“Querk!”
“Chyeeeek! Kyarrk!”
Frozen in shock, Jiwoon stood motionless in the river, unable to think or move.
Jiwoon was a fantasy novelist, someone who prided himself on knowing more about medieval and fantastical worlds than anyone else. He had even been fascinated by the monsters and demons of various European myths, dedicating time to studying them.
But orcs?
In the hierarchy of fantasy world monsters, orcs ranked at the very bottom. He had always dismissed them as insignificant.
At least, until he saw them with his own eyes.
“Kyekk!”
“Ugh…!”
Watching the horde of orcs approaching menacingly, Jiwoon was overwhelmed by confusion and primal fear. His mind blanked, and only a small flicker of instinct screamed at him to run.
But his body refused to move. It was as if he were paralyzed, stuck in place like a nightmare come to life.
Whoosh!
A spear thrown by an orc grazed Jiwoon’s arm before plunging into the water beside him.
The sudden, sharp pain snapped Jiwoon out of his daze.
“Agh…! Aaaah! Aaagh!”
Desperately flailing through the river, his survival instincts took over. The thought of escape consumed him completely. Even as he stumbled, half-submerged in the water, he kept moving. Water filled his mouth, but he didn’t care.
There was no time to look back. He couldn’t bear to.
If he turned around, a spear might pierce his back, or a wooden club might crack his skull.
“Kyahhhk!”
“Chyeeeek!”
The orcs’ monstrous cries drew closer, fueling Jiwoon’s frantic struggle to move faster. The far side of the river was within reach.
Behind him, the splashing sounds of orcs entering the water grew louder.
Instinctively, Jiwoon glanced back. He saw the orcs wading into the river, which was deep enough to submerge them up to their heads.
But the depth—or the swift current—didn’t seem to faze them. They pressed on with relentless determination. Their squat, sturdy bodies made them less affected by the water’s drag, and their speed didn’t diminish.
Jiwoon pushed himself harder, fighting against the current.
“Huff… Huff!”
Reaching the other side, he scrambled out of the water and bolted into the forest. Unlike the dense woods on the far bank, this side was more open, allowing him to run at full speed.
Branches scratched his face, drawing blood, but he didn’t feel the pain. He nearly tripped over exposed roots but managed to keep his balance and keep running.
“Kyahhhk!”
Even after what felt like an eternity of running, the orcs’ howls echoed behind him.
“Chyek! Chyek!”
Whoever claimed orcs were dumb, lazy, or poor runners was dead wrong.
The orcs were relentless and cunning. While Jiwoon was faster, the orcs had the advantage of familiarity. Jiwoon had no knowledge of the forest’s layout, but the orcs moved as if it were their backyard.
Moreover, the small bushes that blocked Jiwoon’s view and scratched his skin posed no such threat to the shorter orcs.
Ultimately, the hunted tires out before the hunter. The orcs, seasoned predators, knew this instinctively.
They believed Jiwoon would tire soon, just like other foolish humans who had ventured into their territory. Soon, they would catch him, just as they always did.
“Chyekk!”
One of the orcs let out a gleeful cry, saliva dripping from its sharp fangs at the thought of human flesh.
But no matter how long they chased, the distance between them and Jiun refused to close.
Something was different this time. The human should have collapsed from exhaustion by now. Normally, by this point, they would have already claimed their prize, stabbing their spears into his back and tearing him apart.
But this human kept running.
The orc leader tilted his head, puzzled.
Jiwoon wasn’t especially good at fighting or particularly athletic.
But he had one unique strength: endurance.
He wasn’t fast or agile, but when it came to long-distance running, Jiwoon had an unparalleled knack for it.
In school, he had always ranked in the top during long-distance events. During his military service, he never fell behind on grueling marches.
Now, with his life on the line, Jiwoon wasn’t going to fall behind so easily.
Desperation fueled him, squeezing out every ounce of strength.
But even Jiwoon was human. He was growing tired. His legs burned, and his lungs felt ready to burst, but the primal will to survive pushed him onward.
Panting heavily, his arms hung limply at his sides, but he clung tightly to the spear in his hand. Without it, he would be utterly defenseless.
Just when he thought he couldn’t go on, light suddenly flooded his vision.
“Ahh!”
The ground disappeared beneath him, and Jiwoon tumbled down a hill.
Rolling to a stop, he scrambled to his feet, dazed.
The forest had ended.
Before him stretched a vast, dazzlingly green plain.
Jiwoon wasn’t particularly skilled at fighting or blessed with extraordinary athletic abilities.
However, there was one thing in which he excelled beyond others—his stamina.
He wasn’t the fastest, nor the most agile, but when it came to long-distance running, Jiwoon displayed a talent so exceptional that it bordered on uncanny.
Jiwoon could walk for hours and run for even longer.
During his school days, he consistently placed first or second in endurance races.
In the military, no matter how grueling the march, he never fell behind.
So, it was unthinkable for Jiwoon to collapse as easily as the orcs might wish.
Especially now, when his life was on the line, he had to muster strength he didn’t even know he had.
But even Jiwoon was only human. Fatigue was inevitable.
At this point, he was running purely on sheer willpower, driven by a primal desire to survive.
“Huff, huff!”
His breaths were ragged, his lungs felt like they might burst, and his legs threatened to give out at any moment.
Yet, Jiwoon didn’t stop.
His arms hung limply by his sides, too tired to swing them, but he clung to his spear with unrelenting determination.
Without the spear, he would be utterly defenseless.
Though crudely made, the weapon was his last line of defense.
“Guh… gah!”
The pain was unbearable. He wanted to collapse and just lie there, orcs be damned.
But if he stopped now?
I’ll die! I’ll really die!
“Haaah!”
Summoning every ounce of strength, Jiwoon forced his trembling legs to move.
He didn’t want to die in this unfamiliar world.
He hadn’t lived his life to become an orc’s dinner.
The mere thought of being reduced to an orc’s meal in the middle of a desolate forest fueled his resolve.
Gritting his teeth, Jiwoon pushed forward.
“Hyaaaah!”
With an involuntary shout, he hurled himself through a cluster of branches blocking his path.
As he broke through, blinding light poured over him, forcing him to squeeze his eyes shut.
“Argh!”
The ground disappeared beneath his feet, and he lost his balance.
Jiwoon tumbled down the hill, rolling uncontrollably until he finally came to a stop.
Dazed, he struggled to his feet, the rushing wind sending chills down his spine.
For the first time since encountering the river, Jiwoon could see sunlight—but the surroundings seemed unnaturally bright.
Opening his eyes wide, he gasped.
“It’s… gone?”
The dense forest was nowhere to be seen.
In front of him stretched an endless, vividly green plain, as if the forest had simply ended.
Hoooooonk!
A distant sound caught Jiwoon’s attention.
Startled, he realized the urgency of his situation and sprinted toward the source of the noise.
Glancing back over his shoulder, he paled.
“Huff, huff!”
The orcs were still there, chasing him even after the forest had ended.
Hooooooonk!
The sound of a horn echoed again—a noise Jiwoon had only ever heard in movies.
“Help! Somebody, help me!”
Jiwoon shouted desperately, running toward the sound.
Stumbling down a slope, he fell several times but barely felt the pain.
Forcing his exhausted body to rise, he screamed with all his might.
“Help me! Is anyone there? You bastards, save me! Aaaaah!”
At that moment, something emerged from the edge of the forest below.
It was exactly what Jiwoon had longed to see—humans.
Following the first figure, about ten more people appeared, their faces and outfits still a blur to Jiwoon.
All that mattered to him was that they were human, like him.
He sprinted toward them with reckless abandon.
“Hey! Over here!”
His voice was hoarse, a mix of terror and relief making him delirious.
He didn’t notice their faces or attire—all he cared about was that they were human.
However, clarity quickly returned.
Clang!
“Huh?!”
The sharp glint of a blade snapped Jiwoon out of his haze.
In front of him, a man had drawn a sword—a weapon Jiwoon recognized all too well.
About a meter long, with sharp edges on both sides and a pointed tip—it was a classic killing tool.
“W-what the hell?”
Jiwoon instinctively stepped back as the man advanced, flanked by others who pointed their spears at him.
“Do…ve! Who…?”
“W-what? What are you saying?”
The unfamiliar language left Jiwoon flustered.
“Don’t move! I said again, who are you?”
“Wait… What? Oh?”
It was English. He hadn’t realized it earlier in his panic, but the man was speaking English.
“Krrreeeeh!”
“Orcs!”
The men’s expressions hardened at the guttural roars of the orcs.
The sword-wielding man shouted an order, and the others sprang into action, moving with precision.
Jiwoon stood frozen, watching in disbelief.
The men charged past him, weapons drawn, toward the approaching orcs.
Despite their rage-filled cries, the orcs retreated in the face of armed resistance.
In open plains, the orcs stood no chance against the disciplined soldiers.
Outnumbered and outgunned, the orcs begrudgingly fled back into the forest.
The soldiers confirmed that the orcs had fully retreated before regrouping.
Jiwoon stood dumbfounded, watching them.
Spears, swords, chainmail, shields… The soldiers were dressed like something out of the Middle Ages.
The man who had drawn his sword earlier broke Jiwoon’s thoughts with a shout.
Although the orcs were gone, the soldiers’ expressions remained hostile as they surrounded Jiwoon.
With a swift motion, the man struck Jiwoon’s shoulder with the flat of his blade.
“Ugh!”
Two soldiers grabbed Jiwoon’s arms, twisting them behind his back.
Pain shot through his shoulders, forcing him to kneel.
Jiwoon’s arms were securely bound as the man barked another command.
“Back to…!”
“Oooooh!”
The soldiers cheered and began moving.
Jiwoon had no choice but to be dragged along.
From the word “back,” it seemed they were returning to their base.
Orcs, soldiers in medieval armor… Where am I? Could I really have fallen into a fantasy world?
Fear and unease welled up inside him.
Yet, frantically, a faint sense of curiosity began to stir.
The threat of inhuman monsters like orcs was terrifying, but the hostility of other humans felt more manageable.
Despite the danger and fear, Jiwoon’s mind couldn’t help but wander.
This is a fantasy world—a place I’ve only ever imagined.
The reality of being in such a world filled him with a strange mix of dread and fascination.
(Continued in the next chapter.)
