Chapter 24. Orc Subjugation (2)
"Level 40 to 45 Hunters, move out!"
At the communication Hunter’s shout, several Hunters dropped the bows or mana guns they'd been issued and jumped down from the wall.
They had given up the fortress-like protection of the wall in order to stop the advance of the Orc Warriors.
As soon as the Hunters hit the ground, they charged toward the Warriors.
In response, the Orc Warriors hurled the massive rocks they'd been holding in both hands—not at the charging Hunters, but in front of the wall.
“Are they... stepping stones?”
Kim Suho narrowed his eyes. The stones were flat, clearly carved by something sharp and strong—exactly like the stepping stones he once saw.
"We have to destroy those rocks!"
Suho shouted urgently.
Some Hunters frowned at his suggestion—they were already in a life-or-death struggle. But when Suho yelled again, their hesitation vanished.
"They’re platforms! For the Orc Riders to leap from!"
The Hunters' eyes widened.
The communicator relayed Suho's message to command, and the order came down immediately.
Some Hunters kept fighting the Orcs, while others diverted to destroy the rocks.
"Orc Riders spotted!"
Just as expected, the Orc Warriors had appeared first, and soon after, the Riders emerged.
Flanking from both edges of the battlefield, the Orc Riders avoided the Hunters on the ground and charged toward the village.
"Retreat!"
The Hunters who had jumped down to fight the Warriors turned back, abandoning the fight to intercept the Riders—but the Orc Warriors risked everything to stop their retreat.
Even the strongest Hunters of this dungeon—level 40 to 45—were pinned down.
"They’re going for the rocks!"
Hunters ignored the Orcs and focused on the stepping stones instead. But as if it had all been foreseen, the regular Orcs threw themselves in the way, forming human shields with their own bodies.
Boom!
An Orc fell.
But the rock remained intact.
“Ice Arrow!”
“Power Shot!”
More skills flew toward the rocks.
“Screeeeech!”
The Orcs died guarding the stepping stones. They protected them with their lives.
The regular Orcs… had won.
ROAAAAAR!
THUMP!
Using the stones as springboards, the Orc Riders leapt high into the air.
“Now!”
Command, having monitored the situation closely, contacted specific Hunters in the field.
“Hrrmph...!”
Those Hunters, who had secretly received orders, moved into position. Their skills were built for impact over penetration, perfect for intercepting Riders midair.
Explosions ripped through the sky, and the Orc Riders, thrown off balance, tumbled to the ground.
If they'd landed even a second later, the Riders would’ve made it onto the wall.
“Screee!”
Some desperate Orcs tried to leap again, stepping on their wolves’ backs—but the Hunters on the wall were ready and stopped them.
“Hoo…”
Kim Suho exhaled in relief and turned his head to check on the Hunters still fighting the Warriors.
CRASH!
Another Rider revealed itself.
Suho immediately drew his black sword and deflected the incoming spear with a sharp swing.
He turned to see who had thrown it.
“…Ah.”
An Orc Rider was glaring at him, bloodlust pouring from its eyes.
It was the same one who had chased him before—the commander of the Orc Rider scout team.
“Screeeeech!”
The Rider jabbed its spear at the ground, almost as if demanding Suho come down and face him.
Suho stared at him and said quietly:
"Fire."
Sarang launched a fireball, and Gunma pulled the trigger.
The Warriors and Riders pulled back.
Slowly, they regrouped with the main Orc force that had arrived on the plains.
Their tactics had failed.
Confirming the failure, the Orc commander dispatched the soldiers—Poison Orcs.
Taking blows head-on, they charged up the body-staircases the regular Orcs had formed from their own corpses.
The Hunters tried to use their skills to destroy the stairs. But the Orc Magicians protected them.
“We’ll save the scrolls for the all-out assault.”
Standing atop the wall, Kim Suho cut down a Poison Orc, then kicked it off the edge.
Using a 4th-circle scroll on mere Poison Orcs? Way too wasteful.
“They’ll figure it out.”
These Hunters were seasoned—trained, association-affiliated, and long-experienced with gates. Suho shook his head and scanned the field again.
They weren’t losing completely.
But with Orc Riders hurling spears from outside the wall and Orc Shamans protecting the stairs while launching sneak attacks, the Hunters were constantly at risk of a devastating blow if they let their guard down.
Suho checked on the wall-top Hunters. They were all panting hard.
They needed time.
“Guys.”
At Suho's call, the summoned creatures around him turned their heads.
“Spread out.”
— Nyaang. (It’ll burn through mana fast.)
“I know. That’s why I’m pulling back.”
While the summons moved out, Suho would focus entirely on recovering mana. He slowly backed away and stopped at the top of the inner stairs, watching his summons gather.
The creatures who had been perched on his shoulder or head now stood before him.
“Use as much mana as you need. Oh, Charming, you’re with me.”
— Maa!
Through his skill King’s Domain, he could accelerate their mana recovery.
He crouched down and offered his palm. Charming stepped onto it, waving at the others with her tiny paw.
Suho descended the stairs that connected to the village and bit down on a mana potion he’d already prepared.
King’s Domain wasn’t just a name. It was a true area-effect skill—a field enhancer.
He approached a group of magic-type Awakeners who were resting nearby.
“Oh! Charming!”
Why don’t they ever call my name?
Even the male Hunters were calling out for her. Suho couldn’t help but chuckle.
“Charming. King’s Domain.”
“Ooh, that name’s badass!”
“She really is a queen, huh?”
— Mahaa!
Puffing out her chest proudly, Charming cast the skill as asked.
Flash!
Green mana flowed from her body and sank into the ground.
King’s Domain — a skill that increases the local mana density and accelerates both mana recovery and skill strength.
“Whoa…”
“Charming’s amazing. Royalty, for sure.”
— Mahaa!
Still proudly puffing out her chest, Charming placed her hands on her hips. Everyone—men and women alike—showered her with praise.
“Hunter Kim Suho?”
“…Yes?”
It was just his name being called. But the moment felt oddly moving, and he answered a beat too late.
“What about the others?”
“…They went to fight.”
“What? Them?”
“Yes.”
Hop.
“Huh?”
A belatedly constructed watchtower meant to monitor the Orc army’s main body.
A Hunter with the skill Hawk’s Eye was on watch when he noticed a small creature.
“Hi, Sarang.”
— Nyaang!
She raised a paw in greeting, and the Hunter chuckled before turning his gaze back to the Orcs.
Sarang, too, turned to fulfill her role.
Fwwoosh!
Dozens of fire arrows appeared, floating around her as she surveyed the battlefield.
Three Poison Orcs had cornered a Hunter who was too exhausted to respond.
— Nyaang!
Boom!
Sarang’s fire arrows flew like missiles, striking the Poison Orcs. Not fatal, but enough to break their formation.
“Raaaghh!”
Slash!
Just as the Poison Orcs turned their heads to locate the caster, the cornered Hunter sprang forward and slashed.
Poison Orcs had strong resistance to magic—killing them in one blow was near impossible. But surprise magic attacks? Perfect for creating openings.
As the Hunter gave her a thumbs-up, Sarang raised her paw again and fired more arrows.
Screech!
It was dazzling.
Slash!
It was powerful.
“…But why is it so cute?”
Despite drawing out a long arc of sword energy to push back the Orcs, the tiny creature wielding the blade—Soma—was just… adorable.
— Ma!
With a short cry, Soma condensed his sword energy, stepped forward, and thrust his sword—releasing it again to pierce the Orc’s neck cleanly.
— Ma!
He swung into the air and leapt again, charging to save another endangered Hunter.
“…Still cute.”
He should’ve felt admiration—Soma had just saved his life. But what came first was still: adorable.
— Ma!
From afar, Soma’s voice echoed.
Smiling without realizing it, the Hunter readied himself for battle again.
— Maa-maa-ma! Ma!
Bang!
— Ma!
Bang!
— Ma!
Bang!
Singing as he fired, Gunma pulled the trigger.
Mana bullets hit their marks every time.
One even shot perfectly between a Hunter’s legs to take down an enemy beyond.
Not just between legs—between armpits, around corners—every bullet landed true.
— Maa!
Gunma spun dramatically, spotting a Poison Orc raising a massive greatsword over a fallen Hunter.
Bang!
The mana-charged bullet hit the flat center of the descending blade.
It deflected the sword diagonally, saving the Hunter’s life.
“Hyah!”
Seizing the moment, the Hunter stabbed his sword forward.
Gunma kept firing, humming his tune. Then, a male Hunter nearby called out quietly:
“…Oppa.”
— Ma!
“La.”
Just before pulling the trigger, Gunma heard the word.
Bang!
“…Buy it for me.”
Screeech!
The bullet hit, and the Poison Orc let out a pained cry.
— Ma!
“Oppa.”
Bang!
“How about with soda?”
Screeech!
“Ooh.”
Laughter broke out among the Hunters.
— Maa!
Bang! Bang!
“Furururu…”
Hearing the tune beside him, Gunma tilted his head.
— Maa?
One of Kim Suho’s sisters used to hum that little song while folding laundry.
What came after was…
Gunma drew his twin wooden pistols and fired rapidly at the Poison Orcs.
Bang-bang-bang!
“Furururu… Oh! Gunma, you know this song?”
— Maa!
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