Praise the Orc! Chapter 53

Chapter 53 – Yiyu's Revenge (2)

Crockta entered the city.

Unlike the time when he was at Arnin, he wasn't stopped at the entrance.

This was a big city. Unlike last time, Crockta truly felt admiration. Elves flew in the sky on pegasuses, and a giant spirit walked around with an elf on its shoulder. The buildings were big and beautiful, with the architecture obviously being designed for the purpose of art.

This place was the city of elves, Maillard!

This city was considered to be the cradle of the elf users. A variety of jobs existed, and the level of the surrounding hunting area wasn't high, so they could start with ease. It was like heaven compared to Orcrox Fortress.

That was the problem.

Crockta shook his head. This was a very well organized place. Here, the elves would run on comfortable roads without knowing any hardships. If their bodies were comfortable, than their minds would weaken!

“Weak elves…!"

Crockta muttered with some pride. However, his eyes were attracted to the body of a beautiful elf passing by. He frantically shook his head. He needed to regain his spirit.

“Warriors don't need women."

Pain was what made a warrior stronger. He shouldn't lose sight of that just for something temporarily sweet. In order to restore his mindset, he hummed the orc's song.

"Warriors have no need for a woman…"

By the way, something was strange. Every time he passed by, the residents were staring at Crockta. Orcs weren't rare in this place. This was a big city, so orcs occasionally passed by. The question was soon solved by another orc.

“……!”

“……!”

Crockta suddenly encountered an orc on the street. The orc's eyebrows twitched as he discovered Crockta, promptly approaching him..

He was an orc warrior. Tattoos were engraved on his face and body, and Crockta could feel the strength coming from him. He extended his fist.

"You are alive, Crockta!"

"……?"

How did the orc know his name?

"How?"

“An orc with a black bandana, and the tattoos of honor. Your reputation is spreading all over the continent! An honorable warrior! Bul'tar!"

Crockta bumped the orc's fist.

“I am the orc Purast! I really admire you."

“It is nice to meet you Purast. I'm not such a great orc."

“What are you talking about? Rescuing people on the Arnin Plains, and revealing the hypocrisy of the Arnin politicians! You fought for the innocent victims of Chesswood!" He hit his chest. “In an era where many warriors have forgotten the laws of years past, you are a warrior worthy of admiration."

"Well. I don't deserve such praise.”

Crockta nodded. Then he heard whispers around him.

'Crockta. That is the famous orc? The orc of justice? The honorary citizen of Arnin and Chesswood's hero?'

Crockta's shoulders went up. He had become stronger and his achievement points had also increased tremendously.

[Status Window]

‘Person Pursuing the Pinnacle' Crockta, Orc Warrior

Level: 39

Achievement Points: 76510

Assimilation: 80%.

Abilities:

Orc Warrior's Destructive Power (Rare)

Orc Warrior's Recovery Power (Rare)

Leyteno's Vigorous Greatsword Technique (Essence)

Combative Spirit (Essence)

Mind’s Eye (Special)

Tattoos of Honour (Rare)

Crushing Roar (Rare)

The highest leveled user in Elder Lord known to date was at level 60. Despite the difficult to grow nature of the game, Crockta was growing at a tremendous rate. More than 400,000 users were admitted to the ranks of the high-level users.

Furthermore, he had two Essence ranked skills that were widely known as difficult to obtain. After the bloody battle in Chesswood, Indomitable Fighting Spirit had been upgraded to Combative Spirit. The repeated swinging of the greatsword as he caught the other clan members had also upgraded the previous skill to Leyteno's Vigorous Greatsword Technique.

This didn't even mention his assimilation rate. In the former [Elder Lord Times] segment, everyone had been shocked when they discovered that Kim Dalkwang's assimilation rate was 73%. But he had 80%! If it was only looking at assimilation rate, Crockta might be at the peak in Elder Lord.

The peak! What a wonderful word!

[Your reputation has spread through the world of Elder Lord.]

[The friendliness of any NPCs you meet will increase.]

[Purast is looking at you with respect.]

Purast chuckled and admired, “I heard that you were humble and intellectual for an orc, and it really is true. Really amazing! You truly aren't an ordinary orc! Kuhaha!" 

However, Crockta couldn't accept his words. "What are you saying?" Crockta spoke with a firm expression. “Orc or not, nobody else can decide such a thing. It is only you who can self-discipline yourself!"

“……!”

“Purast, the possibilities of the orcs are infinite!"

Purast looked at Crockta with surprise. That's right. He was an orc, but he had prejudices against orcs.

It was similar to how he saw humans as ambiguous, elves as weak but fast, dwarves as dexterous, and gnomes as just little bastards! He had used his own yardstick to judge the world, but his eyes were opened now that he met Crockta. He had gained enlightenment. He felt confident, like he could do anything.

Crockta said the following, “The instructor who taught me said this: Warriors aren't born, but created."

“He is…" Purast replied.

“The orc warrior instructor, Lenox."

Purast exclaimed in a low voice, "Lenox…!"

Purast had also heard of his reputation. He had become a warrior through learning under an instructor outside of Orcrox. His instructor had been a disciple of Lenox. Lenox was the warrior instructor and a true warrior.

"Lenox! I’ve heard the news. Those dirty humans…!"

“I will get revenge for him."

“Revenge!”

"A warrior pays back each favor or act of vengeance."

"Indeed…" Purast grabbed Crockta's hand. “You truly are an honorable orc."

Crockta nodded. He had to admit that he thought that he was a wonderful orc. Thus, Crockta and Purast talked for a while.

“It was an honor to meet you.”

Crockta and Purast bumped fists.

“Let's live and see each other again. Bul'tar!"

"Bul'tar!"

Crockta parted from Purast and continued walking. He felt even prouder. The beautiful elves were staring at him. Crockta puffed up his chest.

'Look elves, this is an orc warrior.'

"Really scary."

“Let's lower our eyes."

“The orc of justice is also ugly."

“I'm lucky that it isn't nighttime right now."

The elves whispered to each other as they watched Crockta.

Anyway, Crockta was here because of Yiyu. His little sister, revenge for Yiyu! If such a diabolical group appeared, it was clear that Yiyu wouldn't be the only victim. Those people would repeat the same actions. This was because people didn't change easily.

Suddenly, Crockta halted.

“Don't change…"

Do people really not change? They didn't 'change' easily.

At one time, he believed that people would never change. But now he knew. People changed. They could change.

“A person can be anything," Crockta muttered.

There was a time when he madly wanted change. He thought that it wasn't possible, so he had felt despair. But he had changed. If a person had the will, they could be who they wanted to be. That was what it meant to be a human being.

“You will also change." Crockta would meet the ones who harassed Yiyu and rehabilitate them.

"Um…?"

Crockta stopped in his tracks.

It was a mirror shop. Mirrors were expensive things that couldn't be easily seen in Elder Lord. There were beautiful elf females tidying up their appearance, and then the ridiculous figure of the orc behind them.

Crockta looked at his reflection in the mirror.

An orc wearing a black bandana! He wore leather armor that revealed his thick muscles and carried a huge greatsword on his back. Furthermore, many intricate tattoos were covering his entire body.

Crockta nodded. It was the very nice appearance of a warrior. However, he wanted to be even greater.

“I've been fighting for a while."

He decided it was time to shop for a change.

***

"I am alive."

"Ah, hello."

The elf clerk was confused by the appearance of the customer. She operated a clothing store for various species. With the exception of elves and humans, it was a place to sell fashion items for dwarves, orcs, and gnomes.

Naturally, the orc this time was also a customer. However, this was the first time that she had ever seen an orc with tattoos all over his body and a rough appearance, as if he had just come out from the battlefields. She froze as she met his intense gaze.

“What are you looking for…?”

The orc stood in front of a mirror instead of answering. The orc touched his chin and looked at himself in the mirror for a while. He seemed to nod with satisfaction. Then he said, "Great…"

"Great…?"

"Headband."

In the meantime, the orc Crockta had been using a bandana with the mark of the Blacksmith company. Now it was time to throw it away. He was going to buy a headband to cover the star on his forehead.

The elf clerk calmly put out a variety of headbands which were typically used by adventurers to prevent sweat from flowing down their foreheads. Crockta chose his favorite, a red headband, among the array of headbands.

“The point is that it is red. Isn’t that right?”

"Huh? Yes…"

“Give me this."

"Three silver."

"Yes."

It was cheap. Crockta tied the headband at once. There was plenty of room to fit around an orc's head.

“Isn't it great?"

“Of course."

The female elf didn't say that it looked like the headband had turned red from all the blood. He looked even more evil after taking off the black bandana and donning the red headband.

“How great."

"……"

“Please throw this away."

The bandana from the Blacksmith Company was thrown in the trash can. Crockta stepped out of the clothing store, now with a red headband, instead of a black bandana, covering the star on his forehead. The orc's wild hair seemed to double his wild charm.

People glanced at Crockta.

Crockta headed to the armor store and bought a set of equipment that was more expensive than his existing leather armor. The base was made of leather, but iron plates padded the important parts, upgrading his defense.

He also bought gauntlets and boots to protect his hands and feet, and there was also a belt where he could hang daggers.

He looked like a whole new orc. He had completely thrown off the appearance of a beginner, and now looked like a seasoned orc warrior!

Finally, he headed to the blacksmith to check if the greatsword, 'Ogre Slayer', needed any repairs. The dwarf blacksmith's eyes shone as he received it.

"This…!"

It was made of the adamantium alloy that was unique to the Golden Anvil Clan. The blacksmith could see it straight away, since only the Golden Anvil Clan could handle adamantium so skillfully. "Are you a friend of the Golden Anvil Clan?"

“I'm not. My friend is a business partner of the Golden Anvil Clan, so I received this sword."

“It was a long time ago that the orcs received weapons from the Golden Anvil Clan. Okay, I'll do it nicely. Expect it."

The dwarf got to work. After checking the greatsword, Crockta also bought a pair of daggers and two sets of leather armor in case of emergency.

He felt reborn as he carried the greatsword on his back.

He had run this far. Under Lenox, he had taken the path to become a warrior, and had been involved in various incidents after leaving Orcrox. Now he felt like he had become a true orc.

Crockta straightened his chest and walked.

This was why a big city was good. He could see many high quality equipment and goods that he hadn't seen in the many villages and cities that he had already passed. Crockta finally headed to a general store to buy potions.

“……!”

They met again. The Blacksmith Company! The Blacksmith branch in Maillard.

The man called Blacksmith would be a rich man. Branches of the Blacksmith Company were present everywhere he went. Crockta believed in the Blacksmith Company and went inside; however, he instantly turned away.

“……!”

No, why was she here?

Crockta took a deep breath.

“Uh, Customer? Come in, come in. Don't hesitate." The familiar voice caught Crockta. Crockta didn't move, but her hand grabbed his arm and started pulling. “Orc, do you need potions? Or a knife? What do you need? I sell everything, everything."

It was Stella. The intern of the Blacksmith Company whom he sold vegetables with in Anail, Stella! Moreover, Crockta was convinced that Stella was Yiyu's friend. Crockta was worried as he slowly turned around.

"……?"

But Stella just cocked her head.

“What is it? Did you want to ask something? Oh, I’m sorry, but I don't care what species you are."

She didn't recognize Crockta.

Ian realized why. After going through the warrior's ritual, he had become bigger and had even gained tattoos. The present Crockta looked completely different from the orc beginner Ian. She didn't recognize him.

How lucky. Crockta spoke in a different tone.

“Hmm hmm, I came to buy potions…"

"There are a lot of potions. Come in.”

The Blacksmith Company's branch in Maillard was a big deal. She had ended up being promoted. Her name badge said 'Stella, Manager'. Maybe not all of it was due to him. Crockta inwardly laughed.

Thus, Crockta tried to buy a pile of potions.

"Wait."

"……?"

“I want to ask you one thing."

Stella told Crockta. Crockta thought his identity had been discovered and flinched.

“What do potions mean to you?"

"……?"

“I am an honorable manager, Stella. I will only sell potions to adventurers who understand the value of potions."

"……"

“Now, tell me!"

Stella… No, Yunji. No. He couldn't.

Crockta turned around with saying anything.

“Uh, uh, excuse me! Aren't you buying?"

"……"

"I'll cancel it. I just wanted to try it. Here are the potions!"

"……"

"No! Discount! Discount! I’ll give you a discount! Okay?"

Crockta turned back around. Thus, Crockta bought potions at a discounted price from Stella.

'Why didn't it work'…he heard Stella grumble.

“I'll ask you one thing," Crockta said in a serious tone. “Do you know any evil people who are picking on the weak in the area?"

Stella would've heard the rumors. She frowned at Crockta's question. “Perhaps…are you talking about those people?"

“Those people?"

“Female users…no, there are those going after females who are cursed by the stars."

"That's right."

“Why? Perhaps…"

Stella looked at the big greatsword on his back. Crockta nodded.

“I can’t let them go."

Stella felt admiration.

“Wow, orc warrior. How amazing. Then, I will help. My friend was also hurt by them."

She seemed to be talking about Yiyu. However, it didn't seem like she was that close to Yiyu. What was the reason for exchanging greetings at the cafeteria?

Speaking of which, he didn't know that much about Yiyu's school life. He had a vague idea from the police station incident but didn't know what she was like outside that..

It would be good to find out ore.

"Okay."

“Then we will go when I am off from work!"

Thus, Ian and Yunji—Crockta and Stella—accompanied each other for their own purposes.

Chapter end