I Became a 6★ Gacha Character-Chapter 563: Wild and Feral 3

There was an orc right in front of me.

It had somehow fooled Grace's 5.5★-level senses and those of countless beast-kin, yet physically failed to hide itself from plain sight.

'...What the hell?'

The only reason I didn't immediately swing my hammer was because of Akutuhum. Whether you'd call it a scout's outfit or an Indian orc's attire, the feathered armor it wore made it look more civilized than the beast-kin natives.

If I hadn't known about Akutuhum, I would've killed it without hesitation, but knowing there was an enlightened orc made me hesitate... maybe? Though not as advanced as a steel-armored, firearm-wielding javelineer, it clearly had a civilized appearance.

Five seconds after making eye contact with the orc. By now it was clear I was looking right at it, and its pupils trembled uncontrollably.

"...Grace?"

"What is it, Roland?" ƒгeewёbnovel.com

The reaction was suspicious as hell, so I felt we should capture it first. I casually called Grace, and the Indian orc slowly began backing away.

A normal orc would have charged the moment it realized it was discovered, or at least tried sniping us or luring us into a trap. Seeing it trying to flee with the enemy right in front of it only strengthened my resolve to capture it. At that moment—

Woof?

Grrr, woof!

Kyaaaang—!

Growl, growl—!

"Is there something suspi—eek?!"

"I still don't see any quest window even after checking again, wh-what?!"

The beast-kin reacted so violently it was like waving a snack in front of a pack of hungry dogs. Before I could even tell Grace to capture the orc, the beast-kin natives leaped from their spots.

Feline beast-kin kicked off from trees, jumping overhead to cut off retreat, while canine beast-kin spread out to form an encirclement. As expected of the tribe's warriors who had been selected from the 66th floor to run hundreds of kilometers to this forest, every single one moved with extraordinary agility.

Mrrrooooo——!

Keu, keueeeek——!!!

Right after the encirclement was complete, a bull beast-kin charged straight ahead with his arms crossed in an X. The sturdy arms that had carried Irene princess-style now showed no mercy as they aimed at the orc.

True to the bull beast-kin name, even just kicking off the ground and charging straight ahead gave the impression of a skilled knight's lance charge. With flesh rippling, swinging just forearms—not even fists—created a sense of pressure like a siege weapon flying through the air.

Startled by that menacing force, the orc couldn't even flee. It just squeezed its eyes shut and was rammed by the bull beast-kin, tumbling to the ground while our companions watched with surprised eyes.

"Wh-what? An orc just appeared out of thin air?"

"Is this why you called me? What's going on..."

Apparently I was the only one who had detected the orc, as my companions were clearly startled. Wondering what was happening, I looked around the chaotic scene and saw the chief picking up a feathered hat. His face instantly contorted as he recognized the object.

"This pig-spawn lowlife bastard...!"

"Th-that is...?!"

Is that how beast-kin curse when talking about orcs? I suppose orcs and kobolds appear as monsters with animal heads, so it might be a sensitive point for beast-kin who only have ears and tails.

While I was marveling at this random detail, the beast-kin warriors looked at the feathered helmet in the chief's hand with serious expressions. Sensing something was wrong, Han Se-ah casually turned her camera and asked a question.

It was the kind of question that asked what that feathered hat was that allowed a mere orc to approach this close, penetrating the senses of so many people. Whether he was pleased with the question or felt there was nothing to hide, he answered immediately.

"This is the sacred relic of the tribe that serves the Great Night Bird. It's not something that this dim-witted monster should possess."

It seemed that just as the five forest fairy villages had five emblems, the beast-kin natives were also divided into five branches, each with their own sacred relic.

The sacred relic of the Great Night Bird who draws the veil of night: the Invisibility Helmet

The sacred relic of the Thunder Bird who judges the wicked: the Lightning Spearhead

The sacred relic of the Stone Hoof who aids the righteous: the Crystal Shield

The sacred relic of the Wave Serpent who makes springs gush forth: the Foam Fang

And the Amber Lantern, sacred relic of the forest's mother, the World Tree

"We serve four divine beasts who protect the forest under Mother World Tree. And they favored us, granting us sacred relics imbued with their power."

"So you're saying one of those sacred relics fell into orc hands."

But isn't this just a Greek and Roman mythology knockoff? The invisibility helmet and lightning spearhead are obviously Hades and Zeus's items. Then the crystal shield would be an Aegis copy... and are the foam fang and amber lantern originals?

Anyway, one of the five sacred relics—which clearly looked like they'd help in a boss fight if collected—was sitting right there on the orc scout's head.

Whether it was a knockoff or not was beside the point—it made sense they'd be religiously outraged. What would happen if a dark wizard serving the Demon Lord appeared wearing priestly robes and the Goddess's symbol? Any priest or temple knight would foam at the mouth in rage.

"If what these human children say is true, then that Orc Champion must have conquered the Great Night Bird tribe."

"Other possibilities..."

"There's no way that strict old man would take out the sacred relic carelessly. He keeps it enshrined, saying it's blasphemous to even touch it."

"But why is this sacred relic being worn by someone like this, not the Champion?"

The beast-kin huddled together whispering, their faces grave. It made sense they couldn't stay calm after hearing that one of the five villages had fallen and a sacred relic had been stolen.

Had the Great Night Bird tribe fallen? Why had the sacred relic come down to the 65th floor? How did they know about us and come to spy? Why was I the only one who noticed it? What was this huge egg, and were the other tribes safe?

Amidst this whirlwind of questions, the orc who had been knocked unconscious by the bull lady's forearm finally regained consciousness.

"Wa-wait! Li-listen to what I have to say!"

Why is it so eloquent?

※

Living as an adventurer had inevitably filled me with prejudice against orcs. Even though they lived in groups and could communicate among themselves, they were barbaric, stupid, dull... basically a race packed with all sorts of negative traits.

So even if Tower orcs could speak, I didn't expect them to be particularly eloquent. It was close to a stereotype, but the image of ordinary, non-named orcs was that of morons howling "uuu-orcs!"

If goblins were seen as weak and despicable little shits, orcs were brainless brutes with only muscle.

"I can explain everything, so don't just strike me down. I don't even have weapons!"

"All talk, this bastard!"

"No, wait! I admit I was hiding and watching secretly, but there's a reason!"

Even though the enlightened orc Akutuhum had broken those stereotypes, seeing the orc in front of me speaking fluently made my head hurt. Was this what they called gestalt collapse or something?

If enlightened Akutuhum was like a calm lake, the orc before us was more like a valley during a rainstorm. When the excited bull beast-kin lady threateningly raised her rock-like fist, the orc started chattering rapidly like he was rapping.

If just being hit by her forearm was enough to send him flying unconscious, what would happen if she deliberately smashed his skull with her fist?

"That sacred relic! I-I came to return it!"

"What?"

Being hit like he'd been struck by a truck must have knocked some sense into him. Without testing the waters or hesitating, the orc frantically began explaining. He clearly hated the idea of having his skull crushed by the bull fist, babbling his explanation, but thanks to his fluent language, it was easy to summarize.

The muscle-brained Orc Champion had refused to use such sacred relics and given it to a named-rank subordinate, but the will of the divine beasts dwelling in the sacred relic had forcibly awakened the orc.

If Akutuhum's brainwashing had been lifted outside the Tower due to the boss monster's death, then this blabbering orc had been freed from brainwashing after equipping a gimmick item with a debuff immunity effect.

"Wait, I didn't touch anything, and the gimmick triggers and plot progression are happening on their own?! So if there are exactly five tribes, each floor from 66 to 70 must have one tribe, and the 70th floor must be where that one is located now?"

-That's what we call being carried, you pretentious bitch LOL Acting innocent when you just effortlessly took down a named-rank monster LOL

-So this has nothing to do with that egg? Then what the hell is that Dynamax dragon egg? LOL

-I don't care about the orc's backstory, when is the Dragon King coming out? I'm holding my breath until the Dragon King comes out and goes ROAAAR

-Invisibility helmet and lightning spear? This is blatantly a Greek/Roman mythology ripoff LOL

-But since it's a game anyway, it's hard to criticize using mythology as the main material, true

The Orc Champion was literally a muscle-brain. He was a battle-maniac who refused to use anything except the ritual tool that forced one-on-one duels with opponents.

When the orc was brainwashed, he thought that was honorable and cool, but thanks to the Great Night Bird's sacred relic, he gained wisdom and saw the reality. With one of the Four Heavenly Kings being breached before implementing even half his plan, it was madness to discard all available strategies simply because "it would look cowardly."

In short, the boss was such a blockhead that the now-intelligent named-rank monster couldn't stand it anymore and deserted. It was absurd, but seeing the viewers' chat made me think:

...So what exactly is that egg?

Enjoy the chappy!