novelraw Chapter 43 : The Ominous Follower
Chapter 43 : The Ominous Follower
Chapter 43: The Ominous Follower
Seven chieftains with black skin.
Over two hundred warrior-class Orcs with red skin.
And beyond that, thousands of green-skinned warriors.
What appeared beyond the screen was an overwhelming number of Orcs.
Among them, the one that stood out the most was the Orc in the center.
Ash-gray skin and crimson eyes.
Ancient runic tattoos were engraved all over its massive body that exceeded 3 meters in height.
The Great Chieftain, ‘Murgan’.
He was the greatest hero and warrior in the history of the Orc tribes, resurrected by sacrificing the shamans of each tribe.
His holy rank was…
Yeongwol (令月).
A monster that had reached the 5 Stars of the 2nd Moon.
[Time remaining until Gate opens: 0H : 4M : 33S]
The Orc army led by Murgan was preparing a massive invasion in front of the colossal Gate.
“The Louvre Museum… wasn’t their final destination?”
“Th-that place… it’s Britain. Damn it, those Orc bastards were aiming for Britain all along!”
The ‘Big Ben’, symbol of Britain, came into view.
Given it was an island, once occupied, it would be extremely difficult to reclaim.
After Russia had already lost more than 90% of its territory, humanity faced the risk of losing yet another domain.
But the worst part was that one of the Gates visible there was directly connected to the Louvre Museum.
The main force would march toward Britain, while the detached unit would likely support this museum.
Only five minutes remained.
After that, they would have to face even more Orcs.
“It’s… it’s over.”
“There’s no way to stop them. At this point, how could we possibly fight that many…?”
Hunters who had lost their fighting spirit staggered and stepped back.
The morale that had soared after defeating Jadrak had vanished as if it had been a lie.
“Hahaha! What a delightful stroke of fortune! Indeed, the great Evil God has not abandoned us!”
Kim Geunsik burst into mad laughter.
Using the Sacred Relic in the Louvre Museum to open a Gate to Britain—
That had been Jadrak’s mission.
And Jadrak had fulfilled it perfectly, sacrificing himself in the process.
“Let us avenge our chieftain’s death!”
“Kill every last human! Leave not a single one alive!”
And so—
The Orcs began their pursuit.
The situation spiraled into utter chaos.
“Sir Yohan! What do we do now?”
Scarlet shouted urgently.
“Pathetic. For a hero like me, a trial of this degree is nothing… ngh, nothing… nothing at all….”
Even Seo Changhee was doing his utmost to hold the retreat line, but it was impossible for him alone to withstand the combined assault of the Orcs and the Requiem Cult.
“Heh… it’s time to show them the true dignity of this body.”
“Hehe. Jungbok will turn all those bad guys into crispy snacks!”
“Well, I’ll help this time. You look like you’re in quite a bind. Yep.”
Thud.
Elegantly stepping forward, Sambok faced the Orcs.
[Unique Ability ‘Celestial Black Cloud’ is activated!]
Black flames in the shape of billowing clouds surged through the ranks of the Orcs.
Despite its soft appearance, the moment the cloud touched the ground, a tremendous explosion erupted.
Fwoosh—Kwak-kwa-kwa-kwa-boom!
“Graaah!”
“Gghhh….”
The screams didn’t last long.
The hellish fire that melted even bones in an instant didn’t allow any time to feel pain.
Its overwhelming might was enough to make even the vengeful Orcs hesitate.
“We’ll deal with… the others first.”
“When the detached unit’s warriors and shamans arrive, we’ll crush them all at once.”
That dog-like creature was not one they could overcome with their current strength.
Though time had been bought, the situation wasn’t favorable.
‘Even if we deal with all the enemies in the museum, it’s meaningless.’
The key wasn’t the extermination of the Orc tribe.
What mattered was obtaining the Sacred Relic required by the Episode.
Of the seven days given, only four remained.
Within that time, he had to reach Britain, break through the Orcs’ encirclement, and defeat the Great Chieftain?
And that opponent was a powerhouse who had reached the 5 Stars of the 2nd Moon?
It was impossible without meticulous planning and execution.
‘I knew things wouldn’t be easy with Jadrak leading the tribes, but still….’
It had turned out far more complicated than expected.
The true purpose behind the Requiem Cult’s alliance was clearly to resurrect Murgan through a necromantic ritual. From thoroughly concealing their movements and erasing traces of dark magic, to deceiving everyone by using themselves as bait—
Their information warfare had been flawless.
Even so—
‘I must make a decision.’
Seo Changhee, Scarlet… and even Sambok.
All of them were enduring, trusting him.
“For now, let’s get out of here and regroup.”
Among the items obtained in the Louvre Museum, there were still a few left unused. If he utilized them wisely, he could create another opening.
But just then—
Ding!
A golden status window appeared with an unbelievable message.
[The Great Chieftain ‘Murgan’ has died.]
What…?
Yohan’s pupils quaked.
Dead?
Murgan was dead?
Not even five minutes had passed.
Who could have possibly done such a thing? He couldn’t comprehend it.
Before the shock that felt like being struck by a hammer faded—
Another set of status windows appeared.
Ding! Ding!
[The Orc Tribe’s Sacred Relic has been recaptured.]
[The first Episode has ended.]
The strange occurrences didn’t stop there.
[‘Offering’ has arrived from …….]
Only one additional message appeared before Yohan.
＊＊＊
Where Murgan and the Orc army were stationed was the most secret location within the Gate itself.
Because above all, secrecy was life when it came to concealing their true objective.
Thus—
Since the start of the Episode, not a single Hunter had reached this place.
All of them had targeted the ‘Rock Cave’, the ‘Lake’, or the ‘Louvre Museum’.
Yet in that place—
An intruder who should not exist appeared.
“Hm~ hm. Hmm-hmm….”
A humming tune, both sleepy and cheerful.
Tap. Tap.
The tapping of a staff against the ground echoed pleasantly.
A sweet maple scent tickled the nose. Soon, a girl with long black hair down to her waist stepped lightly into the Orcs’ territory.
“What are the scouts doing?”
“Red Plateau! Weren’t you in charge of the outer perimeter?”
The chieftains of each tribe growled.
A variable appearing right before their grand conquest infuriated them.
And to think they had missed such a scrawny human girl!
“Enough.”
Murgan raised his hand.
“Great Chieftain?”
“Do not worry. I will kill that human immediately and confirm whether there are others who came with her.”
“Do you not see that the girl is not showing even the slightest fear before us?”
To remain composed before thousands of warriors…
…was proof of confidence born of true strength.
A faint smile appeared on Murgan’s lips.
It was anticipation.
‘Not bad.’
He was not the type to be blinded by appearances and overlook the strength hidden within.
His instincts and experience warned him that the opponent’s caliber was by no means low.
However—
‘It seems you are underestimating me far too much.’
He was also absurdly strong.
After all, being resurrected through the necromantic ritual had made him far more powerful than he’d ever been in life.
He had planned to test that strength soon enough on the island where humans lived, but fate had presented him with an even better prey.
“Leave her. I shall face her myself.”
“Th-the Great Chieftain will personally step forward?”
“There’s no need to go that far…”
Several chieftains voiced their doubts.
“I said, I will handle her myself.”
“Understood. If that is your will.”
They did not understand, yet the chieftains silently obeyed the order.
Meanwhile, the girl walked steadily through the ranks of Orcs.
On both sides, the Orcs stood in formation, their hands fidgeting over their weapons.
“……”
“……”
If not for the Great Chieftain’s command, they would have cut her down instantly.
And at last—
Tap.
Vivian reached the throne where Murgan sat.
An oppressive silence filled the air.
Murgan, seated upon his throne with his chin resting on his hand, and Vivian, standing proudly before him.
Their standoff continued for several long seconds.
“So, human. Why have you come here?”
It was Murgan who spoke first.
Vivian did not answer.
She only gazed at Murgan with a curious expression.
“Do you not hear the Great Chieftain addressing you?”
“Answer, human wench!”
Shrring!
The chieftains and warriors beside him drew their glaives.
Then—
“Why would someone so great involve himself in such a trivial matter?”
Vivian softly parted her lips.
“Is he perhaps simply enjoying a bit of amusement? Or… does he have some grand, unfathomable purpose? Haaah… I truly hate to disappoint him again, but this time, I really have no idea.”
She spoke as though the Orcs’ threats did not even exist—busy instead talking about ‘someone’ not present in the room.
Murgan’s irritation flared as he rose from his throne.
Clang!
He grasped the enormous glaive resting beside him with one hand.
His unique weapon—‘Great Blade (太刀)’.
A weapon so massive it could cleave an elephant in a single strike.
The glaive, towering over two meters long, exuded a dreadful, guillotine-like pressure.
Thud.
The Great Blade touched Vivian’s neck.
No one saw when the weapon had even moved.
As if it had been there all along, Murgan handled the massive blade as though it were weightless.
“Pathetic. To allow your guard to be breached so easily.”
Murgan clicked his tongue in disappointment.
Life and death—
To discern that dividing line.
Anyone who had reached the rank of the 2nd Moon should have mastered such a fundamental instinct.
That reaction meant the opponent’s holy rank had not reached the 2nd Moon.
“Ah, my apologies. I forgot you were there. Hmm. If I had to put it simply… I just didn’t feel threatened enough to dodge. Does that make sense?”
At Vivian’s words—
The air around Murgan shifted violently.
“Guh!”
“S-she’s insane!”
The Orcs froze in place, eyes wide.
The rage radiating from Murgan now far exceeded what their bodies could endure.
Even breathing became difficult.
They couldn’t so much as twitch a finger.
“It seems I expected too much. To think I’d waste my breath talking about martial worth to a lunatic who worships some incomprehensible fool.”
There was no longer any need for conversation.
[Murgan activates his Unique Ability ‘Blood of the Giants’!]
Crrrk!
Veins bulged beneath his skin.
As the blood of giants coursed through his veins, a mountain-like killing aura took form.
The Great Blade, raised high, seemed as though it could even split the clouds.
“Some… incomprehensible fool?”
At Vivian’s mutter—
The colossal weapon fell.
Kwak-kwak-kwak-kwak!
The air split, the pressure forming a roaring tempest.
And then—
Kwoooooom!
The Great Blade struck Vivian’s neck.
Everyone watching was certain.
In mere moments, that weapon would slice through her soft flesh—
And shatter the tiny bones within.
However—
“…!?”
Everyone’s expectations were completely betrayed.
Murgan’s arms trembled.
Despite exerting all his strength, the blade didn’t sink even an inch into her flesh.
Vivian rested her cheek gently against the cold edge and looked at Murgan.
Her head tilted slightly from the blade’s pressure.
Perhaps because of that—
The sight felt even more unreal, even more terrifying.
“I can tolerate insults directed at me.”
A faint madness began to bloom in Vivian’s sleepy eyes.
It was something that must never be provoked—
The reverse scale buried deep within the abyss.
“But insulting him… that, I truly cannot forgive.”
…Chill…!
In that instant—
Murgan realized it.
The boundary between life and death.
He had just crossed it.
Kukukukukuku!
An indescribably ominous magic crushed the area.
Rumble!
Blood streamed from the eyes, noses, and mouths of the Orcs.
Resist?
Such a thing was impossible.
An absolute being reigning high above the heavens.
Before the ancient witch who ruled the Maple Tree, whether Great Chieftain, chieftain, or warrior, the Orcs were all the same—mere insects.
“Devour them. Greed (貪).”
Vivian murmured softly as she gazed at her prey, frozen in fear.
Crunch!
Crack!
All vision turned crimson.
Murgan’s upper body vanished, his corpse staggering before collapsing.
“Kiiiih…”
“Kyaaaah!”
Dark, shadowy figures with sharp teeth and single eyes began to squirm and rise.
“So many offerings for Him. I do hope He will be pleased this time.”
A crimson smile formed upon Vivian’s lips.