Chereads / Solitude's Requiem / Chapter 23 - The Duel Commences

Chapter 23 - The Duel Commences

The gathering crowd became more rambunctious after the taunting statement. the large pale orc snickers, his rage still evident.

'Well, knowledge is power, after all.' The reincarnate uses appraisal. The feeling of a large mountain crushing his body comes to mind as the forming vision shatters. The large mountain like body running toward the reincarnate. The reincarnate barely managed to duck out of the way of the downward slash of the large pale orc leader. The large 2 handed axe smashes into the ground, shattering the stone far easier than any normal axe should. Even more suspiciously was the lack of damage the axe received.

'He's faster than I thought he would be' The reincarnate notes as he barely managed to dodge the large weapon by what he had to be a strong but slow opponent. He quickly summons a black circle around his feet and waits for the large pale orc to rush him once again. Not paying the reincarnate's mana any mind, the large pale orc quickly enters the radius of the circle. Using the same trick he did on the orc's brother, many spears made of darkness come out and come out pointed toward the large pale orc's body. Yet what was supposed to be a sound of impalement was rather the sound of the many spears breaking. The large orc who's now in proximity to the reincarnate used this chance to kick him right in the stomach. Guaranteeing the first strike as the reincarnate feels the unnatural strength pounce on his stomach. Causing the smaller body to fly across the stone road and fly into one of the onlooking pale orcs.

'At least I was right about the strong part.' The reincarnate thinks as he pushes away the pale orc he was kicked on. Whilst they seem to want to respect the duel, stabbing someone in the back is always easier than doing so head on.

The reincarnate looks at the card Ashmodai gave him. It had fallen out of his satchel as he was kicked. He reaches to grab it and stands up with it in hand. He thinks of what Ashmodai told him. 'His method to gain strength. Will it be enough? And even more so can I handle it?' He asks himself before looking at the large pale orc. Devouring would give him more power but also looked less fondly upon.

The reincarnate looks around to the onlookers and the large pale orc, time flowing as if in a near stasis. Their cheers as he got kicked still ringing in his ears. A smirk appears on the reincarnate's face as his emerald eyes meet the large pale orc. The widened eyes of the large pale orc was just the reaction he hoped for, a sense of ecstasy rushing through his body.

"That kick in the stomach made me quite hungry." He says holding the card in front of his mouth, even brought close enough for his tongue to play around it. Tears mix with the endless stream of blood coming out of the pale white orc's eyes. The recognition in his eyes fueling the reincarnate's desire to eat it even more.

"I truly hope this doesn't give me a stomachache." The reincarnate says before eating the card and thus completely devouring the soul. Graciously, the reincarnate lick his lips as he swallows the card. Smirking at the large pale orc.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!" The orc yells in clear grief as he sees the one he swore to avenge now lose not only this life but any chance beyond. His rage now more even more profound than before, the large pale orc rushes his brother's murderer.

The reincarnate sinks into his own shadow and appears out of the one of the rushing pale orc. It's clear that he's now in a frenzied rage, the way he attacks is uncontrolled and barbaric. Even striking the pale orc the reincarnate had before pushed on the ground, taking the life off one of his own. While the large pale orc's attacks seem to have more power behind him, his swings leave him exposed. Maybe he thought that the reincarnate would not be able to penetrate his thick rock like skin, or he fell into such a deep rage that he no longer thought.

Stepped out of the shadow, he cuts his hand. His blood trickling on the darkness mana made spear which eagerly absorbs the blood. The black spear starts to give off this reddish, blood-like tint on its sides.

Before the large pale orc could even turn around, the reincarnates wields his spear and cuts him across his back. The luxury of being able to manipulate your own mana made weapon, lifting the many restrictions a spear would have. The newly made wound on the orc's body is clear as the first blood is drawn. The spear near desperately absorbing the orc's blood as well.

'It's a very well-known blood magic technique. By giving the darkness spear my blood, it will awaken a bloodlust inside the weapon. However, since I am the one wielding it, it isn't capable of absorbing more of my blood. That's why its power increases, it wishes to drink more blood, and its desire to do so makes the weapon stronger.' The reincarnate looks at his spear and the wound it made. 'I should really ask how Cornelius knew all these things.' As he realizes that whilst helpful his companion had quite the strange knowledge of magic and how to apply it.

"Shall we continue?" The reincarnate mocks.