Chapter 48: Welcome to the Orc World (1)

-Orc Grasslands? Oh, the hunting ground in Glendale? That place is crawling with orcs. It gives good XP too.

-There are probably very few rankers who

haven't

hunted orcs.

-But why suddenly ask about that? What did you say? Can you see lots of orcs there? Are you out of your mind?

-Don’t ask or question it. Just hunt there for a week and you'll start to see orcs even in your dreams.

└A week seems unnecessary. Three days would be enough.

This was what the general perception of the Orc Grasslands among people was like. It was a great hunting ground that provided excellent XP, a place most rankers inevitably passed through! However, it also earned the shame of being ranked seventh on the list of hunting grounds people never wished to return to. And the reason was simple.

-Why hate it? Because there’s too many orcs.

└There’s not just too many. It’s swarming. Makes you feel like you're going to go mad.

└After hunting there for about three days, I started hearing their breathing right by my ear even when I was taking a dump. Scared the crap out of me.

-Looking in the mirror, it felt like I could see orcs flickering in my reflection.

└That's probably because you're ugly.

-But to invade an entire orc village for annihilation? Is that even possible?

-That’s almost like going to war. Sounds fun. Which stream channel is it streaming on?

└There's no officially scheduled broadcast. But I heard Aris is live streaming it right now.

└Aris? That streamer who pretends to be cute? I don't like her.

└Bastard. You dare insult Aris? That's blasphemy!"

-Wow, but the scale of the expedition is no joke. Hundreds of people are gonna be swarming around together lol.

└It’ll probably feel peaceful and happy like they're on a picnic. Ugh, I'm jealous.

The Glendale Orc expedition received significant attention on the online community.

However, the atmosphere within the expedition was the complete opposite of what players had expected. Far from being harmonious, the mood was as tense as a rubber band pulled to its limit. To exaggerate a bit, it felt like the air had been sucked out, making it impossible to breathe.

This is suffocating. I feel like I ate five sweet potatoes without water.

Kai glanced around at the people nearby, sizing them up.

An Archer equipped with a Watchman’s Bamboo Bow. That thing is for levels 75 and up... Oh, look at that. There’s a Knight over there wearing a Guard's Armor set.

Judging by the equipment worn, the level of the players in the expedition was quite high.

At the same time, this also instilled a sense of threat in Kai.

The mood is so fierce. I can't let my guard down.

Initially, the atmosphere was pleasant as everyone actively engaged in conversations, naturally forming a friendly environment. However, a sudden message shattered that warm atmosphere in an instant.

[The Orc Expedition Force has begun.]

[All players can check their expedition points.]

[Expedition points can be earned through the following actions.]

[You can exchange your accrued points for various items in the future.]

[Orc: 1P]

[Orc Warrior: 3P]

[Orc Hero: 30P]

[Orc Lord: 500P]

[??? : 1,000P]

[In addition, every time you help the expedition proceed through with your actions, you will gain extra points.]

This message marked the beginning of the event!

With that, the gazes of the players changed. They were enticed by the list of items that could be exchanged for expedition points.

"Holy crap! A Unique equipment exchange coupon for the appropriate level costs 500 points."

"One Orc Lord is... 500 points!"

"Wait, how is this tallied? Last hit? Or based on contribution?"

"What's with these question marks? Is it a bug in the software?"

"Seeing that they’re question marks... Doesn't seem like a bug, and more like some treasure hunt."

The players were tempted by the unexpectedly generous rewards! And Kai was no exception to being enticed.

"Dang. Looks like the Baron has spent quite a bit. There’s a lot of good stuff."

Kai confidently got ahead of himself as if he already had the rewards in his possession! But his confidence was not without basis.

Heh, well, I know what the question marks mean.

It was the Orc Sorcerer. The question marks undoubtedly indicated the Orc Sorcerer.

Currently, Kai was the only person who knew about it after discussing it directly with Baron Arsen.

What's there to life anyway? Go big or go home!

Capturing just one Orc Sorcerer would yield a whopping 1,000 points! That was equivalent to hunting a thousand regular orcs to accumulate the same points.

Is it really possible to score 1,000 points alone in a place overflowing with competitors?

Kai quickly did the math in his head.

According to my brilliant brain... there's a 94.18% chance that’s impossible!

No matter how hard a single player fought, accumulating 1,000 points was nearly impossible.

But for Kai, who knew about the existence of the Orc Sorcerer, that wasn’t the case.

If it's me, it's possible.

Kai's confidence was founded on that very reason. Of course, he had no intention of neglecting orc hunting, relying solely on that possibility. As seamlessly as mixing water with water, or liquor with liquor, Kai acted inconspicuously, blending in like a common warrior roaming the streets.

Just then, that was when it happened.

"Wait...! I see it, I can see it!"

"See what exactly?"

"I see the orc village!"

The expedition, proud of its long procession, suddenly stopped for the first time since its departure. The sound of footsteps that had been shaking the ground disappeared, and the players craned their necks to look ahead.

Kai was no exception.

It’s the orc village...!

The orc village was the home and village of all orcs spawning around Glendale! The village was surrounded by sharply pointed wooden stakes driven into the ground. Moreover, near the entrance, hundreds of unknown bones were hanging. Although somewhat primitive in construction, it appeared all the more threatening because of it.

"That’s really pressuring."

Additionally, looking from the outside, its size seemed no less significant than that of Frica Village.

...So this size represents merely a village?

According to a few historians on the online community, orcs supposedly had a real kingdom, not just villages. Though no one knew where it was, it was a kingdom of true warriors that all orcs believed in!

"If such a place really exists, I'd like to visit it someday."

After concluding his thoughts, he lightly stretched his body.

Let's focus on the task at hand for now. My current goal is....

It was the Orc Sorcerer living within that village. The Orc Sorcerer was Kai's target.

Kai checked his condition.

I slept well yesterday, and this morning's bowel movement was spectacular. Needless to say, my condition is at its best!

Additionally, reaching the orc village without any harm was crucial. If Kai hadn’t been part of the expedition and attempted to reach this location alone, he would have encountered dozens... no, hundreds of orc groups because the Orc Grasslands were swarming with orc moving in groups! However, without their leader, these small orc groups dared not challenge the expedition. Because of this, their journey here had been as comfortable as riding in the backseat of a limousine.

"But from now on, it won't be as easy."

Just as his anxiety grew a bit bigger, the expedition leader raised their hand.

"Orc village spotted ahead! Expedition force, prepare for battle!"

"Whoooo!"

The players, itching for action, showcased their confidence as they found the chance to satisfy that itchiness.

"Man, I thought I was going to die of boredom."

"Healer, drop the beat... no, I mean, buff me up!"

"Alright, doping to the max! Let's have some fun!"

The players were instantly excited by the heat of battle!

From their point of view, black dots continuously poured out of the orc village. As those dots drew closer, the peoples’ expressions began to subtly change.

"...Huh? What are those? Ants?"

"Why would ants come out from the orc village?"

"Hold on. Let me check. Eagle Eye!" One of the Archers used a skill to enhance their vision. Their mouth fell open. They shouted almost like a scream, "Shit! There are orcs!"

"Well, it's the Orc Grasslands, so of course there would be orcs."

"That’s not what I mean! Those black dots are all orcs!"

As the Archer shouted, all nearby players' eyes widened.

"What? Holy shit!"

"All of those are orcs!? You've got to be kidding!"

The number of orcs alone was enough to make the exclamation of madness slip out! The overwhelming number had the players screaming in unison. A rough estimate counted at least 1000!

But their screams were not out of fear.

"This is insane, for real! So all those are expedition points?"

"Points are literally rolling toward us!"

"Jackpot! First come, first served!"

"So this is what true rounding up for a hunt is like!"

That was true. Most players affiliated with the expedition were capable of easily hunting orcs! Moreover, with the solid support of the strong local soldiers behind them, there was no reason to be afraid.

The expedition leader raised their sword high and shouted, "All troops, begin the conquest!"

Then the sound of a war horn was heard.

[You have heard the sound of the war horn.]

[All stats increased by 5% for 3 hours.]

"Whooooo!"

"Ice Arrow!"

"Knight's Oath!"

"Blessing of the Breeze!"

Orcs and humans clashed in an instant! The scene of both forces coming together, each aiming for the other's life, appeared quite fierce. However, upon closer inspection, the battlefield was overwhelmingly dominated by the expedition!

I can't just stand by. It's a perfect chance to improve my swordsmanship skill proficiency.

Kai began hunting orcs in a corner to be unnoticed by others.

[+1 Swordsmanship of the Dawn proficiency.]

[+1 Swordsmanship of the Dawn proficiency.]

[+1 Swordsmanship of the Dawn proficiency.]

His skill proficiency grew as quickly as beansprouts grew!

As Kai was enthusiastically swinging his sword, he suddenly stopped.

"Hm?"

The sensation of goosebumps arose all over his body. It was a feeling similar to when he first encountered Fermi's poison.

I don't know why, but something’s dangerous!

Instinctively sensing a threat, Kai spun around like a top.

Bzzzt.

What he saw was a Lightning Arrow flying toward him!

At that moment, Kai secretly said, "Flood of Blades."

Swoosh!

With the casting of the skill, his sword shot out like a flash of light. His wrist automatically rotated, adding rotational force to the sword!

Boom!

Merely swinging the sword resulted in a booming noise as the air exploded with the sound, dissipating the Lightning Arrow like smoke.

Kai's gaze settled deep like a still lake.

The Orc Sorcerer wouldn't show up in the first battle, and normal orcs can't use magic. So what was that?

Kai quickly turned his head toward the direction the attack had come from. He then locked eyes with a single Wizard.

Looking shocked, the Wizard hurriedly turned their head away.

Kai glared at the back of the Wizard's head.

That person, did they attack me on purpose...?

"Die, human!

Huff, puff!

"

While Kai was momentarily distracted, an orc attacked him from behind! The orc’s giant ax ferociously fell, aiming to split Kai in two.

𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

Of course, Kai, who had even defeated Fermi, was not about to let a regular orc hit him.

"Shut up. You're spitting too much."

Kai slashed through the orc, and as it was disintegrating into polygons, Kai walked toward the Wizard he had locked eyes with.

"Excuse me. What was that just now?"

"Pardon?"

"Lightning Arrow. That was you, right?"

"Oh... that," the Wizard, upon seeing Kai's face, nodded. "Sorry about that. My spell mistakenly flew off target."

The Wizard readily admitted their mistake!

Faced with such an upfront response, Kai found himself at a loss for words. How could he rebuke someone who admitted and was openly apologizing for their mistake?

To make matters worse, people began to gather around.

"What's going on, a fight?"

"What happened?"

"I don't know. That Warrior was questioning the Wizard."

Kai, realizing nothing good would come from drawing attention, sighed first. "...Since you say it was a mistake, let's leave it at that. Just be more careful next time."

"Right, I will."

The Wizard's attitude seemed confident for no reason, but Kai had already gotten an apology. Perhaps it was because of that attitude, but Kai easily forgave them.

Seeing they apologized, it seems there was no ill intent.

Such mistakes were, in fact, common even while party hunting. In

MID Online

, all skills were fundamentally non-targeted. In short, the accuracy of ranged classes like Archers and Wizards was terribly poor! Of course, there were skills to adjust their accuracy, but that didn't mean an attack aimed at the ground would fly off into the sky.

People make mistakes.

Kai, who had a big heart and forgave the Wizard, quickly left the scene before attracting more attention. And because of that, he didn't notice the Wizard's gaze fixed on the back of his head.