The tension inside the carriage was suffocating as the heavy footsteps stopped just outside. The group barely dared to breathe, their eyes locked on the door.
With a loud creak, the orc yanked the door open, its yellow eyes narrowing in confusion as it saw its prisoners unbound.
"AGHHH!"
Before it could react further, Eleanor lunged out of the carriage, her hands locking around its thickneck. Her momentum caught the creature off guard as she clung to it, shouting, "Get its knife! Kill it!"
The orc stumbled backward, its guttural roar echoing through the forest. It thrashed violently, trying to yank Eleanor off, but she held on with grim determination, her arms squeezing tightly around its windpipe.
Marcus darted forward, spotting the knife tucked into the orc's belt. He yanked it free and raised it, aiming for the creature's chest.
But the orc was faster. With a powerful kick, its massive leg slammed into Marcus, sending him flying backward. The knife slipped from his grasp, clattering to the ground a few feet away.
"Shit!" Marcus groaned, clutching his ribs as he hit the dirt.
Jason wasted no time. He dove for the knife, sliding under the orc in one fluid motion. With the blade in hand, he slashed upward, aiming for the creature's stomach.
The orc snarled and raised its foot, slamming it down where Jason had been.
Jason rolled away just in time, the earth trembling under the impact. Scrambling backward, he cursed under his breath.
The orc used the brief moment of chaos to grab Eleanor. Its clawed hands finally found purchase, tearing her off its neck. With a furious roar, it hurled her across the clearing.
"Eleanor!" Marcus, now back on his feet, rushed to catch her as she crashed into him. Both tumbled to the ground, groaning in pain.
Eleanor pushed herself up with Marcus's help, panting heavily.
Marcus winced as he straightened. "This is the first fucking location of the game. It's supposed to be easy!" He rubbed his side, glaring at the orc. "And who the hell set these pain parameters? It hurts like it's real, man!"
Eleanor shot him a tired glance, adjusting her disheveled hair. "Less complaining, more killing, Marcus."
The orc growled, its yellow eyes locking on the group as it reached for its weapon.
Liam stepped out of the carriage with a calm air, Sophia following close behind. His sharp eyes had been observing the entire fight, his arms crossed as if watching a training session. He had thought they could handle it. After all, this was supposed to be a game. But it wasn't that simple.
The orc was far more challenging than any of them had anticipated, and now, it stood panting heavily, eyes blazing with rage. Eleanor and Marcus were injured, Jason looked shaken, and Sophia's expression was tense.
Liam sighed, brushing dust off his warrior tunic. "Looks like it's up to me," he muttered, striding forward and picking up the knife Jason had dropped.
The others turned to him in surprise.
"Stay back," Liam said, spinning the blade in his hand. His voice was calm but carried an unmistakable authority.
Marcus groaned. "Oh, great. Now he's playing hero."
Jason folded his arms. "Let's see how long he lasts."
Liam ignored them, stepping into the clearing. His athletic frame was a stark contrast to the bulky orc, but his confidence was unwavering. He tilted his head at the creature, smirking.
"Come on, big boy," Liam called, his voice laced with challenge.
The orc roared, charging forward with its fists raised.
Liam didn't flinch. Instead, he dashed toward the beast, weaving to the side at the last second and slashing the knife across its arm. The orc bellowed in pain, stumbling but recovering quickly.
"Keep moving!" Sophia shouted. "It's too slow to catch you if you keep circling it!"
"Got it," Liam called back, already pivoting around the orc.
The beast lunged at him, its massive hand swiping dangerously close, but Liam ducked under the blow, rolling across the dirt. As he came up, he slashed at the orc's leg, earning another roar of anger.
Jason's jaw dropped. "How the hell is he this good?"
Eleanor, still nursing a bruise on her shoulder, watched in awe. "It's his training," she said. "Look at how he moves—he's used to this kind of combat in real life."
The orc turned, its yellow eyes narrowing in fury. It charged again, its movements becoming more erratic. Liam darted to the side, but this time, the orc anticipated his move, swinging its arm like a hammer.
"Liam, behind you!" Sophia screamed.
Liam reacted instantly, throwing himself to the ground as the orc's arm passed over him with a deafening whoosh. He rolled back to his feet, sweat dripping from his brow.
"Thanks," he muttered, flashing Sophia a quick grin.
"Less smiling, more fighting!" she snapped, though her cheeks flushed slightly.
The orc roared again, grabbing a broken tree branch and swinging it like a club. Liam dashed in close, dodging the swings and jabbing the knife into the orc's side. The beast howled, dropping the branch as it clutched its wound.
"Go for the throat!" Sophia called out.
Liam nodded, his movements fluid as he leaped onto the orc's back. The beast thrashed wildly, trying to throw him off, but Liam held firm. With one swift motion, he drove the knife into the orc's neck, twisting it for good measure.
The orc let out a final, strangled cry before collapsing to the ground with a heavy thud.
Liam stood over the creature, panting hard. His muscles were taut, his warrior tunic stained with dirt and blood. He wiped the blade clean on the orc's leather tunic, murmuring to himself, "Best in the world for a reason."
Sophia walked up beside him, folding her arms. "Who couldn't defeat a beginner orc without my guide," she scoffed, raising an eyebrow.
Liam smirked. "Keep telling yourself that."
"You two, quit flirting," Eleanor interrupted, her voice sharp. She pointed at the orc's lifeless body. "Look at this."
The group gathered around, their attention shifting to the creature. Its body lay still, but something about its death seemed off.
"What now?" Jason muttered, his tone uneasy.