Chapter 185 – Homecoming
"Tell me about the divine message." Crockta asked the man. The man didn't want to talk, but he opened his mouth the moment Ogre Slayer approached his neck.
"God wants your death."
"God? Why?"
"I don't know. I am just following the will of God. God has commanded you to die. I borrowed his power and came to kill you according to his words. That is all."
"Which god?"
"The elder god of the mountain, where you will reap all the blood you sowed."
Crockta was confused.
He had heard of the elder god of the mountain. It was a small religion spread over the mountain areas of the continent. Those who lived in the mountains mainly followed it, but in comparison to its rustic image, the religion had a cruel doctrine. However, why did the elder god of the mountain suddenly want to kill him?
While Crockta was thinking, the man continued speaking,
"Accept your fate. Other people will come…"
"There are others?"
"You really don't know anything. That isn't all. All the gods on this continent have commanded your death. Even the goddess of mercy desires your death."
Crockta's expression distorted. "Why?"
"We can't know the minds of the gods. You must've done something bad to incur the wrath of the gods. Repent, Crockta. An eye for an eye, blood for blood."
"I don't understand that reasoning." Crockta raised his greatsword.
The man shouted, "I have failed today, but in the end, the gods will find you! In the end…! Kuheok!"
Crockta kicked the man's belly. The man curled up on the ground. Crockta looked down at the man, and laughed.
"You are too noisy. I just want to find out the situation."
"Ugh..!" The man sprawled out on the ground. "The orcs will not survive the wrath of the gods!"
"What did you say?"
Crockta lowered his posture and stared at the man.
"The orcs?
"Yes! The gods desire not just your death but the death of all the orcs! You will perish!"
"……"
Crockta raised his gaze and stared at the group of hooded men, followers of the elder god of the mountain. They flinched from his murderous gaze. They couldn't even think about raising their weapons as they stepped back.
Crockta growled, "Is that true?"
"……"
They couldn't open their mouths, causing Crockta to grab the neck of the collapsed man, who was shouting about the will of the gods. Then at that moment, the man couldn't breathe.
"Keeok! Ke….!"
"Answer me. Do the gods really want to kill the orcs as well as me? Is that the divine message of your god?"
Crockta got up. The man struggled. He was breathless and clutching at Crockta's wrist. Looking at the man's pained appearance, the other followers and cried out,
"Y-Yes. The words are correct. So, let go of him quickly!"
"Kill all the orcs?"
"Yes, the gods said so. To make the orcs a forgotten species."
Crockta nodded. Then he threw the man. The man flew towards the other followers, causing the group to fall and roll across the ground. In the turmoil, some of the hoods fell off. They were all ordinary humans, ordinary people who looked after the fields or hunted in the mountains.
Crockta muttered, "Why do the gods want the death of me and all the orcs?"
What was going on? The followers edged away helplessly. Crockta noticed them, but he then said with a sigh,
"Get lost." It was like giving permission. They ran away hastily as soon as Crockta's words ended. Only the man's weapon remained on the ground. Crockta grabbed it. It was an ordinary sword. However, when the light of divine power surrounded it, the sword emitted a force which was hard for Crockta to deal with.
Beings with this power were aiming at the orcs… Not just one orc but all of them.
"This is definitely a headache."
Why couldn't they leave him in peace? It wasn't possible for him to stay still after hearing that the gods were aiming at all the orcs.
"Why are the gods doing this dot? Did you speak ill of the gods?"
Tiyo asked after watching the scene. Crockta shrugged, "I don't know. It would be really unfair even if I did."
"That is true. There is always a mountain after crossing a mountain dot."
"Great chieftain, empire, and now the gods… Will everything be okay?" Anor looked at Crockta with trembling eyes.
"It can't be helped, even if it isn't okay."
"Then shouldn't you head quickly to the other orcs? They are aiming at the orcs."
"Indeed dot. Quickly. I can find my father later, so let's fight with Crockta's friends dot! Against those gods!"
"Um…"
Crockta thought about it. If orcs were the target, then Orcrox and Basque Village came to mind. There was also the land of the orcs in the north. However, those who borrowed the power of the gods couldn't invade it. Perhaps the gods' followers were already moving.
In that case, even one more person would help.
"Yes…" Crockta muttered.
Then someone interrupted. "Stay a little longer."
It was Zakiro.
"Zakiro."
"There is no one crazy enough to fight all the orcs immediately after the gods have sent the divine message. The present era isn't a time where the gods can run rampant like before."
"So, there is no need to worry?"
"No, there is no need to hurry. Even if things will happen, there is still time. The followers have to look at their own interests and circumstances. They will gather the forces slowly."
Zakiro wasn't looking at Crockta while talking. Crockta followed Zakiro's glance and confirmed what he was watching. It was Ogre Slayer in Crockta's hands.
"You need to be prepared if you really want to fight the gods."
"Prepared?"
Zakiro raised his gaze towards Crockta. Crockta shrank back from the look in Zakiro's eyes. There were flames blazing in Zakiro's eyes, and they weren't of a small fire. It was a furnace that could melt iron.
"I am going to fix Ogre Slayer."
***
"Hahahahat!" Someone was laughing. "So, you tried to kill us? You? Really?"
She tugged at the hair of the human she had captured. She was sitting on top of a tower of human bodies. The man at the very top wasn't dead yet. He shivered and begged for forgiveness.
"Please… stop…"
"Stop?"
She pulled the hair with more strength. The man's neck was pulled back, and he couldn't talk anymore. She pushed her face against his.
"Say it again, again. If you won and we lost, would you stop if we told you to stop?"
"Keooook…"
"Where is your confidence from earlier? Huh?"
She grabbed the ax at her waist. It wasn't big and looked more like a throwing ax. She raised the ax to the man's eyes.
"Say it again."
"Please…"
"I might forgive you. Tell me again what you said when you first saw us."
"Forgive…"
She looked annoyed, "If you say it, I will forgive you!"
She pierced the man's eyes with the ax. Blood flowed from it. The man shrieked.
"Now, tell me before it becomes more painful. What did you say when you first found us?"
"Heok, kuheok… First, first…"
"Yes. The first thing."
"I-In the name of the gods…"
"And?"
"K-Kill Crockta and the orcs, k-kill…"
"Wrong."
She wielded the ax again. The man's nose was split. The man screamed, and blood burst out.
She started humming, "What did you say?"
"Keoook…"
"Kill the dirty and rodent-like orcs, mutilate their bodies, and hang them at the gates."
She hummed and swung her ax again. Every time her arm moved, blood splattered on the man's face. More and more, the appearance of a person was becoming less visible.
"Kill, did you say?"
"Ple…please…"
"Then I will take your life."
She rose from her spot. Then she grabbed the man's neck and pushed him down. The man rolled down the pile of bodies and fell to the bottom. Her followers, who were continuing the massacre, asked her, "Captain! What should we do now?"
"They want to kill us, so we can't let them live."
"Kulkulkul, good!"
They wielded their weapons, and terrible screams were heard. Suddenly, she saw a man crawling on the ground in order to run away. She threw her ax. It was aimed accurately at the man. The ax tore through the air and split apart his head. Brain matter flowed down.
"Kill those who want to live."
She smiled.
"It is over, Captain Anya!"
"You did well."
She was an orc warrior known as the mad slaughterer, notorious for being a crazy berserker. The 'mad slaughterer' Anya… She had declared revenge on the noble who killed Lenox, torturing him and killing his followers. That was the berserker Anya.
Anya laughed as the slaughter finished and muttered,
"Kuhuhut. That Crockta, he has become a big man."
Anya remembered when she first saw Crockta. She had come to Orcrox for Lenox's funeral and seen the apprentice warrior who had been the last one to speak with Lenox. His behavior was awkward but the willpower burning in his eyes seemed like something he'd inherited from Lenox.
"Conquering the north, thwarting the empire, and now fighting the gods?"
Anya's eyes shone.
"His skills…"
She laughed again. Then at that moment…
The air near her distorted.
Anya frowned, "What, all of a sudden!"
The figure of an orc slowly appeared. He looked at Anya with his translucent body, and his shape gradually became clear. He was a bald male orc without a single stitch of clothing, while necklaces made of all types of animal bones and skulls were hanging around his neck. Additionally, a strangely bent staff was held in his hand.
It was the shaman who pursued the abyss, 'Abyss Seeker' Wallachwi.
"Lenox and Crockta… Kuhul…hulhul…"
"Shut up."
"I thought you had a strange taste… You also like the young… Kuhulhul…hul…"
"You really make me feel bad. How long have you been here?"
"I don't know…? Kuhul…hul!"
Anya grabbed another ax from her waist. However, it couldn't touch Wallachwi and passed straight through his body.
"It is no use. Kuhul…hul!"
"Witchcraft is really nasty."
Anya licked her lips and placed the ax back on her waist. Anya's subordinates finished their work and greeted Wallachwi.
"Wallachwi! It is great to see you after so long! Kuhulhul!"
"I am alive! Bul'tar!"
"I heard the news! Crockta is doing something fun! Kulkulkul!"
"There will be a festival again! Kuhahat!"
"Fight, fight!" They laughed while shouting. Indeed, they were the berserkers who followed Anya.
Anya smiled at them before asking Wallachwi, "Are you going? To Orcrox?"
A divine message had been passed against the entire orc species. They always wandered around the continent, but since this had happened, they needed to return to Orcrox. Just like when all the great orcs on the continent had returned home for Lenox's funeral.
"Of course. Kuhul…hul!"
Wallachwi smiled. Anya nodded.
"Zankus?"
"He will go after finishing a hunt… Kuhuhu…!"
"What is he hunting? That abnormal bastard."
Her followers shouted, "We're done!"
"Yes. Then let's go!"
After completing the massacre, Anya's group started to head towards Orcrox, and next to Anya was the translucent shaman shaking his staff. It had been a while since Lenox had died. In the meantime, the north had opened, and the kingdom had become an empire. An immature apprentice warrior had become a great warrior… And now, the gods wanted to kill the orcs.
The legendary powerhouses of the orcs began to gather again.
Praise the Orc:
Current schedule: There will now be 14 chapters a week, meaning two chapters every day.
Chapter 186 – New Slayer (1)
A blacksmith's blood flowed through the dwarves of the Golden Anvil Clan. Zakiro had been born as the most talented one among them. The clan's chief craftsman, Solardo had told him,
'If you are a true Golden Anvil craftsman, you can see the finished product before you melt it.'
Zakiro believed he had understood those words. He always had a blueprint. The moment he wanted to make something, he was clear about how it would be completed. All the masterpieces he had already created were once in his head. However, Zakiro realized that wasn't the case. He hadn't seen it properly. Zakiro had used his intuition to complete it, but he hadn't really seen it.
"Now I see."
Zakiro muttered as he saw the weapon which filled his mind. He could see what it would be like, what type of power it had, and how it could be created. Additionally, he could see what it would cost. Zakiro wanted to move his body. Right now, an unknown inspiration was filling him and moving through his entire body. He wanted to start working soon.
"You came. Zakiro."
"Yes."
Zakiro's body trembled. Rastad, the blacksmith who maintained the last forge, saw Zakiro's face, and his eyes widened. He studied Zakiro and laughed. "'That' has arrived."
"What is it?"
"The thing that comes to a great blacksmith once in their lives." Rastad looked around the last forge. There was nothing special except for the fact that it was in the temple where the last fire was kept. "Come along."
Zakiro followed Rastad. There was a door in the forge. Rastad opened it to reveal stairs. Then they went down to another smithy. Dust had accumulated since it hadn't been used for a long time, but the facility itself was good to use right now.
"Use this place."
"This place…"
"It is literally the last forge. The outside area is just an assortment of things."
Zakiro looked around the interior. It was the first time he'd seen it, but it felt familiar somehow. The inspiration in his head and the familiar feeling of this forge tangled together.
"So, what will you create? Will you use iron?"
"It will come soon."
As Zakiro spoke, there was a small noise from above. They waited for a bit, and someone came down the stairs. It was Crockta. He greeted them with a huge sword on his shoulders.
"Zakiro. You were here. Ah, someone else? I am Crockta, a warrior."
"I am Rastad. I am the blacksmith who maintains the last forge."
"It is a pleasure. I am alive."
"It has been a long time since I've heard an orc greeting."
The two of them shook hands, then Crockta looked around the forge. "Will you fix my sword here?"
Zakiro smiled. "That's right. You can be expectant."
"Well…" Crockta looked at Zakiro and Rastad. He scratched his head and put down Ogre Slayer. "At any rate, thank you. Please take care of it."
"Don’t worry."
"I have to talk to the priest." Crockta's hands moved awkwardly without Ogre Slayer as he climbed the stairs.
Zakiro's and Rastad's eyes turned to Ogre Slayer. It was an excellent greatsword.
…Except for the fact that it was breaking down.
"This sword?"
"That's right."
"Haha… That warrior, he is Crockta. Now I understand why your eyes are like that."
Excellent warriors always inspired blacksmiths. The Golden Anvil Clan might have a philosophy of not caring about the users of their weapons, it was exciting to make a weapon for a warrior like Crockta.
"Maybe this is the arrangement of the sun god." Rastad muttered.
Zakiro was silently moving Ogre Slayer. He had begun working.
Rastad watched quietly. The genius of the Golden Anvil Clan, the Slayer Maker who had created many masterpieces at a young age… What would his ability be like? At that moment, the forge became hot.
"Ah…!"
Rastad could feel it clearly. The temple of the sun was welcoming Zakiro. The last fire, which hadn't reacted to blacksmiths for a long time, started to heat up the forge.
Rastad was in awe. "Finally, a blacksmith has appeared to match the last forge!"
This was the true last fire which Rastad had experienced a few times during his youth but could no longer use. It was the last fire in the temple of the sun god. In combination with the last forge…
A greatsword was reborn again.
***
Crockta, Tiyo, and Anor went to have tea with the priest. While Ogre Slayer was being repaired, they wanted to find out as much as possible about Hedor.
"You are looking for Hedor." The priest took out some papers from the temple's archives. Things like the temple's entrance register and access records remained. "He did a lot of research on the sun god in the temple. The inquisitive gnome asked me many things. Why the sun god disappeared, the circumstances of the gods…"
"Why did the sun god disappear dot?"
Tiyo asked.
The priest laughed. "Humans can’t accurately know the story of the gods. The reason he fell into a deep sleep is probably due to a problem when fighting the gods in the past."
"The gods fought dot?"
"That’s right. The reason was never revealed, but there are records about a dispute among the gods. In the aftermath, one god died, one god fell and one god went to sleep."
Crockta's eyes widened. In the aftermath, one god had died, one god had fallen, and one god had gone to sleep. The gray god was the one who had fallen.
Crockta asked, "What gods are they?"
The priest laughed. "Haha. You are only asking hard questions. Please remember, this is just a story and it isn't definite. I will warn you in advance."
"It’s okay."
"Of course, the sun god is the one who fell asleep. The gray god is the one who fell. No one can remember what she was the god of, or what power she had."
"……!"
The gray god… The one who linked Elder Lord to Earth and seemed to be plotting something. When she fell, one god had died and one had gone to sleep. There was a relationship between the gray god and the sun god. The journey to find Hedor was becoming increasingly connected to the answers Crockta wanted to find.
Crockta asked again, "Then the dead god…?"
"Ahh. He was like a father and mother to the sun god. He is…" The priest paused for a moment before replying, "The 'stars'."
***
"There are many stars in the sky."
Yoo Jaehan muttered. He was sitting on the beach and looking up at the sky. It was night, but young people were still gathered on the white sand. They occasionally threw stones at the surface of the sea and squashed beer cans.
"Try to imagine it."
A voice suddenly said. Yoo Jaehan turned his head. A woman was sitting beside him. Her skin and hair were exceptionally white. It was a unique appearance, but thanks to the darkness and the hat covering her head, no one in the vicinity noticed.
She was the gray god.
"The sight of the stars disappearing from the sky."
"Awful."
"I always have to see it."
"……" Yoo Jaehan smiled. "How awful."
"After coming to this world… I don't want to see that type of thing… Still, seeing the stars of Earth relieves some of the despair."
"Do you want a beer or something to drink?"
"It is okay."
"It isn't uncommon for you to drink or eat."
"You spoke to Jung Ian."
"Ian asked me about you."
She scooped up the sand with her hand. Yoo Jaehan asked, "Is the plan going well?"
"Somewhat."
"What is your influence?"
"The achievement points keep rising. It is thanks to Crockta, Rommel, and Keynes. The rankers are much better than I thought."
"Yes…" Yoo Jaehan smiled. "They have no idea what they are doing."
"Yes, that is better. Do you know? When Crockta came alone, I got angry and raised his assimilation rate to the limit. At that time, I ended up giving a little bit of my power to Crockta. So, I was worried… The gods noticed I had something to do with Crockta and told people to wipe out Crockta and the orcs."
The gray god chattered on, and Yoo Jaehan listened to her words.
"If they move in the correct manner, Crockta won't be able to stay still… Once this is over, I can really accomplish my plan. Now is the real beginning."
"Yes, it seems like it."
"So…" The gray god got up. "When the time comes, please thank Jung Ian for me."
Yoo Jaehan looked at the sea and replied, "Until then. If he is still alive, I will."
"Yes. Well, even so. He will be alive. Otherwise, I will be sorry."
"Really?"
"Really."
Yoo Jaehan smiled and nodded.
The gray god added, "Ah right, Gordon wanted to say hello to you."
"Is he doing well?"
"He is."
"Gordon is also a great person."
Suddenly, there were fireworks on the beach. The long curves of light rose into the sky. The gray god spread open her arms and gazed at the embers in the night sky.
"Pretty."
***
After Rastad left, Zakiro pulled something out. It was a small lump of golden metal.
When Zakiro gained the title of Slayer Maker and rose to the rank of a craftsman, Solardo of the Golden Anvil Clan had given it to him.
'You can only use it once. Keep this in mind. If you aren't ready, it will be used in vain. You will have consumed it uselessly. The craftsmen who used it correctly are recorded in the history of the Golden Anvil Clan.'
Most people used it in vain, but those who used it correctly made the best weapons in history. It was a piece of golden metal given to the craftsmen of the clan. This was why Zakiro's clan was called the Golden Anvil.
That was a piece of a golden anvil. The clan split had apart the anvil, which was said to have been given to them by a god, and gave the pieces to their craftsmen. The pieces would gradually disappear over time. Fortunately, Zakiro had been able to receive a piece at a young age.
He sensed that now was the right time to use it. So, Zakiro grabbed it. It melted and disappeared into Ogre Slayer's melted form. The color of the molten iron became even redder. However, the piece of the anvil didn't melt completely.
Zakiro started to furiously work the bellow, and the temperature started rising gradually. Sweat flowed down Zakiro's face, and it felt like the bones in his body were melting. His hands worked faster.
Then after a moment…
A tremendous heat hit him.
"……!"
He stepped back like he had been pushed, and he stared blankly at the sight in front of him—a fire. The furnace was literally ablaze.
Zakiro watched it. There was something shining in the furnace. It was a red crystal… And it was dazzling, like a ball of flames. Zakiro knew what it was. The last flame…
This was 'it.' The last fire should be at the altar above, but now it was down in the forge. The fire added to the heat which was melting Ogre Slayer. The forge—no, the entire temple started to heat up.
The temperature rose. It was unexpected. Above him, there was the sound of people urgently rushing out of the temple. Shouts could also be heard.
Zakiro gritted his teeth and withstood the heat. The last flame… This was a crystal left behind by the sun god. It melted the piece of the Golden Anvil as well as Ogre Slayer. Zakiro laughed. Despite the heat covering his entire body, he burst out laughing. His intuition, close to a prophetic ability, wasn't wrong after all.
He had seen this scene already. He had known it would be here. The world was pushing at his back. The sun, the hottest flames which could melt anything… No one would be able to endure it.
…Not even the gods.
Zakiro made a fist as he glanced at the molten iron. This sword would be his best masterpiece, and it would be the best work in the history of the Golden Anvil Clan. The purpose of the sword was simple.
God killer…
The sword which was born with the flames of the sun…
It could even kill a god.
Praise the Orc:
Current schedule: There will now be 14 chapters a week, meaning two chapters every day.