Inside the building, the dim light flickered as Lin Seok stood at the center, his sharp gaze fixed on the map of the city sprawled across the table.

The soft hum of electronics, along with the distant sound of helicopters outside, created an uneasy atmosphere.

Beside him, a group of elite warriors—each a Pillar of the Ranker world—gathered, their expressions tense but focused.

Among them were Jin, the stoic swordsman, his katana resting casually on his back, and Kira, the sniper, who silently cleaned the barrel of her high-tech rifle.

Lin Seok leaned over the table, running his finger across the map. His brow furrowed as he spoke, his voice calm but authoritative.

“Those orcs… they’re not just brutes. They’re slow, yes, but that’s not the problem. Their battle instincts are… terrifying.”

Jin, standing with his arms crossed, nodded slowly. “They’re reading our movements, Lin. They know where we’re going to strike before we do.”

Kira glanced up from her rifle, her sharp eyes narrowing. “That’s impossible. Orcs shouldn’t be able to react that quickly. Not unless… they’ve fought battles like this before.”

Lin Seok sighed, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. “It’s not just speed or strength. It’s something more primal. Every time we launch an attack, they shift their positions, as if they can sense it coming. They defend, but it’s not reactionary. It’s…

instinctive.”

Jin tapped his fingers against his sword hilt. “That makes them incredibly dangerous. They don’t have the speed to match us, but their ability to predict our strikes neutralizes that advantage. It’s almost like fighting someone who’s fought a hundred battles before you’ve even unsheathed your sword.”

Kira smirked slightly, her voice laced with dry humor. “So, what you’re saying is, they’re slow-moving tanks with predictive abilities. Wonderful.”

There was a quiet chuckle from across the room.

Ji-Hoon, the team’s combat strategist, who had been observing the conversation, leaned forward. His soft-spoken voice broke the silence.

“What’s concerning is that they are not panicking. Most orcs we’ve fought before have a tendency to charge blindly. But this group—they’re calculated. They’re sticking to their leader’s commands.

“So when we try to be arrogant to frustrate them, unlike Orcs who were easily provoked from other times, they are not easily angered…”

Jin, his eyes narrowed, added, “Their shields are thick, their defense is near impenetrable, and if we engage them in close combat, they’ll crush us with their raw power.”

Kira shrugged, sliding the rifle scope back into place with a loud click. “They’re tough, sure. But they can’t avoid getting shot forever. We just need to be patient and pick them off from a distance.”

Just as the conversation reached a tense lull, one of the long-range Pillars, So-Won, shifted uncomfortably from his spot by the window.

His fingers danced over the trigger of his energy rifle, his eyes scanning the horizon through the building’s shattered windows. “Maybe we should move in too. They won’t expect us to engage them directly. We could flank them, create an opening.”

Lin Seok, shaking his head slowly, held up a hand to stop him. “No. Standby for now. You and the other long-range units are our secret weapons. If we send you in too early, we’ll lose our advantage.”

So-Won, clearly frustrated, sighed and leaned back, but he respected Lin Seok’s command.

The long-range Pillars knew they had a crucial role to play, but they also understood the value of timing.

Kira raised an eyebrow at Lin Seok, silently questioning the decision, but said nothing. She knew better than to argue with him.

Lin Seok turned back to the map. His finger tapped the location where the orcs had retreated into the undamaged part of the city.

“They think they’re safe there, using the buildings and the humans as shields. But they’ve underestimated us.”

Jin straightened up, a cold gleam in his eyes. “So, what’s the plan?”

Lin Seok looked at his team, his confidence unshaken. “We attack again. This time, we push harder, faster. Break their defenses, wound as many as possible, and don’t give them time to regroup.”

A murmur of agreement passed through the room as the Pillars prepared themselves for another round of battle.

Jin unsheathed his sword, the metallic shing sound cutting through the tension.

Kira cocked her rifle, the faint hum of its energy cells charging up filled the air.

The tension rose as each Pillar readied themselves, their determination clear.

“Let’s move out,” Lin Seok ordered.

—

The Pillars struck with brutal efficiency.

The sound of boots hitting the pavement echoed as they moved through the streets like shadows.

They were a blur of motion, appearing and disappearing among the ruins as they zeroed in on the orcs hiding behind the buildings.

The speed and ferocity of their assault were unmatched, but even still, the orcs remained formidable.

Fwoosh!

An arrow from Kira’s sniper rifle shot through the air with a piercing screech, its target a hulking orc at the back of the formation.

The arrow struck the orc’s shield with a thunderous thud!, barely missing its mark but staggering the beast.

Before the orc could recover, Jin was already upon it. His katana flashed in the sunlight, slicing through the air with a sharp whissss! as he struck at the orc’s leg.

The orc let out a guttural roar, stumbling back, but it’s instinctive defense kicked in immediately.

Its massive shield slammed down, deflecting Jin’s blade with a deafening CLANG!

The impact sent shockwaves through the ground, forcing Jin to back off. But even as he did, another Pillar, Ji-Hoon, launched a barrage of energy blasts from his gauntlets, targeting the orc’s exposed side.

Zap! Zap! Zap!

The orc growled, its body seared by the blasts, but still, it stood, unyielding.

Lin Seok watched from a distance, his eyes darting between his comrades and the orcs.

Despite their slow movements, the orcs were holding their own.

Each time a Pillar landed a hit, the orcs shifted, adapting, their shields absorbing the brunt of the attacks.

It was like fighting against a wall that could move and react.

The sheer force of their defenses was beginning to take its toll.

The Pillars continued their assault, striking from all sides, but the orcs were unrelenting.

Their shields clanged and banged, their grunts echoing through the city streets as they defended against every attack. And then, finally, the Pillars managed to break through.

Jin’s katana flashed again, this time catching an orc off guard.

His blade sliced through its arm, sending a spurt of blood into the air.

The orc howled in pain, its shield dropping to the ground with a thud.

Another orc, hit by Kira’s sniper shot, staggered back, its leg collapsing under the weight of its injuries.

The orcs were wounded, but even so, their resolve didn’t falter.

They roared in defiance, their eyes glowing with battle lust, and their shields remained raised, ready to defend against the next wave of attacks.

—

As the battle raged on, Lin Seok and his team regrouped in the safety of the buildings.

Sweat dripped down their faces, their breathing heavy. The attacks had been successful, but the cost had been high.

“Damn,” Kira muttered, leaning against the wall and wiping sweat from her brow. “Those things are tough. They’re not going down easily.”

Jin nodded, his sword still gleaming with orc blood. “We managed to wound them, but they’re still standing. Their shields are ridiculous.”

Lin Seok, despite his composed demeanor, felt the weight of the situation. He glanced at the remaining Pillars, noticing their exhausted expressions. “How’s everyone’s mana?”

Ji-Hoon grimaced. “Halved. We’ve been pushing hard, and those defenses of theirs… they’re eating through our energy.”

Kira shook her head in frustration. “It’s like hitting a brick wall. Every time I land a shot, they just raise those damn shields.”

Lin Seok didn’t respond immediately. He took a deep breath, glancing out the window at the battlefield.

The orcs were still strong, even after everything they’d thrown at them.

It was becoming clear that this fight wasn’t going to be as simple as they had hoped.

“We need to rethink our approach,” Lin Seok said finally, his voice steady but determined. “These orcs are unlike any we’ve faced before. They may be slow, but their instincts… their resilience… we can’t underestimate them.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep