Chapter 30: The Thread of Fate （6）
Barely 10 minutes.
Not long after entering, Kang San could understand why the isolation incident occurred in this place.
Swish, swish━
“10 Orcs ahead!”
“Get ready!”
Orcs were constantly pouring in from all directions.
It seemed they had a unique communication system, as they accurately grasped the humans’ locations without any special signals. He’d thought it was just a coincidence when they encountered them once or twice, but now he was certain they were pinpointing their location.
Kwaang━!
Kim Myeong-min took the lead this time as well.
He blocked the Orc’s fiercely swung axe, then slid his blade along it, severing the opponent’s head.
Puk.
Blood gushed out like a fountain.
Amidst the complex and intertwined battle, Kim Myeong-min, with his cold gaze, confronted the incoming Orcs one by one. It was strange when he thought about it. There was always a ‘Tanker’ in a party, but Kim Myeong-min didn’t bring a separate Tanker for the rescue operation. Of course, the absence of a Tanker didn’t cause any problems in a D-rank hunting ground. Kim Myeong-min filtering them out first, and Kang Gi-dong blocking them second, was a natural and solid position, showing they trained consistently.
And then.
“Fire Wall.”
Hwaruk.
Hwarurururuk.
At the rear.
Yoon Ji-tae’s presence stood out.
He quickly cast a 4th Circle Magic, creating a wall of fire at the perfect spot.
Kruek.
Krueeeeek!
The Orcs screamed.
They collapsed, engulfed in flames, unable to overcome the ironclad wall formed in multiple layers. It was a natural outcome for the group, including Kim Myeong-min. They moved forward without any new admiration or a sense of victory in this situation, averting their eyes.
The rearguard would take care of the aftermath.
Their only goal was to rescue the target.
This whole situation.
Kang San felt a strange emotion.
Kim Myeong-min had the typical impression of an ordinary office worker, perhaps a little cold, someone who would be entirely average if he were a civilian. Yet, such a person was at the forefront, covered in blood. Even though Ranger was a profession that promised social honor and rewards, he stepped into h*ll to save others.
He couldn’t understand it.
Why on earth?
Why did these people, including Kim Myeong-min, the Rangers, voluntarily choose such hardship and trials?
They didn’t have extravagant rewards like him.
The rewards guaranteed to Rangers were practically a joke; they were clearly skilled enough to gain more as Hunters. This was pure goodwill. The people Kang San helped praised him as a righteous being, but Kang San couldn’t accept their feelings because he didn’t feel worthy.
Before he knew it.
The Orc Camp came into view.
Kim Myeong-min descended first.
Following him, Kang San thought that maybe he could gain some clues about life through these people.
✦✦✦✦✦✦
The situation was smooth.
Until an emergency signal arrived from the rescue target.
Blink, blink━
“We need to pick up the pace.”
Kim Myeong-min’s expression hardened.
The signal device attached to his waist blinked incessantly with a red light, indicating the rescue target was in danger.
In other words.
It meant they were in a perilous situation.
Slaying the Orc before him, Kim Myeong-min raised his voice.
“Plan C. From now on, we break through quickly.”
“Yes.”
The situation had changed.
They shifted their priority to rescuing the target, even if it meant taking risks.
Kim Myeong-min increased his speed.
He brutally cut through the Orcs, and Yoon Ji-tae’s magic paved the way, supporting Kim Myeong-min.
However.
『Berserker』
“Kraaaaak!”
“Kueeeeek!”
The Orcs’ eyes transformed.
Blood vessels burst, staining their eyes red. They lunged relentlessly, even with limbs severed and bodies engulfed in flames. This confirmed it. The reason for the Orcs’ coordinated movements and their current state was the presence of an unknown entity in this Orc Camp, something the exploration team had missed.
An Orc Shaman, a C-rank monster.
The difficulty of the hunting ground had just been redefined.
This entity, capable of buffing Orcs and debuffing enemies, would be a catastrophic threat to a party aiming for a D-rank dungeon. That’s why it wasn’t mentioned in the rescue information. The rescue targets would have been wiped out by the buffed Orcs before even encountering the Orc Shaman.
And that wasn’t all.
Swish.
Swish, swish━
Orcs suddenly appeared from atop the buildings.
Under the Orc Shaman’s command, they loaded their strong bows and fired in unison.
Pang pang━
Pang pang pang━
The sound of cannons firing echoed from all directions.
It was simultaneous.
Orcs charging from the front, and dozens of arrows targeting them from both front and back.
“……Oh dear.”
Yoon Ji-tae gritted his teeth.
A Tanker would have been convenient in this situation.
But without a dedicated Tanker, Yoon Ji-tae had to protect himself to some extent. He quickly canceled his spell and was about to cast Shield when an unexpected sight caught his eye.
Dozens of arrows.
And standing before them.
Papapak━
Papapapapapak━!
Kang San was blocking the arrows with a shield.
✦✦✦✦✦✦
Kang San knew.
About the Orc Shaman variable, and the arrows raining down from all sides.
He also knew that with Kim Myeong-min and the Ranger team’s abilities, they would eventually overcome everything without a problem.
Indeed, Kim Myeong-min’s reaction was calm.
He methodically dealt with the berserk Orcs, confident that not a single arrow would reach Yoon Ji-tae. This level of variable was within his expectations. As if to meet Kim Myeong-min’s expectations, Yoon Ji-tae quickly tried to cast the Shield spell, but Kang San knew it was no longer time to stand by.
Hadn’t Kim Myeong-min said it?
The rescue targets were in danger.
That meant his inaction, driven by his desire for answers, could put them at risk.
That was unacceptable.
He had crossed a line.
Ignoring Yoon Ji-tae’s surprised gaze, he took the torrent of arrows head-on.
‘Iron Man.’
Thud.
Tatatatatang━!
A powerful shockwave erupted.
But with his defense enhanced by Guardian’s Will and Iron Man’s defense focused on the ‘shield,’ Kang San withstood the barrage. This was just the beginning. Seeing the Orc Shaman casting a spell from beyond the Orc archers, Kang San roared.
“I’ll cover you from now on! Focus on attacking without any other thoughts!”
“You……!”
There was still.
No trust between them.
Hesitation flickered across Yoon Ji-tae’s face, but he wasn’t one to cling to pride as a member of the Rangers.
The rescue targets were the priority.
Ready to cast Shield at any moment, Yoon Ji-tae focused on casting offensive spells.
“30 seconds, just hold on for 30 seconds.”
Hwaak━
Mana surged.
Standing at the front, Kang San once again faced the shower of arrows filling the sky.
‘I can block this.’
The Orc archers were E-rank.
Although their ranged attacks made them as dangerous as D-rank, it wasn’t beyond Kang San’s current ability to block them. What was needed was a perfect defense to protect Yoon Ji-tae. Moreover, he had to prepare for new variables emerging from the ground.
Thud━
Thud thud thud━!
He blocked the arrows.
Arrows aimed directly at Yoon Ji-tae were intercepted by the shield, while those that would miss were deflected. It was like an impenetrable iron fortress. Just as people behind sturdy walls remained safe despite a hail of arrows from all directions, not a single arrow reached Yoon Ji-tae.
Perhaps that’s why.
Yoon Ji-tae’s expression softened slightly.
Gaining some confidence that he could trust Kang San, he abandoned the idea of using Shield and devoted himself to offensive magic.
“Wind Blade.”
Flash.
Yoon Ji-tae’s eyes widened.
The moment his gaze landed on the Orc archers, a sharp wind swept across the rooftops.
Pasasak.
Sasasasak!
Kyaak!
Blood splattered.
From that moment on.
Yoon Ji-tae’s presence swelled.
He showed how destructive a protected Mage could be.
With his explosive magic, the Orcs began to be swept away in an instant.
✦✦✦✦✦✦
The request was completed.
The rescued people, showing clear signs of fatigue, repeatedly bowed their heads and expressed their gratitude.
“Thank you very much.”
“If it weren’t for the Rangers, we wouldn’t have made it back alive.”
Pale faces.
Eyes filled with terror.
Kang San’s eyes wavered at the touch of the rescued people.
The rescue was simpler than expected.
It seemed like there was a brief moment of crisis, but once Yoon Ji-tae started using magic in earnest, wiping out all the Orcs, including the Orc Shaman, was a piece of cake. And Kim Myeong-min and Kang Gi-dong didn’t let a single Orc through at the front. There were Orcs ambushing from behind, but they were stopped by Kang San.
Solid defense.
He opened the path in an instant.
And the moment they found the people being attacked by Orcs, this mission finally came to an end.
“But what happened?”
Kim Myeong-min’s question.
The rescued people explained.
The reason they experienced a crisis like this was the presence of an ‘Orc Shaman’ that wasn’t detected in the exploration information. As expected. Because of the Orc Shaman, the Orcs moved in unison, and just like Kang San experienced, they were driven into a corner by a sudden surprise attack. So they fled to survive for the time being. They hid and endured, but were discovered by an Orc with a keen sense of smell, experiencing another crisis.
When they found the rescued people.
They were on the verge of crossing the river of death.
The fact that they survived meant they couldn’t help but repeatedly bow their heads and express their gratitude.
‘…An unexpected variable.’
The series of events.
Kim Myeong-min described it like this.
He said it’s common.
Exploration is ultimately within the human realm, but even if you explore, you never know what variables might arise beyond the Other World. Just like the Orc Shaman suddenly appearing, and just like Kang San falling into the ant den.
Variables are not limited to unlucky people like Kang San; they are accidents that can happen to anyone.
‘That’s the kind of world it is. A world where even if you suddenly d*e from an A-rank monster falling from the sky, people think it can’t be helped, just like dying in a traffic accident. A world where not only me, but everyone could d*e anytime, anywhere. Then, if people… would they prefer to accompany someone who is completely trustworthy, even though variables may occur, or would they wish to live within the general norms?’
It was a matter of choice.
The former is inviting danger, but the latter may not be able to respond when faced with real danger.
Between the two.
There’s no way to be sure which is right.
The people rescued this time simply experienced a ‘common variable’, just like when he fell into the ant den. If they had companions like his group, they might have resolved the crisis themselves. But they couldn’t handle the variable and were driven to the brink, and luckily, they were rescued by the Rangers. And in the world, there’s no guarantee that a rescue will always succeed with such good timing. If the Rangers had arrived later than now, the rescued people would have faced a tragic death as the price for not handling the variable.
It was complicated.
Even after witnessing the Rangers’ dedication and sacrifice firsthand, he couldn’t easily come up with an answer.
It was then.
“Kang San-nim. Can we talk for a moment?”
Yoon Ji-tae.
He looked at Kang San with a slightly softened expression.
