NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 9 - Defensive Battle (1)
Someone approached me.
It was a short, middle-aged man with a grim face.
I read the text floating above his head.
[NPC – Guard Member]
“Are you a drafted soldier? Or a hired mercenary? Anyway, quickly enter the front line! There are too many orcs!”
Vivid speech.
It was quite a new experience. The only NPCs I had met so far were cold corpses or dying people.
Now I was finally facing normal humans.
I nodded and walked forward.
A huge wall.
Beyond that wall, there was a horde of orcs that looked ferocious at a glance.
‘They said it was quest-type.’
A situation that could be called defense-type as well.
It seemed there was some story connected to this situation.
“Fire!”
“Shoot!”
Standing next to those shooting arrows from the top of the wall while sweating profusely, the battle situation became clear to me.
Soldiers pouring arrows like rain from the top of the wall.
About fifty soldiers fired arrows simultaneously.
Swoosh!
The flying arrows covered the sky in black.
The arrows stuck into the orcs’ heads and the gaps in their armor.
‘It looks like it might break through at any moment.’
The reason I couldn’t help but think this despite the soldiers’ desperate efforts was.
─Thud!
The huge siege hammer the orcs were holding was continuously pounding on the gate.
“Throw properly! Do you all want to die together?”
My gaze shifted to the side.
Throwing spears.
I saw about thirty soldiers throwing what looked like short spears for throwing.
“I put you here because you said you could throw properly! What are you doing?”
I looked above the head of the man scolding his subordinates.
[NPC – Guard Captain Bake]
For the first time, there’s a name attached.
“I’ll throw one.”
I reached for one of the short spears.
“Huh?”
My eyes met Bake’s. Bake’s brow furrowed deeply.
“We absolutely don’t have enough! If you’re a novice who’s never thrown before, don’t be reckless and put it down!”
I ignored him.
What if it’s reckless, I’m just going to try throwing it.
Of course, it wasn’t an action without any thought.
The principle is similar.
To what I used to do on the mound.
Maximize the possibility.
[Concentration Enhancement Lv.2 – Skill activated.]
[Mana Body Enhancement Lv.1 – Skill activated.]
Strength spread throughout my body. My mind became clear.
With both feet fixed on the ground, I used my empty left arm to aim the direction.
The target was the heart area below the orc’s shoulder.
I swung my left arm like a whip.
The trajectory was like a ball flying across the baseball field.
Thwack!
A harsh sound rang out. The spear accurately pierced the heart area below the orc’s shoulder.
I saw the orc staggering backward.
Thud.
The staggering one eventually fell.
“…So you’re not a novice?”
“He really seems to have thrown countless times?”
The gazes of five people, including Guard Captain Bake, were directed at me.
Bake himself took out a short spear and held it out to me.
“Con, continue throwing.”
“Yes.”
One, two, three.
The short spear I threw after taking a deep breath. This time it pierced an orc’s head.
The sensation of my arm trembling violently.
It wasn’t bad.
The ones that survived my spears were finished off by the soldiers’ arrows.
After killing two more orcs like that.
A notification window blocked my view.
[Your level has increased!]
[Lv.3 → Lv.4]
It was an achievement made by the experience points from four orcs.
[‘Strength’ stat increases by 5.]
[‘Agility’ stat increases by 4.]
[‘Vitality’ stat increases by 5.]
[‘Mana’ stat increases by 2.]
There was no time to check the results by opening the status window.
Even after leveling up, I killed two more.
But four of them endured and moved even with spears stuck in their bodies.
The soldiers didn’t seem to care about that part.
“Ooooh! Amazing skill!”
“Te, teach me too. Are you a mercenary?”
The gazes of the soldiers looking at me had increased from five to about a dozen.
But mixed in the gazes I felt were some that weren’t human eyes.
Below the wall.
A fierce gaze felt even from far away.
It was one that anyone would see as the leader of the orc horde.
A body that looked twice as big as the other orcs around it.
Is it angry that I reduced the number of its kind quite a bit?
“I’m sorry. For being late. You held out well.”
What appeared was a single woman. Her navy blue hair stood out.
“Oh, you’ve come. Ricelin. We just started to breathe easier thanks to this friend.”
[NPC – ‘Lucerna’ Mercenary Captain Ricelin]
Looking at the name window, I could be certain.
This woman is the center of the quest.
While others just had their names in black, this woman’s name tag had a faint golden border.
Ricelin bowed her head to me.
“Hello. It’s nice to meet you. Captain Bake isn’t one to easily praise someone, so this is surprising.”
At Ricelin’s words, Bake spoke with exaggeration.
“Quickly, show that wondrous skill once more!”
He’s making too much fuss.
After nodding, I picked up a short spear and threw it.
I could feel Ricelin’s eyes following the trajectory of the spear I shot.
Crack─!
Right up to it sticking exactly into the orc’s heart that I aimed for.
I felt Ricelin’s gaze.
“You’re amazing.”
There was a strange light in Ricelin’s eyes as she looked at me.
I asked Ricelin with golden eyes about some things I was curious about.
“Isn’t there a limit to defending like this? In the end, it seems like some will have to go down and fight for them to retreat.”
Ricelin’s answer came immediately.
“You’re right. That’s why our mercenary group is preparing for an all-out battle now.”
There was no sign of fear on Ricelin’s face.
『Quest! – Follow ‘Lucerna Mercenary Captain’ Ricelin and defend the walls of Kicleve.』
As expected.
Ricelin was the protagonist of the 2nd floor stage.
“I want to go with you too.”
A smile formed on Ricelin’s face at my words.
“Thank you. The more people helping, the greater our chances of driving those monsters away.”
I wonder if that’s really true.
The number of orcs seemed too great for the possibility to increase just by adding one more person like me.
“Please wait a moment. We’re still preparing.”
“Alright.”
After Ricelin bowed her head once more, she quickly moved away.
I opened my status window.
Strength: 26
Agility: 25
Vitality: 24
Mana: 12
Skills: Pain Suppression Lv.3 Composure Lv.2 Cover Lv.1 Crisis Detection Lv.2
Visual Field Expansion Lv.1 Concentration Enhancement Lv.2 Fighter’s Movement Lv.1
Mana Body Enhancement Lv.1
After checking my status now that I’ve reached level 4, I opened the Transcendent Gallery.
I wrote a post.
Title: Does anyone know about Mercenary Captain Ricelin? Or the Lucerna Mercenary Group?
Author: ㅇㅇ*
-It’s the 2nd floor and it’s quest-type. Seems to be a defensive battle. The monsters I’ve met so far are orcs.
Oh, and I killed some orcs by throwing short spears. Short spears are nice? Are there any weak points for orcs?
As always, comments poured in instantly.
ㄴ ???? Lucerna?
ㄴ The captain of the Lucerna Mercenary Group isn’t Ricelin but Delisa?
ㄴ AbsoluteMonarch) That’s right. The captain of the Lucerna Mercenary Group is Delisa.
ㄴ AbsoluteMonarch) By the way, what does Ricelin look like?
ㄴ ㅇㅇ*) ㅇㅇ? Blue hair and golden eyes.
ㄴ Crazy no way… Hey, take a picture of that Ricelin girl and post it.
ㄴ SewerSwordSaint) There’s no way Delisa would do that. Delisa. There’s no way Delisa would do that….
ㄴ SpearKing) Quickly take a picture of that Ricelin child. Yes, short spears are very useful both as throwing weapons and for combat. But anyway, hurry up with the picture.
ㄴ AbsoluteMonarch) She said she wouldn’t forget me.
ㄴ SewerSwordSaint) She told me the same thing. While watching the sunset together. She said we’d meet again.
ㄴ Ah, ah, fuck!!!!! Hey! Picture!!!!!
What’s wrong with these bastards?
ㄴ LightSword) Orcs don’t have any particular weak points. You just have to cut them down to kill them.
ㄴ ArchMage) Their only weakness is that they’re a bit stupid ㅇㅇ
ㄴ LightSword) If we had to pick a weakness, like many monsters, their eyes could be considered a weak point.
Only two people gave proper answers to the question.
Since they’re so desperate to see Ricelin’s face, I guess I should take a picture.
As I approached, Ricelin bowed her head with an apologetic face.
“Could you wait just a little longer?”
“Do you see anything in my hand?”
I was holding the gallery terminal in my right hand.
But Ricelin just tilted her head.
“No, aren’t your hands empty?”
So she can’t see the terminal.
“Don’t mind me and continue preparing.”
I brushed it off and moved back to my position.
I opened the Transcendent Gallery again.
Title: Here, a picture of Ricelin.
Author: ㅇㅇ*
-But why are you guys acting like this?
Attachment: 1000234523.jpg
(A girl with long navy blue hair looking straight ahead, Ricelin.)
This time, after a moment of silence, comments poured in.
ㄴ …Fuck.
ㄴ …Wow, that bitch Delisa abandoned me.
ㄴ Did you get Ponged? ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ I don’t have any NPC girls I got close to, why are these guys acting like this ㅋㅋㅋㅋ It’s hilarious
ㄴ AbsoluteMonarch) Navy blue hair, golden eyes… She must be Delisa’s daughter.
ㄴ A sequel came out… A sequel to a story I really liked came out. It’s a sequel where the heroine got NTR’d.
ㄴ Ask that girl who her father is ㅇㅇ
ㄴ SewerSwordSaint) Yes, please ask… who her father is.
ㄴ AbsoluteMonarch) So the promise not to forget me was a lie.
ㄴ Ha, fuuuuck!!!!! SwordSaint hyung!!!!! Monarch hyung!!!!!! Do you think hyungs’ lives are like that? Actually, my life is like that too…
ㄴ You should have dealt with them without getting emotionally involved like me …sob. Hehehehe Ah, I feel so shitty now. I was in a good mood because I successfully completed a scramble. Delisa you bitch
ㄴ AbsoluteMonarch) I remember the exact words. Someday when we meet again, let’s kiss again then.
ㄴ Old man, stop being so clingy ㅇㅇ
ㄴ ㅇㅇ*) So the situation now is that the character you hyungs had an emotional exchange with during your tower climb was Delisa. And she gave birth to this girl Ricelin?
ㄴ AbsoluteMonarch) Yes… that’s right. Lucerna is a family-run mercenary group, so it’s certain.
ㄴ ㅇㅇ*) But Monarch hyung, if you’re a king, don’t you have a wife? Why are you like this?
ㄴ AbsoluteMonarch) It’s different… The narrative of real life and the tower’s narrative have different meanings.
ㄴ ㅇㅇ*) No, then this is just my tower narrative, right? Why are you making it a sequel to the narrative you experienced?
ㄴ That’s human nature.
ㄴ I’mAnElf) I agree with the climber. Why are you doing this?
ㄴ Shut up, you bitch!
ㄴ Climber, just hurry up and ask who her father is.
ㄴ ㅇㅇ*) I’ll ask that later.
ㄴ SpearKing) Please, it’s urgent.
What’s so urgent.
Why would I suddenly ask about her father’s name?
These guys are trying to ruin my narrative because their narrative got messed up.
I saw Ricelin, dressed in armor, walking this way.
The old men kept making a fuss, but I closed the Transcendent Gallery for now.
“The preparations are done. Ah, I haven’t asked your name yet. Would you like to tell me?”
I wasn’t sure if she’d understand, but I didn’t particularly want to say it differently.
In this harsh world. At least my name should be called properly.
“It’s Yuseong. Yuseong.”
Ricelin smiled brightly.
“Nice to meet you, Yuseong! Let’s have a meal together after this battle.”
“Sure.”
She understood surprisingly well.
A meal, I wonder if we’ll have time for that.
“Ah, take this.”
Ricelin held out something to me.
A heavy sensation flowed into my left hand.
It was a short spear.
[Black Javelin]
Category – Weapon (Short Spear)
Attack Power + 29
Usable Level: 3 or higher
Grade: C+
“It’s a useful one. Both for throwing and close combat. I saw you throw the short spear so well earlier, so it’s a gift.”
“Thank you.”
Oh ho.
It’s perfect as a secondary weapon.
I’ll use this one mainly for close combat if possible.
I picked up a few spears from where I had thrown them earlier and put them in my inventory. To use for throwing.
Pandemonium difficulty.
A place where you never know when or what will happen.
You need to know how to use all the weapons you can.
“Let’s go.”
At Ricelin’s words, mercenary group members with grim faces followed.
I followed behind them.