As night fell, the fire continued to blaze, fed by the wooden structures of the houses. The more than 200 surviving townspeople huddled together near the pier, seeking warmth. Occasionally, heart-wrenching cries echoed across the lake.
The remaining soldiers and men, under Wayne's guidance, maintained order among the refugees. Thanks to the healing potions and the food and supplies Wayne provided, the survivors, though still in a miserable state, at least had enough sustenance to survive for the time being.
As Wayne and a guard captain named Adar, whom he had saved earlier, discussed how to resettle the refugees, a low, menacing roar suddenly came from the wilderness beyond the town.
Hearing this sound, Wayne paused momentarily. Noticing the panicked look on Captain Adar's face, he spoke in a reassuring tone:
"Don't worry, Captain Adar. That's my partner."
He paused briefly before continuing:
"I need to leave for a while. You and your men will need to ensure everyone's safety while I'm gone."
Captain Adar was taken aback by this. Even though Wayne was a stranger to the townspeople, half of the survivors owed their lives to him. His presence had become a source of security for these people, who had just endured unimaginable horror. The thought of Wayne leaving filled Adar with unease. Despite being the former captain of the town's guard, Adar felt overwhelmed by the responsibility of protecting the survivors without Wayne's strength.
After hesitating for a few moments, Adar mustered the courage to speak:
"Wayne, please… don't leave. The townspeople are scared. Everyone's lost so much, and they need someone to lean on. They need you."
Wayne remained silent for a few seconds before responding:
"Don't worry, I'll only be gone temporarily. You don't need to tell the others I've left."
"And the reason I'm leaving is to rescue those who were taken captive."
"Don't you want your loved ones, the people who were taken, to be saved?"
Adar was momentarily stunned, then looked at Wayne uncertainly. Seeing that Wayne was serious, he responded with a conflicted expression:
"Of course, we want to save them, Wayne. But if you go alone, it'll be suicide."
"There were too many orcs, and they were well-armed. Without an army, it's impossible to defeat them and rescue the prisoners."
As a survivor of the raid, Adar was well aware of the orcs' strength. Though their equipment was rudimentary, they fought with ferocious intensity, as if they didn't care about their own lives. Ordinary human soldiers struggled to stand against them, even in one-on-one combat.
Adar, born and raised in Lake Town, knew that these orcs came from the Mountains—a formidable force that had long competed with the dwarves of the Iron Hills for territory.
Seeing that Adar was still trying to dissuade him, Wayne raised his hand to silence him. His expression serious, he said:
"You don't need to worry about my strength. Thousands of orcs have already fallen to my blade. To me, they are merely defeated foes."
"I just want to know—do you want me to rescue those captured prisoners?" Wayne asked.
Adar remained silent for several seconds, clearly struggling, before responding:
"Of course, Wayne. My wife and children were taken by the orcs, and I'd give anything for someone to bring them back."
Ding! A mission has been triggered: [Rescue Prisoners] Master Level.
Accept/Decline.
Wayne accepted the task in his mind, then patted Adar on the shoulder and said:
"Take care of the refugees here. I need to leave immediately. If I wait too long, they'll reach the orc stronghold, and it'll be much harder to save them."
Once out of the dense and complex environment of the Dark Forest, Deathclaw's speed increased dramatically. Riding on Robin's back, Wayne directed him along the path of destruction left by the orc army, easily following the telltale signs of a large force's march.
He hadn't rushed out immediately after the raid in Long Lake Town, not just to tend to the wounded, but also to exploit the advantage of darkness for his attack. The night offered both Wayne and Robin the perfect cover. As a Witcher enhanced with cat's eye potions and possessing dark vision, the night was his ally. Deathclaw, with its innate nocturnal prowess, also thrived in such conditions, making them even deadlier and more concealed.
Wayne wasn't worried about whether he'd catch up with the orcs. A large force like theirs wouldn't move efficiently at night, unlike elite cavalry. Even if they marched under the cover of darkness, their speed would slow considerably. With Deathclaw's agility and speed, he was confident they would catch up before dawn.
Sure enough, after a few hours of tracking along the path leading to the Grey Mountains, Wayne and Robin came upon the orc encampment. By then, the moon was high, casting faint light over a camp that looked more like a battlefield after a feast.
Perhaps still reveling in their earlier success, the orcs had let their guard down completely. As Wayne and Robin observed from the shadows, they saw orcs scattered across the camp, many of them sleeping in disarray, surrounded by half-eaten food and empty bottles of crude ale. Some were snoring loudly, their weapons still clutched loosely in their hands. A few groggy sentries, barely awake, patrolled the edges of the camp.
The scene was almost comical in its absurdity, but to Wayne, it was a welcome opportunity. No disciplined human army would allow such recklessness, but among the undisciplined orcs, it was no surprise.
Wayne knew this was the perfect chance to act. He instructed Robin to remain hidden and on standby for further orders. Cloaking himself in his invisibility cloak, Wayne silently slipped into the camp.
The orc camp was vastly different from human military encampments. The orcs, little better than beasts themselves, made no attempt at organization. There were no large tents for soldiers, no barricades or defenses to keep out potential threats. They lived in chaos, as primitive as savages. Aside from a few large bonfires scattered across the camp, providing dim light, the orcs lay on the ground, sleeping where they fell. Only the orc captains slept with any measure of comfort, resting on piles of fur or hay. Wayne moved stealthily between the sleeping orcs, the only sound coming from their guttural snores.
This lack of structure made it easy for Wayne to locate the prisoners. The camp was so sparsely organized that he could see the large holding area at a glance. Any loud noise, however, would immediately alert the entire camp.
Thankfully, in Middle-earth, magic wasn't as common as in other realms. The invisibility cloak was a rare and invaluable asset here, especially under the cover of night. Within just five minutes of sneaking through the camp, Wayne found the place where the orcs were keeping the prisoners.
There were two types of captives from the Lake Town. The adults were locked in simple wooden cages, their hands and feet bound with iron chains. Vulnerable individuals, such as children and the elderly, were treated like livestock by the orcs. Their hands and necks were tied with rope and strung together in a humiliating manner.
To prevent escapes, all the prisoners were confined in the same area. A dozen orc guards had been assigned to watch over them, and a wooden wall, as high as a man, had been constructed around the enclosure.
However, due to the orcs' drunken revelry and exhaustion, most of the guards were slumped against the wooden wall, fast asleep. A few remained awake, but they looked barely alert, struggling to stay conscious.
This presented Wayne with the perfect opportunity.
Wayne had no mercy for these orc guards. Using the cover of his invisibility cloak, he swiftly approached each guard, covering their mouths and dispatching them silently.
Through countless stealth assassinations, Wayne had discovered a useful feature of his space bracelet: it could dispose of bodies, eliminating evidence. While it couldn't store living beings, it had no trouble concealing corpses. By ensuring that his targets were brain-dead, Wayne could use the bracelet to store the bodies like inanimate objects.
This greatly reduced the risk of detection. Although the sudden disappearance of a guard might raise suspicion among the orcs, it was far less alarming than discovering a corpse.
In this manner, Wayne swiftly and quietly eliminated the guards without alerting anyone.
As he entered the wooden enclosure where the prisoners were held, Wayne was surprised to find that he wasn't alone. Someone else was also attempting a rescue.
The figure was a middle-aged man of average build, clad in a dark fur cloak. He was crouched near a cage, working carefully and quietly at the lock. It wasn't clear whether he was picking the lock or doing something else, but he was doing it with great caution.
Wayne considered the situation for only a second or two before silently moving toward the man. He swiftly covered the man's mouth and restrained him. With his immense strength, the man was unable to resist.
"Don't make a sound. I'm here to save people too. I'll let go now, but if you yell, I'll kill you," Wayne whispered.
Realizing that Wayne meant no harm, the man's struggle ceased. Once Wayne released his grip, he asked softly:
"Who are you, and why are you here?"
The man, though handsome, looked haggard with sweat and bruises marking his face. After a brief hesitation, he replied:
"My name is Bard. I'm a resident of Lake Town. I'm here to rescue my child."
Wayne immediately recognized Bard but didn't reveal his recognition. Instead, he gave clear instructions:
"I've taken care of the guards outside. Now, come with me to free the rest of the prisoners."
"Once they're free, I'll create a distraction. You'll lead them back to Long Lake Town."
"Understood?"
There was no time for lengthy discussion. After a brief pause, Bard nodded in agreement.
Seeing his compliance, Wayne didn't waste any more time. He gestured to Bard and then drew his Electric Blade from his waist.
The blade, which had been magically enhanced several times, possessed exceptional sharpness and durability.
The orc's chains, crudely forged, stood no chance. With Wayne's immense strength, he sliced through the chains easily, freeing the captives without the need to pick the locks.