TRPM 141

chapter 141

The Cleaner Guild was able to handle the orc hordes without much difficulty, even without my intervention.

During the process, not a single member was injured while hunting the orcs, whether it was the heavily armored warriors who blocked the orcs at the front or the others targeting the restricted-movement orcs.

The only resources consumed in this battle were a slightly dented shield from one of the heavy warriors and some potions used to replenish their energy while killing orcs.

‘Now that I think about it, I should make some recovery pills (丸藥) too…’

Ordinary potions available in the market could restore my internal energy, but their efficiency was abysmally low. Before my regression, I created my own consumables to recover my internal energy—these were the recovery pills.

Since my regression, I haven’t entered a battle lacking internal energy, so I hadn’t felt an immediate need to make them. But after entering high school, the black mist would become active again, so it would be wise to prepare some. That could wait until this dungeon was cleared…

“Everyone rested enough? Let’s build a defensive line here!”

After annihilating the orc tribe that had charged at us, the Cleaner Guild, having rested briefly, began to move. Though it seemed their rest had been a little short…

‘They probably just want to look good in front of me.’

The reason they were establishing a defensive line near the dungeon entrance instead of moving deeper was simple: it was standard procedure.

[Typically, the conventional approach to dealing with a legion is to hold a position near the dungeon entrance for at least a week and up to a month, gradually reducing the number of orcs.]

An orc legion could number anywhere from several thousand to tens of thousands in a single dungeon. To face all of them, one had no choice but to force a long-term battle—unless, of course, there was an asymmetrical advantage like me.

‘They probably think they can handle a full legion, at least until they get overwhelmed and pushed outside the dungeon.’

Having experienced a bitter taste once, they would now proceed cautiously.

‘By the way…’

There was no sign of other orcs moving yet. The orcs that had just arrived had been annihilated, so they wouldn’t know the situation here. Thinking this, I focused my senses on the areas where orcs were present while watching the Cleaner Guild set up barricades.

“…Ssshhk…!”
“Ching…! Ching…!”

I couldn’t understand their language, but I could infer what they were doing from their actions. They had gathered in the center of their encampment, burning animal corpses—not cooking them, but burning them. That was significant.

‘Are the shamans performing some kind of ritual?’

Considering the existence of orc shamans, it wouldn’t be strange if they had a ritualistic culture, even if it resembled human practices.

‘It seems to be a type of burnt offering… but other than that, it’s hard to determine what kind of ritual it is.’

Even if the forms of orc and human rituals are similar, the systems are completely different. Observing the orcs perform a ritual doesn’t reveal its purpose. But that didn’t matter.

‘At least it’s not a curse.’

It’s probably just a ritual wishing for the well-being of their kin. I watched their ritual for a while. After some time, the ritual ended, and orcs presumed to be shamans withdrew. Then appeared a massive orc, nearly ten times the size of the others.

‘…So that’s the orc lord of this dungeon.’

Despite its size, its combat power wasn’t much different from an orc legion commander. I whistled at the sight of it.

“Whiiiist…!”
“…Hmm? Did something just happen?”

One of the Cleaner Guild members asked after seeing my sudden action. I answered with a half-truth.

“I just saw a bird and whistled.”
“Really?”

The guild member didn’t suspect anything. From their perspective, that was all I had done.

“Vibration, amplification.”

The small whistle I let out was enhanced by the effect of my spell. The sound gradually grew in size, and by the time it reached the orc lord’s encampment…

Rrrrrrr…!
“Cchhhh?!?”
“Kiiiiiik…!”

It became a thunderous roar.

Sound Technique. A martial art that uses vibrations in the air as a medium. I chose sound technique as my method for slaughtering orcs.

Bang!
Crash!
Clang!

Some orcs bled from every orifice—eyes, nose, mouth. Some were crushed or exploded as if colliding with an invisible force. Their metal equipment shattered as though made of glass.

Kraaaah…!
Ssshhh…!

The devastation wasn’t limited to the orcs. Mountains shook, causing landslides, and rivers defied gravity as the water surged upward.

‘…Just like last time.’

I recalled the first orc dungeon I had entered with Yeon Mirae. I had caused a similar chaos with sound technique back then. The difference was that I was controlling a puppet rather than my real body, and the dungeon had a legion commander as the boss.

‘Ah, there they are again.’

Some orcs had survived my previous sound technique.

[With a single clap, I had turned everything in the dungeon into a disaster.]
[Only a few orcs survived.]
[The legion commander and what seemed like its closest subordinates.]
[Since my mastery wasn’t high, the technique didn’t affect orcs above a certain level.]

Previously, I used sound technique in a visible location. Now, I used it from a distance, out of sight. Naturally, its power would drop—but the result was similar.

“U… uuurgh…!”
“Ching…chhhiiiik…!”

Despite being generally stronger than the orcs in the past dungeon, only the orc lord and its presumed subordinates survived. Even they weren’t in good condition.

‘Thanks to monsters’ innate vitality, they’ll probably regenerate quickly.’

Anyway…

“Uuu… uuurgh…!”
“Cchhhhk…!”

The orc lord roared in fury, and its surviving subordinates dispersed, heading somewhere. Since I could see what was in this dungeon, I easily understood their destination.

‘They’re heading to the encampments with the orc legion commanders.’

The subordinates would report the situation. The commanders would gather their chieftains and large chieftains and march toward the orc lord.

‘Eventually, all the orcs in this dungeon will come to the source of the sound… which is here, where we are.’

That was my plan: to lure all the orcs, including the orc lord, into one place and annihilate them in one stroke.

‘That’s why I provoked the orc lord.’

Some might question whether killing all the orcs except the subordinates to provoke the lord was excessive. But an orc lord is generally slow to act. If I didn’t provoke it this way, it would have sent only subordinates.

‘Not the standard method, but… effective.’

I had mentioned that the conventional method was a long-term battle—but that was when I wasn’t here. Actually, my plan would seem insane to most people. Who would face tens of thousands of orcs at once?

‘But dangerous methods are also fast.’

If you can kill tens of thousands of orcs quickly, no other method is faster. I could have summoned magic swords with the Harmony Sword or launched mass-produced swords from the A-space artifact, but both were not with my main body, only with the puppet.

Anyway, I chose to lure all the orcs for the fastest dungeon clearance.

‘I won’t bother with the standard one-week-to-one-month approach.’

I was on a school trip, and our homeroom teacher was waiting outside the dungeon. My classmates expected me to enjoy the trip with them, so I couldn’t spend too long on this dungeon. At most, an hour. Everything would be finished, and we would return.

Rrrrrrrr…
“…Hmm?”

After some time, orcs began approaching here with the orc lord. Tens of thousands of orcs moving in unison caused massive vibrations, alerting the Cleaner Guild members that something unusual was happening.

“Everyone, prepare for battle! The orcs are coming!”
“The barricade near the rear gate is unstable… but we can’t do anything! Lure them to the front where the barricade is strong!”
“And Artist… no, Kenwoo-student…”

The Cleaner Guild quickly prepared for battle, glancing at me. They couldn’t give orders freely to me, an Aura Master, even if they were in a protective role. I wasn’t planning to follow their orders anyway.

“Hmm…”

I looked at the direction the orcs were coming from. Obstacles blocked the view, but the leading orcs weren’t far from me. They were within my range.

‘Start lightly…’

I gripped the orc sword I had brought into the dungeon with both hands, recalling the battle just before my regression.

[Holding the sword, I took a stance.]
[I swung it horizontally.]
[A light horizontal slash.]

Just like before, I swung lightly. Of course…

[But the effects of that light slash were anything but light.]
[Monsters far away from my position were all cut down.]

As before, the consequences of my swing were far from trivial.

Kraaaah…!

Heaven and earth split. A perfectly straight line appeared, almost unreal. I was satisfied. For a sword I had just taken, the result was impressive.

“…Chhhk…?”
“…Uuurgh…?”

The orcs split in two, top and bottom. The Cleaner Guild, watching everything, couldn’t comprehend what had happened.

“Phew…”

I ignored them and casually tossed the crumbling sword aside. It wasn’t the Harmony Sword or the magic sword from before—I never expected a regular orc sword to withstand my technique.

‘It doesn’t matter if it can’t.’

I watched the dying orcs with disbelief—or rather, the weapons they were holding.

‘This place is full of swords, spears, axes, and clubs…’