Chapter 12: The Orc Castle 1
Lucian wiped the sweat from his brow as he finished his short rest, the adrenaline of the last fight still surging through his veins. The battle with the Grim Reaper Squad had been a fierce one, but now he was more determined than ever to push on. His body ached, but his resolve burned brighter.
As he ventured further, a strange sensation filled the air. His footsteps echoed eerily as he passed through an old, weathered gate into what appeared to be a forgotten Ancient castle. The stone walls were covered in moss, and the air was thick with the stench of decay. But as he entered, the atmosphere shifted. The very air seemed to hum with magic.
Ding!
New encounter detected.
Lucian's eyes narrowed as the system's voice boomed in his mind.
Name: Army of Orcs
Rank: Mid Demon (B-Rank)
Description: A massive army of orcs, led by a bloodthirsty general. They range from sword-wielding grunts to lancers, archers, knights, and mages, all ready to tear down anything that stands in their way. Each orc is more dangerous than the last, and their sheer numbers make them formidable.
Army Composition:
40 Swordmen
30 Lancers
20 Archers
10 Guards
15 Knights
10 Mages
Objective: Survive the assault and defeat the orc army.
Lucian stared at the glowing quest window, his eyes widening in disbelief. "Wait… what?! You sadistic system… I have to fight all of them?"
The system didn't respond
Lucian let out a frustrated sigh, but he wasn't one to back down from a challenge. "I guess I have no choice."
The ground shook as the orcs began marching toward him, their weapons clashing against their shields in a unified rhythm. Lucian gripped his sword tighter, feeling the weight of the challenge ahead.
The first wave came at him with brutal force, the 40 swordmen charging in a coordinated assault. Lucian's blade moved like a blur, slicing through the orcs with precision. He dispatched them with skill, but their numbers were overwhelming. For every orc he felled, two more seemed to take its place. Fatigue began to set in, but he couldn't afford to stop.
He dodged a spear thrust from one of the lancers, countering with a powerful slash that sent the orc sprawling. His legs were growing heavier, and the sweat dripping from his brow mixed with blood from the shallow cuts that covered his body.
Then came the archers. Their arrows whistled through the air, raining down on him like a deadly storm. Lucian spun, narrowly avoiding a few of the arrows, but one grazed his side, leaving a deep wound. His vision blurred, but he gritted his teeth, refusing to let the pain slow him down.
"Is that all you've got?!" Lucian roared, charging forward once more, his sword cleaving through another group of orcs.
But just as he thought he was making progress, the ten guards appeared, forming a wall of muscle and metal around him. They were faster and stronger than the regular orcs, and their shields were nearly impenetrable. One of them landed a crushing blow to Lucian's chest, sending him sprawling to the ground.
Lucian gasped for breath, the world spinning as blood poured from his wounds. His fatigue had reached its breaking point, and his vision started to fade. But in that moment, something deep inside him snapped.
"I won't die here."
With a guttural scream, Lucian forced himself to his feet, his body screaming in protest. His muscles burned, but he couldn't stop. He'd been through worse. He had faced demons, undead, and even the grim reaper himself.
He wasn't going to let a bunch of overgrown boars stand in his way.
His body surged with a newfound strength, a primal rage that seemed to flow from his very soul. With each swing of his blade, he cut down orc after orc. The air seemed to vibrate with the force of his attacks as he pushed forward, refusing to be overwhelmed.
The 15 knights came next, their heavy armor clanking as they charged, their swords raised. Lucian's sword moved like a lightning bolt, cutting through their defenses. He struck with unrelenting force, his body barely able to move as he fought through the pain. He couldn't stop. Not now.
The orc mages stood back, casting spells to support their comrades. Lucian barely had time to dodge a fireball that exploded in front of him, sending him tumbling backward. His body felt like it was on the verge of collapse, but he refused to give in.
With a final roar, Lucian leapt forward, his sword raised high. The mages turned to cast another spell, but it was too late. With a single, devastating strike, Lucian cut through their magic and their bodies, severing the last of the orc threat.
The battlefield fell silent. Lucian stood amidst the carnage, his body battered and broken, blood dripping from his wounds. He could barely stay standing, but he had done it. He had won.
With a ragged breath, he looked around at the fallen orcs, his chest heaving as the adrenaline slowly began to fade. "You buffed green boars won't stop me… I've fought demons, undead, the Grim Reaper… and much more."
Lucian collapsed to his knees, his vision dimming. The pain was overwhelming, but he had won. The system had pushed him to his limit, but he had pushed back harder. As the darkness closed in, Lucian's lips curled into a grin. "I won't die here…"
Lucian slumped against the cold stone wall of the castle courtyard, his body battered and bloodied from the grueling battle against the orc army. He closed his eyes, allowing himself a moment of respite as the faint hum of the system's interface rang in his ears.
His wounds, though severe, were beginning to mend, the healing properties of his hybrid blood working overtime. Each breath was heavy, his muscles aching with the phantom echoes of the orc weapons.
Just as he was about to drift into a light slumber, the system chimed in, its tone unusually excited.
Ding… Congratulations!
Host has defeated the Army of Orcs!
Evaluation: Outstanding Performance
"Outstanding, huh? I feel like a sack of potatoes that's been through a meat grinder," Lucian muttered, wincing as he shifted to a more comfortable position.
Reward Update:
For defeating an entire orc army, host has unlocked a unique skill and gained their first Divinity-based skill.
Skill Unlocked: Divine Wrath
Type: Active Skill (Divine)
Rank: High A-tier
Description: Summons a catastrophic surge of divine energy, striking down enemies with the fury of a god. Deals massive holy damage to all enemies within range.
Cooldown: 3 hours
Warning: Overuse may drain vitality and induce temporary fatigue.
Other rewards include
300 Faith Points
Orc General's War Axe (Rare Weapon)
Orc Mage's Staff (Rare Artifact)
Orc Army's Heartstone (Powerful Demon Core)125×
Lucian's eyes widened as he read the description. "Divine Wrath? Oh, hell yeah!" His lips curled into a grin, the pain momentarily forgotten.
But as the realization sank in, his grin turned into a smirk. "Wait a second. First, I'm taking on armies, now I've got divine skills? Does that make me a godling or something? Am I going to have to start blessing crops and smiting heathens?"
The system chimed again.
Reminder: Divine Wrath is a skill reflecting your growing potential. Do not squander this power, or face divine repercussions.
Lucian rolled his eyes. "Oh, great. Divine repercussions. Like I don't have enough problems already."
He flexed his fingers, feeling the faint hum of power that the new skill had left in his veins. Despite his sarcasm, he couldn't deny the thrill of having such a devastating ability at his disposal.
Resting his head back against the wall, he let out a long sigh. "Alright, let's heal up. Something tells me this castle isn't done with me yet."
Lucian froze mid-breath, his body tensing as a sudden, inexplicable chill crawled down his spine. His eyes darted around the empty courtyard, searching for any lurking threat, but the only sound was the soft rustle of the castle's banners in the faint breeze.
"What the…?" he muttered under his breath, rubbing the back of his neck. The sensation was eerie, as if someone—or something—was watching him.
Far beyond his comprehension, in a distant galaxy and alternate reality, a young man sat at his desk, pen in hand, cackling like a villain in a poorly directed drama.
"Oh, my Lucian, my sweet little artwork," the man—Author-kun, as he referred to himself—murmured with a grin so wide it could rival a Cheshire Cat or even Lloyd frontera" You think the castle is done with you? Oh no, no, no. This is just the intermission. You're going to wish you'd stayed fighting those orcs, my dear punching bag."
He twirled the pen between his fingers, leaning back in his chair. "Now, let's see… How about a surprise ambush by skeletal assassins? Or maybe some traps that force him to use Divine Wrath right away? Ah, the possibilities!"
Back in the castle, Lucian stood and stretched, his bones cracking in protest. He muttered to himself as he prepared to head deeper into the ominous halls.
"That shiver… It was nothing. Just the wind. Or fatigue. Definitely not some sadistic cosmic force plotting my misery," he said, trying to convince himself. But as he took a step forward, the ground beneath him trembled, and a faint, maniacal laugh echoed faintly in the back of his mind.
His eyes narrowed, his grip tightening on his weapon. "Alright, whoever's out there messing with me, I swear—if this is another overpowered monster, I'm going to…" He trailed off, realizing he had no actual plan. "I'll just punch you extra hard. Yeah, that's what I'll do!"
Somewhere in that distant galaxy, Author-kun wiped a tear from his eye, laughing even harder. "Oh, Lucian. Sweet, sweet Lucian. You've no idea what's coming next."