"What the hell is happening up there? It's like watching an orange tornado sweeping across the battlefield," Shinzaemon said, clearly confused as he observed the battle from a distance. Genichiro was watching the chaotic and violent scene closely.
Beside him, another samurai appeared, mounted on a steel steed like him. He was large and robust, only a few centimeters shorter than Genichiro, wearing black armor with the Crane Clan's banner on his back.
"It's that boy who accompanied us on the reconnaissance mission. By the gods, he fights like a demon," said the samurai, his arms crossed. Genichiro sighed, drawing the attention of the two.
"Shinzaemon, have the men approach slowly and prepare the mages and archers. Nakajima, ready the cavalry and send them to the flanks, also prepare our men for a frontal assault."
Movement could be seen among the Crane Clan troops who had not yet entered the battle, preparing for the upcoming assault. Meanwhile, on the hill, the battle raged on fiercely. Despite the numerical and terrain disadvantage, the Crane Clan soldiers advanced slowly, perhaps due to Alexander's efforts.
He looked at the map, a single green dot far within the enemy lines surrounded by numerous red dots.
"I think we can test out some abilities," he said, looking at the laborers advancing towards him, raising spears and hammers. With a thought, he recalled the immense wall of fire the evil spirit had used during the quest. His blade ignited with flames instantly.
[The player used the skill 'Destructive Fire']
He delivered a low sweep with his sword as if cutting grass or someone's legs. From his blade, a breath of flames erupted, a breath that within seconds became a massive wall of fire, incinerating everything it touched.
The men advancing towards him were now running in the opposite direction, trying to escape the cruel flames—a futile attempt as the flames were faster. Their screams of pain were drowned out by the roar of the fierce fire that burned them until only their fully charred corpses remained.
"Damn, it's effective," Alexander said, impressed. A system window appeared.
[Mana: 10100/11100]
"One thousand mana for just one skill? I know this skill is powerful, but isn't that a bit too much?" he complained, though no one answered.
[Enemies Eliminated: 67]
"So, there's a counter, huh? I didn't want to become a serial killer, but if it's a quest requirement, what can you do?"
A shiver ran down his spine. The sound of an explosion, an attack, a direct hit capable of creating a hole in the ground.
"That was close..." Alexander said, a bit relieved but also irritated, having dodged at the last second by leaping backward.
He observed the man who had tried to attack him. Two meters? No...almost as tall as Lord Genichiro. Although he wasn't wearing armor, his fat body looked strong enough to take a few hits, even while wearing only a farmer's outfit. The aura emanating from his body was the same color as Alexander's but seemed a bit more intense.
"You fucker, are you the one killing my friends?" questioned the furious giant. His eyes burned with rage. It was strange to see an elf so big and fat, his bald head making his ears even more prominent.
"And if I am, what are you going to do about it?" Alexander taunted, gripping his katana with both hands, adopting a high stance suitable for facing larger opponents.
The giant roared, and the ground trembled.
"I'm going to break every bone in your body, you piece of shit!"
A system message appeared.
[An extraordinary opponent recognizes you as an enemy.]
[Quest: Kill the giant 'Ogura, the Crusher']
"An extraordinary opponent, huh? You better give me a lot of XP for your size!" Alexander taunted as he charged at the enemy. The giant raised his massive iron club into the air, the spikes at the tip of the immense weapon visible.
Are you going to attack me like that? Do you think I'm stupid enough to charge at you head-on?
"Like thunder striking the ground, as if I become the mountain itself, destroy!" he chanted the incantation. Alexander noticed something strange with Ogura's club as if the orange aura covering it turned blood-red.
[Ogura, the Crusher, used the skill 'Destructive Impact']
He was moving too fast, but that wasn't a problem; he could see the giant's movements as he brought his club crashing down with immense force.
This doesn't look good...
In a movement that was anything but natural, he changed his course. What was once an unstoppable forward charge became a swift sidestep. The club hit the ground with tremendous force, causing a true explosion of power that created a crater, generating a shockwave that made the earth tremble.
"Now that's a skill…" Alexander said with an impressed smile.
He prepared himself, assuming a lower stance as if he was about to leap.
"Come at me, you filthy brute!"
The giant, blinded by rage, charged like an out-of-control train.
"Let's try something else!"
Alexander jumped, at least five meters high.
[The player used the war skill 'Tengu's Typhoon']
Alexander could feel a force keeping him aloft even after losing his momentum as if he was gliding gently back to the ground. He could feel the power of the wind flowing through his sword; it felt natural. He struck once, twice, three times. Three wind attacks cut into the ground with their sharp power.
Alexander looked down with a smug smile, a smile that quickly faded when he saw the giant defend himself with his club. Blood dripped from Ogura's body; he had blocked most of the damage, but the attacks were still effective.
Ogura groaned in pain but remained focused on his enemy. Alexander landed on the ground, his eyes fixed on the giant, who was still standing. He then turned his gaze to the massive black iron club Ogura was holding. Just by looking, he could tell it was incredibly tough, but he also noticed something else—three large marks that looked like deep cuts in the club, almost splitting it in half.
The marks from the skill…
A thought crossed Alexander's mind, the immense wall of fire he had conjured moments before.
[The skill 'Destructive Fire' is on cooldown.]
[Time remaining: 8:23 (eight minutes and twenty-three seconds)]
"A cooldown? You've got to be kidding me…"
The giant charged forward, roaring like an enraged bull. He raised his club and slammed it into the ground with force; Alexander dodged just seconds before the weapon hit.
"Where do you think you're going?" Ogura shouted, swinging his club once more.
A side blow landed with full force. Alexander managed to block it but couldn't stop himself from being dragged several meters away by the impact.
He groaned in pain but quickly got back on his feet.
[HP: 25,325/28,500]
"That hurt, you bastard!" he muttered, spitting out a bit of blood.
His hands were trembling, perhaps from the strength of the attack.
It felt like taking a hit from Lord Genichiro... No, it was much weaker but still powerful.
The giant charged again, each step making the ground tremble.
"Die, you bastard!"
He swung his club again, but the attack missed.
"Where are you aiming, you piece of shit?" Alexander laughed.
He dodged just in time with a light touch on the ground, moving with only the tips of his toes as if he weighed nothing at all, flanking the giant.
The tendons. If this guy can't move, he won't cause any more trouble.
Alexander struck, aiming for the back of the left leg. He hit, but the giant remained standing, and his sword... broke.
[Ogura, the Crusher, used the skill 'Stone Skin']
[Ogura will receive 50% reduced physical damage for five minutes]
What was once muscle and skin had now turned into gray stone covered by clothing.
Ogura roared, swinging his club again. In an incredibly long leap, Alexander dodged backward. He looked at his katana, the same katana he had received from the army, now broken.
"I knew this would happen sooner or later," he said, throwing the broken katana aside. "Time to test the power of this item, 'Silver Fang.'"
It feels like I'm summoning some kind of power straight out of an anime…Weird
Sparks appeared in Alexander's right palm, slowly forming a sword amidst the sparks—a detailed hilt, a long and beautiful blade, shiny and silver like the moon.
"It's a really beautiful sword…" Alexander said, running his finger along the blade's edge.
"Another sword? That doesn't matter!" roared the giant, raising his club with both hands.
"Like thunder striking the ground, as if I become the mountain itself, destroy!" he chanted the incantation again. Once more, the aura surrounding the weapon changed color, now glowing with a red light.
[Ogura, the Crusher, used the skill 'Destructive Impact']
At this point, I have no choice but to dodge. This guy is pretty fast for someone his size; maybe the aura is a much more decisive factor than I expected.
Alexander thought as he dodged with a large leap, watching the enemy, trying to find any opening in that stone armor.
I have two options: keep dodging until the skill wears off, but then I'll get tired and risk getting hit, or…
He focused on the giant's face, that furious expression now covered in stone. The entire face had turned to stone: nose, ears, even the teeth, but one part hadn't.
The eyes…
The only thing that still seemed organic in that rocky body was the giant brown eyes, now red with rage.
Everyone has their Achilles' heel…
Alexander turned and started running, trying to force himself not to go at full speed so the giant would follow.
"Running away now, you coward? Get back here!" the giant shouted in fury, now completely blinded by rage. Like an enraged bull, he started chasing Alexander, swinging his club angrily with each passing second.
[The enemy has entered a state of 'Frenzy.' He will pursue the Player and attack all living creatures in his path until he reaches his target.]
"Frenzy, huh? Let's see if it's really like the system said," he said excitedly.
Alexander ran, not leaping like before. He ran toward a squadron of enemy soldiers; they turned to him and began advancing, but just as Alexander was about to collide with them, he jumped. A powerful, high jump, strong enough to leap over a unit of nearly fifty men.
The men were confused until they felt the ground shake beneath them, turning to see the furious giant charging in their direction.
"Ogura, no!" one of the men shouted before being crushed. Ogura attacked his unit as if he couldn't distinguish between allies and enemies. In just a few blows, he sent the men flying, and those who could escape fled, breaking the formation.
"Damn it... Damn it... Where are you?"
Alexander stood just a few meters away, watching.
"Now that's something brutal to witness… attacking your allies so indiscriminately," he said sarcastically.
He started leaping in place again, gaining momentum. His aura compressed every time his feet touched the ground.
"Damn it… Damn it… I found you!" the giant said, turning to Alexander.
I have to aim for his eyes… Getting up there won't be easy.
Everyone has their Achilles' heel… And every Goliath has his David!