I finished off the last three orcs and then killed another four.
And I crossed over a ridge.
Indeed, nothing ever goes as planned.
Following Yunes’ word, I had expected to encounter the orc shaman any moment, but there was no sign of him.
The sun had set long ago, and it had become past midnight and even reached dawn.
But there was no time to settle down or set up camp.
“Seems like we’re done with sleeping for now.”
This was because Yunes kept whispering that the orc shaman was just around the corner.
Falling asleep now would mean taking on the risk of death.
Fortunately, I felt no fatigue.
Instead, I was in a state of extreme clarity.
Like a bowstring kept taut and drawn.
My body and mind were both tense, like strings pulled tight.
So far, aside from Yunes, who played a role closer to a guide than a magician, Risclein and her hired sword Rohan seemed to be in a similar condition as me.
As we pushed forward through the bushes, a distant light came into view.
There was no mistaking it; a tent set up amidst the mountains caught the eye.
And the bonfires lit around it.
And the orc guards holding torches on watch.
All these situations clearly pointed to the presence of the orc shaman.
I spoke softly.
“I’ll deal with the apparent commander. Please take care of the rest.”
In response, Risclein and her subordinates, the second-tier swordsman Rohan, nodded.
Both had previously shown their worth, each covering one and a half parts.
“Mr. Yunes, all you need to do is listen to my words carefully.”
Once again, Yunes trembled slightly on his shoulders and nodded.
“The orc shaman is known to be very strong. While his personal combat power ranks at the third tier, with his subordinates, the orcs, he can display strength close to a fourth-tier mage.”
After engraving his words in my mind, I opened the Elysian Gallery.
Title: Probably, I’m Right in Front of the Orc Shaman with High Probability
Author: ㅇㅇ*
Comment: Up till this point, if you haven’t shared any tips or experiences on how to kill the orc shaman, now might be a good time.
The comments started pouring in quickly.
Comment from Archmage: Don’t rush into killing the shaman too quickly. Be sure to kill any approaching orcs that seem threatening to avoid any nasty surprises. And make good use of the mage you’ve brought along.
The Archmage senior, who had been hiding due to constant ridicule, naturally reappeared to leave another comment.
Even Ice Queen left a message, unsurprisingly, with quite a similar tone.
Comment: How did you all defeat the orc shaman?
The replies I received were, unfortunately, utterly useless.
Comment from Archmage: Just caused mana reflux and he grabbed his neck and fell dead.
Comment from Ice Queen: Ice!! Freeze him! Hard!
The solutions from this unlucky magic genius and lineage genius were absolutely no help.
But even the advice from seniors who wielded swords like me didn’t prove very useful.
Comment from Archmage: Ah, in a situation where your magic power is roughly the same as the orc shaman’s, the most effective magic would be fire.
This was useful information, but it largely depended on Yunes’s abilities rather than mine.
Comment from Light Sword: Slash.
Comment from Sewer Sword Sage: Though a shaman, remember that orcs are powerful in close combat, showing strength close to a third-tier knight. Dodge their magic and get close to kill.
The Sewer Sage also talked a lot, but ultimately advised to dodge the magic and attack.
Comment from Absolute Monarch: You mentioned having throwing daggers, right? Use them to gauge the distance while approaching.
I managed to get some decent advice.
Various other irrelevant messages followed.
Comment from Random User: Be back soon after you finish the second floor.
Comment: Don’t bother announcing when you go from now on, just come back.
Comment: This guy triggers his death flag almost habitually… lol.
Comment from Demon Dragon King: Beltway… May luck be with you!
Comment from Sorceress: May you return safely.
Comment from Leader: Go well.
I closed the Elysian Gallery after reading Leader’s comment.
I saw more than thirty orcs ahead. Each of them had a noticeable red gleam in their eyes.
At the back of the towering orcs stood a figure with an even larger frame. The one draped in gaudy golden jewelry hanging around his neck showed a familiar label above his head.
[Boss Monster]
[Ork Sorcerer]
Orc Shaman.
I could sense it.
The immense killing intent radiated by the orc shaman.
Had Risclein and the swordsman Rohan standing beside me also sensed it? They froze momentarily.
Like a mouse standing before a cat.
[Focus Reinforcement Lv.3 – Activated.]
“Snap out of it. I’m heading in first; follow closely.”
As my mouth opened and my voice rang out, the shaman also opened his huge mouth wide.
Kwwarrrrhoo!
The roar echoed, reverberating through the mountains as if to suppress us. The roar functioned like fear magic.
From now on, there was no room for hesitation.
[Mana Physical Enhancement Lv.2 – Activated.]
My mana heart beat.
Mana spread throughout my whole body.
It had been confirmed in the battle with the orc army leader that leveling up would restore my body.
Kill this bastard and move on to the third floor.
I saw the orc shaman’s huge right foot lifted and it slammed down.
The heavy footfall signaled the charge of his subordinates.
I threw one of the three remaining throwing daggers aimed at the shaman.
It was aimed directly at the Orc Shaman.
Ting!
The transparent barrier that suddenly appeared before the shaman deflected the throwing dagger.
As expected, they didn’t leave something like this unchecked.
I hadn’t placed all my bets on the earlier move; my goal was simply to create an opportunity for action. Lowering my body, I sprinted forward instantly.
Slicing horizontally with my straight sword, the heads of two orcs soared.
Ripping open the approaching orc’s abdomen with the black javelin in my left hand, I then pulled it back out.
The thick staff in the shaman’s hands emitted a green flow of energy.
“Ms. Yunes, please deploy magic around me to interrupt the shaman’s. And immediately inform me once you understand the type of magic.”
I spoke faster than ever.
Oh, I want to survive after all.
Reply came from Yunes sooner than expected.
“It’s Wind Cutter! A wind blade attack sweeping mainly horizontal!”
I snatched the shield awkwardly held in the left hand of Rohan, who was still standing there dumbly, and stepped out.
Hwaaaiiiii!
The Wind Cutter came in two waves.
I dodged one completely by shifting the axis of my legs, and blocked the other with the shield I held.
Kraaaaaaa!!
Six orcs, maddened with rage, charged at me simultaneously.
[Skill ‘Calm Mind’ has leveled up. Lv.4]
The first move of the dragon-slaying sword, Tursahog.
A crescent-shaped trajectory swept across the six orcs.
Pushing past the collapsing orcs, I charged forward again.
I had cleared the blockading enemies instantly.
Glancing to the side after immediately slaying fifteen, Yunes was there, following behind me though pale as if about to collapse.
“If I can inflict a wound on the shaman, please take the opportunity to unleash fire magic.”
I saw an urgent nod in response.
I charged forward again. After slaying three more, the scene was suddenly obscured by an cobalt lightning.
Trrrrrrrr!
The lightning magic.
Yunes’s hastily cast barrier magic appeared in front of me, but the lightning hit my left arm.
Grrrrrr…
My teeth ground together involuntarily.
Even with my pain suppression skill up to level four, excruciating pain surged up.
A sidelong glance at my left arm showed it was blackened, looking unnatural.
Had my body not been enhanced with Mana Physical Enhancement and didn’t have my stats improved this much, I likely would’ve been killed instantly.
I saw a smile of satisfaction on the orc shaman’s face.
Do you think you’ve won, bastard?
I sliced off the neck of the orc approaching from the side with my straight sword.
[Level Up.]
[Lv.9 → Lv.10]
[Strength increased by 6.]
[Agility increased by 5.]
[Health increased by 5.]
[Mana increased by 4.]
Drip.
Left arm restored.
Now, except for the few left to Risclein and Rohan to deal with,
The only one left standing in front of me was the Orc Shaman.
Kwawaaaaaa!
Reaching the shaman with the basic footwork of the dragon-slaying sword, not unlike the art of footwork.
Just as various individuals had advised, the shaman acted unexpectedly competently in close combat.
A massive axe in his left hand swung toward me.
I dodged its trajectory like an eel. Stabbing continuously at the back of the left hand holding the axe with the black javelin restored in my left.
Gwaeek!
The bastard made a sound like a pig being slaughtered, dropping the axe.
Third move of the dragon-slaying sword.
Vertical slash, Drakavani.
I pressed down onto his right shoulder.
And only then did the arm he had raised fell.
Phooook!
Moving my hand like lightning.
Hyartraguni.
I skewered the straight sword into his abdomen.
Craaaaaaak!
“Yunes, fire!”
There you go, fire shuttle.
Hwaerrr—!
The fiery spear Yunes deployed right by my side was skewered beside my sword.
The piglet’s scream grew louder.
Twisting the sword skewered inside a full turn and then continuing into a horizontal slash.
The flames followed the trajectory of my sword.
A strong flame carved a fiery streak into the mountain.
Pwhaaaaak!
The body of the orc shaman, gushing endless blood from his belly, collapsed to the ground.
[Boss Monster has fallen!]
[Level Up!]
[Lv.10 → Lv.12]
[Strength increases by 12.]
[Agility increases by 10.]
[Health increases by 11.]
[Mana increases by 9.]
The same two-level increase as killing the army commander.
I don’t know how long this rapid growth will continue.
“Quest – ‘Defend the Kiblerev Wall’ completed successfully with the elimination of the Boss Monster – Orc Shaman.”
[2nd Stage cleared.]
[‘Player – Han Yuseong’ clearing the 2nd stage score is now being calculated.]
Ah, that’s right.
The scores started being tallied from the second floor.
The second floor starts accumulating scores, they said.
[2nd Floor – Score Rankings]
1st – Chief Alliance: 784 points
2nd – Chase ongoing: 412 points
3rd – Sinclair: 399 points
⋮
The first place score stands notably high.
Looks like I can’t surpass it.
[Score calculation completed.]
Then the numbers appearing before my eyes made me realize how short-sighted I had been.
[2nd Stage]
[Han Yuseong: 1,532 points]
