After yet another long night of eating, fighting, and giving out blood to numerous of those small green-skinned guys, I retreated to me and Bob's half-destroyed hut. It's was probably time that I ordered someone to build us a new one, or at least restore it to a somewhat useable state.

 

Unfortunately, it felt like as soon as I hit the bedding, which I had made for myself, I was woken by a knock on the wood of the hut. I wasn't entirely sure of how long I had managed to sleep. But the rays of the midday sun was shining through the cracks of the hut.

 

"Urgh- Who is it?" - Me

 

"I-its Mel, master." - Mel

 

Oh yeah, Mel was the newly named hobgoblin who took the fourth spot as one of the warband leaders. Looking at the nervous form of the hobgoblin standing at the entrance to the hut, I asked what was wrong.

 

"What do you want Mel?" - Me

 

"-Uhm, I think we have trouble." - Mel

 

Getting to my feet, I adopt a stern expression.

 

"What's the trouble about?" - Me

 

She didn't respond. Instead, she just moved aside and pointed towards the gate of the tribe. Once I had managed to shake the drowsiness from my head and gather my senses, I immediately took notice of a very powerful presence that was in the immediate vicinity.

 

I didn't waste any more time as I hurried out of the hut to see who the hell had intruded into my territory. What I saw surprised me, to say the least.

 

At the entrance of the tribe stood a giant warband consisting primarily of only hobgoblins. But what truly surprised me about this minor army, was the three big figures in the front leading them.

 

Giant fucking orcs...

 

Massive hulking, dark green beasts. Their biceps at least twice the size of an adult human's thigh, almost the height of two fully grown humans, and an aura radiating an indomitable strength and vigor.

 

But what I had least expected from these hulking greenskins, was the deadly cunning that I could see reflected in their eyes. From what I usually related orcs with, was stupidity and lack of thinking. But simply from glancing at these orcs, I could see that their intelligence was nothing to scoff at.

 

The one who had taken the lead was obviously the leader. His size and the stature he held himself with, was like that of a king. He was decked out in leather armor, with metal plating saw into it. On his back was a giant bloodstained metal cleaver that reached almost a full two meters in length.

 

Before approaching them, I decided to appraise the leader.

 

-Appraisal!-

 

Are you fucking kidding me?

 

That's a fucking monster. What the hell is he doing here?! How does he have a name?! The only other monster I've seen with a name was that fucking terrifying Glade Guardian.

 

But I obviously wasn't the only one that had recognized the orc's strength, as each goblin and hobgoblin of the tribe was staring in horror at this hulking guy. Pushing away the orc's oppressive aura with my own killing intent, I slowly began approaching.

 

One by one, the hobgoblins and goblins who had formed a ring around the warband, parted to make way for me. It was almost too much for their meager minds to brunt most of not only my deadly presence but also the orc leader's presence, simultaneously.

 

Standing before the three orcs, we only exchanged gazes for a few long and silent moments. Scrutinizing me with a bit of a confused expression, the orc leader called "Gurok" spoke out.

 

"So... is it you who's been wreaking havoc in my territory?" - Gurok

 

"Your territory?" - Me

 

"Hmm, yes, I'm the warchief of this precinct." - Gurok

 

Although this Gurok guy, was speaking in a very formal and steady manner, I could easily see the burning rage beneath his calm demeanor. He was cunning enough to suppress his instinctual habits, and I know for a fact that greenskins usually don't have such an ability.

 

This guy is seriously dangerous...

 

"Tell me, what is something like you doing in a tribe of greenskins? And one under my rule to boot?" - Gurok

 

Not wanting to play with words, I simply stated.

 

"That doesn't concern you. This tribe no longer kneels to any but me." - Me

 

A devious grin appeared on the orc's ugly mug. The flare of burning hatred in his eyes also didn't manage to escape my notice.

 

Slowly, he began approaching me. For each step, his aura became more and more overwhelming.

 

He closed the distance to only a meter. Looking down at me due to his massive frame. He suddenly spoke out with a booming voice, which even some of his vicious anger managed to leak into.

 

"Kneel maggot. Your strength is decent, you might be of some use to me." - Gurok

 

Not even showing a shed of hesitance, I simply glared in defiance straight into to his big round eyes which were flaring with a saturated arrogance. Not seeing any change in my demeanor, his own calm demeanor finally snapped as his face contorted into hatred.

 

"I SAID KNEEL MAGG-" - Gurok

 

He didn't manage to finish his outburst of anger, as my own dreadful killing intent burst forward from my little frame. Never before had I experienced such arrogance directed towards me. At that moment, something within me stirred. It was a pride more domineering and indomitable than a thousand kings.

 

In a split second, Gurok the giant domineering orc lost all pretenses of arrogance, as his face paled and he instinctively dashed multiple meters backwards.

 

Even I was slightly stunned from what had just happened. What the hell even was that?

 

Looking around, I saw the pale faces of hobgoblins and goblin all around. It would seem that most goblins and hobgoblins had even fainted from the sheer display of overwhelming presence just now.

 

Redirecting my attention back to Gurok, I gave him a mocking smirk at his now pathetic demeanor. Seeing my dismissal of him, he quickly regained his senses and adopted a face that could only be associated with pure hatred.

 

Not only had I embarrassed him. I had done so in front of all his subordinates. With his ingrained, natural proud nature, he of course would never accept such an thing.

 

Brandishing his big metal cleaver, he rushed at me. I instead adopted a crouching stance. The moment the giant guy was in range, he swung his huge blade in a massive cleave.

 

I was about to dodge the swing. But to my astonishment, his blade suddenly changed the trajectory of the swing, almost as if it defied the any and all laws of gravity.

 

Barely managing to use blink in time, I was close to having my entire torse chopped in half. But that was only the start. Without any hesitation or waste of time, he continued the giant cleaver's swing in another arch headed directly for my body.

 

I could barely even get my bearing before each slash and cleave had almost either beheaded or split me in two. The sheer swordsmanship displayed by this orc was immaculate. I didn't stand a chance, even in the slightest if I didn't manage to create some distance between us.

 

But finally, a slight hitch in the rapid movements of the orc's blade presented an opportunity for me to blink out. But just in that millisecond before I activated the skill, my danger sense radiated a sense that promised only death.

 

Aborting the action, I did a desperate move that made the orc's attack only nick the side of my carapace, splitting upon a shallow wound.

 

 

To my immense astonishment and horror, the huge blade seemed to disappear and appear right in the spot where I would've blinked to. If not for my instincts, I would be dead.

 

Orcs definitely aren't stupid. They're cunning and deadly, masters of battle. The sheer dominance that they wield their weapons with, is suffocating. This is something I will take to heart in the future. Or that is if I even have one after this battle...

 

This is the first time I'm facing an actual veteran and master of battle. The experience gap is obvious. If I don't get a grip, I'm going to die before I can even regret it.

 

For only a fleeting moment, my instincts took completely over. Simultaneously, I both dodged and formed a formation within the back of my palm. The sheer speed I formed the spell was beyond anything I had managed to before.

 

With a series of movements that could only be called brilliance, I swerved straight through the defense put up by the cleaver-wielding orc. I thrust my open palm directly at his head but I only managed to strike his shoulder, as he barely managed to react in time, he only dodge the strike to his head.

 

Unfortunately for him, I only needed to touch any part of his body for my magic to take effect. Before my eyes, he visibly started slowing down. I had struck him with stagnation.

 

I saw the panic in his eyes as he realized what I had done.

 

"You're a magic wielder?!" - Gurok