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Chapter 27: Winter Kingdom (2)
The orcs exuded a menacing aura.
Their number easily exceeded a hundred. And even more orcs were pouring out of the huts located in the village.
Since it was a D-rank Gate, the average level of those guys would be over 100.
‘It’s tough from the start?’
He stuck out his tongue and finished preparing to summon the undead.
The moment the orcs moved.
The battle would begin immediately.
– Chwiik! Wait a minute!
An old orc with a strange appearance spoke, raising his hand. An orc with a leather pouch attached to a gnarled wooden cane. He looked like a shaman.
– Bektar! What is it?
– There is the aura of a brave warrior in that human’s body. The ancestors told me. Look closely!
Soon, the orcs’ gazes poured in.
– …… Chwiik. That ugly human looks kind of likable when you look closely.
– I can feel the aura of a warrior. He’s a human worth his face. Bektar was right.
The orcs began to assess him.
As they were a race that was the opposite of humans, they mercilessly criticized him.
‘I have a feeling they’re not going to fight……’
Normally, this would be abnormal. Orcs and humans were sworn enemies who fought to the death.
‘Is it because of the title?’
The One Who Received the Unstained Recognition.
Its effect was to give orcs a strong affinity and make it possible to open a special route.
‘A special route. If so……’
It wouldn’t be too late to deal with them then if nothing came of it.
Kim Minwoo made up his mind.
“I am the one who received the recognition of the Orc Hero, Mutakta!”
“That’s the first time I’ve heard of that name?”
The shaman orc’s eyes widened.
– Chwiik! W, wait! You’re talking about that Mutakta!
– Who is Mutakta, chwiik?
– Chwiik! You morons! How could you forget the name of the one who performed the Ascension Ceremony!
– Y, you mean the Ascension Ceremony?
The orcs’ commotion grew louder.
Kim Minwoo’s curiosity was also piqued.
A fragment that was cleanly cut off from another world.
That was the inside of the Gate.
Just because the inside of the Gate was a fantasy genre didn’t mean it was a single fantasy world.
B fantasy world, etc.
This was because there could be many different genres within fantasy.
It was not strange that the orcs here did not know Mutakta.
Nevertheless, he said this in order to take the initiative.
Anyway, he was recognized by someone who seemed to be someone.
That was the nuance he wanted to give off.
He looked at the shaman called Bektar.
– …… Chwiik. A noble guest has come to the village! He is a great warrior!
Just as Bektar was about to open his mouth with an excited look on his face.
A large orc appeared with a heavy thud.
[The boss of the Ice Forest, ‘Chieftain Urkan’, appears!]
The orc raised his axe with bloodshot arms and spoke.
– Chwiik. Urkan doesn’t understand difficult words. Warrior. Fights well. Human, just words.
– Chwiik! The chieftain is smart!
– Chwiik! As expected, he is the best warrior in the village!
The orcs began to cheer enthusiastically at the chieftain’s words. Bektar did not stop the chieftain either.
Rather, they were looking at him and the chieftain with sparkling eyes.
It was a truly Orcish behavior that was crazy about battle.
Originally, it seemed like the pattern was to wipe out this orc group and then proceed with the action.
“So, you want to fight?”
The chieftain nodded.
Well, whatever. You’re welcome to try.”
Although he looked considerably stronger than the other orcs, an orc is an orc.
He was the one who was crazy about fighting.
The orcs of a D-rank Gate were not even a mouthful.
It would be the same even if he was the boss.
The chieftain charged in like a water buffalo.
Kim Minwoo’s sword and Urkan’s axe clashed violently.
– Chwiik. The chieftain is getting beaten up!
– Chwiik! That ugly human is too strong!
The human’s strength was truly beyond imagination.
He deflected the huge axe swung by the village’s greatest warrior like flowing water, and stabbed his small sword into his thigh repeatedly.
One or two sword strikes could be endured with spirit, but it was a different story when it became ten or twenty.
Urkan let out a mournful cry and collapsed to the ground.
After that, it was a one-sided feast of violence.
Urkan’s flesh turned red every time the sword’s surface swung like a whip.
“Hey, look at this, brother.”
– Chwiik. Human! You are not my brother!
Despite being a battle race Orc, he did not show any signs of submission, but rather his eyes burned with fighting spirit.
“If you’re weak, you’re just a younger brother.”
– Urkan! You’re not weak! You’re the chieftain!
– I haven’t lost yet! Urkan is still fine!
“Do you want to fight again?”
– Chwiik! I will fight! I will get up!
Urkan staggered to his feet on his wounded legs.
He looked so pathetic.
“Drink this and apply it to your legs.”
He threw the guy a few intermediate potions.
– Chwiik? It’s red. What is this?
“Oh, that’s a potion. It heals wounds.”
– Chwiik! Urkan will drink the potion!
Urkan roughly poured the contents of the potion into his mouth.
Soon, the wounds on his legs healed quickly.
The orcs watched the sight with amazed eyes.
– Chwiik! The chieftain is healed!
– Chwiik! It heals faster than Bektar’s magic! Potions are amazing!
The orcs were amazed, like primitives who had just discovered fire.
It was not surprising.
It would be very difficult for the guys who lived in the crumbling huts to make potions. At best, they would be able to bandage wounds with herbs.
He gave him a potion.
He gave him a potion.
An infinite cycle began to roll. Orcs are big, so they didn’t easily get overdose symptoms even if they drank a lot of potions.
When he had broken his legs about twenty times.
– …… Chwiik. Urkan realizes. Human, you are a brave warrior. You are stronger than Urkan.
“Oh, are you starting to get it?”
But this was not enough.
“Who’s your brother?”
“Do you want to drink? I still have a lot left.”
– …… Urkan hyung is gone. The human is now my hyung!
The guy bowed his head deeply.
Where would a proud orc bow his head?
It was a sign of complete submission.
[You have become Urkan’s brother!]
[The orcs of the Ice Forest are greatly impressed by you!]
[The orcs will now consider you as a brother!]
[You have acquired the title, ‘Brother of the Ice Forest Orcs’!]
– Chwiik! The chieftain lost!
– Human, you are the greatest warrior in the village!
– Chwiik! We must have a festival!
Soon, a festival was held in the middle of the village.
Originally, even if he had beaten him up , he would not have gained Urkan’s recognition.
They would have killed each other before that.
But now it was different.
He had opened up a new route that could be a turning point.
What he had to do from now on was simple.
That was to find out what he could do with these orcs now that they were considered brothers.
‘I need information.’
The only one who could be called an intellectual among these orcs was…
– Chwiik! Great warrior! I am honored that you remember my name!
“It’s a festival, but there doesn’t seem to be much food.”
All that was cooking over the campfire was a few small animals.
It was far too little to feed over a hundred orcs.
This was supposed to be a festival.
Even at a glance, it seemed like their food situation was the worst…
At those words, Bektar’s face turned gloomy.
– Chwiik! I saw it in a book! It wasn’t originally ! Warm sunshine, warm land! All the orcs ate their fill! There were many children too!
“……You mean it wasn’t originally?”
– That’s right! The Caesar Continent was truly a blessed land! Under the great leader Mutakta, we orcs even built a kingdom!
[Keyword, ‘Orc Kingdom’ acquired.]
In the Gate, information could be obtained through conversations with objects and creatures. If it was significant, it would be stored in keyword format.
“But why did this happen?”
– Chwiik! Mutakta was too great a warrior. He eventually received the call of heaven. After that, we orcs gradually lost our power.
‘It was called the Ascension Ceremony.’
Originally, if a capable leader disappeared, the rise and fall of a nation would be 갈리곤 했다. It seemed that Mutakta had left and the kingdom had fallen over time.
“So you were pushed to this cold place and created a village?”
– Chwiik! Human! You are mistaken!
– This continent is all cold.
“……All of it? You said it was warm and cozy?”
– …… Chwiik. The cold ice dragon, the evil witch. The two monsters joined hands. The continent froze solid, chwiik.
[Keyword ‘Ice Dragon’ acquired.]
[Keyword ‘Witch’ acquired.]
This was getting bigger and bigger. The keywords were getting more and more exciting.
‘This is definitely connected.’
Of course, it wouldn’t be right now. If that was the case, the Gate’s rank would have been S or higher, not D.
“Why did the dragon and the witch join hands?”
– The cold dragon wants cold land. The evil witch wants fresh corpses. The ice dragon freezes it. The witch gets the corpses.
“So that’s what happened.”
It was natural for living things to rot when they died.
But what if they were frozen?
It can be delivered neatly.
The ice dragon is happy to expand its territory, and the witch is happy to get a large number of frozen corpses.
It’s a win-win for both of them.
– …… Chwiik. Many of our ancestors fought. They all died. Now only workers like us are left.
– …… When an orc in the village dies, we transport the body. We also transport other bodies if we see them. That’s how we survived.
Bektar gulped down the liquid in the wooden cup.
– …… Chwiik. But we won’t be able to live for long either. The cold is getting worse. I can’t remember the sound of a child’s cry anymore.
Bektar’s pupils became hazy as if he was recalling the distant past.
The faces of the orcs dancing near the campfire hardened.
– It’s an evil spirit!
As if some learned fear had been instilled in them, even Chieftain Urkan trembled.
“Hey Bektar! What’s going on?”
– Go, chwiik! This spirit is… the corpse collector! It’s not time for it to come yet, so why…
[Keyword, ‘Corpse Collector’ acquired.]
A dark shadow began to creep outside the village.
A huge figure appeared.
The upper body of a werewolf was attached to it.
Its head resembled a lion, and its arms had huge pincers.
A monster that connected all kinds of living creatures like a rag golem.
There was only one thing that came to mind.
The exclusive property of the black magician.
There were five of them.
‘This isn’t D-rank level, is it?’
Chimeras were monsters that would normally be seen in a B-rank Gate.
If there were five of them, it should have been judged C or higher, no matter what.
Soon, the chimera group began to enter the village with strange smiles on their faces.
Bektar, who hurriedly stepped forward, shook his head.
– Chwiik, chwiik! We must have finished transporting the quota last month, why have you come here?
– The cold is getting worse. Living things are disappearing, and the efficiency of your workers will decrease dramatically. That’s why the witch made a decision. To dispose of the workers.
Bektar was flustered.
The orcs were also trembling.
Kim Minwoo stepped forward.
“You there, are you the witch’s minion?”
– Hmm. You… I can tell from your aura. Are you a necromancer?
– That’s good. The witch needs many talented people. Necromancer, come this way. Your abilities will be put to good use.
The chimeras beckoned.
Only then did Kim Minwoo realize why this gate was given a D-rank rating.
‘It was a structure where you had to survive against the orcs, huh?’
The structure was such that if you survived, the chimeras would come and wipe out the orcs, and you would join them.
Of course, it would be tough just to survive against the orc horde.
The gate interior stopped and a message appeared.
[You have reached a branching point in the Gate!]
[A special route is open!]
[‘Witch’ and ‘Ice Dragon’ are evil beings who are drenching this continent in death. If you join hands with them, you may gain some benefits.]
[‘Orc’ is a race that has been in endless decline since its golden age. They are gripped by fear, and their forces are also extremely weak. If you join hands with them, you may have to walk a very difficult path.]
[Who will you join hands with?]
Kim Minwoo smiled as he read the message.
It seemed a bit boring.
It seemed like it would be more fun now.
He looked at the chimeras.
“What do you think? There’s a problem.”
“I mean, the orcs here are my brothers.”
“You’re a strange human. Do you even bond with insects?”
The chimeras snickered.
[Warning! If you take the orcs’ hand, unimaginable trials may befall you! Are you sure you want to choose this option?]
He pointed the sword at them.
“I won’t abandon my brothers.”
[You have chosen the orcs!]
[Favorability with all orcs on the Caesar Continent greatly increases!]
[You have acquired the title, ‘One Who Walks the Path of a Hero’!]
[You have become enemies with the Witch and the Ice Dragon!]
[The difficulty of the Gate has changed significantly!]
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