"YAAARGH!"
Clang!
"Don't underestimate ME!"
Clang! Clang!
"I was a former A-rank adventurer!"
Clang! Clang!
"I won't die by the likes of YOU!"
Clang!
Winston's defiant shouts echoed through the chamber, each clang of metal punctuating his desperate determination to defeat the pale man in front of him.
He managed to survive Aron's final strike, by utilizing the uniqueness of his magic. The fat captain ate his own dagger, transforming his fleshy skin into unyielding steel.
Clang!
With his brutal Butcher Knife and his steel skin, Winston Chowblade regained some of his composure, and his will to survive ignited once more, particularly since he'd managed to land a few nicks on the pale man's armor and even gouge his right leg.
That's where the unique ability of his brutal weapon came into play. Wounds inflicted by the Butcher Knife wouldn't heal for a set time and would perpetually leak blood.
The pale man, however, remained eerily composed. He effortlessly blocked the steel fists and dodged the saw-like blade.
"Interesting... A-rank, you say?" A chilling amusement wormed its way into his voice. "I thought you were only interested in gorging yourself and banging women."
Winston gritted his teeth, his muscles tensing as he prepared for the next exchange. But before he could react, the pale man vanished from his sight with inhuman speed, leaving Winston momentarily disoriented.
In the blink of an eye, the pale man reappeared behind Winston, his hand landing on his shoulder with a searing touch. A wave of excruciating pain shot through Winston's body as he felt his entire metal right shoulder melting under Aron's touch.
"Aaargh!" A scream ripped from Winston's throat, a strangled cry that echoed off the cold stone walls.
The clang of his butcher knife hitting the floor went unnoticed amidst the agony. The pale man's touch was fire, searing through Winston's steel skin and into his very bone. The once vibrant defiance in his eyes dimmed, replaced by a horrifying realization – his unique magic wasn't enough.
'NOOO!..." Panic clawed at Winston's throat. He spun with a feral snarl, adrenaline momentarily overriding the pain. But the pale man was a blur, a whisper of movement that danced just out of reach.
"Gotcha," Aron rasped again, seizing the man's head and neck with both hands.
"AHHHH!" The world spun as Winston found himself ensnared in the pale man's searing grasp. his screams echoing through the chamber as his vision blurred with pain.
With a desperate strength fueled by fear, Winston lashed out. His elbow, the only part of his upper body not encased in useless steel, connected with a sickening crunch against Aron's jaw. The pale man stumbled back, a flicker of surprise crossing his features. It was a momentary lapse, but for Winston, it was an opening.
With a gasp, Winston wrenched his head free. His scream, cut short by the earlier attack, turned into a choked gurgle as he reached for a vial hanging from his belt. Inside, a vibrant blue powder swirled like a miniature storm. Desperate, he uncorked it and drank the contents back without a moment's hesitation.
The effect was instantaneous. Winston's fat form shimmered, then dissolved into a swirling mass of liquid. Aron momentarily caught off guard, stood there gazing at the puddle of water.
'Phew…that was close' As Winston's body dissolved into water, a sense of relief washed over him, momentarily alleviating the searing pain that had engulfed him moments before. He flowed like a river, cascading through the chamber with a fluid grace that defied his fat form.
Creating some distance between him and Aron, he slowly rose from the puddle – his form entirely composed of water.
Winston didn't utter a word, he simply raised his hands and the puddle expanded around him. The water swirled and contorted, rising higher and higher until it towered over Winston like a colossal wave. His form merged seamlessly with the liquid, his consciousness expanding to encompass the entirety of the watery mass.
Aron's eyes widened in astonishment as he beheld the spectacle before him. The once-fat captain had transformed into a towering torrent of water, his very essence now an elemental force to be reckoned with.
Gone was the bluster, replaced by a grim determination etched on his face. His once booming voice was now a hoarse rasp. "You underestimate my magic, pale one," Winston rasped.
"I guess so," Aron conceded, momentarily stunning the water-man. "Mind explaining your magic? I'm dying to know."
"Eh?" Winston was speechless, blinking rapidly as he tried to process Aron's unexpected question. Despite the chaotic situation, a flicker of curiosity sparked within him.
"I... I call my magic 'The Food Magic,'" Winston's voice trembled with both exhaustion and a hint of pride as he spoke. "Anything I consume grants me a different type of magical ability."
Aron's eyes widened with intrigue, his pale features betraying a newfound interest. "So your magic is fueled by what you devour?" he inquired, his tone laced with curiosity. "Yeah, I'll definitely feel bad about killing you after this."
"Eh?"
"Thank you Little Pig for satisfying my curiosity, as a form of gratitude I'll end you quickly"
A cold dread washed over Winston, he didn't allow Aron to make a move. He swiftly lowered his hands launching the colossal waves of water towards Aron with all the force he could muster, a monstrous surge of water empowered by Winston's crystallized form. The chamber echoed with the deafening crashes as the wave kept surging forward.
Aron, unfazed by the approaching wave, calmly raised his right hand, summoning back Python. The icy prison of the serpent shattered, and the ethereal serpent transformed into a giant black smoke. It swiftly snaked its way towards its master, coiling around his hand and solidifying back into a dark greatsword. A serpent head adorned the hilt, giving the illusion that the dark blade pulsed from its mouth.
"Not bad, but…" swung the blade in a powerful arc, not to meet the wave head-on, but to cleave it in two. "…not enough"
The dark energy that coursed through the blade seemed to sear the water, parting the wave with a hiss and a cloud of steam. The divided wave crashed against the walls on either side of Aron, leaving him standing dry in the center of the chamber.
"I..Impossible!" Winston cried out in disbelief as he watched his powerful attack effortlessly thwarted by Aron's dark greatsword. He'd poured everything he had into that attack. Yet, Aron remained untouched.
'H-He's way stronger than me' The realization hit Winston like a physical blow, knocking the wind out of him.
Aron smirked, his crimson eyes gleaming with amusement as he beheld Winston's despair. "As much as I want to play with you more, Little Pig, it seems our time together is coming to an end," he taunted, his voice dripping with malice. "I still have an important meeting with your lord and his..." the smile on his face widened, "...lovely little sister."
Winston's heart plummeted at Aron's words. His mind raced to formulate a plan in this dire situation, but all those thoughts were cut short when Aron suddenly made a move.
With Python in his right hand and Nightfall in his left, Aron closed his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath.
"..."
A strange thing occurred at that moment; all the sounds inside the chamber vanished.
It was a terrifying silence, far more unsettling than the clash of steel or the roar of beasts. Winston, his watery form momentarily suspended, felt a prickle of unease crawls up his spine. He knew it was the calm before the coming storm.
Slowly, Aron opened his eyes and spoke in a deep, resonating voice, "Echoes of the Forgotten Wars."
[Skill activated: Echoes of the Forgotten Wars]
"WHA—" Winston blinked, and the scene around him shifted instantly. Instead of the dark, filthy stone chamber of the sewers, they were now standing in an endless sea of white sand, beneath a sky stained a bloody red.
Aron stood before him, his expression unreadable against the backdrop of the crimson sky. The air was thick with an oppressive silence, Around them lay thousands, if not millions, of different kinds of weapons.
Swords, axes, spears, daggers, bows – all scattered or embedded deep in the sand, waiting for a chance to serve their dragon master.
"What... What is this place?" Winston stammered, his voice barely audible against the eerie stillness.
Aron remained silent. He simply took a few steps back and sat upon a plain, undecorated gray stone throne. He crossed his legs and rested his arms on the armrests, his crimson eyes piercing through Winston with an intensity that sent shivers down his spine.
"This," Aron finally spoke, his voice low and commanding, "is your final resting place, Little Pig."
Winston's heart pounded in his chest as Aron's words washed over him like a death knell. He stood frozen, surrounded by the vast expanse of white sand and the ominous array of weapons embedded within it. He even spotted a weapon eerily similar to his own cleaver.
Aron's imposing presence on the stone throne loomed over him, casting a shadow of despair across the desolate landscape. Winston swallowed hard, his throat parched with fear.
"No," he protested, his voice barely a whisper against the oppressive silence of the Forgotten Wars. "I won't let you—" Filled with a surge of desperation, he began firing concentrated jets of water at Aron.
Aron remained motionless, simply tapping a finger on the armrest. Instantly, dozens of bows and crossbows erupted from the sand, launching a barrage of arrows that intercepted every single water bullet before it could reach him.
"Try harder, little pig," Aron mocked. With another flick of his finger, the sand around him writhed and pulsed, birthing an arsenal of weapons pointed directly at Winston. Menacing swords, axes, and spears rose from the ground like obedient soldiers, poised to strike.
Winston's heart sank even further. He realized that no matter how hard he fought, Aron's power was simply overwhelming. But he couldn't give up. Not now.
"UGAAH!" Summoning every ounce of determination he had left, Winston shifted his watery form into a whirlwind of motion. Dodging and weaving between the deadly weapons, he attempted to close the distance between himself and Aron.
But Aron was always one step ahead. With a casual wave of his hand, he redirected the weapons, forcing Winston to change course constantly. It was like trying to navigate through a maze of death.
Despite his valiant efforts, a few weapons managed to graze him. Even in his watery form, each hit chipped away at his strength. Every dodge, every maneuver, took its toll. His movements became sluggish, his watery form flickering and fading. Yet, he pressed forward, a flicker of defiance burning in his core.
However…
CRASH!
He crumpled to his knees a foot from the stone throne. His watery form dissipated into nothingness, leaving him in his human form, gasping for breath.
"N-No..It can't be" A sense of defeat washed over him. He had fought with every ounce of strength he had, but it still wasn't enough. Aron's power was simply too vast.
Aron watched with cold amusement as Winston fell before him, his crimson eyes gleaming with malice. "Pathetic," he sneered, his voice dripping with disdain. "I expected more from someone who claims to be an A-rank adventurer."
Winston gritted his teeth, his muscles trembling with exhaustion. Desperate, he reached for a small leather pouch hanging around his neck–a gift from his lord.
Aron watched with a flicker of curiosity, eager to see the fat captain's next move. But when he saw Winston gulping down three red pills from the pouch, that curiosity morphed into rage.
Those red pills were similar to the ones he found in the mansion's hidden chambers, pills crafted from the heart of a mage. In Aron's eyes, Captain Winston Choblade just devoured three human lives.
The effect of the pills was instantaneous. Winston's skin flushed a deep crimson, and his body began to swell at an alarming rate. In mere seconds, he had tripled in size, towering over Aron like a grotesque mountain of flesh and muscle.
"Who gave you those PILLS?!" Aron's voice thundered through the forgotten land, his anger palpable in the air.
But Winston paid no heed to Aron's question. With a guttural roar, he surged to his feet, towering over Aron like a mountain of flesh and muscle. The effects of the pills coursed through his veins, infusing him with raw power and vitality.
When Aron met Winston's gaze, he understood. Winston was no longer a man; he was a ravenous beast, a creature driven by primal instinct, a being beyond reason.
With a defeated sigh, Aron raised his hand, and a colossal hammer materialized out of thin air, slamming into Winston with the force of a battering ram. The impact sent Winston's massive form hurtling through the air, crashing into the sand with a bone-jarring thud. The impact sent shockwaves rippling through the ground, scattering weapons and stirring up clouds of dust.
Aron rose to his feet, a look of disappointment etched on his face. "Sigh, I'm wasting my time here, I should've ended you quickly from the start," he muttered.
ROAR!
Winston rose to his feet roaring, he quickly charged toward Aron and after a few meters, he threw himself forward with a thunderous crash, he transformed into a massive, rolling meatball hurtling toward Aron with unstoppable force. The ground trembled beneath the impact of his colossal form as he barreled forward, intent on crushing his foe with sheer brute strength.
Sigh.
Aron sighed and waved his hand slamming Winston with the hammer again, sending him hurtling away farther than before. Then…
FUSHHH!
His mana exploded into a pillar of crimson flames, rising high into the sky.
Winston froze in his place unable to move as the intense heat of the flames engulfed his massive form.
Rumble. Rumble.
The whole place began to rumble when Aron raised his right hand to the sky, his crimson cloak billowing around him like a dark shroud. The air crackled with energy, charged with the power of Aron's magic
With a deafening roar, a colossal version of the Black Greatsword Python burst from the sands behind Aron, materializing with a menacing presence, towering over Aron and casting a long shadow across the barren landscape of the Forgotten Wars. Just the dark blade couldn't be seen from below.
"!!!" Winston, frozen in place by the searing flames of Aron's mana, could only gaze in horror at the massive sword, its ominous presence filling him with a sense of dread unlike anything he had ever known.
Aron's crimson eyes burned with a fierce intensity as he raised his right hand high into the air, his fingers curling into a clenched fist.
"Die, weakling, and be forgotten in the passage of time." With a single, decisive motion, he brought his hand down in a swift, downward arc, commanding the colossal sword to descend upon Winston with unstoppable force.
"NOOO!"
BOOM!
[Announcement: The first chapter of the new novel “An Orc with a System” was officially released today. You can go and check it out and give me your thoughts.]
https://www.scribblehub.com/series/1071011/an-orc-with-a-system/
