Despite following the teacher's advice and closing my eyes, I could feel a bright light pouring through my eyelids. Sensations of whether the ground was breaking or my body was rising enveloped me. Dizziness set in.
By the time the severe nausea made my stomach churn, I felt a sensation of my surroundings spinning, and the foot that had been treading on empty air touched the ground.
"Transportation complete! Please open your eyes!"
Upon hearing the teacher's friendly guidance, Sihyun slowly lifted his eyelids.
A desert stretched out before them.
A desolate and dry wilderness that was hard to perceive as a wasteland.
The wind blew, causing the dry sands on the ground to stir. It hadn't even been a minute, but the place was so desolate that it felt like even the skin was drying out.
"...Is this the Orc Stronghold?"
Yesol asked. Sihyun took in the barren scenery and then looked at the teacher. What unfolded before him was not just a simple stronghold; it was a cliff. A very steep cliff. Sihyun, standing at the midpoint of that cliff, confirmed that a few more steps forward would reveal a precipice that could be encountered. It was dizzying just to glance at it.
Is this still Korea?
They couldn't be sure where they had come. As they doubted whether this mysterious place was in Korea, the teacher, watching the serious expressions of Team B, chuckled quietly. It was a laughter in contrast to Haeyun's moans.
"Do you remember the safety zone mentioned in the pre-guide?"
"Well..."
"This is the safety zone. The Orc Stronghold is below this cliff."
"Really?"
The voices of the kids rose in unison. When the teacher said they were ready, he told them to go down. He dismissed it as someone else's problem.
"How do we get down?"
"That's one of the tasks you all have to figure out!"
"...It's going to be tough, Kang Haewoon."
To descend safely from the cliff, there were two ways: either receive Haewoon's flying buff or have me lay down a protective barrier as a foothold. However, in Haewoon's case, supporting Shin Ijae would involve unnecessary mana consumption.
When it was mentioned subtly, he pouted, expressing his reluctance.
"Sihyun can do it! Like a foothold or something!"
"Cheer up."
Ignoring the opinion that returned with a sullen face, Sihyun lightly patted Haewoon's shoulder. It was a somewhat forceful gesture to console him. As Haeyun made a sulking expression, the teacher clapped his hands, focusing everyone's attention.
"Now, start preparing for battle!"
Upon hearing the mention of preparing for battle, the reality of participating in the end-of-month evaluation struck them.
"...Is the battle starting as soon as we go down?"
"If the orcs come out immediately, yes. Just because we go down the cliff doesn't mean we'll see the stronghold right away. Instead, be cautious as you might encounter scouts, and it could lead to a battle. Now, if you're ready, go down. I'll be here capturing your excellent performances on camera. Good luck, everyone!"
With a clenched fist, the teacher, who seemed ready, spoke with a smile. It was a stark contrast to the tense kids below.
Emotions are contagious, and seeing someone nervous makes others nervous too. Seeing the worried faces, Sihyun sighed and immediately opened his eyes. It seemed like there was a need to be more attentive than usual.
As they descended into the air, the teacher shouted from above, "Good luck, everyone! I'll be cheering for you!"
Heading downward, the tense kids below and the relaxed teacher above presented a contrasting scene.
The body, flying through the air for a while, finally neared the ground. Sihyun, who stood up, looked around after touching down. The surroundings were surveyed.
In the desolate space, there were only two colors: sand and the color of wood.
Wondering if there was anything to eat, Sihyun stared at the forest beyond the Orc Stronghold. It seemed like they had to fetch food from there.
"No scouts seem to be around."
"...It's too quiet; it's suspicious."
"Because we're still at a considerable distance. Even the houses look like miniature models! So tiny!"
"Don't say things that ruin the tension."
In situations like this, complacency is forbidden. Sihyun, pointing out Haewoon's tendency to ruin the atmosphere with unnecessary remarks, took a step forward. With each step Sihyun took toward the pile of rocks, the children followed suit, their steps shifting on the uneven ground.
"Watch out!"
A faint crying sound echoed. The kids, heightened senses alert for the upcoming battle, tensed upon hearing the cry. As they walked a bit further, the tree houses that looked like the orcs' homes started to become clearer.
In the middle of their village, there was a tall pile resembling stacked dead trees. Sihyun, who was observing it, stopped walking instead of turning to look elsewhere, and the children also halted their steps. The barren land beneath their feet was now touched.
"Wait a moment."
"What's up?"
"What's going on?"
When Sihyun stopped in front of the village, the kids asked. Instead of turning to look elsewhere, he stopped and hid behind a large rock, motioning for them to follow.
"Come here."
"...?"
As Sihyun suddenly hid and called them, the kids raised their eyebrows. Just then, a crying sound, "Watch out," came from nearby. Only then did the kids hastily move behind the rock.
"What's going on, a scout?"
"...Suddenly appeared."
"What's the noise about?"
"While scouting the village, it seemed like only one place was shimmering like a mirage. When it opened, the orcs came out."
With a slight tilt of his head, Sihyun spoke as he watched the orcs approaching the village from behind the rock. The kids were amazed at his calm voice.
"So, until now, it was just an empty house?"
"Seems like it."
"Then what you saw..."
"Yeah."
It's a rift.
There was no other way to explain the sudden appearance of the orcs. Sihyun, who recalled the scene he saw just before they hid, tightened his grip on the staff in his hand. The space split, revealing the irregulars in an eerie manner. The ground vibrated with a thud, and that was the moment.
It felt like an earthquake; the ground shook unexpectedly. Sihyun, realizing the cause of the shaking, turned to find Haemin swallowing a gasp next to him.
"Chwi-eek-"
"...Uh, what is that?"
Yesol spoke in a small voice. The orc, making a more substantial crying sound than any irregular, was heading towards the village. Thud, thud! The ground vibrated with each step he took.
A body that eight adult men would barely be able to encircle with their arms, a height that seemed well over 3 meters, and a menacing club dragging on the ground. It was definitely different from a typical orc.
"That's... a Lord."
As if listening to my thoughts, Shinjae muttered. The kids looked at the back of the orc walking with a heavy body. It was larger than expected, too large. If he rolled instead of walking, all of Team B could be flattened.
"...Jae didn't say Lord would be like that."
Haemin, turning pale, said with disgust. How do we catch that? Sihyun, at a loss, tightened his grip on the staff. Although he thought it might be stronger than the other orcs, he didn't know it would be this big. If they were hit by the club he was holding, they might bid farewell to both life and the afterlife.
"We've already chosen the mission, no turning back."
Blocking any objections in advance, Sihyun quietly looked at what was coming into view. If Lord was going to be like that, they couldn't give up the evaluation just because of its size.
"...For now, Haeyeon and Hajin, climb onto that pile over there and secure safety first. Unless Lord intentionally hits the pile, it should be the safest spot. But just in case..."
Interrupting his words midway, Sihyun reached out to Haeyeon and Hajin. A thin protective shield surrounded their bodies, then turned transparent. It was a different format from the barriers they had used before.
"I'll create a barrier for you. It's like armor wrapped around your body, so there shouldn't be any hindrance when moving or attacking. It's transparent, so it won't be visible."
"...Thank you."
At Sihyun's words, the two stared at their bodies as if they were relieved. Haeyeon blew a whistle, and Hamin raised the corners of his mouth.
"You've been having fun, huh?"
"You can't just keep putting up a circular barrier."
It seemed ridiculous to respond. Looking at Haemin with a sassy reply, Sihyun shifted his gaze from him.
"Kang Haewoon, do you need a barrier too?"
"Umm, I'm fine!"
"Alright then. The three of you go up to the pile and take on the support role. Block the approach of ordinary orcs. The rest of you, when I give the signal, rush over and attack Lord together."
"Like this? Without luring him away or pulling him out?"
"How would you pull him out all of a sudden?"
Agreeing with Sihyun's words, Haewoon nodded. If Haemin didn't have any other opinions, the hesitant kids reluctantly agreed. When Sihyun looked at Haewoon, a short silence passed as their eyes met. Reacting quickly, Haewoon gave Haemin a buff of enhanced strength. Sihyun, exhaling, approached him.
"Chwi-eek, human, smell, stinks. Watch out!"
The voice of the orc reached them at that moment.
Thank you for reading this far! You can access more chapters from HERE by joining my Patreon community. You'll gain exclusive early access to the COMPLETE NOVEL.
As a member of my Patreon community, here is what you'll get:
For $5
- Early access to 100s of chapters before they go public.
- You also get access to all the novels I'm translating, you can find them here HERE.
- Your name will be featured on the "Wall of Gratitude".
- The power to vote on which novel I translate next.
- You Get Ad-free Chapters.
For $10
- You get to suggest a Novel for me to translate.
- You get access to Digital art.
- Your name featured on the "Wall of Gratitude" (in gold).
For $20
- You get to recommend a Novel and I will immediately start translating it.
- Your name featured on the "Wall of Gratitude" (in blue).
Plus, you can Cancel your membership at any time.
Don't let this amazing opportunity slip through your fingers!
