Chapter 32: Plains Rescue (3)

Gilliam and Puri began hunting treeters.

It seemed there had been a misunderstanding yesterday; they had been drunk on the night breeze and got caught up in the ominous mood. The orc and elf turned out to be pretty normal, and all of them shared drinks and treeter meat all night long.

The elf whom Gilliam and Puri had initially perceived as a psychopath killer was just a player completing a quest, and the orc warrior who had seemed like an indiscriminate butcher was just an NPC hunting treeters to enter Arnin. They were suspicious of him because they had never heard of or seen an orc working on their reputation to enter the elf city, but unlike his frightening appearance, he was actually quite kind.

Treeters were formidable monsters and often brought about dangerous situations, but the orc rescued the players each time. It was an amusing sight to see the tattoo-covered orc warrior move dynamically and hunt the treeters.

“Thank you, orc,” said Gilliam.

The orc grinned and raised his thumb. Although this orc couldn’t speak, he was very adept with his thumb. When he liked something, he raised his thumb to express positive emotion, and if he was angry because of a treeter, he turned his thumb upside down to signal revenge.

Gilliam raised his thumb in return.

“It’s a thumbs up for me as well,” he said.

Once it became daytime, other players and NPCs began arriving at the plains. Arnin’s reputation-building quest was a well-known one, so there were many beginners who attempted it recklessly.

“Dwarf, what is that orc?” a gnome player who had been hunting treeters around Gilliam asked.

Gnomes and dwarves were similar, but gnomes were smaller in stature, so they were a species that didn’t have many players like the orcs. However, their sorcery and craftsmanship were exceptional. Normally, people didn’t consider orcs as a non-NPC species, so when people were asked to name a species with the least number of players, the gnome species was always chosen first.

“He is...” Gilliam began.

How should he explain?

Gilliam hesitated before continuing, “...A nice orc.”

“What? Isn’t a nice orc a dead orc?”

“What are you saying? Watch your words,” Gilliam warned.

“Huh?”

This was the normal perception around orcs. They were perceived as brutish, dumb monsters that were tough opponents but had the potential to yield great rewards if killed. Gilliam used to think that way as well, but this orc was different.

The orc had raised his thumb countless times since the sun had risen. The fact that his thumb didn’t have time to rest meant he helped others without taking a break. He even helped other species even though it wouldn’t contribute to building his reputation.

“You will soon understand what I mean,” said Gilliam to the gnome.

“...?” The gnome was puzzled.

There was no need to worry about that though, as the orc’s kindness was being thoroughly witnessed by Enyanis, the administrator of the plains.

“Oh... that orc is quite good,” she commented.

Enyanis’ job was to monitor the treeters’ numbers and ensure the forest didn't decrease in size. She was the one who reported performances on the plains to higher-ups, allowing players to raise their reputations with the elves.

As the administrator, Enyanis closely observed the battles on the plains. The treeters were formidable monsters, so the plains were always exposed to danger. However, the number of casualties suddenly decreased after that orc appeared.

“There’s a need to continue observing him,” she remarked.

Meanwhile, the orc Crockta, who was the center of attention, was mindlessly doing grunt work, and he was sick of it. How long did he have to keep killing treeters?

Moreover, beginner players kept going at treeters like moths to a flame even though they didn’t have the skills and got flung back. However, the oath of a warrior meant he couldn’t just ignore them. A warrior had to protect the weak!

Crcockta saved yet another player’s life. As a treeter was about to crush a gnome, Crockta sent it flying by lunging toward it.

“...!” The gnome looked at him with surprise.

Crockta wanted to scream at him and tell the gnome to not overdo it, but Elwina’s silence spell prevented him from doing so. She was one hell of a woman.

Crockta sighed. What was the point of venting his frustrations? So, instead of saying what he actually wanted to say, he bottled his emotions and raised his thumb instead.

“...!” The gnome’s expression changed to a smile.

As if bewitched by the orc’s charisma, he automatically raised his thumb in response.

Crockta nodded. These days, the people on the plains seemed to enjoy imitating his thumbs up gesture.

He then left to hunt treeters again. While Crockta was hunting, his eyes made contact with an elf’s. It was Yu-Rin, whom he had hunted and drunk with all night. Crockta felt embarrassed, so he just glanced at her and turned around.

Then he heard noises from the outskirts of the plains.

“...?”

After Crockta had another treeter take its last breath, he looked toward the direction of the noise. A group of humans was entering the plains. All of them appeared to be beginners, with the exception of the person at the front of the group as he was clad in expensive plate armor. It was a high-ranker’s equipment. He was probably helping his inexperienced friends raise their reputations, but his palpably arrogant attitude was an eyesore.

The high-ranker loudly exclaimed, “Wow, there are many people here. During my time, players had to struggle because they didn’t tell us how to raise our reputation. These days, all of the information comes up on the homepage. Everything got so much easier. It must be a breeze for you guys.”

Then, as if trying to exhibit his strength, he raised his sword and activated an active skill. A sharp aura emanated from the sword and slashed a treeter. The treeter bled profusely as it flopped down onto the ground. The high-ranker approached the treeter and made the final kill.

“You are so cool.”

“You are the best.”

The group praised the high-ranker. He shrugged as if it was nothing and then surveyed the plains.

The high-ranker saw an orc in his realm of sight. At first, he doubted what he saw.

“...Huh, an orc?”

Then he looked again. The orc was still there. The high-ranking player’s expression changed to an excited grin.

The plains were filled to the brim with treeters, but there was just one orc. Since the orc was alone, it would be easy to take him on. The high-ranker wasn’t sure why an orc was here, but orcs were prey to him. Catching the monstrous orc would make him stand out way more than a treeter. The player glanced at the attractive female player in his crew and made up his mind.

“Wait a second, I will quickly catch that thing and come back,” the high-ranker said.

He immediately went up to the orc.

Crockta sensed a presence behind him, but he didn’t pay any mind to it because it was a human. He was on his way to find another treeter anyway, but suddenly, he felt a chill run down his spine. Crockta detected a slight change in the air around him, and all of the hair on his body stood up. He instinctively bent his head and moved forward to avoid the attack. His attacker’s blade grazed the air, swooshing past him.

Crockta looked behind him. The high-ranking player that he had seen earlier was approaching him with a raised sword. Crockta wanted to scream at the high-ranker and ask him what he was doing, but Elwina’s silence spell continued to torment him. It was suffocating. Crockta spread his hands and made a gesture of protest.

Thankfully, other players protested on his behalf. “Hey, what are you doing?!”

The high-ranking player merely shrugged. “I’m just catching an orc.”

“That orc is trying to build his reputation. Just leave him alone. He’s a kind orc.”

“Kind orc?” The high-ranking player burst into laughter. “You guys are saying some weird stuff. I will take care of everything, so don’t worry about it. Why do I have to get permission to catch monsters?”

“That orc is not a monster...” the players explained.

“Whatever, if you intervene again, you will get hurt,” said the high-ranker dismissively.

Then, he charged at Crockta.

“Hey! That guy!”

“What is he doing?”

“Oh, my...!”

The players at the plains groaned as they watched the scene.

“Ugh (Bul’tar)!” Crockta grasped his greatsword as he had no choice but to respond.

The high-ranker was different from the players Crockta had previously faced. Although this player had an arrogant attitude, he was still a high-ranker accustomed to battle. Additionally, he was fast and strong.

Crockta lowered his greatsword and retreated.

The high-ranker grinned and charged relentlessly at Crockta. Crockta’s strength as an orc was futile in the face of this opponent. Each of the high-ranker’s attacks dealt damage.

“Orcs are...” the high-ranker said while forcefully pushing back Crockta, “...just brute strength. If they meet someone stronger than them, they can’t do anything!”

The high-ranker leaped and swung his sword down at Crockta. Crockta almost lost grasp of his greatsword, but he still managed to block off the attack.

Nevertheless, the high-ranker had the upper hand in this battle. His attacks continued. Each time his offense and Crockta’s defense collided, Crockta was pushed back. And each time Crockta re-assumed his position, an attack came at him, so all he could do was persist in defense mode.

Crockta had to change the rhythm of the battle, but he was unable to find an opening. As he retreated, his foot got tangled on a treeter corpse. His opponent did not miss a beat and rushed toward him. The high-ranker grinned with satisfaction at Crockta, whose battle posture had collapsed. Right when he was about to strike Crockta, an arrow came flying at him.

The magic-infused arrow exploded against the high-ranker’s plate armor and flung him backward. He rolled around on the ground but got up eventually and started screaming.

“Hey, who are you?” he asked the archer.

“Who are

you

?” It was elf Yu-Rin. “Why are you attacking him out of the blue?”

“I’m just catching a monster. Why is everyone all up in arms about it?”

“He’s not a monster.”

“What is he then, if not a monster?”

“He’s an NPC. Are all NPCs monsters?”

“Orcs

are

monsters. God, everyone here is crazy.”

“Is that all you have to say? You are so full of yourself.”

“That’s all I have to say, you ahjumma.”

“This ahjussi...”

They put their fingers on each other’s forehead simultaneously.

“If you keep attacking, I won’t let you off. So, watch out.” Yu-Rin aimed her bow at him.

The high-ranker smirked. This elf wasn’t a low-level player, but he could still take her on. It might be difficult if she joined up with the orc, but he was confident he could still win.

Then Crockta came forward. He extended his palm toward Yu-Rin. Yu-Rin, who had developed a friendship with him from battling and drinking together, understood what the gesture meant. He was telling her not to get involved.

Crockta’s gaze turned toward the high-ranker. It was an intense gaze. He raised his greatsword and aimed it toward the high-ranker.

‘Let’s fight until the end.’

Crockta placed his greatsword on his shoulder and flicked his finger back and forth at the high-ranker.

‘Come here.’

The meaning of the gestures was clear.

The high-ranker’s lips twitched as he raised his sword. “You are cocky for an orc.”

Crockta assumed his battle position.

‘The cocky one is you.’

His whole body went into battle mode. He read into everything without missing any of the subtle movements his opponent made. Crockta tried to muster all of his strength for this fight.

[Indomitable Fighting Spirit (Rare) has been activated.]

[Tattoos of Honor (Rare) has been activated.]

His greatsword, Ogre Slayer, seemed to be crying out for battle. Everything seemed to fit perfectly in the palm of his hand. Even the intensity of the wind brushing against his nose was just enough. Crockta was facing a stronger opponent, but it was okay. Even a handful of power was enough to defeat an enemy. Crushing an enemy with strength was Crockta the orc’s tactic, but tearing down a stronger opponent was Jung Yi-An’s—Raven’s—expertise.

“If dying is your wish, I shall grant it!” The high-ranker leaped toward Crockta.

Meanwhile, the high-ranker’s crew cheered him on.

“Fighting!”

“Oppa, please win!”

As if reciprocating the cheer, the high-ranker activated his active skill, and his sword emitted an aura that charged at his opponent.

Crockta rolled across the ground to dodge the attack. The attack marred the huge rock that was behind where Crockta had just been standing.

It was a skill strong enough to cut into solid rock, but an active skill had delays. So Crockta wouldn’t have to worry about the skill temporarily.

“You look so cool!” the female player in the high-ranker’s crew praised the high-ranker.

Hearing that, the corners of the high-ranker’s lips curved upward. The high-ranker was too conceited to immerse himself in battle. Crockta had to aim for the opening that would occur due to the high-ranker’s arrogance. He and the high-ranker glared directly at each other.

Suddenly, Crockta kicked the earth. Its dirt scattered and covered the high-ranker’s sight.

The high-ranker fumbled and slashed blindly at the air. “Ugh!”

Crockta’s greatsword came at him from beyond the cloud of dirt. The high-ranker blocked it hastily, but his neck almost got cut. While the high-ranker was standing unsteadily, Crockta kicked him in the stomach. Crockta was unable to inflict substantial damage on the high-ranker due to the latter’s armor, but he was still able to push his opponent back.

While brushing off the remaining sand from his face, the high-ranker cursed, “Shit...”

Just when the high-ranker was about to charge over, Crockta sprayed dirt on his face again.

“Ah, you fucking asshole!” the high-ranker exclaimed.

The high-ranker shook his head and stepped backward. He was more guarded now. He had been shaken up by the dirt. Crockta had successfully created a weak spot in his opponent.

This was the moment that Crockta charged over. The high-ranker saw Crockta rushing toward him and quickly pivoted his body, managing to narrowly escape. Nevertheless, Crockta turned and looked at the high-ranker face-to-face. He skimmed the ground with his foot, and the high-ranker flinched in response.

Without missing a beat, Crockta swung his greatsword at the high-ranker. This time, the high-ranker didn’t react in time. He tried to block it, but his sword flung back, and Crockta’s greatsword successfully penetrated the high-ranker’s armor and into his arm.

“Ahhh!” the high-ranker screamed as he tried to stab Crockta with his other arm.

However, Crockta had already taken a step back. He knew every second was precious and that he shouldn’t give his opponent time to recharge. Crockta immediately kicked up some dirt from the ground, sending it flying all over the distracted high-ranker.

“Ah, you fucking asshole! Fuck!” the high-ranker cursed again.

Then he fled hurriedly, but Crockta chased after him. The high-ranker tried desperately to keep his eyes open, but the dirt had gone into his eyes and poked his eyeballs. He couldn’t help but blink non-stop due to the pain, and his eyes began tearing up.

Seeing the orc’s greatsword flying toward him with his blurry vision, the high-ranker wanted to raise his sword to block the attack, but his injured right arm was slow to respond. Crockta’s greatsword pierced through the high-ranker’s armor and drove into his stomach. The high-ranker dropped to his knees.

“Ahhhhh...!”

Blood poured out of his mouth. He was no longer in a state to continue fighting. The outcome of the battle had been decided. Those who had been watching exclaimed in shock.

Crockta raised his greatsword. The high-ranker’s head was about to fall off.

“St-Stop...” The high-ranker looked up at Crockta and shook his head.

“Please don’t kill me...” He threw his sword down and raised both hands into the air in surrender.

His equipment, including the armor, were all extremely high-priced items. He could recover from the side effects of death over time, but the equipment he went into debt to purchase would not return.

The high-ranker no longer cared about his friends and the girl he had come with. He hadn’t even been able to pay off the interest on his equipment yet. He had planned to become a full-time

Elder Lord

gamer by becoming stronger with these items, but his now damaged Essence-tier armor, which he had acquired with difficulty, was already a huge financial loss. If he lost other equipment, he would fall into financial ruin.

“Please,” the high-ranker begged.

Crockta looked at him quietly.

Right then, someone said, “Kill him.”

It was Yu-Rin.

The other players in the plains who had been watching approved of the suggestion and began shouting.

“Orc, please kill him!”

“He tried to kill you first. Don’t let him live!”

“Kill him immediately!”

They were all players whom Crockta had helped. The voices of support increased, and it was as if members of an audience at the Colosseum were urging for the loser’s death. Crockta turned around to look at them and then looked down at the high-ranker, who was begging for mercy. His frightened eyes showed that he had forsaken the will to fight.

Crockta dropped his greatsword.

Yu-Rin continued, “He tried to kill you. You heard what he said. If this man had won, he would have never let you live. He needs to pay the price!”

The other players nodded in unison.

“He’s a player, so he has been cursed by the stars. He will be revived again anyway!”

“Kill him, so he can at least get a penalty!”

“He needs to know that if he attacks first without thinking, then he will die.”

“Let’s kill him!”

However, Crockta merely shook his head in response. He made it clear that he wasn’t interested in killing the player.

“Why?” Yu-Rin asked, dumbfounded.

The orc warrior she knew was kind, but he wasn’t faint-hearted. She couldn’t understand why.

“...” Crockta wanted to speak, but the silence spell was keeping his lips sealed.

So, instead of speaking, he turned around. The crowd split in two to make way for him. At the end of where he was headed stood the huge rock that had been hit by the high-ranker’s active skill.

Crockta raised his greatsword and mustered his strength. His greatsword technique had upgraded to Leyteno’s Greatsword Technique, so he was able to temporarily emanate aura from his sword. Crockta struck the rock with his sword and began carving his intention into the rock’s surface.

Everyone held their breath while watching him.

Words slowly began to appear.

[A warrior]

Everyone tilted their heads curiously. As the words continued to appear, everyone’s mouth dropped open.

[A warrior does not]

Crockta then finished the sentence.

[A warrior does not attack the unarmed.]

After finishing the task, Crockta returned the greatsword to its sheath and turned around. Numerous people were staring blankly at him and the rock.

A warrior did not attack the unarmed!

“...!”

No one could open their mouths to speak. The words on the rock were something civilized humans should say, not the savage orcs they looked down on. Yet, the one who had first attacked the innocent orc was a human, and the ones screaming at the orc to kill the high-ranker were also humans. A strange emotion raged inside them.

Who could that orc be? Was that what a true orc warrior was like?

He looked so big... as he stood silently in front of the rock.

Then someone stepped out while clapping. It was none other than the Arnin Plains’ administrator, Enyanis. She stood in front of Crockta as she continued to clap. Enyanis had a touched expression on her face.

She said, “You are... a true warrior. You are the kind of talent Arnin needs! I want to invite you to our city.”

Had the orc’s reputation-building quest finally come to an end? The audience cheered for him.

Crockta nodded silently.

“But if you were to suddenly disappear, everyone would be sad, so I want to give you another quest.”

Crockta tilted his head curiously. What kind of quest?

“I appoint you as a member of the Arnin Plains Rescue Unit. You don’t need to catch treeters anymore. Instead, can you rescue players as you have been doing for the next four days? Then you will be approved for entry.”

It was a job proposal from Arnin Plains’ Administrator Enyanis!

Crockta nodded without hesitation. Those who had been watching cheered loudly, and Crockta and Enyanis shook hands amid the thunderous applause.

The Arnin Plains Rescue Unit continued existing throughout the ages and became one of Arnin’s traditions. It all started not with a human or an elf but with an unknown orc warrior.