Rows of orcs stood beneath the Gate. They did not seem like disorderly monsters. Far from it, they weren't perfectly aligned with a palpable sense of order.
It was almost like an army.
Around them various totems were erected, fitting the orcs. The totems were woven from branches and wildflowers but mainly consisted of dismbered monster corpses that were nearly unrecognizable.
'Quite the aesthetic. As if anyone would mistake them for anything other than orcs.'
Ju Se-ah wrinkled her nose. The air was thick with the foul stench emanating from the decaying totems.
She knew that the more totems made from corpses, the more aggressive the orcs would be. She suspected that these very orcs were responsible for the depletion of monsters in Cheolwon.
However, the totems weren't the most important aspect.
'They can freely enter and exit through the Gate. They've even built a settlent in front of it. This isn't a re outbreak. They're consolidating power around this Gate.'
Ju Se-ah crouched low and hid in the bushes, inching as close to the Gate as possible without giving herself away. She needed a closer look.
Although she wasn't trained in the specialized ranger position, she had taken on similar missions before and approached skillfully. No matter how evolved these orcs had beco, they were unlikely to detect her subtle movents.
Furthermore, the noise from the large congregation of orcs was enough to mask any minor sounds she might make.
'No Gatekeeper in sight. Have they vacated the post because it's been open for too long? Or did they clash with the orcs and were removed?'
Either scenario was plausible. Monsters from the sa Gate didn't necessarily get along, and even within the sa species, relations could be hostile depending on the tribe.
This ti, she focused on the orcs.
'Spears, swords, even armor, and shields. They look wretched, but they're well-ard. A tribe advanced enough to have mastered blacksmithing? Cheolwon doesn't have any notable iron mines that I know of. Could there be a mine within the Gate?'
If their weapons were crafted from minerals mined within the Gate, then regardless of the blacksmithing skills, those weapons would be incredibly durable. Minerals harvested from Gates inherently contained mana and were far superior to any tals found on Earth.
In fact, so intentionally broke open Gates to permanently secure these mines.
During the era of the Great War, any open Gate was considered a disaster that needed to be sealed. However, with the corporatization of guilds, if a mine or an herb spawn point was discovered within a Gate, the governnt would intervene and classify it as a strategic asset.
But what if such a strategic asset was being utilized by a tribe of evolved orcs?
'That would be... a war-level mission. They've managed to keep this Gate a secret until now.'
Based on the sheer scale of the forces outside, this was not just a tribe of orcs; it was practically an orc kingdom.
And a war-level mission ant that tackling it would be beyond the capabilities of one or two strong Hunters. No, it would be difficult even for a modest-sized guild.
Even in the midst of battle, war required supply and rest.
Hunters were called superhumans, but they were still 'humans' who had transcended human limits.
As humans, they would get tired eventually.
This was true even for S-rank Hunters. Neither mana nor physical stamina were infinite. While they could fight much longer than other Hunters, they still had limits.
Ju Se-ah, who had been observing the orcs, suddenly recalled those who had infiltrated South Pocheon.
It was then that she understood what the gathered army of orcs was planning.
'They're heading to Pocheon!'
War.
These creatures were actually preparing for war.
The orcs that had descended to South Pocheon were a sort of reconnaissance unit.
'I need to contact the guild quickly.'
Ju Se-ah recalled the C-storage equipnt recently included in her exploration kit.
She rembered the satellite phone that Do Gyeong-hoon had used to contact the Titan Guild; it was inside her backpack.
Stealthily, she moved away from the gate and took out the satellite phone.
Crackle---Crackle---
"Why isn't this working? Is it broken... Ah, right! The mana density!"
Ju Se-ah recalled the words of An Ji-il, the Equipnt team leader, when she received the exploration kit.
"This satellite phone enables long-distance communication even in areas with mana interference. However, it may beco inoperative in areas with excessively high mana density. It should work in North Pocheon, but the connection may break in places filled with mana, like where the Gate has opened."
During his ti in Titan, Kang Mu-hyuk did try to address this issue, but the project was left incomplete due to it being canceled by the guild.
"I'll have to move further away from the Gate and try again."
While cautiously stepping back and keeping an eye on the front, Ju Se-ah suddenly felt a presence approaching her location.
"Kwerr! Kwerr! Kwerr!"
The coarse breathing of the orcs reached her vicinity. She quickly hid herself.
She wouldn't be fazed even if a hundred orcs ca at her, but she wasn't reckless enough to engage in battle without any information right in front of an open Gate.
Moreover, there was nothing to gain by alerting the orcs to her presence. To gain a tactical advantage against such a large army of monsters, it was crucial to keep them in the dark about her awareness of their movents.
'I need to catch them off guard. If I'm to find a weakness in the orc tribe, I can't be discovered now.'
Her intent to sneak away was good, but the place she had retreated to posed a problem.
A sensation she had felt several tis since arriving in Cheolwon ca through the soles of her feet.
'Landmine!'
Ju Se-ah reacted with superhuman speed.
The instant before the landmine exploded, she enveloped her feet in a spherical barrier made of condensed mana.
Flas and shockwaves violently convulsed within the barrier.
While light escaped, heat and sound were completely contained.
Gritting her teeth, Ju Se-ah wrapped both hands around the explosive force of the landmine and suppressed it.
"Eeegh...!"
Containing all the explosive force was a task requiring a high level of mana control. It was more demanding than rely destroying, exploding, or blocking things with mana.
Ju Se-ah exerted her full strength to suppress the explosion, weaving a barrier of mana.
Only after breaking out in a sweat did the explosion subside.
However, in the anti, she was discovered by two approaching orcs.
"!!"
Just as the orcs reached for their weapons slung on their backs, intending to shout to their nearby comrades, Ju Se-ah lunged at them.
Almost flying across the ground, she closed the distance in an instant and wedged herself between the two orcs, grabbing each by the neck.
In order to leave no trace, not even blood or bodily fluids, she strangled the orcs' necks with both hands.
Unable to even let out a proper moan, the suffocated orcs frothed at the mouth before their necks snapped, falling limp.
Holding the lifeless bodies of the orcs who hadn't even drawn their weapons, Ju Se-ah expanded her senses to scan the area. She still felt the presence of a few more orcs lurking around.
She leaped into a tree, still holding the orcs in her hands. Monts later, another group of orcs passed the spot where she had been.
After they were gone, she descended and quickly found a way to slip away. She hid the orc corpses in a nearby abandoned house.
Finally escaping the orcs' watchful eyes, Ju Se-ah sprinted back through the path she had co, aiming for an area where she could communicate.
Though she ran as fast as the wind, it strangely felt slow.
Ju Se-ah grew anxious.
'The guild is still not ready for a War-tier raid. It will co down imdiately. I need to hurry and prepare a strategy.'
...
As soon as the operation was complete, Kang Mu-hyuk quickly evacuated the command control center.
The dia scrutiny began just as the operation ended. Even a slight slip-up could result in misinterpretations, leading to distorted news stories.
Iron Will was still a fledgling guild, in many respects both internally and externally. It was crucial to prevent the mbers from becoming agitated by unnecessary disputes.
'Even tier-ed guilds can't perfectly control this. Hunters do as they please. If the dia stirs things up, it only leads to rumors and disrupts discipline.'
Iron Will had already received more attention than most guilds of its level.
They had nurous enemies, and with a star Hunter like Ju Se-ah, gossip naturally sold well.
So tabloids even churned out rumors about a relationship between Kang Mu-hyuk and Ju Se-ah, making it better to give no room for such speculations.
"We couldn't completely block it. Not that I planned to block it anyway."
Of course, things in the world didn't always proceed as planned.
Pyo Beom-hee greeted the recently returned Kang Mu-hyuk with a displeased expression.
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