Praise the Orc! Chapter 150:
Chapter 150 – Evil Empire
The two sides confronted each other on the plains . The kingdom’s and Alaste’s flags danced in the wind . The king and the lord of Alaste headed towards each other on horseback .
“It is great to see you . ”
“It has been a while, Earl Alaste . ”
The king was a young man, the epitome of a noble with blonde hair and observant, blue eyes . Of course, he was more than a mere noble . He was the king who would soon stand at the top .
“It’s a good day . I will cleanly accept the result today . In the name of the gods . ”
“Yes . I will as well . I hope Your Highness keeps the words you said beforehand . ”
The king’s eyes narrowed . Earl Alaste’s expression didn’t change .
The king asked, “You seem to have confidence . How is Galadin?”
“He’s as upright as always . Do you want to see him?”
“It’s okay . It is enough to see you instead of that old man’s face . ”
Both of them didn’t avoid the other’s eyes .
“…Okay . ”
The king’s lips twisted before he smiled and said, “Once the sun comes up to the middle, the duel will start . I’ll tell Adandator to control his strength in consideration for Galadin’s old age . ”
“Thank you for your words . Just…”
“Just?”
“Galadin won’t be fighting today . ”
“What?” The king gazed at the lord with a suspicious expression . “Then who will come out?”
“You will see when the sun rises to the middle . ”
“……”
The king’s face twisted at the lord’s relaxed attitude . He was dissatisfied with the lord’s relaxed attitude and confused about the unknown warrior . He spat out in a rough voice, “Yes, I’ll see soon . ”
They turned around and returned to their camps . Lord Alaste immediately sought out Crockta who was in a tent at the rear of the camp . His face was stiff with tension . However, he couldn’t help smiling at the sight within the tent .
Crockta was lying on a bed and humming, while Vigo was sitting next to the bed and fanning Crockta .
“Are you cool?”
“Harder . ”
“Hiyah!”
“Do it properly . You will be responsible if my condition isn’t good . ”
“No! Brother!”
“A knight should have a better wrist snap . ”
He didn’t seem like a warrior who had the fate of the city on his shoulders . That made him seem more reliable . This was none other than Northern Conqueror Crockta . He would clearly be able to cope with Adandator .
Even Galadin acknowledged that Crockta was stronger than him . The lord decided to give up worrying . It had already left his hands . He had dealt the best hand he could .
“Vigo . ”
“Yes, Lord!”
“Fan him properly . The future of Alaste hangs on your fan . ”
“Cough! Yes!”
Tiyo and Anor came together and weren’t worried at all . They were dozing in a corner of the tent . They had drunk alcohol all night . They were friends who had no tension at all .
“Crockta, I want to thank you once again . Thank you for your willingness to go to such a dangerous place . ”
“Kulkulkul . There is no need for thanks, I am just doing the work of a warrior . ” Crockta leisurely stretched while enjoying the breeze from the fan . “So when is the duel?”
“Noon . ”
Crockta looked at the sky through the open gap in the tent . It was pretty soon .
***
Trumpets sounded . Both sides were nervous . The sun had risen above their heads . Now the duel would begin . It was a fight to determine the future of each side . So many things were involved .
Adandator appeared first . The king placed a hand on his shoulder and spoke to him . Adandator answered in a short manner .
“It is lively . ”
Adandator was a beautiful young man . His body was well balanced . He was still young, but he was a seasoned knight who had gone through many battles .
Then it was time for Alaste’s representative to come out . Crockta walked forward .
“……!”
The kingdom’s side was shaken and murmurs gradually spread . They all expected the warrior for Alaste to be Galadin . It was common knowledge that the best knight in Alaste was Galadin, and there was no stronger knight . The kingdom was convinced of their victory because Galadin was too old compared to Adandator .
However, a surprising figure appeared .
An orc . A warrior with a heinous face and tattoos all over his body . His enormous mass and greatsword could be seen clearly from afar .
Adandator looked at him curiously . It wasn’t a tense face . He thought it would be a tragic comedy .
“I am Adandator Paklinche . Who are you?” He was curious about the orc standing in front of him . “Are you really the representative of Alaste?”
Crockta nodded . The plains gradually became quiet .
Crockta smiled and looked at Adandator . “My name is Crockta . I came from Orcrox and stand here to guard Alaste . ”
“……!”
Adandator’s eyes widened .
Crockta . He knew that name . It was the unidentified orc who killed the great chieftain and blocked them before the call for the northern war began in earnest . On that day, all the gods whispered to his name .
“Alaste has prepared a hidden card . ”
His expression recovered and he lifted his sword . Adandator didn’t use a greatsword like Crockta . It was a thin and long sword that looked elegant . Both of them used Paklinche’s swordsmanship, but they had different attitudes and atmosphere .
Crockta asked, “Do you know Leyteno Paklinche?”
“Hoh?” Adandator laughed . “The traitor Leyteno . Orcs should know him . Yes, I know Leyteno . He is a coward on the side of the orcs . The traitor who turned his sword against us . That is why he is a blot to the rest of the Paklinche family . In the end, he died miserably . ”
“A coward . A traitor . A blot . ” Crockta laughed out loud .
The Leyteno that Crockta heard about was absolutely not a coward . He wasn’t a traitor or a blot, but a shining star . The hero who followed the path of his sword . Everyone would’ve blamed him . If Leyteno just closed his eyes and aimed his sword at the orcs, he could gain wealth and honor .
However, he gritted his teeth and did what he believed was right . He wasn’t a slave but his own master . If he followed the same direction that all the other fingers were pointing, he was just a slave .
However, Leyteno shook his head and pointed to the other side alone . He straightened up, pointed to his own beliefs and moved . That was why he would stand forever in the Hall of Fame . Leyteno Paklinche would never die . None of the warriors in the Hall of Fame would die .
“Right now, I will connect to Leyteno Paklinche’s will . ”
Crockta raised his greatsword . As Crockta reached a higher ground, he had gone beyond Leyteno’s swordsmanship but it was still alive in Ogre Slayer .
“Feel it yourself . Paklinche . ”
“Show me your blade, Orc . ” Adandator grinned . “You are ignorant . I can see an echo of the traitor . Okay, just once…”
At this moment, everyone on the plains was watching Crockta and Adandator .
“Let’s do it!”
Adandator plunged in first . Crockta watched him . The world slowed . Adandator’s handsome face was shining with a mixture of arrogance and self-confidence . Crockta’s greatsword swung towards his shining face .
Kaaaang!
Adandator was a genius and was waiting for Crockta in the realm of the Pinnacle . The two blades met several times . It was a battle that ordinary eyes couldn’t follow . They exchanged blows for a long time . As explosive sounds were heard from both sounds, small wounds appeared on their bodies .
Blood splattered on both their faces .
There would be cheers from both sides whenever dust rose as a result of the collision between swords . It was a fight of absolute power that could rarely be seen!
At that moment, Crockta’s battle cry shook the plains .
“Bul’tarrrrrrrrrr──────!”
It was like an earthquake occurred as the audience member’s legs shook from the roar . Adandator, who faced it directly, felt like his heart was going to stop . Crockta’s overwhelming presence was pouring toward him . As his eyes flicked, the trajectory of the greatsword flying towards him changed in a subtle way .
Adandator tried to block it but was thrown back by a huge power .
“Kuheeok!”
The moment of the attack, Crockta’s fist struck Adandator’s abdomen . Adandator flew through the air and landed on the ground . Crockta’s powerful blow!
Waaaaaaaaaaaah!
Alaste’s side cheered . On the other hand, the side of the kingdom became completely quiet .
“……”
Adandator stood up . He shuddered from the impact as blood poured from his nose .
Crockta laughed and raised his finger, signalling his opponent to quickly come at him . “Kulkul, are you okay?”
“You aren’t a mere child . I understand…”
Adandator laughed . He spat out the blood in his mouth . Then he took a serious posture with his sword . His body started to enter the Pinnacle . Over and over, he once again reached a high ground . The world was still .
He jumped and brandished his sword at Crockta . Crockta blocked it with Ogre Slayer . However, his skin was torn and blood poured out . Crockta hurriedly stepped back .
“……!”
This time, it was the kingdom’s side that cheered . Adandator smiled and repeated Crockta’s words, “Are you okay?”
Crockta responded with a smile, “You also aren’t a mere child . ”
“Kilkilkil . ”
Crockta calmly raised Ogre Slayer .
Adandator was a genius . He could believe that . Adandator had surpassed the realm of the Pinnacle . It was the realm of the Hero that Crockta had learned while crossing life and death . If so, Crockta should do the same thing .
The cheers and boos became mixed together . The sun was shining above their heads . Sweat was pouring down their cheeks as they recognized the weight of the weapons they held .
A formidable opponent . A high level of swordsmanship where anyone could win was implemented . An interesting opponent .
They moved their bodies while thinking the same thing . The strands of causality started to converge on both of them . The strands of causality stretched out like tentacles towards each other . One step, one stroke, a stepping motion, every time the blades moved, they aimed to create a life or death injury .
Indeed, Paklinche’s blood was very deep .
“I never thought you would follow this far…”
Adandator was inwardly impatient . He was convinced that he could win without fail if Galadin was his opponent . But then this orc appeared instead of Galadin . His instincts sent a warning . They were both on the same ground . This orc had also surpassed the Pinnacle .
Maybe he would die today . The chains of causality stretching from Crockta sought to swallow Adandator .
The sun was blazing above his head . It was hot . Adandator’s eyes were dazzled . If he was careless, the orc would cause him to die under this sun .
In the infinitely slow world, Crockta and Adandator met each other . Sweat trickled down Adandator’s face . But he never looked away . Now the plains were still . They felt that the fight had reached a realm that they didn’t dare to evaluate .
The first one to move was Adandator . He exploded his power in order to win the battle before it lengthened even further . Pressure rose from his body . His power reversed causation and rushed towards Crockta’s death .
It was like a tsunami was heading towards Crockta . Numerous blades were aiming at his neck . Causality sped towards Crockta’s death . Crockta aimed for Adandator’s death and canceled out the attack .
Blood poured from wounds on his limbs . The blades from Adandator inevitably fell towards Crockta from all angles . They pierced his shoulders, sides, and thighs at the same time .
“Ugh!” Crockta fell down .
“Waaaaaaack!” Adandator didn’t miss this gap and rushed forward . He wanted to finish this in one blow .
A huge wave pushed towards Crockta . Death seemed unstoppable . The handful of wind, bubbles, nail-sized mass and every other trivial thing could cause death . Compared to that, the tool called a sword, which was made to kill others, was like a large army advancing towards death .
Dozens then hundreds of swords poured towards Crockta . The probability of survival and probability of death were reversed . Life itself led to death . However .
“Bul’tar . ”
Crockta whispered . As Adandator’s tsunami of death flew towards him, he started weaving together the causation of the world . It was risky .
This was the first time Crockta thought about death since the battle against the great chieftain . He needed to risk everything to overcome Adandator’s blow . Crockta held Ogre Slayer . He would fight back with his life on the line .
However, at that moment…
Crockta suddenly saw something .
‘I am alive . ’
He didn’t know what it was . However, Crockta instinctively leaned towards the line that was passing through the world . It was a color that was hard to describe . It was a color that didn’t exist in the world .
That line penetrated both the visible world that people could see, the world of the Pinnacle and the world of the Hero that reversed causality . Even death couldn’t bear it .
‘Honor . ’
What was that line? In addition, the color as well . Why was it so radiant? The moment that his body touched that line . The whole world pushed Crockta’s back . It was a helping hand to raise all the sinking things .
Crockta rushed towards the infinitely unfolding tsunami of death . He flew towards the infinite expanse of the abyss .
Bul’tarrrrrrrrrr──────!
There was light .
***
It was a long fight . Crockta and Adandator gradually entered a state of fighting that couldn’t be understood . Only a few senior ranking knights could feel the level . The two repeated the gains and losses as they kept attacking each other . Blood sporadically splattered but they didn’t back down .
The king stared blankly and inadvertently dropped his wine glass . However, the king and his knights were conscious of the pieces of glass . It might be a fight that they could never see again in their lives .
“I can’t believe it…”
At that moment, Adandator rushed like crazy . It was an attack on everything . As if a storm was taking place around his body, countless attacks were launched . Crockta blocked with his greatsword but fell down to one knee .
Adandator didn’t miss this and chased him . Everyone sensed that it was the final blow . There was a black wave .
In that instance, the kingdom was convinced that Adandator had won . It was a blow containing everything . No one could survive that hit .
Then…
A bolt of light . It was a very short moment . Light enveloped the plains . It was a color that had never been seen before . They didn’t know what color it was . It destroyed Adandator’s black wave .
“……!”
The light disappeared and dust rose up . They could only see that Adandator’s sword was broken and Crockta’s Ogre Slayer was pointed at his neck . Silence fell over the plains . The winner and loser didn’t move . There was silence . The clouds moving through the sky stopped .
Then a gnome standing on Alaste’s side broke the silence .
“Kahahahat! Victory dot!”
There was no tension in the voice . Then Alaste’s side understood the situation and started cheering . They threw their weapons and helmets and yelled . Everyone embraced each other as they shouted .
“Waaaaaaah!”
“We won!”
“Hooray Alaste! Alaste!”
“Hooray Crockta!”
“Alaste! Alaste!”
The kingdom’s side was silent . The faces of the young king, his knights and the Heaven and Earth executives stiffened . They hadn’t expected Adandator to be defeated . However, the orc Crockta had ruined their ambitions .
“Dammit, that person…I knew it . ”
The former master of Thawing Balhae and current vice master of Heaven and Earth, Keynes muttered . That Crockta kept continuing to disturb him . The guy who got rid of Thawing Balhae . Now he was chasing the Heaven and Earth Clan and hindering their work . He gritted his teeth . Somehow, he had to get rid of that orc .
Rommel kept silent with a stiff face .
Adandator dropped his weapon and declared his surrender, causing the duel to completely end .
The lord of Alaste approached the king . Now that victory had been decided, the Alaste lord descended from his horse and bowed towards the king in a polite manner .
“Please accept the result . Your Highness . ”
“……”
Instead of answering, the king quietly turned his head away . The lord of Alaste smiled and stepped back . He felt very uncomfortable . But it didn’t matter now . It was time to go back to Alaste and celebrate .
***
Alaste scheduled a city wide festival . The protagonist was Crockta .
Everyone praised him as the hero who saved Alaste . Crockta’s group traveled through the streets and shared food and alcohol with the citizens . To the children, he wasn’t an orc but an orc knight . The children gathered every time he appeared . They were all calling Crockta’s name .
There was a proposal to build a statue of Crockta in commemoration of today . All the sculptors in Alaste volunteered . Crockta shook his head but was forced to accept their will . His appearance, made of marble, was to remain in Alaste forever .
There were women confessing to Anor . Anor didn’t avoid them, staring straight into their eyes as he politely refused . They smiled and expressed their thanks for Anor’s gentlemanly attitude . Tiyo hit Anor’s **** .
Yellow appeared and hugged Crockta before giving him a kiss on the cheek . Crockta couldn’t stop her actions . She loved Alaste and praised Crockta, stating that she would be his fan in the future . People were surprised since this was the first time they saw her drunkenness .
Tiyo eventually accepted Galadin’s advice . Crockta didn’t know the specifics, but Galadin laughed heartily while Tiyo remained patient . His expression was rotten but his attitude was so polite that Crockta and Anor ridiculed him . Tiyo closed his eyes and endured it .
Crockta’s group enjoyed the atmosphere but eventually had to leave Alaste . As Alaste’s heroes, Alaste promised that they would always receive a warm welcome . All the citizens blessed their way as Crockta’s group left the gate .
Crockta’s group was heading towards the resort city Gridori .
After Crockta’s group left, the kingdom broke their agreement and invaded Alaste . Alaste was devastated . The kingdom became an empire, and the king became an emperor .