Chapter 6: The Orc Temple
After emerging from the watery cave, Kurogane walked a bit further until he finally reached a sunlit clearing. The surrounding forest's silence allowed him to sink deep into his thoughts. He leaned his back against a giant oak tree, sliding down to sit on the ground. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
"The manga I read was only 99 chapters long," he murmured to himself. "Do I need to complete the 100th chapter? Is that the only way I can return home? I need to understand this system properly."
In his mind, he replayed the moment he had turned the final page. The white light emanating from his phone screen had illuminated the metro car. The mixed emotions he had felt at that moment—fear, excitement, and a sliver of hope—were still fresh.
"Maybe this is a chance to complete an unfinished story," he thought. "But for now, my current strength is sufficient. I should head straight for the next main quest."
A blue light flashed before his eyes, and the Universe Map materialized. One marker glowed particularly bright: The Orc Temple.
[ Quest: Orc Temple ]
[ Recommended Level: S ]
Kurogane's eyes widened in shock. "What? S? Could this be too much for me?"
His mind flashed back to the manga panels. He remembered the Orc Temple—it was filled with hundreds, maybe thousands, of orcs. But if he could defeat them... "I wonder how many tokens I could get? If I remember correctly, the Orc Lord is one of the seven lords ruling the Mu Continent. Defeating him would make me significantly stronger."
He made his decision. "Let's get moving!"
The journey was long and arduous. The sun began to set, painting the sky in shades of orange and purple. Kurogane finally stood before a massive, dark temple. Its entrance was twice the height of a man, adorned with intricate carvings.
As he stepped inside, a cold, damp air greeted him. The place resembled a dungeon, but it was strangely—empty.
"Where is everyone?" he asked himself, his voice echoing off the stone walls. "Is this a trap? In the manga, this place was swarming with soldiers."
He advanced cautiously. The stone floor caused his footsteps to echo. "This leads to the main chamber. They're probably all in there."
He approached the massive stone doors, covered in carvings depicting battle scenes. He took a deep breath and pushed them open.
Inside were hundreds—perhaps thousands—of orcs. They all turned at once, and the moment they saw Kurogane, they charged.
At the far end of the hall, a massive orc sat on a majestic throne. The Orc Lord stood up and roared:
"Since you are brave and strong enough to come here, then prove it!"
[ Quest: Defeat the Orc Lord ]
[ Reward: 1,000,000 Tokens ]
[ Time Limit: None ]
[ Penalty: Death ]
Hundreds of orcs began rushing toward Kurogane. He didn't hesitate.
"Shadow Dagger!"
[ Ability Active: Shadow Dagger -25 Mana ]
[ Remaining Mana: 50/8000 ]
Attacks capable of cutting even spirits shot forth from the dagger in his hand. Half of the orcs charging at him instantly fell to the ground, their lives extinguished.
The Orc Lord watched in astonishment. Then he bellowed: "Resurrection Mages! To your posts!"
From the dark corners of the temple, orc mages in robed attire appeared. With glowing staves in hand, they directed green beams of light toward the dead orcs. The fallen orcs immediately rose to their feet, but this time their eyes were empty and vacant—they were now immortal.
Kurogane remembered the manga panels. "In the manga, when they were resurrected, they became immortal. But it doesn't matter! This dagger cuts souls!"
He attacked again. "Soul Slash!"
The attacks from the dagger reached the resurrected orcs, and they immediately collapsed—this time, never to rise again.
The Orc Lord roared in fury. As the mages prepared another resurrection spell, Kurogane sprang into action.
"Enhanced Jump!"
[ Ability Active: Enhanced Jump -10 Mana ]
[ Remaining Mana: 40/8000 ]
He instantly leaped to the other end of the temple. He drew his katana and began taking down the mages one by one. Each of his strikes was lethal and precise. Within seconds, eight of the ten mages were neutralized.
But the last two mages had cast protective spells. They raised their staves and shouted: "Armored Legion, heed our call!"
Instantly, the temple filled with armored orcs. At the same time, the Enhanced Jump duration expired.
"Ah, these mages are so annoying!" Kurogane grumbled. "I have to kill them one by one."
He decided to take a risk. He raised his katana and shouted with all his might:
"Shadow Cleave!"
[ Ability Active: Shadow Cleave -25 Mana ]
[ Remaining Mana: 15/8000 ]
A crescent-shaped, dark gray energy erupted from his sword. This energy obliterated all the orcs standing before him—including the mages. The temple floor cracked under the attack's force.
The Orc Lord watched in astonishment. Then he slowly rose to his feet. "This... is truly interesting. But let's see how long you can last?"
A look of concern crossed Kurogane's face. "He's right. How long can I last? I only have 15 mana left. The rewards are great, and there's no time limit, but my mana is almost gone."
Just then, the Orc Lord stood to his full height. The few remaining orcs respectfully stepped back and knelt. The Orc Lord took heavy steps forward, stopping before his throne. He was so tall he nearly touched the temple ceiling. His muscles tensed and relaxed with every movement. In his hand, he held a massive axe the size of a man.
"I will end this now, mortal," he roared, his voice echoing throughout the temple.
Kurogane tightened his grip on his katana. With only 15 mana, how would he fight this gigantic creature? He didn't have the answer yet, but there was no retreat. He had to fight.