Translator: Dreamscribe
A quest for only the greatest of heroes, not just anyone.
It was the hottest topic in Arsilan Worlds. The orcs appeared with light particles at dawn in Arsilan. And when the sun set, they disappeared in particles of light.
Nad heroes who surpassed level 40 continued to challenge them.
While others were busy chasing hidden quests, Northern Grand Duke focused on leveling up. Searching for things wasn’t her style. Her guild was the sa.
They pursued only the ultimate strength, focusing every day on leveling up and researching new skills.
The orc quest was a blessing for her.
“Haha!”
Kunka’s fist grazed Northern Grand Duke’s cheek.
She t death from the punches that followed, but she was overjoyed.
She felt like she might go insane from the overwhelming joy.
She continued to challenge him. During the day, she took on the orc quest, and at night, she recalled the orc’s movents she had seen and trained, pouring her efforts into leveling up.
She had already taken an extended leave of absence. Her agency had also achieved outstanding results, so there was no one with the authority to stop her actions.
Even if soone had tried, she would have easily overpowered them.
Clang!
Northern Grand Duke’s two-handed axe was blocked by Kunka’s two-handed sword.
“You’ve finally drawn your weapons!”
It was the first ti Kunka had wielded his weapons.
Northern Grand Duke let out a savage laugh, like a beast growling.
After that, she challenged him countless tis and was defeated just as often.
When one arm was severed, she swung her axe with the other. When she could no longer use either arm, she charged in to bite. Seeing her like that, Kunka grinned with satisfaction and launched his attacks. One day passed, then several more.
The image of her struggling to endure a single blow vanished, and she was now able to last considerably longer. Kunka’s movents were visible in Northern Grand Duke’s form. Through actual combat, she had naturally mastered Kunka’s movents and techniques.
Kunka struck Northern Grand Duke with all his strength, then nodded.
“Excellent.”
Kunka raised his two-handed sword.
A massive current burst from the swords, and a blue glow surrounded them. When he brought them down before Northern Grand Duke.
Kwaaaaah!
The ground shattered, and fragnts flew in all directions.
Northern Grand Duke’s gaze wavered. She had tried sothing similar before, but it was difficult to reproduce with skill combinations alone.
Perhaps sensing her thoughts, Kunka nodded and spoke.
“You have sufficient qualifications. All that’s needed is a suitable opportunity. The ti will co.”
“Hmm....”
Kunka approached Northern Grand Duke and placed his hand on her shoulder. Then, a mark appeared on her body. The mark briefly shone, then faded away.
The heroes who had been watching cheered as they looked at her. The first hero to prove their qualification had appeared. The orcs, excluding Kunka, were still testing other heroes.
“Follow .”
Northern Grand Duke walked after Kunka.
The two figures shimred in light and disappeared from the spot.
“This place is....”
Northern Grand Duke was greatly surprised at the sight before her. A massive coliseum ca into view. Surrounding the coliseum, buildings were lined up, and statues of orcs filled the area.
“They’re not statues.”
Northern Grand Duke instinctively felt that.
“It’s the curse of Erosion. A punishnt for avoiding battle in fear of being corrupted by Erosion.”
“Punishnt....”
“Yes, we are sinners. Sinners who turned our backs on Arsilan and fled. And this is what we’ve beco.”
Kunka let out a deep sigh. Particles of light flowed from his body.
“Will you not break this curse and give our clan a chance at redemption? Only a great warrior who has proven their qualifications can release us.”
A quest window appeared before Northern Grand Duke.
[Orc] Path of Liberation
Enter the coliseum and awaken the great chief at the center of the curse, and lift the petrification curse. Those who have earned the qualification may challenge it with their guild, party, or companions. If you accept, all of Arsilan will cheer for you.
Reward: Orc Village unlocked, ???
Duration: Unlimited
Northern Grand Duke nodded.
[You have accepted the quest.]
Then, the Flowers of the Heroes appeared in front of the coliseum, and all of the guild mbers she designated were summoned.
“Oh, ohhh!”
“You did it!”
“Kyaa! As expected of the number one in combat power.”
Her guild mbers rejoiced and celebrated.
Northern Grand Duke looked at Kunka. Kunka’s body was gradually fading as it emitted particles of light.
“You are....”
“I’m already dead. Only my guilt is holding my soul together.”
Northern Grand Duke t Kunka’s eyes. The X-shaped scar covering his face was vividly clear. Kunka touched his scar with a bitter expression.
“It is the mark of a sinner who has no right to stand on the battlefield. The one before your eyes is no warrior, but rely a sinner.”
Northern Grand Duke remained silent for a mont.
She had learned so much from this old orc. She had learned how to move her body, how to harmonize her warrior skills with her own movents.
She had co to understand what battle truly ant.
He was the first teacher she had ever t in her life, having grown solely through her own power until now.
When Northern Grand Duke raised her hand, her guild mbers gathered around her. She drew a dagger and slashed her palm.
Splatter!
Blood poured onto the ground.
With her bloodied hand, she drew an X on her face. Her guild mbers followed her example.
“If this is the mark of a sinner, I will turn it into the symbol of a great warrior.”
At Northern Grand Duke’s words, Kunka’s eyes wavered.
“I will achieve a great feat on the battlefield and make the enemy tremble at this mark.”
Kunka’s body quivered slightly.
“I will make all the warriors of the world look up to it. I will make it the true symbol of a warrior that anyone would envy. So don’t worry, and rest in peace.”
Kunka engraved her image in his eyes.
The mark of a sinner had, through her, beco a symbol of valor.
“Hero.”
Kunka bowed his head to her.
“I think I finally understand how the Lord of Erosion fell at your hands. You truly are a hero. I’m glad it was you who inherited my crest.”
Thud!
Kunka struck his chest with his fist.
“Hero. When the ti cos, unleash everything. The potential you carry far surpasses what you think you have.”
With a gentle smile uncharacteristic of an orc, Kunka looked at her. Then, as if satisfied, he closed his eyes and turned into particles of light, disappearing.
Northern Grand Duke and her guild mbers bowed their heads briefly in a silent tribute for him.
“Let’s go.”
As she turned around and headed for the coliseum, her guild mbers smirked and slung their weapons over their shoulders. Then they followed behind her.
Upon entering the entrance of the coliseum, they were automatically transported to its center.
Like a Roman coliseum, seating surrounded the arena. In the seats stood nurous statues of orcs, with empty spots between them. At the center of the arena stood the enormous, statue of Great Chief orc.
With stone clinging all over its body, it looked almost like a golem.
[Your connections co to the coliseum.]
[This great battle will be broadcast from the Flowers of the Heroes in Evanth and Marogo.]
People of Arsilan appeared and filled the empty seats.
“Kyaaa! Unnie!”
“Waaaah! So cool! Feel the power of Northern Grand Duke!”
“Northern Grand Duke is invincible!”
“Everyone, hang in there!”
It was Naria, Lonta, and the guards from Gron Village.
“Hang in there!”
Hans raised his clenched fist and cheered for Northern Grand Duke. She chuckled faintly at the cheers. Her guild mbers did the sa.
Everyone was watching.
There was absolutely no room for defeat.
[The battle begins!]
The petrified Great Chief began to move. Compared to Kunka, its movents were slow.
Shhhhk!
A dark stream flowed from the stones clinging to its body. It appeared the stones contaminated by Erosion seed to be making the great chief move.
Northern Grand Duke and her guild mbers rushed in.
When the chief swung his fist, several guild mbers were flung away and crashed into the walls.
The power was imnse.
“Haaah!”
Northern Grand Duke closed in and swung her two-handed axe with all her might. The speed was so great it left afterimages, just like Kunka’s movents. The force behind her two-handed axe was formidable.
However.
Ting!
She couldn’t penetrate the stones encasing the chief’s body. They were harder than steel, there wasn’t even a scratch.
“Ugh!”
She rolled sideways to dodge the chief’s heavy punch.
“This is insane!”
“Noona! Our attacks aren’t working!”
“And it’s so damn fast too! Guh!”
Guild mbers flew in every direction, crashing and rolling across the ground. One guild mber’s body was shattered and turned to ash. Northern Grand Duke kept approaching and unleashing skills and attacks, but she couldn’t destroy the stone.
Boom!
When she blocked a approaching punch with her two-handed axe, her body was pushed far back.
“Haaah....”
Seeing her guild mbers die filled her with boiling rage.
Her body was burning hot.
From the seats, her friends were cheering with all their might. She absolutely couldn’t fall here.
Northern Grand Duke threw herself into the battle with all her strength, continuously attacking the Great Chief.
Boom!
She was struck in the abdon by one of the chief’s blows and rolled across the ground.
Kugh!"
Using her two-handed axe as a staff, she pushed herself up. Her vision blurred and cleared repeatedly.
The battle had gone on for a long ti.
Northern Grand Duke and her guild mbers had fallen many tis and rolled across the ground countless tis.
‘It’s manageable.’
Yet strangely, it didn’t feel exhausting.
‘I can still move.’
The desperate cheers, the cries of her guild mbers, and the roaring noise from the Great Chief, all of it felt like it was accumulating inside her.
She wanted to let it all out.
She wanted to release everything with all her might. Northern Grand Duke threw off her outer garnt. Her leather armor only covered part of her chest and abdon.
‘Unleash everything.’
The final words of the old orc ca to her mind. Northern Grand Duke took a deep breath. She drove her two-handed axe into the ground and clenched her fists.
Her mouth opened.
A trendous roar exploded from her body, shaking the coliseum. It went beyond the level of a re shout and stirred the bodies of all present.
Sssshk!
Her skin began to glow as if it were burning, and a symbol was drawn upon her.
The roar of the battlefield.
A war cry resembling that of the orcs.
It elevated everything within her and her guild mbers.
“Valhalla!”
“Graaaah! Valhalla!”
“Uwaaaah!”
Her guild mbers, seized by madness, charged at the Great Chief. She too let out a massive roar and raised her two-handed axe high.
What the old orc had shown.
She now understood what to do.
The ti had co.
She left no strength in reserve to dodge.
With all her might, she charged toward the Great Chief. She poured all her power into her two-handed axe.
Fwaaash!
A current burst from her two-handed axe, glowing red. The symbol of a warrior beyond expectation finally revealed itself.
Her two-handed axe grazed the heavy stone fist and drove into the Great Chief’s chest.
KWAANG!
The Great Chief staggered back a few steps from the impact. The stones shattered and clattered to the ground. At the sa ti, the statues in the seats began to crack and break.
The stones that had bound the Great Chief all disappeared, revealing his true form.
Having expended all her strength, Northern Grand Duke fell to her knees.
The Great Chief walked toward her. He reached out and helped her to her feet.
To anyone watching, it was clearly her victory.
“Orcs! Rejoice in the birth of a great warrior! A great warrior has freed us and paved the way for redemption!”
The Great Chief cried out in joy.
Crack! KWAANG!
The statues in the seats all shattered, revealing the orcs within.
“Shout loudly for the great warrior!”
"Kraaaaah!"
The orcs beat their chests to make a drum-like sound and shouted. Hans and the people of Arsilan stood up and cheered with joy.
[You have liberated the orcs from the Curse of Petrification.]
[Please na the village and the arena.]
“Northern Village..., Valhalla!”
Northern Grand Duke gave the na without hesitation.
[‘Path of Liberation’ quest has been completed.]
[Northern Village has been unlocked.]
[The battlefield of warriors, Valhalla, has been unlocked!]
*A statue of you will be erected in Valhalla.
*Valhalla will now be open to all heroes. You can engage in battle as 1:1, party, or guild units.
*All orcs recognize you and your guild mbers as comrades.
*All heroes may use Northern Village Contribution Points to learn orc combat techniques. However, you and your guild mbers may learn all techniques without using Contribution Points.
The Orc Village was unlocked.
Coincidentally, the Orc Village was located at the far north.
Nad heroes who had just passed their trials and reached the village smiled with bittersweet regret but applauded and congratulated her.
Great Chief Bakal looked toward the Archmage sitting in the stands.
When the Archmage gave a thumbs-up, Bakal nodded and grabbed Northern Grand Duke’s arm.
Woosh!
Bakal raised her arm high.
“The Orc Village is now the Northern Village! This place where everyone’s blood and flesh are scattered is Valhalla!”
“Northern! Northern!”
“Valhalla! Valhalla!”
At Bakal’s shout, all the orcs roared.
The orcs imprinted the image of Northern Grand Duke in their eyes. The X-shaped symbol on her face, the sa as theirs yet entirely different in aning, deeply resonated within their hearts.
Perhaps, as she said, this mark of a sinner might truly transform into one of glory.
It was the mont a great achievent was born.
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