"[Riposte]!" I bawled. This skill allowed me to form a quick return thrust following a parry to my opponents.
It was a move meant for thinner swords, such as the foil sword and other flexible blades. However, Clarent, being the extraordinary sword, could copy copious moveset known for a sword. It all came down to my knowledge about them.
Spells worked that way in magic. Although I could learn some skills, I did not have the omnipotence to learn all of them.
With the descriptions of my skill, I sent back the attack and lunged forward, hitting Uruk-hai's side. I did not aim for the head, thinking that was the heavily guarded part of the monster. Anyone would expect such a dull attack, especially coming from a knight.
I needed to exhaust Uruk-hai's body and wound him with everything I had. But the situation might come back and bite me afterwards, knowing that I had the wobbling legs, and not Uruk-hai.
It was not just me who was attacking the mighty ogre. Other magical projectiles came from the villagers, helping me in battle.
"You're nothing but humans!" However, the enraged ogre was too strong even against these spells, as Uruk-hai cast something of its own.
It was a vicious cloud of mist that flew towards the cliff. The spell was something that boss' monsters could do, even in the game. It was a way to prevent an army that would put the creature in a disadvantage. Uruk-hai would conjure this tornado-like skill and use it if the monster felt threatened.
And right now, Uruk-hai finally thought of us as a formidable force that could break the monster down to the ground.
The dust particle that reached dozens of miles hit the crowd. It made the villagers wander at the windstorm approaching in their direction. As soon as the sandstorm hit them, Afenos had no other choice but to issue a temporary retreat from the whirling wind.
Since some people who wielded magic were mothers and children, the storm was too much for them to handle. It was an intelligent decision from Afenos, but a disadvantage to my position.
Although the ogre did not coat the smoke with poison, it was enough to disrupt the townspeople to fall back into their shacks. They used their homes as shelters from the tornado. I, who stood in front of the monster, continued fighting Uruk-hai head-on, knowing that I was the only one who could fight.
However, it was not as easy as it looked. The rain squall injured my skin and wore me down. Those drops of liquid mixed with the weather made my entire body sluggish, forcing me to exert more effort than I should.
It only meant that our fight would become more demanding than usual.
"I commend your bravery, child. But you can never be a hero that would live against me."
"I think I've already heard that earlier!"
After our exchange, I launched myself in the air and tried swinging my sword once again. However, because of the dusty storm clouding my vision, the figure of Uruk-hai vanished before me.
It was not just that. My legs needed more energy than usual for me to jump this high. All the strength left in my thighs fled from me. I did not even know if I could land a clean hit against the ogre at this right.
As soon as I blinked my eyes, the ogre was already in front, slamming its hands against my body.
That arm flung me against the stone, hitting my back flat on the rock. A blaring sound of something crashing against each other resounded on the battlefield, accompanied by my instinctive growl.
Piercing pain surged through my back while reaching out through my arms. It was as if a truck rammed against me, and the only medication I had was encouraging words coming from my enemy.
Thanks to my sword, some healing ability kicked in my senses, but I knew it did not mend my wounds. Heck, that was not even proper medication to begin with!
However, beggars can't be choosy, knowing that I was against a monster that wished to kill me. I needed to take whatever I could to stop this bastard from laying its hands against the villagers, even if I toss my life for it!
I did not fall for the same trick twice, knowing that charging straightforward was a dumb option for me to do. Besides tossing myself like a madman to the ogre, I had no moves left to attack. There were no ranged attacks I could use to damage Uruk-hai since I had already drained my mana. And who would even have ranged attacks to a knight like me, wielding a blade?
"The rat has finally caught the mouse…," Uruk-hai said, as the monster took its move.
"That was really poetic of you, monster! But you need to-," before I could even take my jest, Uruk-hai disappeared before my eyes.
My confidence took the best out of me, knowing that my life felt in danger. All the body parts attached to my body shivered in fright as I moved my eyeballs around. I looked everywhere for the stupidly humongous monster, but that ugly bastard vanished like a ghost.
And I had thought wrong.
A violent force struck me from the back, forcing me to eat the ground. After a few seconds, my body flew upwards, with an uppercut hitting my abdomen. All my ribs cracked open, revealing my vulnerable heart swelling in pain. I involuntarily coughed out sputum of blood, knowing that my internal organs got ruptured from the punch.
That assault never ended from there.
Uruk-hai finished me by kicking my lower back, which was the one that collided against the stone, and banged me to the ground once more. The force of gravity and my body falling on the ground produced an overwhelming impact. It even created a crater that became the grave of my aching body.
"Ggh…" I groaned with all my might as I climbed the walls that enclosed me. It almost felt like decades upon staying underground. But if I gave up now… all those children would die because of me.
"Save yourself before saving others. Those you call friends will never save you… that's what I learned as the leader of my clan. Therefore, I use those ogres as my pawns. With power and vibrant words, they will help me grow."
Those were the words Uruk-hai told me while turning its back from the burrow. But upon stepping foot on the lumped ground, a boy stood in front of the ogre.
"Before going to the village, you have to go through me."
It was an overused dialogue that came out of any action clips I had seen in my lifetime. However, a smile emerged from my lips, thinking that it was the coolest thing I had yet heard in this world.
"If the boy could do it, so could I."
I gripped the molded dirt with all my might and carried myself upward on the surface. I rolled to the side before I could stand.
"Sorry, Arthur, for the delay. I had to guide the villagers first before rushing over here," Afenos explained.
"It's fine. We'll beat that fucker's ass."
The two of us dashed straight to the Uruk-hai, giving everything we got, 200% of our power. This fight was the last chance that we have to kill the ogre. If we lose, all the people in the village will kiss their lives goodbye. And if we win, we could still see the sun for tomorrow.
Despite our comeback from the battle, our fate carved itself into the stone. We meant to lose this battle, since we were up against a demonic beast. Regardless of my additional strength, I had already used everything I had during this skirmish…
And yet… we couldn't land a hit on the ogre.
Afenos and I hovered at each side. Those muscular arms that Uruk-hai had were enough to earn the platinum trophy from the Olympics if they had one. Not even bullets from my world could pierce through that bullshit skin!
"I told you lots to give up. You could still see your families… in the other world," Uruk-hai announced, while raising its two fists on Afenos.
It had its eyes against that boy for a long time, so that monster planned to kill him first before me. That bastard knew that I already used my trump card, and Afenos had recently joined in the fray.
'Is there anything that I could do to stop that monster! Anything!' I shouted, but no words escaped my mouth.
[There is one thing…, Arthur] The mysterious voice was at it again, answering my calls. The sound that came from nowhere was not that jerk who mocked me for becoming a hero. That voice was the one that heightened my abilities.
"I need to kill that ogre from the same cliff I killed the monster from before…" That idea popped out of my mind. It was the only terrain that I could think of, and the only place where it would instantly kill this bastard from this world.
[Warning! If you overuse your strength, your body will tear every cell apart!]
"I don't care! Just do it!"
I yelled. After hearing my voice, my body became lighter again. However, I only had a minute to kill the ogre. It was the only window that I had to finish this job. It was not much, but it was a chance to prove myself… and to save everyone else.
Before Uruk-hai's hand reached Afenos, I caught those arms and blocked them with mine. It was as if the entire building fell towards me, pressing me to the ground. All the weight coming from those arms depressed me like a sandwich as I tried my best to push it out.
Afenos could not believe his eyes after seeing me at lightning speed, defending his place with everything I had.
"You saved me…" Afenos whispered, thanking me for my actions.
"...."
I did not say a word, knowing all the pain that I gave his sister and him.