"Well this will be fun hahah"
Gates removed his mind from Yusuf as he descended from the hill, according to the novel, the flower grew in between the twin Hills, although each hill had its different heights with one being higher than the other...its peaks resembled each other from a distance, hence the name.
In the middle of the twin Hills was meant to be a hole, one that even if Yusuf insisted that he joined in the search for the flower, he wouldn't be able to pass through that hole. It's size only fit with someone like Gates current body.
The protagonist shouldn't be anymore older than he currently was as at now, so that would explain why he could get in through the hole...however, what Gates didn't know was what happened in the hole after the protagonist went through.
The author simply said that the protagonist went through the hole and changed the narrative to another perspective, after which he came back to the protagonists perspective and only talked about what happened after he returned from the hole.
There was no injury or indicated pain so Gates made the guess that nothing should've been there except the flower....of course, comparing himself and his characters shit luck to the protagonist's was in itself ridiculous.
He reached the bridge between the two hills, surprisingly still higher than the ground which the orcs inhabited. As he continued on the search, he saw a patch on the ground that was different, much different from the other grass and wild flowers that covered the hills. Walking cautiously towards it, he bent down and beat on it with his palm.
The weakest ground gave way and a hole nearly a feet wide could be seen, not wasting time, Gates went into it, slowly holding the sides of the hole so he wouldn't lose his grip and fall, he was now entering a side of the story that was never elaborated...anything was free game now.
He reached the end of the hole and found out he had about seven feet of height before he reached the ground. Letting out a sigh, he let go and fell down to the ground, holding his ground but still falling down with his hands stabilizing his fall.
"Goddamn it, my body is so weak" Gates cursed as he straightened himself, looking around him, the cave was dimly lit... it was early dawn but it shouldn't have made the cave to be that visible.
Looking behind him, was a dead end. The only way was forward,
"Haa....not as fun as I thought"
...
Meanwhile, The orcs had finally noticecd the arrival of Yusuf.
Activating the language rune spell, Yusuf inwardly hoped the plan would work.
"Orcs of the Alpine Forests, I am the Mage, Ghost. I have come to request for a duel..." Yusuf declared as he landed, the orcs encircled him but none came near him.
"Magic! Magic!" An orc bellowed as it stepped forward with its axe, its craftsmanship was beyond the abilities of what an orc can create, it could only mean one thing. It killed its former owner to possess it.
"What is your name? Warrior?!" Yusuf asked, understanding what this meant. He prepared himself for combat.
"Kar'zah, Executioner of you puny coward human!!" The orc named Kar'zah said as it raised its axe at its last statement.
"Arrrgh aargh Kar'Zah!!!" The orcs around Yusuf roared on and on.
And so, the first battle begun...
Running towards the mage human, Kar'zah swung his axe at the head of this dark robed mysterious man only to have his axe stopped by something invisible in front of the man.
Noticing the failure of his attack, Kar'zah dropped his axe and started trading blows with this invisible shield that protected the life of the coward from him, Yusuf waved his hand from right to left and conjured up a spell, wind blades.
Several blades made of the wind and moved with the lethality and speed of the winds charged at Kar'zah from the sides. Seeing the cowardly moves against it the orc quickly took up his axe and swung furiously and continuously at the numerous wind blades aimed to maim him.
Of course, he couldn't protect himself from all the onslaught but did well in protecting the major parts of him, several minor cuts could be seen on his arms and sides as they started to heal up on its own. Turning to the cowardly Mage in anger, it raised its axe once more to the sky, this time however, something different was happening.
The air around the blades of the axe churned as mana could be seen channeling inwardly through the axe, not long after it's blades were covered in flames...
"Cowardly Human, take blow!!" Kar'zah bellowed, the remaining orcs around the settlement bellowed and roared in approval as they watched with satisfaction one of their strongest orc warriors about to defeat the human in its full might.
"Hmph, we shall see...strengthen muscles! Agility spell! Shield protection! Earth spikes!" Yusuf said as he simultaneously chanted for different spells at once, trying to both protect himself and attack this orc as though to say too, that this was the final strike from each of them.
As the orcs roared, Kar'zah swung his flaming Axe with all his might as Yusuf created minor Earth spikes underneath the orcs feet, something so subtle that it would never notice given its size and state of mind being angered, the flaming axe collided with the shield with so much force a ringing sound could be heard, making all those withing a 30 feet radius close their ears lest they bleed from damage taken.
The shield held on until cracks started to appear on it, Yusuf had expected such an ordeal as he deactivated the shield and stepped aside, using the agility to get behind the orc warrior and increase the intensity and size of the earth spikes underneath him.
Having its feet and legs pierced through by the spikes nearly 5 feet tall, the immense pain caused the savage brute to drop his axe to which the mage wasted no time in taking and swinging at the Orc, Kar'zahs' head..