In the end, it still had to be settled with fists.
Although Bai Mo wasn't sure about the exact relationship between Sensei and the orc chieftain, he could clearly sense that the elder dwarf wasn't in a good mood. From the look on his face, it seemed like the orc's actions had genuinely hurt him.
If that was the case, then there was no need to hold back—Bai Mo might as well throw a few punches and blow off some steam.
Rolling his wrists, Bai Mo looked at the orc chieftain with disdain and said,
"Come on. I don't know what kind of history you have with Sensei, but let me see what you ungrateful beasts are capable of!"
The orc chieftain's face twitched at Bai Mo's words, but he didn't argue.
However, one orc wielding a massive spiked club couldn't hold back anymore. He roared and charged out of the crowd, swinging his weapon with a howling wind straight at Bai Mo.
Faced with such a brute-force, technique-less strike, Bai Mo simply shifted slightly to the side, evading the attack by mere centimeters like a phantom.
Then, he clenched his right fist and unleashed a blow imbued with explosive force—Sea Tiger Blast Fist.
The punch whistled through the air like a dragon's roar, slamming directly into the orc's chest and sending him flying several meters before crashing heavily to the ground, raising a cloud of dust.
But that wasn't the end.
The true power of the Sea Tiger Blast Fist lay in the explosive impact. The orc, who was still trying to rise from the ground, suddenly convulsed as the inner blast tore through his organs. Blood poured from all seven orifices—he was dead before he could even scream.
The brutal scene stunned the surrounding orcs. But their shock quickly turned to rage, and they charged at Bai Mo with renewed fury.
Bai Mo's figure danced nimbly among them, weaving through the chaos with effortless grace.
Each of his punches was precise and devastating, striking vital points or using the enemies' strength against them. One by one, the orcs fell, as if his fists were mowing down living, breathing punching bags.
Seeing his warriors getting dismantled like this, the orc chieftain, Zong, could no longer stay calm.
With a furious roar, he leapt high into the air and brought down his massive battle axe in a mighty arc aimed at Bai Mo.
The strike was powerful enough to split a tree in half, but Bai Mo once again sidestepped it with ease.
Zong wasn't just any brute though—he was a seasoned warrior. The missed strike wasn't the end; he quickly twisted the axe handle, seamlessly turning the downward chop into a rising diagonal slash.
This move was indeed unexpected, but Bai Mo still reacted in time.
He bent backward in a graceful iron-bridge motion to dodge the blow, then sprang forward, driving his fist straight into Zong's side—targeting the vulnerable kidneys.
Orc or not, kidneys were still weak spots, and Bai Mo's strength was no joke.
Zong staggered from the blow, nearly collapsing, but the old warrior quickly steadied himself and retaliated with a sideways swing of his axe.
The power behind it was immense—he was clearly ready to risk it all.
But Bai Mo wasn't about to trade blows recklessly with an orc. That wasn't his style—and Zong didn't even deserve such respect.
Instead, Bai Mo vanished from the axe's path and reappeared at Zong's side. His left hand formed a palm strike, landing softly on Zong's wrist.
It looked gentle, but it was infused with potent internal force that sent a jolt through the orc's arm. Zong's hand went numb, and the massive axe clattered to the ground.
"Damn human! I will never yield!" Zong roared and lunged barehanded at Bai Mo, intending to finish the fight with sheer strength.
But did he really think his brute force could match Bai Mo's?
Bai Mo snorted, caught Zong's fists, and slowly began prying them apart.
Zong's eyes widened in disbelief as Bai Mo overpowered him completely, then violently flung his arms aside, dislocating them with a crack.
"H-How… How is this possible? A mere human overpowering me?!" Zong cried out.
Bai Mo sneered. "You've got some dumb strength, I'll give you that. But it's still not enough."
With a sweeping roundhouse kick, Bai Mo sent Zong flying toward Sensei and Laois.
"You two wanted to ask him about the red dragon, right? Do you need some enhanced interrogation?"
"No need. Let me talk to him," Sensei said, his voice tinged with emotion. "Maybe he'll give me that much face."
"And me," Laois added. "I'm going to make him tell me where Farin is!"
Bai Mo said nothing, merely giving a faint nod.
As Sensei and Laois went to speak with Zong, the previously defeated orcs began to stir and get back on their feet.
Aside from the first unfortunate soul—who had been sent to the afterlife by a no-holds-barred explosive punch—the rest were only injured and not critically.
For a race that worshipped strength, the orcs didn't resent Bai Mo. On the contrary, they looked at him with admiration. After all, anyone who could defeat them head-on earned their respect.
A few minutes later, Sensei and Laois returned with Zong in tow.
"Bai, we spoke with him. Their tribe was caught off guard by the red dragon's sudden attack. They barely escaped with their lives and couldn't carry many supplies. That's why they've been holding out here on the first level."
"Because of you, they've agreed to give us a map and show us the shortcut to the next level."
"Alright," Bai Mo nodded calmly. "Now that we have news of your sister, let's get moving."
As they prepared to leave, Zong turned to Bai Mo and asked,
"Mighty one, why are you heading into the depths of the labyrinth? Are you also seeking to defeat the mad mage and become king of this land?"
"Not at all," Bai Mo replied without hesitation. "Being king sounds like a pain. I'm just curious—what do the monsters deeper inside taste like?"
"In simple terms, I'd prefer if I could eat my way through every floor of this labyrinth."
Silence fell among the orcs.
Then Zong laughed.
"I see… Not a bad reason at all. To eat and be eaten—that's the natural law of this world."
"Whether inside the labyrinth or out, the relationship between kings and commoners isn't so different, is it?"
"We orcs, living outside the labyrinth, were nearly driven to extinction by other races. That's why we had no choice but to move in here."
"If you do defeat the mad mage and become the new labyrinth lord… that wouldn't be a bad thing, either."
"May I know your name, human warrior?"
"Bai Yujing."
"I see. I'll remember that. Good luck, Bai Yujing."
Under Zong's lead, all the orcs bowed deeply toward Bai Mo.
It was the ultimate show of respect they could offer to a true warrior.
As for the orc who had died earlier? Well, they'd just bring his body back and resurrect him with magic later.
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T/N:
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