Chapter 137
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 137
Chapter Title: Lesson 28. Flower Viewing of Ruin - 4
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When Yumina first uttered the word "relic," Ban Yu-won assumed she meant an Artifact.
But he was wrong. It referred to a Relic.
"What's the difference?"
"An Artifact is the term for any object possessing magical abilities created since ancient times. A Relic is a subcategory of that— an Artifact deeply imbued with the user's lingering thoughts and strengthened as a result. You know how they say long-used items take on a soul of their own?"
Ban Yu-won paused at her words.
A soul dwelling in an object? That described most of the Artifacts he possessed!
"Like... when a powered individual dies and their soul inhabits the item?"
"That happens sometimes, but true heirlooms like that from real powerhouses are rare. Most cases are when a single person—or generations of people—use it over long years, and thoughts naturally seep into it. Or, in miraculously rare instances, the Artifact develops its own ego."
The idea of thoughts imbuing a long-used item aligned with Japan's folk belief in Tsukumogami—tools gaining divinity after a century.
Korea had similar tales, differing slightly: old brooms, fire pokers, or straw sandals birthing dokkaebi. Ancient imaginations converged on the same theme.
A Relic, not one forged with a soul, but one where a soul naturally took root.
Ban Yu-won grew intrigued by this rare Artifact type.
"Still, they don't differ much from regular Artifacts usually. Though Relics left by strong powerhouses often boast superior performance or unique abilities unseen elsewhere."
"That's impressive enough. So that's why the orcs went berserk, right?"
"If it were just a good Artifact, the orc horde wouldn't have swelled that much. And as you saw, Ban Yu-won, they even twisted the entire monster wave into an orc wave."
Ban Yu-won nodded in understanding.
There had to be a reason Yumina emphasized "Relic."
"Orcs are a race innately sensitive to spiritual inspiration. Easy to possess, you might say. They deeply commune with thoughts dwelling in objects, amplify that power, and wield it. They're the race optimized for handling Relics."
"...I see. That's why you were shocked to see orcs with a Relic, Professor."
There was psychometry, the ability to read an object's memories.
Orcs likely went further, converting an item's accumulated history—via contact with its thoughts—into raw power.
Earth had novels and comics with similar superpowers.
"That could be called spiritual power, then."
"Exactly. In dimensions linked to spirits, orcs often shine as exceptional spiritists."
With their already formidable melee prowess plus spirit mastery, they could claim the title of strongest race.
Yet their innate savagery led them to degenerate into monsters and face extermination—an ironic fate.
"Wait, no. I get that an orc with a Relic gets insanely strong, but that doesn't fully explain the current situation."
"What orcs strengthen isn't just the Relic's performance. Communing with it profoundly impacts their own body and mind. Especially their spiritual power, which amplifies massively. This boosted spiritual power grants absolute dominance over lesser kin with weaker spiritual energy."
Ban Yu-won recalled the massive greatsword-wielding orc charging ahead, countless others following in military formation.
A legion controlled by one absolute ruler. From first sight, it felt off from a standard monster wave—and he was right.
"In plain terms, becoming the Orc Lord or something."
"Right! Extra points for you!"
He regretted they weren't at the Academy; he'd have earned actual credit.
"The scale varies wildly by Relic quality. What we saw was at least mid-tier. Worse, it coincided with the monster wave. As we witnessed, the wave warps under the Orc Lord's influence into an orc wave."
A monster wave was an infectious surge turning all mana-imbued things into monsters.
Yet a Relic-empowered orc's spiritual power influenced that surge!
Conversely, didn't that mean the wave involved soul-related forces?
During the 39th room's wave, Cellon mentioned those with high soul ranks—or like Lucelle, who'd pledged their soul elsewhere—resisted infection.
"An Orc Lord twisting a monster wave to spawn an orc legion—that's an Orc Wave. A lord ruling millions? Textbook-rare. Why in an F-rank dimension...?"
"At least it's not E or D-rank."
Having alerted the kingdom to the crisis, the group watched them panic uselessly and concluded they were no help. Borrowing Yumina's magic, they floated above, observing the greenish-brown tide surging toward the kingdom.
After taking in the spectacle and Yumina's thorough briefing, Ban Yu-won grew curious.
"Professor, isn't surveying the battlefield via your magic against special activity rules?"
"Belated concern, Ban Yu-won. The moment you encountered the orc wave, your first special activity ended. Even all first-years couldn't handle this outlier."
With more like Ortima or Ire, maybe—but they exceeded first-year level. He shut his mouth.
"Hmm. Odd."
Dokgo Yeon, gazing at the orc horde, tilted her head.
"Overwhelming numbers, yet charging straight instead of encircling? No tactical sense? The orcs we met in the tower weren't that dumb."
"Likely the Orc Lord is newly born. Legion cohesion isn't strong enough for complex orders. So the Lord leads from the front."
At that scale, tactics were irrelevant anyway, Yumina added.
Without Rebellion, the orcs would've trampled the kingdom, reborn humans as orcs, and marched on.
What if a different freshman were assigned here, sans full professor escort? Swept away and slain?
The thought chilled him.
"Hmmm."
Dokgo Yeon, fixated on the Orc Lord, narrowed her eyes and murmured.
"If we dropped a mountain giant right in their midst."
"Wait, seriously? You've been gunning for that wild angle?!"
"Repeated throws and retrievals could thin their numbers fast and widen the gap between Lord and troops."
Ban Yu-won envisioned the colossal golem flashing in and out, crushing orcs.
Short of it dying mid-fight, a flawless plan.
Key: isolate the Orc Lord while its dominance was shaky, disrupting the legion.
"Sounds solid. A mass weapon for free retrieval and retoss. Ideal for open terrain."
The mountain giant's core concept depth surely exceeded 1,000. If it fell on him, even he'd be done—orks wouldn't fare better!
A rampaging mountain alone might handle hundreds of thousands.
"But then I can't face the Orc Lord. Ban Yu-won, can you handle it?"
Dokgo Yeon eyed him intently.
Asking him—not As Light or Lucelle—revealed her intent clearly.
Ban Yu-won grinned.
"Perfect. I've been curious about that Relic anyway. Let's do it. I'll lend you Eve. She'll let you maneuver freely from the sky."
"Shishit!"
Eve looked miffed—lately helping others more than him—but transformed obediently.
Her form: Lilith before becoming the metal orb.
With a bit of Yumina's power, Eve could've soloed throws easily. But in special activity, he wanted to resolve it without her aid.
"Hmm... good. Thanks, serpent."
—Vrooom
Eve's engine rev grumbled discontent.
Dokgo Yeon mounted sidesaddle, elegantly demure yet fittingly fierce—amusing.
"Tike, assist Dokgo Yeon."
—Whirr
With Tike overhead for projection support, he relaxed.
"Yu-won, you okay?"
As Ban Yu-won and Dokgo Yeon bantered, her mounting Eve for real, Yumina dropped her usual facade, genuinely worried.
"This orc wave far exceeds F-rank norms. Same for that Orc Lord's personal power."
"I know."
She meant: He's stronger than you—don't be reckless.
"It's fine. I like it."
Ban Yu-won anticipated that—and figured Dokgo Yeon proposed it knowing so.
'She wants me clashing swords with him. Knows I'm anxious about forging swordsmanship, so yielding a stimulus chance.'
Perfect timing: the Relic was a sword.
A relic birthing a million-orc legion surely held combat insights in its thoughts and the orc's technique.
'True master indeed...'
He'd love fighting the Orc Lord most, yet she yielded it to tackle the hassle herself. How not to admire?
He saluted her silhouette racing skyward on Eve mentally, then turned.
"As Light, Lucelle, mind blocking other orcs so the Lord and I duel one-on-one?"
"...Sure, but your smug face annoys me."
"I'm a bit jealous."
They nodded reluctantly, expressions uneasy.
Jealous? Lucelle? Over what?
—Kuuuung!
A deafening roar obliterated all thoughts.
"Whoa..."
"Still absurd. A monster like that in 39-room, and Dokgo Yeon taming it."
"Insane mass weapon."
A mountain golem—hundreds of meters tall and wide—crashing into the horde's heart.
Orcs halted in panic, ranks shattering; thousands died instantly. Golden strings—visible to Ban Yu-won—festooned the sky!
"Like dropping a boulder on ants... Never mind."
No direct involvement, distant: recovering all would be tough. But snagging concepts from 100,000 of a million? Jackpot.
"Shall we?"
Ban Yu-won saw Dokgo Yeon retrieve the giant amid attacks, soaring again. He eyed Yumina.
She sighed resignedly, nodding.
"Can't help you... If it gets dangerous, I'll intervene—no complaining?"
"What are you, our class mom?"
"Dunno, sis?"
"Your conscience— whoa!"
Yumina flicked her hand; As Light—who'd tackled her—plummeted first, then the rest toward ground.
Target: orc legion vanguard.
Right before the Orc Lord, straining to regroup his disrupted horde amid the giant's rampage.