"Time is of the essence, Booger, make your choice," Takagi shouted, urgency lacing his tone.
"I can't allow him to think too much on my words, or he'll catch on," Takagi reasoned silently.
Bruger withdrew his hand from his chin, a flicker of annoyance crossing his features. "Did he just call me 'Booger'? The audacity... But wait, this confidence and tone... could it truly be from him? An elf?"
"Very well, elf. A battle to the death it is."
"No way! It worked! Once I defeat this man, the other guards won't attack me," Takagi exulted in his thoughts.
Bruger assumed his stance, bewildered by the abrupt escalation and the impeccable timing. One moment, he prepared to kill the boy; the next, he faced a test from someone dispatched by his superior, Azuk. The attack on his bodyguards lingered unresolved in his mind. "Perhaps he orchestrated it, disappointed by their performance or actions not to his liking. Were I in his position, I might resort to similar measures," Bruger mused as he held his stance, attempting to piece together the fragmented narratives. His ultimate deduction: Takagi, the elf, was an agent sent to evaluate him, likely infiltrating the walls and eliminating his guards as part of the assessment. Was he failing? Bruger could only surmise that the outcome of their battle would determine his own fate—whether he lived or perished. The fact of Takagi assuming his position, if he won, left him baffled. "Why would Azuk entrust such a task to an elf? If this is a trial, then it poses questions that demand deciphering," he contemplated.
As soon as Bruger assumed his stance, Takagi swiftly drew his spear. Despite having only used it for hunting prior to the encounter with the Dark Imp, he realized that confronting challenges head-on was the only way to grow. Committed to aiding Hanz in his quest for vengeance against Azuk, Takagi understood that overcoming the formidable orc before him was a crucial step.
"Are we ready to begin?" Takagi's tone was resolute, his expression now tinged with anger.
"I'll give you both a countdown," Okurnion announced, stepping away from the fallen bodies toward the center of the well. Takagi and Bruger positioned themselves on opposite sides, but Takagi opted to close the distance, ensuring the well wouldn't obstruct their duel.
"Ready," Bruger declared boldly, maintaining his serious glare.
"As this is a fight to the death, there are no rules. Got it? ..." Okurnion's voice trailed off as both combatants nodded. "Then you may begin."
For a moment, neither Bruger nor Takagi moved. The word "begin" hung in the air, each awaiting the other's move, knowing that the first to act would possibly hold a significant disadvantage. Bruger broke the tension with a smirk, followed by a shrug and a laugh. "Then I'll go first."
With confidence, Bruger stepped forward and began to run, swiftly closing the distance between himself and Takagi.
"Oh, this is not good!" Takagi exclaimed, feeling a wave of apprehension.
Takagi's reflexes proved to be faster than Bruger's initial attack. As Bruger struck, Takagi adeptly blocked with his spear. Fortunately for Takagi, his spear was not wooden, as the force Bruger applied would have surely snapped it in two.
"This is it. He's serious. If I hadn't defended just now, I would have died. I have to be very careful; if this guy is as strong or stronger than Org, then he means serious business," Takagi thought, realizing the gravity of the situation.
"Excellent reflexes! Let's turn up the speed, shall we?" Bruger shouted, escalating the intensity of the fight.
The clang of metal reverberated through the city's center, but not a single guard dared to glance at the brawl. Okurnion's presence ensured their attention remained fixed ahead, lest they face instant retribution.
Despite his efforts, Takagi struggled to keep up, forced into a defensive stance by Bruger's relentless onslaught. Each swing of Bruger's sword was lethal, carrying enough force to fell a tree with a single blow. Yet, to Takagi, it all seemed too basic. Bruger's attacks were predictable and lacked any distinct style, almost as if he were toying with him. Takagi found it puzzling; compared to Org, the chief, Bruger's swordsmanship was laughable. While a single mistake could cost Takagi his life, the predictability of Bruger's swings gave him a slight edge. Although less skilled in swordsmanship, Takagi could only draw a comparison to Org, whom he had witnessed in combat.
Meanwhile, Hanz carefully approached Shelur, ensuring they remained well hidden. Even Muk, the boy, followed suit, their presence concealed from the guards' view.
"Shelur, what did Takagi say to do?" Hanz inquired, keeping his gaze on the guards to confirm they remained unaware of their movements. Shelur shifted her focus from the guards to face Hanz and Muk, relaying Takagi's instructions.
"They are too young to go off on their own, and Muk... he's already been left alone for far too long. I have no other choice but to listen to him," Shelur thought, contemplating their next move.
"He said we have to run. And if things got worse, to run into the forest. But I think we shouldn't run just yet," Shelur relayed to Hanz, who understood the gravity of the situation despite his youth. Leaving Takagi to face Azuk alone was a decision neither of them wanted to make, but they felt powerless to change it.
"But..." Hanz hesitated, unsure of what to do next.
Hanz trusted Shelur's judgment, knowing her impulsive nature often hid a keen understanding of their circumstances. He nodded in agreement. "Okay, then we should actually get moving," he whispered back to Shelur, his resolve firm.
"I don't want to leave just yet," Shelur countered, her reluctance apparent.
Meanwhile, Muk, nervous and eager to leave, accidentally knocked over a can, creating a noise that was sure to attract the guards' attention.
"Hey, did you hear that?" an orc guard announced, alerting his companion.
"No," the other replied, wary of the consequences of breaking formation.
"We should go check it out. Remember, we were given orders."
"You first," the second orc insisted, glancing nervously at General Okurnion, who seemed preoccupied watching the battle.
After ensuring Okurnion was distracted, the guards began to move. However, before the second orc could take his first step, a voice crept up from behind.
"What message would you like me to leave your family? Perhaps they broke the rules and paid the necessary price, or they disobeyed a command, cowardly. What'll it be?" Okurnion's voice dripped with malice, causing the other guards to sweat in fear.
"General Okurnion, we are merely following protocol to investigate any out-of-ordinary conditions!" the second orc protested nervously.
"Yes, general. We heard a strange sound coming from that alley over there!" the first guard chimed in, pointing towards the alley where Shelur, Hanz, and Muk were hidden.
"Alright then, in that case, I'll check it out," Okurnion ordered, dismissing the guards before proceeding towards the alley.
Disappearing from the guards' sight, Okurnion reappeared moments later, hands behind his back. The guards feared the worst, anticipating their impending doom.
"Oh no, this is bad! He didn't find anything!" both guards thought, bracing themselves for the consequences.
Okurnion walked closer, revealing a dead cat in his hands. "You have some nice ears there, orc, but unfortunately, it is a mere cat. I hope all of you learn from this example of being as vigilant as you all have ever been. Your lives depend on it," Okurnion hissed as he dropped the dead cat to the floor and cleaned his blade.
Both guards sighed in relief, silently thanking themselves for the outcome and praise they received.
Shelur and Hanz ran for their lives. The moment Muk had caused the can to move, they sprang into the fastest sprint they had ever managed. Supporting each other, they carried Muk to ensure they weren't slowed down by his pace. After reaching a safe distance, they stopped behind a building to catch their breath, peaking to make sure they weren't followed.
"Look, Hanz, up there!" Shelur pointed to the top of a rather tall house where they could get a view of the battle while still maintaining a safe distance from the enemy.
Making their way up the house, they entered the empty building. Its vacancy was likely due to its proximity to the battle, as all the orcs had likely warned every resident in the area to evacuate.
"Here," Shelur said as she and Hanz laid Muk down and peered out from the window on the third floor.
The house appeared to belong to a wealthier orc, a fortunate find for Shelur as she could still see the fight. She activated her archer skill, Single-Doubled Eye, which improved her clarity and distance vision, enhancing her sight twofold. This skill was common among experienced archers, but it required keeping one eye closed, making it difficult to use in combat as most archers used both eyes while drawing their bows. To overcome this drawback, most archers used the harder-to-achieve skill, Doubled Eyes, but that came with the drawback of slight eye strain.
Bruger stopped and caught his breath. The inefficient use of heavy barrages with the sword had strained and temporarily drained him. "You're good. Why don't we get serious now?" he hissed, challenging Takagi.
Takagi felt a slight unease at Bruger's remark, but he wasn't tired in the slightest. He had a smooth and efficient way of dodging any blow Bruger threw at him. However, when Bruger dropped his sword, Takagi became confused.
"What's he up to?" Takagi thought nervously, gripping his spear to indicate he wouldn't participate in Bruger's reckless move of throwing his weapon.
Bruger proceeded to remove any plated armor he wore, including his vambrace armor, which made the loudest contact with the floor, indicating its considerable weight. Bruger's well-shaped body and disproportionately large forearms hinted at his strength. He flexed his forearms, wiggled his arms, cracked his fingers, and then assumed a stance.
Without warning, he pounced. His speed had improved, and the distance between them disappeared as he appeared next to Takagi within seconds. Takagi barely managed to react, moving his spear, but Bruger dodged and punched Takagi's gut.