Chapter 7 (1/2)
Chapter 7. The Orc in Human Guise
TL: Warriormonk
Editor: Obelisk
Luke sighed deeply after entering an alleyway without any signs of people.
“I wonder whether I may have made a mistake or not.”
“What mistake?”
“Are you asking because you don’t know?”
“Kurotan doesn’t know.”
Luke sighed once again when he saw Kurotan who was looking around furiously.
“Why did you ignore me like that? You said you would follow my every order!”
“I promised you my axe. I didn’t say I would become your servant.”
Kurotan puffed out his chest.
“I was a Great Warrior, and all the warriors of the Latilla Tribe were under my command. Treat me as an honorable warrior.”
“You can go freeze your a.s.s off with your honor…”
Luke glared at Kurotan.
“Did you even listen to the orders of your Chieftain?”
Kurotan snapped at Luke’s words.
“What are you saying? The words of the Chieftain are law. All warriors must follow her words to the letter.”
“Ah, right. The Chieftain is a female. Right.”
Luke pondered for another moment before speaking to Kurotan.
“If you were the Great Warrior, were you the strongest warrior of the Latilla Tribe?”
“Yes. I beat the previous Great Warrior to the ground and proudly took his place.”
“But even you must have had a time when you were a green horn?
“Why do you ask?”
“Did you follow the orders of the Great Warrior when you were a green horn?”
Kurotan nodded without hesitation.
“Yes.”
“Really?”
“I’d have died from being beaten if I hadn’t.”
This was the moment that Luke realized another trait of Orc Warriors.
‘I see. Orcs are races that follow the law of the survival of the fittest. This b.a.s.t.a.r.d must be looking down on me for sure. That’s why he’s ignoring me.”
He had heard during his time as an officer that an Orc at the commander level was hard to deal with, even for three or four Knights at once.
“All right. Kurotan, do you see me as a strong warrior?”
Kurotan answered without hesitation.
“I have not once thought of you as strong.”
“Why? You have never even fought me.”
“Do you remember the warrior with the axe during the ambush?”
Luke frowned at the memory.
“He was rather skilled with an axe for an Orc. I did successfully wound his arm despite being pressured. I would have won if someone hadn’t hit me in the back of the head.”
“I hit the back of your head.”
“It was you?”
Luke stared at Kurotan with wide eyes, who merely shrugged.
“It couldn’t be helped, as we had to capture you. The warrior with the axe is named Mabal, and I am much stronger than he is.”
Luke was shocked. He didn’t know that Kurotan would be as skilled as he was claiming. To be truthful, he had a high probability of losing to Mabal should they fight again.
However, Kurotan’s body had changed. And the body of an Orc and a human were different on fundamental levels.
Luke’s eyes narrowed.
‘Hal’s body is barely trained. And Kurotan hasn’t had the time to get used to his new body.’
Orcs had longer arms than humans, but shorter legs with slightly bent backs. Kurotan’s current walking posture was extremely awkward.
‘If I don’t teach him a lesson with this chance, he’ll constantly give me trouble.’
Luke made up his mind and began to poke at Kurotan’s pride.
“You say you are that skilled?”
“Yes.”
“You’ve just swapped bodies! How would you properly show your skills?”
As expected, Kurotan grew angry.
“Even with swapped bodies, I am strong. I’ve battled countless times in order to secure the t.i.tle of Great Warrior.”
“Ehh… I don’t trust you.”
Kurotan gripped his fists tightly.
“If you want, I can prove my strength to you.”
A smile spread across Luke’s face at the expected answer.
“Good. Let’s see the skills of the Great Warrior of the Latilla Tribe.”
As an Orc that liked fighting more than eating his meals, Kurotan smiled brightly.
“Don’t regret it.”
“Of course.”
“I need a weapon.”
“I can buy you a weapon.”
Luke immediately took Kurotan to a nearby arms shop. Kurotan picked up a heavy battle axe.
“Look, you should weigh the weapon first.”
“We know nothing about such things. A weapon is good if gripping the handle feels good.”
The battleaxe seemed far too heavy for Hal’s body no matter what way one looked at it, and Luke narrowed his eyes slightly.
Perhaps because he didn’t go through physical training, Hal’s arms seemed fragile in comparison to Hal’s general stature.
‘I guess we’ll find out if we just fight?’
Luke took Kurotan to an isolated corner of the city. Kurotan kept caressing the battleaxe Luke had bought him, as though he liked it a lot.
“I have never held such a clean and undamaged axe.”
“Yes, I suppose that’s because you guys use the weapons that you loot.”
Luke took a couple of deep breaths, and unsheathed the longsword hanging from his belt.
“Good. Let’s see the strength of the Latilla Tribe’s Great Warrior.”
Kurotan let out a roar and charged once Luke took a stance. He was swinging the battleaxe wildly.
Luke tensed up, slightly nervous, when Kurotan charged at him.
The next moment, however, saw something ridiculous.
The charging Kurotan had fallen face first when his legs had gotten tangled.
“Th-That was a mistake. Let us start again.”
Kurotan charged again. The pressure he gave off, however, was far from reaching Luke’s expectations.
Luke side stepped lightly and tripped Kurotan, who ended up rolling on the ground.
“I suppose the instructors were right when they said practical battle skills came from a trained physique.”
Luke smiled a little bitterly at his memories and sheathed his sword. Kurotan’s eyes ignited at the sight.
“It’s not over yet.”