<h4>Chapter 82: Outsider (2)</h4>


    The orc and the drake were having a staredown. Sam-Ryong looked down at Crockta with distaste, while Crockta refused to back down and red back.


    The dark elf with Sam-Ryong interrupted them, “Haha, why are you guys acting like this? There was a slight misunderstanding, but we should try to get along. Right, Sam-Ryong?”


    “Krrrrrr...” growled Sam-Ryong.


    “Grrrrr...”


    “He can’t help it because he’s a drake, but why are you growling at him?” asked the dark elf.


    “It wasn’t me,” replied Crockta.


    “Huh?” wondered the dark elf.


    “Grrrrrrr!” Tiyo was the one making the ferocious sounds with bared teeth behind Crockta.


    “Um, hey... gnome?” said the dark elf.


    “Grrrrrr!” growled Tiyo.


    “Hey...”


    “Stay still! Beasts establish hierarchies like this,” said Tiyo.


    “Beasts...?” said the dark elf.


    Based on how the gnome acted, he did indeed seem like a beast. The dark elf shook his head in dismay.


    “Please excuse us for our behavior,” said Crockta as he and the dark elf observed the drake and the gnome’s tense interaction.


    “Are you alive? I’m Crockta. I’m heading to the north,” greeted Crockta.


    “Yes, I’m Anor. I’m Sam-Ryong’s friend,” replied the dark elf.


    “It’s amazing that you are friends with a drake.”


    “What? Amazing? No, not at all... Really, not at all. Hahahaha! You are so silly, Crockta!”


    Based on Anor’s reaction, Crockta could tell that Anor was just putting up an embarrassed front; he secretly enjoyed the praise.


    “Are you from Dejame?” asked Crockta.


    “No. I’m from Nuridot, but I came down here for a short while for Sam-Ryong. I was surprised toe here and see orcs from the chiefdom wandering around a few days ago.”


    Nuridot was the dark elf city closest to their current location.


    Anor then asked warily, “Are you from the chiefdom?”


    “No,” replied Crockta.


    “As I thought.”


    Anor had assumed Crockta was from Orcheim because he had descended from Mount Lun, but Anor just wanted to make sure anyway.


    “What’s Mount Lun like? How is it living here?” queried Anor.


    “It’s a nice ce.”


    “Then... Sam-Ryong will be fine here by himself, right?” asked Anor with a sad expression.


    Crockta looked at Anor, who was forcing himself to smile while looking at Sam-Ryong.


    “Sam-Ryong used to live in the forest in the northern part of Nuridot... There are many drakes there,” said Anor.


    “Then why did hee here?”


    “That is...” Anor hesitated.


    Meanwhile, Sam-Ryong had grown tired of Tiyo. He spread his wings, which wererge and wide, and pped them, blowing a gust of wind as he rose into the sky. His wide wings were more like a wyvern’s than a drake’s.


    “Sam-Ryong gets bullied by other drakes because he is of mixed blood. He is a cross between a wyvern and a drake,” exined Anor.


    Crockta was astonished because it was extremely rare for a wyvern and a drake to mate and produce offspring. Sam-Ryong was a rare mixed breed!


    Sam-Ryong rose in the air and let out a long cry.


    Meanwhile, Tiyo confidently walked over to Crockta and Anor. “Did you guys see that drake running away from me?!”


    “...”


    It was more urate to say that Sam-Ryong was ignoring Tiyo because he was tired of dealing with him, but Tiyo still wore a proud expression on his face.


    “So, what were you guys talking about so seriously? I can fix all of your worries!” he dered.


    “...”


    Anor looked doubtful, but he still spilled the beans about Sam-Ryong to Tiyo. He exined to Tiyo that he had, by coincidence, met Sam-Ryong in the forest in Nuridot when he was a baby and found out that Sam-Ryong was a mix between a drake and a wyvern.


    After that, Anor and Sam-Ryong grew close, and it wasn’t long before Anor learned that Sam-Ryong was being bullied by other drakes. Although Sam-Ryong was simr to them, the drakes refused to acknowledge Sam-Ryong as one of their own. Moreover, as Sam-Ryong grew older, Sam-Ryong’s distinct wings grew evenrger, and the drakes became even more violent toward him.


    Now, the only friend Sam-Ryong could rely on was Anor. Anor then decided that he couldn’t let things go on any longer and brought Sam-Ryong to Mount Lun, where he wouldn’t be bullied by other drakes.


    “What? He was bullied?!” Tiyo looked up at Sam-Ryong flying in the sky. He couldn’t bear the thought of his rival being looked down on by others. “It’s your fault, Anor. That drake isn’t the type to run away from his problems!”


    “Umm...”


    “Backbone. A backbone is what he needs. I will fix him up! A man can ovee anything with a strong will!” said Tiyo.


    Tiyo began passionately preaching his theory about mental fortitude, but Anor just ignored him and looked at Crockta.


    “Anyway, where is your destination since you’re headed north?” asked Anor.


    “Nameragon,” replied Crockta.


    Nameragon was the city of dark elves next to the Temple of the Fallen God. It wasn’t as prosperous as the dark elves’ capital city, Spinora, where the World Tree was located, but Nameragon was still a bustling city.


    “It will be difficult. I say this as a dark elf, but dark elves are very closed off to outsiders. They won’t ept an orc easily,” said Anor.


    “It’s okay. I’m prepared for it,” replied Crockta with a shrug.


    He didn’t have a clear n in mind, but he would face things head-on if problems arose.


    Anor sighed. “Dark elves are extremely hostile toward outsiders.”


    Sam-Ryong, who had been flying around, came back to the ground. He approached Anor, bowed his long head, and cried out. Anor nodded in understanding, although Crockta and Tiyo had no idea what Sam-Ryong was saying.


    Anor looked deeply concerned. “He said he saw orcs wandering around with the chiefdom’s g...”


    Despite appearing simr to the Kapur tribe that Crockta and Tiyo had first met in the northern region, the wandering orcs were a small group that wandered about. Theirck of a stronghold meant that they survived by looting others. Recently, the chiefdom indiscriminately epted all orcs to expand their scope of influence. As a result, the wandering looting orcs proudly walked around with the chiefdom’s g too. Even a small group of orcs like them was a big threat to a small city like Nuridot.


    “What should we do?” said Anor.


    “Are they headed toward Nuridot?” asked Crockta.


    “Sam-Ryong said they are,” replied Anor.


    Crockta and Tiyo exchanged looks.


    “Hahaha! Every crisis is an opportunity! Let’s help the dark elves!” said Tiyo with excitement.


    Crockta nodded. “Sounds good.”


    It sounded like a good opportunity to Crockta, who in the past, had performed reputation-building grunt work to enter Arnin. If the dark elves refused to let him in, he just had to help them out like he’d done in the past with the elves of Arnin.


    “Let’s go!” said Tiyo.


    “Yeah!” shouted Crockta.


    Crockta’s and Tiyo’s eyes shone. They looked like they were ready to run to Nuridot at any minute.


    However, Anor stopped them by calling out, “Hey, wait a second!”


    “Huh?”


    “Nuridot is quite far from here! You have to run all day...” said Anor.


    Crockta and Tiyo just grinned. “Take your time. We will be waiting for you there.”


    “Huh?”


    Then Crockta crouched down on the ground. Tiyo leaped up and wrapped his legs around Crockta’s neck, crossing them tightly across Crockta’s chest. He was riding on Crockta’s shoulders.


    “Crockta, let’s run!” Tiyo eximed excitedly.


    “We will head there first!” said Crockta.


    Crockta began running up north with Tiyo on his shoulders. Meanwhile, Anor just stared nkly as he watched them move farther away.


    Crockta utilized his peak physical abilities and left Mount Lun in an instant. He passed by the forests and swept through the ins at an amazing speed. Tiyo began firing his General behind them, forming a tail of iridescent lights that followed Crockta’s trajectory. Crockta appeared like aet running across the earth and leaving its tracks behind.


    Tiyo cheered, “Woo-hoo!”


    Suddenly, Crockta shouted, “Tiyo!”


    “What’s wrong?!” asked Tiyo.


    “Can you shoot your General toward the front if you are cheering me on? If you shoot toward the back, I can’t see its beautiful rays!”


    “...!”


    Crockta could feel Tiyo flinch.


    “Cr-Crockta...” Tiyo muttered.


    “Yeah?”


    “I’m not cheering you on... If you shoot this forward...” Tiyo said. Then he asked tentatively, “Do you not know... that for every force, there is an equal and opposite reaction? [1]


    “...!”


    Crockta had heard those words somewhere before, but he didn’t know how they were relevant to the current situation. Regardless, he could tell that Tiyo was disgusted with him.


    “Sorry, I’m more of a liberal arts guy...” replied Crockta bitterly.


    Anyway, Crockta was able to arrive at Nuridot quicker than expected thanks to the boost from the General. At first, they could only see the dim outline of the vige, but it grew clearer as they drew closer. Then Crockta saw some dark elves having a face-off with the wandering orcs they had heard about. Crockta slowed down upon approaching them.


    “We’re here, Crockta,” said Tiyo.


    The dark elves and wandering orcs who had been arguing with each other turned toward Crockta and Tiyo. They stared at the pair in surprise; they were taken aback by the sudden appearance of a frightening-looking orc and the gnome riding on his shoulders.


    Crockta thought, <i>‘Now, it’s time to say something cool. Everyone was so impressed when I recited Kant’s quote in Altanas...’</i>


    Crockta remembered the satisfaction that he had felt earlier and was about to say something that wouldst forever in their memories.


    However, someone said, “Who is that fucking loser?”


    “...!”


    Before Crockta could process his shock at what he’d just heard, the other orcs beganughing at him.


    “Yeah, why is he carrying a gnome? Is that gnome an orc rider?”


    “An orc acting like a mule... How embarrassing.”


    “Look at that tacky red bandana and those tattoos. He looks like a country bumpkin.”


    “Hey, don’t make fun of him too much. He must have done it cause he thinks he looks cool. He might cry if you keep teasing him. Hahahahaha!”


    Crockta’s fists trembled. He could put up with anything else, but mocking his fashion sense was uneptable... It was time to summon his greatsword.


    Tiyo, who felt Crockta’s rage from his trembling shoulders, warned the orcs, “You will regret it if you make Crockta angry!”


    ***


    Anor finally arrived at Nuridot after walking for a long time. The sun had already begun to set. Thankfully, the vige was peaceful. It didn’t seem like there had been problems with the group of wandering orcs.


    When Anor entered the vige, a drunken guard greeted him, “Hey, Anor, where have you been?”


    “...”


    “I thought you finally ran away... though you don’t have the balls to, haha.”


    Anor kept his mouth tightly sealed as he passed through the entrance. He could hear the guardsughing at him from behind. Even after he entered the vige, the dirty looks continued. Everywhere he went, the dark elves’ eyes followed closely behind him.


    Anor began to miss Sam-Ryong, but he had left Sam-Ryong on Mount Lun.


    He muttered btedly to Sam-Ryong, who couldn’t hear him, “Take care...”


    After trudging along, he heard amotioning from the vige square in the distance. He wondered if there was some kind of event going on.


    Then a familiar voice rang loud enough to be heard throughout the vige, “We are the gnome guards who protect beautiful Quantes~! We live each day to the fullest~!”


    The singing was horrible. Normally, Anor would have just walked past events like this, but he was drawn in by the familiar voice.


    “While braving through the sea of blood of monsters~!” the voice continued.


    The voice sounded childish, but there was also a sense of masculinity in it.


    Upon arriving at the public square, Anor saw a drunken gnome in high spirits having fun in the vige square. The dark elves in the vige surrounded him and pped their hands enthusiastically. Anor also saw an orc with a red bandana among the vigers. The gnome and orc were Tiyo and Crockta, whom Anor had met earlier.


    “What is going on...” Anor couldn’t believe his eyes.


    Dark elves were extremely guarded against strangers and refused to let them into their vige. They were even guarded against dark elves from other ces. Yet, Crockta and Tiyo were interacting with the vigers as if they were old friends even though it was their first time here.


    “Hello, beautiful dark elfdy! Do you like gnomes?” asked Tiyo.


    “Oh, my...”


    “I would have hit on you if you were one meter shorter. Too bad!” said Tiyo.


    “Hahaha!”


    All of the dark elves burst intoughter at Tiyo’s joke. When those two first said they were heading to Nameragon through dark elf territory, Anor didn’t think it was possible. He had experienced the insrity of the dark elves firsthand and had always felt like there was a wall between him and the other dark elves. Despite that, those two had infiltrated dark elf society so easily.


    “Amazing...” muttered Anor.


    However, it wasn’t a pure expression of awe. It was actually the opposite. Anor whispered to himself to suppress that feeling, but he couldn’t help but feel jealous.


    “Hey, halfie,” someone called out from behind him.


    Anor was sick of that voice. He let out a deep sigh and turned around. A dark elf with a lean and muscr body like a ck panther was smiling at him. Behind that dark elf was a group of more dark elves.


    “Your face is even whiter than usual. And did your ears shrink?” the lean and muscr dark elf smirked.


    The group of dark elvesughed at Anor.


    “At this rate, you will die immediately as soon as you hit one hundred.”


    “How old is that halfie right now?”


    Anor red at them, but no one was scared of him. He turned and walked away from them.


    “Where are you going, Anor?!” shouted one of the dark elves.


    “Are you running away, you mutt?” shouted another one.


    Anor was a half-elf, a cross between a human and a dark elf, and was thus persecuted by dark elf society.


    He ignored the dark elves’ mockery and was about to continue to where he was headed.


    Then someone called out to him, “Anor!”


    He tried to ignore this call too, but the voice was different this time. It was loud and clear. When Anor turned to look, he saw orc warrior Crockta approaching him.


    “Are you alive? When did you get here?” asked Crockta.


    With the sun in the midst of setting, the shadows on Crockta’s face made him appear even more frightening up close.


    Crockta then turned toward the group of dark elves and looked at each of their faces. “Ah, are you guys Anor’s friends? d to meet you.”


    Anor flinched.


    Nakai, the lean and muscr dark elf, and the group of dark elves he led were even more discriminatory than most dark elves. Even Anor, who had been born here and lived here his whole life, was still bullied because he was of mixed blood. If Crockta weren’t careful, it could lead to trouble...


    Nakai’s voice cut off Anor’s thoughts. “Oh, hello sir. Aren’t you the orc warrior? Wee! Hahahaha.”


    Nakai dly shook hands with Crockta.


    1. Tiyo is referencing Newton’s Third Law: Action & Reaction ?