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Chapter 25: It Was Definitely Worth Bringing It Along.
There are monsters commonly known as greenskins.
Goblins, orcs, and trolls.
The classic green-skinned trio.
They typically dwell in forests and breed at an alarming rate—so much so that if you take your eyes off them for a moment, they multiply like crazy.
Trolls at least spawn one offspring at a time, but goblins and orcs reproduce in droves, making it necessary to wipe them out whenever they’re spotted.
‘Goblins are great at digging burrows, and orcs have well-balanced physiques, allowing them to thrive just about anywhere.’
These monsters could be found everywhere.
Orcs in the highlands were called Highland Orcs.
If they were in caves, they were Cave Orcs.
And if they were simply in the forest, they were just called Orcs.
—Screee!
After living in certain environments for long enough, their skin color could change.
The gray orc in front of me was no longer a "greenskin" in appearance—it had become a beast of a different breed.
—Screee! Screee!
But despite its altered form, it still made those same pig-like snorting sounds.
No matter how much the world changed, these creatures remained the same.
A strange sense of familiarity washed over me, but I quickly drew the sword at my waist.
Not the Holy Sword.
Even though I could still draw it, it was a blade that should only be wielded with just cause.
Instead, I carried a trusty arming sword made of monster materials, purchased at the department store near my house.
Surprisingly high quality, considering it was commercially available.
In my other hand, fittingly for a student, I held a shield.
It was far more effective to balance offense and defense with a sword and shield combo than to fight with a sword alone.
[The goddess sighs softly with a trace of exasperation.]
Even if a stray, venomous needle flew toward me, I could deftly parry it with my shield.
If I were speedrunning this dungeon, I’d charge in with nothing but my sword, but since my party included a squishy mage with low stamina, I opted for a slow and steady approach.
Safety was the top priority.
"I'll hold the front line. Mage, prepare your spell."
"I-I'll support you!"
Sephine promptly raised her hand and chanted a spell.
The iron ingot she always carried glimmered as her mana flowed into it.
The metal began to writhe, sculpting itself into the form of a fierce, armored female warrior.
Meanwhile, the pink-haired Maho muttered her incantation swiftly, her lips moving rapidly as she smiled.
In the rear, Emir kept watch, prepared for any unexpected developments.
With everyone fulfilling their roles, the orc horde made their move.
—Screeeee!
An orc tribe meant that every member was a capable warrior.
The gray-skinned orcs, brandishing swords and halberds, roared as they charged toward us.
There were six in total.
Their powerful, muscular arms tensed, readying to swing their heavy weapons with terrifying force.
The first to reach me wielded a halberd.
I lowered my center of gravity in preparation for the impact and angled my shield diagonally.
The orc's massive halberd came crashing down onto the iron shield I had bought at Latte Department Store.
—KWAANG!
A resounding shockwave echoed through the tunnel.
I easily absorbed the brunt of the first strike with my shield, then pushed the orc's weapon upward, creating an opening.
I took a step inward, closing the distance.
With its halberd lifted and its entire torso exposed, the orc was left vulnerable.
Seizing the moment, I slipped my arming sword from behind the shield.
—Shuk! Shluk!
One stab to the neck, another to the heart.
Without its weapon to guard itself, the orc could do nothing as my blade pierced through its vital points.
Even a troll would have struggled to survive such fatal wounds.
The orc’s eyes rolled back as its body collapsed in a heap.
I quickly retracted my sword behind my shield, resuming my defensive stance.
—Scree?!
—Kwoooargh!
The orcs charging behind it seemed startled by the unexpected outcome.
But with their momentum building in the narrow corridor, stopping was no longer an option.
Weapons swung wildly—swords and halberds slashing through the air.
Kwaaang-!
A sword swung down from above shoulder height collided with mine, and the halberd, brimming with full-body force, was deflected by my shield.
The orc, unable to withstand its own strength, staggered sideways.
I drove my sword deep into its nape.
After exchanging blows twice more with a startled orc wielding an iron sword, I personally beheaded it.
By then, an orc with a hammer approached, but the mages behind me were not so easily intimidated.
Kwaaaang-!
Just like with the halberd, I blocked the hammer strike with my shield and redirected the force to the side.
At that moment, a perfectly formed steel warrior appeared and drove her sword into the orc's torso.
Puuuk-!
It was a steel puppet created by Sephine Alavad’s magic.
Though its texture and skin color were different, its bodily form was entirely human-like.
‘Oh-ho.’
Surprisingly, its swordsmanship was more refined than expected.
I hadn’t seen many techniques from it yet, but that previous strike was better than what your average knight could pull off.
Impressed, I blocked the orc’s halberd once more with my shield, then delivered a heavy kick to its torso, creating more distance.
“Wind Cutter!”
From behind, Maho’s voice rang out, accompanied by a flurry of wind blades.
-Swiiiish…!
The halberd-wielding orc, unable to regain its footing, let out a pig-like death squeal and crumpled.
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Another orc, cautiously observing the situation, tried to deflect the wind blades with its hammer, but failed to fully protect itself, resulting in its left thigh being slashed to ribbons.
The steel warrior, eager to prove its prowess, slashed at the orc without hesitation, and before long, the last of the orcs was cut down.
“Phew…”
With Sephine’s relieved sigh, the first battle came to an end.
A flawless victory with no casualties.
Feeling satisfied, I lowered my shield with a pleased expression.
‘Hmm, bringing this along was definitely the right choice.’
* * *
After fending off three more groups of cave orcs, we finally reached the deepest part of the cavern, where a door stood in our path.
A Boss Room.
Not every dungeon had one, but if there was a boss, the difficulty of the dungeon increased, and the rewards grew more substantial.
Defeating the boss meant gaining access to a treasure chest, which contained items related to the dungeon’s environment and its monsters, chosen at random.
In other words, there was a higher chance of obtaining special potion ingredients, making the battle worthwhile.
With that in mind, I pushed the stone door open with anticipation.
Creeeak…
Thud—
Beyond the open stone gate stood an orc warrior clad in leather armor.
Its entire body was adorned with red markings—a sign of an elite variant.
The orcs’ battle custom of painting their bodies with animal blood and dye—a form of buffing ritual.
Gooooo—
The crimson magic flowing from its tattoos enveloped the elite orc’s entire form, boosting its power.
Its veins and muscles bulged grotesquely, making it look even more monstrous.
It was as if it had taken a dose of natural steroids, giving it an extremely aggressive appearance.
“B-be careful! Elite orcs are C-rank hunter-level monsters!”
Even on their own, they were already twice as strong as regular orcs.
Now, with its battle tattoos activated, this elite orc was one of the most dangerous monsters we could encounter in this D-rank dungeon.
The elite orc warrior cracked its tusks with a menacing grin and began to rotate its arms, warming up for the fight.
Then, grabbing the greatsword planted in the ground, it aimed directly at me at the front of the party.
I didn’t think much of it, but behind me, Sephine gasped and mumbled in shock.
“...T-that shameless beast!”
“Huh? What is it?”
“T-that’s… an orc mating signal. They send it when they find a male they like… I learned it in Land Monster Ecology class.”
Sephine Alavad trailed off, seemingly too embarrassed to explain further, but Maho, who had been quietly listening, smirked wickedly and added.
“She wants to beat you and make you her husband.”
“…What, what?!”
For a moment, I was dumbfounded.
But then, I remembered that this was a reverse-world.
Ah… right.
Most of the monsters here, including the cave orcs, were female.
‘Ah… of course.’
‘Let’s just stop thinking about it.’
I shook off the sudden wave of confusion and raised my sword.
“Ah! Be careful! Elite variants always start by charging in! If you dodge at that moment—!”
Our party’s Speedwagon, Sephine, shouted frantically, but before she could finish, the elite orc, now fully engulfed in crimson magic, grinned savagely and kicked off the ground.
It raised its massive sword high, aiming to finish me in a single, overwhelming strike.
Its movements were large and telegraphed.
The orc’s overheated muscles roiled violently as it swung its sword downward.
Kwaaaaang—!
I blocked the strike with my shield.
Redirecting the force to the side, I smoothly deflected it and drove my sword into the back of the staggering elite orc’s skull.
It lost its balance and collapsed, never to rise again.
When the skull turns to mush, most things die.
“...Huh?”
The fight was over.
* * *
The boss battle had ended so quickly that Sephine’s face was still frozen in disbelief.
However, her astonishment didn’t last long.
In the room behind the boss chamber, there was a treasure chest waiting for us.
[You have obtained a Treasure Chest.]
A splendid chest made of silver and iron.
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[Translator - Night]
[Proofreader - Gun]
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