Praise the Orc

Chapter 165: The Scenery of Five Senses (1)

Inside Ogochai, there were still people forming a square, resisting.

“If we drag it out for as long as we can, reinforcements will come.” Gert, the militia commander, said.

However, he gulped because he was not sure himself. The enemy had yet to deploy their knights. Only their cavalries hovered around the area and attacked the runaways, and only those who were cursed by the stars had entered the city.

They were slaughtering the people of the city, enjoying the massacre.

“Won’t we be able to accumulate a lot of experience points here?”

“That’s why we are the only ones here.”

“The achievement rewards keep coming. Wow, I got a Rare item.”

“Why are you excited over a Rare item? I wonder if I will get the Soaring Celestial Blade Technique?”

They jabbered away over some weird conversation and giggled.

Gert bit his lips. He greatly loathed those who were cursed by the stars. Meanwhile, he comforted the people around him.

“Hold out. We’ll be fine as long as we hold out.”

Naturally, no one believed that. They were waiting for reinforcements, but who would actually come? It was the Empire’s army. It would be a difficult war even if they hid in a barricade and protected the city with all their might.

It would be nothing more than a meaningless waste of troops to deploy reinforcements into a deadly situation to save them.

He repeated as if he was talking to himself, “If we hold our ground...”

But there was a commotion in the far distance. Gert was nervous. The knight might have been deployed now.

“...!”

At that moment, he could see something flying above the building before him. It was an enemy soldier soaring into the air, with his body split in half. The red lumps of flesh gradually fell to the ground and soon became white particles before disappearing.

“Wha-, what is this!”

The strange phenomenon continued. Behind the outer walls of the building, a fountain of blood covered the sky. Sounds of people screaming could be heard alongside with sounds of bones being smashed, and severed bodies continued to explode here and there. Bloodied chunks of flesh were entangled with internal organs, drooping all over the floor.

Something was going on behind the smithy.

“Kuackkkk!”

“Stop him!”

“It’s a monster!”

Once again, five or six people flew in the air and dropped in front of the square. Gert and his companions flinched and took up their weapons. The fallen bodies wriggled and soon stopped moving. Then, the bodies turned white.

“Who...”

Clomp, clomp, clomp

Sounds of footsteps could be heard. Gert swallowed his saliva and stared at the corner of the building. There was a huge shadow looming over there.

Soon, the image of the slaughterer was revealed. The first thing that stood out was the huge greatsword reflecting the white sunlight. It was so big and dazzling that it was difficult to face it properly.

“...!’

It was an Orc. He was bulky, and the scars of battle were jumbled up with his tattoos all over his body. Blood and flesh dripped from his body with every step. His vicious gaze turned to them.

Gert shuddered. He could tell who that Orc was. It was the orc warrior well-known all over the continent. The man who killed the crazy orc chieftain of the northern region and prevented the war. A man whose name was whispered by all the Gods. He was Crockta, the Conqueror of the North.

Gert heard the rumors that Crockta was going to stand up to the Empire, but for it to actually be true.

“Oh, almighty God...”

He did not expect Crockta to appear on such a reckless battlefield. He had once imagined what Crockta would look like. Although Crockta was an orc, he recalled the heroes they knew, a humane character saving the people with a shining smile and a manly figure.

However, that was a delusion. Crockta the orc was not like a knight at all. He was a monster. A knight in shining armor riding a white horse was something out of a fairy tale.

Crockta was a warrior who slaughtered his enemies, trampled on their blood and flesh, and forged his own path. He was a slaughterer who had killed all his enemies without dying once on a battlefield where it was all about killing or getting killed.

His eyes were glossy with murderous intent to the point that it was impossible to face him. However...

“Bul’tarrrrrrrrrrrr──────!”

At Crockta’s battle cry, the enemies staggered a few steps back, unable to get any closer. Gert clenched his fist. Rather, the cruel sight of him sprouted hope in Gert’s heart.

Gert prayed for a long time. He stayed up all night every day praying. He prayed that they could live as free people and that the Empire’s army would slow down their march. He prayed to God to help them win this fight. He hoped for victory and all the beautiful things in the world.

Be that as it may, no one answered his prayers. The one that responded to them was neither a benevolent goddess nor a knight in shining armor. It was a cruel orc warrior who cut down his opponent into pieces, covered by his enemy’s blood. A slaughterer who decapitated his enemies to accomplish his goals. Crockta was the only one who came for them.

Gert shouted, “Crockta is here! Everyone, we can do this!”

***

With Crockta’s arrival, the battlefront became messy. The enemies could no longer approach close to Crockta, unlike before. Thus, the defensive line formed by the citizens and the militias could loosen up a little.

“Crockta-nim!”

Following that, the members of Praise the Orc also appeared. They looked very exhausted. Especially Gilgamesh, who was gasping for air and hugging onto his knives, maybe because he could no longer muster any power.

“Let’s join up there.”

“Okay.”

“They are still alive,” Crockta said, relieved.

Crockta’s party headed where Gert was at. They were holding their ground, centering around a mansion with high walls located inside the city. Behind the barricade carved out of wood, they held long spears to keep the enemies in check.

“I’m Crockta. I’m here to help.”

Gert opened the way when Crockta spoke.

“Thank you. I have heard a lot about you.”

“More soldiers will be deployed soon.” Crockta went straight to the point.

Rommel had only deployed a part of their forces out of consideration for the clan member’s growth. However, now that Crockta had appeared, the situation had changed. Soon, the knights and the regular troops would come.

Considering the difference between their numbers and skills, it was basically a hopeless battle.

“Let’s wait for the reinforcements.”

“Reinforcements huh...”

Gert was skeptical about the reinforcements. He kept bringing up the reinforcements to boost their morale, but inwardly, he did not think reinforcements would actually come.

“Trust me, they will come,” Crockta said with a firm gaze.

Even if the possibility was infinitely small, that small hope was what allowed humans to continue struggling. As long as there was hope, they would place their bets even on the slightest possibility to win. As long as it was not zero, a miracle was bound to happen somewhere along the lines.

“Understood.” Gert nodded.

Crockta glanced at the enemies.

“Be on your toes.”

Just because they joined up, they still could not afford to introduce each other any longer. The line of defense was on the verge of collapse, and only the young and the elderly remained inside. The people present were their only available fighting force.

Crockta grabbed the hilt of his greatsword. It was clearly the worst situation. He had to protect them, and because of that, the situation was even more grave. However, if there was nothing to protect, he would have no reason to fight. That had always been the irony behind it all.

Crockta opened his mouth, “I have been through many battles...”

The enemies’ formation was changing. Now, they completely retreated to the back, which signified that reinforcements would soon come. The sound of hooves got closer.

“There have been more dangerous fights than this. This is nothing, hahaha.”

It was his way of cheering them up. Gert, the citizen, as well as the militia, smiled faintly at Crockta’s words.

“So, let’s struggle.”

“Got it.”

New enemies appeared. The White Lion Knights and the Blue Dragon Lancers all showed up, with the regular soldiers that followed behind them in formation. The Heaven and Earth Clan members were still present. Their retreat route was cut off, and the enemies surrounded them in layers. They were no match in terms of numbers or skills.

Crockta cracked his knuckles. There were more dangerous battlefields than this one.

However, it was the first time that he had to protect someone against such a large number of enemies. He used to fight alongside allies who were capable of fighting against the enemy on equal grounds or at least persistently resisting the enemies. It was the Dark Elves, who were renowned as natural hunters and nimble swordsmen even in the north.

However, this place was different. Their equipment and skills were ridiculously behind compared to the enemies. Everyone but him might even die.

“Stay alive.” He murmured.

Gilgamesh said from behind him, “Has the perfect ‘scene’ finally opened for me...? Let’s substitute the curtain calls with the screams of the enemies. Kuku..!”

He sounded exhausted, but his spirit remained the same. Crockta smiled in response.

The enemies came to a halt.

“Knights, dismount from the horses!” At the forefront of the White Lion Knights, a veteran knight shouted.

That man was Betrong, the vice commander that Adantadore had mentioned previously. He expressed his intention to fight a close-quarters war. The soldiers began to walk on two feet.

At the sight of them, the militias fired arrows. However, they did not hit any of them. The soldiers either evaded or deflected it with their swords and shields, as was expected of the Empire’s elites.

“For His Majesty! White Lion Knights, charge!” Betrong shouted in an energetic voice, unbefitting his age.

The knights charged, and Crockta stood in front of the square, cutting down the knights rushing towards them.

“You will have to get past me first, knights!” Crockta’s momentum caused the knights to hesitate for a moment.

“Impressive, Orc Crockta!”

Betrong approached Crockta without backing down even in the face of his menacing spirit. Their swords crossed paths and clashed against each other.

“What are you doing?! Charge!”

When Betrong shouted, the knights slipped past Crockta’s side and jumped into the square. Crockta tried to stop them, but Betrong’s sword persistently chased after him. Annoyed, Crockta swung his greatsword at Betrong. Despite that, Betrong continued to mark Crockta, letting his attacks flow one after another.

Betrong was not trying to kill Crockta, nor was he trying to confront him directly. He was just persistently chasing after Crockta so that he could not pay attention to other places.

Crockta gritted his teeth. Betrong was experienced, proving how annoying he was as an opponent.

“Arghhh!”

The knights did not hesitate and killed the citizens. The tips of the knights’ swords pierced the citizens’ hearts.

“Aren’t you ashamed?”

“Hmm?”

Feeling rushed, Crockta said while deflecting Betrong’s sword.

“I am asking if you are not ashamed of this behavior with your honor as a knight?”

Ogochai turned into ruins. Most of its citizens died, and the rest continued to get killed.

The Empire’s flag fluttered high up in the air.

“Ashamed, huh... An old man like me does not care about honor.” Betrong smiled bitterly.

It was a familiar expression. Crockta had seen that expression in the north before. It was the same expression Hammerchwi had.

He was a young valiant man warped over time, living in a habitual routine. He was pulled into a world where he could not distinguish between right and wrong, to the point that he lost his direction and was slowly drifting away, resigning to his fate.

“I see.”

For an instant, Crockta disappeared from Betrong’s field of view. Then, he appeared right under Betrong’s nose, swinging his greatsword at his throat.

“...!”

The tremendous pressure reached as far as the back of Betrong’s throat. It was inescapable and unstoppable. A vacuum formed around Betrong’s head.

Wringg!

Just before Ogre Slayer was about to cut Betrong, it was blocked. Standing next to Betrong was the Blue Dragon Lancer’s commander.

“You have aged, don’t overdo it.”

“I owe you one, Bleuno.”

The two leaders of the Empire’s strongest knights stood in front of Crockta. The two of them gulped. Even if the two of them joined forces, they were not confident of defeating Crockta. All they could do was stall for time given that the orc in front of their eyes was a monster.

“Come at me together!”

Crockta swung his greatsword at the two of them at the same time. Betrong was flung back, rolling on the floor. Bleuno, on the other hand, dodged and thrust his lance forward.

Crockta ducked to dodge the lance and kicked Bleuno’s abdomen, causing him to falter. Then, Crockta swung his greatsword down at Betrong. In response, Betrong raised his sword to block it. However, the blade broke because it could not withstand the impact.

Betrong’s face stiffened. Once again, Crockta swung his greatsword aiming down. In an effort to dodge it, Betrong crawled across the floor, and even though it was an unknightly and unsightly movement, he managed to keep his life intact.

“Yahhhhhhh!”

Bleuno launched an attack at Crockta. It was the rapid thrust, which made him the strongest knight. In response, Crockta grabbed the lance shaft.

“You crazy bastard!”

Crockt began to bend the shaft. Unable to overcome his power, Bleuno staggered. He clenched his teeth and let go of the lance while kicking in return. However, Crockta punched him in the shin.

“Kugh!”

Bleuno spun a few rounds in the air and crashed to the floor. His shin shattered and dangled on his leg. He shrieked while holding onto his leg.

At the sight of that, Betrong murmured, “What a monster...”

Betrong looked completely frightened.

Crockta looked around. The knights had already stormed into the square and began their massacre. Crockta ignored Betrong and Bleuno, chasing after the knights. Be that as it may, he alone was not enough to stop all of them.

Countless people have died. As the situation turned in their favor, the members of the Heaven and Earth Clan stuck their heads to the frontline like hyenas.

“Let’s go again!”

“Get them!”

“Impertinent bastards!”

Their target was the members of Praise the Orc.

“Trashes that follow an orc!”

“Keuk... The saying ‘a barking dog never bites’ is true huh?” One of the members of Praise the Orc said.

“Are you listening to yourself?!”

In the middle of it all, Crockta shook his head. The knights and citizens, the players, the dead and alive, the whole situation was chaotic with the rubble of the ruins scattered around.

[Now, you have seen that the world is filled with death.]

The message, which the system mockingly displayed, recurred to Crockta.

Crockta cut down the knights. Betrong was catching up behind him. Crockta dodged him and cut down the knights who were slaughtering the citizens. However, Betrong’s blade chased after him and cut his thigh.

Crockta glared back at Betrong furiously, but Betrong had already stepped back. In the meantime, more citizens died. Crockta clenched his teeth. The moment Betrong caused an opening to show, weapons came flying from various directions

Crockta roared and swung his greatsword in all directions, flinging the knights away.

Thud!

“Kuhk.”

An arrow was stuck in Crockta’s shoulder. It was difficult to react because there were too many things going on. Crockta mustered his Hero-tier power. Although it consumed a lot of stamina, he was in no position to choose.

Crockta butchered his enemies with power that transcended the laws of causality. A fountain of blood was formed. Nevertheless, the number of allies continued to dwindle.

“Gert!”

There was no response. He had been dead for quite some time.

“Damn it!”

Corpses began to pile up. He could not save everyone. The cause and effect leading to death were flooding the city, and there was a limit to overturning it with his power alone.

“...!”

Suddenly, white particles scattered in the air. Crockta looked back and saw that the members of Praise the Orc were dying. His eyes met with Alex, who was fading and turning into white particles. He nodded with a blurred face. That was his last moment.

The particles of the dead players mixed with the dust from the ruins, scattering all over the area.

“This is hell, it’s a place that suits me! Come at me, you dogs.”

Now, only Gilgamesh remained, and he gasped while abandoning his concept. He could no longer control his knives and was now directly swinging them himself. However, he was quickly overpowered as he had poor swordsmanship.

Crockta tried to save him, but the knights stood in his way again. Infantries were sent as reinforcements, and they surrounded him in a few layers.

“Damn it.”

Crockta gripped his greatsword. The moment he imbued strength in his leg to break through the encirclement...

“Hold this bastard down! Use the concrete method!”

“Tie him up! I said tie him up!”

“Kekeuk...Ugh...Kugh...!”

Crockta ran in the direction where Gilgamesh was. There were blades embedded in his back. Blood was spewing from his back, but he ignored it and deflected the attacks coming from the front. He trampled on the enemy and jumped up. He could see Gilgamesh being dragged far away.

“Gilgamesh!”

He tried to break through the enemy formation to save him, but he was blocked again. There was no end to it, enemies were everywhere. Moreover, the wizards also provided support with their spells. There was a fireball flying at Crockta.

“Bul’tarrrrrrrrrrr ──────!”

Crockta ignored everything and threw his greatsword.

“...!”

Ogre Slayer split Gilgamesh’s body. Gilgamesh was cut in half. With only his upper body left, Gilgamesh looked up and saw Crockta. He stared at Crockta with eyes full of shock, but he soon smiled bitterly. Crockta also smiled faintly.

Soon after, Crockta’s body was directly hit by a fireball.

“Kohkk!”

Crockta tumbled on the ground, with flames burning his body. He gritted his teeth. Next, blades and daggers flew at him continuously.

Crockta picked himself up and knocked the enemies down with his fist. His enemies were reduced to a puddle of blood, staggering to the ground. Crockta straightened his back and looked around.

“Kahah...” He laughed.

Crockta was now standing all alone. The citizens of Ogochai, the militias, the elderly and the weak, the members of Praise the Orc who followed him—they were all dead. He was left alone. To be honest, he had already known.

“Kill him!”

“He’s alone!”

“Everyone, charge!”

He had a hunch that things would turn out this way from the beginning. Nevertheless, he had no choice but to struggle desperately.

Kaw. Kaw. Kawww.

He suddenly looked up at the sky, and there were crows lingering above his head. Was it a good omen, or was it a bad sign?

A crow was said to be a bird that guided the souls of the dead to the underworld. He wondered how the current landscape of the earth was reflected in their eyes. Were the souls of the dead floating around, coloring the entire land in white?