Surviving in a Damn Fantasy World

An Orc Champion with a physique closer to a troll than an orc, oddly equipped with six arms.

Despite his seemingly brutish appearance, his charging speed was incredibly fast.

“All mercenaries, except the new recruit and Jeven, move up.”

“Yes, yes!”

Drawing his sword again, he spoke to the mercenaries.

With that level of momentum, it’s clear that silver-ranked mercenaries would be swept away in an instant.

Only someone like Jeven or the new recruit who just arrived would be of any real help in this fight.

As the mercenaries retreated up the hill.

I grabbed my sword and charged straight at the Orc Champion.

Gwaaar!!

The Orc Champion, wielding a weapon in each of his six arms, swung his arms as I approached.

…Surely, he can’t be using all of them freely, right?

Even humans sometimes get tangled up with just two arms.

Surely, an orc with six arms can’t…

Bang!! Bang bang!!

Damn it, he’s using them well.

I quickly dodged the rapidly descending attacks by stepping back.

“…Are you alright?”

“Let’s give it a try.”

“We…”

“Just help at the right moment.”

I didn’t say I didn’t need help.

Whether it’s Jeven or the new recruit, their help at a crucial moment would be a great strength.

Didn’t you feel it when sparring with Darren and Kaiden?

Beyond a certain level, numbers are the best.

“Then let’s do it.”

The best thing would be to handle it alone, so I steeled myself and approached again.

Gwaaar!!

Seeing the Orc Champion, who seemed pleased that I had retreated earlier.

I steadied my stance and focused my aura intensely.

Then.

His movements slowed, and I felt as if I had entered a different world.

Swoosh.

Moreover, I saw a red trace connecting the Orc Champion and me.

The Void Family’s secret technique, Track, showing the most efficient path to kill.

Following that path, I used Fleet.

Kwaang-!

Instantly, my body was pulled forward.

My body moved according to the pre-set values.

The extended sword was now precisely aimed at his neck.

After.

Clang!!

With a dull sound, my sword was deflected.

“Oops.”

In the flustered situation, Fleet was released.

I landed on the ground after jumping up.

What was that?

It felt like hitting armor.

I clearly aimed for the neck…

Puzzled, I looked at the Orc Champion I had just passed.

Plop, plop.

Then.

Something like scales fell from his neck.

…What’s that?

Does becoming a champion also strengthen the skin like that?

I’ve never heard of orcs having scales.

Especially scales that could effectively block vital points.

Gwaaar!

Moreover, they were so transparent that I couldn’t even see them before the attack.

Anyway.

Thinking his life was in danger, the Orc Champion with bloodshot eyes wildly swung his weapons at me.

“Oops…”

Thud thud! Clang! Bang! Wham!

Dodging, dodging, parrying, blocking, and getting hit.

“Ugh!”

The shock from being hit by a club made it hard to breathe.

Damn, even dodging and blocking, there’s no end.

Even.

After five attacks, another arm was coming down.

Lying on the ground after the last hit, I pondered what to do about that.

Guard?

No, that brute force attack can’t be blocked.

I ended up like this because I tried to parry once and my stance collapsed.

So, I tried to roll aside to dodge.

Whoosh-

Beside the Orc Champion.

I saw a figure flying in.

“Haap!”

It was the new recruit with a thin, long spear.

Thud!

The new recruit’s spear lodged into the first shoulder of the beast.

Gaaah!

In pain, the Orc Champion’s eyes turned to the side.

Kid, I was counting on you.

I got up from the spot immediately.

Then.

“Slice!”

The new recruit, having dropped the spear, drew his sword and began to slash the Orc Champion beautifully.

Faster than when he swung the wooden sword at me.

So fast that even my eyes could barely follow the continuous strikes.

Graah-!!

However, the Orc Champion’s skin was thick.

Only shallow and minor wounds appeared, no major injuries.

Well, that’s enough.

While the new recruit distracted the Orc Champion, I approached and swung my sword.

Aiming for the legs.

Better two legs than six arms.

I swung my sword, gathering aura.

Then.

‘Rush.’

Wham!!

The Rush hit right on the shin.

Graah-!

The Orc Champion staggered from the impact.

“I’m here too.”

In the meantime, Jeven also joined with a large hammer.

“What’s that?”

“I borrowed it because it didn’t seem like a sword would pierce him.”

Well, that’s true.

Even the new recruit has been slashing all day with a thin katana without much effect.

It would be more effective to hit the knee with a giant hammer.

“Be careful, old man, you’ll be done if you get hit.”

“…I’m still active.”

Earlier, I saw that the champion’s strength was immense.

Could Jeven withstand it if hit?

The new recruit is agile, so he should be fine.

Moreover, thinking it’s not the time to conserve strength, his movements are beyond the normal level, similar to an aura user.

Jeven would really lose if he fought.

Anyway.

With the quasi-aura user Jeven joining, there are now three superhumans.

We also have six usable arms now.

I gathered my aura again and charged at the champion, who was distracted by the new recruit.

I guess I’ll have to deliver the final blow.

I focused again on the neck where the scales had been peeled off earlier.

Are the scales still coming?

Is he some kind of lizard or something?

It seems this isn’t a normal Orc Champion.

Well, even so, if the neck is cut, he’ll die just the same.

I kicked off the ground and leaped at the Orc Champion.

Gwaaar!!!

Seeing me, the Orc Champion extended two arms on the right.

I dodged one arm by twisting my body.

Swoosh-

I cut off the fingers of the other arm and landed.

Whoosh-

But.

As I landed, another arm came flying from the opposite side.

There’s no end to it.

Blocking seems foolish, so I leaped to dodge again.

“Ugh!”

Jeven, now below the champion, swung his hammer in timing with my jump.

Now’s the time while those two are drawing his attention.

So.

‘Fleet.’

I used Fleet again.

In the slowed world.

With explosively enhanced physical abilities, I leaped.

Like a shot, I landed behind the Orc Champion.

Just as I was about to swing my sword.

Swoosh-

I saw scales rising again on his neck.

…Automatic defense? This guy is really suspicious.

Well, it’s fine.

I’ve seen it once already.

I focused my aura and infused Rush into my sword.

Then.

Bang!!

Graah–!!

I detonated the Rush to peel off the scales on his neck.

While still floating in the air.

Swoosh.

After regaining balance by rotating my body.

I swung my sword at the Orc Champion’s now scale-less neck.

Thud!!

Without a foothold, only half the blade went in.

Gurgle…!!!

But this much is enough to cut off his breath.

Then.

Thud!!

As I landed, the massive body of the Orc Champion collapsed.

“Phew…”

Did I get him?

Looking at the fallen beast, it twitched intermittently but didn’t seem like it would get up again.

Thud!

Seeing this, I pulled out the sword half-buried in his neck.

Then.

“New recruit, stay here, Jeven, follow me.”

I gestured to Jeven after setting the new recruit in place.

“Huh? Where are you going…”

“We need to go where he came from.”

This guy doesn’t seem natural.

What kind of mutant can freely use six arms and grow scales on vital points?

So, I plan to enter the cave he came from.

“Wait a minute.”

But.

Jeven called me back and pointed up the hill.

“Bring the lantern!”

Ah.

Come to think of it, Jeven can’t use Track.

It’s already getting dark, so we wouldn’t see anything in the cave.

So, with Jeven’s gesture, the mercenaries on the hill came down.

“Then half the mercenaries come with us.”

Since we’ve called the other mercenaries.

I left half to guard the spot and entered the cave with the rest.

“Ugh.”

“This is…”

And as soon as we entered the cave, a foul smell filled the air.

Not just a strong smell, but a toxic one.

“Shine the lantern carefully.”

To see what’s causing this smell.

We went deep into the cave with the lantern-bearing mercenary leading.

There’s no presence felt inside.

It seems this was the champion’s solitary dwelling.

Passing by rotting animal carcasses that seemed to be food and filth presumed to be his excrement.

We arrived at a large well, the real source of the toxic stench.

“This is…”

“A well in a cave.”

It’s unlikely the orcs made this.

Did someone else make it and leave?

“Shine the light here carefully.”

Some mercenaries and I approached the well.

And then.

“This, this is.”

“Ugh…!”

The mercenaries who first checked the well recoiled in horror.

Wondering what it was, I looked and saw corpses full of maggots tangled haphazardly inside.

“Ugh…”

“Ugh…”

Even the strong-stomached mercenaries were retching at the disgusting sight.

Even I, accustomed to corpses, couldn’t help but frown.

“Kane, this is…”

“Everyone, retreat. We need to return to the city immediately.”

This is definitely beyond our ability to handle.

It seems there was external intervention after all.

Glancing around.

Beyond the well full of corpses, inside the cave.

I saw stone decorations faintly illuminated by the lantern.

Well.

I roughly understand which force is involved.