NOVPUB
Chapter 51: Saving A Village
"So this is the Celestial Domain, huh?" Daniel muttered softly, glancing around. He stood atop a forested hill, overlooking a valley shrouded in mist.
The mana was thick—far purer than normal. Everything felt unnaturally calm.
"Come out." Shadows twisted in the air, and in a flash, ten figures knelt before him.
"Glory to the Great Lord." Among them, a familiar rough voice echoed.
Daniel didn’t even glance at them. He pulled out the black cloak he’d obtained from conquering the first floor from his inventory. Right after, a newly bought magic leather armor appeared.
Golden-white with archaic magical patterns, just as he expected.
"My lord, this armor... it truly matches your grandeur. It’s flawless," said Pride in his usual mocking tone.
"Did you flatter your last master this much too when you served Azark?" Daniel cast him a half-glance with a faint smirk.
"A loyal knight must speak of his leader’s greatness. It’s the least I can do, my lord," Pride answered without a second of hesitation.
"Right." Daniel’s smile faded slightly, his face now caught between seriousness and amusement.
"My lord... I smell blood." At that moment, Vorak raised his head, his gravelly voice cutting through the air.
"Where?" Daniel’s eyes narrowed.
"Close. The wind carries it."
Daniel reached into his inventory without hesitation and pulled out a book.
[Skill Book: Fallen Vision]
[Special skill "Fallen Vision" detected.]
[Would you like to learn this skill?]
"Yes." Daniel muttered.
A strange warmth rushed through his eyes. It felt like a curtain of shadows had been pulled aside—his vision grew deeper, clearer.
[Skill learned.]
"Go. Find the source of the blood." Daniel said to Vorak.
Vorak bowed obediently and vanished into the trees in the blink of an eye.
"Azark." Daniel slowly approached the edge of the hill and looked down.
A massive figure appeared behind him. Azark stepped forward, his crimson eyes locked on Daniel.
"Do you know anything about the Celestial Domain?" Daniel asked.
"My memories... before the corruption, they’re gone, my lord. All I remember is the moment I tore my king apart... and eat him. After that, I turned each of my knights into corrupted beasts, one by one." Azark paused, then added in a low, raspy tone:
"Huh? Hold on. You ate your last master?" Daniel raised a brow, giving Azark a deep look.
Azark nodded. Daniel instinctively stepped back a little. Something shifted in the way he looked at him. He couldn’t help but wonder— he dosen’t plan to eat him too right?
"My lord. I’ve reached the source of the blood." Vorak’s voice echoed in his mind.
Daniel closed his eyes and exhaled slowly. He then activated Fallen Vision.
The world around him shifted.
The mist cleared, and a clear image of the valley and beyond came into focus. A village—or what was left of it.
Massive orcs with dark red skin wandered among corpses. Their jagged, broken teeth sank into flesh.
The screams were gone. Only the sound of ripping flesh and guttural growls remained. Men, women... even the children. None were spared.
Daniel frowned. He could have stayed indifferent.
But his mind was already analyzing—should he intervene or not?
Saving the village might earn him some positive reputation and useful information about the area.
Though stepping in would definitely bring trouble. But then again... isn’t trouble the fastest path to getting stronger?
"Vorak, how strong are they? What’s their status?" he asked through the mental link.
"They’re weaker than you, my lord. But they are many." came the quick reply.
"Good." Daniel smirked. Free EXP, wasn’t it?
"Hold them off until we arrive."
Vorak charged toward the village without hesitation, a shadow of pure obedience.
Daniel picked up his pace. The Fallen followed silently behind him, like ghosts.
In the center of the village, about twenty orcs circled the bodies. The sound of tearing meat, snapping bones, and beastly growls filled the air like a hellish symphony.
Then, from within the mist, Vorak struck like a black tiger.
His wild roar turned every orc’s head. A moment later, he grabbed the first one. His claws tore through the orc’s throat like paper.
The second orc hadn’t even drawn his weapon when Vorak crushed his lower jaw with a brutal swing.
But right then, a massive blow hit Vorak from behind.
The orc leader—a hulking beast with twisted horns and a club wrapped in bones—smashed Vorak through the air.
Vorak’s body slammed into the wall of a stone house, kicking up a cloud of dust.
"What made a little mutt like you think you could mess with our hunt? You don’t even smell like prey, you walking corpse." The orc leader barked out a harsh laugh.
"You dumb brute," Vorak slowly lifted his head, eyes redder than ever.
He was smiling. But that smile, on his split face, twisted like a mad clown—wide and terrifying.
"What the hell are you laughing at?!" the orc leader snapped.
But he never finished his sentence.
A high-pitched howl cut through the sky—and a man in a black cloak landed among them.
Daniel didn’t say a word. He drew his sword.
The motion was so fast, so precise, that the orc leader had no time to react.
A thin line of red light traced the air... and the orc’s massive body was sliced in half. Blood sprayed like a dark fountain.
For a moment, silence.
The orcs stood frozen. Then, with a roar of rage, their wild instincts exploded.
"The leader is dead!"
"How dare a lowly human—!"
"Rip him apart!"
But at that moment, the Fallen burst out of the mist. Pride, with his spear, butchered the first orc on the spot.
The rest of the Fallen moved in perfect, deadly sync—cutting through the orcs like blades in a storm.
Azark especially—when the orcs saw him, terror took hold.
"Keep two of them alive," Daniel said calmly, but firmly.
While the Fallen continued their slaughter, Daniel walked toward Vorak.
Despite the blow, Vorak had no visible injuries. After all, his body wasn’t something garbage like that could damage.
"You did good, Vorak. Very good." Daniel placed a hand on his head and gently patted it.
"It is my duty, my lord."
Vorak blinked. The savage smile was still on his face—but there was a hint of satisfaction in his eyes.
"Who’s the leader of this village?" Daniel took a step forward. His voice rang louder.
A heavy silence fell over the ruins.
The villagers who’d fallen behind Vorak stared at him, faces full of fear and disbelief.
Others peeked out from windows and cracked doors. The village’s position made escape impossible—those who had survived had hidden.
