After leaving the old man's shop, Kazuki noticed the night had already fallen. The streets of Grimvale were bathed in dim moonlight, shadows stretching long across the cobblestone paths. His stomach growled softly, but he ignored it, deciding he needed a place to rest.
He spotted an inn at the corner of the village square, its warm light spilling out from the windows. Approaching the door, he pulled it open with a soft creak.
Creeeak!
The innkeeper, a burly man with a scruffy beard, glanced at him briefly before frowning. "What do you want?"
"I need a room for the night," Kazuki said, his voice cold and flat. He reached into his pocket but found nothing, no money.
The innkeeper raised an eyebrow, his lips twisting into a mocking grin. "No money, huh? Well, in that case, you can sleep outside with the stray dogs!"
Kazuki remained silent, his cold gaze unwavering as the innkeeper chuckled to himself.
"Don't come to Grimvale Village Inn again if you're broke!" the man barked, slamming the door in Kazuki's face.
Kazuki stared at the closed door for a moment, his breath steady. Tch. "This village... is called Grimvale?"
Memories flooded back, unbidden. Nights spent here with Sato laughing, drinking, making light of their quests. He remembered asking Sato how they always had money. "We do guild quests, idiot!" Sato had answered with a grin.
Kazuki's eyes narrowed. The thought sparked something in him. "The guild... maybe I can find it here.'
But as he wandered the dark streets, searching for any sign of a guild, he soon realized the truth—there was no guild in Grimvale. Guilds were only found in larger cities and kingdoms. Grimvale was far too small.
With no other options, Kazuki left the village, heading down the road under the pale moonlight. A few miles away from the village, he noticed a large cave entrance on the side of the mountain.
"I'll rest here for the night," he muttered to himself, walking toward the cave.
The cave's entrance loomed before him like the mouth of a beast, the air around it cold and foreboding. Kazuki ventured deeper, careful to avoid any potential threats that could be lurking in the shadows.
But it was too dark. He couldn't see a thing. He misstepped.
Thud!
Kazuki fell—his body dropping into a deep, hollow area below. He hit the ground hard, a sharp pain shooting up his side. "Tch," he grunted, trying to stand, but just as he did, something enormous struck him with brutal force.
Boom!
Kazuki was sent crashing into the cavern wall, the wind knocked from his lungs. He gasped, trying to regain his breath, when he heard it—heavy, guttural breathing.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
A massive figure loomed in the dark. Another orc.
Kazuki's eyes widened slightly. "Another orc... but something's different," he muttered under his breath. The creature's skin was already knitting itself back together. It was regenerating.
Kazuki gritted his teeth. He couldn't see, but he could feel the creature's presence closing in. He forced himself to rely on his instincts, dodging blindly and swinging his fists in retaliation.
Thwack! His punch connected, but so did the orc's weapon.
Kazuki staggered back, expecting to feel the sharp sting of a wound, but he wasn't as hurt as he thought. "It... didn't do much damage?"
He quickly regained his focus, trying to block out the rising panic. He needed to shut down his thoughts, to focus entirely on his instincts. But just as he steadied himself, the orc's weapon struck again, this time smashing into his legs.
Crack!
Kazuki collapsed, pain searing through his body. He tried to stand, but his legs were too damaged to hold him up. His breathing became ragged, panic creeping into his mind.
"I can't... move."
Fear gripped him, an unfamiliar sensation. He clenched his fists, struggling to remain calm, but his heart pounded in his chest. "Am I... afraid?"
The thought startled him. "I could die right here... but I can't—not yet. I need to avenge Sato."
Kazuki clenched his jaw, forcing the fear down. He had to focus. He had to trust himself.
He took a deep breath, clearing his mind of doubt. "I have no choice. I can't run. I have to fight."
The orc's heavy steps echoed in the darkness, closing in.
Kazuki narrowed his eyes, cold determination replacing the fear. "Come on," he whispered, his voice barely audible.
As the orc swung its massive weapon again, Kazuki dodged by instinct, barely avoiding the blow. His body moved on its own, the flow of combat overtaking his senses. He retaliated, putting 20% of his destructive power into his fist, and struck.
Boom!
The orc stumbled back, injured but already regenerating. Kazuki frowned, his cold expression unchanging. "This... won't work. It heals too fast."
He punched again, another 20%, and the same result followed. The orc regenerated almost instantly.
Kazuki clicked his tongue in frustration. "If I keep this up, I'll never kill it."
He glanced at his arm his only remaining arm. If he unleashed 100% of his power, he knew what would happen. "I'll destroy the orc... but I'll destroy myself too."
"I'd lose my right arm..." Kazuki muttered, his voice cold and level despite the weight of the decision.
The orc roared, charging forward. Kazuki narrowed his eyes, calculating. He had to end this, one way or another.