Chapter 70: Things Money Can Buy 5
TL/Editor: Raei
Schedule: 5/Week Wed-Sun
Illustrations: Posted in discord.
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The viewers eagerly chat, eyes fixed on the 20th floor quest window with Han Se-ah.
[Help streamer 'Han Se-ah' clear the main quest 0/1]
At the same time, an all-too-familiar quest window shows up before me as well.
Initially, I despised it for acting like a greedy game company, but now, I can't help but welcome it.
Having internet access was just too incredible.
I even use a VPN to make posts teasing Han Se-ah on the forum.
So, naturally, every quest brings a surge of excitement.
"Let's keep exploring for now. It might be something the mages are up to."
"Sure, got it."
Upon hearing Han Se-ah, Grace nods and leads the way.
Although they're saying this, Han Se-ah, the chat, and I all know it's the monsters' doing.
"Is the 20th-floor quest a war? 'Orc Kingdom' doesn't sound too pleasant. The Full Moon Wolf was a raid against a large monster. Just by the name 'Orc Kingdom', it feels like a war's about to start."
-Orcs and 19+? That makes me nervous
-Let's start practicing hitting the reset button
-The storyline is the usual. Something suspicious is spotted by the party's scout.
As Grace and Kaden hold their breath at the suspicious signs, Han Se-ah starts chatting with the viewers.
20th floor main quest, Orc Kingdom.
Unlike with the Full Moon Wolf, we can guess the plot just by the quest name.
Han Se-ah, the viewers, and I all start speculating, thinking along similar lines.
There are orc hunters, so if a kingdom pops up, won't there be orc warriors and orc shamans and such?
That reasonable guess gets confirmed right away.
"Over there. Looks like orcs... A lot of them. They're in a group."
By the grunting pig faces.
"Roland, don't only orc hunters show up on the 20th floor of the tower?"
"That's right. And they always act alone..."
Contrasting the stealthy orc hunters hiding in the shadows, these pig-faced creatures are louder than a tribe of goblins.
As Grace approaches, a boisterous squealing sound fills her ears before she even sees them.
Peeping out from the bushes and shrubs, looking at the noisy open area, I spot large green lumps.
Orcs armed with rusty, broken axes and clubs.
Orc warriors, so common outside that it's almost boring to see them.
They are loud beings clad in tattered leather clothes, giving off a barbaric vibe.
They might be common outside, but they don't show up inside the tower.
"Let's start hunting. They probably won't be much stronger than the orcs outside, right?"
"From what I can see, there's no difference. I'll go first."
They weren't shrouded in dark magic, nor were they larger.
They didn't have different skin colors or red eyes.
Externally, they looked just like the orcs outside.
Even if it's for a quest, it's not like these guys would suddenly become as strong as ogres.
Trusting in my armor and strength, I made my way towards them.
I didn't try to hide, pushing and breaking branches as I moved.
The loud orcs quickly took notice.
Squeak-?
The moment my gaze met the ugly pig's head, a heavy axe was hurled at me.
A hefty, swift strike, the kind a farmer boasts could take down a goblin.
There was no finesse to it, but it was a powerful blow that dwarfed an ordinary human's strength.
Squeal!
"They're slightly tougher than the horned wolves, but not stronger than the orcs outside."
A powerful axe strike that could chop a human like firewood.
The cost was severe pain from my passive reflective damage.
Still, it didn't die from the reflective damage, showing it was still a 20th floor monster.
Instead, it dropped its axe and started convulsing on the ground, hands shaking.
Is it stunned?
-Orc warrior, took a hit like a warrior
-That reflective damage... LOL
-That reminds me of my army days when I was bad with a pickaxe
-It was pretty terrifying when it was swinging that axe around
-At least it didn't die instantly, worth being called a warrior
While the viewers were laughing and chatting, the remaining orc warriors charged at me with a squeal.
Unlike the stealthy and persistent orc hunters, they charged heedlessly, ignoring their fallen comrades.
They were like moths drawn to a flame.
They swung their weapons, hitting my shoulders: falling and howling afterward.
If they had a shred of intelligence, they would have realized something was off...
But they were orcs, after all.
Clang- Clang- Clang-!
The axes and clubs kept hitting my shoulders and head.
Their feeble attacks couldn't even scratch my mana-enhanced body and armor.
The orcs rolled on the ground one after another, their reward for littering my shoulder with a few leaves.
"Hmm, they're pretty much like regular orcs."
"Is it because of that... magical enhancement?"
"Yeah, I used mana to fortify the armor, creating a rebound effect. The horned wolves died because they hit their heads on it, and these guys seem to have survived because the point of contact was their hands."
While casually explaining the passive skill to Grace, Kaiden slashes at the head of an orc writhing on the ground.
A single-handed sword that moves nimbly, like a broom sweeping away leaves.
As they fall disoriented, each flash of the blade results in the separation of an orc head.
In their place, magic stones and loot appear.
"It seems the orc warriors drop loot, just like the orc hunters."
"There do seem to be many odd happenings in the tower lately...."
Han Se-ah, chuckling, changes the topic as Grace murmurs, looking at the necklace and bracelet on the ground.
It's only to be expected that quests, like murder cases, would center around Han Se-ah, a gamer, as much as mysteries gather around a detective with the body of an elementary student but the soul of a high schooler.
Not only on the 20th floor but also seems like on the 30th, 40th, and 50th, quests, character quests, and sub-quests would spring up.
So, it's hardly surprising that Han Se-ah, the protagonist of these peculiar events, feels a touch awkward when Grace mutters something about it.
"But with this group of orcs showing up, we should report it to the guild and the magic tower, right?"
"Given that we have the loot as proof, it would be easier to report."
The party's focus shifts to the loot dropped by the orc warrior.
Necklaces and bracelets adorned with beast bones in a pattern slightly different from those of the orc hunters.
Han Se-ah, who carefully picks up the loot and stows it in her inventory, asks the group for their thoughts.
"The appearance of the orc warriors isn't a major threat. But it also doesn't feel right to ignore them and proceed to the 21st floor. What should we do?"
"Hmm...."
Everyone starts contemplating.
She may have shared her thoughts for the sake of the quest, but as a leader, she was guiding the team impressively.
As unexpected variables surfaced during exploration, it was apt for her, the party leader, to seek the opinions of her party members.
Should they look into the unusual happenings on the 20th floor and report it to the Adventurer's Guild and the magic tower?
Or, given it's not much of a threat, should they ignore it and find the route to the 21st floor as initially intended?
After a moment, the party starts to share their views one by one.
Kaiden suggests they ignore them and find the passage to the 21st floor.
Following her, Irene and Grace also voice their perspectives.
"I think we should prioritize finding the passage to the 21st floor. We can report it with just the loot anyway. If we investigate without any preparation, we might just end up wasting time."
"If orc warriors have surfaced, it's important to find why. We're not climbing the tower merely to reach the top quickly; we're here to unravel the unknown within the tower."
"I agree with Irene. It would be odd to ignore it when we're certain something's wrong."
Kaiden, who values efficiency, Irene who emphasizes duty, and Grace, who speaks from a hunter's instinct.
As the opinions stand divided, two against one, a sly smile graces the corner of Han Se-ah's mouth.
As much as I'd like to side with Kaiden and see Han Se-ah sulk, I am much more interested in what the quest offers as rewards.
While the trio exchanges their views, I quietly drop a post on Han Se-ah's forum as "Mr.Heartache"
-It makes my heart ache to watch Han Se-ah go about the quest like this. The fact that she doesn't consider using the magic tower as a mage is quite tragic...
It's even more distressing to think that she can't think of finding a mage stationed on the 20th floor when there must be a safe zone at this level of the tower...
I don't expect Han Se-ah to read this post immediately.
I leave it, hoping that someone would notice Mr.Heartache's new post and bring it to her attention.
Having quietly withdrawn, I finish sending my post while watching the party members discuss, then step forward like I had been paying attention this whole time.
"When opinions are split, it's up to the party leader to take the reins. What's your decision, Hanna?"
"I... I'm with Grace and Irene. Kaiden's suggestion may be more efficient, but I find it wrong to not investigate when something is wrong for the sake of efficiency."
Kaiden, who strictly adheres to the hierarchy, immediately concedes with a nod.
---
Detective with the body of an elementary student but the soul of a high schooler' is a reference to Detective Conan/ Case Closed. I believe...
And uh I decided on the name of Mr.Heartache. In the older chapters I used the words 'heart-wrenching' for comments about Han Se-ah, but since heartache is an actual term I change it to that.
Also I just finished the design for the comment system revamp. Not starting on it till later next week but it's niiiiice.
4/5 Enjoy the chappy!
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