Kana and her party returned to the restored low-level dungeon, better prepared this time and with more time to explore—thanks to Suri’s newly acquired [Doppelganger] skill.

  As usual, Suri’s summon transformed into a bird and scouted the area ahead, floating through the dungeon like a curious spirit. But again, it reported nothing.

  “Was that Orc the boss?” Boris asked, puzzled.

  “I don’t think so,” Kana replied, frowning. “There should’ve been a notification. I didn’t see anything like that and the dungeon entrance is still open. Let’s explore a bit more.”

  They returned to the spot where they had first encountered the Orc. The trail was quiet. Too quiet.

  Kana’s eyes narrowed. Her [High Awareness] passive suddenly tingled—something was off.

  She raised her hand in a sharp signal: Stop. Stay low.

  Suri and Boris crouched down instantly.

  “I see nothing,” Boris said after a moment, squinting ahead.

  “I sense over forty living things,” Kana whispered. “Breathing. That way.”

  Suri closed her eyes. “...There’s thick mana in the air, swirling in that direction. Like fog.”

  Kana picked up a small rock and tossed it forward—into the strange mana-dense area.

  The rock vanished. No sound, no trace.

  The three of them exchanged wide-eyed glances.

  Without a word, they crept forward.

  Suddenly, the air shifted. A loud horn blared across the trees as if from nowhere.

  The illusion fell apart.

  Before them now stood a hidden Orc village—crude homes built from straw and twisted branches, torches burning, smoke rising. Massive green-skinned creatures, twice the size of adult men, spilled out of huts with weapons in hand. One of them locked eyes with the intruders and shouted something guttural in a language they didn’t understand.

  Kana signaled retreat. Instantly.

  Boris didn't wait—he hurled a smoke bomb behind them, obscuring their path and confusing the Orcs for a few critical seconds.

  They ran.

  But the Orcs weren’t entirely fooled. One of them tracked their scent or sound—maybe both. It lunged through the trees, catching up.

  Ping! A signal from Suri’s summon.

  Kana reacted on instinct, drew her bow, and fired into the direction marked by the blinking summon.

  Boris braced as one of the Orcs charged him. The two clashed in a brief, brutal exchange. With support from Suri’s summon, they brought the Orc down—but not easily.

  More rustling. More grunts.

  This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

  More Orcs.

  They didn’t wait.

  The three burst out of the dungeon’s entrance, panting, barely ahead of the pursuing danger.

  “They’re strong,” Boris said between gulps of air, hands still trembling from the clash.

  “I know,” Kana said, equally breathless. “I thought I took some down. I didn’t level up— I mean hear the Voice of God…”

  “I did though ,” Suri added.

  “Same here,” Boris said. “I did hear the voice of god.”

  ….

  Unlike the goblins who often scattered and fought individually, the Orcs operated like a pack of wolves—coordinated, alert, and aggressive. After Kana’s party brought down one of them, the rest never moved alone again. They stuck together, always ready.

  Kana, Suri, and Boris didn’t give up. Instead, they adapted.

  Their strategy turned into a cycle of hit-and-run raids. They would enter, ambush a few Orcs, then retreat before drawing too much attention. Then they’d repeat. It was slow, calculated work.

  Kana eventually leveled up, but she noticed it wasn’t as easy as before. Progress came slower now, each level requiring more effort and more danger.

  Boris finally hit Level 10 and was given a choice of new skills. He chose [Giant Spear], a powerful area-of-effect (AOE) ability.

  Kana, however, warned both him and Suri:

  “Don’t use your third skill unless it’s an emergency—and never in front of strangers. Having three skills before adulthood is rare, and in some parts of the continent, it’s considered... unnatural.”

  Both nodded seriously. It wasn’t the time to draw unnecessary attention.

  After weeks of careful raids, they finally made it to the center of the dungeon—the Orc village.

  There, they faced the Orc Chief, a surprisingly intelligent enemy who wielded magic and used illusions, much like Suri. He wasn’t just a brute but a cunning fighter who forced them to adapt, coordinate, and trust each other completely.

  In the end, through grit and strategy, they defeated the chief.

  And with that final blow, the dungeon was cleared.

  ….

  The next day, after clearing the dungeon, the trio made their way to town. Their destination: the old lady who had appraised items for them before. This time, Boris was finally able to tag along—though the ring they had previously looted was still in the possession of his father.

  “You young ladies again,” the old woman chuckled as they approached. As usual, Suri offered her a handful of snacks as a bribe.

  “Ah ah, not this time,” the old lady said with a smirk. “No more freebies unless you’re paying me one gold.”

  “We’re going to pay you,” Kana said as she placed a staff on the table. “We’d like you to appraise this item.”

  The old lady leaned in to examine the staff. “Hmm… ten silvers, and I’ll tell you.”

  The three groaned but agreed to split the cost. Boris, feeling a little guilty about the missing ring still held by his father, offered to cover the larger portion.

  “I’ll tell you what the Word of God tells me,” the old lady said. Her eyes flashed a brilliant golden light.

  [Blue Eye Staff – Made from the eyes of an unknown creature with blue eyes. Increases mana by 20%, intelligence by 10, and reduces casting time by 10%.]

  Her eyes dimmed, returning to their normal cloudy hue.

  “That’s what it says. A good-quality item, the longer the description the better.” she confirmed, nodding.

  “Alright. Thank you, Grandma,” Kana said as she handed over the silver coins. She understood every word—her grasp of English made visits like these worth the effort.

  “By the way, Grandma,” Kana added casually, “Can you tell us the class of this guy here?” She gestured to Boris.

  The old lady gave Boris a quick glance. “Oh, he’s a common class. Too common. Seen dozens like him.”

  Kana nodded thoughtfully. That confirmed something for her. The old lady could see the surface level of someone’s class, but not how many skills they had—or how rare they might actually be. If she knew, surely she would’ve asked more questions.

  After they left the shop, Kana handed the staff to Suri. She explained its effects in detail.

  Suri eagerly equipped it—and the results were immediate. She could feel the difference. Her mana became steady, and her spells felt lighter.

  Boris didn’t mind. After all, the staff wasn’t his weapon type. “I wouldn’t know what to do with that stick anyway,” he muttered.