Orc Settlement (4)
On top of the wooden fence, armed guards kept watch for enemies from the watchtower overlooking the village. At the center of what looked like a settlement big enough to house at least a thousand people, around a hundred individuals had gathered. Mostly young men and women with black or brown-dyed hair—or naturally that color from the start. A few blondes here and there, but their roots were black. These were none other than the reserve heroes.
"So just calm down and wait, okay? We gotta farm!"
"Farm what? We need to clear the stage fast."
"We should be thinking about the next stage!"
"That's exactly why I'm saying this—for the next stage."
At the center stood two figures locked in sharp confrontation: a young man with glasses and a bit of pudge, facing off against a woman whose lithe, athletic build showed even through her leather armor—probably someone who enjoyed working out regularly.
"Hey, Choi Yu-jin!!"
"Yeah, that's me, so don't yell like that."
Han Jeong-ho. And Choi Yu-jin. Not quite full-blown factions, but once upon a time, they were college seniors, juniors, or classmates who shared drinks together. Now they gripped their weapons, glaring daggers at each other.
"We're not forcing anyone. We've taken resources already. Those of us who want to go kill the boss are just gonna go—why block us?"
"There are still people who haven't cleared the subquests!"
"Can't be helped. Manpower's limited, and so are the orcs. You wanna just sit here watching orc numbers swell until we've got enough bodies to match?"
"Ugh...!"
The orcs were multiplying. Naturally, they had to kill them right away, but the reserve heroes in the village had gear—they just weren't venturing out to fight. Lack of combat power against orcs? No.
"We haven't found the 'secret' yet...! If we gather just a bit more info, we'll crack it!"
They were stalling.
"There has to be some secret here. Some special perk we can get! The Goddess's Blessing definitely exists! Right, Han Bit-na?!"
"Uh, yeah...."
The woman called Han Bit-na glanced around nervously before answering. While the others wore typical mercenary garb, she alone sported a robe like a mage.
"Yu-jin. The Goddess's Blessing is real. It's thanks to it that I can use magic."
"And where'd you get that Goddess's Blessing from? How?"
"I-I don't know the details. I just got the title [One Who Killed the Most Goblins] in the Goblin Forest."
"How?"
"I-I just set fire to where the goblins were.... Anyway! The Goddess's Blessing exists! One of you must have gotten it too, right?"
Choi Yu-jin and her group—the Corpse Squad—exchanged glances at Han Bit-na's words. Suspicion flickered among them, and one in particular—Yoon Ga-ram—went pale, scanning the surroundings.
"No way...."
"It's not her. Or her brother."
Choi Yu-jin stated firmly. She herself had wondered maybe..., but at least the two who came to mind in the Corpse Squad's heads didn't have cheat skills like Han Bit-na's.
Sudden combat experience? Better to wish for a body strong enough to burst enemies with one punch, or eyes that kill on sight like the Death Stare. True miracles—the kind of magic no pure human talent could reach—were what the Goddess's Blessing granted.
At least among the 17 Corpse Squad members here, the arena survivors, there wasn't one.
"Fine. I admit there's probably a way to get an ability like pointing your staff at orcs and click—turning them into orc kebabs like Bit-na unnie."
"D-don't say click...."
"Then all the more reason to go kill the Orc Lord, right? No, we're not even forcing you to come. But you're physically blocking us...."
"Just one day. One more day. Okay? The scouting party might bring back info."
Build up more strength. Rush to the next stage. Both sides acknowledged and empathized with each other to some degree, so neither could bluntly call the other wrong.
Jeong-ho's farming faction just wanted a bit more time to clear side quests. No consensus was reached.
"Hey, Min-jun. Those guys look like they'll go kill the Orc Lord no matter what...."
"What's your take? Better to join 'em? We've already cleared our subquests anyway."
"What about Ye-eun?"
"...Where's the time to CC her? She's dead weight. A burden."
Even within the farming faction, situations varied, forcing individual choices.
"Please, Yu-jin. I'm begging. Just hold out one day."
"One day...."
"The ones dying anyway... they're not real people. Right? Not real."
Not real people. Choi Yu-jin's face twisted at Han Jeong-ho's words.
"How do you know?"
"It's the tutorial. Not the real world. We're running a VR sim before getting thrown into the real one."
"VR...."
"Killing people in a game real murder? Sure, you haven't played VR games. But even so, killing here won't land us in court for murder. Right?"
"......."
Choi Yu-jin fell silent. Not because she agreed with Jeong-ho, but like she couldn't decide without someone there—or pretending to ponder with crossed arms to hide her feelings.
"Right? So—"
"Everyone!!"
As the meeting deadlocked, a cheerful young man's voice boomed from outside the village.
"I'm back!"
Kang Dae-han, the scout, returned with bandages wrapped tight around his arm—and someone in tow.
"The last escapee Yu-jin mentioned too!!"
"!!!"
* * *
The moment I followed Kang Dae-han into the village, dozens of stares hit me, making my vision swim.
These guys are all vaguely familiar from memory.
None I'd seen in the frontline hero party. In my previous loop, they'd probably formed their own groups and acted separately—but they'd all died in the end.
Death is death. What matters is how you die.
Died fighting orcs who raided the village, killing all the men, raping the women, eating the kids? Fair enough. Heroic.
Fled in fear of orcs, got ambushed and slaughtered? Also fair. No judgment for fearing death.
But throwing comrades to the orcs to save your skin? Betraying a cave hiding humans to save your neck? Unforgivable.
Dying alone while fleeing? Fine. Sacrificing the innocent? No.
"Oppa!"
Choi Yu-jin greeted me. Her bright call drew faint suspicion from the Goblin Forest survivors. Why's she so happy to see that guy?
From the mood, it seemed Yu-jin had clashed sharply with the main faction.
"Si-woo!"
Han Jeong-ho shouted at me.
"You're alive!"
"......."
I wanted to ask, Were we close enough for you to call my name and check if I'm alive? But Jeong-ho said it so naturally.
Were we friends? Or was he buddying up to seize negotiation leverage?
"Choi Yu-jin. Where's Shin Yu-hee?"
None of my business.
"Yu-hee's out hunting orcs right now. Said she wanted to practice her bow."
"Alone?"
"No, with Chae-rin."
"I see."
Kim Chae-rin tagging along was unexpected, but better than solo. I'd trust Yu-hee's skills even alone, but if she was being cautious, no need to complain.
"Um, hey. Si-woo. For now—"
"Choi Yu-jin. What's the plan?"
"...Hey. Ignoring me?"
Han Jeong-ho stepped in front of me. Shorter, so I looked down, but he stood firm with defiant spirit.
"You—"
"Whoa, whoa! Jeong-ho hyung, calm down. He's not ignoring you—he left the decision to Yu-jin!"
Kang Dae-han wedged in, soothing Jeong-ho. I caught him whispering, He killed 29 orcs in an hour!
Ten minutes, not an hour.
"R-really?"
"Yes!"
"...Oppa?"
Behind the stunned Jeong-ho, Yu-jin and the others looked shocked too.
"Me?"
"Yeah. You."
"...Right. I decide. Since I'm the leader."
I nodded big. The arena survivors caught on quick, nodding along.
Truth would spread eventually. But not this moment.
"We need your strength to kill the Orc Lord."
"Head out and kill it now?"
"W-wait...!"
Jeong-ho finally reached out past Dae-han's restraint to block me.
"We need time...!"
"Before coming here, I smashed a hatchery."
"......."
"Adult man's corpse there. Kids' bones near the orcs' food bowls. A living woman tied to a stake, clutching an orc spawn like it was her own."
Ten years as a hero.
"After killing the orcs, she begged me. Kill her. And the spawn in her belly."
"Yoo Si-woo. Calm down. It's all just VR NPCs...!"
"VR NPCs or whatever, you telling me to sit on my ass?"
The heroes' righteous excuses were etched deep in my brain.
"People are dying right in front of us."
For their goals, they could cosplay noble heroes all day.