The Return of the Genius Ranker’s Myth Warehouse - Chapter 87

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 87
Chapter 87
“An Orc Lord?”
An Orc Lord.
Regardless of what others might think, Lugard, the Subjugation Commander who led the subjugation squad, could not have failed to hear that name.
“Are you really talking about the Orc Lord I know?”
“Yes.”
A legendary existence that appeared once every few centuries.
An absolute sovereign of the orcs, born inherently as their king and leader.
The moment an Orc Lord is born, all orcs bow their heads beneath it.
Because of this, whenever an Orc Lord is born, massive wars between humanity and orcs break out, bringing tremendous casualties and chaos.
‘Only such a being could teach the orcs these tactics and strategies, and force them to obey commands while defying their very instincts.’
I felt it the moment I saw the orcs attacking the subjugation squad.
That the orcs were receiving orders from an Orc Lord.
Having already defeated an Orc Lord back in First, I could state this with absolute certainty.
However, upon hearing my words, the Subjugation Commander fell silent for a moment, then shook his head.
“That’s impossible.”
“Why do you think so?”
“Historically, Orc Lords are known to appear once every three hundred years. However, according to historical records, the last Orc Lord appeared exactly eighty years ago.”
This was information I hadn’t considered.
While I’m well-versed in matters concerning First, I’m essentially ignorant when it comes to Second’s history.
“Wars with Orc Lords were major events in the Empire’s history, so this is certain. There’s no way an Orc Lord could have been born just eighty years later.”
I couldn’t say much about this either.
No matter how I thought about it, the orcs’ behavior was indeed consistent with orcs receiving orders from an Orc Lord.
But there could be some other factor at play now that we’re in Second.
Since I had no evidence besides the orcs’ behavior, I nodded at the Subjugation Commander’s words.
“I understand.”
For an outsider who just joined the subjugation, this level of response was perfectly appropriate.
Still, I’d planted the seed of possibility—”Orc Lord”—in the Subjugation Commander’s mind, so I was satisfied.
With that thought, I moved toward where the squad members had positioned themselves.
“What? You let an outsider join?”
“What were you thinking?”
“Allowing an outsider to participate in the subjugation squad.”
The murmurs around me were decidedly unfavorable.
Yet I had eliminated the orc shamans and stone-throwers from behind, allowing them to fell the orcs without any casualties.
I wondered why they would say such things about me.
“But didn’t that adventurer take down the orc shamans?”
“Orc shamans are naturally weak in close combat. If I’d ambushed them from behind, I could’ve taken them down too.”
“Level 150? Coming into the subjugation squad at that level? Hey, Oliver. Isn’t that about your level?”
“Please don’t compare me to adventurers. I’d rather not have my effort compared to something like their levels.”
It seemed the Subjugation Commander and his ilk simply didn’t view adventurers—users—in a favorable light.
‘Well, there’s nothing I can do about that.’
Key NPCs like the Subjugation Commander were one thing, but I had no intention of befriending every individual squad member.
I settled into a spot at a comfortable distance and passed the time eating snacks with Luke.
Before long.
“We’re beginning the orc subjugation operation now.”
The orc subjugation operation had commenced.
* * *
“As you’ve all noticed, the orcs’ condition is unusual. Therefore, we’ll strengthen our defensive posture and reduce our movement speed to conduct this subjugation with greater caution.”
“Yes, sir!”
The squad members responded vigorously to the Subjugation Commander’s orders.
Yet despite their spirited reply, their minds weren’t particularly serious.
‘The commander really does worry too much.’
‘It’s just orc subjugation—why is he so concerned?’
‘Honestly, even if orcs appeared in the hundreds, we’d have nothing to fear.’
In truth, it was unavoidable.
The squad had hunted hundreds, thousands of orcs up to this point.
Among Labelt’s many subjugation squads, the 2nd Subjugation Squad were specialists in subjugating so-called “green blood” monsters like goblins and orcs.
Still, some felt a certain unease from the ambush moments earlier.
‘That earlier battle wasn’t really that difficult, was it? We were surprised the orcs formed a proper line, but we didn’t even have any casualties.’
‘That adventurer’s level is 150, right? A level 150 adventurer can kill shamans and move on—what’s there to worry about?’
‘If I’d been out there, I could’ve killed that shaman even faster.’
They had been locked in combat with orc warriors and hadn’t witnessed the battle that unfolded behind the orc formation in detail.
They hadn’t seen the adventurer’s direct combat, and the only information they’d gathered was that the adventurer’s level was 150.
So rather than feeling gratitude toward the adventurer who had saved them.
‘I could’ve done better.’
‘Why did an outsider even join our squad?’
‘Just like before, they seem to be after credit. An adventurer chasing credit?’
Hostile feelings grew stronger among them.
As a result, the adventurer couldn’t blend in with any of the squad members and had no choice but to move slightly apart from the formation.
Though the adventurer in question seemed unbothered.
In any case, after entering the Savage Forest like that, shortly after.
Before long, they encountered a pack of orcs.
The forest terrain made visibility poor, but the 2nd Subjugation Squad was confident in combat within such conditions.
They were specialists in green blood subjugation, after all.
“Prepare for combat!”
“Just do what you always do!”
The squad tightened their formation.
Among them, several members glanced sideways at the adventurer and thought.
‘Time to show this outsider the true strength of our squad.’
‘Outsiders won’t even get a chance to interfere.’
‘If the adventurer gets separated and doesn’t get ambushed by orcs, that’s the best we can hope for.’
‘Just don’t get in the way.’
Few believed the adventurer would fight properly.
Rather, they had no intention of giving the adventurer a chance to fight at all.
To those who lived their lives in service to the Empire, an adventurer who chased nothing but freedom and caused all manner of problems was simply unbearable.
“Shriek!”
“Hah!”
“Oliver, provide support!”
“Yes, Commander!”
“Find the shaman first!”
And the Subjugation Commander’s combat was genuine.
The squad suppressed the orcs with practiced movements.
It seemed as though the subjugation would be completed without giving the adventurer any opportunity to shine.
“Shriek. Drak, Urum.”
From a place where it shouldn’t have been heard.
An ominous orcish utterance echoed from behind the squad’s front lines.
What entered the squad’s field of vision was an orc rider mounted on a creature called a Wild Wolf.
Up to this point, it was manageable.
They had the means to stop an orc rider.
But no one had anticipated the presence of an orc shaman riding behind the orc rider.
“An orc rider!”
“It’s carrying a shaman!”
“That prideful orc rider is carrying a shaman on its back?”
Despite hunting countless orcs until now, they had never encountered an enemy like this—not once.
And then the orc shaman, now positioned at the squad’s rear,
“Narzul mak, Volghnaz!”
completed its incantation.
– Crunch!
Wolves forged from spirit essence.
A pack of Spirit Wolves materialized and charged toward the squad.
Even for a subjugation squad, archers and mages were positioned in the rear—no different from orc formations.
There was a minimal defensive line to counter rear attacks, but it was minimal in every sense.
It was impossible to block all the Spirit Wolves summoned by the shamans who had charged alongside the orc riders.
An orc rider carrying an orc shaman to ambush their rear—
they had never imagined such a thing.
“Damn it, hold the line!”
“We must defend!”
The few defenders hastily raised their shields.
They couldn’t block all the Spirit Wolves, but they couldn’t simply stand idle either.
Just as the Spirit Wolf’s jaws closed in mere inches from my face.
A brilliant flash erupted.
Along with a blinding radiance.
– A deafening roar!
The Spirit Wolves began to dissipate.
* * *
‘As expected, it’s the Orc Lord.’
Watching the orcs attack the moment I entered the Savage Forest.
I could grow even more certain.
The Subjugation Squad seemed unaware yet….
‘They’re being lured. No orc would retreat like that.’
The Subjugation Squad was being subtly drawn somewhere without anyone noticing.
Surveying the surroundings broadly, I could discern one possibility.
‘A rear ambush?’
This terrain.
It was the perfect position for an Orc Rider to ambush from behind.
A pride-filled Orc Rider would never employ such a cowardly strategy against humans.
“Orc Rider!”
Sure enough.
Not long after, I spotted an Orc Rider charging from the rear.
And it was even carrying an Orc Shaman on its back.
‘Orc Riders are so prideful that they never allow anyone to ride behind them.’
Even a tribal chief would never be permitted on an Orc Rider’s wolf.
Yet this Orc Rider was carrying a shaman?
And by orc standards, ‘cowardly’ ambushing humans from behind?
‘It makes no sense.’
Without the Orc Lord’s command, such a thing could never occur.
While the Subjugation Squad panicked at the unexpected rear assault.
I, having anticipated such circumstances long ago, drew forth the perfect weapon for those Spirit Wolves.
Or rather, the perfect tool.
[ Mirror of Demon Revelation ]
( Non-Tradeable )
Form : Mirror
Grade : Legendary
Requirement : Level 400 or higher
Description : A bronze mirror of exorcism said to reflect the true nature of demons and reveal their authentic form.
The Mirror of Demon Revelation.
In short, it’s an item that weakens the power of spectral monsters like ghosts and specters.
Against monsters that’s one thing, but when the mirror’s light is cast toward spirit-attribute attacks.
– The unique skill ‘Spirit’s Guidance’ of the [ Mirror of Demon Revelation ] activates.
Whoosh!
– Roooar!
I could have completely annihilated the light attribute attack.
Along with the light emanating from Jo Yo-gyeong, all those spirit wolves vanished in an instant.
“What… what just happened?”
“Could that adventurer have done this?”
“The light definitely came from that mirror, but…”
The members of the Subjugation Commander’s squad stood bewildered.
No, it wasn’t just them who were caught off guard.
“Tsk?”
The Orc Riders and shamans who had been certain their ambush would succeed.
They were all equally stunned.
However, it seemed the Orc Lord had given them no contingency orders for when the initial ambush failed.
The way they charged forward without any alternative strategy despite the attack’s failure made that abundantly clear.
“Then I’ll oblige. Luke.”
– Yes, master.
Whoosh!
Black flames briefly engulfed my body before dissipating.
In that instant, all my equipped gear transformed.
[ Green Butcher’s Breastplate ]
[ Green Butcher’s Gauntlets ]
[ Green Butcher’s Boots ]
….
The defensive armor that formed a set with the ‘Green Butcher’s Dagger’ I had used before entering the forest.
I equipped all of them.
[ You have equipped the complete ‘Green Butcher’ set (6/6). ]
[ The ‘Green Butcher’ set effect activates. ]
[ Green Butcher: Inflicts additional damage against monsters with green blood, such as goblins and orcs. ]
A set effect perfectly suited for facing orcs materialized before me.
Burst!
My form shot forward like an arrow toward the Orc Riders and shamans.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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