Lin Seok stood at the edge of the battle, watching as the other Pillars geared up to charge toward the orcs.

His heart felt like a hammer pounding his chest in a thrumming hard, but not from fear—no, it was anger.

He could see the trap unfolding before his very eyes.

The orcs were laughing, their guttural voices echoing through the broken streets, and they were looking directly at the Pillars with a twisted kind of amusement.

They weren’t moving to harm the children.

Not yet.

However, he’s sure that it’s a trap!

“Hold your ground!”

Lin Seok’s voice rang out sharply, cutting through the noise of the battlefield.

He turned toward the ranked Pillars, his eyes locking onto the closest one, a tall, broad-shouldered man named Jihoon, known for his reckless bravery.

“Jihoon! Listen to me. It’s a trap. They’re using the children as bait. If you rush in now, they’ll—”

But Jihoon’s eyes flashed with stubborn defiance. “We can’t just stand here, Seok! They have kids in there!”

His voice was full of conviction, his knuckles white as he gripped his sword tightly.

“You think we can just watch and wait while those monsters threaten them? What kind of heroes would we be? So what if it’s bait? We are faster, as long as we keep attacking, we will find a gap and take advantage of it!”

Lin Seok clenched his fists, barely holding back the urge to scream.

“I’m not saying we leave the children! But if you rush in like this, without a plan, they’ll pick you off one by one. The orcs know what they’re doing. Look at them! They’re waiting for you to tire yourselves out. They’re not stupid!

“Plus, that’s what we are doing! We are watching them to find a gap to their defense!”

Next to Jihoon, another Pillar, Sunwoo, a fire mage with a temper as hot as his spells, spat on the ground.

“Lin Seok, you’re not the boss here. You don’t get to make all the calls. We’re Pillars too. We can make our own decisions. Plus, we won’t see a gap if we don’t try and find one!”

Lin Seok’s eyes burned with frustration as he scanned the faces of the other Pillars.

He could see the conflict in their eyes, the tension between wanting to save the children and the nagging fear that he might be right. But Sunwoo and Jihoon weren’t listening.

They were already inching forward, with their eyes set on the building where the children were huddled, terrified and helpless.

“Goddamn it, Jihoon, Sunwoo, this isn’t about being the boss! You two are so easy to fool!” Lin Seok’s voice cracked with desperation. “This is about survival. Look at them! Look at the orcs! They’re not charging—they’re laughing.

They’re baiting us!”

Jihoon shot Lin Seok a hard look over his shoulder. “We don’t have time for this, Seok. I won’t let innocent kids die just because we were too scared to act.” He glanced at Sunwoo, who nodded back at him, and they both started forward.

Lin Seok stepped in front of them, blocking their path. “No, Jihoon, stop! Think for a second. If you go in there now, without backup, you’ll be playing right into their hands!”

“Get out of my way,” Jihoon growled, shoving Lin Seok aside. “You want to stay here and strategize while those kids die? Fine. But I won’t stand here and do nothing.”

Lin Seok stumbled but caught himself, fury boiling in his veins. “Jihoon, you idiot! They’re not going to kill the kids! They’re using them to draw you in!”

Sunwoo’s fiery eyes glared at Lin Seok, his patience gone. “You think they care about strategy more than blood? They’re orcs! They’ll kill those kids in a heartbeat if we don’t stop them.”

“And you think rushing in there will save them?!” Lin Seok barked back. “Look at them, Sunwoo! They’re waiting for you to get close! You’re just feeding them your energy. That’s what they want!”

Jihoon clenched his teeth, turning back toward the building. “I don’t care, Seok. I’m not standing here while those monsters hold kids hostage. You can stay here and bark orders all you want, but I’m going in.”

Lin Seok’s heart dropped as he saw Jihoon, Sunwoo, and several other Pillars break formation, running toward the building.

He wanted to scream, to grab them and pull them back. But it was too late.

His stomach twisted as he watched them sprint toward the laughing orcs, their weapons drawn, determination in their eyes.

But the orcs… they weren’t moving. They were standing there, smiling, watching the Pillars wear themselves down.

“Stop, you fools!” Lin Seok shouted, his voice hoarse with desperation. “They’re tiring you out! They’re not going to attack the children! They’re waiting for the right moment!”

He could see it now, clearer than ever.

The orcs were playing a long game.

They weren’t attacking.

They were letting the Pillars exhaust themselves. And once the Pillars were spent, once their mana was drained and their strength waned, then the orcs would strike.

“Jihoon!” Lin Seok called out, his voice raw. “Fall back! They’re playing with you! Get back here before it’s too late!”

But his words fell on deaf ears. Jihoon and the others were too focused on the children.

Too caught up in their righteous need to save them. Explore hidden tales at mvl

Lin Seok cursed under his breath, watching in horror as the orcs’ grins widened.

The air was thick with tension as the Pillars drew closer. And then, suddenly, one of the orcs—a light-skinned, tanner one, bigger than the others—raised his massive axe, aiming it directly at the children.

“No… NO!” Lin Seok screamed, his heart pounding in his chest. He could see it now—the trap was closing in.

The moment the orc raised his axe, Jihoon, Sunwoo, and the other Pillars surged forward in a desperate attempt to stop him.

They were too focused on saving the children, too blinded by their need to be heroes.

They didn’t see the rest of the orcs move.

In a blur of motion, the orcs lunged.

Their massive weapons, bone clubs, and axes swung through the air with deadly precision. And before Jihoon, Sunwoo, or any of the other Pillars could react, they were caught in the onslaught.

The sound of crushing bone and tearing flesh filled the air.

The Pillars didn’t even have time to scream.

Lin Seok stood frozen in horror as he watched his comrades—his friends—become nothing more than meat paste beneath the orcs’ brutal assault.

Blood splattered across the broken pavement, pooling beneath the feet of the laughing orcs.

“NO!”

Lin Seok’s voice became like a broken wail, with his body trembling with rage and disbelief.

He couldn’t move.

He couldn’t tear his eyes away from the carnage.

His mind screamed at him to do something, to fight, but he was paralyzed by the sheer horror of what he had just witnessed.

The orcs stood over the mangled bodies of the ten Pillars, laughing and grinning like beasts who had just feasted on fresh prey.

Lin Seok’s heart raced, his breath coming in ragged gasps. His mind reeled, causing him not to think anything at this moment.

They had walked right into the trap, just as he had feared. And now… it was too late.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep