A mercenary was an opportunity seeker. Which opportunity would give the better profit, that was what mattered for mercenaries.
They don’t trust companions. Usually, the rewards were split up by the number people, and there were quite many people thinking to kill the others to get the rewards alone.
Sungmin knew that. In this Subjugation request with Heelong, Wangpo, Do Sangrang, and Renis, Sungmin didn’t trust them. He did get a request by them to help their mission, but he didn’t think of them as companions.
‘If there’s weakness.’
If they do something.
Anyone could betray. That was true for Sungmin as well. They were 4, Sungmin was one. The numbers were true, and they could put Sungmin into a bad situation. Sungmin knew that.
Still,
The orc’s village was deep in the forest. They were further than the goblin’s village so they had to walk about half a day.
A speed technique would speed it up, but the martial artists didn’t use it. He could guess why.
They weren’t that strong. Eun Heelong looked to be the best, but even he was barely second rate. He didn’t have that much inner strength, and he wasn’t proficient enough to run with a technique through the mazy forest.
So the company walked quickly. To save energy for the fight.
Walking with them, Sungmin received a bit of information. He found out that Heelong acted as the leader through that.
And other information. The guild affiliate was Do Sangrang. He didn’t know what his rank was, but Sungmin expected him to be about D to E rank. Second rate martial artists were usually that much.
Sungmin also had that much strength, but he was C rank. The only reason why he was C rank was because of experience. The experience lacking Do Sangrang was probably at best D rank.
The magician Renis was also in the guild. Seeing as they talked informal, they were probably the same rank.
Wangpe didn’t talk much. Sungmin couldn’t get a lot of information about him. But seeing the way that he acted towards Heelong, Wangpe and Heelong probably had some sort of relationship before this request.
The two No Classes.
They didn’t introduce themselves or didn’t talk. They only followed behind. Like the name porter, they were carrying heavy bags. It seemed like bags that were used to carry spoils that wouldn’t fit in the interdimensional pocket.
“Ha...ha..”
“Ugh! Ugh!”
The No Classes were out of breath. It was natural. Walking through the forest was not an easy job. The sun was incredibly hot. Even the martial artists were sweating. It would be incredibly hard for the No Classes.
However, no one cared. They only looked back a few times to see that they were following well and screamed at them if they fell behind.
“How about resting for a bit?”
Sungmin finally said.
“Worrying about them will only make us fall behind. We can’t leave them behind, and we have been walking for a while, but I think it’s best for us to rest for a while.”
“I think that’s right.”
Heelong agreed. They went to a shade under the trees and rested. The No Classes tried to take hold of their breathes.
“Idiots.”
Do Sangrang grumbled. Beside him, Renis sat down. Renis pulled out a small pocket. It was similar size to the one that Sungmin had.
‘Is that the pocket that the guild supported with?”
It was a big interdimensional pocket. Even if the size was small, the magic that was on the pocket was probably incomparable to his.
She pulled out a few food items out of the bag. The No Classes pulled out their own food items are started to chew on it.
Sungmin bit on the bread that Renis had given. The bread was hot and squishy like it was just made.
“...Are they also in the guild?”
“Hmm?”
Renis tilted her head. Sungmin pointed towards the No Classes.
“Ah, those guys? Yeah. They’re affiliated with the guild, but they aren’t mercenaries.”
Renis answered.
An Apprentice mercenary. It was basically a mercenary that couldn’t do jobs alone. They don’t get a rank, and they don’t get any benefits of being a rewards.
The reason for their existence is to basically have them as a easy to order around worker. They were used in requests like these and did other small works in the guild.
‘They probably entered, but they weren’t enough skill to get a rank. So they became an apprentice mercenary.’
The treatment against low rank mercenaries weren’t good. It was even worse for unranked apprentices mercenaries. They were cursed and beaten at any second.
Sungmin started as a G rank mercenary. But he was beaten and hurt daily. The beatings and the cursings were toxic enough to make Sungmin think about suicide everyday.
He couldn’t even think about how bad it would be for apprentice mercenaries if a G rank like him was treated that. Sungmin clucked his tongue as he started at the two men.
‘They have to live.’
Even if it was a harsh job, they were given a resting place. They probably looked at that while applying for the job.
“How many orcs are in the clan?”
“About 50.”
Do Sangrang answered. Orcs and Goblins were very reproductive. About a hundred were usual size for them.
Genavis was a little on the small side. 50 was the max.
“There won’t be any danger. Orcs are stupid and idiotic.”
Do Sangrang mocked. Sungmin didn’t like overconfidence. Usually the people with that much confidence didn’t have much strength to back it up.
THey started to walk again. It was the orc area now. Sungmin came here a few times.
“Are we going in head first?”
“I was thinking that.”
Sungmin sighed as he heard heelong’s answer. Heelong said that, but Do Sangrang and renis was also agreeing with that.
‘These guys are crazy?’
“...isn’t that a bit rash?”
Sungmin added an opinion. He wanted to curse loudly but couldn’t.
“What’s rash?”
“One orc won’t be stronger than you guys. Yes. That’s true. But there are 50 of those guys.”
Sungmin chose his words carefully and tried to persuade them.
“If they keeping pushing us, we will get tired.”
“You are very cautious.”
Heelong laughed and said. Sungmin didn’t know if it was a complaining tone or a mocking tone. He didn’t give much attention to it.
“There may be a lot of orcs, but they aren’t strong alone. They can’t use any skills or techniques.”
“Right, if I just get time, I can get them all with magic.”
Idiots. How are you guys mercenaries with those brains. It wasn’t surprising that Do Sangrang who didn’t have much experience with orcs was saying that, but Renis with that opinion was surprising. Renis was probably not used to actual battles and was an experience lacking magician.
“I fought with many orcs. Like Do Sangrang said, orcs aren’t that great. But those guys are in a group and are stupidly brave. If we are surrounded, it could be bad for us.”
Sungmin spit that out and looked at Renis.
“If the front line gets broken, you will be in great danger.”
You’ll be f*cked, Sungmin stopped from saying that.
“...Hmm. What should be do?”
Heelong asked. Do Sangrang and renis didn’t have experience. Heelong and Wangpe weren’t used to orcs. So the experience heavy Sungin had to lead.
“...First, Renis, I don’t know much, but could you tell me about Belarus's magic?”
“...Belarus uses wind magic. Even so… I don’t know that many magic spells?”
Renis said with an embarrassed face. Sungmin accepted that fact. She followed the martial artists through the woods. The male apprentice artists were breathing heavily, but Renis was fine.
It made sense if Renis was a wind type magician. Magic is useful.
“...Ok.”
Sungmin thought for a bit and nodded his head.
“Let’s let the orcs come out.”
He thought about the simulations. He didn’t know that it would work for sure, but it wasn’t a fluke that Sungmin rose from G rank to C rank. He still had that experience in his head.
“Orcs have a sense for their area. So Renis, could you please use magic near the clan and spread some odor towards them.”
“Odor?”
“Yes. human odor. If they smell the human odor, they will come out to hunt the origin of the smell.”
“Aren’t I in danger then?”
Renis spit out. Sungmin shook his head.
“A few people will be ambushing them when the orcs come to your direction. In that time, you should use offensive magic to help the fight.”
“Is that it?”
“No, We will pull them out of the village 2 times.”
Sungmin looked towards Renis and Do Sangrang.
“Don’t you have the flare?”
“...This?”
Do Sangrang pulled out a stick. It was a flare that mercenary guilds gave to mercenaries. If the top was taken up and friction was applied, fire would erupt, sprouting red smoke. It was used to ask for help or when the target was found.
“I’m going to use it a bit away from the village. If they see the smoke, the orcs will come out. You can look to see the orcs coming out and pull them out with Renis.”
“Are you going alone?”
“I’m not going to fight. I’ll come soon so don’t worry .”
“...Hmm…”
Heelong said. Then he shook his head.
“If you’re pulling the orcs out twice, it’s best for us to split into two. Sir, I’ll come with you.”
“...I’ll be glad then.”
Sungmin didn’t reject his generosity. So the company split into two. Sungmin and Heelong with one apprentice was going to pull out the orcs with a flare. Renis, Do Sangrang, and the other apprentice will be pulling the orcs near the village.
“Let’s go.”
Heelong said in an energetic voice.