"Boss...? What, what do you mean?"
"It means you must now take the role of the one you followed."
Ivan gestured with his chin toward the headless orc shaman. The orc glanced at the shaman's corpse and trembled.
"What... what should I do?"
"Take it."
With the tip of his foot, he nudged the artifact rolling on the ground.
The staff rolled toward the orc's feet. Suddenly, the orc's gaze turned to the staff.
Even amid fear, his greed stood out.
It seems this object truly has some power.
Ivan narrowed his eyes as he observed the orc. The orc cautiously picked up the staff while watching for any reaction.
"Urgh...!!"
"What do you see?"
Though he didn't fully trust the claim of future sight, it seemed some bizarre spell was indeed cast on the object.
The orc flinched and stared intently at the obsidian sphere attached to the end of the staff for a long time.
Ivan slowly placed his hand on his waist. The cold axe handle slipped between his fingers.
"What do you see?"
The orc blinked his small eyes.
-Don't move.
An unfamiliar voice echoed in his head. A low voice like a growling beast. A voice that forged overwhelming fear and despair from some corner of instinct and drove it into his mind.
-Don't move.
The orc froze stiffly. He couldn't take his eyes off the staff. He didn't know what this was or what magic it contained, but if there was one thing he understood:
It was whispering the future.
A vision covered his eyes. A cool flash was rushing toward his throat.
-CRACK!!
"Urgh?!"
The orc gasped in terror and rubbed his nape. He had vividly felt the sensation of an axe blade cutting through his neck.
He frantically clutched his neck but found no wound.
It was an illusion. The orc raised his head, trembling with fear.
He instinctively understood that if he had moved just now, he would have died like that.
And before his gaze, death was looking down at him.
"I asked what you see."
The same posture as before he grabbed the staff.
Arms hanging loosely, blue eyes looking down without emotion, a silhouette so still it was doubtful whether he was even breathing.
Identical to before, yet completely different.
Death stood there. Embodied death was looking down at him. Something impossible to resist or oppose.
An overwhelming gap.
Now he understood. Thanks to recognizing the future shown by this artifact, the Devil's Eye, he realized.
No matter what he did, no matter what choice he made among the countless possibilities of the future. The moment the being before him decided, he would die.
The orc had seen such beings long ago. Those who wore mortal flesh but carried the dignity of immortals.
Demons worship power. Survival alone is the essence of demonkind. Therefore, the orc finally bowed his head willingly.
From the demon residential district to Krasilov, he had been a strong warrior who advanced believing only in "the revelation shown by the Devil's Eye."
But, no, precisely because of that.
Having enough skill to recognize the strong, and having forcibly awakened the perspective of the strong through the relic.
His spirit broke. Before the dignity of a being that no effort or coincidence could ever reach.
The orc slowly bowed his head and, pressing the staff firmly to his chest, bent his waist respectfully.
"Please... please spare me."
"Very well."
From beneath the forest shadows came the sound of "Death" laughing. Yet even in that moment, the blue eyes among the shadows watched his hands without any emotion.
-Don't move.
The staff warned once more. If he showed even slightly suspicious behavior, he would surely die. The orc cowered in fear.
"So you can indeed see the future."
Ivan pushed the half-drawn axe back into his sword belt.
Asidis Einarsdottir is a creative student. In fact, without considerable creativity, a music student couldn't be born in Droan.
Her creativity mostly led to obsessions and delusions, but in certain special moments, it became a factor in demonstrating remarkable learning ability.
For instance, at points like this:
-Be most vigilant in places you consider safe.
This is Uncle Ivan's teaching. Since Uncle Ivan always said the right things except for very minor flaws, Asidis tried to memorize all his teachings word for word.
Therefore.
"GRAAAARGH!!"
It was easy enough for her to identify all the traps that Ivan and the counterintelligence headquarters had deployed throughout the forest, their locations and types, and then use them to her advantage.
Uncle Ivan had kindly written [Teachings] near every trap, so her learning efficiency doubled.
-There are no straight lines in nature.
Basic rope traps, somewhat complex net traps, and even floor traps cleverly hidden beside those traps.
Asidis was quietly hiding with camouflage bushes on her head, watching orcs fall victim to the traps.
As she once recalled, Asidis is a master of lurking. During her time at the Droan court, no one could penetrate her hiding when she concealed herself. (The Huskarls adore Asidis.)
'Maybe I have talent as a spy.'
The sad truth that conducting guerrilla warfare in the forest is not a quality of a spy, and that spies don't actually hide and lurk, is not taught in school.
The only spy Asidis had ever seen was Ivan, and since she was copying exactly what Ivan did, she thought she might be the successor to the world's greatest spy.
Asidis smiled proudly as she raised Boomer 2nd (her baton, 2 months old).
It was time to clean up those creatures and finish reconnaissance.
Day six of being stranded.
The (new) Hero Party had completely transformed into a scout team.
Thanks to having a good teacher.
The Demon King is not simply a royal title.
In a world where value must be proven through strength, among those who consider struggle alone their essence, if they can still lower their blades toward each other for a single purpose.
That is the faith of the Demon King. A lighthouse for a better land, better life, better world; a cross star that dispels darkness; a cradle for the weak; a fortress for warriors.
Therefore.
"Though you wander through the valley of death.
Fear not. For I am your comfort."
There's a prejudice that orcs are generally stupid. In most cases, it's true. They expend their entire learning capacity on struggle.
But if there's one thing even they can recite, it would be the prayer for the Demon King.
The surviving orcs, each with a devout expression, clutched their weapons tightly and whispered.
"I am the cross star of the darkest night.
I am the lighthouse of the stormy sea.
I am your cradle, your fortress."
"Fear not. For I am your comfort."
Their glorious past record as [2nd Dragon General's 103rd Infantry Battalion 23rd Strike Team].
Today's disgrace as [3rd Quadrant Demon Residential District Northwest Kadaron Plains Camp].
No title or career is sufficient to explain their present.
Now they were merely demons, each one praying.
After finishing their prayers, the orcs rose from their seats.
"Filthy humans."
One orc grumbled, grinding his teeth. The few surviving orcs each responded with shouts.
How did they know to lay all sorts of traps in advance on the land directly revealed by the Demon King?
During the march, they suddenly raided and kidnapped all the great shamans and warriors.
As they avoided traps, warriors would disappear—two, three, sometimes up to five at a time.
Looking for them, they now had only four members left.
And decisively, not a single leader remained to guide them. With even the "Devil's Eye" gone, the orcs were floundering in despair.
-Rustle.
Just then, they heard the sound of bushes parting beyond the clearing where they had gathered.
The orcs each grabbed their weapons and stood up, glaring at the bushes.
Is this the end? But at least they would meet a final end that would satisfy Tumor's gaze.
As they prepared for their final battle with such warrior-like resolve.
"Are you, are you all that's left?"
"Ignak?! You're, you're alive?!"
"Yes."
Thump, thump. The orc who appeared, leaning on a staff, was one of the missing great warriors—Ignak, who had been at the bottom rank of the great warriors.
The orcs looked at the relic in his hand and wept.
"How?! What happened to Lord Rotslorog?"
"Only I could return alive."
Ignak shook his staff with a dark expression.
"In his final moment, Rotslorog handed this to me and bought time. The humans are surrounding this forest now."
"It will be our final battle then. May Tumor's blessing be with us."
"It's too early to give up."
"...Pardon?"
Ignak surveyed the orcs with firm eyes.
"I hear there are human noble children 'camping' in this forest for recreation. Some of our warriors were 'hunted' for their amusement. Is there any reason we can't do the same?"
If inexperienced children were gathered playing house games.
Then couldn't they take those young ones as prisoners and escape this hellish forest?
Ignak declared, clutching the Devil's Eye tightly.
"I too can see revelations. Brothers. Though I cannot see the distant future like Rotslorog, follow me and let's return alive to our homeland."
"But Ignak. What about the 'revelation' Rotslorog saw?"
"We must return home and find another shaman to come back. None of us can directly interpret the Demon King's revelation."
This operation was a failure. From the moment they lost the shaman, there was no one left who could confirm the "Demon King's revelation" that the shaman had supposedly seen.
But they couldn't honorably die in battle either. If they couldn't deliver this news to their compatriots back home, their people would just wait endlessly and slowly wither away.
So, at least one person had to return alive.
The orcs, persuaded by Ignak's words, nodded.
In the night forest, flames become a highly visible target.
Crackle, crackle. A campfire scattering red sparks and white smoke rising hazily above it swayed in the middle of the forest.
A group of orcs was walking toward it. Holding gleaming spears high. With resolute expressions, without fear.
-Target spotted.
Elfihera Grikenkos closed one eye and whispered with her index finger and thumb forming a circle in front of her other eye.
She had mixed far-sight and dark-vision spells on the spot to create a new magic.
The darkness of the forest was no longer a problem for her. She climbed a tree and maintained the spell between her fingers as she looked down at the orcs.
Hearing her voice, Asidis waved her hands vigorously.
-Rustle!
From the bushes opposite the campfire, a fist rose once and then lowered.
Confirmed. Ready. That was the meaning.
In the night forest, flames become a highly visible target. This is "common sense" taught by Ivan.
Like all advice Ivan usually gives, this too can be interpreted in two ways.
High visibility meant a greater risk of being detected by predators.
Conversely, bait naturally needs to be placed where it can be seen well to lure prey.
The scout apprentices (20s, college students) who had now become proper hunters watched the approaching orc group with cold eyes.