Ch. 111..120

Chapter 111 What The F*Ck Bro? U Mad?!

'Is this really a C-Ranked Dungeon?!' Lux cursed internally when he saw the changes in Orobak's strength.

A Rank 5 Monster in a C-Ranked Dungeon was unheard of. But, then again, he had unlocked the only Hidden Quest inside the Orc Dominion Dungeon, so he could somehow understand why the difficulty rating of the boss spiked this much.

Even though it was still weaker than the Draconic Kobold, Cadmus, the current Orobak was still no laughing matter. A Rank 5 Boss Monster as an enemy was something that they were not prepared to face at this point in time.

"Right now, I think he is as strong as the Field Boss, Forest Wolf King." Lux looked at Orobak, but he couldn't see the Boss Monster's stats. All he could see was the basic information. Even though the information he could see was limited, it was enough to confirm his suspicions.

—----

< Orobak >

– Orc Chieftain

– Final Boss of Orc Dominion (Story Mode)

– Rank 5 Boss Monster (Initial Stages)

Health: 400,000 / 400,000

Mana: 80,000 / 80,000

Strength: ???

Intelligence: ???

Vitality: ???

Agility: ???

Dexterity: ???

Skills: ???

Title: One Who Holds Dominion

—-

'This is bad. Barca will not be able to beat him alone.' Lux desperately tried to think of another way to help Barca since his own forces were tied up with the Two Orc Berserkers, which had no other purpose but to make their lives difficult. It was at this moment when he saw the other Orc Warlords who were dealing with their own enemies.

"Baronar! Help Barca! He won't be able to beat Orobak alone!" Lux shouted.

p The Orc Shaman glanced at his direction and shook his head.

"We are Orcs. None of us will interfere in the duel for succession. This is part of the rules that our ancestors set long ago," Baronar replied. "However, none of you are bound by that rule."

The Orc Shaman no longer said anything as he hurled his Shamanic Magic at the Orc Berserkers that tried to overpower his Elite Spirit Summons. Although he didn't say it explicitly, his words meant that if Lux and his friends wanted to help Barca, they may do so because they were not Orcs.

Lux looked at his current forces who had just managed to defeat their opponents after almost pushing themselves to their limit.

His and Eiko's Mana was already halved due to their constant summoning of their Skeletal Forces, who would die after two to three slashes from the Orc Berserkers that they were trying to defeat.

Oreg, the last Orc Warlord, roared and charged in their direction.

"I will not allow any of you to interfere!" Oreg charged at Lux and the Dwarven Children, while sending everything in his path flying in every direction.

"Sh*t!" Lux immediately hurled three Void Arrows in Oreg's direction in an attempt to blind him, but the status effect didn't activate.

When the Orc Warmonger was only a few dozens of meters away from them, Lux had no choice but to order his tank to block his path.

"Pazuzu! Stop him!" Lux ordered.

Pazuzu raised his shield high and met Oreg's charge head on.

The result was Pazuzu being blown away by the initial clash due to the great difference in stats.

However, the Demonic Protector righted itself in the air and used its skill Shield Wall. When the giant blue tower shield appeared in front of Pazuzu, it used its trademark skill, Madlad Rush, wielding the shield to bash Oreg's Body, sending the latter skidding a few meters away.

The two fighters clashed against each other with Pazuzu losing ground every time. His Shield Wall could only last for a minute. After that, the Orc Monger would overpower him, breaking through his defenses.

Suddenly, an arrow hit the side of Oreg's body, pushing him sideways.

Ishtar had activated her Siege Stance and used her Knockback arrow in order to give Pazuzu some breathing time.

"Wench!" Oreg spat angrily. "I'll kill you!"

It was at that moment when Oreg felt a threat behind him, so he immediately turned around and used his War Axes to block the Fire Lances that Diablo's Nightmare had shot in his direction.

"Triple Slash!" Matty roared as he executed three full-powered slashes on Oreg's Leg while his attention was diverted elsewhere.

Unfortunately, even if he managed to get a direct hit, the damage he dished out was only enough to give Oreg some shallow cuts, which was nothing to the Orc Warmonger.

Oreg backhanded the Dwarf and sent him flying. Matty crashed on the ground several meters away and rolled a few times before coming to a complete stop.

He spat out a mouthful of blood, and tried to stand up, but his body was still recovering from the shock that it had received from Oreg's powerful blow.

Suddenly, an Orc Berserker who thought that this was a good opportunity to kill someone, lunged towards Matty with its Great Axe held high.

"Matty!" Colette shouted as she ran in her friend's direction with the intention to help him.

However, she was too far from him. And even if she arrived on time, there was nothing she could do. She didn't have the ability to deal with an Orc Berserker alone.

Just as the Orc Berserker was about to slash the young Dwarf, the Orc Raider, Tanabur, and his Warg, jumped over Matty's body and collided with the Orc Berserker in mid-air.

The clash made the Orc Berserker howl in pain as the Warg bit into its body. Simultaneously, Tanabur's War Axe cut off the arm that was holding its weapon.

A meter away from Matty's body, the War axe lay on the ground along the opposing Orc's arm that was still holding its weapon. This showed how strong the Orc Berserker's grip was on its weapon. Even after the arm was severed from its body, the hand and the weapon still hadn't separated.

After decapitating the Orc Berserker, Tanabur returned to Matty's side and grabbed the back of his light-weight armor. Without giving any warning, Tanabur tossed Matty in Lux's direction before looking for his next opponent.

Matty, who was thrown away, was caught by one of Lux's Skeletal Fighters, and brought to Helen to allow her to heal her friend.

"Eiko! Just use Void Arrows and Mana Drain on Oreg!" Lux ordered the baby slime that was currently on top of his head. "I don't believe we can't blind this bastard!"

"Pa!" Eiko obeyed Lux and joined her Papa as they rained Void Arrows at the Orc Warmonger with the intention of blinding him.

After two minutes, Eiko's Void Arrow finally blinded the Orc Warmonger, sending Oreg into a frenzy.

He blindly hacked around him in an attempt to deter his enemies. Unfortunately for him, Pazuzu and Diablo had no intention of fighting him in his current state and allowed their comrades to use their range attacks to whittle Oreg's health away.

Ishtar and the Skeleton Grand Archers turned Oreg into a porcupine while using their Skill Poison Arrows. Poison was the best way to kill an opponent with very high HP because the poison damage would always deal a percentage of their maximum HP.

The Poison in Oreg's body grew, until he entered a status known as Badly Poisoned state. Although it was not enough to kill him completely, it was more than enough to make his life miserable.

"Kill!" Lux ordered as he grabbed a fist sized rock from his storage ring. Activating his Power Shot Skill, he threw the rock at the blinded and poisoned Orc Warmonger.

The Skeleton Grand Archers used their Crippling Volley. Ishtar fired arrow after arrow, aiming for Oreg's Heart. The moment she succeeds, the power of her Heartstriker Bow would be activated.

Diablo fired his Bone Spears, while Eiko unleashed a barrage of elemental spells to rapidly bring Oreg's health down.

"Eat DPS Baby!" Lux shouted as he threw another rock at Oreg's motionless body that had taken a defensive stance.

Just as the Orc Warmonger's life was about to hit zero, a sonic boom reverberated in the air.

Lux could only look in shock at the two-meter long arrow embedded in Oreg's forehead, claiming the last hit, and ending the Orc Warmonger's life.

The Half-Elf turned around to look in the direction where the arrow came from and saw, Morgazar looking at him with a smug expression on his face. The Orc Hunter even gave Lux a thumbs up, while the red-headed teenager gave him the middle finger.

"You f*cking kill stealer!" Lux shouted. "What the f*ck bro? U mad?!"

The Orc Hunter didn't know what Lux meant with his words, and only thought that the Half-Elf was thanking him for his timely assistance.

"No need to thank me!" Morgazar shouted. "We are on the same team!"

"It wasn't a thank you, You F*cker!"

"Um, I don't know what you're saying, but, thank you?"

The Orc Hunter then shifted its attention back to the battlefield and rained arrows upon their enemies, leaving the Half-Elf very frustrated with how things turned out in the end.

The bodies of the Dwarves glowed, after Oreg was killed, which meant that all of them had gained a level after beating the Mini-Boss of the dungeon.

When Oreg's body turned into particles of light, he dropped a Rank 4 Beast Core, his two War Axes, as well as a necklace with a single jagged tooth in it.

Eiko didn't waste time and ate all of the items before hurrying back in Lux's direction. Now that one of the greatest obstacles blocking their way was dead. Only the Last Boss of the Dungeon remained.

 

Chapter 112 Weaklings Should Know Their Place

Barca spat a mouthful of blood after receiving Orobak's powerful blow, which almost broke his defensive stance.

"I see. So that is the armor that belonged to my Grandfather," Barca said as he looked at the black armor that covered Orobak's entire body. "The Blackrock Legacy Set."

"Indeed." Orobak sneered. "A fitting armor for me, isn't it?"

"The armor is good, but the one wearing it is trash," Barca replied. "If it could only talk, it would have already told you that you are garbage."

Orobak laughed. "A loser's last words. Have you had enough? It's time for you to die, Halfbreed."

"Bring it on, Trash!" Barca gritted his teeth as he held the handle of his weapon tightly. His short talk with his enemy had given him a brief period of rest in order to regain some of his strength. However, he knew that he was about to reach his limit.

The Blackrock Legacy Set was an armor that absorbed the power of blood and death from the battlefield. The more dead people there were, the stronger the wearer became. This was how the first Chieftain of the Blackrock Clan rose to greatness. With the power he got, he expanded his clan until it became one of the strongest in the Orc Empire.

"Die, Mongrel!" Orobak roared as he lunged at Barca with his greatsword held high.

The Half-Orc channeled all the strength he could gather from his body to meet his blow, but before he was able to unleash his own attack, a Tower Shield slammed at the side of Orobak's body, pushing him to the side.

"... It's you guys," Barca muttered when he saw Lux and his friends arrive at his side while riding on their Wargs.

"Sorry to gatecrash on your duel, but someone kill-stealed our Mini-Boss, so I'm still infuriated by it," Lux said as he dismounted from his Warg and summoned it back to his Soul Book.

Although he was tempted to fight Orobak while mounted on Jed, he didn't have the necessary Cavalry Skills to make it effective. If he forced it, Jed would definitely die after getting a direct hit from Orobak. This was something that Lux didn't want to happen.

He chose to just fight normally for this reason, instead of sacrificing his mount to a battle that left no room for error.

"An Orc Battle is sacred, and is not a place for outsiders to intervene," Barca said. "But, I'm fighting against trash, so it's allowed."

"Wow! Double standards much," Lux replied. "Can't you just say that you can't beat him and need our help."

"No. You're just overthinking things."

"Fine. Kill first, talk later."

"That's more like it!" Barca smirked as he looked at Orobak who had kicked Pazuzu away, turning the Demonic Defender into particles of light.

Pazuzu had been fighting non-stop and taking hits for the team. Its health was already low, but Lux still decided to let it do a suicide attack in order to save Barca, and allow them to reach his side.

"F*cker!" Eiko shouted as she looked at Orobak who had killed Pazuzu. She only heard Lux say these words after Morgazar killed Oreg. She didn't know what the word meant, but she felt that using it at that moment was appropriate.

Although the baby Slime had been scared of the Demonic Defender's hideous appearance ever since she first saw him, she still treated Pazuzu as someone that belonged to Lux and her family.

She held this same mentality for Diablo and Ishtar, both of which were her father's Named Creatures. In her eyes, they were not ordinary Summons. They were her Big Brothers and Sisters!

"Eiko, don't say bad words," Lux said as he held the magical staff, Harmony, in his hands. "Your Mama will give me an earful if she hears you cursing out loud."

"Pa!" Eiko nodded her head in understanding.

This was one of the rare weapons that he had obtained from the Gatcha Ticket that Eriol had given him before his adventures truly began.

—--

< Harmony >

Rarity: Rare

(Magic Staff)

Requirement: Intelligence 10

– Magic Damage increase by 5%

– Able to use the skill Magic Missile

(Magic Missile)

– Fires five magical darts at the enemies.

– Damage is equivalent to the Intelligence Stat of the caster

—--

Although Lux's Intelligence Stat was low, this was the only weapon he could use against Orobak. He didn't dare fight the Orc Chieftain at close range because he believed that he would die instantly if he was hit directly by the Greatsword in his hands.

He had also advised Colette and Matty to not approach the Boss Monster, but simply guard Andy, Axel, and Helen, who were capable of firing ranged magical attacks.

"Hah! Getting in the way of our duel means that you want to die, right?" Orobak glared at Lux and his friends with bloodshot eyes as the greatsword in his hands turned crimson.

"Rending Strike!" Orobak shouted as he slashed at the newcomers with a fury.

Five red crescent blades flew in their direction, while destroying the ground in front of it, creating five deep fissures as they headed towards their target.

"Dodge!" Lux shouted before jumping to the side.

The Dwarves also did the same. However, Helen was too slow to completely dodge it. In the end, she was forced to cast a barrier in front of her, which immediately shattered after the attack collided with it.

"Helen!" Lux shouted as the little Dwarf girl was sent flying away by Orobak's attack. Blood dyed her clothes as she crashed down on the ground.

Colette and the others rushed to Helen's side to check on her condition. Their party's Cleric was critically injured, and if it weren't for the defensive artifacts that she was wearing, she might have been instantly killed by the blow she received.

Lux, and the others immediately started pouring health Potions over her body, especially on the part where her clothes were dyed red with her blood.

Helen was still unconscious, and her face was pale, but her life was no longer in danger. However, it was clear that they could no longer count on her to join the battle against the last boss.

"One down," Orobak chuckled. "All of you are next!"

The Orc Chieftain casually raised his sword to block, an arrow that was aimed at his head. He then looked at the Skeleton Hunter, Ishtar, from afar with a smirk.

"Cheap shots won't work on me," Orobak declared. "Are you now all ready to die?"

The armor on Orobak's body glowed crimson as the blood of the slain orcs all flew in his direction, dyeing his weapon and armor in a sinister bloody color.

"Be careful! As long as there is blood and dead bodies in the surroundings, Orobak's strength will soar!" Barca shouted.

Now that all of the Orcs fighting for his side had died, the power he wielded intensified. This was all due to the ability of the Blackrock Legacy Armor he was wearing.

"Weaklings should know their place," Orobak spat before stomping his right foot on the ground.

That was the last thing he said before he charged forward, with the intention of hacking his enemies to pieces without mercy, with the aim to end this battle for dominion once and for all.

 

Chapter 113 Strength That Knew No Bounds

Orobak's Great Sword was only a meter away from chopping off Lux's neck when it came to a complete and abrupt stop.

The Orc Chieftain roared in anger as his body moved against his will, changing direction and heading towards Diablo, who was seated on top of his Nightmare.

'Run!'

Diablo's single word rang inside Lux's mind as he looked at his first Named Creature in disbelief. This was the first time that Diablo had said a word, and it told him to run.

That single word contained everything that his Named Creature was trying to convey. It made Lux's body move subconsciously just by how strong the emotions in that single word were.

"Everyone, run!" Lux shouted. "Tanabur, take Barca and run!"

The Half-Elf immediately summoned his Warg, Jed, and mounted it while carrying Helen in his arms. Colette and the others did the same, summoning their own mounts and following behind Lux, who was already running towards the entrance of the Stronghold.

When Diablo had used Duel [EX] against Orobak, the Skeleton Rider intended for itself to clash with the Orc Chieftain in order to buy some time for the others. This skill would force his target to exchange a blow with him once.

It had a range of three hundred meters and a cooldown of one minute, which was a very powerful skill for forced combat.

Tanabur grabbed Barca's arm and forcefully hoisted him on the back of his mount. Baronar and Morgazar also followed behind them and ordered their forces to retreat.

Only Lux's Skeletons, including Ishtar, remained behind as all the Orcs allied with Lux and Barca, rushed out of the stronghold to flee towards the forest.

Although it was a disgraceful behavior, the opponent was simply too strong for them to fight right now.

As Lux was fleeing, he heard Airon's pained neighs as he and Diablo were blown away by Orobak's powerful attack.

The Skeleton Rider's left arm, which was holding a shield, was shattered and his body was on the brink of collapse. Airon wasn't faring any better.

"I will not allow any of you to escape!" Orobak shouted. "All of you will die here!"

The Orc Chieftain ignored Diablo and sprinted towards the entrance of the Stronghold, where several skeletons were blocking his path.

Orobak didn't even need to attack them because the Skeletons shattered instantly after trying to stop his ferocious charge.

However, when he was only a dozen meters away from the entrance of the stronghold, a pained expression crossed his face as a Steel Bear Trap closed in on his right foot. Another trap sprung on his left, but that didn't deter the Orc Chieftain from continuing his charge.

He activated three more traps, totaling of five, which greatly slowed Orobak's movement.

Ishtar had placed all of her traps near the entrance of the Stronghold as a last ditch effort to stop Orobak from chasing after Lux and the others.

Ishtar had taken her Siege Stance and fired a Knockback Arrow, which forcefully forced Orobak to take a few steps back, canceling the momentum of his charge.

The Skeleton Hunter continued to fire arrow after arrow at the angered Orc Chieftain, while the Skeleton Grand Archers shot their Crippling Volley, in an effort to assist Ishtar in holding Orobak back.

Orobak's hateful shout reverberated inside the Stronghold as he threw one of the War Axes that was lying on the ground towards Ishtar.

The War Axe flew straight and true, instantly shattering the Skeleton Hunter's body, killing her completely.

Orobak's rage didn't stop there as he threw several more War Axes and decimated the Skeleton Grand Archers that were making his life difficult. When the last Skeleton Archer fell, the Orc Chieftain forcefully removed the steel traps from his feet and threw them aside.

However, before he could even step out of his stronghold, his body once again moved backwards and a hateful shout escaped his lips.

Diablo stood alone because he had already sent Airon back to Lux's Soul Book to prevent the hard earned Nightmare from dying.

The Skeleton Rider laughed as his jaws rattled, as if mocking the angered Orc Chieftain, who was rushing towards him with his greatsword ready to swing for the kill.

Diablo held his sword with his remaining right hand, as he prepared to parry Orobak's attack.

Both swords collided, and Diablo's remaining arm shattered due to the strong impact. However, it didn't back down and used his Leap Skill to jump over the Orc Chieftain's head before unleashing his last attack.

Using his leg as a weapon, Diablo descended towards Orobak's head and then activated his skill, Whirlwind Slash.

"Annoying insect!" Orobak shouted as he raised his greatsword and shattered Diablo's leg, canceling his attack. The skeletal Rider fell on the ground without either of its legs.

Orobak roared as he stomped on Diablo's body, shattering it completely and killing the Skeleton Rider once and for all.

He then gazed at the entrance of the Stronghold where his enemies had escaped. The Orc Chieftain knew that it was already too late to run after them, and decided to look at his surroundings.

All of the Orcs under his command were dead. Their blood still dyed the ground with their color, which was continuously turning into red mist and flying in his direction. It was at this moment when Orobak understood.

He might have won the battle, but he had lost the war. He was the reigning Orc Chieftain, but without Orcs to govern, it was only an empty title.

Just like his Stronghold that no longer held any living creature inside it.

—-

Lux and the other Orcs stopped their retreat when they were two miles away from Orobak's Stronghold.

His Skeletons' sacrifice had given them enough time to escape the one-sided massacre from the second strongest monster that Lux had seen in Elysium.

"Let's make camp here," Lux said after glancing in the direction of Orobak's Stronghold for a minute. "He will not follow us here."

Baronar, Tanabur, and Morgazar nodded their heads. They then ordered their subordinates to make camp, so that all of them could rest.

After everyone had settled down, the three Orc Warlords came to find Lux to tell him about an important matter.

"Lux, from this point onwards, none of us will make a move to fight against Orobak," Baronar said with a firm expression on his face. "This is between Barca, you guys, and Orobak. Whoever won the final battle, would become our Orc Chieftain."

Tanabur, and Morgazar nodded their heads in agreement. They had already done their part, and the final effort must come from Lux's and Barca's side.

"I understand," Lux replied. "Thank you for everything."

After saying what they had to say, the three Orc Warlords left to give Lux some time to think about his next course of action.

During Diablo's final moments, Lux was able to see everything that was happening to his Named Creature. It made him understand just how strong Orobak was.

"In the face of absolute strength, all tricks are meaningless, right?" Lux muttered as he stared in the distance. "Well, we'll just have to see if he really does have absolute strength."

Lux narrowed his eyes as a plan formulated inside his head.

Although the Orc Warlords said that they would not participate in the battle against Orobak, the Half-Elf felt that he could use some loopholes in order to make them help him with a few things, giving them a chance to win against the Orc Chieftain, whose strength knew no bounds.

 

Chapter 114 Tilting The Favor To Their Side

Lux was still inside his tent even when the sun had slowly set in the horizon.

He had busied himself with drafting out a plan in order to win against Orobak with the least casualties possible. After he finished doing that, he then sorted through the items that Eiko had taken from Orobak's room. The Half-Elf was quite surprised by the goodies she managed to bring back with her. Some of them provided extra stats.

All the bone amulets, as well as the tooth amulets, that Eiko had taken with her had stats, which was an unexpected boon to Lux. However, there was just one big problem.

"Only Orcs can wear them?" Lux scratched his head for the umpteenth time due to the unreasonable requirements that the amulets had.

Most of them gave an additional +10 points to a certain stat, which made them quite valuable. Unfortunately, since only Orcs could wear them, Lux's plan to overgear himself was put on hold.

'I'll just let Barca wear them,' Lux thought. 'That way, he can increase his stats before the final confrontation. After that, I'll take them back with me, so I can transmute them all to make an overpowered accessory. I knew that my Skill Item Transmutation [EX] would come in handy."

Lux understood the value of this skill, and was quite grateful to have it. The only reason he hadn't managed to abuse it was due to his lack of resources, as well as lack of equipment that had stats, or abilities that he could transfer.

"Now, time to open this wooden chest," Lux muttered as he opened the wooden chest that Eiko had taken with her as well. "I wonder what is inside."

The first thing that Lux took out from the wooden crate was a dagger. It looked very crude, and yet its simplicity held a certain charm of its own. Lux used the Elysium Compendium that had merged with his Soul Book to appraise it and his jaw almost dropped after reading its information.

—--

< Beloved's Memento >

Rarity: Mythical

– This crude dagger once belonged to Barca's Mother. Due to her sacrifice, some of her stats were transferred to this dagger at the moment of her death.

Requirement: The effect of this dagger will only activate if it is equipped by the Half-Orc, Barca.

+50 to all Stats

—-

"T-This!" Lux couldn't believe what he was seeing. A mythical dagger that could increase the wearer's stats by 50 points was something that you didn't see everyday. Unfortunately, this was a weapon that was exclusively for Barca, which made Lux's teeth ache.

Setting the dagger to the side, Lux then unfurled one of the scrolls inside the wooden crate.

"A single-use magic scroll," Lux muttered as he looked at the scroll in his hand. "Not bad. I can use this."

Single-use magic scrolls were scrolls that allowed anyone to activate the Spell that was inscribed on it. They could be thought of as hand grenades or other similar consumables that could be used to deal great damage to one's enemies.

Lux checked the scrolls one by one and was pleasantly surprised to see five Rank 3 Fire Blast Spells that could be used to deal great damage to an enemy.

After setting the scrolls aside, Lux then picked up one of the gems that was inside the crate. They were just ordinary gems, which could be sold for a decent price to merchants. After making sure that all of the gems had nothing special about them, Lux then opened the ornate wooden box that he had saved for last.

Inside it was a Medallion.

Upon closer inspection, Lux could tell that this item didn't belong to the Orcs. The Medallion was well-crafted making it impossible for the Orcs to produce such a thing.

After using appraisal, the Orc Medallion's origin came to light.

—--

Avetia Kingdom's Elite Cavalry Medallion.

Rarity: Mythical

Requirement: Only for Professions that specialize in mounted combat.

– When wielding a spear, you will be able to use the skill Hero's Charge.

+20 to All Stats for any classes that allows you to fight while mounted on a beast.

+10% increase to mobility, and physical attack.

+100 to Physical Attack.

< Hero's Charge >

– A full powered charge attack that deals 300% of your overall physical damage to your target. Can only be used when mounted on a beast.

– If your enemy is bigger than you, it deals an additional 100% damage to your target. Can only be used when mounted on a beast.

—---

'This one is better. At least, Diablo can use it,' Lux thought as he stared at the Medallion with a smile.

The Half-Elf immediately equipped the Medallion to Diablo, making his Named Creature stronger than it ever was before.

Now that everything had been sorted out, Lux left the tent and started looking for Tanabur's men. Since the sun was no longer up, it was now time to execute his plan.

Barca was still recovering from his injuries, and according to Baronar, it would still take him a day to fully recover. Lux thought that this was fine since he was still in the process of executing his plan.

After looking for the Orc Warlord, the latter looked at Lux weirdly before reluctantly nodding his head.

Half an hour later, Lux, alongside a hundred Orc Riders, rode towards the Stronghold where the Orc Chieftain was. Their plan was not to fight him, but to create a battlefield that would tilt the favor to their side.

Although Lux didn't know whether his plan would work or not, it was still better than doing nothing at all.

They only had one enemy remaining before he and his friends could clear the dungeon and go home. Since that was the case, he needed to put a lot of effort in order to make sure that all of them would be able to clear the dungeon, while making sure that their heads would remain attached to their bodies after fighting the Orc Chieftain one last time.

 

Chapter 115 I Will Now Teach You How Weaklings Fight! [Part 1]

It was already past midnight, and the surroundings were dark. There were neither stars nor moon in the sky to give light to the land. The torches that burned around the Stronghold were the only light source inside the Orc Encampment.

Orobak stood in the center of the stronghold. The bodies of his warriors still lay on the ground around him.

Since Lux and his partymates weren't the ones that had fought them, their bodies didn't disappear and turn into particles of light. This gave Orobak the opportunity to use their corpses to strengthen himself, and get an edge over Barca.

Lux knew that Orobak wouldn't leave the Stronghold because the Orc chieftain couldn't lose his advantage. Since that was the case, the Half-Elf had no other choice but to… annoy the sh*t out of the Orc Chieftain!

Arrows rained from the sky from outside of the Stronghold, which forced the Orc Chieftain to use his weapons to block it.

It was at this moment when the whistling sound of the wind reached Orobak's ears, and he immediately turned around to use his great sword to block the arrow that was aimed at his side. The force of the arrow made the Orc Chieftain take a few steps back, which made him frown.

"It's you again," Orobak glared at Ishtar, who was currently riding standing on top of Pazuzu's Tower Shield, while the latter hovered in the air.

The Skeleton Hunter had taken her shield stance and was firing arrow after arrow. Poison Arrow, Piercing Arrows, Knockback Arrows, Frostfire Arrows, Stun Arrows—all kinds of arrows in Ishtar's arsenal were all fired in the Orc Chieftain's direction without fail.

Aside from Ishtar, the Skeleton Grand Archers were also firing arrows, but they didn't care whether they hit Orobak or not because they couldn't see him.

The Orc Archers were doing the same. Lux had ordered them to just "shoot their arrows inside the Stronghold, without caring if they hit anything or not. Although the order was weird, the Orc Archers obeyed Lux.

When Morgazar first heard of it, he even scratched his head, confused with the plan that Lux had thought up. Since he specifically told the Half-Elf that they would not assist him in fighting against Orobak, the latter only told them that he didn't need their help to attack the Orc Chieftain.

What Lux ordered them to do was this. Just shoot inside the stronghold. It didn't matter where the arrows landed, all they had to do was make sure it landed inside the Orc Stronghold.

It was a weird order, but since they weren't directly attacking Orobak, Morgazar thought that the order was valid.

And so, a rain of arrows that didn't seem to have any designated target fell randomly inside the Stronghold, making it look like it was under siege.

While Orobak was dealing with Ishtar's and the rain of arrows that were falling above his head, he noticed several Skeleton Fighters, as well as the Skeleton Rider he fought a few hours ago, stabbing the bodies of the Orcs that had fallen.

Lux had tasked his minions to steal any Beast Cores that they could find, while Orobak was under siege by his enemies.

Eiko had also sneakily infiltrated the Orc Stronghold from the rear when the siege started.

She then summoned her Skeleton Fighters, and Skeleton Grand Archers, and gave them specific roles.

The Skeleton Fighters were to gather Beast Cores, while the Skeleton Grand Archers were to aim at Orobak using their poison arrows in order to whittle away his health.

Naturally, the Orc Chieftain didn't stand idly and threw any weapon that he could find at the Skeleton Grand Archers that were aiming at him from a distance, killing them instantly.

"Ei! Ei! Ei!" Eiko continuously re-summoned the Skeletons that were destroyed, until her mana was almost depleted.

Orobak was annoyed by the hit and run tactics that were being used against him, and roared in anger. He had finally understood that Ishtar, and the rain of arrows that were falling above his head were merely distractions.

However, he realized it a bit late.

Diablo and his subordinates had already collected dozens of Beast Cores from the corpses along the outskirts of the Stronghold. Surprisingly, each time they took a Beast Core from the bodies of the Orcs, they would turn into particles of light, their bodies, along with their blood, disappearing completely.

This was an unexpected discovery that made Lux extremely happy.

'Perhaps this is a loophole in the dungeon that would help the challengers cope with Orobak's unreasonable advantage.'

That was what Lux thought after the first Orc Warrior disappeared after the Beast Core was taken out of its body.

After finding out that the opposing side's main goal was to only make him passively defend from ranged attacks, Orobak roared in anger and charged towards Diablo and the Skeleton Fighters.

Naturally, Diablo and the others made a run for it, while Eiko's Skeleton Fighters, who were in the rear, sped up their Beast Core collection, while the Orc was chasing their comrades.

This was a pincer attack that Lux had devised in order to steal power right out from under Orobak's nose.

Now that Orobak had changed his strategy, Ishtar was able to land a few hits on the Orc's body since he had decided to just focus on killing the thieving Skeletons first, instead of worrying about the Orc Hunter that was shooting at him from the sky.

The game of cat and mouse continued until more than half of the orcs inside the stronghold had vanished completely, making Orobak unable to think of what to do next.

"Weaklings!" Orobak shouted when he exited the Stronghold and saw Lux, as well as Barca, standing hundreds of meters away from him, surrounded by torch lights.

It was as if they were making sure that the Orc Chieftain spotted them no matter what, and their plan had worked just as they envisioned.

"Do you dare to fight me in a duel?!" Orobak roared in challenge.

"Hell no!" Lux shouted in reply. "If you want to fight, come here!"

"I'll kill you!"

"Come at me, bro!"

Lux spread his arms wide and taunted Orobak, who was glaring in his direction.

The Orc Chieftain took out a small throwing knife and hurled it towards the Half-Elf with all the strength it could muster. Unfortunately, Barca just casually deflected it to the side, and sneered at his adversary.

Although Orobak was currently stronger than him, a throwing axe didn't pose a threat to him.

"Barca, you coward!" Orobak roared. "Fight me!"

"If you want to fight, come!" Barca pointed his greatsword at his opponent. "I am here! Fight me!"

Orobak fought an internal struggle inside his head. If he fought Barca outside the Stronghold, his advantage would diminish making his strength almost at par with him. Even though he knew that he was stronger than the Half-Orc, he was now alone without any warriors under his command.

​ 'I just need to defeat him, and the other Orcs will once again swear their allegiance to me,' Orobak thought as he looked back inside the stronghold where the Skeleton Fighters were still busy looting the bodies of his subordinates, making them fade into particles of light.

'The effect of the armor lasts for half an hour. If I can kill him before then, it is my win!' Orobak no longer hesitated as he ran towards Barca who had readied himself in a fighting stance.

Orobak's eyes turned bloodshot as he thought about all of his subordinates who had died due to the Half-Orc's Rebellion. He had no intention of sparing Barca's life, and would do the same to the Half-Elf who was in cahoots with him.

However, when he was only a dozen meters away from the duo, the ground under his feet gave way and Orobak found himself falling into a muddy pit that Lux had prepared for him beforehand.

"You call us weaklings, right?" Lux asked with a sneer. "Well, sorry for being a weakling. I will now teach you how weaklings fight."

 

Chapter 116 I Will Now Teach You How Weaklings Fight! [Part 2]

"Y-You!" Orobak could only glare at the Half-Elf even after he realized that he had fallen into a trap. "You tricked me!"

Due to his single-minded aim of killing Barca and the Half-Elf in front of him and the dim surroundings, he didn't pay too much attention to the ground nor did he notice what was happening around him.

When he fell in the muddy hole, only then did he understand that this was the real goal his enemies were aiming for.

"Dirty Half-Breeds!" Orobak shouted in anger as he felt his body slowly sinking into the ground. "Do you think that this can stop me?!"

Right now, the Orc Chieftain's body was buried only up to his knees. Although he was caught by surprise, the situation wasn't unsalvageable. Orobak planned to use his superior strength to propel himself up from the quicksand, using a skill similar to Diablo's leap.

However, before he could even do that, an arrow pierced the top of his head, canceling his attempt, and pushing him further down into the quicksand.

Lux sneered. The quicksand trap was something he had prepared with the help of his Trap Specialist, Ishtar, who made sure it was almost flawless, and the Orc Riders, who spent the majority of the night digging the swimming-pool-sized pit that he had designed for the Orc Chieftain.

As someone who specializes in placing traps, Ishtar taught Lux how to calculate the right mixture of soil and water in order to create a quicksand that was strong enough to hold someone like Orobak.

After his failed attempt, Orobak's body was now waist-deep inside the quicksand. The stupid Orc continued to struggle, which only made the quicksand that was holding his body in place more potent.

Lux chuckled as he summoned Diablo in front of him.

The Skeletal Rider's burning, golden eyes looked at the Orc Chieftain as he gave a rattling laughter, as if to mock Orobak for his arrogance.

Suddenly, Diablo jumped into the quicksand as well, allowing the sand to slowly pull him into its deathly embrace.

In desperation, Orobak was about to use a last ditch effort to use everything he had to break free from the quicksand that bound his body. However, just as he was about to enact his plan, his body instantly froze as he looked at the Skeleton Rider that had joined him in the muddy, and deadly, prison that had entrapped him.

With one hand pointing at Orobak, Diablo activated his skill, Duel [EX], which forced the Orc Chieftain to exchange a single blow with him.

A frustrated roar of anger escaped Orobak's lips as his body started to reach out to Diablo regardless of his will. Diablo's body was now chest-deep inside the quicksand, but since he was already dead, he had nothing to fear.

The Skeleton Rider gave Orobak the middle finger as it slowly sank without resistance into the quicksand.

Ishtar, who was right above Orobak's head, shot another knockback arrow, hitting Orobak's head, like a nail getting hit by a hammer. The Orc Chieftain's body was once again pushed down until it was chest-deep in the quicksand.

"I regret not killing you when you were a child!" Orobak shouted. "You are no Orc! You're just a filthy Half-Blood!"

Barca didn't reply because he, too, knew that what was happening right now wasn't the warrior's way. It wasn't how Orcs did battle.

The Orc Warlords, as well as their subordinates gathered around the quicksand and looked at their former Orc Chieftain with complicated expressions on their faces. For them, the battle for Dominion was supposed to be a battle between two strong warriors.

Only the strongest among them would be recognized as their leader. That was the way of the Orcs. Even now, they hadn't fully recognized Barca as their Chieftain. They only became his subordinates because he had bested them in battle.

However, that was that, and this was this.

A battle between the Orc Chieftain and his challenger should have been the highlight of this battle, but what did they see?

Their strongest Warrior, dying because of a trick!

As Barca, the Orc Warlords, and the other Orcs felt these complicated feelings in their heart, they heard Lux's voice that brought them out of their daze.

"Who is stronger?" Lux asked. "A Human or an Orc?"

"An Orc!" Orobak shouted. "Orcs are the strongest! We fight with honor! And through battle, we show our mettle! We are the strongest!"

Now that he could no longer find a way to escape his fate, he wanted to make the Orcs understand that Barca wasn't the leader that they were looking for. He wasn't suitable to become the next Orc Chieftain!

The Orcs also shouted their war cries because they completely agreed with their former Chieftain. Some of them were even eyeing Lux and Barca with hateful gazes. A hate that was slowly taking hold of their allegiance.

"It is true, Orcs are stronger than humans," Lux replied.

His reply was unexpected and the Half-Orc who was standing beside him closed his eyes because he, too, understood this as the truth.

"But, what of it?" Lux chuckled. "Orcs are stronger than Humans, but which side prevailed over the years? Who was it that populated this world and held vast swaths of fertile lands? Was it Orcs? Of course not. It is because strength alone is not enough for Dominion."

Lux's mocking words grated every Orc's ears, making them want to shout and refute him. But before they could say anything, the Half-Elf's next words made them shut up.

"Humans are weak, this is true, but because of this weakness, they learned to adapt," Lux stated. "Humans are weaker than Orcs, who can crush rocks with their bare hands, but Humans don't need to crush rocks. They used it as their weapon instead. Stone spears, stone axes, stone clubs, anything that they could use to survive, Humans used it all."

"Whenever they fight strong opponents, they don't fight them alone. They fight them in numbers. If numbers don't work, they retreat, and fight again another day. Over the years, mankind has evolved. Since they live short lives, they made their lives meaningful by passing their knowledge to the next generation, so that they in turn could continue to develop and strengthen themselves."

"The fact that Human Empires and Kingdoms exist to this day is proof of Humanity's strength. Tell me, Orcs of the Blackrock Clan, if Humans are as weak as you proclaim them to be then why is your former chieftain dying right now?"

Lux's question was filled with ridicule that stung the Orcs' ears, making them answer him with hatred.

"Because you used dirty tricks!" one of the Orc Archers shouted. "If you fought in battle, you are the one who would have been dead by now."

,m "All is fair in love and war," Lux replied. "The problem with you Orcs, is that your race is all brawns and no brains. Didn't you learn anything from this battle? Didn't you learn anything from him?"

Lux pointed at Orobak, whose head was the only thing that remained above the muddy waters.

"That will be your Clan's fate when you fight against Humans," Lux stated. "I am only Half-Human and I am already this devious. How much more devious could I be if I were fully Human? Wouldn't he have died without knowing how he died?"

Lux gave the Orcs an arrogant gaze that made them gnash their teeth in anger.

"All of you are lucky." Lux snorted as he patted the Half-Orc beside him. "Here is a Half-Orc. He has both brains and brawn. A Chieftain who is not only strong, but is smart as well."

"You are the one that devised this plan. You are the smart one," Barca replied.

"No. You are smart," Lux commented. "The fact that you asked me to help you gain Dominion is proof of how smart you are. If you didn't ask for my help, none of this would have happened."

Lux made a gesture and waved his hand to encompass all the Orc Warriors that had fought for their side.

"A good ruler must choose a good general to fight for him," Lux said. "I fought for you, and this is the result. This is now your Dominion."

Orobak glared hatefully at the Half-Elf until his body was completely swallowed up by the quicksand.

To kill a Rank 5 Alpha Monster using this method would not work every time. Lux just used the terrain of the Dungeon to his advantage, as well as Orobak's desire to kill Barca, which led him to disregard the possibility that he was being led to a trap.

Since ancient times, Humanity used similar methods in order to fight and kill the stronger beasts that threatened their lives. What Lux did was simply one of the many tried and true methods that ensured his and his friends' survival.

Lux could see through his Elysium Compendium that Orobak's health was starting to decrease at a rapid pace. Soon, the Final Boss' health went down to zero, signaling that he had died.

As if waiting for that moment, Colette, Matty, Andy, Axel, and Helen's body all glowed brightly like stars in the night sky.

They had all leveled up a consecutive number of times after getting the massive experience points that the Final Boss had given them.

Although they didn't fight Orobak, Lux was part of their party. Since the Half-Elf's Summon fought in his place, they gained the experience points that were also meant for him.

 

Chapter 117 So, Are You Ready To Rumble?

Lux thought that after the Orc Chieftain was dead, the Hidden Quest would be finally completed. However, contrary to his expectations, the quest wasn't over yet.

—--

Hidden Quest: I Wish For Dominion

Bonus Rewards will be calculated depending on the choices you make in this mission.

—--

< Kill the Four Orc Warlords >

+500 Riders of Norria Reputation Points

– Gain one random Pseudo-Mythical weapon, armor, or artifact, that belonged to each of the Warlords that you have slain.

– Gain the Orc Slayer Title

( Orc Slayer Title )

– Increase damage to all Orcs by 20%

– Orcs will feel threatened by your presence

—-

< Negotiate with the Orc Warlords > (Completed)

+1000 Riders of Norria Reputation Points

+200 Kingdom of Gweliven Reputation Points (Exclusive to Kingdom of Gweliven)

+200 Gold Coins

– Gain Negotiator Title

( Negotiator Title )

– When dealing with Nobles or Royalty, your chances of closing a successful deal is increased by 10%

—---

< Final Mission >

Make the Blackrock Clan recognize Barca as their new Orc Chieftain!

– The Orcs are dissatisfied with the outcome of the battle. Because of this, they do not approve of Barca as their new leader.

– Find a way to convince the Orcs to recognize Barca as their new leader!

Rewards: ???

—--

'This might be a bit troublesome,' Lux thought as he looked at the final mission that he needed to clear in order to complete the mission.

He could see the dissatisfaction in the eyes of the Orcs. Even Tanabur looked at Lux and Barca with a dissatisfied look. Only Baronar and Morgazar remained unfazed with the result of the battle.

"Who among you do not approve of the method I used to kill your Orc Chieftain?" Lux asked. "Raise your hands!"

More than a third of the Orcs raised their hands, including Tanabur who made his stance known.

"So, you wish for an honorable battle, is that it?" Lux inquired.

""Yes!""

Lux knew that there was nothing else he could do but go with the flow. Since it was a duel they wanted, a duel they would get.

"Very well, I will accept your challenge," Lux said in an arrogant manner. "Since Barca defeated the Orc Warlords in a duel, this meant that all of you approve of his strength, right?"

"Yes," Baronar replied.

"It was Ishstar who defeated me, but since you are her Master, I approve of you as the victor of our duel," Morgazar replied.

"I recognize Barca, but I don't recognize you," Tanabur replied.

"Okay, since all of you already recognize Barca and had fought with him, it is time for the subordinates to fight," Lux declared. "Anyone who wishes to challenge me, with the exception of Barca, and the Orc Warlords, feel free to step forward. I will fight you with everything I have, one-on-one!"

Some of the orcs were itching to accept the challenge. In fact, some of them were already about to declare their intent to fight.

"I will fight you!" an Orc Rider shouted and his mount stepped forward before growling at Lux.

"Fine," Lux replied.

The Half-Elf then summoned all of his minions. Eiko also summoned her skeletons as well.

Since she was Lux's daughter, and Beast Companion, her summons were also part of Lux's strength. Even Baronar, who also had spirit summons, had to cover his face out of embarrassment due to the Half-Elf's shamelessness.

The corner of the lips of the Orcs twitched after seeing Lux's shameful display of power.

"Bro, what happened to the one-on-one battle you promised?" The Orc Rider felt his courage failed him after seeing the lineup that he was about to fight. "This is not one-on-one."

"I am a Necromancer. This is how I fight," Lux scoffed in disdain. "If you have someone to blame, blame yourself for being weak."

Pazuzu and Ishtar also landed on the ground and stood by his side. The Skeleton Hunter drew her bow, while the Demonic Defender tapped his Tower Shield with his mace, making known his intent to fight.

One Overpowered Baby Slime

One Skeletal Rider

One Skeleton Hunter

One Demonic Defender

Fourteen Skeleton Fighters

Sixteen Skeleton Grand Archers

This was the lineup on Lux's disposal, which made the Orcs who saw this feel their liver itch.

With just a glance, any Orc, even if they weren't smart, could understand that this was not a battle that they could win.

'Fools! Aside from Barca, and the Orc Warlords, none of you are my match!' Lux laughed in his heart. "So, are you ready to rumble?"

Lux gave the Orc Warrior a devilish smile as he stepped forward.

Eiko, who was on top of Lux's head, was also pumped up for a battle. As a battle junky, and with great numbers on her side, the baby Slime was fearless, knowing that they were at a great advantage.

If only Iris knew that her baby daughter was becoming as shameless as her Papa, she would definitely take her back to the Barbatos Academy and raise her herself.

"I-I concede," the Orc Rider had no choice but to concede over the hopeless fight that was waiting for him.

Lux nodded his head. "Anyone else?!"

None of the Orcs dared to step forward because they knew that it was impossible to win against Lux and his minions.

"Fight me!" Tanabur shouted. He was greatly dissatisfied with what was happening so he made his voice known. "If you win, I will convince everyone to recognize Barca as our new Chieftain! What do you say?"

"Okay," Lux answered in a heartbeat. "You're very brave, Tanabur. Because of your bravery, I will only designate Diablo and Pazuzu as my representatives. If you beat them then I will no longer interfere with the affairs of the Blackrock Clan. You are free to choose among yourselves who will be the next Orc Chieftain."

Tanabur, who had already prepared himself to fight Lux and all of his summons in a battle, looked at the Half-Elf suspiciously.

As a Rank 4 Alpha Monster, he knew that all he needed to do was defeat Lux, and all of his summons would be rendered useless. However, instead of fighting him, the Half-Elf designated two representatives to fight in his stead.

"Are you sure about this?" Tanabur asked with suspicion. "If I defeat them, you will no longer meddle in our affairs?"

"Correct," Lux answered. "This will be a no-holds barred battle. Anything is allowed. You can even fight with your mount. Everyone can use any method in order to win. Do you accept these conditions?"

"I accept!" Tanabur declared. "I, Tanabur, accept this challenge! All of you bear witness to this battle. Any method is allowed. Only the result is important!"

The Orcs raised their weapons and shouted their war cries.

Baronar and Morgazar covered their faces with the palm of their hands. Both of them were few of the smarter ones among the Orcs, and they already understood what the Half-Elf was planning to do.

"This fool was led by the nose," Baronar muttered in embarrassment.

Morgazar nodded his head in agreement. "Maybe we really do need a bit of humanity to overcome the stupidness of our race."

Barca also realized what Lux was planning to do and shook his head helplessly. He vowed that after this duel ended, he would ensure that the Orcs learned some strategies from Humans so they would not be hoodwinked by words and other types of provocation.

"Are you ready?" Lux asked.

"I was born ready!" Tanabur replied.

Diablo and Pazuzu had already taken a fighting stance, and Tanabur and his Warg did the same.

"At the count of three!" Lux shouted. "One, Two, Three, Fight!"

Tanabur's Warg lunged forward in order to attack the two monsters in front of him. He was quite confident of his strength, and didn't think much of Lux's two Summons who were two ranks below him.

The moment Lux gave the signal to fight, Diablo who was mounted on his Nightmare turned around and ran away from Tanabur and his Warg.

Pazuzu activated his Shield Wall and used his Madlad Rush to slam his shield against the Orc Rider's body, sending him skidding on the ground.

"Petty tricks!" Tanabur shouted as he exerted his Rank 4 Alpha Monster strength to slowly push back the Demonic Protector that was keeping him at bay.

Due to the big, blue, Tower Shield that was blocking his vision, he was unaware of what was happening in front of him.

Suddenly, Tanabur activated his Cavalry Skill, Wild Charge, and pushed Pazuzu back.

The Demonic Defender held on for as long as he could, but his enemy was simply too strong for him even if he had already used his two trump cards. Even so, Pazuzu didn't back down and continued to hold his ground.

Only when his Shield Wall was about to end did the Demonic Defender fly high up, allowing Tanabur and his Warg to continue charging forward.

However, when the Orc Raider saw what was waiting for him, his face immediately became pale as Diablo's middle finger pointed in his direction.

Duel [EX]

The Orc Raider, and his Warg looked on in horror as both of them were forced to run in the direction of the QuickSand that had killed their former Orc Chieftain, Orobak.

"This isn't part of the deal!" Tanabur's horrified shout spread across the battlefield as his mount neared the deadly pit that would definitely claim their lives.

"This is an anything goes battle," Lux replied. "Any method is allowed. Only the result is important."

"Damn you, Half-Elf!"

Those were the last words that Tanabur shouted before he, and his Warg, fell into the deadly QuickSand that sealed their fate.

 

Chapter 118 Orc Dominion Hidden Mode Cleared!

Tanabur sat while hugging his knees while he stared off in the distance.

He had just been saved by his men, who tried to pull him out of the quicksand, due to his incessant shouting of "I don't want to die!"

Lux didn't make a move to stop them and simply chuckled at the scene. When the Orc Warlord had been saved, Lux then addressed the other Orcs and gave them a speech.

"Strength alone doesn't win battles," he said. "You shouldn't always rely on strength, but strategy as well. This is why having Barca as your next chieftain will allow the Blackrock Clan to grow because he is a Half-Orc. He had the strength of an Orc and the scheming mind of a Human."

Barca, who was standing beside Lux, had a calm expression on his face, while he endured the b*llsh*t that the Half-Elf was saying. He knew that the red-headed teenager was doing his best to convince the Orcs to make him their Chieftain even though he was only a Half-Orc.

Lux, who was like a salesman who was trying to sell a product to the Orcs, told them the importance of having a flexible leader to supervise their clan.

In the end, he heard a series of notifications inside his head, confirming that he had succeeded in the mission.

Once again, the bodies of the Dwarves glowed, as their levels increased once again, making Colette and the others very happy.

All of them had now become Apostles, and had finally graduated from the Beginner's Zone. However, after realizing this fact, the happiness they were feeling disappeared as they stared at the Half-Elf that was looking at them with a smile.

"B-Big Brother…," Colette said with teary eyes.

Lux didn't answer and simply patted her head. "Silly girl. Don't think of anything else. After we return to the Leaf Village, let's all perform your graduation ceremony. You still haven't beaten the Red-Eyed Terror Mantis, nor have you replaced your sister's name in the Bronze Crypt. There are still plenty of things to do before you move out of Leaf Village."

"... Un." Colette nodded her head as she hugged Lux's body.

Soon, the Half-Elf found himself being hugged by all the Dwarf children, with the exception of Matty, who was just standing a meter away from Colette.

He was looking at Lux with a complicated look on her face before raising his fist at him. A tsundere through and through.

Lux smiled because he understood the gesture. The Half-Elf raised his own fist and bumped it against the Simp Dwarf's fist since the boy refused to give him a hug.

While everyone was having a group hug, Barca had finished his talk with the Orc Warlords and went to seek out Lux to talk to him about his rewards.

"Please, follow me inside the Stronghold," Barca said. "I will now give you the rewards for helping me in my quest."

"Rewards?" Lux blinked. He had received several rewards after completing the mission, and thought that he would no longer get anything from the dungeon. However, Barca's words piqued his interest.

"Okay," Lux replied as he, and the Dwarf children followed the Half-Orc back inside the stronghold.

After walking for several minutes, they stopped beside what seemed to be an Altar that was used to worship the Orc God, who gave blessings to the Orcs.

"Go to the altar one by one," Barca stated. "Your rewards will appear based on the contributions that you have made for the sake of our clan."

Lux nodded as he lightly tapped Colette's shoulders. "You go first. I intend to go last."

Colette nodded her head as she climbed the short stairs leading to the altar. When she arrived at the place where the offerings were placed, a golden light descended from the Heavens and hit the altar.

A moment later, a golden treasure chest appeared on top of it.

Colette looked at it with a determined gaze before opening it with both hands. Inside the treasure box, a mace and a shield could be seen.

Although she didn't have Lux's ability to appraise items, Colette's instincts were telling her that both of the items were Mythical Equipment, which made her eyes widen in shock.

The Dwarf girl happily took the items and ran back to show her Big Brother, and her friends the item that she received from the treasure box.

All of them were surprised, and even Lux couldn't help but whistle after seeing the items that Colette received as her reward.

"Mythical Items," Lux said softly. "The rewards sure are generous."

Matty was the second one to go to the altar, and he received a pair of Mythical Shortswords.

Helen, Andy, and Axel, all received Mythical Staffs that corresponded to their elemental affinities, which made them extremely happy.

When it was Lux's turn to stand in front of the Altar, two golden chests appeared in front of him. One big, one small.

The Half-Elf tried to open the small golden chest first, but its lid didn't budge. Eiko got curious and decided to give it a try. As soon as the baby slime jumped over the lid of the box, it slowly opened, and a golden mist flew out of it and merged with Eiko's body.

At first, Lux panicked because he thought that it was something harmful. However, after seeing the series of text that appeared in front of him, his worry disappeared and was replaced by a look of disbelief.

—-

< Eiko's Reward >

– Three Rank Up

This baby Slime performed exceptionally during this mission and the reward fitting for her is a Rank Up. However, a single one was not enough, so she will receive three Rank Ups instead.

—-

"Unbelievable," Lux said softly as a wide grin appeared on his face. "You did well, Eiko."

The Half-Elf lightly patted Eiko's head as he praised her for doing a good job.

"Pa!" The baby Slime giggled before crawling up Lux's arm, until she was back on top of his head with a smile on her face.

Eiko's Monster Rating was E, and the resources needed to increase her rank gave Lux a headache. However, this unexpected reward would immediately raise her rank to D+, saving the Half-Elf the trouble of collecting a scary amount of Beast Cores to make Eiko stronger.

After calming his heart, he then placed both of his hands on the big treasure chest in front of him. The chest was bigger than the others, which proved that Lux had played a crucial role in the completion of the mission.

After opening the treasure chest, Lux's eyes widened in shock when he saw something that was very familiar to him.

—--

Blackrock Legacy Armor (Set)

Rating: Pseudo Legendary

Requirements: 100 to all stats

The Legendary Armor of the Blackrock Clan's first Orc Chieftain.

+50 to all stats

+400 to Defense

30% decrease in physical and magical damage

– This Armor is bound to Lux Von Kaizer

– Any creature under Lux's Von Kaizer's command is capable of equipping this armor.

Active Skills: Warlord's War Cry

Passive Skills: Warlord's Presence, Bloody Fervor, Auto-Fit, Indestructible.

—--

< Warlord's Warcry >

– Increase the Physical and Magical Damage of all allied creatures by 200 Points.

< Warlord's Presence >

Your presence in the battlefield inspires your allies and makes them do well in battle.

– 10% Increase to Physical and Magical attack to the Warlord and its allies.

< Bloody Fervor >

Your physical and defensive abilities increase with each slain creature in the battlefield.

– For every slain creature in the battlefield, your attack and defense points will increase by five.

—--

'Oh… my… Goddess!' Lux almost roared in laughter after seeing the stats of the Pseudo-Legendary Armor in his possession.

A few hours ago, he had cursed at how unreasonable Orobak's armor was. However, that same armor was now in his possession!

How could Lux not be happy with this sudden turn of events?

In truth, Lux was already very satisfied with the amazing rewards that he had received from the completion of the hidden quest. but the Blackrock Legacy Armor set was simply so amazing that he couldn't stop smiling.

—--

Nevreal and the Dwarves guarding the entrance of the Dungeon were getting anxious. There was not a single news about Lux and his friends. They had already waited several days, but they still hadn't returned.

Suddenly, a notification was heard all over the Stronghold of Norria, as well as its surrounding territories.

—--

Norria Territory Announcement: The Orc Dominion Hidden Mode has been cleared!

Six Brave Heroes have cleared the Quest of Dominion!

– Success Rate of Blacksmithing within the territory of Norria will be increased by 10% for two years!

– Success Rate of Alchemy within the territory of Norria will be increased by 10% for two years!

– Success Rate of Crafting within the territory of Norria will be increased by 10% for two years!

– All Riders of Norria will receive a temporary buff of 30% increase to attack and defense when protecting their territory for two years!

– All Village Guards and Defenders will receive a temporary buff of 30% increase to attack and defense when protecting their village for two years!

—-

The Dwarves guarding the gate felt a refreshing breeze wash over their bodies, followed by a surge of strength which made them gasp in shock.

"T-This is like a buff I received from the Oracle back in the Kingdom's Capital when I was assigned to be one of her guards!" The Guard Captain looked at his hands in surprise because it was the same feeling that he felt back then, while he guarded one of the VIP's of their Kingdom.

Nevreal was about to ask the Guard Captain if he was feeling anything else, when a flash of light appeared behind him.

All the Dwarves turned their heads to look at the Half-Elf and his friends, who appeared in the spawning area for those that had just left the Dungeon.

"Finally, we're back," Lux said as he stretched his arms. "Let's all get something to eat first."

""Okay!""

The Dwarf children happily agreed to Lux's proposal because they hadn't enjoyed any good food for the past few days due to the constant traveling they had done inside the dungeon.

"Y-You guys!" the Guard Captain pointed at Lux and his friends with a shaky finger. "What in the world did you do inside the dungeon?!

 

 

Chapter 119 VIP Treatment

Lux and the Dwarf children were immediately taken to the Commander's Office.

The Territory-Wide Announcement caught everyone by surprise. Especially the Riders of Norria and their Commander, Thoram.

Because of this, they wanted to ask Lux and his friends how they were able to unlock the hidden quest. Ever since the dungeon was discovered, none of them had even heard about a hidden quest. All of them looked at Lux and the Dwarf children as if they were angels that had fallen down from the sky to make their lives easier.

Lux told Thoram and Nevreal with a straight face that he didn't know what triggered the activation of the Hidden Quest. However, he told them about his suspicions, which made everyone inside the conference room listen to him with serious expressions on their faces.

"When we killed one of the Orcs inside the dungeon, instead of dropping a Beast Core, it dropped a treasure map," Lux stated. "After following the instructions in the map, we came across a hidden cave. Inside it was an Old Orc, who told us about the Hidden Quest.

"The quest was about taking the Old Orc to the Orc Stronghold, and let him retrieve a memento that was left behind by the first Orc Chieftain. It was a very hard mission and we had to stay inside the Dungeon for several days to wait for the perfect opportunity."

"Fortunately, an opportunity arrived and we were able to secure the artifact that the Old Orc wanted. After we completed the mission, we were all teleported back here."

Lux had no intention of telling anyone about the details of the Hidden Mission in case it encouraged the other Dwarves to be more wary of possible hidden missions inside the Dungeons that were scattered within the Kingdom of Gweliven.

Telling them that the trigger of the quest came from a monster drop would make them think that it all depended on luck.

Colette and the others all had calm expressions on their faces because Lux had already told them that this was the story he'd tell the others before they left the dungeon. The dwarven children understood what Lux was trying to tell them, so they promised that they would keep the details of the quest a secret.

"A monster drop…" Thoram sighed before nodding his head in understanding.

What Lux had told him was something that had already happened in the past. There was a Dwarf adventurer that had discovered a treasure map after opening a chest inside a Dungeon. However, instead of clearing it alone, he asked for the help of the Kingdom to help clear it.

After completing the Hidden Mission, they discovered a Legendary Artifact, which the adventurer had donated to the Royal Family, making the Dwarf King very happy. Because of this, he was given the title of Viscount and fertile lands ideal for planting crops.

Nevreal also knew of this story, so he believed Lux's explanation. Also, he had been paying close attention to the Dwarf children, and none of them were showing any sign that there was anything suspicious about the Half-Elf's tale.

"On behalf of the Riders of Norria, I would like to thank you for clearing the mission," Thoram gave Lux as well as the Dwarves a deep bow of gratitude. "I swear on my name that if you ever need the help of the Riders of Norria, we will come to your aid without fail."

He knew that Lux may not understand the significance of the rewards that his territory had received, but Thoram knew very well how amazing they were. Because of the temporary buffs the territory received, it would definitely help in its growth and development.

Also, the increased boost in strength of those who defended the territory ensured that they would be able to handle the threats that might arise at any moment like Dungeon and Monster outbreaks.

An hour later, Lux and the children were escorted to the best tavern in the Stronghold to enjoy good food and mead.

,m They were treated like VIP Guests, which made the Dwarf children giddy with happiness. Lux, on the other hand, took things in stride, but the smile on his face remained until he entered one of the VIP rooms that were reserved for them.

"Tomorrow, we return to Leaf Village, Eiko," Lux yawned as he removed his boots.

The baby Slime had already jumped on the bed because she also felt exhausted from the things that happened over the past few days. The moment Lux laid on the bed, Eiko jumped on his chest and yawned.

"Goodnight, Eiko," Lux said as he lightly patted the sleepy baby's head.

"Pa…," Eiko sleepily replied before closing her eyes to sleep.

Soon, the baby Slime was fast asleep, leaving Lux to look at the big harvest that he received after clearing the Hidden Quest of the Orc Dominion Dungeon.

—--

Hidden Quest: Orc Dominion

< I Wish For Dominion (Completed!) >

Rewards

– Potion of Vitality

This potion adds +50 permanent Vitality Points to the one who consumes it. You can only consume one Potion of Vitality in your lifetime.

– Rank 3 Skill Book of your choice.

You will be able to choose any Skill that is Rank 3 and below from the treasury of the Orc Empire.

+1000 Riders of Norria Reputation Points

+200 Kingdom of Gweliven Reputation Points (Exclusive to Kingdom of Gweliven)

+200 Gold Coins

– Gain Negotiator Title

When dealing with Nobles or Royalty, your chances of closing a successful deal is increased by 10%

< Bonus Rewards >

+1000 Riders of Norria Reputation Points

+3000 Blackrock Clan Reputation Points

+100 Kingdom of Gweliven Reputation Points

+3 to Summon Skeleton Fighters

+3 to Summon Skeleton Grand Archers

+100 Gold Coins

– Rank 5 Beast Core

—--

Lux was quite happy with the rewards, especially the additional Summons that he received from the reward. This effectively raised the number of Skeletons that he could summon, making his force more formidable.

But, what perplexed him the most was the Blackrock Clan Reputation Points. Since it was added in the rewards, it could only mean one thing.

"The Blackrock Clan exists somewhere in Elysium…," Lux muttered as he thought of Barca, as well as the Orc Warlords whom he had fought alongside.

In truth, Lux was wondering how the original Barca would have dealt with Orobak and the issue for succession. He already knew that Barca was a cunning Half-Orc, so he was sure that if the story he witnessed inside the dungeon was real then the possibility of the Half-Orc succeeding was high.

The Half-Elf yawned a second time before he closed his Soul Book. Since the Hidden Quest was already over, it was about time to let go of the theories that he had made up inside his head.

'I'll just sleep for now,' Lux thought as he closed his eyes. 'I still have many things to do tomorrow.

Lux still hadn't upgraded Eiko's Rank because he planned to do it after he rested, and cleared his head. That way, he wouldn't make a mistake when he needed to choose skills or abilities that would be helpful to his baby Slime.

As the Half-Elf and his friends slept, word of their deed was already making its way to the Capital via messenger birds.

As to how the Royal Family would react to the achievements they made, only time would tell.

 

Chapter 120 Beating The Impossible

Colette woke up feeling revitalized after their long dungeon expedition.

After spending several days inside the dungeon, she had finally reached the Apostle Grade, and even gained two pieces of Mythical Equipment that matched her profession. Not only that, she had also gained a Warg Mount of her own, as well as several Rank 2 and Rank 3 Beast Cores, which was the share she got from the expedition.

She was quite happy with how things turned out, but also felt sad because after ten days, she would have to leave Leaf Village and her Big Brother behind.

Lux had already told her that he didn't have any plans of leaving the Beginner's Zone for the time being. When Colette asked why, the Half-Elf only told her that he made a promise to himself, and before he fulfilled that promise, he would continue to stay in Leaf Village.

The red-headed teenager didn't tell Colette what his goal was, but the latter knew that it must be important for Lux to insist on staying.

'I really need Big Brother to marry my Big Sister,' Colette thought. 'That way, he will become part of our family.'

The adorable blonde Dwarf had already labeled Lux as her dependable Big Brother. A person that would always be there to ensure their safety when things got too dangerous for them to handle.

After taking a bath, Colette went to check if Helen was already awake. As the only two girls in their party, she couldn't help but care for her like a sister would.

"Helen, it's me," Colette said as she knocked on the door. "Are you awake? Let's have breakfast together"

"Yes." Helen's reply was heard through the door. "Can you give me a few minutes? I am almost done. Just combing my hair a bit."

Colette smiled. "Okay. I'll just go and check if Big Brother is already awake. You can find me in his room."

"Okay," Helen replied. "I'll be there in a bit."

The adorable Dwarf then walked towards Lux's room and knocked on it.

"Big Brother, it's me, Colette," Colette said. "Are you awake? Let's have breakfast together."

Colette waited, but no reply came. Just as she was about to knock for the second time, the door opened and the first thing she saw was a Skeleton, which almost made her jump back in fright.

"Sis!" Eiko, who was perched on top of the Skeleton's head greeted Colette, which made the latter pat her chest in order to regain her calm.

"Good morning, Eiko."

"Sis!"

"Is your Papa awake?" Colette asked as she peered at the bed. There, she saw Lux still sleeping peacefully, while snoring lightly. "I guess not."

"Pa!" Eiko replied as she used the Skeleton's arm to jump into Colette's arms, which made the adorable Dwarf giggle.

She then walked towards the sleeping Half-Elf, while holding the baby Slime in her hands. This was the first time that she had seen Lux's sleeping face, and a playful feeling blossomed in her heart.

"Big Brother, wake up," Colette said as she poked Lux's cheeks. "Let's have breakfast together."

The Half-Elf didn't reply, and was still fast asleep, which prompted Colette to look at his pointed ears.

She had long wanted to touch them and see what they were like. But, since Lux was taller than her, she never had the opportunity to do so. After a brief internal struggle, Colette reached out to touch Lux's ears gently.

"It feels like a normal ear," Colette muttered as she lightly played with the Half-Elf's ear with her fingers. Just as she was having fun, Lux's eyes abruptly opened and stared at her with a sleepy gaze.

"Colette?" Lux asked while looking at the adorable Dwarf who was still holding his ear in her hand.

"Good Morning, Big Brother," Colette hastily pulled back her hand as if she had been electrocuted. "Nice day we are having today."

"Pa!" Eiko jumped on the bed and crawled towards his pillow. After coming close to Lux's face, the baby Slime lightly pecked his cheek with a kiss.

"Good morning to you, too, Eiko," Lux said before kissing the cheek of the baby Slime, making Eiko giggle.

The Half-Elf covered his lips in order to suppress a yawn before standing up from the bed.

"What time is it?" Lux asked as he went to the sink to wash his face.

"It's just around seven in the morning, Big Brother," Colette answered. "Do you want to have breakfast together with us?"

"Breakfast? Sounds good," Lux replied after drying his face.

As if waiting for that moment, a knock was heard on the door.

"Colette, Big Brother, it's me, Helen. Can I come in?"

Colette hurried to the door and opened it for her friend.

Lux was now fully awake. After combing his hair for a bit to fix his bed hair, Eiko jumped on his head so they could go have breakfast with the two girls.

When the three arrived at the dining area of the inn, they saw Matty, Andy, and Axel seated at the table and waiting for their breakfast.

"Over here," Matty waved his hands to Colette as soon as the adorable Dwarf appeared in his sight.

Andy and Axel also waved their hands at their friends who were now headed in their direction. As soon as the three people sat, the Dwarf manning the counter personally came over to them to get their orders.

A few minutes later, Matty's, Axel's, and Andy's orders arrived, but the three of them didn't eat right away. Instead, they chatted with Lux and the girls, waiting until all their orders arrived.

"Big Brother, what are your plans after we return to Leaf Village?" Andy asked. "You're not coming with us to the Intermediate towns, right?"

"Correct," Lux answered. "When we return, we will do your graduation ceremony of course. Beat the Red-Eyed Terror Mantis, as well as… beat Colette's Big Sister's record in the Bronze Crypt."

"Huh?!" Colette, who was patting Eiko's head, looked at the Half-Elf seated beside her in surprise. "Beat my sister's record? That's impossible!"

"Impossible?" Lux chuckled. "You are one of the six people that cleared the Hidden Mission in the Orc Dominion Dungeon. According to Thoram, all of you will be given a Medal of Honor just like the one I received from his Majesty. In short, all five of you will become Honorary Knights. Did your sister accomplish that during her stay in Leaf Village?"

"N-No, but…!" Colette tried to argue, but Lux raised his hand to stop her.

"Colette, nothing is impossible," Lux said with a smile. "You've already accomplished something that your sister didn't manage to do. The Hidden Quest will not be repeated, and the Riders of Norria will forever be indebted to all of you."

Colette pouted. "But, Big Brother, the only reason we managed to clear that quest was because of you. In the end, we did very little to help you clear the mission."

"You're so silly, Colette," Lux patted the adorable Dwarf's head, which made Matty glare at him with envy. "We are a team, so it's only natural that I was able to clear it because all of you were there. When we got attacked by the Orc Berserkers, I might have died if you guys hadn't moved to fight on the frontlines.

"Don't belittle yourself too much. All of you had fought alongside me. I was also very surprised to see how brave Matty was. Even though he was outclassed, he still took the enemy head-on."

Matty didn't expect Lux to praise him, so he just looked at the Half-Elf in a daze for half a minute before averting his gaze.

Lux smiled as he scanned the faces of his friends who were all looking at him.

"You guys still have ten days left," Lux said. "Let's make sure that the Dwarves who enter Leaf Village later will look up to your names as the new role models that they need to surpass. Isn't that exciting?"

The Dwarves exchanged glances with each other before nodding their heads. For some reason, the desire of surpassing her sister's achievements started to burn inside Colette's heart. Although she wasn't confident that she could do it alone, there was hope within her knowing that she had her friends and Big Brother to help her.

He believed that as long as they were together, the five of them could beat the impossible.