Apple Thief

When I asked Krasia to teach me how the Orcs use Ether, he readily nodded.

,These are the things you guys need to help with. If you help with all of them, I’ll teach you the Red Orcs’ unique way of using Ether.”

Since it was a request from a Red Orc, I thought it would be a request for a fierce battle or to become a training partner.

But the quests that followed shattered my expectations.

[Lost Fighting Spirit]

Dig potatoes in the field 0/30

Pick apples from the orchard trees 0/50

Go to the nearby forest and collect wild berries 0/100

Can you believe it? The invading Red Orcs are farming, and the users have to directly help with that farming.

A hollow laugh escaped my lips.

But what could I do? To get stronger, I had to shut my mouth and complete these quests.

I wasn’t the only one questioning the progress of these quests. Arthur and Helena were also frowning, and the other users wandering around the orchard didn’t look too happy either.

That’s when it happened.

,You little shit!”

The voice that burst out roughly was full of anger.

The surroundings were utterly silent, so everyone in this orchard couldn’t help but look at the owner of that voice.

,That’s my apple!”

,What…?”

,You’ve been annoyingly picking right next to me since earlier, and now you’re finally sticking your hand into my apple basket. I saw it all!”

It seemed like two people were having a quarrel.

A human male claiming his apple was stolen and an Elf male squatting in front of him, holding a basket, were facing off.

The two continued to argue.

I watched the scene and sat down on the spot.

As it was an area with many people, it was difficult to obtain the quest item, apples.

Other apples don’t count as quest items.

It was a quest that required apples only found in this area, so everyone was waiting for the apples to respawn.

It was absurd. Everyone was a high-level user of level 85. The equipment they were wearing was also the shiniest, strongest items of the season. Adventurers with such specs were stuck in this small orchard, fighting over apples.

Apple thief. An apple thief, they say. Where did everyone sell their pride as max-level players? Where’s the self-esteem of the leading users at the forefront?

As I was thinking that and watching the fight for a while, I felt something approaching from behind.

Without showing it to anyone, I only rolled my eyes to the side to check the positions of Arthur and Helena.

Those two were also sitting next to me, watching the apple thieves fight.

It was the moment when the users, who were raising their voices saying, “You’re right, I’m wrong,” finally drew their weapons.

I drew the sword that was stuck behind my back and swung it forcefully.

Hwiik-!

Peok!

The quickly swung sword surface struck the opponent who was carefully approaching from behind.

It was a rogue user who was approaching using stealth.

His ears weren’t long, and he had no horns on his head. He was definitely human.

When proceeding with RvR content such as sieges, faction wars, and territory wars, rogue users would often target me first.

It was natural. I was a symbolic figure and in the position of commander, commanding the users.

As such situations were repeated, I became more sensitive to the stealth of rogues than anyone else.

The rogue used stealth and approached secretly. Of course, he wouldn’t have approached with good intentions.

,What is it?”

,Yeona?

Helena and Arthur were also surprised by my sudden action.

I retrieved the sword I had swung and pointed it at the fallen rogue.

As the dark blade pointed at his neck, a servile smile appeared on the rogue user’s face.

,Cowardly thief…”

,Ahaha…”

Was there a hidden intention from the developers? The inside of the orchard wasn’t a safe zone.

Of course, that meant PvP was possible.

I took a step forward and said to the thief.

,Do you want to die?”

There are exactly three types of users I hate the most in Deron.

First, users who hate specific jobs.

Second, unskilled rogue users.

Third, rogue users in stealth.

The intention to steal other people’s items is good. Because it’s role-playing befitting the job of a rogue.

,Ugh.”

The rogue user realized that I wasn’t going to let it go easily and was rolling his eyes around, trying to figure out how to escape.

People’s attention started to gather one by one. It was an unavoidable situation. It would be more fun to watch a pretty and cute girl fight than two ordinary-looking male characters fighting.

,Y-you demon! Are you oppressing me!”

,What…?”

,People of the Human race! Look here! This evil demon girl is attacking me!”

The rogue’s attitude was truly shameless. But it didn’t matter.

I twisted my lips up and stabbed with my sword.

,Keu, keueok!”

The dark sword that pierced his neck cut off the rogue user’s breath.

The users who were watching this way finally stirred and sized up the situation.

But it didn’t matter. No one would believe the rogue user’s words.

,Everyone, be careful!”

I shouted, sticking the sword I was holding into my back and putting the apple basket next to my waist.

In a voice loud enough for everyone in this orchard to hear.

,Rogues are using stealth to steal apples! That guy just now was also a rogue!”

,A rogue…? No, but how can we believe those words?”

,I want to believe that girl’s words more than that rogue’s. She has a trustworthy appearance.”

,Could it be… was that Elf a rogue too?”

,T-this… my apple!”

The users’ response was good. The already slow apple respawn rate made everyone’s nerves extremely sensitive.

Sharp thorns began to sprout in the users’ minds.

,Everyone, be careful of rogues! The rogues are stealing apples!”

,Y-you, you’re a rogue! Get away from me!”

There would definitely be good-natured rogue users too. But it couldn’t be helped. There was actually a thief who attempted to steal, wasn’t there?

As they chose the same job, it was a trial they had to endure.

The atmosphere of the boring and peaceful orchard heats up sharply. The quietly flowing wind sound is buried in the users’ shouts and disappears.

The orchard with the sweet apple scent is gone. The smell of the battlefield, emanating from the cold blades drawn by the adventurers, begins to fill the orchard.

,N-no, I’m not a rogue! I’m a dual-wielding warrior!”

,A warrior with dual swords, you’re talking crazy!”

The lush apple tree leaves obscure the view. The limited view caused misunderstandings, and those misunderstandings soon turned into fights.

,Die!”

,A-apple thief!”

The orchard instantly turned into a battlefield. Towards rogue users, towards users who look like rogues, all users swing their swords without hesitation.

I nodded as I watched the scene.

It was time for us to move.

I grabbed the hands of Helena and Arthur, who were standing blankly.

,What are you doing? Both of you, follow me.”

,Yeona…”

,What the heck…”

Crouching down as much as possible and crawling to steal other users’ apple baskets.

Even I thought it was a perfect plan.

The users, who were so excited and swinging their swords at each other, didn’t even realize that their apple baskets had been spilled.

The theft started by one rogue user had returned as a huge blaze.

,Heok…”

While walking for a while, lying flat on the ground, I discovered many apples rolling in front of me.

I hurriedly reached out and gathered the apples.

Apples that I wouldn’t have even glanced at in a normal field.

But now, they were no different from the golden apples that appear in myths.

Helena and Arthur, who were watching me, also started picking up apples, following me.

Not only the ones that fell on the ground. Thanks to the users who continued to fight and move their positions, we were able to occupy the trees where the apples respawned.

[Lost Fighting Spirit]

Dig potatoes in the field 0/30

Pick apples from the orchard trees 50/50

Go to the nearby forest and collect wild berries 0/100

I smiled as I looked at the apple basket filled to the brim.

I finally collected them all.

If that rogue user hadn’t been there, I wouldn’t have been able to collect the apples so quickly.

After sending a thank you in my heart to the already dead rogue user, I left the orchard.

The quest to dig potatoes in the field and collect wild berries in the nearby forest wasn’t much different from the orchard.

Because there was actually a rogue user attempting to steal, it instilled an awareness of rogues in all the users doing the quest.

,I-is it okay to do this?”

,It’ll be fine. They’ll all think the rogues stole them, right?”

Arthur let out a small groan as he looked at the quest items filling the basket.

Actually, what I said wasn’t wrong. There were rogues who were stealing potatoes, wheat, apples, and such in stealth even in that melee.

So. What we stole will also be remembered as what the rogues stole.

,Hoo… you’ve gathered them quickly.”

When I headed to Krasia with a large basket, he guided us into the house.

Passing through a door that was a bit big for humans and heading inside the building, I could find a large greatsword hanging on the wall.

It was an item I remembered. It was an unforgettable item.

How many mage users died to Krasia, who wielded that sword, during the first raid in the past.

,It’s a cool sword, right? I don’t use it anymore, so I’m hanging it up as a decoration.”

,It’s a cool sword, -nim…”

,I lived wielding that sword until I crossed over to this dimension.”

This dimension? Then does that mean the Red Orcs are a race that crossed over from another dimension?

Krasia approached the huge sword hanging on the wall as if that was the end of his words.

It was a sight that contrasted too much with the sword hanging on the wall.

The old Orc reached out and grabbed his sword.

As if he had been consistently managing it even though it had been hanging on the wall for a long time, the blade was smoothly shining.

,Now, come out to the yard. I’ll teach you the Red Orcs’ way of using Ether.”

Krasia said that and left the house with his sword slung over his shoulder.

In that blurry, fleeting figure, the image of the Orc who made a name for himself as a warrior in the past was not visible.

Krasia, who came out to the yard, stuck his sword into the ground, like Crow did, and spread Ether in all directions.

A slightly different feeling of energy from Crow’s Ether began to flow out on the wind.

At that moment, as it did with Crow, a short video flashed before my eyes.

The quickly passing video contained Krasia’s life.

The past events of being born as a Red Orc and living as a warrior quickly disappeared, eventually leading to the point where he put down his sword.

The intense fighting spirit that was felt briefly gently faded away.

[A new power ‘Ether’ is reacting.]

[The power of the Red Orcs dwells in the possessed Ether.]

[Ether]

Energy used by life forms from another dimension.

It resembles Mana, but it is a higher-dimensional energy with tremendous potential.

※Ether is consumed each time a skill is used.

Ether Value: 100 → 400

Additional Stats

All stats 5% → 10% additional

Damage received 5% → 7% reduction

Nullifies enemy Ether shields