〘Effect: Pre-eminence(Active)〙

〘Skill: Imperishable Bones has determined your bones need change〙

Bam!Bam!Bam!

Thump!

"What," The orc looked in awe as its fist got immobilized by my palm.

Holy! I'm strong!

Even I looked in awe as I felt my palm stop the giant's fist.

Krit!

〘Bone Evolution Started〙

〘Bone Mass Increased by 200%〙〘Effect: Pre-eminence(Active)〙

〘Height Increased by 61%〙〘Effect: Pre-eminence(Active)〙

〘Strength Increased by 300%〙〘Effect: Pre-eminence(Active)〙

〘Agility Increased by 450%〙〘Effect: Pre-eminence(Active)〙

〘Your bone structure now surpasses your opponent's〙

〘Effect: Pre-eminence(Passive)〙

Ugh, this also happened when my fingers first mutated into claws. The pain engulfing my bones was intense. It was like every bone on my body was being nailed down.

Owww…..

The orc scowled and raised his other fist.

Thump!

My other palm intercepted his fist. And my fingers clutched it.

Is that my arm? Shit, it's big! I'm big now! I repeat, I am big now!

The orc looked in dismay.

Ha!

The look on its face aroused my previous non-existent confidence.

I thrust my arm forward; the orc got pushed back.

"You little!" The blue veins on the orc's limbs bulged.

I emerged out of the hole. My legs reached the ground.

Hooo ~ interesting

The orc titled its head, trying to gaze upon my face.

I loomed over it, now, about 2-3 inches taller than that giant.

Suck it, Giant! I'm bigger now!

Oh, wait…Now, I'm the giant. Ha!

"Grr"

Smash!

The floor beneath the orc's legs cracked.

Ah, how cute, struggling to push me back.

My grip on its fists was firm, and my footing felt heavy and adamant. The orc could neither free its arms nor push me back.

~~~Ahh, so, this is power…….

I'm almost sure that if I'd facial muscles, then right now, I would have a vainful smirk on my face.

Oh, it gave up trying to push back.

The orc lifted one of its legs which was surrounded by a heavy back iron boot.

Pfft ~ it cannot even push me back, yet thinks a kick would do any good?

Wham!

I felt my feet lose their grip on the ground. My fingers loosened….

Crackle!

I again crash-landed on the wall. 

Oww.

If I'd held on to its fist more tightly, then I could have avoided getting sent flying. But my fingers were not just fingers; they were sharp like claws. They were the very claws that tore through the serpent's flesh.

Had I clutched any tighter, my fingers would have carved the bones and muscles of its fist like a cake.

But crippling someone's both arms, that would be too cruel.

Clack! Clank!

The sound of the metal armour become louder as the orc charged towards me.

I jolted up, and for a while, looked in a daze as I realized I had no combat experience.

Shit…….

The orc leaped, its fist raised in mid-air…..

Eh, eh, wait a minute…..I skulked to the side.

The orc missed.

The floor, which got hammered by the orc's fist, scattered, and pieces of stones went flying.

Pew…barely dodged that one.

Turning my head, I could see three orcs looking at the battle with a stern look. They were the ones who emerged through the gate.

In total, there were 4 Orcs.

Crap…If they all attacked simultaneously, I would be doomed.

But luckily, the others didn't seem like they'd any plans to interfere.

Are they that confident that I would lose?

………that pisses me off for some reason.

The orc in front strolled towards me, "Don't dodge—you coward!"

What else am I supposed to do? I really should have chosen classes like Warrior or Knight, in the VR games, instead of Thief or Healer.

The orc increased its pace,

Ok, ok, ok, think, think, think.

I clenched my fists and raised them, taking a defensive position that I once saw in a movie poster.

The orc's fist came raging towards me.

Whoosh!

The fist charged at such a speed that it disturbed the air around it.

But,

"I said, don't dodge, you coward!" The orc roared.

Whoosh!Whoosh!

The orc increased the number of punches. With each punch, it took one step forward.

Whoa…….I can see the fist's trajectory! Awesome!

His fists were aimed at my jaws.

I titled my body and took a step backward—dodging each of the upcoming barrages of punches.

"Pesky bug,"

My concentration didn't falter because of its words. I kept observing the motion of its fists.

It had a certain rhythm to it. The timing when it switched from the right fist to the left seemed flawless.

...

My fist was clenched, but I had never ever thrown a fist before…

So, all I did was keep dodging….

But after a while, the orc's breathing harshened.

Its rhythm seemed to have changed. I noticed a gap between its jabs.

Should I also punch? Ah, damn it….come on, Rue! Do it! Throw a punch.

Come on!

Ok!

I kept dodging…

It's just a punch! Just throw it!

I can do it!

I kept dodging….

I was too nervous…

Bam!

My right fist went through…..I was just wondering if I could copy its rhythm, then my fist moved on its own.

Bam!

Since the rhythm I tried to copy was of both right and left fist, my left fist reacted instantly after the right.

"Ack," The orc winced.

Holy! I punched someone!

That too twice!

Bam!Bam!

I repeated my previous movements.

The orc got pushed a few steps back.

The moment when the orc had kicked me flashed in my mind.

I raised my left leg and poured all of my strength onto it.

Bam!

Right in its abs!

The orc got slammed into a pillar.

Holy! I punched and kicked someone. That felt weird. But not bad, just a bit arcane. 

The orc fell on the ground and didn't move.

Did I knock it unconscious?

Wait…

Did I win?

Shit! I won, didn't I?

I won?

Is this real?

〘You have defeated the Battle Orc' Ururk’〙

〘+250 Exp〙

Yes!

I actually won.

Clap! Clap! Clap!

Huh? I turned my head and saw the three orcs clapping. They also seemed to be murmuring with each other.

Were those claps for me? Are they praising me?

I rubbed the back of my head. That's so nice of them, and getting praised for once, actually, feels good.

After a while, the orcs stopped the clapping and murmured with a stern expression.

One orc stepped forward, "Remember my name. Olfin. I shall be your foe, and I shall slay you."

……so they were discussing who would get to fight me?…

I looked behind. The other end of the alleyway didn't look far. If I ran, I could probably escape.

The urge to run away was high.

If I did win against the three in front, I would have to enter through the gate and face a horde of Orcs.

Win or lose that felt too taxing.

I had never been a hard worker.

I used to abandon games if the levels felt too hard to cross.

Running away seemed so easy and straightforward. But if I did, the orc revelation would transpire. My past self would end up dead, and I would end up as a skeleton who kept on running forever.

My fist clenched.

Also, that victory before……….felt pretty darn satisfying.