"So many fools in this world—baffling," Bul-Kathos muttered, perched on a rocky outcrop, watching the plaza below.
"This world hasn't faced existential peril. Humans chase visible gains, blind to unseen threats," Ancient One said calmly, standing nearby. Wielding her new blade, she'd recently crushed invaders, earning some leisure. The Himalayas grew dull, like living in a tourist trap. Harrogath offered amusement.
"Peace breeds greed. Pathetic," Bul-Kathos said, annoyed, shaking his head. Overthinking stemmed from full bellies; those fighting to survive had no time for such nonsense.
"What's that?!" agents gasped. The projection showed three massive, near-identical monsters, legs thick as White House pillars, each with several.
The sight alone rekindled fear in the agents. "Evil" was their first thought. Hawkeye stayed calmer, doubting he'd win up close but believing he'd hold his own—a misjudgment born of ignorance.
Ground Slammers. Their legs weren't just for movement but weapons, forged in Hell's indestructible stone. These weren't mere rock-beasts but true demon spawn. Rumlow, brass knuckles on his left hand, axe in his right, strode boldly toward them. Dodging or stalling would sap his courage. Facing them head-on was survival's key—his learned way.
"Talic, forgot his shield?" Orlongus, the boulder-thrower, eyed Talic skeptically. He ignored the new recruits, unconcerned with heirs. His No Escape skill made all barbarians his successors. But Rumlow's choice of knuckles and axe irked him. "Fists? Why not heavy gauntlets like Volusk?"
Bul-Kathos, watching from afar, spat and drank from his jug. Few barbarians used shields. Newbies always borrowed spears from Kormac for dual-wielding, a tradition he didn't start but got blamed for. Orlongus's ways were outdated.
"You use shields?" Ancient One asked, curious, having seen few barbarians with them.
"We master all weapons," Bul-Kathos said dismissively. Shields reduced injuries, but killing foes first negated the need. "Real barbarians don't use shields." Crusaders loved them, their legendary shields far more effective.
As they spoke, Rumlow entered the Ground Slammers' range. His axe cleaved a leg, snapping it with a screech, the limb crashing down.
"Not bad," Bul-Kathos nodded. Rumlow had mastered Slam, boosting his strength. Three demons might not kill him.
In Rumlow's view, stone pillars swung at his head. The sluggish-looking demons struck fast, wind pressure stinging his eyes. "Ha!" he roared, not yet skilled in War Cry but using it to stoke rage. A giant hammer's phantom formed before his clasped hands, smashing the crippled demon. Stone shards scattered, exhilarating him.
Rolling forward, ignoring ground debris, he dodged. Pain seared his back, but he evaded the blow. The other demons' pillars slammed behind, spraying shrapnel and blood from his wounds, carving pits in the ground.
Hawkeye swallowed a gasp, hands trembling. The pillars' impact dazed him, ears ringing, until the ancestors' cheers snapped him out. "Nice one, kid!" "Ditch Talic's turtle shell, learn Ancestral Hammer from me!" "I forgive your past—be good!" Their clamor stopped when Talic stomped Proof of Shame into the ground.
(Chapter End)
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If there's a particular novel you're enjoying on Patron, please give it a 'like' so I know to focus on it.
📖 Enjoying the story? By joining my Patreon, you'll gain early access to new chapters and exclusive content available only to supporters.
🌐 Find me here: pat*eon*com/DaoistRoeoNQ
I, Tomoya Aki, Will Not Be a Simp (45 Chapter)
Genshin Impact: Summoning Furina and the Genshin Gang to Reality (33 Chapter)
Honkai Impact 3rd: Stranded in Another World, Surrounded by Valkyries (33 Chapter)
Demon Slayer: I Refused the Path of Betrayal and Chose to Rewrite Fate (66 Chapter)
I Only Wanted to Fix Machines, Not Help Conan Solve Murders (63 Chapter)
One Piece: I Brought Piltover's Tech to the Pirate Era (75 Chapter)
From Diablo to Marvel: The Barbarian Who Crushes All Heroes (96 Chapter)
Resident Evil: Ethan's Epilogue Is a Road Trip With a Dead Girl (65 Chapter)
Date A Live: Kurumi Rebuild (65 Chapter)
Harry Potter: The Lion of the Serpent House (76 Chapter)
I Just Wanted a Quiet Life... So Why Am I an Uma Musume Trainer?! (145 Chapter)
The Irregular at Magic High School: Everyone Loves My Brother?! (130 Chapter)
Runeterra: Prince of Demacia (17 Chapter)
Love is War: What If Kaguya Ha (10 Chapter)
Blue Archive: One Last Memory (36 Chapter)
If there's a particular novel you're enjoying on Patron, please give it a 'like' so I know to focus on it.