Chapter 92: The Fall of Karkar, the Orc Shaman
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[A hidden quest has occurred.]
- Your operation was perfect. You've gained an opportunity to annihilate the monsters on the 10th floor underground with a surprising detour maneuver. It may be an opportunity that will not come again.
Ambush and annihilate Monster Boss Karkar and his subordinates. Humans will survive, and you will receive a special reward.
And maybe this result will lead to better things in the future.
====
'Good.'
There was only one choice.
The annihilation of the monster boss and his subordinates.
It's nice because it's simple.
Just empty your head and fight like crazy.
Click, click-click, click.
Gwen signaled with hand gestures.
It meant the enemy was close by.
Everyone prepared for battle with tense faces.
Chaaeek!
Gwen's finger pointed forward.
A signal indicating a charge.
We all started to charge at once.
Tatatatatat!
"Gyiek?!"
"What?!"
Two orcs at the entrance were frozen in shock.
Gwen, leading the front, swung his sword.
Running beside Gwen, I also executed the Empire's 8th style downward slash that I had honed countless times.
Vrooom!
Booom!
"Paweeck."
"Paack!"
With a sound like tearing through a pig's wall, the necks of two orcs were severed and flew through the air.
Only then did the monsters begin to fluster and start preparing for battle, recognizing us.
At the center of those monsters was an orc adorned with all sorts of skeletal ornaments.
Karkar, the boss of the monsters on the 10th floor underground and an orc shaman.
Karkar was not a monster to be underestimated.
A monster with a cunning mind and the power to wield strong spells.
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But....
I ran towards Karkar without hesitation.
Gwen did the same.
Our thoughts matched exactly.
It was just like Gwen, the strongest and most naturally sharp in combat sense among the human residents.
He instinctively felt that this was the moment to take the leader's head in one fell swoop.
Karkar's weakness.
It was the fact that although the power of his spells was strong, it took a long time to cast them.
That's why I ran straight forward before they could get ready.
Gwen did the same.
Tatatatatat!
Taktaktaktak!
Ignoring the surrounding monsters, we ran straight ahead.
It was possible because they had been caught by surprise and had not yet formed a dense formation, scattering individually.
Dangerous?
Of course, it's dangerous.
But one must take risks to gain something big.
"Left!"
"Right!"
We synced up without even exchanging glances, with just a word.
"Kweeek!"
Karkar, sensing the threat, hurriedly urged his subordinates to block us.
At the same time, he also began to gather the power of his spells.
But,
It was already too late.
From the left, Gwen, and from the right, I had already approached close by.
"Huaaaahp!"
Gwen, wielding powerful strength-based swordsmanship that split the air.
"Haahp!"
My slash, though not as good as his, was also sufficient to inflict a deep wound with solid fundamentals built from scratch.
Peauck!
Peuck!
My slash split the ribs and reached near the lungs, while Gwen's cut half the body apart.
"Paeeaaack!"
A terrible death scream echoed through the underground.
And soon.
Tulssuk!
Karkar's body, from which the soul of life had fled, fell backward.
"Kwi, kweeek?!"
"Kweeek?!"
The orc horde, which made up most of the monsters, fell into a panic state having lost their leader so suddenly.
The human residents fiercely attacked the panicked orc horde.
Kamian and Anette were also among them.
The outcome was as good as decided.
'It's over.'
I was certain of our victory.
And that certainty was realized just as it was.
***
"Uwaaaaah!"
"We won! We did it!"
"We did it!"
The residents erupted in jubilant cheers.
The joy of victory was great, but the greatest joy of all was in having survived.
Survival.
That is all they've been struggling for in this hellish underground space.
It was only after some time that their cheers stopped.
Their gazes had shifted toward me.
The strategy I had pushed forward.
They all knew that it was my strategy that led to our great victory.
Additionally, I played a significant role in killing the monster boss.
To anyone watching, I was clearly the hero of the hour.
As if to confirm this, a reward window appeared before me.
[A perfect victory. Your wisdom and strength have led to the best outcome.]
- Your reputation has slightly increased.
- You have acquired a new title.
The thought of finally being able to shed that worthless title was like a breath of fresh air.
I quickly changed my title.
Not only did I want to get rid of that distasteful piece of garbage, but the new title also had immediate effects.
- Residents of the 10th underground floor feel a strong affinity towards the owner of the title.
- Enemies of the 10th floor's residents are wary of the title's owner.
- Slight increase in physical adaptability to the underground environment.
Though useless on the surface and without significant effects, being able to shed the worst title of 'massive charm decrease' was an immense benefit in itself.
A smile crept onto my lips unknowingly.
Then Gwen spoke to me.
"It's all thanks to you."
A man with strong pride, but one who certainly acknowledges what needs to be acknowledged.
I shook my head.
"No, it's everyone's effort and everyone's victory."
I deflected the credit back to everyone.
After all, there was no need to boast when everyone already knew I was the hero.
"Without your strategy and help, this would have been impossible. Ah, of course, your comrades' assistance was also a great strength."
Gwen also expressed his gratitude towards Kamian and Anette.
They, too, had played their parts well, more than fulfilling their roles.
It felt rewarding to have nurtured and leveled them up.
"You are our true comrades. We will do our best to support you as much as we can in the future."
Gwen's proclamation.
The residents nodded in agreement, as if to affirm their consent.
Now we could call on their help on the 10th floor in the future.
Another goal of this quest was achieved.
"That's what I wanted to hear."
I nodded in agreement.
"Do you desire anything?"
"Nothing at the moment, ah, but there is one thing that intrigues me."
"What might that be?"
"This."
I approached the body of the slain Karkar.
And cut off one of the skull decorations that were dangling from it.
A reward that could only be obtained by completing a hidden quest to defeat Karkar.
I naturally had to secure it.
"I'd like to take one as a memento."
"Ha, I didn't know you had such a hobby. Of course, help yourself. It's ownerless now, anyway."
"Indeed."
I pocketed the skull decoration into my coat pocket.
- A nasty orc shaman's skull decoration.
- This skull decoration is made from the bones of another orc.
- Most orcs will instinctively fear the owner of this decoration, sensing them as an orc slayer.
An item exclusively good against orcs.
Orcs are fairly common monsters to encounter.
So, when the time comes to face a horde of orcs, it will prove to be quite helpful.
With that, everything that needed to be secured was secured.
All that was left was to return.