The Eclipsed Order

Chapter 152: Chapter 152: The Unexpected Threat

They had been inside the dungeon for several hours.

The initial excitement of entering a C-Rank Gate had long since disappeared, replaced by the familiar rhythm of an extended dungeon expedition. The party moved carefully through the dungeon, clearing one group of Orcs after another while maintaining the formation they had established from the beginning.

The Orcs were considerably stronger than the monsters found in D-Rank Gates, but the difference in numbers and experience between the two sides was still too great for the party to be seriously threatened.

Even so, the longer they remained inside, the more noticeable the fatigue became.

The frontliners had accumulated several minor injuries, mostly shallow cuts and bruises from Orc weapons that had slipped through their defenses. None of the wounds were serious enough to threaten anyone’s life, but after several hours of fighting, even small injuries began to accumulate.

The party’s healer moved between them, calmly treating each wound before they continued.

"Hold still for a moment."

A soft green light gathered around her hands.

One of the C-Rank Warriors sat on a fallen stone slab while the healer treated a long slash across his forearm.

"It’s nothing serious," he said.

"I know."

She continued applying the healing magic.

"That doesn’t mean you should leave it untreated."

The Warrior laughed.

"Haha alright, alright."

The wound gradually closed beneath the warm light.

Nearby, one of the B-Rank frontliners was having a shallow cut along his shoulder treated while another party member checked the condition of their equipment.

"We’re getting close, aren’t we?"

The B-Rank mage glanced toward the passage ahead.

"According to the map, yes."

He looked at the others.

"The boss chamber should be somewhere beyond the next few sections."

The party leader, Mr. Choi, nodded.

"Then we’ll take a short break here."

Several members immediately relaxed.

It wasn’t a long break, but everyone understood why it was necessary.

The boss was the only part of the expedition where they couldn’t afford to enter while exhausted.

The Orcs they had fought so far were manageable because the party could control the battlefield, rotate their frontliners, and allow the ranged members to attack from a safe distance. A boss was different.

A boss monster possessed greater physical strength, higher resistance, and, depending on its rank, a unique ability that could completely change the flow of a battle.

Even an experienced party could suffer unnecessary casualties if they entered the boss chamber without enough stamina.

One of the B-Rank Warriors sat down and stretched his arms.

"How many groups have we cleared so far?"

"Too many to count."

The C-Rank Mage beside him laughed.

"I stopped counting after the twentieth group."

Another member smiled.

"At least the dungeon is consistent."

"Consistently full of Orcs."

A few people laughed.

The atmosphere was considerably more relaxed than it had been during the earlier battles.

Ares and Ji Won remained near the rear of the formation, where the porters had been instructed to stay during combat.

Their packs had become noticeably lighter.

After several hours of transporting supplies and carrying the materials recovered from defeated Orcs, there was considerably less weight than when they had entered the dungeon.

Mr. Choi eventually noticed the two of them.

He walked over.

"Are you two doing alright?"

Ji Won looked up.

"We’re fine, Mr. Choi. Don’t tell me you’ve already forgotten? I’ve been doing this long enough that carrying a few packs isn’t going to stop me."

Mr. Choi smiled.

"I remember. I’m just checking."

He glanced at the supplies they were carrying.

Ji Won shook his head.

"We can keep going."

"Is tha so? Then that’s good."

Mr. Choi gave him a friendly pat on the shoulder.

"But we’re getting close to the boss chamber, so I don’t want either of you exhausting yourselves before we reach it."

Ji Won nodded.

"Understood."

Mr. Choi hesitated for a moment before adding,

"And don’t worry about the payment. Since the expedition has taken longer than expected, I’ll increase the porter fee."

Ji Won’s eyes immediately brightened.

"Really?"

"Of course."

Mr. Choi smiled.

"You’ve both stayed with us for the entire expedition and haven’t caused us any trouble. Considering how much longer we’ve been inside than originally planned, it’s only fair."

Ji Won gave a relieved laugh.

"That would help a lot. Thank you."

Mr. Choi nodded.

"Then make sure you keep your strength until the end. We’re almost there."

He paused before asking,

"By the way, how’s your father doing?"

Ji Won’s expression softened slightly.

"The same as usual"

He looked down for a moment.

"The treatment is helping, although there are still a lot of expenses. That’s one of the reasons I accepted this job in the first place."

Mr. Choi nodded slowly.

"I understand."

He looked at Ji Won seriously.

"Just keep going one step at a time. You don’t have to solve everything at once. If you’re able to keep working and take care of your family, that’s already something worth being proud of."

Ji Won smiled.

"Thanks, Mr. Choi."

Mr. Choi gave him another pat on the shoulder.

"Let’s finish this expedition safely first. Then you can worry about everything else."

"Understood."

Mr. Choi returned to the main group.

Ares watched him leave while taking a drink from his water bottle.

What a nice guy.

He wasn’t particularly close to Ji Won, yet he still bothered to check on his situation and encourage him instead of treating him like just another porter.

Ares took another sip.

There were certainly plenty of decent people in this world.

"Are you hungry, Tae-ho?"

Ji Won’s voice brought him out of his thoughts.

Ares looked over.

Ji Won had opened his backpack and was taking out several packed meals.

"I brought more food than we probably need, so don’t worry about finishing everything. If you’re still hungry after that, just take another one."

Ares glanced at the food.

"You prepared all of this?"

"Yeah."

Ji Won smiled.

"I figured we’d be inside for quite a while, so I packed enough for both of us."

Ares nodded.

"Then I won’t hold back."

He reached into the bag and picked up a meal.

Ji Won looked satisfied.

"Go ahead."

Ares opened it and began eating while the rest of the party continued preparing their equipment.

The healer finished treating the last of the minor wounds and stood up.

"Everyone’s ready."

Mr. Choi looked toward the passage ahead.

"Good."

He checked his weapon one final time.

"Rest for another minute, then we’ll move."

The party members gradually rose to their feet.

Some adjusted their armor.

Others checked their weapons and mana reserves.

The mages exchanged a few quiet words about their remaining spell capacity, while the frontliners tested their grips and made sure their equipment was secure.

The stone gate stood at the end of the passage.

Unlike the ordinary dungeon doors they had passed earlier, this one was carved directly into the rock, its surface covered with faint magical markings that pulsed whenever someone approached. Beyond it was the boss chamber.

Everyone stopped.

The party leader, Mr. Choi, looked over the group one last time.

"Check your equipment. Once we open that door, there won’t be much room for mistakes."

The others silently made their final preparations.

The two A-Rank Awakeners tightened their grips on their weapons, while the B-Rank members checked their remaining potions and recovery items. The C-Rank fighters adjusted their armor and made sure their weapons were ready.

Ji Won stood beside Ares with one of the supply packs still strapped to his back.

Ares looked toward the stone gate.

So this is supposed to be an A-Rank boss.

Something about the pressure coming from the other side bothered him.

It wasn’t simply the strength of an A-Rank monster.

There was something heavier beneath it, something that made the mana in the passage feel strangely oppressive.

The report said Orc General.

Ares narrowed his eyes.

But this presence doesn’t feel like an ordinary Orc General.

Ji Won glanced at him.

"Tae-ho?"

Ares looked over.

"Stay close to me."

Ji Won blinked.

"Why?"

"I don’t like what I’m sensing."

Ji Won’s expression became serious.

"Oh, o-okay."

Mr. Choi looked toward them.

"Everyone ready?"

A few nods answered him.

He placed his hand against the stone gate.

"Let’s go."

The markings on the door lit up.

With a deep rumble, the stone began sliding sideways.

A wave of heat immediately rolled through the passage.

The party entered.

The chamber beyond was enormous, with rough stone walls stretching upward into darkness. A faint blue crystal hung high above the center of the room, its light spreading across the chamber and illuminating the ground below.

There was only one figure standing beneath it.

An orc.

But it was not the kind of orc they had encountered throughout the dungeon.

The creature stood nearly four meters tall, with a body covered in thick muscle and dark green skin. Heavy iron armor covered its shoulders and chest, while several old scars crossed its face and exposed arms. A massive greatsword rested against one shoulder, its blade nearly as tall as an ordinary human.

Its tusks were long.

Its eyes were sharp.

And unlike the other orcs, it stood completely still.

As though it had been waiting for them.

One of the A-Rank Awakeners stared at it.

"...That’s supposed to be the Orc General?"

Another slowly lowered his weapon.

"The report said it was around three meters."

Mr. Choi’s expression hardened.

"Reports aren’t always accurate."

The Orc General opened its eyes.

The moment it did, the entire chamber seemed to grow heavier.

Several of the C-Rank Awakeners instinctively tightened their grips.

Even the B-Rank members became more cautious.

Ares remained still.

The Orc General slowly lifted its greatsword.

The blade dragged across the stone floor.

GRRRRRRRR...

The sound echoed throughout the chamber.

Mr. Choi immediately raised his voice.

"Don’t let its size intimidate you!"

The party responded almost immediately.

The tank stepped forward first, shield raised.

The two A-Rank attackers moved alongside him, while the B-Rank warriors spread out to cover the sides. Behind them, the mage and healer prepared their spells, with the C-Rank fighters remaining close enough to support the front without getting caught in the monster’s reach.

Ares and Ji Won stayed farther back with the other porters.

"Remember what we discussed," Mr. Choi called out. "Keep your distance from the sword. If it targets one person, don’t bunch together."

The Orc General moved.

There was no warning.

Its massive body surged forward.

BOOM!

The stone beneath its foot cracked.

The tank barely raised his shield before the greatsword crashed into it.

CLAAAAANG!

The impact drove him backward several meters.

His boots carved deep lines across the floor.

"Ugh!"

The two A-Rank Awakeners attacked immediately.

One struck from the left while the other came from the right.

The Orc General twisted its body and blocked one blade with its greatsword, but the second weapon slipped through and cut across its shoulder.

SHRAK!

Dark blood spilled.

The Orc General roared.

It swung its sword horizontally.

"Move!"

The party scattered.

The blade passed through the space where three people had been standing a moment earlier.

WHOOOOOM!

The force alone sent dust flying across the chamber.

The mage raised both hands.

"Now!"

A barrage of magic descended.

Fire, ice, and compressed wind struck the Orc General from different angles, forcing it to brace against the attacks.

The healer immediately followed.

"Hold still!"

Warm light spread across the tank’s damaged arm and chest, closing the injuries caused by the first exchange.

The tank gritted his teeth.

"I’m fine."

"Then stop trying to block that sword with your face."

A few of the B-Rank fighters laughed despite the tension.

The tank gave the healer an annoyed look.

Mr. Choi raised his voice.

"Enough talking. Push it back!"

The party advanced.

The tank drew the Orc General’s attention while the two A-Rank attackers struck from opposite sides. The B-Rank warriors moved in whenever an opening appeared, attacking its legs and exposed joints before immediately retreating.

The mage continued bombarding it from behind.

The healer remained mobile, moving between the injured whenever someone was forced out of position.

For a moment, the strategy worked.

The Orc General was driven backward.

Another slash opened its side.

A spear pierced its thigh.

A spell struck its chest.

The creature staggered.

Then it planted its greatsword into the ground.

The entire chamber shook.

Everyone froze for a fraction of a second.

The Orc General raised its head.

Its muscles suddenly expanded.

Crimson veins appeared beneath its skin.

The A-Rank Awakener closest to it stepped backward.

"What’s it doing?"

The Orc General pulled its sword from the ground.

BOOOOOOM!

A wave of raw physical force exploded outward.

The tank was thrown off his feet.

Several B-Rank fighters were sent crashing across the chamber.

The mage’s spell was interrupted.

Even the healer was forced several steps backward.

The Orc General charged again.

"Brace!"

The tank barely recovered before the greatsword descended.

CLAAAAANG!

His shield bent inward.

His knees buckled.

The A-Rank Awakener rushed in and struck the Orc General across the ribs.

The blade cut deep.

But the creature didn’t stop.

It swung its elbow.

BOOM!

The A-Rank Awakener was thrown across the chamber.

He crashed against the stone wall and dropped to one knee.

"Are you alright?"

"I’m fine!"

He forced himself upright.

The Orc General roared and charged again.

Mr. Choi’s expression became grim.

"Don’t let it separate us!"

The party regrouped.

The mage began another spell.

The healer moved toward the injured A-Rank Awakener.

The tank planted his shield.

The B-Rank fighters prepared to intercept.

And the Orc General raised its greatsword.

The next clash was about to begin.

Behind them, Ares remained beside Ji Won.

He watched the monster carefully.

Its strength is increasing.

His eyes narrowed.

This isn’t simply an unusually large Orc General.

The corrupted mana surrounding the creature was changing.

Something inside it was awakening.

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