the carpet and came back, just as planned."
"Then that's enough."
"Will it really send out scouts just for this?"
"We'll find out if we wait."
The two pressed themselves against the side of the hut and waited for the door to open.
A moment later.
*Creeaak—*
The door opened, and six orcs emerged.
They were constantly looking around, as if ordered to lure back the human who had just fled.
Just then, Ryu Min stepped forward, scythe in hand.
"What are you looking for?"
"Chwiik!?"
"I'm right here."
With a slicing sound, the orc's limbs fell away.
The other orcs tried to draw the axes at their waists, but their hands and feet were severed before they could.
*Thud-thud-thud—*
The six orcs collapsed like toy blocks.
Their torsos slammed haphazardly onto the ground.
As if his part was over, Ryu Min stepped back.
Taking his place, Min Ju-ri's rapier claimed the orcs' lives.
Even though they were summons, they gave the same amount of experience and gold as real orcs.
"Phew, it's done."
"Then lure them out again."
"Will it fall for it again?"
"It has some intelligence, but it's on the level of a goldfish. It'll forget quickly."
Min Ju-ri went inside the hut once more.
Just like before, she went to the carpet and came back out, luring the orcs.
*Slice— Slice—! Thwip— Thwip—!*
Ryu Min would sever their limbs, and Min Ju-ri would finish them off.
The two repeated the process, cleanly performing their assigned roles.
As they continued, they got the hang of it and their speed gradually increased.
Soon, they were able to deal with them as quickly as a team that had been working together for a long time.
By the time a mountain of summoned orc corpses had piled up next to the hut.
"Black Scythe! We got all 300!"
Hearing Min Ju-ri's joyful voice, Ryu Min opened the progress window.
"Exactly one hour has passed."
In that hour, they had killed 248 orcs, bringing the total to 300.
"Thanks to you, Black Scythe, I was able to hunt easily and quickly. Thank you so much."
Watching Min Ju-ri bow so low her head nearly touched the ground, Ryu Min let out a small chuckle.
He didn't need to read her thoughts to feel her sincerity.
"How many levels did you gain?"
"I'm already at 19!"
"Just one more level and your tier will increase."
When her tier increased, she would learn new skills and her existing ones would be enhanced.
'Which means I can receive a more efficient Bless. And a new buff, too.'
As expected, helping Min Ju-ri grow also benefited his own growth.
Even though it was still early, he could already feel the reward of raising Min Ju-ri.
"You won't need me to carry you anymore, right?"
"Of course not! You've helped me so much already. I wouldn't even ask."
Right. Unless she had no conscience, she wouldn't ask to be carried indefinitely.
'Still, should I help her get to level 20?'
He needed to get her to level 20 quickly so he could receive the buffs himself.
"I'll carry you until level 20. You'll need to be at least that level to handle orcs comfortably."
"Oh... you really don't have to..."
'No. I need to get the buffs from you quickly so I can set a record when I fight the High Orc.'
In the 5th round, there were four bosses: Orc Warrior, Orc Shaman, Orc Archer, and High Orc.
Among them, the High Orc was so powerful that the other three were treated as mid-bosses in comparison.
'Perhaps that's why, unlike other bosses, the High Orc has a time attack rule.'
A time attack was a rule where you got rewards based on how quickly you defeated a specific monster.
'If I raise Min Ju-ri to level 20, get two buffs, and then do the time attack...'
He might be able to set an unprecedented record.
Unaware of his intentions, Min Ju-ri raised her hand again to refuse.
"You don't have to help me anymore."
"Does that mean you don't want to hunt with me?"
"No way. I wouldn't just take all this help and run. This time, I should be the one helping you, Black Scythe."
"If you want to help, do it after you reach level 20. I'll carry you until then."
"But..."
"Just listen to me. Until you're level 20, just quietly accept the food I give you."
Min Ju-ri fell silent.
Her expression wasn't one of displeasure or annoyance.
'To think he's going this far for my sake...'
Her face showed she was touched by the unexpected help.
"Th-Then, though it's shameless of me, I'll be in your care."
"Good. Let's start the work again..."
Just then.
They heard a commotion from behind them.
Ryu Min and Min Ju-ri turned their heads at the same time and saw a group approaching.