Someone was approaching me.
It was a short, middle-aged man with a rugged face.
I read the words floating above his head.
[NPC – Member of the Guard]
“Are you a conscripted soldier? Or a hired mercenary? Either way, you need to get to the front lines quickly! There are too many orcs!”
The tone was vivid.
It was an unfamiliar experience. Until now, the only NPCs I’d encountered were cold, lifeless corpses or those dying.
Now, I was finally facing humans in full condition.
I nodded and took a step forward.
A massive wall.
Beyond the wall stood groups of obviously dangerous-looking orcs.
‘A quest type, right?’
This situation could also be called defensive.
There seemed to be a story related to this current situation.
“Fire!”
“Let’s go!”
Standing next to the people on the fortress wall shooting arrows with streaming sweat, the entire battlefield became clear.
Soldiers on the fortress wall were raining down arrows like rain.
About fifty soldiers fired arrows simultaneously.
‘Aaahaaaaaaak!’
The arrows turned the sky pitch black.
The arrows found their way into the gaps in the orcs’ helmets and armor.
‘If this continues, the fortress will fall.’
The only reason I could think this despite the soldiers’ best efforts was because—
—Boom!
The massive siege engines the orcs carried were repeatedly striking the fortress gates.
“Throw those spears properly! Do you want us all to die?”
I turned my gaze sideways.
Javelins.
There were about thirty soldiers throwing short spears designed for throwing.
“To think you were capable of proper throws! What are you doing?”
I looked up at the man’s head.
[NPC – Guard Captain Bake]
I finally see his name.
“I’ll throw one myself.”
I reached out for one of the short spears.
“Wha?”
My eyes met Bake’s. His eyebrows furrowed sharply.
“There isn’t an excess amount! If you’re a novice, don’t show off and put it down!”
I ignored him.
What if it’s showing off? Let’s just throw it.
Of course, it wasn’t an action without any thought.
The principle is similar.
To what I used to do on the mound.
Maximize the potential.
[Enhanced Focus Lv.2 – Skill activated.]
[Mana Physical Enhancement Lv.1 – Skill activated.]
Power flowed through my body. My mind became clear.
I anchored my feet into the ground and pointed the direction with my left hand, which was empty. My target was the heart area below the shoulder of the orc.
I swung my left arm like a whip.
The trajectory was akin to a ball flying across the baseball field.
Buh-uurck!
A harsh sound. The spear precisely pierced through the heart of the orc below its right shoulder.
I saw the orc taking a step back.
Ku-ng!
The swaying orc eventually fell.
“…You’re not a novice, are you?”
“Really unbelievable skills, countless times practiced it?”
The gaze of five people, including Guard Captain Bake, was directed at me.
Captain Bake pulled out one short spear and passed it to me.
“Go ahead, keep throwing.”
“Yes.”
One, two, three.
After taking a deep breath, I threw the short spear. This time, it pierced through the orc’s skull.
The sensation of my arm trembling violently was not unpleasant.
The ones who withstood my spear were finished off by the soldiers’ arrows.
After killing two more orcs in this manner, a notification window appeared in my view.
[Level increased!]
[Lv.3 → Lv.4]
The achievement of gaining experience from four orcs.
[‘Strength’ stat increased by 5.]
[‘Agility’ stat increased by 4.]
[‘Health’ stat increased by 5.]
[‘Mana’ stat increased by 2.]
There was no time to check the results in my status window.
After leveling up, I managed to kill two more.
However, four orcs with spears piercing their bodies still managed to endure and move.
The soldiers seemed not to care about that part.
“Oooh! That’s an impressive skill!”
“I, I would like you to teach me, are you a mercenary?”
The number of soldiers looking at me increased from five to more than ten.
But I could feel something else mixed in the gaze.
At the base of the fortress wall.
A ferocious glare could be felt even from a distance.
A creature that could easily be recognized as the leader of the orc group was there.
About 2 times larger than the other orcs around him.
Is he angry that I have reduced the number of his kind?
“Sorry for being late. You’ve held out well.”
A lone woman appeared. Her navy blue hair caught my attention.
“Oh, you’ve come. Risclein. Thanks to this friend here, we’ve just managed to breathe easier.”
[NPC – Mercenary Captain Risclein of ‘Lukerna’]
I was certain from the name window.
She’s the center of this quest.
While the names of others were just black text, this woman’s nametag subtly had a golden border.
Risclein bowed her head to me.
“Hello. I haven’t met you before, have I? Captain Bake doesn’t usually praise someone so easily, it’s quite surprising.”
At Risclein’s words, Bake excitedly added.
“Hurry, please show us that wondrous skill of yours one more time!”
What’s with all the excitement?
After nodding, I picked up a spear and threw it.
I could feel Risclein’s eyes following the trajectory of the javelin I had thrown.
Kwa-jik—!
Until it was accurately embedded in the heart of the targeted orc.
I could feel Risclein’s gaze on me.
“Remarkable.”
In her eyes that looked straight at me, I could see a spark.
I asked the gold-eyed Risclein about the things I was curious about.
“Defending like this has limits, doesn’t it? Ultimately, I think some of us need to descend and fight to make them retreat.”
Risclein’s response came immediately.
“You’re absolutely right. That’s why our mercenary group is currently preparing for a direct battle.”
There was no trace of fear on Risclein’s face.
[Quest! – Follow Mercenary Captain ‘Risclein of Lukerna’ and defend the Keclerb fortress walls.]
As I expected.
Risclein was the main character in the second stage.
“I would like to join you.”
At my words, Risclein’s face lit up with a smile.
“Thank you. The more help we have, the higher the possibility of driving away those monsters.”
Would more help really make such a difference?
Even with my addition, the number of orcs was overwhelmingly large, as far as the eyes could see.
“Just wait a moment. We’re still in the process of preparation.”
“I understand.”
After bowing one more time, Risclein quickly retreated.
I opened my status window.
[Player Status]
Name: Han Yuseong
Race: Human
Lv.4
Strength: 26
Agility: 25
Health: 24
Mana: 12
Skills: Pain Suppression Lv.3, Calmness Lv.2, Camouflage Lv.1, Danger Sense Lv.2, Extended Vision Lv.1, Concentration Enhancement Lv.2, Projectile Movement Lv.1, Mana Body Enhancement Lv.1
After checking my stats at level 4, I opened the Elysian Gallery.
I wrote a post.
Title: Do you know anyone called Mercenary Captain Risclein? Or Lukerna Mercenary Group?
Author: Anonymous
– It’s a quest type in level 2. It seems like a defense battle. The monsters I’ve encountered so far are orcs.
Oh, and I killed some orcs by throwing short spears. Are short spears good? Is there any particular weakness of orcs?
The comments, as always, quickly piled up.
n ???? Lukerna?
n The leader of Lukerna Mercenary Group is not Risclein, but Delisa.
n Absolute Monarch: That’s correct. The captain of Lukerna Mercenary Group is Delisa.
n Absolute Monarch: By any chance, what does Risclein look like?
n Anonymous: Blue hair with gold eyes.
n What?! You, take a picture and upload it.
n Sewer Sword Sage: Delisa wouldn’t do that. Delisa wouldn’t have done that…
n King of Swords: Take a picture of this person named Risclein quickly. Oh, and by the way, short spears can be used not only as throwing weapons but also as effective in combat. But first, take a picture!
n Absolute Monarch: I said I wouldn’t forget you.
n Sewer Sword Sage: She also said the same thing to me. While looking at the sunset sky together. She said we’d meet again.
n F!! Picture!!!
Why are these guys reacting like this?
n Light Sword: Orcs don’t have distinct weaknesses. You just need to cut them down.
n Archmage: Their only weakness is that they’re a little dumb.
n Light Sword: If I had to point out a weakness, like many monsters, their eyes are a weakness.
There were only two normal answers to my question.
If they wanted to see Risclein’s face so desperately, I should probably take a photo.
As I approached, Risclein bowed her head apologetically.
“Could you please wait a little longer?”
“Can you see anything in my hand?”
I was holding a gallery terminal in my right hand.
But Risclein simply tilted her head as if confused.
“No, aren’t your hands empty?”
She couldn’t see the terminal.
“Please don’t worry, I’ll prepare.”
I casually brushed it off and moved aside.
I opened the Elysian Gallery again.
Title: Here’s a picture of Risclein.
Author: Anonymous
– But, why are you reacting like this?
Attachment: 1000234523.jpg
(A girl with navy blue long hair looking straight ahead, Risclein)
After a brief silence, comments started pouring in.
n F.
n Wow, Delisa, that woman has done it.
n Did you get pwned or something? lol lol lol lol lol I don’t have any girl NPC friends, but why are these guys acting like this? hahaha
n Absolute Monarch: Blue hair, gold eyes…she must be Delisa’s daughter.
n A sequel to a story that was really good has come out…where the heroine cheats.
n Ask her who her father is.
n Sewer Sword Sage: That’s right, ask her…who her father is.
n Absolute Monarch: The words “I’ll never forget you” were a lie.
n Hhhhh…. f*g hell!!!!! Sword Sage Bro!!! Monarch Bro!!!!!! Do you know what your life looks like right now? It’s the same as mine… If only you hadn’t approached her with emotions… sniff sniff sniff.
n Absolute Monarch: I remember exactly what she said. Someday when we meet again, we’ll surely kiss again.
n Elder, stop being so dramatic.
n Anonymous: So, the current situation is that the characters with whom the elders had emotional exchanges while climbing the peak are Delisa, and this is her daughter Risclein?
n Absolute Monarch: That’s right…exactly. Lukerna is a family-run mercenary group, so it’s certain.
n Anonymous: Then, doesn’t the Monarch have a wife?
n Absolute Monarch: It’s different…the story of real life and the story of the Tower have different meanings.
n Anonymous: Well, shouldn’t this just be considered my Tower story? Why do they make it a sequel to the stories they’ve experienced?
n That’s what it means to be human.
n Elf: I agree with the climber. Why are you like this?
n Shut up, woman!
n Climber, please ask who the father is quickly.
n Anonymous: I’ll ask later.
n King of Swords: Please, it’s urgent.
Why is it urgent?
Why ask who the father is?
These guys want to ruin my story because theirs was destroyed.
I saw Risclein, clad in heavy armor, walking towards me.
Even though the elders were still causing chaos, I first closed the Elysian Gallery.
“The preparations are done. Ah, I haven’t even asked your name yet, could you tell me?”
I thought for a moment, but I didn’t see a need to change it.
In this harsh world, at least names should be called correctly.
“I’m Yuseong. Yuseong.”
Risclein smiled brightly.
“Nice to meet you, Yuseong! After this battle, let’s have dinner together.”
“Sure.”
She’s unexpectedly very understanding.
Would there really be time for dinner?
“Ah, here, take this.”
Risclein handed me something, and a heavy sensation flowed into my left hand.
It was a short spear.
[Black Javelin]
Category – Weapon (Short Spear)
Attack Power + 29
Required Level: Level 3 or above
Grade: C+
“This is useful. Both as a thrown weapon and for close combat. After seeing how well you threw the short spear earlier, it’s a gift.”
“Thank you.”
Oh.
Perfect as a secondary weapon.
This one will be primarily used for melee combat unless absolutely necessary.
I collected a few short spears from where I had thrown them earlier and placed them in my inventory to use as throwing weapons.
Demonium Difficulty.
In a place where you never know when or what will happen.
You need to know how to use every weapon at your disposal.
“Let’s go.”
Risclein, with a stern look on her face, led the group of determined mercenary members following her.
And I followed behind them.
