The creation of the knife and armor brought back memories of Syria. A mission. We had infiltrated a local rebel group recruiting child soldiers. The target: their leader. A distant assassination was impossible. He was too cautious.The operation stretched for weeks. We trained to blend in. Language, mannerisms, even the slightest accent had to be eliminated. Any slip could compromise the mission. We infiltrated the group, slowly gaining trust. I eventually secured a meeting with the leader. The assassination was swift, decisive. Ramirez and the others provided flawless support.I was trained for solo operations, for small-team tactics. This situation was different. I faced unknown, powerful creatures. I had no intel. No data. I was starting from zero.I donned the enhanced iron armor. The straps fastened securely. It was light, more akin to reinforced clothing than full plate. It offered some protection, but mobility was its primary advantage. I returned to the bushes, resuming my observation.The memory of the Syrian mission provided a framework. Adaptability was key. Observation. Analysis. Then action. I needed to gather data. Learn the creatures' habits, their weaknesses. Their routines.The earlier encounter with the eyeless beast and the bat swarm provided a starting point. The bats hunted in coordinated attacks, overwhelming their prey with numbers. The eyeless beast relied on other senses, likely hearing and smell.I needed more information. I needed to understand this ecosystem. The glowing mushrooms, the venomous vines, the phosphorescent rivers. Everything played a role. I focused on the details. The way the light reflected off the creatures' scales. The sounds they made. The patterns of their movements.I watched the insects that had attacked the goblins. Their coordinated hunting strategies suggested a hive mind or some form of communication I couldn't perceive. Their proboscises looked capable of piercing even the thick hides of the larger creatures.I needed to avoid them. At least for now. I was Level 1. A Recycler. I needed to gain experience, to improve my skills, before I could confront such dangers directly. This wasn't a game. This was survival. And survival required information.Scene: Distant Forest near the Valentian Kingdom.POV: 3rd PersonFar from Bennett Wells's subterranean struggle, near the Valentian Kingdom, a battle raged. Kaji Muramoto, the Sword Mage, danced through the orcish ranks, his blade a blur of fire. A wave of heat rolled off him as he cleaved through two orcs at once. "Feel the burn!" he yelled, a wide grin splitting his face.Lemuel Luketon, the Blazing Archer, nocked another flaming arrow, his brow furrowed. "Kaji, fall back! You're drawing too much attention!" he shouted, his voice strained as he picked off orcs attempting to flank the mage. His arrow found its mark, piercing the throat of a hulking orc wielding a crude axe.Kaji ignored him, lost in the thrill of combat. He spun, his sword erupting in another burst of flames. "Come on, you green skins! Is that all you've got?" he taunted, his laughter echoing through the trees.Jones Anderson, the Guardian, grunted as he absorbed a blow against his tower shield. The impact jarred his arm, but he held his ground. He swung his hammer, the head connecting with an orc's skull with a sickening crunch. "Focus, Kaji!" he bellowed, his voice rough. "We need to maintain formation!"Felton Monroe, the Omni-Mage, floated above the battlefield, his hands glowing with arcane energy. He gestured, and a volley of ice shards rained down on a group of orcs, slowing their advance. "Kaji, your recklessness is going to get us all killed!" he called down, his tone sharp.The Saintess, her expression calm amidst the chaos, laid her hands on Jones's shoulder, mending a gash on his arm. "The Hero is watching," she said softly, her voice carrying a subtle warning.Sitting a short distance away, leaning against a large oak tree, was the Hero. He watched the battle with a cold, detached expression. He hadn't moved from his position. He hadn't spoken. He simply observed.Kim Sunwoo, the Sword Master, moved with deadly efficiency, cutting down orcs with precise, economical strikes. He glanced at Kaji's reckless advance and shook his head. "He's going to get himself surrounded," he muttered, deflecting a blow with a swift parry. He then shouted towards Kaji "Muramoto! Control yourself!"Kaji, still lost in his fiery rampage, didn't seem to hear. He was completely surrounded by orcs now, their crude weapons hacking at him from all sides. He laughed, deflecting the blows with his flaming sword, but the situation was becoming increasingly precarious.Lemuel, his face grim, notched another arrow. "Fine," he muttered. "If he wants to play this game..." He took aim, not at the orcs surrounding Kaji, but at the ground directly in front of them. He released the arrow. It struck the ground, erupting in a small but powerful explosion of fire, creating a momentary barrier between Kaji and his attackers. "Move it, you idiot!" Lemuel yelled. "That's your cue!"The Hero remained motionless, his gaze fixed on the battle. His expression didn't change. He simply continued to watch, a silent observer in the midst of the chaos.
The Hero remained motionless, his gaze fixed on the battle. His expression didn't change. He simply continued to watch, a silent observer in the midst of the chaos.
The party advanced through the orc camp, methodically eliminating the remaining resistance. The fighting was fierce but efficient. Jones formed a solid wall with his shield, allowing Kim to flank and dispatch orcs with swift, deadly strikes. Lemuel's arrows found their marks with unerring accuracy, while the Saintess kept everyone healed and buffed. Felton provided crucial crowd control, hindering the orcs with well-placed spells. Kaji, still slightly dazed from his earlier recklessness, had calmed down, fighting with more focus, though his fiery enthusiasm still shone through.They reached the gate. A massive orc stood there. Scars crisscrossed his green skin. A huge, double-bladed axe rested on his broad shoulders. He smirked, radiating an aura of brutal confidence. The remaining orcs erupted in cheers, raising their crude weapons and stamping their feet. The battle paused, a tense moment of anticipation hanging in the air."Looks like we've found the boss," Lemuel muttered, nocking an arrow."He's big," Jones observed, tightening his grip on his hammer.Kaji, recovering his earlier bravado, grinned. "Time to turn up the heat!" Without waiting for a plan, he charged, his sword wreathed in flames.The orc captain moved with surprising speed. With a swift, practiced motion, he parried Kaji's fiery blade. The force of the impact sent Kaji flying backward, crashing into a nearby tree with a painful thud."Kaji!" the Saintess cried out, preparing a healing spell.The party reacted instantly, shifting into a coordinated attack. Jones charged forward, drawing the orc captain's attention. Kim darted to the side, attempting to flank him. Lemuel readied another fire arrow, aiming for a weak point in the orc's armor.Felton, still hovering, began casting a restraining spell. "Hold him down!" he yelled, arcane energy crackling around his hands. He launched the spell. Glowing runes appeared around the orc captain, attempting to bind him.The orc captain roared, flexing his muscles. The runes flickered, struggling to contain his immense strength. He grabbed a discarded orcish sword at his feet and, with a powerful throw, launched it towards Felton. The restraints weakened, then shattered as Felton barely managed to dodge the flying blade. He stumbled, losing his concentration. "Damn it!" he cursed.The orcs on the sidelines roared with renewed enthusiasm, pounding their weapons against their shields.The orc captain laughed, a deep, guttural sound. "Is that all you've got, little ones?" he bellowed. He swung his axe, the massive weapon whistling through the air. Jones barely managed to block the blow with his shield, the force of the impact sending tremors through his body.Kim darted in, attempting a quick strike, but the orc captain anticipated the move, backhanding him with his massive hand. Kim staggered back, clutching his jaw."He's strong," Kim grunted, spitting out a mouthful of blood. "We need a better strategy."Lemuel, reloading his bow, glanced at the Hero, who still sat leaning against the tree, his expression unchanged. "Aren't you going to help?" he asked, his voice laced with frustration.The Hero remained silent for a moment, his gaze fixed on the orc captain. Then, he spoke, his voice low and even. "Observe."The party watched, a mix of awe and apprehension on their faces, as the Hero finally moved. He shifted his grip on the greatsword strapped to his back, the movement fluid and economical. The clearing around the orc captain widened as the party instinctively backed away, giving him space.With a swift, almost casual, vertical slash, the Hero unleashed a torrent of energy. The air shimmered, the ground trembled slightly as the energy surged towards the orc captain. It wasn't a projectile, but a wave of force, a visible distortion in the air that crackled with power.The orc captain's smirk vanished. His eyes widened as he registered the sheer force of the attack. He braced himself, planting his feet firmly and raising his massive axe in a desperate block. The energy wave slammed into the axe's broad blade. The impact sent a shockwave through the ground, dust and small pebbles spraying outward. The orc captain grunted, his muscles straining against the immense pressure. His feet dug furrows in the dirt as he was pushed back, inch by agonizing inch. He roared, a guttural bellow of effort, managing to hold the attack, the energy dissipating around him in a swirl of dust and displaced air."Show off," Kaji muttered, rubbing his sore shoulder where he'd crashed into the tree."He's certainly… efficient," Felton observed, still recovering from the near miss with the thrown sword. He readjusted his robes, a bead of sweat trickling down his forehead.But the Hero's attack was more than just a display of power. It was a distraction. In the instant the orc captain focused on containing the energy wave, the Hero moved. He blurred to the orc's left, his greatsword already arcing in a horizontal slash aimed at the orc's exposed neck. The movement was so fast it was almost impossible to follow.The orc captain, despite his size, reacted with surprising speed. He dropped to one knee, the greatsword whistling past just above his head. He immediately countered, swinging his axe in a powerful upward arc, aiming to cleave the Hero in two. The two weapons met with a deafening clang, sparks flying as steel met steel. A shockwave of energy pulsed outward, pushing back the surrounding air and sending small stones skittering across the ground.The battle became a whirlwind of motion and energy. The orc captain's attacks were wild and powerful, his axe a blur of steel. The Hero's movements were precise, controlled, each strike calculated and deadly. He didn't waste any motion. He moved with an almost preternatural calm, his cold expression never wavering. He fought with instinct, his body reacting before his mind could fully process the situation."He's… like a machine," Lemuel whispered, his eyes wide as he watched the fight unfold."He's…so hot. Ahhh.. I want him so bad," the Saintess murmured, a hint of lust and awe in her voice.Another clash of weapons sent another shockwave rippling outwards. The orc captain grinned, a wide, savage expression. "Hahaha!" he roared, his voice booming through the trees. "I finally found an opponent worthy of a real fight! Today, our battle will be legen—"The Hero didn't give him time to finish. In a blink, his sword flashed again. A swift, precise cut. The orc captain's head, still wearing the savage grin, separated from his body. It landed on the ground with a dull thud, rolling a short distance before coming to rest.The Hero stood over the headless corpse, his greatsword dripping with dark orcish blood. He glanced down at the severed head, his expression unchanged, still cold and detached. His voice, when he spoke, was flat and devoid of any emotion. "Not even close."The silence that followed the orc captain's death was heavy. The remaining orcs, their morale shattered by the sudden demise of their leader, scattered and fled into the forest. The party stood amidst the carnage, catching their breath.
Kaji, still nursing his bruised shoulder, stared at the Hero. "That was… productive," he muttered, more to himself than anyone else.Felton, brushing off his robes, looked around at the fleeing orcs. "We should pursue them," he said. "Make sure they don't regroup."The Saintess shook her head. "They're routed. They won't be a threat for now." She looked towards the Hero, her expression thoughtful.The Hero remained silent, his gaze fixed on something in the distance. He sheathed his greatsword, the movement as smooth and effortless as when he had drawn it.Then, the party noticed it. High in a distant tree, a figure stood observing them. The figure wore fine, noble attire, a stark contrast to the rough surroundings. But the most striking feature was the pair of large, leathery wings that extended from his back. Demonic wings.The Hero's gaze locked onto the figure. His eyes narrowed slightly. He didn't speak, didn't move. He simply stared.As quickly as he had appeared, the winged figure vanished. A puff of dark smoke erupted where he had stood, dissipating into the air, leaving no trace.The Hero lowered his gaze, his expression unchanged. He turned and walked away, heading back towards the direction from which he had come, leaving the party to process what they had just witnessed.The battle was over. But something else had begun.