Chapter 4 – Instructor Lenox (1)

“Kuheook!”

Ian fell to the ground.

The orc warrior, Instructor Lenox, laughed at them.

“You guys came to become warriors?”

“Keooook…”

Lenox grabbed Grom’s neck.

“You! Don’t overrate yourselves! Orcs! Keep your head up!”

Lenox pushed his face right up to theirs and shouted,

“Look at these soft limbs! You aren’t orcs! Humans! Elves! I can even believe that you are dwarves!”

Lenox then threw Grom, who moaned as he rolled across the floor. The orc warriors that were training laughed at them with their distinct voices.

When Ian and Grom first told Lenox that they wanted to be orc warriors, Lenox asked them,

“Why do you want to be a warrior?”

Ian and Grom looked at each other. Grom replied within a minute,

“I want to become stronger!”

The Orcs, a fighting species. They were strong warriors who worshiped fighters and never bowed to the enemy! It was a textbook answer, and to some extent, it was true.

Lenox’s eyes widened at Grom’s response. He nodded, and then punched Grom and Ian. Now they were being beaten up.

“Why, why are you doing this…?”

Even if it was virtual reality, they still felt pain. The amount of sensation was deducted in accordance with one’s assimilation rate, but the pain itself still existed. Grom sounded like he was going to cry from the beating. Lenox and the other orc warriors once again laughed at Grom’s voice.

“The sissy is crying now! That’s it, meek orc!”

Lenox raised his fist once again and Grom crouched down. Lenox smiled and put down his fist.

Then he turned and looked at Ian. Ian was bracing himself while standing up. He shook due to the sense of pain that he had forgotten for a while. It really felt like he was being beaten. He started swaying.

“Hey you! What about you?”

“Huh?”

“Did you come here because you wanted to become stronger like him?”

Ian felt a sense of déjà vu.

Lenox resembled the instructor of the foreign troops. The instructor had asked the recruits, ‘Why did you come here? What reason do you have for jumping into the firing line?’ There were many answers, but the instructor just laughed and kicked them.

Then Ian replied,

“To protect my younger sister.”

Their parents had died, leaving no money and inherited debt. He had to protect his little sister. He, who only had a body that learned martial arts. He turned towards the battlefield.

The instructor had nodded at Ian’s reply and kicked Ian in the stomach.

“Do it well.”

The instructor had muttered softly instead of laughing.

As Ian recalled that time, he stared into Lenox’s eyes. Lenox no longer seemed like an ugly monster in a game. He was a warrior, an instructor. A mentor to the orc warriors. It wasn’t the time to joke right now.

He stared straight into his eyes. Lenox wasn’t the type who required a typical answer in a game.

“That’s right.”

“Hoh.”

“Become stronger…”

Ian said firmly.

“To protect my precious people.”

He was sincere, Ian had truly started this game for Yiyu. He had learned on the battlefield that the world was a heavy place. The wars were just a proxy for the politicians.

Lenox laughed at Ian’s answer and then he slammed his fist into Ian’s abdomen.

“Heeok!”

Ian clenched his teeth and persisted. His waist folded, but his legs didn’t collapse.

“Everybody get up.”

Lenox’s voice was heard and Grom stood up. The two people stood in front of Lenox. Lenox looked at Grom first.

“If you want to become stronger, never cower.”

“Yes, yes!”

“Straighten your waist.”

Grom tightened his waist. Then Lenox looked at Ian.

“You want to protect your precious people?”

“That’s right.”

“Right now, you can’t even protect yourself, let alone your precious people.”

Lenox grinned.

“Remember today’s helplessness.”

[You have become an orc apprentice warrior!]

[Become a great orc warrior with the teachings of Instructor Lenox!]

[10 achievement points have been acquired!]

The message windows opened. Grom looked like he had received the same messages.

Lenox made a gesture to follow him. They entered a large stone building that was beside the training grounds.

“Anyone who wants to become a warrior will need to stop by here.”

He waved his hands and the dark interior lit up.

“These are the great warriors who have entered the Hall of Fame.”

The lit torches revealed multiple statues surrounding them. They were several times larger than actual orcs and were delicately sculpted to look as if they were alive. Ian once again admired the level of civilization of the orcs.

The statues stood proudly with their weapons, including an axe, a hammer, a mace, and a morning star. Lenox asked,

“Who do you want to follow?”

The message windows popped up.

[Please select your role model!]

[The orcs believe in intuition and following the pull of the soul.]

[Your weapon will depend on this choice.]

[The weapon can be changed at a later time, but for the time being, you will proceed with the weapon and skills that you have chosen.]

It seemed like they were now choosing their weapons. Ian methodically examined the statues. The statues looked down at the center of the circle, making him feel like he was making eye contact with those legendary figures.

Ian suddenly felt an intense gaze and turned his head. One of the statues that was holding a huge greatsword was staring at Ian. Even though it was a stone statue, Ian’s heart pounded as it seemed as if the eyes were actually looking at him. But that wasn’t the only thing that surprised Ian.

He was a human.

“That human…?”

Lenox replied,

“Leyteno.”

Lenox walked towards the statue of Leyteno.

“He walked the path of a warrior like us and was the only human to become a brother of the orcs.”

“This human?”

“A long time ago, when the humans betrayed us and broke the covenant, Leyteno fought with us against their greed and hypocrisy. He was a warrior who knew honor, a true warrior who never compromised when faced with injustice and never abandoned faith. Every time he wielded his greatsword, the blood of the enemies would gush out like a river.”

Lenox extended this fist. The statue of Leyteno stayed still, but it seemed like he met Lenox’s fist.

“We respectfully call him the master of the greatsword.”

[You have chosen a great warrior, the master of the greatsword, who became the brother of the orcs in human form, Leyteno!]

[Your weapon is a greatsword.]

[Skill Greatsword Technique (Common) has been acquired.]

[Status Window:]

Ian, Orc Apprentice Warrior.

Level: 1

Achievement Points: 10

Assimilation: 53%

Abilities:

Orc’s Strength (Common)

Orc’s Recovery (Common)

Greatsword (Common)

His weapon was automatically designated by the system, but Ian didn’t panic, as he had wanted to choose Leyteno. He was a human, but he chose an orc as his character. He felt a sense of connection to Leyteno, who had become a brother of the orcs in human form. In addition, Ian had learned the sword from Baek Hanho.

[Due to your basic skills, the proficiency of Greatsword Technique (Common) has increased. As proficiency accumulates, you can upgrade it to the Uncommon rating.]

How did his game know that he had previously learned swordsmanship? The system was truly elaborate.

“Grom has chosen Gloin, whose axe is said to have split apart a whole mountain.”

“The axe is good.”

“That’s right. The axe is a basic weapon for all orc warriors. Kulkulkul.”

Lenox laughed. He also carried an axe on his back.

“Follow me.”

After they left the Hall of Fame, Lenox pulled out their weapons from the arsenal next to the training grounds.

[The Old Greatsword (Common) has been acquired.]

It was difficult to hold the heavy greatsword.

Unlike other games, Elder Lord didn’t have an inventory. It was a game that eliminated user convenience for extreme realism. Even considering the size of the orcs, he would have to carry an oversized greatsword from now on.

Grom also wobbled as he held his axe. Grom whispered,

“We aren’t orcs for nothing. Ow, this is a really brutish weapon.”

“That’s right.”

Ian swung the greatsword in the air. Still, the strength of an orc could be seen.

“I guess you like it, you little ones.”

Lenox said with a laugh, “But I wonder if that will be the case after listening to my words.”

“Huh?”

“From now on, you will swing your weapon at the training grounds.”

They stood at the training grounds. In addition to the two users, there were numerous orcs training with their weapons. The axe and halberd boasted the highest proportion of wielders, followed by hammers and maces. A greatsword like Ian’s was rare.

They looked at Grom and Ian like they were a spectacle.

“Look at my posture.”

Lenox took Grom’s axe and demonstrated. It was a clean ‘downward blow’. Lenox repeated the technique again. Then he showed a ‘two-handed slash’ with Ian’s greatsword.

“Repeat this.”

“How many times?”

“Until you are satisfied.”

“Huh…?”

Lenox gave a loud laugh,

“If you are satisfied, then come find me.”

Lenox said before leaving. The other orcs gathered around Grom and Ian and laughed,

“Kulkulkul. It is starting again!”

“Kulkul. Hey, newbies. Let me tell you one thing!”

“Yes?”

“Instructor Lenox has never been satisfied once.”

“Then what…”

“Your should learn it with your body.”

The orcs laughed again,

“Kulkul. Lenox’s new sheep, stay alive!”

“Kuhahaha!”

“Ahh…”

Grom sighed. He took the axe and swung it a few times in the air before stopping.

“Ian.”

“Yes?”

Ian was familiarizing himself with holding a sword again.

“Are you going to continue today?”

“Yes.”

“I’m a little tired, so I need to logout and I’ll search for a few attacks. Ah, being an orc is more exhausting than I thought.”

“I understand.”

“Then have fun, I’ll see you later.”

Grom gradually disappeared as he logged out.

At that moment, the other orcs became nervous. How did the orcs perceive his sudden disappearance? The orcs clicked their tongues as they saw Grom disappearing.

“What, someone who received the curse of the stars?”

They asked Ian,

“Are you the same?”

“Huh?”

“Have you been cursed by the stars?”

Help came while Ian was worrying about the answer.

[In the world of Elder Lord, users have received the ‘curse of the stars.’]

[Sometimes they are summoned by the Abyss and due to the curse of the stars, they are revived after dying.]

[Those who received the curse of the stars can be released from the curse by building up achievements and receiving ‘God’s forgiveness.’ If they can’t, they will be destined to suffer forever in the Abyss.]

[If NPCs know that you have been cursed by the stars, then you may be discriminated again.]

[Whatever the method, everything in the world of Elder Lord is your choice.]

Ian immediately understood the situation. The curse of the stars was a setting created to explain the users logging out and their revival after dying. He nodded at the maker’s foresight.

Ian replied honestly, “That’s right.”

“I see.”

They didn’t say anything else. In the world of Elder Lord, NPCs felt reluctant towards the users cursed by the stars.

Ian paid attention to his greatsword again. He recalled Lenox’s movements. Even if his weapon was a sword, Lenox was a great warrior. Right now, to Ian, Elder Lord wasn’t a game, but a new world.

He was a newcomer cursed by the stars who was sweating to become an orc warrior.

“Kuaaah!”

“Hiyahhh! I’m alive!”

“Bul’tarrrr!”

A burning spirit rose up inside Ian as he heard and saw the orcs sharpening their skills.

Ian wielded his sword.