Honor.
It was surprisingly one of the most important values for the orcs, a race known for being ignorant and ruthless. Their warriors, in particular, considered it a great pleasure to face a strong opponent and die an honorable death. This code allowed for the possibility of a formal, one-on-one challenge.
That is why Lokan had dared to appear before them and issue a provocative challenge. The effect was immediate. Orc warriors who had been sitting around, polishing their weapons, gathered in front of him.
"Sniff. First time a human knows honor."
"Human, compete with me!"
They looked like they might turn violent if he refused, but Lokan knew better. They were surprisingly innocent in their simplicity. Until one individual was formally chosen, none would attack first.
'Done.'
Seeing their reaction, Lokan smiled inwardly. The title he was aiming for was "Caught an Orc Warrior at Level 1"—one of The Lord's hidden titles. If a player defeated a monster of a certain level or higher as their first prey immediately after their first job change, they would receive the 'Caught ○○ at Level 1' title. It was difficult to obtain, as it required a solo hunt, but it granted significant additional stats based on the monster type. The monster Lokan had chosen was an Orc Warrior. He recalled that in his previous life, a player gained a title that greatly increased Strength and Stamina by killing a regular orc at level 1.
Of course, an Orc Warrior was different from a standard orc. The weakest Orc Warriors were in the mid-to-late 40s, with the more powerful ones reaching level 50. But Lokan was confident. Despite the massive level and equipment disparity, he believed his skill and current stats could bridge the gap. This was precisely why he had hired an escort—to avoid fighting any monsters before meeting an Orc Warrior and thus maintain his level at 1. The time spent at the training ground, which had seemed like falling behind, was now proving to be a massive advantage.
"Who is the strongest among you!" Lokan provoked them further, hoping to draw out a 'named' elite.
His words caused another commotion.
"Chwiik, it's me!"
"No, I am!"
"I am the strongest, fight me!"
"Chew! Let's decide the match now!"
The orcs began arguing and even fighting amongst themselves over who was strongest, completely ignoring Lokan.
'This could go on forever.'
He had underestimated their simplicity. Pressing his forehead in frustration, Lokan realized he might have to wait a long time. Then, suddenly, the atmosphere shifted.
"Everyone, be quiet."
"Oh, why is the Chieftain here?"
A being far above them had appeared. An Orc Fighter! The strongest presence in the Orc Camp, reaching level 70. He, who should have been in a much deeper part of the camp, was now here.
"You are a fun person. Then, do you want to play with me?"
'Crazy… … .'
This was too much. An Orc Fighter was a serious burden. Besides, all Lokan had was a basic axe. An Orc Warrior was just a higher-level version of a standard orc, but an Orc Fighter had undergone a secondary job change, acquiring new skills and much better equipment.
Unexpectedly, salvation came from the surrounding orcs, who began to protest.
"Chwiik, Chieftain! He is ours."
"Yes, the Chieftain is too strong."
It was a passive rebellion, but the Orc Fighter looked at them, then at Lokan, with interest.
"Chwiik, fine. First, you must prove your qualifications. Deal with him." He pointed to one of the orcs.
The other warriors fell silent, not daring to challenge the Chieftain's authority.
'Good.'
Lokan inwardly sighed with relief. This way, he could still get the title. Of course, being killed by the Orc Fighter afterward seemed unavoidable, but he would cross that bridge later. 'I'll deal with that bastard another time,' he thought, gritting his teeth.
"Chwiik, this is a battle of honorable warriors. No one interferes!" the Orc Fighter declared.
The chosen orc warrior, named Kalo, stepped forward. The others formed a circle around them, creating a natural arena.
'Got to finish this.'
Just before the battle began, Lokan allocated all his saved stat points into a 2:1:1 ratio of Strength, Stamina, and Vitality. Coincidentally, Kalo's weapon was also an axe—a much superior 'Orc Battle Axe'. But Lokan was confident. Good equipment didn't guarantee victory. Furthermore, Orcs prided themselves on their muscles and wore minimal armor, meaning his attacks wouldn't be negated by heavy plating.
"Heh heh heh heh!"
Without a starting bell, Lokan lunged first. A War Cry burst from him with a demonic expression, startling Kalo and the spectators. However, due to the extreme level difference, the debuff effect was minimal. Kalo responded with his own roar, which actually reduced Lokan's stats slightly.
In that tense moment, their first clash was a direct contest of strength.
"Is that all?!"
Surprisingly, Lokan had the upper hand. Even with the stat reduction, he overcame the equipment gap and pushed Kalo back several steps. Seizing the moment while Kalo was off-balance, Lokan pressed his attack.
"Dash! Strike!"
He activated his skills. A horrified Kalo tried to block, but his posture was broken. The powerful blow connected.
Klang!
Lokan had aimed for the neck, but Kalo twisted at the last second. The axe blade sparked against his breastplate, damaging the weapon.
[Axe Mastery increased by 0.3%.]
[Axe Mastery increased by 0.1%.]
With each swing, Lokan's Ax Mastery proficiency rose rapidly. His form was perfect, and the mastery cap per swing was 0.3%. It quickly surpassed 10%. Kalo, focused on defending with his large battle-axe, became a living sandbag for Lokan to practice on.
"Axe Crush!"
Kalo's counterattacks were fierce, but Lokan gave him no opening. He maintained relentless pressure, avoiding powerful skills with precise dodges. The typical weaknesses of an axe—slow attack speed and recovery—seemed not to apply to him. By holding the axe handle short, Lokan executed quick, powerful strikes fueled by his immense strength. Defense and durability became meaningless.
Feeling outmatched in strength, Kalo tried to break Lokan's weapon by forcing direct clashes. But Lokan had already started using his woodcutter's axe more as a blunt instrument, aiming to crush Kalo through sheer impact.
Hit and dodge, hit and dodge… … .
The battle was one-sided. Lokan's combat experience far surpassed what was needed for an equal fight, let alone this disadvantaged one. The one-sided beating continued until the match was decided.
"Shut up!"
It was a decisive victory for Lokan! A level 50 Orc Warrior had been defeated by a mere Level 1 Berserker. He hadn't even needed to use Berserk.
The moment Kalo died, a flash of light should have signaled a level-up and title acquisition. But it didn't.
[Unbelievable achievement! You defeated an Orc Warrior alone at Level 1. Your deed will be remembered by many.]
[You have acquired the title 'Caught an Orc Warrior at Level 1'.]
[You are the first to acquire this title.]
[The 'Warrior's Honor' quest is in progress.]
[Title and EXP payment will be withheld.]
[Title and earned experience will be paid in bulk after completing the quest.]
The system had put his rewards on hold because he was now involved in a quest.
'What quest?'
Puzzled, as he hadn't accepted any, Lokan soon understood. The Orc Fighter who had been watching the battle stepped forward.
"Now, you have proven yourself worthy to fight me."
The Orc Fighter, named Tachwhal, kicked Kalo's corpse aside as if he had expected this outcome all along.
'Of course… … .'
The Orc Fighter had forcibly activated a quest. He wanted to fight Lokan but needed proof of his qualifications first, using Kalo as a test. The final rewards depended on the outcome of the battle with Tachwhal. A victory would grant the withheld title and experience, while a defeat would only grant the accumulated EXP from killing Kalo before a forced respawn in the village.
"Okay, come on."
But Lokan wasn't entirely disheartened. While the EXP and title were withheld, the loot from Kalo was not. One silver and fifty copper, along with the Orc Battle Axe, appeared in his inventory. Lokan immediately discarded his worn woodcutter's axe and equipped the new weapon. This alone was a significant upgrade.
But he had one more weapon: Berserk. Tachwhal was a formidable opponent who promised a memorable defeat, but with Berserk, Lokan might just pull off a reversal.
'It's okay. If it doesn't work, I'll just die once.'
The potential loss was minimal. He could recoup any lost EXP by hunting, and keeping the Orc Battle Axe was a huge win regardless.
"Chew, I am Tachwhal. Your name?"
"Lokan."
"Okay, Lokan. Prove your honor."
Tachwhal raised his greatsword, pointing it at Lokan with a fierce grin.
"Strike!"
This time, Lokan took the initiative. Just as before, explosive power surged through his muscles into the Battle Axe.
Klang!
But the opponent was different. Tachwhal did not budge; his strength was overwhelming. He overpowered Lokan, sending him stumbling back. Lokan had expected this. As his axe was deflected, he widened his grip to prepare for the next blow.
Whoosh!
Tachwhal wielded the massive greatsword with shocking speed, aiming to cleave Lokan in two. Lokan barely blocked with the iron-shod haft of his axe, but the impact sent shockwaves through his body, making his teeth rattle.
Instead of retreating, Lokan surged forward, closing the distance inside the greatsword's effective range.
"Dash!"
He used the skill he had been saving. Now too close for Tachwhal to swing his weapon properly, Lokan shortened his grip on the axe handle.
"Got you!"
"Huh! Throwing?"
But Tachwhal was not so easily cornered. As Lokan got too close, the Orc Fighter simply threw a punch, enhanced by a skill, delivering a devastating blow fueled by immense force.