"Great!"
With the appearance of the Savage Warrior, a hole was punched through the orc ranks. The Savage Warrior was killing orc warriors with overwhelming speed. After instantly piercing three orc warriors, it swept through the orc horde pressing the other Savages.
"Come!"
*Clang!*
It was Lokan who intervened, blocking its path. Like a child worried about losing a toy, he abandoned his current targets and charged to intercept the Savage Warrior's attack.
"Block!"
*Whoosh!*
At that moment, the Orc Fighter intervened immediately. Having anticipated the Savage Warrior's appearance, the Orc Fighter had been preparing himself to face it. Yet, the loss of three warriors showed just how fast the Savage moved. Lokan, who had deliberately positioned himself deep in the enemy lines to time his appearance, was just a fraction faster.
'This bastard.'
The opportunity Lokan seized was taken back by the Orc Fighter's intervention.
"Come!"
*Slash!*
The Savage Warrior, in turn, accepted the Orc Fighter's challenge without hesitation. For the two rivals, Lokan was an afterthought.
*Klang!*
Their weapons collided again, creating a powerful shockwave. It wasn't a visible blast, but an intangible force that washed over everyone, causing a momentary lull in the battle around them. Orcs and Savages alike retreated, creating a wide space for the two champions. The fighting didn't stop completely, but it noticeably subsided. The warriors, appreciating a good fight, were also keenly interested in witnessing a high-level duel.
'Now!'
Seizing the moment, Lokan blew his chance. He inserted himself directly between the two.
"You!"
If it had been a regular orc warrior, it would have been cut to pieces. But this was Lokan, the one who had defeated an Orc Fighter at Level 1. Now at Level 30, he had no reason to be pushed aside. Instead, he shoved them both back.
"What?!"
The Orc Fighter shouted, and the Savage Warrior glared. Their duel had been interrupted. But Lokan stood his ground, glaring back at the Orc Fighter.
"What kind of chieftain is this? I engaged him first! Are you trying to dishonor the warrior's code by stealing my fight?"
Technically, he wasn't wrong. Lokan had been the first to cross weapons with the Savage Warrior. For the Orc Fighter to continue would violate the honor of not withdrawing from an initiated combat. Lokan knew the keywords that would work on an Orc Fighter.
"Grrr!"
The Orc Fighter's expression softened slightly. Like all orcs, he craved a fight against a strong opponent and was clearly displeased, but as chieftain, he couldn't openly break the warrior's code.
"Do not disgrace yourself!"
With those words, the Orc Fighter took a step back.
'He backed down. And I'm the one who beat an Orc Fighter at Level 1!'
Now it was just Lokan and the Savage Warrior. But the Savage Warrior didn't move immediately. He had already gauged Lokan's considerable strength from their first clash.
"It makes no difference. You have violated our clan. I will kill you all in order."
He hadn't lost his will to fight. His snake-like eyes fixed on Lokan, aiming for his heart.
"Hey, you're impatient!"
This was rich coming from Lokan, who was infamous for his impulsiveness in his past life. But his actions were far from careless. He raised his Orc Battle-Axe and blocked the thrust that came like a beam of light.
"Tch, my repair bill…"
The blocked section of his axe was dented by the force. That's how immense the Savage Warrior's strength and speed were. Lokan wanted to test his limits, but it seemed it would be costly.
'If it were the Orc Fighter I fought last time, he might have lost.'
The Savage Warrior's weapon was a Kris, a serpentine blade ideal for thrusting, perfectly suited to maximize Savage agility. Lokan thought a greatsword-wielding Orc Fighter might have been overwhelmed. Unless he landed a single, overpowering blow, the Savage Warrior's attack power might have pierced the Fighter's defenses.
But that was a fight between them. Now, the Savage Warrior's opponent was Lokan, the King of Relentless Violence.
"Berserk!"
"Heh heh heh heh!"
He could have won without it, but Lokan didn't want a drawn-out battle. His phase of skill-building through ascetic practice was in the past. Dragging this out for practice was a waste of time; it wouldn't be satisfying anyway.
"Spear Shot!"
While the Savage Warrior was still reeling from the War Cry, it threw its Kris at the charging Lokan with enough force to explode on impact. Lokan just laughed. It seemed slow to him, and telegraphed. He easily dodged by tilting his shoulder and brought his Battle-Axe down.
*Whoosh! Kaboom!*
The spot where the Savage Warrior had been standing exploded as if a bomb had gone off. The boss-level enemy barely managed to leap back in time. But Lokan wasn't done. He used the momentum of his axe swing to shift his center of gravity, gripping the axe haft like a pole and sliding forward.
*Kill Tackle!*
He swept the Savage Warrior's ankle with a powerful kick.
"Agh!"
*Crack!*
The ankle bent at a 90-degree angle. The Savage Warrior was in too much pain to even speak properly. Lokan felt a flicker of pity, but it was going to die anyway. He sprang to his feet and wrenched his Battle-Axe from the ground.
The Savage Warrior limped, posture unstable, trembling and unable to put weight on the injured foot.
'It's a feint!'
But Lokan wasn't fooled. It was a trick. Instead of taking the bait for a counterattack, Lokan slammed his axe into the ground again.
"Eat this!"
*Whish! Whish!*
He threw two hatchets, one aimed at the body, the other at the good leg. Forced to react, the Savage Warrior had to leap to avoid them, abandoning its Kris.
"Dash! Strike!"
"Ugh!"
Caught in the air with no escape, it became a sandbag. Lokan's Battle-Axe, as if waiting, deflected the thrown Kris and slammed into the Savage Warrior's chest, driving it to the ground like a blunt weapon. To prevent any recovery, Lokan stomped on its head and rained down axe blows like he was chopping wood.
[You have leveled up.]
[Awesome achievement! You have defeated both lords of the Wild Forest.]
[The title 'Conqueror of the Wild Forest' has been acquired.]
[You are the first to acquire this title.]
[Unbelievable achievement! You incited the orcs of the Orc Camp to war and conquered the Savage Village.]
[You have acquired the title 'Instigator'.]
[You are the first to acquire this title.]
[First][Conqueror of the Wild Forest][Rare]
A title bestowed upon one who has made the two lords of the Wild Forest kneel.
[Hold Effect]
- Strength +10
- Agility +10
- All stats increase by 5% in forest terrain.
[First] [Instigator] [Unique]
We salute you for waging war between two or more foes with a tongue sharper than any sword.
[Hold Effect]
- Intellect +20
- Wisdom +20
[Special Effect]
- Can use [Identity Camouflage].
'Look at this.'
The 'Conqueror' title was expected, but 'Instigator' was a surprise. He hadn't anticipated this type of title due to his 'Honorary Orc Warrior' status, but the system apparently didn't consider the orcs his true 'allies'.
'It's just a good reputation. They're a race that will become enemies eventually.'
But it was a good thing. It granted Intellect and Wisdom—stats melee classes often neglected—and a special ability, [Identity Camouflage].
'This… … I can use this.'
It was a skill that temporarily changed his displayed name and appearance. It might not be immediately useful, but it could be very handy in certain situations.
"Chwiik! Great!"
"Waaagh!"
"The rest, peep! Sniff! Sweep them away!"
The Orc Fighter and warriors erupted in excitement as Lokan secured his victory. The orcs ruthlessly slaughtered the demoralized Savages, looting and burning the village.
[The Orc Camp has won the war against the Savage Village.]
[The topography of Savage Village will be changed to 'Ruined Savage Village' for the next 1 month.]
['Vengeful Savage' will appear in the Ruined Savage Village.]
It was a local announcement, not global. Lokan had altered the game's terrain. The Savage Village wouldn't disappear entirely, but the orcs would dominate the area for a while, and Savage numbers would dwindle.
'Whatever.'
While players buzzed about the orcs' triumphant return after the sudden announcement, Lokan, having met his quest conditions, slipped away from the orc procession and headed back to Steroian.
* * *
"I've obtained them."
"Already?!"
Only a few hours had passed since he received the quest. As NPCs could estimate player levels, Steroian had assumed it would take Lokan (Level 30) considerable time to hunt Orc Warriors and a Savage for their blood. Returning in just a few hours was astounding.
[You have acquired the title 'Steroian's First Assistant'.]
[You are the first to acquire this title.]
'First Assistant, huh.'
Perhaps the standard title was just 'Steroian's Assistant', but Lokan accepted it coolly. The 'First' bonus was clearly attached.
[Steroian's First Assistant] [Unique]
A title given to Steroian's first assistant. You can obtain proof of identity from Steroian.
[Hold Effect]
- Stamina +10
- Vitality +10
- Movement speed +5% with [Detective's Assistant] effect.
'Not bad! I thought it would just give a tiny Int/Wis boost.'
Instead of minor Intellect and Wisdom, it gave Stamina, Vitality, and movement speed—a worthwhile effect.
"Wait a moment."
Taking the two blood vials, Steroian immediately got to work. Though surprised by Lokan's speed, he was mostly prepared. After about ten minutes of mixing reagents, he produced a bottle of medicine and handed it to Lokan.
"Deliver this to Master Materian in Trinsic."
He issued the next quest as if it were the most natural thing.
[Deliver Improved Antidote][Quest]
Deliver the prototype of the improved antidote made by Steroian to Materian in Trinsic.
-Success condition: Deliver the improved antidote to Materian.
-Reward: 3 silver, normal experience.
'Graduation time.'
The rewards were still meager, but the meaning was different. This was the final quest to leave Cton. Lokan was now ready to move on to the next city. He had obtained everything he could from Cton. It was time to execute the next phase of his plan and close the gap with the top players.
After leaving the Wizard's Guild, Lokan organized his inventory and prepared for the journey to Trinsic.