Chapter 450: Expanding (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 450: Expanding (3)
All nobles were first and foremost servants of the king. Given that, was it possible for a noble to also serve as the head of their race?
No matter from where or by whom that question was asked, the answer would always be simple: Nobody knew.
Because there's no precedent.
Of course, if it were to actually happen, it would cause an uproar among the court. As nobles were meant to be mere servants of the king, every action they took should be for the sake of the king and kingdom rather than just one particular race. Even if there were no laws against it, the lack of precedent made it an unspoken rule.
"Let's head outside."
The chieftain, however, made no mention of such politics. I couldn't tell if it was because he was unaware of the unspoken rule or simply didn't care. However, now wasn't the time to worry about such things. Why would it even matter if the chieftain knew? At the end of the day, the chieftain was a barbarian in his own right, just like the thousands of warriors around us shouting their hearts out. And that was good enough for me.
"Behel—aaaaaah!"
"Behel—aaaaaah!"
It'd be no exaggeration to say that all of the warriors in the holy land had gathered at the Grounds of Testament. It was the place where warriors went to settle their small quarrels or train or duel each other, rolling around in the dirt and trading blows.
Well, it's more like a giant hole in the middle of the forest, though.
The Proving Grounds wasn't a well-kept arena. The land was uneven and even covered in gravel, and when it rained, it often flooded, making it impossible to hold any duels until the water levels went down.
Thump-thump!
Yet as soon as we arrived, my warrior's heart began to race. So what if there was no fancy marble flooring or tall statues? All that mattered was that the chieftain had brought me here himself. And unlike when I fought him in the past, I could tell he wasn't going to just half-heartedly swing his ax at me this time.
It feels... like he's acknowledged me.
How strange. I wasn't even a real barbarian.
Thump-thump!
So why was I so excited?
Thud!
The chieftain stood opposite me and then jumped into the pit more than seven yards deep. He landed with a loud thump, sending a cloud of dust into the air. Before I could jump down to join him, my eyes met Ainar's.
What's wrong?
She nodded at me in support when our eyes locked, yet her smile didn't contain its usual enthusiasm. A sudden thought struck me.
...Maybe she feels like I've taken something from her?
It would make sense for her to feel that way. After all, while I was missing, Ainar had been reading books in the library and making a real effort to become the next chieftain. So maybe my challenge to the chieftain today wasn't welcome—
"Bjorn..." Ainar walked over to me, her tone and expression both quite serious. "Hey, make sure you win! You got it?! I'm putting my trust in you!"
Man, I felt shallow. What was wrong with me? Why was I getting all worried and stuck in my own head for no reason?
Thanks to you, I'm no longer nervous.
I smirked as I brought my fist up to hers. "I got it. Trust me."
With that, I jumped down into the pit... or rather, into the Proving Grounds.
Thud!
A jolt rattled through my feet up to my legs as a thick cloud of dust flew up into the air. From up above, I could hear Ainar's voice rising above the roar of the crowd.
"The great warrior has promised us victory!"
"Behel—aaah!"
I was so embarrassed at this point, there was no way I could lose.
Not that I ever planned on losing in the first place.
I stared straight ahead. Through the settling dust, I could see the chieftain slowly approaching.
Step, step.
For some reason, his footsteps rang loud and clear in my ears, slicing right through the thunderous shouts outside the pit.
Step.
The chieftain stopped a short distance away and drew the large ax he had strapped on his back. I tightened my grip on my hammer and shield as I quickly got into position.
Fwooosh.
Unlike a duel amongst nobles, we didn't state our names or houses. No announcer was there to give us an introduction, nor was there any priest around to say a prayer before the duel began. There also wasn't any of the banter that was typical of a fight between adventurers, who often sparred with empty words in an attempt to deceive or intimidate each other.
The moment we looked into each other's eyes, we simply yelled out, both ready.
"Behel—aaaaaah!"
"Behel—aaaaaah!"
And with that, we ran toward each other without another word.
His ax and my shield collided.
Claaaaaang!
The chieftain, who was only an inch or so taller than me, struck me with his massive axe. I pushed back against him, and our contest of strength began.
Back then, I had to use Giantization just to hold off his ax.
Memories of our past fight flashed through my mind, but this battle was clearly building toward a different outcome. Our previous fight had taken place before I'd received the Earth Dragon's Blessing from the dragon kid, and before I got the essence of the Bayon, the essence of the Storm Gush, the essence of the Vol-Herchan, and the essence of the Deep Sea Giant. Now, there was no way I would be pushed back in a battle of brute strength.
[You have cast Giantization.]
First, I'd grow in size and knock the chieftain's ax back. I didn't want to stay in this position any longer, honestly.
Screech.
It felt like he was still looking down on me.
[You have cast Wild Outburst. Your Threat Level has temporarily increased by 3x, and your Physique stats increase in proportion to that value.]
As I forcefully shoved the chieftain back, I wielded my hammer and smashed it down.
[You have cast Swing. The damage you deal with blunt weapons has increased significantly in proportion to your Muscle Strength.]
Instead of evading, the chieftain managed to block it with his axe.
Boom!
There was a roar as our weapons clashed.
With that, I jumped down into the pit... or rather, into the Proving Grounds.
Thud!
A jolt rattled through my feet up to my legs as a thick cloud of dust flew up into the air. From up above, I could hear Ainar's voice rising above the roar of the crowd.
"The great warrior has promised us victory!"
"Behel—aaah!"
I was so embarrassed at this point, there was no way I could lose.
Not that I ever planned on losing in the first place.
I stared straight ahead. Through the settling dust, I could see the chieftain slowly approaching.
Step, step.
For some reason, his footsteps rang loud and clear in my ears, slicing right through the thunderous shouts outside the pit.
Step.
The chieftain stopped a short distance away and drew the large ax he had strapped on his back. I tightened my grip on my hammer and shield as I quickly got into position.
Fwooosh.
Unlike a duel amongst nobles, we didn't state our names or houses. No announcer was there to give us an introduction, nor was there any priest around to say a prayer before the duel began. There also wasn't any of the banter that was typical of a fight between adventurers, who often sparred with empty words in an attempt to deceive or intimidate each other.
The moment we looked into each other's eyes, we simply yelled out, both ready.
"Behel—aaaaaah!"
"Behel—aaaaaah!"
And with that, we ran toward each other without another word.
His ax and my shield collided.
Claaaaaang!
The chieftain, who was only an inch or so taller than me, struck me with his massive axe. I pushed back against him, and our contest of strength began.
Back then, I had to use Giantization just to hold off his ax.
Memories of our past fight flashed through my mind, but this battle was clearly building toward a different outcome. Our previous fight had taken place before I'd received the Earth Dragon's Blessing from the dragon kid, and before I got the essence of the Bayon, the essence of the Storm Gush, the essence of the Vol-Herchan, and the essence of the Deep Sea Giant. Now, there was no way I would be pushed back in a battle of brute strength.
[You have cast Giantization.]
First, I'd grow in size and knock the chieftain's ax back. I didn't want to stay in this position any longer, honestly.
Screech.
It felt like he was still looking down on me.
[You have cast Wild Outburst. Your Threat Level has temporarily increased by 3x, and your Physique stats increase in proportion to that value.]
As I forcefully shoved the chieftain back, I wielded my hammer and smashed it down.
[You have cast Swing. The damage you deal with blunt weapons has increased significantly in proportion to your Muscle Strength.]
Instead of evading, the chieftain managed to block it with his axe.
Boom!
There was a roar as our weapons clashed.
[Gudnulf Olga has cast Frictional Heat.]
There was a sudden burst of heat like a bomb had gone off right in my face. However, a mere burst was all it was.
[The target weapon's impact has been partially absorbed. Heat has been generated.]
It was a stacking skill, meaning its effects strengthened as more heat built up. At the end of the day, however, it was a skill that couldn't do more than reduce the impact of an attack by a set amount, so the chieftain's large body gradually bent back under the weight of my hammer.
Okay, I can work with this angle.
I slammed my massive foot against his stomach. He curled inward as he was sent flying like a soccer ball, now fully airborne.
Whooosh!
I couldn't pass up on the opportunity to attack my opponent while he was stuck in midair. I grabbed my hammer and went to swing it like a baseball bat.
Fwooosh!
However, as I readied my swing, the chieftain stomped down on empty air and managed to jump even higher, out of my reach.
[Gudnulf Olga has cast Flame Leap.]
Flame Leap was one of the most effective high-rank movement skills there was. While a Manticore could travel farther with its regular Leap, a Flame Leap could be used in midair. More importantly, its additional effects were vastly different.
[The Fire damage dealt by the next skill used by Gudnulf Olga will be increased by 200%.]
This particular movement ability came with a rare-to-come-by double damage multiplier. Because of that, I always made sure to have the skill in my final build when I chose to go down a fire-type character route.
[Gudnulf Olga has cast Thunderspark.]
The chieftain landed behind me as he swung his axe.
Boooooom!
An explosion rocked my shield, sending a shock straight through me down to my bones. It'd been a while since I'd felt anything like this.
[Heat has been generated.]
It was like fighting a massive monster. But, like the warrior I was, I focused solely on the battle and swung my hammer to meet his attack head-on.
Thunk!
Yet somehow, when my hammer struck his chin, the chieftain was only sent stumbling a few steps back.
Ah... This old man is strong...
Was it because I'd only been fighting against weaklings recently? It was a strange feeling, landing a blow on the chieftain at full power and having it be nowhere near as effective as I'd expected. In the end, the strong truly were in a realm of their own, even when it came to tanking.
Clang!
I swung my hammer once more before he could recover, but the chieftain was faster as he quickly regrouped, raising his ax to block me.
[Heat has been generated.]
Was that three stacks now? It was somewhere around there, but there was no real need to keep a precise count. After all, it would be obvious when he reached ten.
[Heat has been generated.]
[Heat has been generated.]
[Heat has been generated.]
I continued to exchange blows with him as he continued to charge up.
[Gudnulf Olga's next attack will be strengthened by the accumulated heat.]
[Gudnulf Olga has cast Frictional Heat.]
There was a sudden burst of heat like a bomb had gone off right in my face. However, a mere burst was all it was.
[The target weapon's impact has been partially absorbed. Heat has been generated.]
It was a stacking skill, meaning its effects strengthened as more heat built up. At the end of the day, however, it was a skill that couldn't do more than reduce the impact of an attack by a set amount, so the chieftain's large body gradually bent back under the weight of my hammer.
Okay, I can work with this angle.
I slammed my massive foot against his stomach. He curled inward as he was sent flying like a soccer ball, now fully airborne.
Whooosh!
I couldn't pass up on the opportunity to attack my opponent while he was stuck in midair. I grabbed my hammer and went to swing it like a baseball bat.
Fwooosh!
However, as I readied my swing, the chieftain stomped down on empty air and managed to jump even higher, out of my reach.
[Gudnulf Olga has cast Flame Leap.]
Flame Leap was one of the most effective high-rank movement skills there was. While a Manticore could travel farther with its regular Leap, a Flame Leap could be used in midair. More importantly, its additional effects were vastly different.
[The Fire damage dealt by the next skill used by Gudnulf Olga will be increased by 200%.]
This particular movement ability came with a rare-to-come-by double damage multiplier. Because of that, I always made sure to have the skill in my final build when I chose to go down a fire-type character route.
[Gudnulf Olga has cast Thunderspark.]
The chieftain landed behind me as he swung his axe.
Boooooom!
An explosion rocked my shield, sending a shock straight through me down to my bones. It'd been a while since I'd felt anything like this.
[Heat has been generated.]
It was like fighting a massive monster. But, like the warrior I was, I focused solely on the battle and swung my hammer to meet his attack head-on.
Thunk!
Yet somehow, when my hammer struck his chin, the chieftain was only sent stumbling a few steps back.
Ah... This old man is strong...
Was it because I'd only been fighting against weaklings recently? It was a strange feeling, landing a blow on the chieftain at full power and having it be nowhere near as effective as I'd expected. In the end, the strong truly were in a realm of their own, even when it came to tanking.
Clang!
I swung my hammer once more before he could recover, but the chieftain was faster as he quickly regrouped, raising his ax to block me.
[Heat has been generated.]
Was that three stacks now? It was somewhere around there, but there was no real need to keep a precise count. After all, it would be obvious when he reached ten.
[Heat has been generated.]
[Heat has been generated.]
[Heat has been generated.]
I continued to exchange blows with him as he continued to charge up.
[Gudnulf Olga's next attack will be strengthened by the accumulated heat.]
[Gudnulf Olga has cast Flame Leap. The Fire damage dealt by the next skill used by Gudnulf Olga will be increased by 200%.]
The chieftain leaped high into the air and struck down at me with his axe. How was I supposed to deal with a combo like that?
Jump.
I could have blocked his attack, but given the condition of my shield, I decided to jump back and put more distance between us instead.
Boooooooooom!
His ax struck the ground, creating a massive crater large enough to bury three people inside.
He must be at ten stacks by now.
I had to be mindful of the sheer amount of strength and power at his disposal when he hit a multiple of ten stacks. Getting struck in the head by one of those blows would be pretty—
Huh?
While I was busy strategizing, the chieftain struck the ground once more. What followed was a skill from the rank-three monster Hellsmith.
[Gudnulf Olga has cast Pounding. The flames within the earth awaken.]
It was a fascinating spectacle. I didn't expect him to whip out his finishing move already before he was even able to build up enough stacks.
Boooooom!
The ground cracked open as flames erupted from the earth, engulfing the chieftain's body. Well, maybe the more appropriate term would be "cloaking." Pounding was a buff skill.
[The damage dealt by all Fire-type skills has significantly increased. Gudnulf Olga's Physique stats rise significantly in proportion to his Fire Sensitivity level. His surroundings will constantly catch fire.]
The chieftain, now covered in flames, immediately kicked off the ground and rushed straight at me.
Fwooosh!
I managed to block his ax with my shield, but a stinging wave of heat still burned my skin. Its effects were thankfully reduced because I had equipped the Orb of Fire.
[You have activated the Orb of Fire. All Fire-type damage within a radius of 15 yards will be reduced by 50%.]
I was glad that I brought it with me.
"Behel—aaaaaah!"
"Bjorn, son of Yandel, is pushing back the Flame Warrior!"
"Wooooooh!"
We exchanged several more blows. The barbarians watching shouted my name, sensing I had the upper hand in this fight. That was only because this matchup was a favorable one for me, however.
Clang!
I could easily block his ax with my hammer, and since my strength was on par with the chieftain's, he couldn't push me back or break my stance.
Fwooosh!
The continual fire damage I was being bombarded with was reduced, and my healing factor handled any damage that managed to get through.
[Gudnulf Olga's next attack will be strengthened by the accumulated heat.]
Whenever the chieftain gathered enough stacks to land an even slightly dangerous blow, I made sure to step back and avoid it. From the chieftain's point of view, this must have felt unfair and frustrating. This battle might have gone much differently had I been a pure tank and not part damage dealer.
Whack!
However, I was a warrior who wielded a shield for protection and a hammer to deal damage, a vexing foe to face. Of course, that wasn't to say I had an overwhelming advantage over the chieftain.
[Gudnulf Olga has cast Flame Leap. The Fire damage dealt by the next skill used by Gudnulf Olga will be increased by 200%.]
The chieftain leaped high into the air and struck down at me with his axe. How was I supposed to deal with a combo like that?
Jump.
I could have blocked his attack, but given the condition of my shield, I decided to jump back and put more distance between us instead.
Boooooooooom!
His ax struck the ground, creating a massive crater large enough to bury three people inside.
He must be at ten stacks by now.
I had to be mindful of the sheer amount of strength and power at his disposal when he hit a multiple of ten stacks. Getting struck in the head by one of those blows would be pretty—
Huh?
While I was busy strategizing, the chieftain struck the ground once more. What followed was a skill from the rank-three monster Hellsmith.
[Gudnulf Olga has cast Pounding. The flames within the earth awaken.]
It was a fascinating spectacle. I didn't expect him to whip out his finishing move already before he was even able to build up enough stacks.
Boooooom!
The ground cracked open as flames erupted from the earth, engulfing the chieftain's body. Well, maybe the more appropriate term would be "cloaking." Pounding was a buff skill.
[The damage dealt by all Fire-type skills has significantly increased. Gudnulf Olga's Physique stats rise significantly in proportion to his Fire Sensitivity level. His surroundings will constantly catch fire.]
The chieftain, now covered in flames, immediately kicked off the ground and rushed straight at me.
Fwooosh!
I managed to block his ax with my shield, but a stinging wave of heat still burned my skin. Its effects were thankfully reduced because I had equipped the Orb of Fire.
[You have activated the Orb of Fire. All Fire-type damage within a radius of 15 yards will be reduced by 50%.]
I was glad that I brought it with me.
"Behel—aaaaaah!"
"Bjorn, son of Yandel, is pushing back the Flame Warrior!"
"Wooooooh!"
We exchanged several more blows. The barbarians watching shouted my name, sensing I had the upper hand in this fight. That was only because this matchup was a favorable one for me, however.
Clang!
I could easily block his ax with my hammer, and since my strength was on par with the chieftain's, he couldn't push me back or break my stance.
Fwooosh!
The continual fire damage I was being bombarded with was reduced, and my healing factor handled any damage that managed to get through.
[Gudnulf Olga's next attack will be strengthened by the accumulated heat.]
Whenever the chieftain gathered enough stacks to land an even slightly dangerous blow, I made sure to step back and avoid it. From the chieftain's point of view, this must have felt unfair and frustrating. This battle might have gone much differently had I been a pure tank and not part damage dealer.
Whack!
However, I was a warrior who wielded a shield for protection and a hammer to deal damage, a vexing foe to face. Of course, that wasn't to say I had an overwhelming advantage over the chieftain.
Fwoooooosh!
Sure enough, he would not be an easy opponent.
[Gudnulf Olga's next attack will be strengthened by the accumulated heat.]
The chieftain cast Flame Leap in a feint then smashed his ax against my adamantium shield.
[Gudnulf Olga has cast Resonance of Mother Nature.]
[Gudnulf Olga has cast Ignite.]
These were all fairly dangerous skills that suited a fire-type warrior.
[Gudnulf Olga's stats have temporarily increased due to the accumulated heat.]
Now that he had built up fifty stacks, he was starting to get even faster.
[Gudnulf Olga acquires Natural Regeneration in proportion to the Fire damage inflicted by the innate ability, Ember.]
[All of Gudnulf Olga's stats have increased in proportion to the resources consumed by the innate ability, Heat.]
The other effects he'd gained from going down the Golden Sun Imprint route were unexpectedly difficult to deal with. Since Heat was active, he must have gotten to the ninth stage of his imprint, at the very least.
Ha. He's not even a tank, yet he's this tough.
The chieftain was an ideal high-rank barbarian warrior. I could only imagine the number of times he'd been praised for his strength. Not only could he deal large amounts of damage, but he also had a sturdy body, an impressive healing factor, and a lack of fear.
However, one thing served him better than all of that.
"Behel—aaaaaah!"
The more cornered he was, the more violent and powerful he became.
That nickname... The Flame Warrior...
I was finally seeing with my own eyes the man from the story I'd heard so long ago. He'd been personally scouted by the largest clan in the city, and they came to see him as their leader after an attack on the Frostlord's Palace in one of the eighth-floor Rifts. At the time, I thought I roughly understood how strong the chieftain was based on that tale.
It makes sense... With this much power, he could definitely pull that off.
Though he was considered to be one of the weakest chieftains in our clan's history, he was still incredibly strong. Still, it wasn't enough to overcome the difference between us.
I guess it's about time.
It was finally time to end this duel.
Three, two, one...
As I counted down inside my head, the flames wrapped around the chieftain's body slowly started to die down.
[Pounding has been deactivated.]
The buff, which served as his finisher, was finally deactivated. Now, it was my turn to go on the offensive and push him back.
Boooooom!
With every attack, I made sure to use Swing in combination with Transcendence and Eye of the Storm to not give him any time to breathe. Of course, that also meant I was quickly running out of MP...
I haven't even used Soul Dive yet, though.
Sensing my intention to bring this duel to an end, the chieftain began to fight back even more fiercely.
Crack!
My shield, which had been struck by his ax several times already, completely shattered under his next blow. Even in the heat of the moment, I couldn't help but feel depressed thinking about how much it would cost to fix. Still, the fact that I'd lost a shield and not my arm was worth the price.
Fwoooooosh!
Sure enough, he would not be an easy opponent.
[Gudnulf Olga's next attack will be strengthened by the accumulated heat.]
The chieftain cast Flame Leap in a feint then smashed his ax against my adamantium shield.
[Gudnulf Olga has cast Resonance of Mother Nature.]
[Gudnulf Olga has cast Ignite.]
These were all fairly dangerous skills that suited a fire-type warrior.
[Gudnulf Olga's stats have temporarily increased due to the accumulated heat.]
Now that he had built up fifty stacks, he was starting to get even faster.
[Gudnulf Olga acquires Natural Regeneration in proportion to the Fire damage inflicted by the innate ability, Ember.]
[All of Gudnulf Olga's stats have increased in proportion to the resources consumed by the innate ability, Heat.]
The other effects he'd gained from going down the Golden Sun Imprint route were unexpectedly difficult to deal with. Since Heat was active, he must have gotten to the ninth stage of his imprint, at the very least.
Ha. He's not even a tank, yet he's this tough.
The chieftain was an ideal high-rank barbarian warrior. I could only imagine the number of times he'd been praised for his strength. Not only could he deal large amounts of damage, but he also had a sturdy body, an impressive healing factor, and a lack of fear.
However, one thing served him better than all of that.
"Behel—aaaaaah!"
The more cornered he was, the more violent and powerful he became.
That nickname... The Flame Warrior...
I was finally seeing with my own eyes the man from the story I'd heard so long ago. He'd been personally scouted by the largest clan in the city, and they came to see him as their leader after an attack on the Frostlord's Palace in one of the eighth-floor Rifts. At the time, I thought I roughly understood how strong the chieftain was based on that tale.
It makes sense... With this much power, he could definitely pull that off.
Though he was considered to be one of the weakest chieftains in our clan's history, he was still incredibly strong. Still, it wasn't enough to overcome the difference between us.
I guess it's about time.
It was finally time to end this duel.
Three, two, one...
As I counted down inside my head, the flames wrapped around the chieftain's body slowly started to die down.
[Pounding has been deactivated.]
The buff, which served as his finisher, was finally deactivated. Now, it was my turn to go on the offensive and push him back.
Boooooom!
With every attack, I made sure to use Swing in combination with Transcendence and Eye of the Storm to not give him any time to breathe. Of course, that also meant I was quickly running out of MP...
I haven't even used Soul Dive yet, though.
Sensing my intention to bring this duel to an end, the chieftain began to fight back even more fiercely.
Crack!
My shield, which had been struck by his ax several times already, completely shattered under his next blow. Even in the heat of the moment, I couldn't help but feel depressed thinking about how much it would cost to fix. Still, the fact that I'd lost a shield and not my arm was worth the price.
Smash!
Using my now-empty hand, I drove a fist into the chieftain's jaw. Even as his head snapped back, he glared right at me and swung his axe.
Clang!
I was barely able to block it with my hammer.
[The maximum amount of heat has been stored.]
The chieftain's ax began to emit a reddish glow like it was fresh out of a blacksmith's forge. I sighed inwardly. He'd now maxed out his stacks. I was hoping to finish this before it got to this point.
[All of Gudnulf Olga's stats have significantly increased due to the accumulated heat.]
Of course, even with a full stack, the chieftain wasn't in the best condition. Blood dripped down his forehead, and his entire body was badly bruised and swollen. His arms and legs, his stomach and head—every part of him was injured. To be honest, I wasn't sure how he could possibly still be standing right now.
Oh.
Only then did it hit me—this must have been the same feeling others got when they looked at me.
"Bjorn, son of Yandel," the chieftain called.
If he wanted to talk, he might as well go and put that red ax away already. Still, I decided to hear him out as this was the first time we were speaking mid-battle. I made sure to not take my eyes off of that axe, though.
"You've grown stronger."
I'd been wondering what he was going to say, but was that really it?
"If it's you, I think I can pass on the position of leader of this tribe." Despite his words, his eyes looked nothing like those of a warrior who had accepted defeat. The declaration that followed only confirmed that. "But!" the chieftain bellowed. "I still hate losing! And that's why I am going to win!"
With that, the chieftain let out a roar, ignoring the shouts of the other barbarians watching as he charged at me with determination. My response would be the same as always. Avoid what I could, block when I needed to, strike when I could, and wield my hammer until my enemy fell.
The time seemed to pass in a blink of an eye.
I couldn't hear anything around me. It was like I was wearing earplugs. The other barbarian warriors watching from above must have been shouting something, but all I could hear was our battle. This sensation wasn't new to me, though. Why hadn't anyone made a saying for it yet? Something like, a barbarian only hears what they need to hear.
Right now, I could only hear the breaths of my opponent, the sound of his feet dragging across the ground...
Fwoooooosh!
And the sound of the wind rushing past me.
Step.
My eyes were glued to him. My body moved forward as I kicked off the ground. But in a flash, the moment I entered his range, that red ax brushed up against my upper body, slicing at me from the bottom up.
What was that just now? How did I dodge that? If I'd gotten hit by that, I wouldn't have even had time to realize what had happened before it took me out of this fight. No, how did he even manage to swing his ax from that angle?
A chill shot down my spine as a flurry of questions whipped through my mind. Meanwhile, my body had already completely adapted and was taking action before I could think.
Slam!
My hammer swung down to strike the hand he had holding the axe. Even though his wrist was broken, the chieftain never let go of the handle. All I could do was strike it again.
Slam!
Only after his wrist was completely mangled did he release his grip on his axe. However, I was mistaken in hoping that that would be the end of our battle.
The chieftain stared at me with his one remaining hand clenched. It was an unspoken sign that this duel was not yet over.
Ha... So this is a real barbarian...
A wave of emotion rushed through me. Part of me was sick of his barbarian tenacity, but another part of me admired it. And yet another part felt a sense of disappointment. I wanted to deliver a clean KO to the chieftain with everyone watching.
Well, whatever...
I knew my fellow barbarians would enjoy watching this just as much.
Thud!
I threw my hammer aside as I deactivated Giantization—
"Behel—aaaaaah!"
—and decided to fistfight the chieftain until he was satisfied.
Punch! Punch! Punch!
I wasn't meant to be the star of today's show.
"Th-the winner has been decided!"
"Bjorn, son of Yandel! He will be our new chieftain!"
In the end, we didn't finish our duel for the title of chieftain until long after lunchtime.
Smash!
Using my now-empty hand, I drove a fist into the chieftain's jaw. Even as his head snapped back, he glared right at me and swung his axe.
Clang!
I was barely able to block it with my hammer.
[The maximum amount of heat has been stored.]
The chieftain's ax began to emit a reddish glow like it was fresh out of a blacksmith's forge. I sighed inwardly. He'd now maxed out his stacks. I was hoping to finish this before it got to this point.
[All of Gudnulf Olga's stats have significantly increased due to the accumulated heat.]
Of course, even with a full stack, the chieftain wasn't in the best condition. Blood dripped down his forehead, and his entire body was badly bruised and swollen. His arms and legs, his stomach and head—every part of him was injured. To be honest, I wasn't sure how he could possibly still be standing right now.
Oh.
Only then did it hit me—this must have been the same feeling others got when they looked at me.
"Bjorn, son of Yandel," the chieftain called.
If he wanted to talk, he might as well go and put that red ax away already. Still, I decided to hear him out as this was the first time we were speaking mid-battle. I made sure to not take my eyes off of that axe, though.
"You've grown stronger."
I'd been wondering what he was going to say, but was that really it?
"If it's you, I think I can pass on the position of leader of this tribe." Despite his words, his eyes looked nothing like those of a warrior who had accepted defeat. The declaration that followed only confirmed that. "But!" the chieftain bellowed. "I still hate losing! And that's why I am going to win!"
With that, the chieftain let out a roar, ignoring the shouts of the other barbarians watching as he charged at me with determination. My response would be the same as always. Avoid what I could, block when I needed to, strike when I could, and wield my hammer until my enemy fell.
The time seemed to pass in a blink of an eye.
I couldn't hear anything around me. It was like I was wearing earplugs. The other barbarian warriors watching from above must have been shouting something, but all I could hear was our battle. This sensation wasn't new to me, though. Why hadn't anyone made a saying for it yet? Something like, a barbarian only hears what they need to hear.
Right now, I could only hear the breaths of my opponent, the sound of his feet dragging across the ground...
Fwoooooosh!
And the sound of the wind rushing past me.
Step.
My eyes were glued to him. My body moved forward as I kicked off the ground. But in a flash, the moment I entered his range, that red ax brushed up against my upper body, slicing at me from the bottom up.
What was that just now? How did I dodge that? If I'd gotten hit by that, I wouldn't have even had time to realize what had happened before it took me out of this fight. No, how did he even manage to swing his ax from that angle?
A chill shot down my spine as a flurry of questions whipped through my mind. Meanwhile, my body had already completely adapted and was taking action before I could think.
Slam!
My hammer swung down to strike the hand he had holding the axe. Even though his wrist was broken, the chieftain never let go of the handle. All I could do was strike it again.
Slam!
Only after his wrist was completely mangled did he release his grip on his axe. However, I was mistaken in hoping that that would be the end of our battle.
The chieftain stared at me with his one remaining hand clenched. It was an unspoken sign that this duel was not yet over.
Ha... So this is a real barbarian...
A wave of emotion rushed through me. Part of me was sick of his barbarian tenacity, but another part of me admired it. And yet another part felt a sense of disappointment. I wanted to deliver a clean KO to the chieftain with everyone watching.
Well, whatever...
I knew my fellow barbarians would enjoy watching this just as much.
Thud!
I threw my hammer aside as I deactivated Giantization—
"Behel—aaaaaah!"
—and decided to fistfight the chieftain until he was satisfied.
Punch! Punch! Punch!
I wasn't meant to be the star of today's show.
"Th-the winner has been decided!"
"Bjorn, son of Yandel! He will be our new chieftain!"
In the end, we didn't finish our duel for the title of chieftain until long after lunchtime.