"Its either I die and be free from debt, or I become a cripple with a lot of debt."
Alexander had meant for the words to sound cool, like he was some action hero. But it came out comical from his lips as he did something that, only days ago—back when his fiancée was still with him—he would've called absolute madness.
But now, there was nothing left to lose. No future, no stability, no love. Only a reputation to gain… perhaps even redemption in death.
He steadied his breath, tightening his fists as he ran through every possible way to exploit the only spell he possessed—his single D-rank ability.
It wasn't much, but maybe, just maybe, it could land a heroic blow.
He was just about to move when a furious shout tore through the chaos beside him.
"ARGHHHH!"
Liam.
Before Alexander could stop him, his subordinate charged straight at the orc, whose massive frame towered like a wall of muscle and certain death.
The creature's deep-set eyes flicked toward the yelling human, and a guttural voice rumbled out of its throat.
"##%$^#!!"
The sound wasn't human. It was harsh, grating—like stone grinding against metal. Whatever it said, Alexander was certain it was mocking Liam's attempt.
The orc swung it's arm casually.
The air cracked with a
"Thud."
The impact seemingly in slow motion. Liam's body was sent flying like a folded scrap of paper. He crashed into a table with enough force to shatter it completely.
Glass rained down around him in glittering shards. Like his failure was being celebrated.
But he wasn't dead. Groaning, Liam clutched his chest, the torn fabric revealing glints of armor beneath—thin plates made from essence stones. Essence craft company armor.
Alexander's qorried expression faded, his eyes darted to his own chest, feeling the faint weight of similar armor under his white shirt. At least failing didn't mean certain death.
Liam had rushed the enemy and failed. Now it was his turn.
Alexander gritted his teeth, muscles tensing.
"No hesitation."
He dashed forward, moving with the speed of a trained athlete, weaving between the chaos. Around him, employees scattered like frightened birds, their screams echoing through the open space. Papers fluttered in the air. Someone tripped over a chair.
Then—a woman in a black skirt suddenly stumbled into his path, eyes wide with terror. She had been moving around like a headless chicken, trying to find the escape.
But somehow she stumbled right in the path of danger. The orc roared and swung its arm at her, the movement fast enough to blur.
Alexander dove forward, shoving her out of the way and dropping low just in time. The gust from the orc's swing brushed his cheek, a sharp sting that drew a line of blood.
If that hit had connected...
He rolled forward, boots skidding over the polished tiles. He had to get closer. Close enough to use his spell.
"Halt," his one and only ability.
It was simple but demanding. To activate it, he had to mark a section of ground; anything that stepped into that glowing area—living or dead—would freeze completely.
But the mana input, weight, and size of the thing in question all mattered. And this creature wasn't just big—it was massive, with the strength of a hundred men.
Alexander slammed his boot into the floor just ahead of the monster. His mana surged down his leg, spreading outward in a red glow that lit up the ground in a perfect circle.
"Halt!" he shouted.
The rune-like pattern flared to life, wrapping around the orc's leg.
Normally, Alexander would've used it in a smaller, contained space, focusing its power precisely. This time, he tried to trap just one leg, hoping to buy a few precious seconds. But the orc moved too quickly.
As it took another heavy step, both of its feet landed squarely in the glowing circle.
A burst of energy flashed—then the orc froze, mid-motion.
A brief moment of disbelief flickered across its brutish features.
Then it began to strain.
"Eughhh!"
The sound was monstrous, the creature's muscles bulging as it tried to break free.
Alexander clenched his jaw, refusing to retreat. Instead of canceling the spell like any sane person would, he planted his own foot on the glowing circle, reinforcing the magic by pouring his remaining mana into it.
The feedback stung his veins, but he kept pushing.
Sweat rolled down his forehead.
"Come on... come on!"
His voice trembled as he forced his mana through the spell, red light flaring brighter beneath them. The orc's body shuddered, its legs trembling against the invisible force.
Then it spoke again, low and guttural.
"%#$@@*"
Its yellow eyes locked onto Alexander's, and even without understanding the words, he knew what it meant.
"Pathetic."
A faint crack echoed. Then another.
The red circle shattered, bursting into glowing fragments before fading away.
The orc's movement resumed instantly.
It swung its massive leg forward, smashing directly into Alexander's chest.
"GAHHH—!"
The impact sounded like bones snapping beneath stone. Pain exploded through his ribs as the world tilted violently.
His body flew down the stairwell, tumbling before hitting the lower floor with a sickening
"thud."
"Uff!"
He rolled several feet before coming to a stop, coughing up blood. Every breath burned. His limbs twitched in pain as he stared up at the flickering ceiling lights.
A shadow fell over him—massive and dark.
The orc had followed him down, leaping from above and landing with a crash that shook the entire building.
Its presence loomed, blocking out the fluorescent light.
"#^&@^, #&*@," it snarled again, raising its hand.
Alexander's chest rose and fell shallowly. He closed his eyes.
"So this is it," he thought. "At least the others might escape."
A strange calm washed over him as questions trickled into his fading consciousness. Would anyone remember him? Would he make the news as the fool who fought a dungeon monster with a single spell? Would anyone even know his name after today?
But fate wasn't done with him yet.
A distant sound reached his ears—scraping metal.
He forced his eyes open just enough to see movement at the top of the stairs.
"Liam?"
Liam was barely standing, his body trembling. Yet there he was, dragging the same massive steel cabinet that had stood beside them earlier. The thing groaned loudly as it scraped across the floor, leaving deep marks behind.
"What the hell is he doing…" Alexander muttered weakly.
Liam's face was pale but determined. His plan was obvious—and insane.
He was positioning the cabinet at the edge of the stairs to drop it. If the orc dodged, the cabinet would fall straight onto Alexander, crushing him instantly.
But, if, by some miracle, the creature didn't react in time, maybe the impact would do something, Maybe.
"ERRRRR—DIE, YOU LUMP OF FLESH!" Liam bellowed, shoving with all his might.
The metal scraped one last time, then tipped forward.
Alexander's heart froze.
"That idiot! Liam" he screamed internally.
"Hes goingto alertthe creature!"
The cabinet tumbled over the edge, plummeting downward like a falling boulder.
The entire world seemed to slow. The sound of screaming, the alarms, even the flickering lights—all faded.
Alexander stared helplessly as the orc finally looked up, its crimson eyes widening.
"Damn it! It saw the cabinet…"
He felt the blood drain from his face. If the orc dodged, he'd be crushed.
The monster's speed was terrifying—it could've easily stepped aside, maybe even caught the cabinet mid-air.
"Is it going to dodge?... Am I about to die like this?"
But the orc didn't move.
The massive cabinet came crashing down on its head with an earth-shaking
"BOOM."
The sound echoed through the hall, followed by the splintering of steel and wood.
Dust filled the air and when it was cleared, Alexander's jaw dropped.
The orc hadn't flinched.
It stood there, completely unfazed, staring down at him through the debris.
"What... that cabinet weighed tons... how—"
His thoughts trailed off into disbelief.
Upstairs, Liam's eyes went wide with horror. Then, realizing the futility of his attack, he turned and ran.
Alexander didn't blame him. How could anyone expect something from a dungeon to die from a piece of furniture?
Ten years ago, the government had tried missiles and tanks—and even those had failed.
The orc's head tilted up, then down again, locking onto the broken man below.
Slowly, deliberately, it reached out one massive hand. Its fingers, thick as steel pipes, wrapped around Alexander's neck.
The pressure increased, choking him as spots of light danced before his eyes.
Suddenly— a humming filled the air all around them. Alexander and the orc glanced to the source of the noise—both their eyes widening as they saw a shocking sight.