Draw the Legendary Sword (2)
Step, step…..
A chill ran down his spine.
The closer he got, the closer he approached the light—
Step, step…..
How long had I been trapped here?
Five years?
Ten?
Maybe longer?
I don't know.
But there's one thing I do know for sure.
That is, the more joy I feel right now, the more fear I feel alongside it.
Step, step...
Is this the right thing to do?
What if I get killed like this?
"......"
The orc man, Marosh, paused for a moment. Then, as if engraving determination into himself, he whispered,
'Even if I get killed today… it's better than spending my whole life trapped here, only to die in this cave.'
Suddenly, an old memory resurfaced.
He had been abandoned.
Because he was weak.
Because he lacked the ability to hunt.
And so, he had always been a burden to his tribe.
Shunned, treated with disdain—yet still trying his best—he was eventually thrown into this dark cave.
And he had spent all that long time alone until now.
In this cave, where not even light reached.
Reliving despair and despondency over and over again.
"........"
What if, this time, he managed to leave the cave?
Things would be different.
He wouldn't be abandoned.
He would make sure of it.
'Right?'
Marosh turned to the worn sword gripped tightly in his right hand and asked. Then, his beloved sword, Lara, sent a bright, cheerful response.
That was enough.
Just enough courage to suppress his fear.
Recalling that, Marosh carefully took another step forward.
Step, step...
The light was getting closer.
Light—something he hadn't seen in so long.
It wasn't even that bright, and yet it was so dazzling he couldn't look at it directly. Maybe it was because his eyes had grown too used to the darkness. He instinctively squinted.
It was then.
"Is that the one? The current wielder of the sword?"
"Well, roughly speaking."
Voices came from the figures holding torches.
Thanks to that, Marosh involuntarily trembled all over.
"...!"
Voices.
Not the cries of beasts.
Not the roars of demonic creatures.
But clear, understandable words—a conversation proving intelligence!
'Ahhh...!'
How he'd missed it.
How many years had it been since he'd spoken to anyone?
Tears welled uncontrollably in Marosh's eyes. He rushed forward and dropped to his knees. Then, as if pleading, he spoke toward the dazzling torchlight.
"Hello! My name is Marosh. I'm not human. But I'm not part of the demon race either. I'm of the orc race. You may or may not know, but orcs are a minority race who live quietly in the corners of the abandoned land, surviving by hunting small animals or monsters. But I, unfortunately, fell into this cave, and for so many years—I've lost count—I've been alone, and as a result, I've come to look like this. Now that I've met you all and am speaking with you, it reminds me of Lakar Angul, my hometown, or LA for short. So, what I want to say is…."
…Splurt! Splurt!
Zephyros's eardrums began to bleed.
Kim Jangcheol clenched his fist without even realizing it.
But Marosh, having finally met someone to talk to, showed no signs of stopping his endless chatter.
"So what I want to say is, I'm incredibly moved to meet you all. Truly, I'm overwhelmed. Honestly, I can't even remember the last time I had a conversation like this… I know this might be shameless, but I have a favor to ask. Could you perhaps let me out of here? I'm sure life in this lonely place has its own meaning and purpose, but I miss the sunlight and fresh air outside so desperately. To be honest, I can't even remember clearly what it was like, but that just makes my longing for the outside world even stronger. So, I… kuhhek!"
Thwack!
Just when it seemed like he would talk forever, Marosh's mouth was abruptly twisted to the side from a powerful impact.
It was a reflexive punch from Zephyros, who had lost his patience.
"...Ah."
Zephyros, having struck without thinking, flinched in surprise. With a flustered expression, he quickly made an excuse.
"Uh… I'm sorry, my lord. It was a reflex… I couldn't help it…"
"Oh, it's fine. If you hadn't done it, I would've punched him myself."
Kim Jangcheol yanked out the fingers he had desperately plugged into his ears. Then, he looked down at the stunned and crumpled Marosh.
"......"
Come to think of it, he remembered.
This orc, Marosh.
Even among the few Paladin of Blood players, he had a cult-like reputation for being instantly killed the moment he was found.
All because of how he appeared—and how much he talked.
'He'd suddenly jump out from a dark cave and scare the hell out of you. Like a horror game. And then, before you could recover, he'd assault your ears with endless chatter. 100 out of 100 players would lose it and just attack him.'
The result was always the same: death.
Marosh was really weak.
Even though the players coming to this cave dungeon weren't that high-level, he'd die in one hit like a glass fish.
And from that corpse, you'd get the worn sword of Camilan!
'That's why he always got killed even more mercilessly.'
Camilan's sword wasn't amazing, but it was a useful weapon in the early to mid-game. So Marosh ended up being treated like a walking loot box.
He himself had done it too.
Even when he knew exactly how Marosh would appear, it never helped. He'd tell himself not to kill him this time, but by the time he heard that endless chatter, he'd press the attack key before realizing it.
But today?
It was different.
Just before he could lose it again, Zephyros had beaten him to it with a surprise punch.
'And… thanks to Zephyros hitting him, he didn't die.'
Marosh, the fragile glass fish who would die from just one hit from any player.
But this time, he took the hit and survived.
Probably because Zephyros was just as weak as Marosh.
'Thanks to that, it's the first time I'm seeing this guy still alive.'
Kim Jangcheol tried to suppress a smirk and put on a deadly serious look. Then, approaching the dazed and staggering Marosh, he spoke in a grim voice.
"I'm warning you. From now on, I ask the questions, and you answer. But if any of your answers go over three sentences, I'll kill you. Understand?"
"Ah… ah…?"
"Do. You. Understand?"
"Ah, understood. Though it's the first time I've ever been hit the moment I met someone, strangely, it feels somewhat familiar, but it's fine. Still, the fact that you didn't kill me, I can deeply and vividly feel, from the bottom of my heart, how generous and magnanimous you both must be, and therefore..."
"Keep it up like that—stretching out sentences to stay within three lines—and you'll die."
"....Yes ...."
Marosh, instantly paralyzed with fear!
Kim Jangcheol was, for once, satisfied.
'Thought I'd end up killing him again. Good thing I didn't have to get my hands dirty.'
Truthfully, he was relieved.
In-game, Marosh was treated like a sword shuttle, killed off easily every time, but here… he honestly didn't want to do that.
In a game, killing something was just something that happened on the other side of the monitor. But here, it felt completely different.
'It's just… murder.'
Besides, the guy hadn't really done anything wrong.
Killing someone like that just to take his sword—it left a bad taste in the mouth.
Determined to obtain the sword in the most peaceful and efficient way possible, Kim Jangcheol spoke.
"You said earlier you ended up alone in this cave, right? So, you want to get out of here?"
"Ah, yes. Absolutely. I've thought about wanting to leave here maybe a thousand—no, more than ten thousand times. So I…"
"Three sentences. You'll die."
"..."
"Anyway, yeah. I get it. I know what you want. And I can grant that wish."
"Really? You'll get me out of here? Really?"
"Would I lie? But it's not free."
Kim Jangcheol pointed at Marosh's waist.
There, in place of a scabbard, a sword wrapped messily in vines dangled loosely.
"Hand over that sword. Then, in return, I'll get you out of this cave."
"This... sword, you mean?"
"Yeah. Or don't. Your choice."
"...."
Marosh's expression grew complicated upon hearing this.
He was clearly conflicted.
"I-I've only managed to survive here thanks to this sword…"
"That so?"
"Yes. When I hold this sword... even if I eat things that are poisonous, it soothes the stomach. That's how I was able to survive by scraping up the toxic moss in this cave. In other words, this sword is basically my lifesaver."
"So, you're saying you can't give it up?"
"......."
Marosh fell silent.
His face clearly showed deep conflict.
If what he said was true, it made sense he'd have a hard time parting with it. He'd survived by clinging to that sword for a long time. He'd grown attached to it.
'Camilan's Sword… if I remember right, it had a passive that restored 1 HP per second when equipped. And your hunger depletion rate slowed by half.'
Pretty much useless in the later game.
Still, it was a handy survival tool in the early low-level zones.
Marosh likely survived this cave by relying on that passive while living off toxic moss.
"So, you're saying you really can't give it up?"
"........"
"Make a decision. I'm not someone with all day to spare."
"...I will."
"What?"
"I'll give you the sword...."
Marosh finally made his decision, nodding with a tearful face. He really did seem deeply attached to the sword—but oddly, Kim Jangcheol didn't feel guilty about it.
"Good. Then, as promised, I'll get you out of this cave. Now hand me the sword first."
"Couldn't you… take me out of the cave first..."
"Should I just kill you and take it? That might be easier for me, you know?"
".... N-no, it's fine. I'll give it to you."
Marosh hastily unfastened the sword from his waist.
But then—
"Huh?"
Marosh froze.
Then he fumbled clumsily.
With a look of panic, he kept glancing between his sword and them.
"Oh no, what's going on? This isn't supposed to happen..."
Was he trying to pull something?
But it didn't look like that.
Unable to bear it, Kim Jangcheol asked.
"What's wrong?"
"Well, it's that... the sword…"
"The sword?"
"It won't come off."
"What?"
What nonsense was this now?
Just as he was about to frown, Marosh continued.
"I mean it exactly as I said. Even though I've unwrapped all the vines... it won't come off, like it's stuck to my waist."
"The sword? To your waist?"
"Yes, yes. It's true. I don't know why either, but it's really stuck tight…"
"Tch, are you messing with me?"
"I—I'm not joking! I wouldn't dare! I don't want to die! I want to get out of here! Please believe me. I swear, I'm an orc who's never deceived anyone in my entire life..."
"Tch, three sentences."
"........"
At the warning, the stick-thin Marosh shrank his shoulders and trembled like a leaf. Judging by his pitiful state, he really wasn't lying.
"Alright then. I'll take it off myself."
Kim Jangcheol reached out to him.
Grabbed the sword's handle.
Then it happened.
[O young one!]
"…!"
A fierce voice suddenly rang out, screaming directly inside his mind.
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