NSE-Chapter 28

Chapter 28

The Chimeras’ gazes turned menacing.

―Necromancer. You have made a foolish judgment. You too shall be disposed of.

The guys’ pincers clacked.

Just then.

[The Orcs witness a hero!]

[The Orcs were deeply moved by your courage!]

[They are freed from their learned fear!]

[A spirit of resistance dwells in their hearts!]

―Snort! Urkan doesn’t abandon brother!

Urkan was the first to stick by his side.

The heavy axe blade gleamed chillingly.

The Orcs raised their axes one by one.

Before long, every Orc in the village began glaring menacingly at the Chimeras.

―Snort! Great warrior! We follow!

―We, not vermin!

―Evil monsters! We kill!

―Kill them.

The Chimera pack clacked their heavy pincers. Long spider legs trod upon the snow-covered ground.

The Chimeras began to swarm in.

“Let’s go! Brothers!”

―Orc! Orc!

Kim Min-woo and the Orc horde charged out as well.

Just before the distance closed like that, he summoned Skeletons beneath the guys’ feet.

Pure-white hands wildly grabbed at dozens of spider legs.

The charging guys’ speed dropped slightly.

‘Take out the commander first.’

He summoned Cedric and the Mage horde. The Chimera with the largest frame.

The guy’s pincer was swung wide.

He dug into the ground as if sliding.

His body slid under the guy’s torso.

A torso with eight legs stuck on thickly.

He raised his sword up toward it with all his might.

[Title ‘Hunter of the Strong’ is activated!]

[Damage increases by 10%!]

Damage increase against monsters with a Level difference of 200 or more.

As that effect activated, the sword, which dug deep into the vulnerable skin underneath, began to draw a straight line across the guy’s torso.

Purple fluid burst out.

―Kraaagh!

The Chimera screamed at the pain felt from below.

Before it could even regroup, Cedric thrust his spear.

[Using Dragon’s Strike(S)!]

The enormous energy gathered over the spear struck the Chimera’s arm.

Bang!

The guy’s ordeal didn’t end there.

―Snort! Die!

Urkan, eyes burning bright red, slammed his axe down, boom-boom.

A B-rank Chimera and a D-rank Orc.

Normally, there should be no way for the Chimera to be pushed back.

But Urkan was different.

The guy was a boss monster.

He was clearly displaying his might even against Chimeras.

With each ferocious swing of the axe, pincers were dented all over.

The joint assault of Cedric and Urkan.

On top of Kim Min-woo’s sword strikes attacking the underside of the torso, even the offensive of the Mages, who had taken position behind before they knew it and begun pouring out magic.

It took only an instant for the commander’s body to turn to rags.

Kim Min-woo, who had slipped out to the back before he knew it, stepped on the Chimera’s torso.

He leapt up with all his might, took position at its back, and.

He drove his sword deep into the guy’s neck.

Kweweek!

The Chimera, staggering while gripping its neck as a fountain of blood burst out, slumped to the ground with a thud.

The Chimera collapsing limply.

[Your Level increases!]

[The Skeletons’ combat experience…….]

[The Skeleton Mages’ combat experience…….]

He looked at the remaining Chimeras.

Orcs and Skeletons were clinging on from all sides and launching attacks.

The Chimera pack did not stay idle either. Orcs and Skeletons caught in the giant pincers were split in half, side by side on good terms.

Thanks to the Death Lord’s effect, the Skeletons revived, but the Orcs couldn’t come back to life.

But the revived Skeletons weren’t faring well either.

He saw one of the legs kick it away with a whump, and its summoning being canceled.

“Urkan! Cedric!”

―I shall go.

―Snort! I kill!

The human, the Undead, and the Orcs joined the battle once more.

* * *

“Phew.”

The Chimera pack, collapsed with their limbs smashed.

Even though he’d had the Skeletons act as shields in their own way, the Orcs’ sacrifice was great.

Because nearly thirty Orcs had been ground down in a single battle.

‘Three Levels from a single battle, huh.’

Even though he’d shared the Experience with the Orcs who fought alongside him, it was this much.

It was an indicator of how strong Chimeras were.

Just then.

Urkan approached his side.

The guy, scratching his head, said.

―……Big Brother. Thank you. Without you, we all die. Thanks to you, only this many died.

“It’s the same on my side. We survived because you, Urkan, found the courage.”

If these guys hadn’t found their courage, he’d have had to chug doping Potions like water. If that piled up a few times, addiction would set in. Since that had been prevented in advance, the Orcs’ role could be called great.

It was when he gave the guy’s shoulder a few pats.

[Urkan’s Favorability greatly increases!]

[Urkan begins to regard you as a ‘true brother’!]

[Now Urkan will jump into fire if you command it!]

Loyalty test passed.

He looked at the message with a satisfied heart. Soon, the Orcs began moving the Chimera corpses onto the bonfire.

―Snort! Tasty meat! Meat!

―Want to eat fast! Hungry!

The Orcs began roasting the Chimeras, drooling heavily. Being thoroughly omnivorous, Chimeras too would be just a meal to them.

Sizzle-sizzle!

After roasting the Chimeras as if cooking ordinary meat.

Urkan snapped off the Chimera leader’s head with his axe.

―Snort! Big Brother! This is the tastiest! I yield it to Big Brother!

Whether he truly thought so, Urkan’s eyes as he handed it over were dripping with lingering reluctance.

“……You eat plenty. Your big brother isn’t hungry.”

―……Snort! Then I’ll eat this!

The Orcs began wolfing down the Chimera meat.

It was somehow a poignant sight.

‘Not that I can take out my own food, either.’

He could probably settle it that way for about a month. He had, after all, brought a considerable amount of food in his Spatial Ring.

But that wasn’t a fundamental solution. Later, an ending where he starved to death on good terms with these guys would come.

Unless it was truly urgent, it was better to save it for now.

Fortunately, the Chimeras had large bodies.

Enough for around a hundred Orcs to eat their fill.

With this, they could probably keep their strength up for a day or two.

In the meantime, he looked over the Titles he’d obtained this time.

[New Title List]

[1. Brother of the Ice Forest Orcs]

[Became a brother of the Ice Forest Orcs.]

[Effect: Orcs’ Favorability rises slightly faster]

[2. One Who Walks the Path of a Hero]

[Chose an option full of trials. If you succeed, the true effect may be revealed.]

[Effect: ???]

‘Not bad.’

A Title that quickly raised Favorability was usable now that he was moving with the Orcs, and.

One Who Walks the Path of a Hero seemed like a Title with a jackpot guaranteed if he succeeded.

Next, he looked over the Gate’s changed difficulty.

‘B-rank, huh…….’

It had jumped two tiers in one go, from D to B. The average Level of B-rank Gate monsters was between 251 and 350.

It was a difficulty where guys like the Orc Royal Guards he’d seen in the Death Lord’s Trial would appear like packs of dogs.

Probably, by taking the Orcs’ side, the Gate’s inner clear objective had changed.

That would be a sign that it was that difficult.

‘At least it’s not S.’

In S-rank Gates, the monsters’ average Level starts from 500.

No matter how much he was the world’s number one gamer, what can’t be done can’t be done.

You have to know how to tell confidence from reckless bravado.

If it had been S, he’d have immediately moved to find the Middle Zone.

In that case, leaving first and thinking afterward would have been right.

But if it was around B-rank, it was different.

It would be hard, sure, but a level where it couldn’t be said he couldn’t clear it if he gave it everything he had.

It was doable.

‘Now, I have to decide on the direction to go.’

Fortunately, there was a sage who could show the way at times like this.

He approached the old Orc, whose mouth was full of grease.

“Bektar. At this rate, we’ll starve to death. Is there no way to get food?”

At those words, Bektar, who had been crunching on a spider leg, said.

―Snort. Two plans come to mind.

“Tell me.”

―The first is hunting. There are monsters that survived even in the cold weather. If we hunt those, we will not go hungry for a while. However, it is dangerous.

He nodded.

If hunting had been easy, the Orcs here would have eaten them all long ago.

They’d probably be monsters far stronger than Orcs.

It was a stopgap, but he’d found one way for now, and.

“What’s the second way?”

―……Snort, to resolve the cause of this cold.

“The cause? What is it?”

―The Ice Dragon handed the Witch the Essence of Winter. The Witch split it and planted it all over the continent. And she built fortresses over them.

[You acquire the Keyword ‘Essence of Winter.’]

[You acquire the Keyword ‘Fortress.’]

“If I deal with the Essence inside a fortress, you’re saying this weather could clear up too?”

―Snort, that is so. At least the cold in this northern region will be resolved. It will turn once more into a land where life frolics.

“Tell me everything you know about the fortress.”

―The fortress is guarded by an Apostle, the Witch’s subordinate. The Apostle’s power is terrifying. This northern region is…… the domain of the Apostle Velitas.

[You acquire the Keyword ‘Apostle Velitas.’]

“Besides the Apostle, are there many underlings too?”

―Many. Corpse Collectors, Dark Mages, Necromancers, Wraith Warriors, and so on…… The fortress is a place full of the energy of death.

He felt like he was starting to get the picture.

‘Those Apostle guys can probably be seen as a kind of mid-boss.’

On top of that, break through a fortress full of even subordinates, then extract or destroy the tightly hidden Essence.

If that happened, the weather might clear and the Gate’s clear condition might be met.

Just then.

Bektar, scraping his teeth clean with a spider claw, said.

―Snort. Great warrior. The Corpse Collectors are dead. Before long, the Apostle’s subordinates, sensing something wrong, will swarm in.

“You’re calm for someone saying that.”

―From the moment we stood against them, we resolved to die. And…….

Bektar’s eyes grew grave.

―I do not think a great warrior like you will easily die in a place like this. We will follow you and resist the Witch. Until this life runs out and fades away!

[You acquire the Keyword ‘Resistance Army Establishment’!]

[From now on, you can nurture the Resistance Army.]

[The Resistance Army will fight alongside you against the Witch and the Ice Dragon.]

[However, be careful.]

[The more the Resistance Army grows in strength, the more the Witch and the Ice Dragon will watch you.]

[Current Resistance Army Strength]

[Leader: Kim Min-woo]

[Members: Human 1, Orcs 102]

[Rating: Naive Primitives]

[Average Level: 121]

[Food Situation: Not so good]

[Morale: Burning with fighting spirit]

[Enemy Alert Level: 0 (They don’t even know the Resistance Army exists yet)]

Only now had the way to clear this Gate become clear.

‘It’s a faction fight, huh?’

Grow the Resistance Army and raise the average Level. After nurturing it like that, it’s a structure where you smash head-on into the Apostle.

Since he’d said the Apostle’s subordinates would come at intervals, he’d have to overcome that too.

One thing that was certain for now.

‘With 102 Orcs, I can’t do anything.’

It wasn’t for nothing that they said numbers beat everything.

A bulk-up was needed.

“Are there other Orcs near here besides you guys?”

―Snort. Small tribes, there are a few. We compete for food every time.

He looked at the Orcs finishing their meal. Orcs sucking on the bones, smacking, as if reluctant.

He shouted at them.

“If you’re done eating, grab your tools! We’re going to hit the Orcs in the next village over!”

―Snort? A fight?

―Snort! I join too!

The Orcs, eyes gleaming, picked up their axes.