Chapter 12: The Orc Lord’s Arrival
The dungeon chamber was filled with thick smoke and dust, making it difficult to see more than a few meters ahead. The remains of the Orc Hero lay in the center, its massive body still radiating heat from the intense battle.
The hunters were in bad shape.
Out of the original twelve members, only six were still able to fight.
Three had collapsed from exhaustion, their energy completely drained.
Two had severe injuries—one clutched his wounded arm, while another struggled to breathe, his ribs likely fractured from an earlier impact.
The last six, including Mon and Bert, stood at the ready, weapons raised.
A hunter with a shield panted heavily. "I... I don't think I can take another fight..."
Another hunter, gripping his staff, looked at the sealed exit, his hands trembling. "There's no way out. We're trapped here until we clear the dungeon..."
Bert wiped sweat off his forehead and rolled his shoulders, unfazed. "Good. Saves us the trouble of chasing our next opponent."
Mon, however, wasn't as calm.
His Dimensional Storage trick had worked perfectly against the Orc Hero, but this new opponent...
Something felt wrong.
And then—
---
The Orc Lord Appears
BOOM. BOOM. BOOM.
The entire dungeon trembled, cracks forming along the walls.
From the darkness of the second gate, a massive figure emerged—one that dwarfed even the Orc Hero.
[Boss Monster: Orc Lord – A-Rank]
Unlike the previous boss, this one carried no weapon.
It didn't need one.
Its bare hands were as large as shields, its muscles thicker than tree trunks, covered in blackened scars that told the story of countless battles.
But the most terrifying part—
Its speed.
The moment it stepped into the chamber, it vanished.
And then—
BOOM!
The nearest hunter didn't even have time to react.
The Orc Lord appeared in front of him in an instant, grabbing his torso—
CRASH!
And slamming him into the wall, knocking him out cold in a single hit.
The battle had begun.
---
The Problem with Dimensional Storage
Mon quickly tried to activate Dimensional Storage, aiming for the monster's neck—
But he couldn't see it.
The battlefield was still filled with thick smoke and floating dust from their previous battle.
And the Orc Lord moved too fast.
Mon clenched his fists. "I can't risk using it blindly. If I miss the timing, I might expose myself."
Bert, meanwhile, had already engaged the boss, dashing between its attacks.
---
A Desperate Fight
Bert moved in a blur, his dual daggers flashing as he struck at the Orc Lord's legs.
SHING! SHING!
The blades connected, but—
CLANG!
It was like cutting steel.
The Orc Lord barely flinched, its skin too thick for a normal attack to pierce deeply.
And then—
WHOOSH!
The monster swung its massive arm, forcing Bert to backflip away just in time.
Mon raised his new Dual Berettas, firing a rapid burst of precise shots—
BANG! BANG! BANG!
Each bullet hit the monster's head and joints—but it barely reacted.
The Orc Lord turned toward Mon, its eyes glowing red.
And then it charged.
Mon's mind raced. "I need a plan—fast."
---
Surviving the Onslaught
The remaining hunters tried to assist.
A fireball shot toward the Orc Lord's side—
BOOM!
But the flames barely scorched its skin.
A spearman attempted to stab its exposed back—but the Orc Lord spun with unnatural speed, grabbing him mid-air—
And throwing him across the chamber like a ragdoll.
CRASH!
Another hunter down.
Mon's heart pounded. They were losing people fast.
---
Bert's Counterattack
Bert, instead of retreating, grinned.
"So you're tough, huh?" he muttered, adjusting his grip on his daggers.
The Orc Lord lunged at him—but this time, Bert anticipated it.
He sidestepped just as the boss's massive fist came crashing down—
BOOM!
The ground shattered where Bert had just been standing.
And in that brief moment—
Bert spun around to the Orc Lord's back, his blades flashing.
SHING! SHING!
He targeted the back of its knees—the weakest joint in its massive frame.
This time—
Blood sprayed.
The Orc Lord stumbled forward slightly, its balance shaken for the first time.
Mon's eyes widened. "That's it! We have to go for the joints!"
---
Mon's Gamble
Realizing their best chance, Mon took a deep breath and did something reckless.
Instead of running away—
He rushed toward the monster.
The Orc Lord, sensing his approach, swung its massive arm—
Mon dove under the attack, sliding across the stone floor, and—
BANG! BANG! BANG!
He fired point-blank into the Orc Lord's ankle joint.
BOOM!
The concentrated shots pierced through the weakened joint—
Making the Orc Lord stagger.
Bert didn't waste the opportunity.
He jumped onto its back, dual daggers glowing as he struck with all his strength—
SHING!
His blades dug deep into the back of its neck.
The Orc Lord let out a deafening roar, swinging its arms wildly—
But Mon was already in position.
He raised both guns—
And fired straight into the monster's skull.
BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!
The final shot hit the exact spot Bert had cut open.
The bullet pierced through.
And with one final shudder, the Orc Lord collapsed.
---
Exit and Gratitude
[Congratulations! You have defeated the Orc Lord!]
The surviving hunters fell to their knees, overwhelmed by exhaustion and relief.
Of the original twelve, only five remained standing.
Two injured members were helped up by their teammates.
One hunter approached Mon and Bert, bowing slightly. "If it weren't for you two, we wouldn't have made it out alive. Thank you."
Another sighed in relief. "We owe you our lives."
Mon simply nodded, his expression unreadable.
Bert smirked, stretching his arms. "You're welcome. Now let's get out of here."
As they finally stepped through the exit gate, a single thought crossed Mon's mind—
"If an A-Rank boss was in an F-Rank dungeon... something is seriously wrong with this world."