I Made a Contract with a Devil, but the Price is Strange

Although I had decided to battle the orc group, I couldn’t proceed immediately. With the large number of enemies, we needed to form a thorough plan.

“The name of the strategy I’m about to explain is ‘Hit and Run’.”

“What does that mean?”

Inis was confused by the unexpected English. It wasn’t a language used in this place.

“To explain it simply, it means ‘strike and flee’. It’s a tactic employed when you judge that you’ll definitely lose in a head-on confrontation with the enemy.”

“Aha.”

More directly, I could have explained it as “run-around.” That’s actually what appears if you input it into a “Korean → English” translator.

“Our plan is simple. I’ll attack from a distance using flames. If the orcs try to approach while I’m continuously striking? That’s when we run away.”

“What if they chase us all the way?”

“That won’t happen. I’ll strike from maximum range to begin with. As soon as the orcs show signs of approaching, we’ll flee.”

“Then we definitely won’t be caught by the orcs.”

“Right. In this way, we’ll continuously chip away at their physical and mental strength. Then, when we judge that we can defeat the enemy, we’ll attack head-on. Do you understand?”

Inis nodded.

“Yes. I understand perfectly. It just occurred to me, but goblins use this strategy when facing orcs.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Of course, it wasn’t very effective. Stone-throwing itself is not an easy action, and it seemed difficult to supply stones.”

Indeed, it couldn’t be easy. But the reason goblins keep trying is probably to deplete the orcs’ physical and mental strength.

“Then let’s give it a try. It might feel a bit unfamiliar at first, but you’ll get the hang of it after a few attempts.”

“Yes. Even if I’m caught by the orcs, I’ll protect you!”

“Sure.”

I smiled and stroked Inis’s head. I wanted to try it right away, but there was one thing I needed to experiment with first.

“Fire.”

After summoning a flame, I gradually moved it farther away. Just how far could my ability reach?

The magic power consumption increased as the distance widened. From a certain point, it became almost unbearable.

“This must be the limit.”

Finally, I stopped the flame. It stopped quite far away, but it was much closer than I had expected. If expressed in units, it would be about 100m.

“Retrieve.”

I recalled the flame. Some magic power was reabsorbed into my body.

“This doesn’t seem sufficient, does it?”

“…No. Considering the speed of orcs, they could cover this distance in about 12 seconds. Given the condition of my leg, we would definitely be caught. It would be different if you abandoned me and ran alone, but…”

“That’s not an option.”

I stated firmly. I couldn’t lose Inis in a place like this. No, I had no intention of sacrificing her, no matter how important the situation.

Inis blushed and bowed her head. I waved my hand and pondered solutions.

The flame I could control freely had a limit of just 100m. I needed a means to strike the enemy from farther away.

How should I handle this? The answer was surprisingly simple.

“Fire.”

I summoned a flame in front of me again.

“Fire Arrow.”

Then I transformed it into an arrow. Once its shape had completely changed, I shot it using magic power.

Whoosh—!

The fire arrow flying far away. The arrow, stretching out, only fell to the ground when it was almost out of sight.

Our eyes met. Then we looked toward the stairs. Although the large orcs appeared small from this distance, considering how far the arrow had traveled, it would definitely reach them.

“This will work. Right?”

I let out a small laugh. Inis smiled along.

“Yes.”

Even having worried about it for a moment felt foolish. Why hadn’t I thought of Fire Arrow from the beginning? It was the most representative ranged attack method.

Perhaps, I speculate, it’s because it wasn’t that powerful. Unlike the directly controlled flame, it also had the condition of needing to hit.

The Fire Arrow could be controlled too, but if that were the case, the flame would be better.

“If you’re ready, let’s start right away.”

“Yes.”

‘Hit and Run.’
The so-called run-around strategy began.

“Kuaaaagh…”

An orc seated in a chair yawned lazily. He wiped the tears from his eyes and raised his head.

Blue sky. White clouds. Warm sunlight. It was truly a peaceful day, as if painted in a picture.

“Kurrrk….”

The orc leaned against the backrest and closed his eyes.

He couldn’t understand the current situation at all. The goblins had declared war, so why did he have to be here?

He wanted to fight the goblins right away. But the tribal chief had ordered him to guard the mysterious stairs, so he had no choice but to be here.

“Kurk. Kurrrk….”

What on earth was that, that he had to guard? Was it more important than killing goblins?

The orc didn’t understand. No, he didn’t even try to understand. He simply carried out the order because the tribal chief had commanded it.

As he thought this hellish peace would continue forever…

Whoosh—

A faint sound of wind cutting through. At first, he thought he had misheard.

“Uoaaaagh—!”

But then the same sound came again, followed by a shout.

“Kuaaaagh!?”

The orc hurriedly opened his eyes and stood up from the chair. He wondered if the goblin bastards had launched an attack.

Whoosh-

What entered his field of vision was not a goblin, but an ally who was blazing vigorously.

“Uuuuuagh—!”

A comrade rolling on the ground, screaming for help. Nearby orcs quickly brought water and poured it, but it was in vain.

Sizzle-

The water that touched the flame evaporated and disappeared. At this strange sight, the orcs’ movements stopped. They couldn’t understand what was happening.

Whoosh-

“Uuuuagh—!”

In the midst of this, another orc ignited.

It looked as if fire had suddenly caught on. But they knew that this was definitely not a natural phenomenon.

“Kuuugh, uuagh!!”

At one orc’s words, everyone began to tremble in fear.

The devil of flames! It had appeared here!

It had only been a few days since they recognized the devil of flames.

Orcs dying in the greenskin territory was very common. They died by goblins, by humans, and even by other orcs.

However, the bodies were always found. They recovered them and offered them to their creator. And without fail, their comrades were born again in this place.

Although they had no memories or sensations from their previous life, their bodies were the same. And their souls were the same. Knowing this, they did not fear death.

“Kuaaaagh!”

But from a few days ago, orcs disappeared, but their bodies were not found. Only a pungent smell lingered around. They later realized that this was the smell produced when bodies were burned.

At first, they thought it was a strange occurrence. But as more and more comrades diminished, and their bodies couldn’t be found, they couldn’t help but be disturbed.

Orcs continued to be born. But they were not the orcs they remembered. Not comrades, but truly new orcs appeared.

“Kuuugh….”

In this situation, the tribal chief ordered an investigation. Thanks to that, they at least found out that all the missing orcs had turned to ashes.

However, there was nothing they could do. They didn’t know why this was happening. And what the purpose was.

“Kurrrk. Kuaaaagh!”

The tribal chief gathered the orc shamans and asked. What was the cause of the fire and who did it?

“Kuuugh….”

But they too had awkward answers. Well, they didn’t know either! Something suddenly appeared and started burning orcs, how could they know!

“Kuaaaagh! Kuaaaaaaagh!”

But the position of a shaman is one where you must provide an answer even if you don’t know it. They racked their brains and answered like this: It was all the work of a devil.

Surprisingly, the tribal chief believed those words. Well, in many cases, if something bad happened in the world, devils were often the cause!

“Kuuugh! Kuaaaaaagh!”

The tribal chief announced that it was the devil’s doing. And the orcs believed it firmly. Well, it was what the tribal chief had said!

The lie told by the orc shaman spread throughout the greenskin territory.

“Kuaaaagh. Kuaaaaagh—!”

And this was the result. Trembling in fear of the devil!

The orcs feared, covering their heads with both hands. We’re going to die! We’re all going to die!

While everyone was gripped by fear, one orc was not.

Whoosh—!

It was the orc who heard the sound of wind when his comrade first started burning. He thought he had misheard at first.

“Uuuuaagh!”

But when another orc burned after the sound of wind, he felt something was strange.

Whoosh—!

He looked around, trying to notice the anomaly.

Whoosh-

Only after five more burned did he find a clue to the strange occurrence. The answer was none other than in the sky.

“Kuugh….”

The sunlight that made him frown. The orc forcibly widened his eyes. Through observation, he realized that arrows made of flame were falling from the sky.

“Kuaaaagh! Kuaaaaaagh!”

He urgently explained about it. The moment an orc brought a shade, they could confirm the existence of the arrows with their own eyes.

Whoosh-

An arrow made of orange flames. It was surprisingly similar to the color of sunlight.

The reason they hadn’t recognized its existence until now was because the sun and fear had been pressing down on them.

It was like a spot-the-difference puzzle: you might not notice it until you find it, but once discovered, you continuously recognize it thereafter.

“Kuaaaaaagh!”

Moreover, they realized that it wasn’t the devil of flames sending the arrows, but humans.

This was easier. They confirmed the direction and trajectory of the arrows, and at the end were two humans.

“Kuuuuaagh!”

Their comrades who had died in vain. The shame of having felt fear towards not a devil, but mere humans. And the relief that they could confront them.

When all these feelings combined, the orcs instinctively roared. And at the same time, their murderous intent toward humans soared.

“Kuagh! Kuaaaagh!”

Originally, orcs should have remained to guard the stairs. But they all surrendered to anger, and together they charged toward the humans, smashing walls.

Gulp-

They were tense even as they ran. Although it wasn’t a devil, the power of that flame was real.

Honestly, they were scared. But they thought it was better than seeing their comrades suffer later. They vowed to end it here, even if their existence disappeared.

How did the humans respond at this time? Their response was surprisingly simple.

“Kurrrk?”

They just ran away without even looking back.

“Kuaaaaaaaaagh!”

The orcs bellowed. Coward! Having such power yet running away like goblins!

They tried to provoke them to attack again, but the effect was remarkably absent. Well, humans don’t understand the orc language!

Thanks to this, the humans escaped safely. And the orcs were left stranded in the middle of the prairie.

“Kuuuaaaaagh!”

At this point, all the orcs thought the same thing.

What a dogshit way to fight.