The situation was a complete mess.
“Block them! They’re just a few orcs! Just a few pigs! Block them!”
Swish!
“Thunk!”
Karim wiped the blood splattered on his face, obscuring his vision, from the fat man’s throat he had just slit.
“I wonder who’s calling whom a pig. The one who looks most like a pig himself.”
There was no time to stay still. The troops kept coming relentlessly.
They approached again. He swung his axe. The neck was cleanly severed without any hesitation.
Swoosh!
The relentless swinging of the axe continued. This time, he struck two simultaneously. Blood sprayed like a fountain, splattering in all directions.
The approaching troops faltered.
“M-Monster.”
“H-How do we defeat such a thing···?”
Fear filled the faces of the guards.
Who among them wanted to lose their lives?
They hesitated, taking steps back.
How could they possibly defeat such a monster?
With one blow.
All those who fell to that vicious axe died instantly. None of them could withstand two swings.
Even the renowned mercenaries of Batina were not exempt.
They watched closely. Those victorious mercenaries who had confidently attacked but ended up losing their lives futilely.
So, if they too dared to attack, they would lose their lives with one blow.
To those, Karim shouted,
“Are you humans of Afroxia? Or are you humans of Earth?”
“E-Earth?”
“T-That’s…”
The guards were bewildered. Most of them didn’t understand.
Some seemed to know, shaking their heads vigorously and denying it.
“Then there’s nothing for you here. If you’re not from this realm, leave immediately before my eyes.”
Even if they sought vengeance in blood, there was no intention to indiscriminately massacre. If that were the case, they would have brought a large force of warriors from the start.
After all, the important targets were the villains of the underworld, not the hired guards.
“Will you stop them? If you do, I won’t hesitate. But you won’t see the light of day again.”
“Eek···!”
Some soldiers turned away. As they did, the path parted like the Red Sea.
Karim strode through that gap. Passing by the main headquarters building of the Syndicate and the wide open space in the center of the Syndicate’s fence.
Footsteps echoed. It was the clinking sound of metal.
The footsteps of the guards.
“I must stain this with more blood.”
The security guard swiftly approached and pushed the window open.
“Orc. Is this all your doing?”
“And if it is?”
“Be more careful. We should avoid senseless killing, shouldn’t we?”
Karim chuckled at the words of the chief guard.
“Is that what you call it? If it were you, would you have been caught?”
“…”
“I don’t know if you believe it, but I try to avoid senseless killing as much as possible.”
“Hah, that’s amusing! Who made a mess of this place then…!”
“Don’t stop me. I won’t kill anyone innocent. The leader of the Black Snake. Just need to catch him. My grudge is only against him.”
As the chief guard hesitated, Karim spoke up.
“Promise me. I, Karim, chieftain of the Blue Axe tribe, pledge my name and honor, appearing on this land for the first time in a thousand years as the High Orc Karim, to protect. Just capture the leader, and we’ll peacefully withdraw.”
Amidst the tension, Karim’s low voice spread quietly.
The chief guard hesitated. But soon, he burst into laughter.
“Hah, you’re trying to pull a fast one, huh? What? Chieftain of some tribe? High Orc appearing after a thousand years? Spare me such nonsense!”
What nonsense he spouted, suggesting such words as if they held any weight?
It’s obvious. It’s a roundabout way to avoid this situation.
Chieftain of some tribe? Ridiculous. A chieftain of a primitive tribe that couldn’t even build a civilized society, probably.
And as for High Orcs. That’s something you’d only find in ancient history books. Whether they actually existed or not is unclear.
“Capture him immediately! If necessary, even lethal force is allowed!”
“Yes!”
The security soldiers approached. Karim clicked his tongue.
“If I had known this would happen, I should have just brought the warriors.”
He raised his head.
If they crossed the boundary and initiated an orc suppression beyond the Great Forest, it would truly be irreversible.
And Karim wasn’t a human hater. After all, his lord, Taehyung, wasn’t human. If possible, he wanted to choose coexistence with humans.
He didn’t tell his lord, but he was thinking far ahead. If he could build an empire and prosper, he wanted to continue to interact with Taehyung’s realm, Earth.
For that future, senseless killing had to be avoided as much as possible.
“There’s no other choice.”
They had to clear the way.
Jack, who had escaped, didn’t worry. Cacool and Kukool would handle it.
But he was getting impatient, more than he had thought.
The moment he brandished his axe.
“Everyone, put down your weapons!”
A deep voice of a man resounded. The chief guard’s complexion brightened as he confirmed the man.
“Sir Kirteen! How come you’re here…!”
“Chief guard. Sorry, but can you leave this to me? I think I’m much better suited to avoiding senseless killing than you.”
“Yes. Then it’s our honor to yield to you.”
Entrusting the safety of the city to others is quite a blow to one’s pride, but it’s a rare sight to witness a hero in action. What could be more valuable than that?
Watching the hero’s performance. Is there anything as precious as that?
The soldiers retreated. Sir Kirteen slowly walked forward and stood before Karim.
“…”
Sir Kirteen glanced at Karim and spoke shortly after.
“We almost had a big problem.”
“Sir Kirteen, what do you mean…?”
“We almost got slaughtered.”
“Excuse me?”
“Lucky for you. If you had attacked, you would likely all be corpses now.”
“What…?”
The complexion of the captain turned pale.
What did that mean? Did it mean that all the guards would have been killed by just that one orc?
“That’s absurd. Even so, how could…”
“Captain, you need to sharpen your judgment a bit.”
“…”
Ignoring the speechless captain, Sir Kirteen nodded lightly and said,
“Orc warrior, you’re strong. A warrior who faces the extremes of battle. I respect you. I respect your strength. But as a knight wielding a sword to protect the people, I cannot overlook this situation.”
“…”
“Warrior, could I hear the reason behind your actions?”
—
“A figure from the Black Snake attacked our tribe. Twice, in fact. My precious kin’s lives were almost lost.”
“…”
“We orcs don’t forget grudges. We repay what we receive. If we don’t retaliate against those vile beings who dared to touch our tribe not once, but twice, I would lose my honor.”
At this, the captain chuckled from behind.
“Orc! Where are you spouting lies? The Black Snake attacked you? They are just ordinary merchants!”
“Captain, please refrain from interfering.”
“What? But Sir Kirteen! That orc is clearly lying!”
“Captain, orcs rarely lie. There may be exaggeration in their words, but it must be based on truth.”
Sir Kirteen sighed softly.
‘Revenge for blood.’
The situation became clear.
Someone from the Black Snake had touched these orcs.
And they had done so twice, indicating there was likely a motive.
‘Slavery, probably.’
It was almost unknown, but Sir Kirteen knew well that the Black Snake dealt in slaves.
Inter-racial slaves were even more valuable than human slaves, and orc slaves were no exception. Orcs were strong and robust, never tiring even after a day’s work. They were popular.
Slavery was illegal. But it was undoubtedly being traded behind the scenes.
He knew it. He pretended not to know.
‘It served them right.’
It wasn’t really for that reason, but regardless, Sir Kirteen had misunderstood.
‘Tsk, tsk.’
The killing of this orc was truly justifiable. It had to be done.
But that was only by this orc’s standards.
That couldn’t be condoned.
Once he stepped forward, it became a matter of his honor.
If he sympathized with the orc’s situation here, his honor as a knight would plummet, and there would hardly be anyone left to praise him as a hero.
‘It’s a shame. So regrettable. It’s rare to see someone so strong among humans.’
Given the circumstances, he couldn’t stop now.
But even when passing judgment, he wanted to treat this strong warrior with dignity.
“Warrior, I understand your situation. And I deeply empathize. But as a knight of the kingdom, I cannot overlook those who threaten the kingdom’s safety.”
Clang!
As Sir Kirteen drew his sword, he tossed his gauntlet to the ground.
It was an implicit challenge.
“S-sir Kirteen! A duel! This orc who knows nothing of honor!”
“Yes! Why would a mere commoner like him engage in a duel…”
Sir Kirteen ignored them and spoke up.
“Orc warrior, I, Sir Kirteen, challenge you to a duel. Everyone here is a witness and second to this duel.”
“The humans of this city are nothing but cowards.”
Karim gripped his axe firmly.
“There was truly a true warrior among them.”
Karim grinned slightly.
“Very well. I, Karim, Chief of the Blue Axe Tribe, will accept your duel.”
—
In the central square of Turka, a multitude of people gathered to witness something extraordinary.
It was a duel between a knight and an orc.
Swords and axes clashed in the air. Sir Kirteen’s intense blue Mana captivated the crowd’s attention.
People naturally assumed Sir Kirteen would win. Of course. How could a knight who faced the extremes of a sword lose to an orc?
However, the situation was unfolding differently than expected.
It was truly an evenly matched battle with no retreat from either side.
Each of their fighting styles emerged distinctly. Sir Kirteen’s sword glowed with a bluish hue, while Karim’s axe was the epitome of bravery itself.
Whooosh!
The sword swung. Karim dodged. The blade drew a diagonal line through the air.
The orc’s movements seemed sluggish. How could someone of such stature move like this?
Sir Kirteen maintained a calm expression but sighed inwardly.
“Ha, the more I see, the more pitiful it becomes. How can someone fight so well without even having proper training?”
There wasn’t a true monster. Yet, Isar deflected his attacks with pure physical prowess, emanating power with every swing of his sword.
What’s truly remarkable is that Isar’s axe skills weren’t outstanding. Yet, this orc was formidable.
Perhaps the orc himself was inherently strong.
Not just a “skilled axeman” but a “skilled fighter” Isar was. He possessed a natural talent for maximizing his physical abilities to their fullest.
“I’d like to keep fighting, but…”
It’s time to end it.
The finale. He tightened his grip on the sword and exerted all his strength. Isar appeared even more imposing.
“Oh!”
“Isar’s Mana has become even stronger!”
“Such a potent and clear Mana!”
“Indeed, Sir Kirteen is exceptional!”
People behind him exclaimed in awe, but he didn’t hear them. He only focused on the orc before him.
He swung the flaming Mana. That orc would surely be cut down in no time.
However, he soon widened his eyes.
“Honorable human knight, it was a pleasure dueling with you. But it’s time to end it. My kin awaits.”
He smiled and raised his axe, from which a gleaming beam emanated.
“Oh, Mana.”
“The orc has mana!”
“How is this possible? How can an orc… No, could he have been hiding that power until now?”
The sword and axe drew closer.
As they were about to clash…
Karim’s wrist subtly twisted.
The direction of Karim’s axe veered off, hitting not the blade but the handle of the sword.
Crack!
The sword shattered and fell to the ground.
“…”
The square fell silent.
Sir Kirteen, who had lost his grip on the sword, looked at Karim with shaking eyes.
“Honorable human knight, it was truly an enjoyable match. While it’s customary to end an enemy’s life, I do not wish to kill you. I do not see you as an enemy.”
“…”
“A battle with a strong opponent is always enjoyable. Someday, I’d like to invite you to our tribe. Until then.”
Karim picked up his axe and calmly walked through the frozen square.
“…”
Sir Kirteen could only stare blankly at his retreating figure.
***
It’s unclear how things turned out like this. But one thing is certain: that orc is truly a formidable monster.
“Ha, what terrible timing. Why now of all times?”
Jack gritted his teeth.
With the entire underworld on Earth, why did an unbearable enemy have to show up now?
“Why didn’t my mental intrusion work?”
He tried it several times on others, and it worked every time.
It was just that the orc was particularly resistant.
If his skill didn’t work, Jack had no means to defeat the orc.
He was an Awakener but not a combatant. His abilities were strictly for support.
“I guess I’ll have to go to Earth.”
It was a quick decision.
Life was more important than anything else. He intended to join his comrades.
“Ha, it’s going to be a long journey.”
He hurried on his way, intending to leave the city behind.
But…
“Oh, fascinating. Is this the power of magic?”
He had to stop at the sound of voices ahead.
“Aren’t you impressed, Kukul?”
“Indeed. Just tearing the scroll allowed us to locate the human’s position.”
“I wish our orc had a mage.”
“When we meet the chief later, we should thank him for this.”
“Agreed.”
The two orcs looked at Jack.
“Why are you so late?”
“We’ve been waiting for a while.”
The two orcs smiled broadly.
The situation was a complete mess.
“Block them! They’re just a few orcs! Just a few pigs! Block them!”
Swish!
“Thunk!”
Karim wiped the blood splattered on his face, obscuring his vision, from the fat man’s throat he had just slit.
“I wonder who’s calling whom a pig. The one who looks most like a pig himself.”
There was no time to stay still. The troops kept coming relentlessly.
They approached again. He swung his axe. The neck was cleanly severed without any hesitation.
Swoosh!
The relentless swinging of the axe continued. This time, he struck two simultaneously. Blood sprayed like a fountain, splattering in all directions.
The approaching troops faltered.
“M-Monster.”
“H-How do we defeat such a thing···?”
Fear filled the faces of the guards.
Who among them wanted to lose their lives?
They hesitated, taking steps back.
How could they possibly defeat such a monster?
With one blow.
All those who fell to that vicious axe died instantly. None of them could withstand two swings.
Even the renowned mercenaries of Batina were not exempt.
They watched closely. Those victorious mercenaries who had confidently attacked but ended up losing their lives futilely.
So, if they too dared to attack, they would lose their lives with one blow.
To those, Karim shouted,
“Are you humans of Afroxia? Or are you humans of Earth?”
“E-Earth?”
“T-That’s…”
The guards were bewildered. Most of them didn’t understand.
Some seemed to know, shaking their heads vigorously and denying it.
“Then there’s nothing for you here. If you’re not from this realm, leave immediately before my eyes.”
Even if they sought vengeance in blood, there was no intention to indiscriminately massacre. If that were the case, they would have brought a large force of warriors from the start.
After all, the important targets were the villains of the underworld, not the hired guards.
“Will you stop them? If you do, I won’t hesitate. But you won’t see the light of day again.”
“Eek···!”
Some soldiers turned away. As they did, the path parted like the Red Sea.
Karim strode through that gap. Passing by the main headquarters building of the Syndicate and the wide open space in the center of the Syndicate’s fence.
Footsteps echoed. It was the clinking sound of metal.
The footsteps of the guards.
“I must stain this with more blood.”
The security guard swiftly approached and pushed the window open.
“Orc. Is this all your doing?”
“And if it is?”
“Be more careful. We should avoid senseless killing, shouldn’t we?”
Karim chuckled at the words of the chief guard.
“Is that what you call it? If it were you, would you have been caught?”
“…”
“I don’t know if you believe it, but I try to avoid senseless killing as much as possible.”
“Hah, that’s amusing! Who made a mess of this place then…!”
“Don’t stop me. I won’t kill anyone innocent. The leader of the Black Snake. Just need to catch him. My grudge is only against him.”
As the chief guard hesitated, Karim spoke up.
“Promise me. I, Karim, chieftain of the Blue Axe tribe, pledge my name and honor, appearing on this land for the first time in a thousand years as the High Orc Karim, to protect. Just capture the leader, and we’ll peacefully withdraw.”
Amidst the tension, Karim’s low voice spread quietly.
The chief guard hesitated. But soon, he burst into laughter.
“Hah, you’re trying to pull a fast one, huh? What? Chieftain of some tribe? High Orc appearing after a thousand years? Spare me such nonsense!”
What nonsense he spouted, suggesting such words as if they held any weight?
It’s obvious. It’s a roundabout way to avoid this situation.
Chieftain of some tribe? Ridiculous. A chieftain of a primitive tribe that couldn’t even build a civilized society, probably.
And as for High Orcs. That’s something you’d only find in ancient history books. Whether they actually existed or not is unclear.
“Capture him immediately! If necessary, even lethal force is allowed!”
“Yes!”
The security soldiers approached. Karim clicked his tongue.
“If I had known this would happen, I should have just brought the warriors.”
He raised his head.
If they crossed the boundary and initiated an orc suppression beyond the Great Forest, it would truly be irreversible.
And Karim wasn’t a human hater. After all, his lord, Taehyung, wasn’t human. If possible, he wanted to choose coexistence with humans.
He didn’t tell his lord, but he was thinking far ahead. If he could build an empire and prosper, he wanted to continue to interact with Taehyung’s realm, Earth.
For that future, senseless killing had to be avoided as much as possible.
“There’s no other choice.”
They had to clear the way.
Jack, who had escaped, didn’t worry. Cacool and Kukool would handle it.
But he was getting impatient, more than he had thought.
The moment he brandished his axe.
“Everyone, put down your weapons!”
A deep voice of a man resounded. The chief guard’s complexion brightened as he confirmed the man.
“Sir Kirteen! How come you’re here…!”
“Chief guard. Sorry, but can you leave this to me? I think I’m much better suited to avoiding senseless killing than you.”
“Yes. Then it’s our honor to yield to you.”
Entrusting the safety of the city to others is quite a blow to one’s pride, but it’s a rare sight to witness a hero in action. What could be more valuable than that?
Watching the hero’s performance. Is there anything as precious as that?
The soldiers retreated. Sir Kirteen slowly walked forward and stood before Karim.
“…”
Sir Kirteen glanced at Karim and spoke shortly after.
“We almost had a big problem.”
“Sir Kirteen, what do you mean…?”
“We almost got slaughtered.”
“Excuse me?”
“Lucky for you. If you had attacked, you would likely all be corpses now.”
“What…?”
The complexion of the captain turned pale.
What did that mean? Did it mean that all the guards would have been killed by just that one orc?
“That’s absurd. Even so, how could…”
“Captain, you need to sharpen your judgment a bit.”
“…”
Ignoring the speechless captain, Sir Kirteen nodded lightly and said,
“Orc warrior, you’re strong. A warrior who faces the extremes of battle. I respect you. I respect your strength. But as a knight wielding a sword to protect the people, I cannot overlook this situation.”
“…”
“Warrior, could I hear the reason behind your actions?”
—
“A figure from the Black Snake attacked our tribe. Twice, in fact. My precious kin’s lives were almost lost.”
“…”
“We orcs don’t forget grudges. We repay what we receive. If we don’t retaliate against those vile beings who dared to touch our tribe not once, but twice, I would lose my honor.”
At this, the captain chuckled from behind.
“Orc! Where are you spouting lies? The Black Snake attacked you? They are just ordinary merchants!”
“Captain, please refrain from interfering.”
“What? But Sir Kirteen! That orc is clearly lying!”
“Captain, orcs rarely lie. There may be exaggeration in their words, but it must be based on truth.”
Sir Kirteen sighed softly.
‘Revenge for blood.’
The situation became clear.
Someone from the Black Snake had touched these orcs.
And they had done so twice, indicating there was likely a motive.
‘Slavery, probably.’
It was almost unknown, but Sir Kirteen knew well that the Black Snake dealt in slaves.
Inter-racial slaves were even more valuable than human slaves, and orc slaves were no exception. Orcs were strong and robust, never tiring even after a day’s work. They were popular.
Slavery was illegal. But it was undoubtedly being traded behind the scenes.
He knew it. He pretended not to know.
‘It served them right.’
It wasn’t really for that reason, but regardless, Sir Kirteen had misunderstood.
‘Tsk, tsk.’
The killing of this orc was truly justifiable. It had to be done.
But that was only by this orc’s standards.
That couldn’t be condoned.
Once he stepped forward, it became a matter of his honor.
If he sympathized with the orc’s situation here, his honor as a knight would plummet, and there would hardly be anyone left to praise him as a hero.
‘It’s a shame. So regrettable. It’s rare to see someone so strong among humans.’
Given the circumstances, he couldn’t stop now.
But even when passing judgment, he wanted to treat this strong warrior with dignity.
“Warrior, I understand your situation. And I deeply empathize. But as a knight of the kingdom, I cannot overlook those who threaten the kingdom’s safety.”
Clang!
As Sir Kirteen drew his sword, he tossed his gauntlet to the ground.
It was an implicit challenge.
“S-sir Kirteen! A duel! This orc who knows nothing of honor!”
“Yes! Why would a mere commoner like him engage in a duel…”
Sir Kirteen ignored them and spoke up.
“Orc warrior, I, Sir Kirteen, challenge you to a duel. Everyone here is a witness and second to this duel.”
“The humans of this city are nothing but cowards.”
Karim gripped his axe firmly.
“There was truly a true warrior among them.”
Karim grinned slightly.
“Very well. I, Karim, Chief of the Blue Axe Tribe, will accept your duel.”
—
In the central square of Turka, a multitude of people gathered to witness something extraordinary.
It was a duel between a knight and an orc.
Swords and axes clashed in the air. Sir Kirteen’s intense blue Mana captivated the crowd’s attention.
People naturally assumed Sir Kirteen would win. Of course. How could a knight who faced the extremes of a sword lose to an orc?
However, the situation was unfolding differently than expected.
It was truly an evenly matched battle with no retreat from either side.
Each of their fighting styles emerged distinctly. Sir Kirteen’s sword glowed with a bluish hue, while Karim’s axe was the epitome of bravery itself.
Whooosh!
The sword swung. Karim dodged. The blade drew a diagonal line through the air.
The orc’s movements seemed sluggish. How could someone of such stature move like this?
Sir Kirteen maintained a calm expression but sighed inwardly.
“Ha, the more I see, the more pitiful it becomes. How can someone fight so well without even having proper training?”
There wasn’t a true monster. Yet, Isar deflected his attacks with pure physical prowess, emanating power with every swing of his sword.
What’s truly remarkable is that Isar’s axe skills weren’t outstanding. Yet, this orc was formidable.
Perhaps the orc himself was inherently strong.
Not just a “skilled axeman” but a “skilled fighter” Isar was. He possessed a natural talent for maximizing his physical abilities to their fullest.
“I’d like to keep fighting, but…”
It’s time to end it.
The finale. He tightened his grip on the sword and exerted all his strength. Isar appeared even more imposing.
“Oh!”
“Isar’s Mana has become even stronger!”
“Such a potent and clear Mana!”
“Indeed, Sir Kirteen is exceptional!”
People behind him exclaimed in awe, but he didn’t hear them. He only focused on the orc before him.
He swung the flaming Mana. That orc would surely be cut down in no time.
However, he soon widened his eyes.
“Honorable human knight, it was a pleasure dueling with you. But it’s time to end it. My kin awaits.”
He smiled and raised his axe, from which a gleaming beam emanated.
“Oh, Mana.”
“The orc has mana!”
“How is this possible? How can an orc… No, could he have been hiding that power until now?”
The sword and axe drew closer.
As they were about to clash…
Karim’s wrist subtly twisted.
The direction of Karim’s axe veered off, hitting not the blade but the handle of the sword.
Crack!
The sword shattered and fell to the ground.
“…”
The square fell silent.
Sir Kirteen, who had lost his grip on the sword, looked at Karim with shaking eyes.
“Honorable human knight, it was truly an enjoyable match. While it’s customary to end an enemy’s life, I do not wish to kill you. I do not see you as an enemy.”
“…”
“A battle with a strong opponent is always enjoyable. Someday, I’d like to invite you to our tribe. Until then.”
Karim picked up his axe and calmly walked through the frozen square.
“…”
Sir Kirteen could only stare blankly at his retreating figure.
***
It’s unclear how things turned out like this. But one thing is certain: that orc is truly a formidable monster.
“Ha, what terrible timing. Why now of all times?”
Jack gritted his teeth.
With the entire underworld on Earth, why did an unbearable enemy have to show up now?
“Why didn’t my mental intrusion work?”
He tried it several times on others, and it worked every time.
It was just that the orc was particularly resistant.
If his skill didn’t work, Jack had no means to defeat the orc.
He was an Awakener but not a combatant. His abilities were strictly for support.
“I guess I’ll have to go to Earth.”
It was a quick decision.
Life was more important than anything else. He intended to join his comrades.
“Ha, it’s going to be a long journey.”
He hurried on his way, intending to leave the city behind.
But…
“Oh, fascinating. Is this the power of magic?”
He had to stop at the sound of voices ahead.
“Aren’t you impressed, Kukul?”
“Indeed. Just tearing the scroll allowed us to locate the human’s position.”
“I wish our orc had a mage.”
“When we meet the chief later, we should thank him for this.”
“Agreed.”
The two orcs looked at Jack.
“Why are you so late?”
“We’ve been waiting for a while.”
The two orcs smiled broadly.
