Chapter 300
Chapter 300
Chapter 300
Zeke noticed a dark mage emitting mana standing next to the Orc captain.
'Abyss Mage. So they were here too?.'
Tauga, the Orc warrior captain, shouted towards Zeke.
"Human dares to trespass into our territory!"
BOOM!
Tauga's shout echoed through the surroundings.
The other Orc warriors behind him created loud noises by clashing their weapons against their armor and joined in the shouting.
He had ordered the Cayman unit to attack the front of the village to draw attention, but it seemed the Abyss Mage had figured out it was a diversion.
Tauga stepped forward, raising his greatsword toward Zeke and shouted.
"Filthy human! Admiring your courage to crawl all the way here, I, Lord Tauga, shall personally face you!"
The Orcs surrounding them let out cheers mixed with shouts at those words.
Watching them, Zeke was reminded of the Balrogs he saw in the inverted tower.
'Those guys were just as hopeless, and these Orcs seem similar.'
The Abyss Mage beside him seemed to be saying something to Tauga, but the aggressive Orc captain wouldn't listen to the mage's words.
He approached Zeke with his greatsword.
"Die a glorious death fighting like a warrior!"
Then he immediately raised his greatsword and charged at Zeke.
WHOOSH!
The greatsword, imbued with unique Orc elasticity and robust strength, flew towards Zeke.
Zeke stepped back slightly, dodging the greatsword.
Tauga bared his sharp tusks and shouted.
"Stop running away like a coward and fight!"
Zeke nimbly avoided Tauga’s relentless attacks, his footwork light as a shadow.
Though it was a fierce attack, it wasn't very threatening to Zeke, a Black Knight.
Zeke was more concerned about the Abyss Mage behind him.
'There might be other companions.'
He decided to use Tauga, who was charging like a wild boar.
Zeke swung Bahamut to deflect Tauga's greatsword.
CLANG!
When his greatsword was deflected head-on, Tauga glared at Zeke and burned with even more fighting spirit.
"Good, good! This is how it should be!"
That's when Zeke looked directly at Tauga and spoke.
"I'm disappointed. Is this all an Orc warrior amounts to?"
Tauga was shocked when Zeke spoke in Orcish.
"How do you know our language?!"
He pointed his sword at Tauga and continued.
"Having such a mage in a sacred warrior's battle. I suspect other mages might be waiting and looking for an opening to attack."
At Zeke's words, Tauga swung his greatsword wildly and shouted.
"How dare you insult me, Tauga!"
He roared toward the sky and shouted.
"I swear on the name of warriors! There are no mages planning to ambush! That one is the only mage, and if he interferes in this battle, I won't let him get away with it! Stop spouting nonsense and fight like a warrior!"
The dark mage's expression behind him twisted at Tauga's words.
Seeing this, Zeke nodded.
'Seems there are no more personnel dispatched here.'
Zeke smiled inwardly and charged at Tauga with Bahamut.
WHOOSH!
His sword, made heavy by the field of golden power, struck hard above Tauga's greatsword.
BOOM!
Tauga, who blocked Zeke's sword, couldn't withstand the heavy force and was pushed back.
The force was so strong that his greatsword was dented.
Zeke looked at the retreating Tauga and spoke.
"Tauga, was it? Crossing swords with you, I can feel what a great warrior you are."
Tauga smiled, showing his tusks at Zeke's words.
"You're not bad yourself, for a human."
"Tauga, how many warriors like you are there? I'd like to have heated battles with them too."
At those words, Tauga laughed loudly.
"HAHAHA! You've got quite the spirit for a human. In our Steel Legion, warriors of my caliber are abundant. Especially the special warriors blessed by the constellation are incomparable to the likes of me..."
That's when Tauga noticed something and glared at Zeke, raising his greatsword.
"You cunning human, trying to exploit openings with petty tricks!"
He had realized that Zeke was trying to extract information from him.
Zeke was disappointed to see that Tauga was sharper than expected.
'Still, I learned quite a bit. The Steel Legion and special warriors.'
Tauga let out a battle cry and charged at Zeke with his greatsword.
"HAAAT!"
Tauga's greatsword plunged down as if to split Zeke in half.
At that moment, a flash of light burst from Zeke's hand holding Bahamut.
SLASH-
Zeke swung his sword at a speed invisible to the eye.
Tauga's hands and neck were simultaneously severed, dropping to the ground.
THUD!
Tauga's massive body collapsed.
The watching Orcs murmured in confusion, unable to grasp what had happened.
Then the Abyss dark mage who had been watching shouted.
"Capture him!"
Only then did the Orcs realize Tauga had been killed instantly by Zeke.
"GET HIM!"
The Orcs charged at Zeke with battle cries close to howls.
Toward these Orcs, Zeke activated his Lion's Roar skill.
ROAAAR!
When Lion's Roar activated, an enormous sound erupted from Zeke's body.
The Orcs caught in the Lion's Roar staggered back with dazed expressions.
"UUGH!"
The Lion's Roar's power was incredible enough to make even Orcs, known as the race of fighting spirit, lose their minds and retreat.
Inwardly impressed, Zeke raised Aura Blade and began sweeping through the dazed Orcs.
SWOOSH!
The Orcs hit by Zeke's sword were cut through, armor and all.
"ARGH!"
Orc blood sprayed everywhere and limbs flew through the air.
While cutting down Orcs, Zeke chased after the Abyss mage.
The mage was quickly fleeing backward.
Zeke launched his chain toward the fleeing mage.
CLANK!
The flying chain wrapped around the mage's body.
"NNGH!"
The restrained mage twisted his whole body struggling to escape, but it was futile.
Zeke quickly arrived and struck the mage's cheek.
WHACK!
"KUHAK!"
The mage spat out blood and broken teeth after taking Zeke's hit.
With bloody foam in his mouth, he shouted at Zeke.
"The Herald of Blood and Madness will save us!"
Zeke sensed a strange madness in the mage's voice.
'So this one also worships the Herald of Blood and Madness.'
That's when it happened.
BUZZ! BUZZ!
Sensing an ominous energy from behind, Zeke turned around to see dark red energy enveloping the dead Orcs' bodies.
And moments later, amazingly, the dead Orcs began to rise again.
GROWL!
They were resurrected with stronger bodies and fighting spirit than before death, plus madness.
Zeke grabbed the mage's collar while watching the resurrected Orcs.
"What did you do? How are the dead Orcs coming back to life?"
The mage gave a crazed laugh at Zeke.
"Destruction! You've brought destruction upon yourself!"
Zeke punched the mage's face once more.
"GURK!"
The mage's face was almost caved in from one punch.
Clicking his tongue, Zeke healed the mage and tossed him aside.
"I'll deal with you later."
Zeke immediately put away Bahamut and drew out the jeweled sword Roland.
WHOOSH!
When the Holy Light Energy's radiance flowed across its surface, Roland took on the appearance of a truly legendary holy sword.
As Zeke approached holding Roland, a resurrected Orc charged at him wrapped in dark red energy.
GROWL!
The first Orc he encountered swung a huge battle axe at Zeke.
SLASH!
Roland, imbued with Holy Light Energy's power, split both the battle axe and the Orc's body in one strike.
SIZZLE!
Light energy clung to the surface of the Orc's body where the Holy Light Energy struck.
The areas covered in light couldn't regenerate or reattach limbs.
After confirming the Holy Light Energy was effective against resurrected Orcs, Zeke donned Hersion and wrapped his whole body in Holy Light Energy.
"Good. Let's go."
Zeke, wrapped in Holy Light Energy's radiance, charged into the Orc horde.
BOOM BOOM!
The light mace created from Holy Light Energy crushed the Orcs.
While the power was similar to what he created with Holy Fire Energy, it differed in that the light clung to the Orcs and continuously eroded their demonic energy.
ROAR!
The Orcs wrapped in Holy Light Energy's radiance screamed in pain.
In a brief opening, Zeke unleashed Lion's Roar at the Orcs again.
ROAAAR!
The Orcs hit by Lion's Roar momentarily broke free from their madness and felt fear towards Zeke.
Taking advantage of this opening, Zeke thrust Roland into the Orcs' bodies.
While eliminating the Orcs one by one, he sensed something approaching.
ROAR!
An Orc warrior, grown as large as a Cyclops, charged at Zeke.
BOOM!
Zeke was pushed back after taking a direct body slam.
After absorbing the impact, Zeke raised his head to check the charging Orc and saw it was the dead Tauga.
Tauga had taken on a form similar to a Balrog.
His entire body was dyed black, with hideous tendons protruding over solid muscles.
Tauga opened his mouth wide toward Zeke.
WHOOSH!
Dark red flames poured from his mouth.
But such flames couldn't harm Zeke wearing Hercyon.
Zeke put Roland in his inventory, then grabbed both of Tauga's hands and applied force. With a crack, Tauga's arms broke under the strong force.
"ROAR!"
As Tauga screamed, Zeke infused Holy Light Energy in that position.
BOOM!
A violent storm of light enveloped Tauga's body.
"ARGH!"
Taking the light storm head-on, Tauga vanished without even leaving bones behind.
Zeke extended his shadow and cleanly absorbed the fallen Orcs.
Being an ancient race, the Orcs provided quite high karma points when absorbed.
'These Orcs. Not bad at all?'
As Zeke easily disposed of the Orcs, the watching Abyss mage trembled.
After cleaning up, Zeke approached the Abyss mage he had set aside and grabbed his collar, pulling him up.
The relatively short mage was left dangling in the air.
Zeke opened his mouth toward the Abyss mage.
"Where were you planning to release the brainwashed Ogres?"
The Abyss mage kept his mouth shut tight.
Zeke clicked his tongue and shook his head.
"Doesn't matter if you don't talk. There are many ways to find out."
Zeke dragged the mage slowly to the Ogres' pen.
The Ogres brainwashed by the mages were gathered in the pen.
Zeke spoke to the mage.
"See those Ogres?"
As if he had no intention of hearing an answer, Zeke opened the pen and threw the mage inside immediately after speaking.
Then he closed the pen again.
The mage grinned at Zeke who had thrown him into the Ogre pen.
'Stupid fool, these Ogres are brainwashed to only respond to my commands.'
He planned to secretly order the Ogres to break the pen and escape in the confusion.
That's when Zeke raised Roland again and shouted.
"Recovery!"
Instantly, Recovery was cast on the Ogres in the pen.
GROWL!
The mage in the pen sensed something strange.
'W-what?'
He stared blankly at Zeke before slowly turning around.
The Ogres, freed from brainwashing by Recovery, straightened up and slowly approached where the mage was.
CRACK!
It was the sound of Ogre grip strength that could crush even rocks.
The mage panicked and knocked on the pen door.
"W-wait! L-let me out! Let me out!"
The mage pleaded while hurriedly casting magic.
WHOOSH!
A translucent black barrier appeared.
Right after, the Ogres charged and pummeled the black barrier with their fists.
CRACKLE!
Soon, cracks began appearing in the black barrier.
As the mage shook the door while looking back and forth between the Ogres and Zeke, one Ogre raised its arm and struck the cracked barrier hard.
CRASH!
As the barrier shattered, the Ogre's fist fell toward the mage's leg.
CRUNCH!
The mage's leg was completely shattered by one punch.
"ARGH!"
The mage collapsed bleeding and trembling.
Then Zeke created a wall of flames between the mage and Ogres by raising a field of fire power.
The Ogres shouted while blocked by the wall of flames.
From outside the pen, Zeke spoke.
"Feel like talking now?"
"F-first save me..."
Without a word, Zeke cast healing buff on the mage.
His crushed body recovered back to normal.
"HUFF, HUFF."
The mage whose body returned to normal thought it was like a terrible nightmare.
Zeke said to him.
"Tell me when you feel like talking. I'll keep you alive until then."
Gradually the wall of flames disappeared.
Seeing the Ogres standing close to approach him, the mage shouted.
"I-I'll talk! I'll talk!"
Then Zeke stopped the Ogres with his shadow dominion power.
The Ogres who were crossing the just-extinguished wall of flames stopped right in front of the mage.
Zeke asked the sweating Abyss mage.
"Those Orcs. How did you get them out of the Forest of the Forgotten?"