Overgeared

by Park Saenal

  However, Hao sprinkled ashes on them.

  『 Don’t be too blind about the orcs. The coefficient of health and stamina is obviously 1.8 times higher than that of humans, but as the second half progresses, skills will become more important than stats. A double drop in intelligence will grab at your ankles. Also, don’t forget that the power-loving thoughts of the orcs will provoke great upset sooner or later. 』

  『 Ah, yes. I’ll finish the interview here. 』

  Once again, Hao became a target of the media. They attacked Hao with the conspiracy theory that his master Grid was behind the reason why he opposed China’s experts. In a communist country where public opinion could easily be manipulated and controlled, it was simple to act against a single person. Hao’s claims were lost in the criticism.

  “…It is tiring every time.” Hao found himself increasingly exhausted. Memories of the South Korea he visited a few years ago lingered before him. The streets were lined with the buildings belonging to Grid and the Overgeared members. He missed that free atmosphere.

  “…”

  Hao remembered the faces of his ancestors who had been respected from generation to generation and had to shake off his thoughts. He knew. In order to loosen the shackles of a mind that oppressed others and to start anew, he had to honor his country. As for the surest way to honor his country? It was to beat Grid.

  ‘Just once.’

  …At least once. He would soar into the clouds if he could beat Grid once. The Chinese trend of treating Grid as a villain while painting Hao as Grid’s minion would be fixed.

  ‘I must win once.’

  For his new beginning and for Grid’s honor, Hao longed for victory.

  ***

  “Orc warriors! You! Worship Teruchan! Guruk! Gruruk! I will give you the glory of going to war with me! We! Take away the territory of humans! Guruk! Kruruk! We will build our empire!!”

  “This is crazy!”

  The players who had changed to the orc species trembled. Their goal was to become a ranker or to play on the stage of the National Competition, but this was ruined once the long war appeared. To be honest, the players didn’t care about the orc’s country. It didn’t matter to them. After all, it had been less than a few months since they became orcs, so they didn’t feel any sense of belonging yet.

  There weren’t even any quests. The new lord, who had taken the throne by force, was so ignorant that he didn’t know how to deal with people. He emphasized that it was an honor to follow him and didn’t intend to give any carrots. It was a madness that the players didn’t swallow.

  “I want to leave this war!”

  The players attempted to leave. In the first place, players were enjoying the game. They had the right to freedom and no reason to surrender to the orc lord’s orders. This was what they believed. Then what was this?

  [If you leave the ranks now, you will be considered a deserter. All kinds of punishments and constraints will follow!]

  “XX!!”

  “No, what is this?”

  Orcs were a militant species that worshipped power. All its people were treated as soldiers, and the players were no exception. They couldn’t be freed from the military laws which were made one-sidedly by the orc lord. Of course, the people didn’t accept it easily.

  Players ignored this and left the ranks. Then they were all killed. Their necks were cut by the other orcs next to them, behind them, or in front of them. Even if they died, resurrected, logged out, and then logged in again, they couldn’t escape from the orc army that had already begun its march.

  In the orc society that valued instincts, the orc lord’s will was absolutely binding. The subordinate orcs couldn’t go against the senior orcs. It was the reason why some players had the ‘right to control some orcs’ after changing to a twilight orc.

  [The great lord Teruchan has declared war!]

  [You will join his army at Teruchan’s will!]

  “What the hell is this X game?!!”

  The biggest difference between Satisfy and existing games was the degree of freedom. Unless they committed a crime or were bound by specific quests, they could always play Satisfy according to their own will. At this moment, common sense was broken. Orc players encountered an ignorant leader and were forced to experience the barracks.

  ‘Someone kill that damn bastard!’

  The twilight orcs launched a conquest war. Humans, as well as orc players, wanted their march to stop. However, it was hard to find the forces to stop Teruchan and his fanatical elites, who were strong enough to be treated as ‘magicless great demons.’ Everyone was in pain.

  ***

  “Why is the development different than expected?”

  In Reinhardt’s smithy, Grid clicked his tongue after receiving Lauel’s report. In many ways, the expressions in his and Lauel’s eyes weren’t good since they analyzed that the orcs were unlikely to expand.

  Lauel replied, “The twilight orc lord is the king who rules over all orcs. I guessed before that he had great intelligence, and in fact, the previous orc lord was cautious. For hundreds of years, he pretended to be humane in order to not stimulate the empire, while not forgetting the helplessness his people had experienced under the oppression of the empire. So my analysis wasn’t wrong.”

  “In any case, you didn’t expect it. You didn’t say that another orc could kill the old orc lord and become the new orc lord, waging a war.”

  “It was so obvious that I didn’t say it. However, I did expect it. Since the orcs are a species that relies on strength, I analyzed that the path of succession to the throne would take place through strength and calculated that the orc lord could change at any time.”

  “…?”

  Lauel’s biggest weakness was his weak mentality. His mind often stopped working when he faced unexpected variables. Of course, he had the wisdom to block 99 out of 100 variables.

  “Do you have a contingency plan that is within the expected range?”

  “No?”

  “…?”

  Hey, this person was crazy.

  Lauel shrugged at the anxious Grid. “The orc’s march has provided justification to the empire. The empire gave them freedom in order to achieve unity, but they can’t stand by and watch the orcs continue to wage war. The empire will once again fight the orcs.”

  “Ah…”

  The orcs, who met the wrong master, would be sent to their graves.

  “I see. It isn’t a problem for us. No, it isn’t a problem to care about.”

  Right when Grid was nodding, it happened.

  “There is news that the orc army has invaded the Fold Kingdom! It is the main army that Orc Lord Teruchan is leading!”

  “What?” Grid’s expression stiffened. He rose from his seat as he recalled the loyalty shown by the Fold Kingdom and Prince Shining. “I will go. I have to sort this out.”

  Lightning bounced around the Blue Dragon’s Boots. Additionally, four black hands floated in the air. They were the resurrected God Hands.

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  Chapter 1094

  -The possibility of suffering direct damage seems very low….

  -Yes.

  Those who were anxious about the orcs’ march, calling it the ‘worst disaster since the great demon’, gradually regained stability.

  -It is quite different from the great demon.

  The great demons treated humans as cattle. They one-sidedly abused, slaughtered, and ridiculed humans. The orcs were different. They were also intelligent beings who could be classified alongside humans. Unlike the great demons, they were common-sense opponents and not as cruel as the great demons. They didn’t impose their ideas of justice on humans. However, they argued that they needed territory to live.

  “I, the lord who leads the great warriors, Teruchan! Our great warriors don’t have the hobby of torturing the weak! Guruk! Gruruk! I will guarantee your safety if you raise the white flag and surrender your land!”

  Howl City Fortr
ess—it was the gateway to the Fold Kingdom, and there were always 30,000 elite troops stationed there. The soldiers were commanded by veterans who went through all sorts of hardships, and the knights led the way in defeating the invaders.

  Yes, Howl’s army was valiant. They would stand up, even if the empire invaded. The reason why the Fold Kingdom wasn’t afraid of the empire’s retaliation after going under the Overgeared Kingdom was that they trusted Howl’s army. However…

  “These sons of a bitches. Why covet our kingdom? They are many countries richer than us.”

  “That’s right. There is no use for this barren land.”

  “Perhaps they aren’t aware of the state of our country? They are surprisingly good conversationalists. Perhaps they will step back if we explain it well?”

  Even Howl’s army was shrank back in front of the orcs. The sight of 100,000 dark-skinned orcs, with a height of at least two meters, under the walls placed a great pressure on them. In particular, the orc lord in the lead was terrifying. The mere sight of his eyes made them feel nauseous. A few soldiers’ pants were already wet.

  “Umm…” Marquis Veze—the lord of Howl and the symbol of the Fold Kingdom’s armed forces who was famous for being the idol of tens of millions of guardian knight players—came to a decision after agonizing over the matter. “A conversation. That is a good way. Open the gates. I will go out and talk to them.”

  “That is impossible!” The marquis’ men were shocked.

  Sure, the orcs were unexpectedly gentleman. They were like knights worshipping chivalry. When they heard that the small villages the orcs passed on the way were safe, they thought that orcs were better than some humans. However, this could be an act. In the first place, orcs were the enemy. There was no fool who would tell their commander to step into the middle of enemy territory.

  “The fortress is doomed the moment they harm you or take you hostage.”

  “That’s right! Please be cautious! Please send out the warden!”

  “The captain is hiding while asking for a conversation? The orcs will respond well. They would laugh at us.”

  “Just fight! It is too dangerous for you to go out in person!”

  “That’s right! They are orcs! Monsters! There is nothing to talk about!”

  “Then shall we fight blindly?”

  “We have 30,000 strong soldiers! We’ll be able to hold on if we stay in the castle!”

  “There is hope because an army has been dispatched from the capital!”

  “Is it really possible?”

  “…” Everyone shut their mouths at the marquis’ question. The marquis’ gaze was aimed at a large spear stuck in the city gates. It was a spear that Orc Lord Teruchan had thrown from ‘an invisible place.’ The spear caused cracks in the walls, and even dozens of knights combined couldn’t pull it out. It was as if it had been there since the beginning.

  “We will only be able to hold on for two days. The moment they start the offensive, the walls will collapse, and the fortress will be thoroughly trampled on. Rather than increasing the number of victims with meaningless resistance, it is better to try and talk to them first.”

  “However, if the marquis suffers a disaster, we won’t be able to last for even two days.”

  “The moment they strike at my neck, throw away the fortress and retreat to the capital. Prince Shining will immediately grasp the situation and take you in.”

  “Do you want us to be cowards who run away without even fighting?”

  “Of course, some people will point fingers at you. Still, don’t worry. Everyone will know that today’s choice was the only way to protect the country. Endure the humiliation for our country.”

  “Sir!”

  The people couldn’t persuade Marquis Veze any longer. He broke through the barriers made by his subordinates with his body and left the castle.

  “This…!”

  The pale nobles and knights urgently rushed to the walls. They saw Marquis Veze come face to face with Orc Lord Teruchan. The Marquis was a guardian knight who specialized in defending. Among the other nobles and knights, Marquis Veze’ body was large like that of a giant yet he felt dwarfed among the orcs. In particular, he looked like a little kid compared to Teruchan.

  “I am Veze, the leader of this fortress and a marquis of the Fold Kingdom. Orc Lord Teruchan, I will tell you something despite the shame.”

  “Grruk. Kruruk! Go ahead,” Teruchan responded in an interested manner. He was very pleased with the courage of the slender man who jumped into the middle of the enemy alone.

  “The territory of our Fold Kingdom is famous for being the most barren on the continent. The mountains are common, and we don’t have the strength of the sea. It has no value even if the orcs conquer it.”

  “Then we should invade other kingdoms? Grruk.”

  “…I’m asking you to step down.”

  The number and types of monsters that appeared in the Fold Kingdom were much higher than other kingdoms. Marquis Veze, who always fought in the vanguard, had cut off the breaths of tens of thousands of monsters. It was a strange and difficult thing for Marquis Veze to bow his head to orcs whom he had always regarded as monsters.

  Even so, he didn’t hesitate at all. He bowed his head politely. “The Fold Kingdom isn’t worth conquering. Please withdraw.”

  Disparaging the country—it was a crime that couldn’t be forgiven, even if it was for the sake of the country. In particular, Marquis Veze felt more shame and guilt since he had been fighting for his country all his life. However, he was forced to speak honestly since he wanted the orcs to step down. The Fold Kingdom was a country that wasn’t even worth conquering…

  This was also a popular assessment in the world. Teruchan listened to him and laughed. “For our warriors, the territory of the Fold Kingdom is the best place.”

  “…?”

  Marquis Veze had been looking forward to the orcs’ ‘ignorance.’ He thought they invaded the Fold Kingdom because they didn’t know anything. That’s why he believed a conversation would work. The orcs would leave easily once they realized they had nothing to gain from conquering this place. Yet he received a completely unexpected response. The territory of the Fold Kingdom was the best?

  Teruchan smiled at the baffled marquis. His large teeth were more intimidating than any beast’s.

  “Grruk. We train and fill our hunger by hunting monsters.”

  “…!”

  “More than any other country. Grruk. Kurruk. The Fold Kingdom is the right place for us.”

  This was a failure. Marquis Veze took in a shocked breath as he realized the hope he sought was a vain dream. Simultaneously, he made a quick decision. He had to go back to lead the soldiers to retreat. In order to fight against the orcs, it was most efficient to rally all the armies throughout the Fold Kingdom to the capital. However, this idea was soon dampened.

  ‘This…!’

  Retreat wasn’t possible. The red-spotted leopard—thousands of these beasts were domesticated by the orcs. They were powerful enough to hunt monsters and were several times faster than horses. Teruchan saw Marquis Veze’s trembling gaze directed at the leopards and was merciful.

  “Human with courage.”

  “…?”

  “You can speak with dignity in front of me. Grruk. Based on your manner, you are also a warrior. Kurruk. Out of a warrior’s honor, I want to give you a chance.”

  “…!”

  ‘A chance!’ The lost hope was once again illuminated in the marquis’ eyes. The orc lord directly gave his country a chance, so there was no reason to resist.

  “Thank you!”

  Teruchan suggested to Marquis Veze, “Fight me.”

  It was a duel. Moreover, it was a duel that was advantageous to Marquis Veze.

  “If you compete with me, Orc Lord Teruchan, for more than 10 blows. Grruk. Kurruk. I will respect you as a warrior and withdraw. Grruk.”

  “…!” Marquis Veze was incredulous.

 
He didn’t need to fight and win. He just needed to endure 10 blows and the orc army would retreat…? Marquis Veze doubted it because it was too favorable. Teruchan thought the wary looking Marquis Veze was cute.

  “The warriors who follow me and your men are watching. Guruk. Here. Kurruk. If I’m lying, grruk, I will be expelled from the seat of a lord.”

  It meant he could be trusted. Marquis Veze nodded. “Okay. I’ll accept the suggestion. Please don’t forget your promise.”

  He was forced to grab onto this line, even if it was rotten. If he didn’t grab onto this line, the only thing they would be waiting for was doom. With this resolve, the marquis pulled out his shield and his sword. He was a knight with a firm resolve. Not only was he revered by the knights of other nations, he was also the idol of tens of millions of guardian knight players. The orcs let out excited sounds. It was because he covered his entire body with a shield while he held his sword, causing him to exert a great pressure. There was no room to attack. Any attack seemed like it would be blocked and counterattacked.

  Teruchan burst out laughing. “Indeed! An outstanding warrior as I expected! Kuhahahaha!”

  He had dark skin reminiscent of evening, and it was thicker than sheet metal. The twitching muscles were as majestic as rocks. The calluses on the hands, which were huge enough to hold a watermelon in one hand, proved that he was a trained warrior and not just a beast who relied on natural strength.

  All the elements that made up Orc Lord Teruchan pressed on Marquis Veze. Even so, Marquis Veze didn’t shrink back. He was also a champion of reversal. Born in the weakest country, he had always fought against disadvantages. He knew better than anyone how to stand up to fight and defeat a strong enemy.

  ‘Come!’

  Marquis Veze used all types of defensive skills. There were seven skills that could each stand up to a player’s ultimate attack.

  ‘Being able to learn one of the will make you the strongest tanker.’ This was the guardian knights’ beloved statement that made Marquis Veze seem like a giant tree rooted for hundreds of years.