Chapter 157 – Evil Solidarity (1)

“Let’s just fight.”

“Yes.”

The ‘He’s an Orc, yet still Praiseworthy’ members decided to stop listening. The battle continued. Those who headed to the south to meet Crockta, their battle power was above the average users. All of them were high-level users.

“Be careful!”

“I understand!”

In the past, it was almost impossible for users to fight against NPCs, but now they had surpassed them. Furthermore, their skills and abilities were growing quickly due to the achievement points event.

The knights outnumbered them, but the ‘He’s an Orc, yet still Praiseworthy’ members didn’t step back. In particular, the actions of Gilgamesh were dazzling. He both mentally and physically attacked the enemies.

“Open your hearts! Death is only an uninvited guest for those who don’t understand it. Since we were born, we have already received notice of its visit! Kukuk!”

“……!”

“You there! What is your name?”

The confused knight replied, “T-Taiger.”

Gilgamesh used magic power, as he was a magic swordsman who gave up efficiency for power. He used his magic to produce dozens of magic swords in the air behind the enemy. The combination of ‘Paired Sword Technique and ‘Psychokinesis!’

As his accomplishments reached an essence beyond the limit, he gained a hidden class that no one had obtained before.

The ‘Blade Shadowmage’!

“Taiger! Tomorrow, your friends will be having a conversation!”

“What conversation?”

He moved his hand and dozens of swords shot towards the enemy. Gilgamesh exclaimed, “Taiger?”

“Kkack!”

“He is dead!”

His swords pierced the body of Knight Taiger. Taiger looked like a hedgehog as he was penetrated by numerous swords.

Gilgamesh closed his eyes. “Freedom doesn’t come back, but revenge does. Blame it on your reckless sword and your misplaced loyalty, Taiger.”

It was a class that couldn’t fight for a long time due to the consumption of strength, but his brilliant technique was effective in lowering enemy morale.

One knight spoke fearfully, “There isn’t just one monster…!”

The man who was always persecuted because of his excessive speech, Gilgamesh! He was now called a monster by the NPC knights. The members of ‘He’s an Orc, yet still Praiseworthy’ felt unknown emotions as they watched Gilgamesh knock down the knights.

One member of ‘He’s an Orc, yet still Praiseworthy’ who hated Gilgamesh in particular, Shaq closed his eyes as he recalled the past. He was a user who condemned Gilgamesh more than anyone else. He spoke harshly about Gilgamesh being an otaku, but Gilgamesh wasn’t shaken at all as he said confidently.

‘Otaku!’

‘Otaku? It simply means a mania that focuses on one thing. Shaq!’

‘It is dirty!’

‘…Kukuk, okay. Coming to see me at twilight while shedding tears. If you want a fight then I’ll willingly oblige.’

Then what about now? Shaq suddenly looked at the sky.

It was just before the curtain of night covered the sky, as it shone red from the sun setting. As the glow from the western clouds grew, the clouds in the east were dark, as if night had already arrived. It was a beautiful twilight.

“…Gilgamesh, you were right.”

Shaq muttered as he aimed a spear towards a knight behind him. The knight bounced back from the blow. He barely managed to get up while raising his sword. Shaq kicked him. The knight’s helmet flew away and his face was revealed. Shaq’s spear aimed for his head.

“Knight. Tell this to the king.”

“H-His Majesty? Tell him what?”

Shaq laughed and replied, “To the ‘great king’, the grim reaper will perform his job brilliantly. Kukuk…!”

Then the spear struck. It was the end of the knight. Thanks to Crockta’s overwhelming dance and the ‘He’s an Orc, yet still Praiseworthy’ members, the battle was now completely one-sided.

“My greatsword is a guillotine that separates the godless ones! Stick out your necks, prisoners!”

“Come on, sword dance! Swallow the blood of the wicked!”

“Do you like this spear? It is a gift!”

Due to the attacks and damage to their spirits, the knights lost their fighting spirit and started to flee. Crockta and his fan club members finished as the sun went down.

Shaq looked at the backs of the retreating knights and asked Crockta,

“Crockta. How is it?”

Crockta looked at them. The ‘He’s an Orc, yet still Praiseworthy’ members were laughing while covered in blood. They had won but they weren’t in a perfect state. It was an appearance where the wounds kept increasing. Only the eyes gazing at Crockta were shining.

“Do you still not believe in our respect? Kukuk…!”

Shaq said with a smile. Gilgamesh scoffed from beside him and looked up at the distant sky.

Crockta replied, “Of course.”

“Even though we fought so hard together? I am disappointed.”

“I believe!” Crockta extended his fist and said, “I believe in my companions.”

“……!”

Companions! They were recognized as Crockta’s companions.

Crockta had first appeared in the video against the user hunters. He showed great skill in breaking through many enemies with his bold attacks. His words about honor caused many viewers to be thrilled. Then he was active in Arnin and Chesswood.

He always fought for the weak, and eventually became a hero who handled the northern invasion alone. But this man didn’t get tired and was fighting again for peace in the south. At first, he was a weak orc struggling against three users.

When the video with the user hunters first appeared, the members of ‘He’s an Orc, yet still Praiseworthy’ would’ve been more powerful. However, now Crockta had become a man who could face an army alone.

The same amount of time had passed, but he had become completely different to them. It was an indomitable will. An act of faithfulness! Crockta was truly deserving of respect.

Now they were recognized as companions of such a man.

“C-Companion.”

Gilgamesh was startled. His expression was touched. It was rare for him to let go of his concept. He soon restored his expression and looked at the distant sky.

“I have found a fellow reaper of death… you are truly a brave man, kukuk! I’ll accept it for today.”

Then he reached out and bumped fists with Crockta.

“Huhut.”

“This is true.”

Shaq and the other members of the fan club bumped fists with Crockta in turn.

***

Shaq, a member of ‘He’s an Orc, yet still Praiseworthy’, ended his connection.

Shin Jahu was lost in the afterglow for a while after exiting the capsule. He closed his eyes on the couch and recalled the adventure he had last night.

He had gone to the south to meet Crockta and actually met him. He was much bigger and fiercer than he seemed in videos. He was riding a horse that looked pitiful. Just like Crockta’s appearance, his actions were more than imagined.

He was more than someone from a video. Despite the users in the south refusing to get involved, he was fighting against the emperor with an indomitable will.

“If it wasn’t for work…”

Anyway, he asked for understanding and ended the connection. It was because day was breaking. Koreans or people living in a similar country stopped their adventures for a while.

“There are many guests today~ but the salary is the same~ but it can’t be ruined~.” Shin Jahu sang a strange song while putting on his clothes. He felt unusually good because he had a wonderful experience. “Jajangmyeon~ sweet bean paste~ bruises~ tiger balm ointment~.”

Shin Jahu was the chef at a Chinese restaurant.

He left home. His clothing revealed his burly body. Due to his hard work, his biceps and triceps were like a muscular bodybuilder.

“I wonder what that brat Gilgamesh is doing?”

Shin Jahu presumed Gilgamesh was Japanese or Korean because he was so influenced by Japanese culture. They weren’t friends in reality, but he was suddenly concerned about Gilgamesh’s social life.

It was the first time he worried about Gilgamesh.

“Is this the influence of Crockta?”

While Crockta was an NPC, he felt more like a person. Through Elder Lord, Shin Jahu started to change. He didn’t think about Gilgamesh with his usual disdain.

“I should make him a bowl of jajangmyeon if we ever meet.”

Shin Jahu headed for the bus stop. There was a stack of windows on the sidewalk, with more piled up on the street truck. He used it to check his face. Ah, he forgot to shave. His beard was growing. However, he didn’t care.

“I am a real man~.”

He sang while passing by the truck. This was no time to worry about it. There was a group booked today so he needed to hurry to work.

At that moment.

A passenger car slightly twisted and hit the side of the truck.

Kung!

It was a mild hit. The uncle in the car opened the door and ran out. His expression was troubled.

“Da~mn. Why is this parked here?”

The uncle scratched his head and examined the truck. There wasn’t a big scratch. Rather, his car bumper was more damaged. The truck’s driver was absent, so the uncle tried to see if there was a phone number.

“Geez, I can see you.”

Shin Jahu chuckled at the sight. Then he suddenly discovered something strange. Due to the aftermath of the conflict, the straps securing the window weren’t tied properly and they came loose.

“Oh my…”

He blocked his ears and prepared for it. The windows would soon break.

“Uncle, be careful…”

Sometimes when coincidences overlapped, they ran towards an inevitable tragedy.

“Uh…”

A little boy was walking past the truck. At that moment, the stacked windows were tilting.

The kid moved without knowing anything. The yellow hat indicated that he was from a kindergarten near Shin Jahu’s apartment. The yellow bag across his shoulder was also from there. The name was Green Pine Kindergarten. If the boy’s eyes were any larger, then he could be mistaken for a girl.

Many thoughts crossed Shin Jahu’s mind as he saw the child. Was this a kaleidoscope? He could clearly see that the child had brown eyes and brown hair, while his legs were plump and at the awkward boundary between a toddler and a child.

The kid was staring at Shin Jahu with an innocent face mixed with laughter, not knowing the fate awaiting him. The kid’s body gradually got closer.

Shit.

Shin Jahu realized that he was running.

Shit, shit.

Why was he doing this? He saw the child’s surprised face. It was a face frightened by the adult rushing towards him, without being aware of the windows pouring towards him from above.

There should at least be someone who praised his action. At that moment, someone’s face popped up. Shin Jahu smiled while covering the boy’s body. People normally recalled their past, their family or their loved ones during a moment of crisis. So why did he think about the orc raising his thumb in the game at this moment?