The orc's grin widened, his jagged teeth bared in a feral display of confidence. "I'm coming," he growled. With a burst of energy, he lunged at Amukelo. The orc's fist swung wide in a powerful arc, aimed directly at Amukelo's head.
"How kind of you to say that," Amukelo muttered under his breath, sidestepping just as the orc's punch sliced through the air. The force of the missed blow caused the orc to stumble slightly, giving Amukelo an opening. With precision, Amukelo drove a punch into the orc's stomach.
The impact, however, did little more than amuse his opponent. The orc let out a guttural chuckle, his stomach muscles absorbing the hit with ease. "Is that all you've got?" he sneered, swinging his extended arm in a wide arc, aiming to catch Amukelo with the back of his fist.
Amukelo ducked under the swing, narrowly avoiding the orc's attack. He dropped low, preparing to counter with a strike of his own, but the orc anticipated the move. With surprising speed for his size, the orc brought his other arm down like a hammer, forcing Amukelo to leap backward to avoid being crushed. The ground where the orc's fist landed cracked slightly under the force.
Amukelo used the brief moment of distance to launch a counterattack. He lunged forward, delivering a sharp punch to the orc's face. The blow landed cleanly, snapping the orc's head to the side, but rather than retreat, the orc's grin only widened. As Amukelo prepared to follow up with another strike, the orc's massive hand shot out and caught his arm mid-swing.
With a roar, the orc twisted his grip and hurled Amukelo toward the ground. Amukelo's body hit the hard floor with a dull thud, the impact rattling his bones. He barely had time to react before the orc loomed over him ready to deliver a crushing blow.
Amukelo rolled to the side just as the orc's fist smashed into the ground, splintering the wooden planks beneath them. Using the momentum of his roll, Amukelo pushed off the ground with his hands, launching his legs upward in a sharp kick that connected with the orc's chin. The orc's head snapped back slightly from the force, giving Amukelo enough space to flip back onto his feet.
The orc massaged his chin briefly, a growl rumbling in his throat. His amused expression turned to one of irritation as he roared and charged again, this time leaping into the air to close the distance. Amukelo, however, sidestepped the attack, narrowly avoiding the orc's bulk.
Using the orc's momentum against him, Amukelo leaped into the air, delivering a swift kick to the side of the orc's head. The orc's head jerked sideways, but before Amukelo could land and reposition himself, the orc recovered with shocking speed. Amukelo's instincts kicked in as the orc swung a fist, aiming to catch him mid-air. Spinning his body, Amukelo executed a sharp aerial kick, the force of the blow slamming into the orc's temple.
The impact staggered the orc, forcing him to take a step back to regain his balance. The crowd of orcs erupted into cheers and jeers.
The orc snarled, wiping a streak of blood from the corner of his mouth. His eyes burned with rage as he turned back to Amukelo, his fist already swinging in a wide arc. Amukelo ducked low to avoid the blow, his body tense as he prepared to counter. But the orc had anticipated this.
With a wicked grin, the orc brought his knee up sharply, slamming it into Amukelo's stomach. The force of the blow knocked the air from Amukelo's lungs, and he doubled over, coughing violently. Before he could recover, the orc followed up with a powerful cross punch aimed directly at Amukelo's chest.
Amukelo managed to raise his arms in time to block the hit, crossing them in front of his body. The force of the blow sent him skidding backward across the floor, his boots scraping against the wood as he fought to keep his balance. When he finally came to a stop, he staggered slightly, his breathing labored as he worked to steady himself.
As Amukelo landed from the orc's devastating punch, he staggered slightly, wiping the blood that trickled from the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand.
Amukelo exhaled deeply, and without hesitation, he launched himself forward. The orc threw a powerful jab, his movements slowed slightly by fatigue, but Amukelo sidestepped the punch with a swift motion and drove his elbow into the orc's ribcage. The impact made the orc grunt, but he quickly countered with a heavy swing aimed at Amukelo's stomach.
Anticipating the strike, Amukelo braced himself, using one hand to block the incoming blow. The force of the orc's punch reverberated through his arm, but he held firm, using the opening to deliver a sharp uppercut to the orc's jaw. The orc's head snapped back, but he recovered almost instantly, swinging a cross punch in retaliation. Amukelo leaned back just in time to avoid the strike, retreating out of range.
With the orc momentarily off balance, Amukelo struck low, delivering a swift kick to the orc's leg. The attack made the orc stumble slightly, and Amukelo followed up with a high kick aimed at the orc's head. But the orc, despite his fatigue, caught Amukelo's leg mid-air with a ferocious grip.
A wicked grin spread across the orc's battered face as he lifted Amukelo off the ground, preparing to slam him into the floor with bone-shattering force. "Got you now, human," the orc growled, his voice laced with triumph.
In the split second before he could be thrown, Amukelo twisted his body mid-air, using his free leg to deliver a hard kick to the side of the orc's head. The orc grunted in pain, his grip loosening slightly, but not enough to free Amukelo completely. Thinking quickly, Amukelo shifted his position, wrapping his legs around the orc's extended arm. With a sudden burst of energy, he locked his legs tightly, pulling the orc into a makeshift armbar.
The crowd roared in shock and excitement as the two fighters crashed to the floor, the orc landing on top of Amukelo with a loud thud. The impact drove the wind out of Amukelo, but he refused to let go of his hold. His legs remained firmly locked around the orc's arm, his hands gripping tightly as he poured all his remaining strength into the maneuver.
The orc bellowed in frustration, thrashing wildly as he tried to free himself. His free hand clawed at Amukelo's legs, and his massive frame jerked back and forth in an effort to break the hold. But Amukelo held on.
For a moment, it seemed like the orc might overpower him. But then, with a sickening crack, the orc's arm gave way. The sound echoed through the pub, followed by the orc's guttural roar of pain. Amukelo released his hold and rolled away, scrambling to his feet as the orc clutched his now limp arm, his face contorted in agony.
The crowd erupted into a cacophony of cheers, jeers, and groans as bets were settled and coins exchanged. Some of the orcs slapped each other on the back in celebration, while others cursed under their breath at their losses.
Amukelo stood a short distance away, his body tense and ready for another attack. Across from him, the orc staggered to his feet, his broken arm hanging uselessly at his side. Rage and frustration burned in his eyes as he glared at Amukelo.
Just as it seemed the fight might continue, the same orc who had tried to de-escalate the situation earlier stepped forward. "Come on," he said. "You've already lost. Without a working hand, you'll surely lose again. Don't be a fool."
The injured orc hesitated, his breathing labored as he stared at Amukelo with a mixture of fury and reluctant respect. After a long moment, he let out a dismissive "Tsk…" and turned away. "Fine," he growled. "I'll let it go. But only because I keep my promises."
Amukelo relaxed slightly, lowering his fists as he watched the orc walk away. The tension in the room began to dissipate, the crowd shifting their attention to their winnings and drinks. Amukelo wiped a trace of blood from his lip and called out, his voice steady despite his exhaustion. "I hope you'll keep your promise—not to trouble us again."
The orc stopped briefly, glancing over his shoulder. "Orcs are honorable," he said with a sneer. "Not like humans. We keep our promises." With that, he disappeared into the crowd.
Amukelo stood there for a moment, his body still tense as the adrenaline coursing through his veins began to fade. The crowd around him slowly returned to their seats, the excitement of the fight giving way to the usual rowdy atmosphere of the pub. He glanced over at Eliss, who had been watching the entire fight with wide, nervous eyes. She held his backpack and sword tightly against her chest.