Praise the Orc! Chapter 23:
Chapter 23 – Orcrox Warriors (2)
Ian arrived at Orcrox Fortress in an instant, thanks to the power of the shamans . The group entered Orcrox with a firm expression . The Orcrox warriors and shamans were already preparing for the campaign . Since dawn, the entire Orcrox Fortress had been crowded .
Ian was about to ask what was happening when he found a familiar face . It was Grom, who was surrounded by warriors and responding to something . The warriors questioned him for a while before leaving . Then Grom turned with a sigh .
Ian went up to him .
“What is happening?”
Grom looked over with a startled expression . His eyes trembled .
“How, w-why are you here?”
“I went to Basque Village and met the shamans . ”
“……”
“Why are they doing this? Is a war happening?”
Grom avoided Ian’s eyes .
“…?”
“It’s because of me . ”
“Huh?”
“I…by chance…” He stuttered before sighing . “Hoo . Let me explain . I found something strange . ”
“What?”
“I went to the north…”
Grom started his long explanation .
***
He headed north while struggling over how to act like a warrior .
The north of Orcrox Fortress wasn’t a place for apprentice warriors to go . Only the top rankers among the users could deal with the fearsome monsters there .
Orcrox Fortress itself was built to block the monsters in the north . Grom was wandering haphazardly to the north and found something strange while running away from some trolls .
It was a cave in a gap between two rocks, where he managed to hide . The trolls left because they couldn’t find him, but Grom entered the cave due to his curiosity .
He walked for a little bit and a wide space appeared . Torches were hanging on the walls . A human shadow stood there . The shape was human, but it wasn’t a human . The light from the torch revealed the terrifying face of a rotting undead .
Death knight!
The death knight whispered in an eerie voice .
“Thiss issn’t a pplace whereee yooou can sttand ssafely… Intruderssss sssshould beee… . ”
Grom turned and fled in terror . The death knight chased him and swung its sword, causing Grom to reflexively block it with his axe . Grom was thrown back by the tremendous power, but the death knight also rolled across the floor with Grom .
The death knight’s cold hand gripped Grom’s shoulder . Grom was terrified and started to attack the arm with his axe . Once, twice, three times, many times . In the end, the Death Knight’s wrist was cut off .
“Kkuaaaaah…”
The death knight screamed painfully, emitting a gut-wrenching wail that disturbed the soul .
Grom frantically ran away . The death knight’s shouts could be heard from behind him . He ran through the tunnel, out of the cave, and all the way back to Orcrox Fortress . He used all of his strength to avoid the trolls and goblins .
Finally, he was able to breathe in front of the trustworthy guards of Orcrox Fortress . However, the faces of the guards were abnormal .
“Apprentice… What is that?”
Grom followed their gaze towards his shoulder . The death knight’s rotting hand was still there .
It held onto Grom’s shoulder like it was still alive . As Grom became surprised, its grip became even stronger . The nails pierced Grom’s shoulder . Grom screamed .
The guards grasped the severity of the situation and informed Tanya and Lenox . They immediately decided on a subjugation mission . If a death knight was guarding the entrance, it meant that something stronger was inside the cave .
Lenox guessed that it was a lich .
The fact that a lich was located to the north of Orcrox meant that it was probably attempting evil magic . It was dangerous since there was enough dark power to still affect the hand, even after Grom escaped to Orcrox . Such an enemy had to be killed before it could accumulate more power as time passed .
The decision was swift and the warriors gathered under Lenox’s command .
Thus, a raid was created with Grom as the guide .
***
“This is completely…” Ian said, “Isn’t it a dungeon raid?”
A dungeon raid was called the flower of virtual reality games! Elder Lord was no exception . Raid videos were always a hot topic .
“Yes but… Is Ian also going?”
“I want to go . ”
“It will be dangerous, so you can just not go…”
Grom was somehow acting really negatively . Grom was someone who always rejoiced when the game progressed . Was the death knight that terrifying?
As Ian was thinking this, Lenox and Hoyt appeared in front of the troops . There was also a female orc that Ian saw for the first time . She was Tanya, the administrator of Orcrox Fortress .
Lenox looked around at the warriors and shamans . In a short amount of time, many orcs had gathered under Lenox’s name .
Ian was filled with expectation . Lenox would yell passionately and boost morale . Maybe there would even be slaps to wake up their spirits . But he was unexpectedly calm .
Lenox walked forward and the area became quiet .
“Our goal is an undead dungeon . It is estimated that there will be a lich present, but I don’t know what the risks are . The worst situation might happen . But…”
Every orc listened to Lenox .
“We have to do it . ”
It was a low voice that was filled with a strong faith . The warriors nodded .
“Stay alive . ”
The orcs raised their weapons, shouting simultaneously .
“Bul’tar──────!”
Shouts rang out through Orcrox Fortrss . Lenox nodded and led the way, the warriors and shamans following behind him . They formed units and a formation behind Lenox .
Ian, who was at the back, suddenly caught Lenox’s eyes .
“Apprentice . ”
“Yes!”
Ian was nervous . An apprentice warrior might not be useful, but he didn’t want to miss this . Ian gazed at Lenox with earnest eyes .
Lenox grinned .
“Don’t fall behind and keep up . ”
Ian also smiled at his words .
“Understood!”
Hoyt smiled from his position behind Lenox . Gulda approached and hit Ian’s back . The shaman Kinjur blessed the whole unit . It was the first great battle since Ian first became an orc .
***
There were 50 warriors and 20 shamans . 70 orcs marched through the forest . Their burly shoulders and large size caused an intense momentum as Ian followed behind them .
Grom guided Lenox to the place while Ian walked with the other warriors in the back . Gulda stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Ian .
“Apprentice, is this your first time in a dungeon?”
“Yes . ”
“It will be interesting . Kuhahahal . ”
He laughed with the halberd on his shoulder .
Whether it was due to the power of the shamans or something else, an unknown force spread throughout the unit . The occasional monsters were swept away by the orc warriors like fallen leaves .
The monsters in the north weren’t at the level of goblins or direwolves .
From trolls, giant mantises, wandering wyverns, and worms emerging from the ground, there were powerful monsters that Ian would’ve fallen prey to if he were alone .
But all the warriors, supported by the shaman magic, handled it easily . Lenox’s axe was particularly terrifying . Not even the trolls could recover from his blows .
The constantly smiling Gulda was also awesome . As Ian was defending against a mantis, Gulda ran over and cut off all of the mantis’ limbs with a laugh .
The strength of the orc warriors was terrifying .
They soon arrived at their destination . It was a rock located under a mountain ridge . There was a crevasse hidden behind rocks, but there was clearly a cave there .
The shamans flinched as soon as they saw the cave .
“Such intense magic…”
Ian also felt a cold chill down his spine . Lenox spoke to Grom, who had guided them this far .
“Go in . ”
“Huh?”
“Aren’t you going in?”
“I thought I was just guiding you up to here…”
“It will be more dangerous if you are left alone . ”
Lenox grabbed Grom’s collar and entered first . The orcs followed one by one through the narrow entrance .
Light from the shamans revealed the cave inside . The warriors and shamans walked in a line . Soon there was a wider tunnel . Their formations were set up again . There was evidence that someone had artificially created this area .
The air was heavy . This was a dungeon . An uncomfortable feeling was stuck to Ian’s body . Somehow, it was hard to move .
Then the tunnel opened up into a wide space . Torches and crystals lit up the inside . There was the shadow of a human standing in the middle .
“…That?”
It was the death knight that attacked Grom . The death knight lifted its sword .
“Youuuuuu ooooorcs… Leaveeee hereeeee… . ”
It was an eerie tone that seemed to rise from the Abyss . Ian got goose bumps .
“Otherrrrrwise… . a ggggruesome deathhhh… Weeeelcome eternallll painnnnn…”
A fearsome presence! A terrifying threat . Then Ian suddenly discovered something strange .
“……”
The death knight took a step back as it threatened the orcs, but it wasn’t noticeable in the creepy voice .
The orcs were shaken .
“Not even feeling nervous after seeing these numbers… It truly is a death knight . ”
“Ohh…when strong people die, they become death knights . ”
“How terrible . We can’t lose . ”
“Kuock… I will fight even if it means death . Bul’tar…!”
The death knight was getting more distant . It was subtly walking backwards towards a door! If this was left alone, it would get further away . Ian hurriedly picked up a stone and threw it at the death knight .
Bam .
It hit the death knight on the head .
Rattle rattle .
All eyes turned to Ian for a moment . The moment ended, but Ian shouted without hesitation .
“Catch it!”
The death knight turned around and started running . The orcs regained their spirits and chased it . Dozens of orcs chased a death knight through the cave . One orc warrior threw his weapon . The axe turned round and round and struck the death knight .
“Kkuooooh…”
The death knight fell to the ground . The orcs surrounded it and the beating began .
“W-W-Wait a minute!” The death knight exclaimed .
“What, this **** can talk properly?”
“Was it just an act?”
As the orcs beat it up even more, the death knight gave up resisting . Lenox approached and grabbed the death knight .
“Death knight, who is the one that summoned you?”
“I cannn’t answerrrr… . ”
Peeok!
“Talk properly . ”
“I-I can’t tell you . If I speak, then I will be destroyed . ”
“When did you arrive here?”
“It wasn’t long ago . I was told to protect the entrance a week ago . ”
“How many more guys like you are there?”
“When I was summoned, there were skeletons and gargoyles . There would be more now . There are also several other death knights…”
“The lich?”
“I-I can’t say…”
Lenox struck the death knight, which rolled across the floor with a moan . Lenox looked over the wide space with a determined expression on his face .
“Strange . ”
“What do you mean?””
“Death knights aren’t this weak . ”
“Then…”
“It’s a trap . ”
At the end of the wide space was a large door . Lenox approached it . The door moved .
The firmly closed door started to slowly open, like a demon opening its gaping maw . The darkness meant that no one could see what was inside .
However, it couldn’t be avoided .
“Enter . ”
From now on, there was no telling what dangers might be inside . Lenox took the lead and the orcs followed silently behind him . The hollow eyes of the death knight with its throat cut stared after them .