Chapter 42: The Orc Camp
Fortunately, the terrain was similar to the wasteland past the Lower Sector. Leonard, who was already used to navigating such environments, took the lead.
To be on the safe side, he also summoned Joker in its mist state to scan for threats farther away.
"Why did a fog suddenly appear?" Harley felt alarmed by the sudden mist.
"Don’t worry, this is my summon. He will allow us to spot monsters and also hide us." Leonard explained.
She raised an eyebrow in intrigue but didn’t ask any questions.
Following the orc’s trail, they stopped before a raging river.
"The currents look strong." Winston remarked. "The orc probably didn’t have trouble crossing it, but we might be swept away by the current."
"Better find a way around it." Harley nodded.
If even Winston, who weighed almost twice her, feared he might get swept away, she wasn’t willing to get anywhere near it.
"No. I have a better idea." Leonard declared as he approached a nearby tree.
"Who would have thought that my Lumberjack title would come in handy?" He chuckled in amusement.
With the title’s effect that made severing trees 100% easier, Titanic Oath effortlessly cut through the tree in a single strike.
The tree tilted to the side and toppled loudly to the ground across the river, creating a makeshift bridge.
"Won’t the sound attract monsters?" Winston argued, fearful of a potential monster wave.
Leonard shook his head.
"We are in the middle of a forest. Falling trees have become normal around here. Nothing would pay attention to us."
Harley quietly stared at the fallen tree before glancing at his arms.
"This wasn’t just raw strength... you have the technique down to a notch." She observed in admiration.
"Cutting trees wasn’t just my form of training and a way to clear the air, but it was also my main method of gathering funds before awakening." Leonard replied, nonchalantly crossing over to the other side.
She was the second to pass, her figure easily able to maintain balance.
As for Winston, he almost fell on several occasions, forcing him to cling to the tree’s trunk and crawl across it at a snail’s pace.
"Are you afraid of water?" Leonard noticed his deathly pale face once he came over to the other side.
"Obviously! Look at me and my equipment. If I fall, I’ll sink faster than a rock!" Winston shuddered.
The party continued to follow the trail. Eventually, they managed to make out a plume of smoke over the horizon.
No awakener was bold enough to give away their position. Without a doubt, they were traveling toward an orc camp.
Just then, the mist shuddered. Joker had sensed an approaching presence, yet judging by the summon’s lack of urgency, it wasn’t hostile.
Leonard hesitated for a moment before allowing the mist to disperse.
"Get ready." He threw a glance to his party, and his eyes focused ahead.
For a moment, everyone held their breath, preparing to meet either a foe or an ally.
A man wearing gauntlets and a woman holding a long staff emerged from the other side.
"Finally, humans at last!" William exclaimed with a relieved smile.
Leonard recognized the man instantly. He was the leader of the party filled with awakeners from the Upper Sector that had asked Elizabeth Starlight to join their group, only to be rejected.
"Nice to meet you... Judging by our encounter, it must mean that everybody participating in the academy examination was teleported here together. Have you come across anybody else? Monsters, humans?" He asked while remaining mindful of the two.
William wasn’t offended by Leonard’s vigilance.
"Yes, we have met both humans and monsters. Actually, we have already formed a temporary campsite where we aim to regroup with as many of us as we can. Samantha and I are here in search of others."
Samantha nodded. She had shoulder-length green hair and blue eyes. The robe she wore looked light, and her staff appeared to be crafted from ancient wood.
"Happy to make acquaintances. Let’s cut to the chase. I am past Level 10 and have the Healer class. Although you might be skeptical of us, you can’t deny the benefit of having a healer nearby, right?" She said it in a monotone, no doubt already having repeated the same words to others.
Leonard’s eyes narrowed.
"You are a Healer? Can you cure corruption, or at least halt it?" He asked hopefully.
Samantha shook her head dejectedly.
"I’m sorry. I haven’t advanced enough to know how to do that. However, I can mend most wounds, even some life-threatening ones."
William puffed out his chest.
"I also have passed Level 10 and possess a class. Mine is Brawler. Thanks to my upbringing in the Upper Sector, you can rest easy knowing that I can handle myself well in a fight."
Leonard’s party exchanged glances. Refusing to join forces would have been foolish, so they briefly introduced themselves. With that, the party’s size increased to five members.
They tried to search for others but didn’t find anyone. After the scouting was over, they climbed over a small hill. Looking past it, they finally caught sight of the orc camp.
The distance was too great to make out many details. Leonard could only tell that the orc tribe was large, with a considerable number of members. Their huts looked primitive, with some larger than the rest, likely reserved for the higher-ranking orcs.
"Do you see them at the center?" William pointed forward with his finger.
Leonard narrowed his eyes, focusing on the camp.
"Are those... humans? They’ve captured some of us?" He whispered, noticing more than a dozen humans locked inside cages, their limbs restrained.
"Indeed, they have." Samantha sighed regretfully. "That’s why we were so keen on scouting the surrounding area. The orcs seem to be aware of our presence and are actively hunting and imprisoning us."
"Wait, the monsters in the Void chose to capture us instead of eating us?" Winston remarked, his gaze dropping to a deep hole within the camp.
The pit served as a graveyard where the orcs threw bones and other inedible remains.
Orcs normally had no problem eating human meat, so it was strange that they hadn’t done so in this case.
"Yes, we have no idea why. It could be a trap to lure us in, or perhaps they’re preparing them for some kind of sacrifice. Nevertheless, the orc’s tribe is the reason we set up our campsite in such close proximity. Once we’re ready, we plan to strike when they least expect it." William nodded.
"You mean everybody you’ve encountered is ready to take part in a rescue mission?" Leonard found it hard to believe.
Even though the Void Believers had interfered with the entrance exam, there was still a clear divide between those from the different sectors. Why would a resident of the Upper Sector risk his life to save someone from the Middle or Lower Sectors?
Although Leonard had willingly jumped in after Daisy to save her when she had been in distress, the circumstances were vastly different. These awakeners weren’t kids but adults.
Launching an attack on the orc camp would certainly get some of them killed, and there was little to no personal benefit to gain.
William was silent for a second.
"Rescuing them is our secondary objective. The main reason we plan to strike is the pit they’ve dug up. One of our scouts noticed that there’s a communication amulet resting inside. Our goal is to retrieve it."
He glanced toward Leonard and the others.
"The corruption is slowly advancing, and we can’t stop it. Relying on the academy staff to find us amidst the entire Void is naïve. The only chance we have to survive is by getting that amulet and sending a distress signal ourselves!"
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