I got into school for nothing - 138
I got into school for nothing (138)
Lesson 28. Picnic of Ruin - 5
The level of orcs born in lower-ranked F-grade dimensions has a clear limit.
According to the levels defined by the Union system, they could at best reach Level 10. Or, if they were lucky enough to survive with good weapons, manage to grow their horde, and succeed in hunting all monsters in the area, perhaps they could reach Level 20.
But beyond that was impossible.
With strength only around Level 20, there were limits to expanding the horde's size, and orcs couldn't grow without consistently hunting stronger monsters.
—Until a star fell from the sky, the orcs of Ur-Aha were no different.
—KABOOOM!
“Kieeeek! What is it? A star fell!”
During a monster wave, all the monsters in the area were rampaging madly, heading toward the nearest human kingdom, Papitar.
Right in the midst of an orc horde, which was moving, swept up in the monster wave without a clear leader.
Suddenly, a colossal 'star' fell from the sky, crushing hundreds of orcs with its shockwave and embedding itself deep into the earth.
“Get away, run! The heavens are enraged!”
“Kiiiiiiii!”
While other orcs, temporarily freed from the influence of the infection wave by the shockwave of the falling star, watched in horror and fear, trying to get as far away from the scene as possible.
Only Artura attempted to approach it.
“Artura! You’ll die, get away!”
“Artura!”
“Quiet! That’s mine!”
The moment Artura saw the star fall, he instinctively knew his destiny had come directly for him.
His name was clearly given for this very moment!
Shoving aside the orcs trying to stop him, he approached the crater on the ground, feeling his heart pound ever more intensely.
It was as if the star was resonating with his very heart.
“A sword...”
The moment he saw it, half-embedded in the pit, Artura lost himself, gazing upon it in awe.
His heart was thrumming as if it would burst at any second.
Artura reached out, as his heart commanded, grasped the sword hilt, and pulled it from the earth.
—Colossal, overwhelming power.
“Krugh?!”
An image surged forth.
—Only that which frees me.
“Kuhak, Kraaaaaaaaaagh!”
An image many times denser, richer, and more destructive than Artura’s trivial and insignificant life.
He was swallowed whole by it, unable to offer any proper resistance.
It was the moment Artura’s individual ego was utterly extinguished.
In its place, an orc lord was born.
“Colossal... overwhelming power.”
In an instant, his body swelled, and destructive power permeated every fiber of his muscles, writhing within him.
Wildness erupted, and dense mana surged, enveloping his entire body and overflowing into the greatsword.
The crimson energy coalescing at the greatsword's tip was unmistakably or!
“Only that which will set me free...!”
Artura, who had once been smaller than the two-meter-long greatsword, had now become a three-meter-tall behemoth, capable of casually slinging the weapon across his back, and he turned to look behind him.
At the intense wave of energy that erupted the moment Artura grasped the greatsword, all the orcs in the vicinity froze, turning their attention to him.
“Ah, Artura.”
“Artura is...”
“Colossal, overwhelming power!”
Artura, who was no longer truly Artura, cried out in a booming voice, a sly smile, reminiscent of someone else, playing on his lips.
“I, Artura, shall show you! Orcs, follow me!”
“Lord!”
“He has become a Lord!”
“A Lord has been born! Our ruler!”
The orcs, easily recognizing his transformation from the waves of spiritual power Artura emanated, acknowledged him as their Lord and immediately fell to their knees.
Soon, even the infection wave was altered by Artura’s spiritual power, beginning to mutate all other monsters, not just orcs, into orcs.
A grand army of hundreds of thousands of orcs had been born.
Artura, now an orc lord, instantly transcended the limits of a lower-ranked dimension, possessing a strength equivalent to Level 80 by Union system standards.
Of course, this was thanks to acquiring a Relic, but his ability to fully draw out its power was due to the exceptional potential of Artura’s spiritual energy. In a sense, his acquisition of the Relic could even be called destiny.
The orcs influenced by his spiritual power also surpassed their individual limits, gaining strength equivalent to at least Level 30. This was a level that even the might of a single kingdom from a lower-ranked dimension could never hope to stop, not even if they died and came back to life.
No, with the mutated infection wave now at play, a terrible situation would unfold where the number of orcs would only increase with every battle fought.
Though it was unknown 'who exactly threw the Relic into the midst of the orc horde,' as Yumina had said, this was the starting point of a catastrophe worthy of being written in textbooks.
At this rate, a grand orc army, having swallowed one dimension whole, could plunder dimension-crossing spaceships and invade other dimensions.
Once an orc wave gains momentum, it never stops until the Lord is dead. An orc wave led by an orc lord who has grown stronger through continuous evolution possesses the potential to destroy even higher-ranked dimensions....
“That greatsword, it wasn't a mistake after all.”
“Krrr... A weakling, yet courageous.”
Artura bared his fangs and grinned, looking at the human who had suddenly flown down from the sky and landed before his eyes.
“But that, human, is called recklessness. As recompense for blocking our advance, I shall tear you limb from limb.”
The greatsword, connected to his soul, was still vibrating powerfully, informing him.
That he was the strongest one here.
To rip apart these nobodies who dared to stand in his way.
“But you... female, only you please me. I shall spare you and take you as my wife.”
“......”
Artura, having set his sights on the pink-haired human woman, gripped his greatsword and aimed it at the men.
Ban Yuwon, the human man blocking his path, sighed in exasperation at that reaction.
“So when an orc wields a Relic, even their tastes resemble the original owner?”
“Original owner?”
“Lyu Cheolmyeong.”
Ban Yuwon kindly provided the answer to Light, who didn’t seem to have realized it yet.
“That greatsword belongs to Lyu Cheolmyeong. Of course, it’s not something he ever showed us, but I’m certain.”
“It was that?!”
“The blindly enormous energy is an exact match.”
Rucell, it seemed, had noticed, unlike Light.
Ban Yuwon gazed at the enemy before him, who looked as if Lyu Cheolmyeong had been severely degraded and merely covered in orc skin, and sighed in disbelief.
How on earth did Lyu Cheolmyeong’s greatsword end up with an orc...? It would probably be a waste of time to think too deeply about that.
If he recovered it, could he report it to the Academy?
No way. Lyu Cheolmyeong wasn't a fool; he would have prepared an escape route.
It was also highly likely that he hadn't personally brought the greatsword here. And bluntly, if he claimed the sword had been lost a long time ago somewhere, how could they press him further?
“Ban, are you really going to be okay? That guy, as annoying as he is, definitely has skill. Given the aura that orc is emitting now, even I wouldn't be confident without drawing my holy sword...”
“I’m not confident either. That’s why we have to fight.”
Ban Yuwon drew the Executioner's Longsword.
His inventory naturally opened, and two Stormrain Swords emerged from it, circling around Ban Yuwon.
“Light, Rucell, I’m counting on you then. Even if I look to be in danger, don’t interfere unless I ask for help.”
“Ban...”
“Understood, Yuwon. Good luck.”
Rucell nodded firmly, seemingly trusting Ban Yuwon, then retreated to engage the other orcs. Light, too, ultimately failed to dissuade Ban Yuwon and drew his spear, moving away from him.
With just three individuals blocking the advance of an army numbering in the hundreds of thousands, the orcs were surging forward from all sides, stampeding wildly, like water bursting from a blocked hose nozzle.
Even this reduced number was thanks to Dokgo Yeon, who was tearing through the battlefield, crushing orc hordes with golems.
“Krruruk! Who dares to stop our advance!”
“It’s humans! Kill the men, capture the women!”
“Hah.”
“Where do you think you’re going...!”
Each one of them boasted a strength of 'Life' 300, a level capable of easily trampling even Irekto from when he first enrolled.
This demonstrated just how absurd an orc lord was and how terrifying a calamity an orc wave could be... Fortunately for Rucell, who was emitting lightning from her entire body, and Light, who was gradually awakening his Dragonoid power, the orcs were beings they could easily crush like ants.
However, even ants can challenge a human if a million of them gather, so they had to eliminate the orc lord as quickly as possible.
“Female, where do you think you’re running off to!”
“I said, fight me.”
Ban Yuwon once again blocked the orc lord, who had been attempting to pursue Rucell.
“Interrupting again, you insect!”
“Hooop―!”
The agitated creature suddenly pushed off the ground, charged forward, and brought its greatsword down vertically, attempting to cleave him in half. But Ban Yuwon frantically extended his sword's flat to parry the blow.
—Clang!
The moment sword clashed with sword, two Stormrain Swords flew in from either side, meeting the greatsword and distributing the force.
‘This is definitely tough, damn it...!’
In terms of raw strength, he couldn't win, not even if he died and came back to life.
With all three swords, Ban Yuwon unfolded the profound principles of 'Flow'.
While it was natural to unleash the essence of martial arts with the Executioner's Longsword, his ability to instantly manifest the same technique with two Stormrain Swords in an urgent situation was proof of how accustomed Ban Yuwon had become to wielding martial arts with a sword.
“You gnat-like wretch, I’ll crush you!”
Clang! KABOOOM!
The orc lord, stupidly channeling all his strength, brought his greatsword down again and again.
On the greatsword's blade, crimson or had already condensed.
‘Lyu Cheolmyeong’s or, damn it!’
Clang! Clang! KABOOOM!
In a situation where his sword might be severed at any moment, Ban Yuwon gritted his teeth, focused his Hyungi into his blade, and repeatedly deflected the enemy's attacks.
Each clash generated a horrific din, but since he flowed with most of the impact, it was merely noisy; Ban Yuwon himself didn't receive much of the shock.
‘If I keep flowing with his attacks, he’ll expose an opening eventually. I’ll stab into that opening!’
The repeated clashes of 'Strength' and 'Flow'. Ban Yuwon was able to endure this because he already knew the origin of the sword and or wielded by the orc.
Lyu Cheolmyeong, who, under the guise of helping Ban Yuwon awaken his or during a lecture, had called him out and wildly swung his sword at him.
Ban Yuwon distinctly remembered the strength and trajectory of the sword that bastard had wielded.
‘The concepts of 'Strength' (强, firm) and 'Ascend' (昇, rise) moving diagonally from left to right. Immediately changing direction to press down with the concepts of 'Oppress' (壓, suppress) and 'Heaven' (天, sky)! With this flow, the next move will surely be... that’s it!’
If he knew each flowing concept and movement that bastard’s sword created, he could easily predict how this orc lord, merely a degraded version of that bastard, would wield his sword.
And a sword with such an obvious trajectory, no matter how strong the power within it, could always be deflected.
“Khuk?!”
At last, the awaited moment arrived.
He succeeded in deflecting the greatsword, which had been brought down from above just like before, using the profound principles of 'Deflection,' leaving the enemy’s chest wide open.
Ban Yuwon instinctively activated the concept of 'Acceleration,' accelerating his own thoughts and movements.
‘Penetrate (貫通)!’
Language Magic activated.
He completed and manifested the concept by moving the Hyungi within his body solely through the power of thought.
And he projected forward, imbued with the power to pierce through everything, the Executioner's Longsword he held in his hand, and the two Stormrain Swords that followed it, a total of three blades!
“Kkeo-heok!”
—Kaaang!
The sound of metal violently colliding rang out.
With his posture broken, the orc desperately moved his greatsword, blocking all three blades with its wide flat.
Because he moved so hastily, blocking from an awkward stance, the joints of his arm crunched and ground, mangled, but it was a far lighter injury than having a hole punched through his chest.
“You bastard...!”
“Still not easy, I see.”
Ban Yuwon clicked his tongue and retreated.
Anyway, with the powerful penetrative force of the three swords, he had shattered the joints of the orc’s arm, so dealing with him from now on would be much easier—
“How dare you, you baaaastaaaard! How daaaare youuu!”
Or so he thought.
Perhaps the recent engagement with Ban Yuwon had been so humiliating for the creature, the orc lord roared monstrously and swelled even further in size.
Even the wounded joint areas were restored, covered in grotesque muscle and carapace.
The greatsword he wielded also emitted an ominous vibration, growing to more than 1.5 times its current size.
At the same time, seeing the orc's formerly deep green eyes turn blood-red, Ban Yuwon instinctively thought of Rucell's Heart Furnace.
‘Berserk (狂化)? Indeed, it’s not just a degraded version of Lyu Cheolmyeong after all.’
From now on, this creature was an unknown enemy, born from the fusion of Lyu Cheolmyeong, the orc's Wildness, and madness.
Right, it had been too easy until now.
Tension settled in Ban Yuwon's eyes.
“Kraaaaaagh!”
The orc charged.
Just as expected, the greatsword, imbued with the orc's exploding Wildness, had already transformed, differing from Lyu Cheolmyeong's swordsmanship. Its subtlety was gone, replaced by overwhelming murderous intent and pressure.
And these two elements harmonized significantly with Lyu Cheolmyeong's swordsmanship, making it difficult for Ban Yuwon to contend with.
“I’ll kill you! Right now! You bastard!”
—Clang! Clang! Clang!
The orc lord brought his greatsword down, pouring power into every single word he uttered.
All regularity had vanished from the sword's movements, but the violent sword intent remained. Naturally, deflecting the sword as before was no longer easy.
‘Damn strong, seriously...! Should I summon the Living Armor? No, not yet. I can still do more.’
Ban Yuwon evaded the orc’s sword strikes, moving wildly as he once again accelerated his thoughts.
Ultimately, in every moment of attack, the orc couldn't help but imitate Lyu Cheolmyeong's swordsmanship.
So, if he could just read the flow of 'fluid concepts' arising within the creature’s movements.
If he could pinpoint the exact moment an attack would be launched!
‘Yes—’
As he desperately swung his sword and controlled the two Stormrain Swords, engraving every one of his opponent’s movements into his mind, Ban Yuwon suddenly thought.
‘In the end, everything, even swinging a sword or making a slight movement... can be expressed as a linguistic concept.’
That applied not only to his enemy but also to Ban Yuwon’s own movements.
It was an incredibly obvious truth, yet it struck him anew as remarkably novel.
Then why.
Why had Ban Yuwon, who could interpret, create, and control all languages, until now—
—managed his own body so inefficiently?
‘I can conceptualize all my movements as language, so why have I been trying to cut out and handle only specific moments, like ‘Penetrate’ (貫) or ‘Slash’ (斬)?’
Thanks to observing Lyu Cheolmyeong's swordsmanship and being able to analyze it as a continuous generation and flow of concepts.
Thanks to confronting the orc lord, who wielded a modified version of it, and attempting to read his movements.
Ban Yuwon finally found the direction his swordsmanship needed to take.
‘Dokgo Yeon emphasized the meaning to be imbued in the sword. For her, that would have been death. But I don’t need to think the same way. The meaning imbued in the sword is undoubtedly important—but there was no need to imbue only one thing.’
Because.
Ban Yuwon could manipulate all concepts.
Therefore, what he needed to achieve was not a plausible content, but to create a perfect vessel capable of containing any content.
That would be his swordsmanship, his martial art.
‘If I can read an opponent’s concepts, it’s easy to create a flow of concepts that can break them. And—if I create a swordsmanship that can do that at any time, that is invincibility.’
With that realization, Ban Yuwon’s swordsmanship transformed instantly.
Breaking away from the familiar methods he had ingrained in himself while wielding a sword until now.
It became freer, and more powerful.
Fiercely accelerated thought adjusted all his movements at a minute conceptual level, enabling him to efficiently counter the orc's sword.
—Ching! Cha-ching! Chee-iiing!
Wielding the two Stormrain Swords became even easier.
Because he didn't necessarily think of it as swordsmanship, but rather imbued concepts to move in the most efficient way possible at every moment.
It was akin to continuously employing a somewhat weakened Language Magic; indeed, if he hadn't delved into Language Magic, he wouldn't have dared to imitate a system of movement like this.
And finally, at that precise moment when a gap appeared in the opponent's movements, when the flow of fluid concepts was weakest.
“Kkhat?!”
One Stormrain Sword, flying in like a ghost, successfully struck aside the orc lord's greatsword.
Another Stormrain Sword, following as naturally as if it were part of the first, pierced the orc lord's other hand, the one not gripping the greatsword, halting his movements.
“――!”
In the fleeting moment all fluid concepts vanished from the creature.
Ban Yuwon's sword, imbued not with black light but with radiant golden or, instantly severed the creature's thick neck.
The concepts contained within it were 'Slaughter' (斬殺, to cut and kill), and 'Judgment' (審判). Even if the content had changed, the color and power of the or (the vessel) would not have.
It was the moment Ban Yuwon awakened his own unique or.
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