The Ogre Chief loomed over Aiden like a living mountain, his enormous form casting a dark shadow across the jungle. The Chief's sickly green-gray skin was rough and scarred from countless battles, and his eyes glowed with a malevolent red light. In his massive hands, he wielded a jagged, bone-crushing axe, its dark aura flickering menacingly in the dim light. Aiden felt the ground tremble with each step the Chief took, a reminder of the immense power he was about to face.
Aiden tightened his grip on his sword, steeling himself for the battle ahead. The Chief roared something unintelligible in his guttural language, his voice booming like thunder through the trees. Though Aiden couldn't understand the words, the intent was clear: the Ogre Chief wanted blood.
"Focus, Aiden," he thought, taking a deep breath to steady his nerves. "You've fought tougher enemies before. Just keep your head in the game."
With a sudden, explosive movement, the Chief lunged at Aiden, his massive axe whistling through the air with deadly intent. Aiden barely had time to react, bringing his sword up just in time to block the strike. The impact sent a shockwave through his arms, nearly knocking the sword from his grasp.
"Too strong!" Aiden thought, gritting his teeth as he struggled to hold his ground. The force of the Chief's blows was unlike anything he had faced in this life. Every strike from the Chief's axe felt like it could shatter his bones.
The Chief swung again, and Aiden ducked under the blow, rolling to the side to avoid the follow-up strike. He countered with a quick slash at the Chief's side, but his sword barely scratched the thick, armored skin.
"Dammit," Aiden cursed under his breath, "I need to find a weak spot."
The two clashed again, steel meeting steel in a violent symphony. Aiden's sword danced in his hands as he parried and dodged, each movement precise and calculated. But despite his skill, he was slowly being overwhelmed. The Chief's strength and relentless aggression were too much.
In a desperate move, the Chief's axe slammed into Aiden's guard, sending him flying backward. He crashed into a tree, the impact knocking the wind out of him. Pain shot through his body, but he forced himself to stand.
"Think, Aiden, think!" he urged himself. "You're not just a swordsman anymore. You have magic, aura, and internal strength. Use them!"
As he struggled to catch his breath, a memory from his past life flashed through his mind. He remembered the mages of 2078, the way they could channel raw magic into devastating attacks. The image of a fireball forming in the hands of a skilled mage sparked an idea.
"I can do this," Aiden thought, his eyes narrowing in determination. "I can combine my magic with my sword skills."
He focused on his sword, channeling his magic into the blade. He envisioned the magic compressing at the tip of his sword, just like a mage would do with a fireball. The energy built up, a raw, powerful force that hummed at the edge of his consciousness.
With a sharp exhale, he released the compressed magic. A concentrated burst of energy shot out from the tip of his sword, a brilliant beam of light that tore through the air and struck the Ogre Chief square in the chest. The force of the blast staggered the Chief, sending him reeling backward.
"That worked!" Aiden thought, a thrill of excitement running through him. "It's like firing a bullet of pure magic. I'll call it… Arcane Pierce."
But there was no time to celebrate. The Ogre Chief roared in pain and fury, regaining his footing and charging at Aiden with renewed rage. Aiden's mind raced, adrenaline surging through his veins.
"Now, finish it!" he urged himself, his eyes locking onto the Chief.
Aiden followed up with an aura slash, his sword glowing with a bright blue light as he swung it with all his might. The combined force of the Arcane Pierce and the aura-infused strike proved too much for the Chief. In one fluid motion, Aiden's sword cleaved through the Chief's neck, severing his head from his body.
The Chief's head hit the ground with a heavy thud, and his massive body followed, collapsing into the dirt. Aiden stood there, panting, his heart racing from the intensity of the battle. The jungle fell silent, the echoes of their fight slowly fading away.
As Aiden caught his breath, a notification appeared in his system window:
Congratulations! You have leveled up 4 times.
New Skill Unlocked: Arcane Pierce
Description: A technique that compresses magic at the tip of the sword and releases it as a concentrated projectile. The Arcane Pierce is highly effective for long-range attacks, especially when combined with aura slashes for a devastating one-two punch.
"Arcane Pierce… I can't believe I created a new skill," Aiden thought, a sense of accomplishment washing over him. "This opens up so many possibilities. With this, I'm not just limited to close-range combat anymore."
Aiden looked around at the aftermath of the battle. The ground was scorched and marked by the fierce exchange of blows. The jungle, once teeming with the presence of ogres, was now eerily quiet.
As he approached the Ogre Chief's fallen body, he noticed a faint, pulsating light emanating from the center of the village—the dungeon core. Aiden walked over to it cautiously, the soft glow illuminating the area around it. He reached out and touched the core, feeling a surge of energy course through him.
The system window popped up again, displaying a new message:
Min Level Achieved. You are now eligible to access the Dungeon Core.
You have unlocked the ability to ask 3 questions. Choose wisely.
Aiden's mind raced with possibilities as he contemplated what questions to ask. The dungeon core held answers that could potentially shape the future of their struggle for survival. He knew he had to choose carefully—these questions could be the key to unlocking the full potential of the system, or they could lead him down a path of unforeseen consequences.