“Commander Chamber!”
The faces of the men turned pale.
“No, this can’t be.”
It was unthinkable. Who could defeat their commander, Chamber?
He was the strategic figure who raised the once-inconspicuous Scorpion Mercenary Corps to its current position.
A true expert who could sense mana and unleash aura, a rare A-class mercenary.
But now, their esteemed leader had fallen to an orc, and in a single strike!
However, what was even more shocking:
“Oh, mana.”
An orc using Mana!
Moreover, with such precise skill.
One of the men pinched his cheek, then quickly realized it wasn’t a dream.
The confidence of the men crumbled. This was not their opponent. If even their commander fell in one blow, how could they face them?
The greed on their faces vanished, replaced by fear.
“You dared to covet our goods, which we rightfully bought and paid for. That alone is unforgivable. Yet, you dared to insult and belittle us. You dragged our honor through the mud. For these sins, you shall repay with your lives.”
Chaku declared emotionlessly, then raised his axe.
It was the signal to attack.
Soon, the other orcs drew their axes.
“Damn!”
“Run!”
The men scattered in all directions, even abandoning their belongings.
“Heh.”
Chaku chuckled at the absurdity of it all.
“Pathetic humans without the qualifications of a warrior. Well, a true warrior with honor wouldn’t behave like that.”
As Chaku gestured, the orcs charged.
Even if they tried to escape, they couldn’t outrun the swift orc bodies.
Being caught by the orc’s grip was a matter of moments.
“Aah!”
“S-save me!”
The massacre began. Orc axes danced, and the annihilation was swift.
“······.”
Silence fell over the scene.
Chaku, covered in blood, calmly observed the blood-stained alley. From his belt, he took out a small throwing axe and threw it effortlessly.
Swoosh!
Thunk!
“Argh!”
A man hiding in a pile of trash fell, bleeding. He was the last remaining human.
“Chaku, one human managed to escape.”
“I know.”
The human’s body suddenly turned transparent, making him elusive. Perhaps he was a mage or had used a one-time use magic scroll.
He likely went to report to the city guards. It was predictable. Chaku had faced such foes more than once.
“This might get troublesome.”
If the human guards intervened, it would be tiring. They might try to detain them, delaying their escape.
Thinking this, Chaku calmly gave the order.
“Quickly gather the goods. We need to move fast.”
“Understood.”
The orcs moved swiftly. As they were about to grab all their belongings and make a quick escape, a clattering sound approached from the other side.
It was the city guards of the Free City of Aren.
“We found them!”
Soldiers approached, holding their spears defensively.
“Damn. They’re fast.”
Chaku muttered to himself unheard.
*
The bloodshed did not escalate further. Chaku, having frequently ventured into the human world, had quite a bit of experience in clashing with human armies. Drawing from that experience, he adeptly calmed down the orcs who were reaching for their axes with hostile intent.
Firstly, he quietly moved towards the guard building. The guard captain emerged, and the interrogation began.
“Hey, you. What happened?”
“Well, you see…”
A surviving Scorpion Mercenary stumbled forward, explaining the situation hesitantly. They were trying to leave the city after taking on a contract as usual when suddenly the orcs blocked their way and attacked.
The mercenary’s expression as he explained was grim. He spoke very convincingly. If one didn’t know the situation, they would undoubtedly fall for it.
“…So, barely escaping with my life, I managed to run away. Sniff!”
The mercenary, shedding tears, grabbed the guard captain’s robe and slumped. The guard captain, seemingly annoyed, kicked the clinging mercenary away and sighed before speaking.
“I see. Orcs, confessed to your crimes. Do you really think you can harm innocent humans within the city and still survive?”
The orcs, puzzled, initially sneered but soon erupted in anger.
“Nonsense!”
“We didn’t do that!”
“Do you believe the words of that human?”
The orcs unsheathed their weapons simultaneously. How dare these brazen liars! They were ready to tear them apart without hesitation.
The atmosphere turned hostile. The guard soldiers aimed their spears and tightened the encirclement.
At this point, Chaku stepped forward.
“These humans approached us first. They looked down on us as smelly monsters, insulted our honor, tried to take away the items we rightfully purchased, and attacked us, attempting to kill us.”
Chaku’s speech was smooth and unwavering. His tone was remarkably calm. However, people felt it—the restrained anger in his voice.
“We are justified. We only defended ourselves against those who trampled on our honor. Is that a problem?”
“Ridiculous! You attacked us first…”
The mercenary stuttered, trembling. Chaku locked eyes with him.
“Human mercenary, look me in the eye and say it again. Speak those lies with your filthy mouth.”
“Uh…”
The mercenary trembled. Suddenly, his trousers fluttered, and a pungent smell filled the air. Frightened by Chaku’s gaze, the mercenary had involuntarily urinated.
“Damn it! Can’t you hold it? Someone get rid of this guy!”
“Yes!”
The guard captain cringed, pinching his nose. The soldiers quickly removed the embarrassed mercenary, and only then did the guard captain take a breath.
“Well, shit. This is getting annoying.”
The guard captain scratched his head nervously. In truth, he had been receiving quite a bit of bribe money from the Scorpion MercenariesCorps’ Commander. That’s why he initially wanted to throw all the orcs into prison and kill them.
He knew that the Scorpion Mercenaries Corps were notorious troublemakers. However, he had left them alone because the bribes from their leader were quite substantial.
But this time, it seemed he couldn’t do as he pleased.
These orcs were not to be underestimated.
All the soldiers felt the same way. They had all witnessed it. The reddish glow emanating from their axes was undoubtedly mana.
How the hell did an orc know how to use mana? That was a curiosity for later. For now, a decision had to be made.
“Damn it. These monsters know how to use mana. How the hell do we suppress them!”
Suppression was out of the question. My life would be the first to go.
The guard captain looked at the mercenary standing awkwardly with urine-soaked trousers.
“Uh, I don’t know. Anyway, those bastards are dead. I don’t know anything.”
He gave the order.
“These orcs are innocent. Let them go!”
“What? Captain! But…”
“Orcs rarely tell lies. So, what they say is true. Let’s end this situation!”
“Oh, yes!”
The soldiers quickly cleared a path.
Chaku scratched his head, surprised.
“What’s this? That was easy.”
Originally, Chaku had planned to secretly bribe the guard captain. Humans were easily swayed by money, and he knew that from experience.
It was not the orcish way to resolve things, but what could he do? He had an important mission to take care of these young orcs. As dishonorable as it was, the lives of the warriors were more important.
However, things seemed to have resolved surprisingly easily.
Chaku shrugged.
“Thank you.”
“Don’t mention it. On behalf of humans, I formally apologize to all of you.”
The guard captain bowed politely. The guard soldiers were astonished. The authoritative guard captain bowing!
“We have no intention of being hostile towards orcs. Normally, the people of Aren don’t discriminate against other races. Those who disrespected you were likely uncivilized thugs from elsewhere.”
“I see.”
“I hope our sincerity has been conveyed to you. Please, go and examine. Brave orc warriors.”
“Next time, I hope we meet under better circumstances.”
Finally, the orcs set their footsteps in motion.
“But where do you orcs live?” The guard captain asked.
“We are orcs of the Blue Axe Tribe from the Kaizen Great Forest,” Chaku replied.
And so, the orcs left the guard post.
“Ugh, darn it,” the guard captain sighed, seemingly exhausted as he slumped into his chair.
“Hey, guys, imprison that mercenary.”
“Yes!”
“Wait, Captain! P-please spare… Ugh!”
The mercenary was forcefully dragged away. The guard captain stared blankly at the distant figures of orcs, looking like dots on the horizon.
“Darn it. I can’t believe what I experienced today.”
Orcs who use scrolls – unheard of. And there were about a dozen of them.
Living this long, this was the first time he had seen such a thing.
If he were to say it, would anyone believe him? Probably just scoffed and dismissed it as a lie. That’s what happens when you tell the truth.
His mouth itched. He wanted to spread the word about these fascinating orcs he saw today.
“The Blue Axe Orc Tribe from the Kaizen Great Forest…”
For some reason, it seemed like a name he would hear again in the future. The guard captain pondered over the name for a long time.
*
The orcs who had gone to Aren returned to the village and the incident they experienced quickly spread throughout the entire tribe.
The orcs were furious.
These insolent human bastards!
Orcs didn’t have particularly positive feelings toward humans to begin with. It was because they knew how they were treated.
Within moments, public opinion among the orcs boiled like fire. The orcs cursed and despised humans as if they were about to tear them apart.
Karim calmed down the fiery atmosphere.
“Being angry isn’t good. However, the direction is wrong. Hating and resenting blindly won’t change anything. Will that improve our situation?”
“…”
The orcs fell silent at Karim’s words.
“Should we hope for our strength to improve? Or for our livelihoods to get better? No, none of that will change.”
“…”
“Think in the right direction. Think in the direction that helps our development. The reason we are ignored is that we are weak.”
The word “weak” made the orcs shiver.
“Weak. We are weak. They say there are a hundred thousand humans gathered in just one city. However, we are only a thousand. A thousand.”
“…”
“It’s not even one percent of a single city. That’s our current situation.”
It was frustrating. That’s what the orcs were feeling right now.
They were happy when the number of tribe members exceeded a thousand not too long ago. They felt stronger after sensing mana, thinking they could do anything since there were no enemies near the village.
But it was not the case.
Yes, that’s right.
Orcs are still weak.
At this moment, the arrogance that had taken root in the hearts of the orcs shattered into pieces.
“Do not direct the arrows of anger towards humans; direct them towards yourselves. Are you angry? Then become stronger. Wield your axes even more fiercely. Kill lizardmen just by yawning, easily defeat trolls and ogres.”
“…”
“Stop, and you die. We must continue to move forward. Our goal is grand, and our power is pitiful. We have a long way to go.”
“…”
“Do you understand what I’m saying?”
Nods.
The orcs nodded heavily.
*
[Changes are happening in one of your forces!]
[The Blue Axe Orc Tribe members have developed a strong determination!]
[The Blue Axe Orc Tribe members will put all their efforts into honing their skills with a deep-seated resentment for the next year!]
[For the next year, all growth rates for the Blue Axe Orc Tribe members will increase by 50%!]
“Huh?”
What?
Taehyung, who was pondering how to assist the formidable Wasp Force while watching their activities, was taken aback by the sudden system message.
“What’s going on?”
Taehyung immediately canceled the link with Gloki and returned to his room.
“All of a sudden?”
It’s not like an unattended game login reward. Why suddenly give such a gift?
‘I wonder what happened while I wasn’t looking.’
It feels like having two bodies is still not enough. Monitoring both summoned beings simultaneously is quite challenging.
At times like this, it would be great if he could split his mind in two and cover both.
He heard there’s a martial art in the Central Dimension that splits the mind into two. If he could learned that, it would be easy for Taehyung to monitor his summons.
Taehyung scratched his head with a puzzled expression but soon burst into laughter.
‘I don’t know what’s going on, but this is awesome.’
“Commander Chamber!”
The faces of the men turned pale.
“No, this can’t be.”
It was unthinkable. Who could defeat their commander, Chamber?
He was the strategic figure who raised the once-inconspicuous Scorpion Mercenary Corps to its current position.
A true expert who could sense mana and unleash aura, a rare A-class mercenary.
But now, their esteemed leader had fallen to an orc, and in a single strike!
However, what was even more shocking:
“Oh, mana.”
An orc using Mana!
Moreover, with such precise skill.
One of the men pinched his cheek, then quickly realized it wasn’t a dream.
The confidence of the men crumbled. This was not their opponent. If even their commander fell in one blow, how could they face them?
The greed on their faces vanished, replaced by fear.
“You dared to covet our goods, which we rightfully bought and paid for. That alone is unforgivable. Yet, you dared to insult and belittle us. You dragged our honor through the mud. For these sins, you shall repay with your lives.”
Chaku declared emotionlessly, then raised his axe.
It was the signal to attack.
Soon, the other orcs drew their axes.
“Damn!”
“Run!”
The men scattered in all directions, even abandoning their belongings.
“Heh.”
Chaku chuckled at the absurdity of it all.
“Pathetic humans without the qualifications of a warrior. Well, a true warrior with honor wouldn’t behave like that.”
As Chaku gestured, the orcs charged.
Even if they tried to escape, they couldn’t outrun the swift orc bodies.
Being caught by the orc’s grip was a matter of moments.
“Aah!”
“S-save me!”
The massacre began. Orc axes danced, and the annihilation was swift.
“······.”
Silence fell over the scene.
Chaku, covered in blood, calmly observed the blood-stained alley. From his belt, he took out a small throwing axe and threw it effortlessly.
Swoosh!
Thunk!
“Argh!”
A man hiding in a pile of trash fell, bleeding. He was the last remaining human.
“Chaku, one human managed to escape.”
“I know.”
The human’s body suddenly turned transparent, making him elusive. Perhaps he was a mage or had used a one-time use magic scroll.
He likely went to report to the city guards. It was predictable. Chaku had faced such foes more than once.
“This might get troublesome.”
If the human guards intervened, it would be tiring. They might try to detain them, delaying their escape.
Thinking this, Chaku calmly gave the order.
“Quickly gather the goods. We need to move fast.”
“Understood.”
The orcs moved swiftly. As they were about to grab all their belongings and make a quick escape, a clattering sound approached from the other side.
It was the city guards of the Free City of Aren.
“We found them!”
Soldiers approached, holding their spears defensively.
“Damn. They’re fast.”
Chaku muttered to himself unheard.
*
The bloodshed did not escalate further. Chaku, having frequently ventured into the human world, had quite a bit of experience in clashing with human armies. Drawing from that experience, he adeptly calmed down the orcs who were reaching for their axes with hostile intent.
Firstly, he quietly moved towards the guard building. The guard captain emerged, and the interrogation began.
“Hey, you. What happened?”
“Well, you see…”
A surviving Scorpion Mercenary stumbled forward, explaining the situation hesitantly. They were trying to leave the city after taking on a contract as usual when suddenly the orcs blocked their way and attacked.
The mercenary’s expression as he explained was grim. He spoke very convincingly. If one didn’t know the situation, they would undoubtedly fall for it.
“…So, barely escaping with my life, I managed to run away. Sniff!”
The mercenary, shedding tears, grabbed the guard captain’s robe and slumped. The guard captain, seemingly annoyed, kicked the clinging mercenary away and sighed before speaking.
“I see. Orcs, confessed to your crimes. Do you really think you can harm innocent humans within the city and still survive?”
The orcs, puzzled, initially sneered but soon erupted in anger.
“Nonsense!”
“We didn’t do that!”
“Do you believe the words of that human?”
The orcs unsheathed their weapons simultaneously. How dare these brazen liars! They were ready to tear them apart without hesitation.
The atmosphere turned hostile. The guard soldiers aimed their spears and tightened the encirclement.
At this point, Chaku stepped forward.
“These humans approached us first. They looked down on us as smelly monsters, insulted our honor, tried to take away the items we rightfully purchased, and attacked us, attempting to kill us.”
Chaku’s speech was smooth and unwavering. His tone was remarkably calm. However, people felt it—the restrained anger in his voice.
“We are justified. We only defended ourselves against those who trampled on our honor. Is that a problem?”
“Ridiculous! You attacked us first…”
The mercenary stuttered, trembling. Chaku locked eyes with him.
“Human mercenary, look me in the eye and say it again. Speak those lies with your filthy mouth.”
“Uh…”
The mercenary trembled. Suddenly, his trousers fluttered, and a pungent smell filled the air. Frightened by Chaku’s gaze, the mercenary had involuntarily urinated.
“Damn it! Can’t you hold it? Someone get rid of this guy!”
“Yes!”
The guard captain cringed, pinching his nose. The soldiers quickly removed the embarrassed mercenary, and only then did the guard captain take a breath.
“Well, shit. This is getting annoying.”
The guard captain scratched his head nervously. In truth, he had been receiving quite a bit of bribe money from the Scorpion MercenariesCorps’ Commander. That’s why he initially wanted to throw all the orcs into prison and kill them.
He knew that the Scorpion Mercenaries Corps were notorious troublemakers. However, he had left them alone because the bribes from their leader were quite substantial.
But this time, it seemed he couldn’t do as he pleased.
These orcs were not to be underestimated.
All the soldiers felt the same way. They had all witnessed it. The reddish glow emanating from their axes was undoubtedly mana.
How the hell did an orc know how to use mana? That was a curiosity for later. For now, a decision had to be made.
“Damn it. These monsters know how to use mana. How the hell do we suppress them!”
Suppression was out of the question. My life would be the first to go.
The guard captain looked at the mercenary standing awkwardly with urine-soaked trousers.
“Uh, I don’t know. Anyway, those bastards are dead. I don’t know anything.”
He gave the order.
“These orcs are innocent. Let them go!”
“What? Captain! But…”
“Orcs rarely tell lies. So, what they say is true. Let’s end this situation!”
“Oh, yes!”
The soldiers quickly cleared a path.
Chaku scratched his head, surprised.
“What’s this? That was easy.”
Originally, Chaku had planned to secretly bribe the guard captain. Humans were easily swayed by money, and he knew that from experience.
It was not the orcish way to resolve things, but what could he do? He had an important mission to take care of these young orcs. As dishonorable as it was, the lives of the warriors were more important.
However, things seemed to have resolved surprisingly easily.
Chaku shrugged.
“Thank you.”
“Don’t mention it. On behalf of humans, I formally apologize to all of you.”
The guard captain bowed politely. The guard soldiers were astonished. The authoritative guard captain bowing!
“We have no intention of being hostile towards orcs. Normally, the people of Aren don’t discriminate against other races. Those who disrespected you were likely uncivilized thugs from elsewhere.”
“I see.”
“I hope our sincerity has been conveyed to you. Please, go and examine. Brave orc warriors.”
“Next time, I hope we meet under better circumstances.”
Finally, the orcs set their footsteps in motion.
“But where do you orcs live?” The guard captain asked.
“We are orcs of the Blue Axe Tribe from the Kaizen Great Forest,” Chaku replied.
And so, the orcs left the guard post.
“Ugh, darn it,” the guard captain sighed, seemingly exhausted as he slumped into his chair.
“Hey, guys, imprison that mercenary.”
“Yes!”
“Wait, Captain! P-please spare… Ugh!”
The mercenary was forcefully dragged away. The guard captain stared blankly at the distant figures of orcs, looking like dots on the horizon.
“Darn it. I can’t believe what I experienced today.”
Orcs who use scrolls – unheard of. And there were about a dozen of them.
Living this long, this was the first time he had seen such a thing.
If he were to say it, would anyone believe him? Probably just scoffed and dismissed it as a lie. That’s what happens when you tell the truth.
His mouth itched. He wanted to spread the word about these fascinating orcs he saw today.
“The Blue Axe Orc Tribe from the Kaizen Great Forest…”
For some reason, it seemed like a name he would hear again in the future. The guard captain pondered over the name for a long time.
*
The orcs who had gone to Aren returned to the village and the incident they experienced quickly spread throughout the entire tribe.
The orcs were furious.
These insolent human bastards!
Orcs didn’t have particularly positive feelings toward humans to begin with. It was because they knew how they were treated.
Within moments, public opinion among the orcs boiled like fire. The orcs cursed and despised humans as if they were about to tear them apart.
Karim calmed down the fiery atmosphere.
“Being angry isn’t good. However, the direction is wrong. Hating and resenting blindly won’t change anything. Will that improve our situation?”
“…”
The orcs fell silent at Karim’s words.
“Should we hope for our strength to improve? Or for our livelihoods to get better? No, none of that will change.”
“…”
“Think in the right direction. Think in the direction that helps our development. The reason we are ignored is that we are weak.”
The word “weak” made the orcs shiver.
“Weak. We are weak. They say there are a hundred thousand humans gathered in just one city. However, we are only a thousand. A thousand.”
“…”
“It’s not even one percent of a single city. That’s our current situation.”
It was frustrating. That’s what the orcs were feeling right now.
They were happy when the number of tribe members exceeded a thousand not too long ago. They felt stronger after sensing mana, thinking they could do anything since there were no enemies near the village.
But it was not the case.
Yes, that’s right.
Orcs are still weak.
At this moment, the arrogance that had taken root in the hearts of the orcs shattered into pieces.
“Do not direct the arrows of anger towards humans; direct them towards yourselves. Are you angry? Then become stronger. Wield your axes even more fiercely. Kill lizardmen just by yawning, easily defeat trolls and ogres.”
“…”
“Stop, and you die. We must continue to move forward. Our goal is grand, and our power is pitiful. We have a long way to go.”
“…”
“Do you understand what I’m saying?”
Nods.
The orcs nodded heavily.
*
[Changes are happening in one of your forces!]
[The Blue Axe Orc Tribe members have developed a strong determination!]
[The Blue Axe Orc Tribe members will put all their efforts into honing their skills with a deep-seated resentment for the next year!]
[For the next year, all growth rates for the Blue Axe Orc Tribe members will increase by 50%!]
“Huh?”
What?
Taehyung, who was pondering how to assist the formidable Wasp Force while watching their activities, was taken aback by the sudden system message.
“What’s going on?”
Taehyung immediately canceled the link with Gloki and returned to his room.
“All of a sudden?”
It’s not like an unattended game login reward. Why suddenly give such a gift?
‘I wonder what happened while I wasn’t looking.’
It feels like having two bodies is still not enough. Monitoring both summoned beings simultaneously is quite challenging.
At times like this, it would be great if he could split his mind in two and cover both.
He heard there’s a martial art in the Central Dimension that splits the mind into two. If he could learned that, it would be easy for Taehyung to monitor his summons.
Taehyung scratched his head with a puzzled expression but soon burst into laughter.
‘I don’t know what’s going on, but this is awesome.’
