The first orc bellowed and lunged, tusks flashing, brute strength behind its wild charge.
Rikuya exhaled slowly—then moved.
He stepped just slightly aside, letting the orc's momentum carry forward. With a quick curved kick, he hooked the orc's leading leg.
The beast staggered, off-balance.
Rikuya's knee shot up like a piston—slamming directly into the orc's supporting knee joint with surgical precision.
A sickening crack echoed.
The orc dropped with a roar of pain, but Rikuya wasn't finished.
In one fluid motion, he twisted midair and delivered a fierce spinning elbow straight into the orc's skull. The impact drove the beast's face into the dirt.
Another orc roared behind him, followed by more—charging in with rage.
Rikuya pivoted and faced them, eyes like blades.
They surrounded him, weapons raised. One swung—a heavy club. Another jabbed a jagged blade.
He dodged the first swing, ducked under the jab, and then—tank—let a blunt strike slam into his shoulder with no recoil.
He stared at the attacker, unmoved, like a mountain refusing to break.
Then he cracked his neck.
"Lesson Seven—Cripple their will to stand."
He dropped into a low stance.
His right leg swept outward in a spinning arc, catching three orcs off guard. Their feet flew out from under them as they crashed onto the stone road.
Using the spin's momentum, Rikuya rose—boom—a powerful knee drilled into the gut of the largest one just as he tried to recover. The orc coughed blood, ribs cracking under the impact.
Rikuya roared with power and spun once more, this time unleashing a brutal back kick—heel-first into another orc's jaw.
The blow launched the creature ten feet backward into a stack of barrels, shattering wood and bone alike.
The dust settled. The townspeople, hiding behind doors and crates, watched in awe.
Their savior didn't stop. He turned to the next wave, cracking his knuckles, unscathed, eyes burning.
From the dust and the chaos, a sudden silence fell. The air turned heavy.
Then she appeared.
A hulking figure descended from the ridge—taller than the others, with jade-green skin that shimmered faintly in the light of dawn. Her steps were thunderous but graceful, like a lioness stalking its prey.
Her features were… mesmerizing.
Broad-shouldered, with toned, powerful limbs and a waist that tapered into an intimidatingly athletic form. Her skin, marred only by ritual tattoos and battle scars, gleamed with sweat from the fight ahead. Two golden rings pierced her lower lip, and her eyes—amber with slitted pupils—locked onto Rikuya with a knowing intensity.
She wore only what was necessary: a fur-lined strap crossing her chest and a belt of leather that hung with talismans, feathers, and bones. Her presence alone silenced the rest of the orcs. Her long obsidian-black hair flowed behind her like a wild mane, and when she moved, every muscle spoke of war and dominance.
She didn't speak—but she didn't need to.
Rikuya narrowed his eyes, his stance shifting again.
"...You're not like the others," he muttered.
The female orc cracked her neck and spread her arms slightly—an invitation.
A challenge.
As the gorgeous orc challenger stepped forward, her muscles rippling under her emerald skin, Rikuya braced himself. But before he could react, a guttural roar came from behind him.
"Shit!" Rikuya muttered under his breath.
Dozens of orcs had scattered into the city, wreaking havoc. Stalls were smashed, and terrified townsfolk ran for cover as green fists and axes cleaved their way through the market.
Rikuya's attention snapped back to the orc in front of him, but the moment of hesitation cost him.
WHAM!
The massive orc barreled into him, her shoulder connecting with his chest like a battering ram. He flew backward, crashing into the cobblestones, the air knocked from his lungs.
Before he could recover, she raised her arm, ready to crush him with a devastating slam. But then—
BANG!
BANG!
BANG!
Gunshots rang through the chaos.
The orc paused, distracted by the deadly precision of the shots that dropped her underlings, one by one, like toy soldiers. Rikuya's vision cleared, and there, perched on a nearby rooftop with a rifle in hand, was none other than Seline.
Her lips curled into a smirk. "Just focus on the girl. I'll handle these chumps," she called out, her voice dripping with arrogance.
She vaulted down from the roof with effortless grace, landing beside Rikuya and immediately whirling her rifle in a deadly arc. Another orc fell, a bullet right between its eyes.
The orc in front of Rikuya hesitated for a moment, but Seline leveled her rifle with precise aim. "Go," she urged. "I'll clean up here."
Rikuya grinned, rolling his shoulders to shake off the hit.
"Understood," he said, his voice cold with focus.
Seline flashed him a wink, reloading her gun mid-motion. "Hurry up. I don't have all day."
With that, Rikuya took off, locking his gaze on the hulking orc woman ahead of him. He could feel his body already tuning into the fight, the adrenaline pumping.
Seline stood behind him, effortlessly taking down any orcs foolish enough to challenge her.
Rikuya squared off against the towering orc woman, his fists clenched and his body in a ready stance. He could feel the intensity in the air, the very ground beneath his feet humming with anticipation.
But then, something changed. The orc woman raised her arms, and her voice rang out, deep and guttural. The words came slowly at first, but soon, they grew louder and more powerful, each syllable vibrating through the ground beneath Rikuya.
She was chanting in an ancient orc tongue—one so old that it felt like the very earth itself was alive with the words. The air thickened, and Rikuya could feel the earth beneath him tremble as though it was responding to her call.
"Ka'ron thrash kelk'ran…" The chant echoed in his mind, sending a shiver down his spine.
The orc woman's body began to hum with a strange energy, her skin glowing faintly as if imbued by the very land she stood upon. Her muscles bulged, becoming more defined with each chant. Her eyes, once fierce, now burned with the power of the earth itself.
With a mighty roar, she slammed her fists together, and the earth around them cracked.
"I will crush you," she growled, her voice vibrating with the force of her newfound strength.
Effect: The ground beneath Rikuya's feet rumbled, the pressure of the air thickening with each word she spoke. Her power surged like a storm, and Rikuya could feel it—her kicks could split boulders, and her fists could send shockwaves that rattled his bones.
Rikuya narrowed his eyes, understanding that this wasn't just another fight. This was a battle against the very land itself, empowered by ancient magic. She was becoming unstoppable.
And that's when he felt it—the pressure on his body, the vibrations from her every movement. This orc wasn't just a physical threat anymore. She was a force of nature, and if Rikuya didn't adapt quickly, he wouldn't just be fighting for his life. He'd be fighting to survive the very earth that she commanded.
His stance remained firm, but the intensity of the fight had shifted. He knew that speed and precision would be key. He had to outsmart her, outmaneuver her.
But first… he had to survive this.
As Rikuya assessed the orc woman's power, the air itself seemed to crackle with energy. She was no longer just an enemy; she had become a force of nature. But even then, Rikuya wasn't one to back down. He tightened his grip and narrowed his eyes.
With a quick, fluid movement, he dashed forward, closing the distance between them in a heartbeat. His muscles burned, his instincts screamed, but he was ready. His target: the orc girl who had become the living embodiment of the land's wrath.
But just as he was about to launch his attack, a shout pierced the air. The sound of clattering armor, the stamp of boots—dozens of knights had arrived on the scene, rushing toward the orc girl in a unified charge. Their goal was clear: take her down before she destroyed the town.
"Take her down, men!" one of the knights shouted, leading the charge. They moved in unison, surrounding the orc girl from all angles.
Rikuya saw them, and for a moment, he hesitated. They were a lot of them—more than he could take down in a single strike. But then, as the knights closed in, the orc girl's lips curled into a wicked grin.
She raised one hand, a massive, monstrous thing that could crush a man's skull with a single blow. The knights, swords raised, braced themselves for a fight. But what came next was something none of them had anticipated.
With a savage motion, the orc girl swung her backhand toward the first knight who had lunged at her. The strike hit like a thunderclap. The knight was sent flying through the air, his armor crumpling with the force of the blow, crashing into a nearby building. He didn't move again.
Before the others could react, she swung her hand again, this time with even more force. A second knight was hit, his body hurtling through the air as though he were a ragdoll. He crashed into the ground with a sickening crunch, breaking through the cobblestones.
The remaining knights, now witnessing the raw power of the orc, hesitated for a moment, fear gripping their hearts. But it was too late. The orc's enormous strength was overwhelming. With a swift motion, she stamped her foot hard into the ground, creating a shockwave that knocked several of the remaining knights off their feet, their bodies crashing against the pavement.
Their once unified ranks fell into chaos as some knights scrambled to regain their footing, while others stumbled backward in terror. The orc girl was no longer a mere threat—she was an unstoppable force.
Rikuya, still charging at her, gritted his teeth. His eyes flashed with determination.
"Lesson 8…" he muttered under his breath, ready to face this challenge head-on.
She was stronger than anything he had faced before, but he wouldn't back down. Not now.
Rikuya's breath was steady, his body primed for the battle ahead. His heart thundered in his chest, but his mind remained sharp, focused. He felt the weight of every punch, every swing, but this was the kind of fight he had prepared for. The kind that would push him to the edge.
"Lesson 8," Rikuya muttered to himself, his eyes narrowing. "Seek life when facing death."
With that, he exploded into motion, his muscles tensing, coiling like a spring ready to snap. He surged forward with a roar, closing the gap between him and the orc woman. His fist shot out, but just as quickly, the orc woman swung her own massive fist toward him with terrifying speed.
The two fists collided with an earth-shattering crack, sending a shockwave through the surrounding area. Their arms trembled with the impact, their bodies locking in the briefest moment of stillness.
The orc grinned down at him, the wildness in her eyes evident. "Not bad, human," she said, her voice like gravel.
Then, in an instant, she swung her massive fist again, knocking Rikuya backward with an incredible force. He staggered but managed to plant his feet firmly to the ground, refusing to be thrown off balance. His chest heaved with the effort, but he was ready.
The orc girl wasted no time. She followed up with a brutal rush of straight punches, each one coming faster than the last, aimed directly at Rikuya's torso. He gritted his teeth, blocking the first few with his forearms, but the blows came too quickly. With every punch, his defense cracked. The power behind her strikes was unmatched, breaking through his guard like a battering ram.
His feet slid back, his body resisting the onslaught, but it wasn't enough. Then came a blow—a sharp uppercut straight into his ribs. Rikuya gasped, pain shooting through his side as the air was knocked from his lungs. His vision blurred for a second, but he refused to let it stop him.
He dodged the next series of blows, twisting his body to the side, narrowly avoiding each strike. But the orc girl wasn't done. She was relentless, and as he moved, she lashed out with a crushing straight kick. The kick caught him off guard, sending him crashing backward into the dirt, the air knocked out of him once more.
Rikuya coughed, his ribs aching from the barrage of hits, but he forced himself to his feet. Blood dripped from his mouth, his body bruised and battered. But his eyes burned with determination.
This wasn't over.
The two combatants dashed forward, their bodies colliding with a shockwave that sent a tremor through the ground. Rikuya moved swiftly, launching a double hook kick. The first kick missed as the orc nimbly dodged, but the second connected with her shoulder. However, it had no effect—the orc's sturdy frame absorbed the blow like it was nothing, her muscles unfazed by the strike.
Without hesitation, the orc seized Rikuya's leg with terrifying strength, her fingers digging deep into his flesh. The air around her seemed to thicken as she prepared for a devastating attack.
The ground beneath them quivered, cracks appearing in the dirt as the orc gathered her energy. Her body radiated raw, earth-shattering power, her frame braced to unleash a destructive blow.
"Earthshatter Strike!" she screamed, her voice filled with primal force.
The orc swung her fist forward with devastating speed, the very earth beneath her shaking as if reacting to her command. A shockwave emanated from her punch, rippling through the ground, sending cracks spreading outward. The sheer force of the impact created a tremor in the earth, causing nearby structures to shake and groan under the pressure.
Rikuya attempted to block, raising his arms in an effort to absorb the blow, but the punch was too powerful. The shockwave hit him full force, sending his body hurtling backward. The force of the blow was so intense that he was flung through the air, crashing into the side of a nearby building. The walls cracked and collapsed under the sheer impact, debris flying in every direction as Rikuya crashed to the ground, disoriented and bloodied.
The orc's earth-shattering punch had left its mark, and Rikuya struggled to push himself up, his body screaming in protest from the brutal attack.