As the sun began its descent back down, the trees showed their true colors as their shadows began to dance. Some were warped and seemed to showcase snarling figures with long, protruding grasps, while others swayed with the chilling evening wind. Besides the small sounds of the passing wind, no other noises were heard. All of the forest inhabitants had long evacuated, away from the dangers of this beast that stood before me now.

  The orc’s tusks were large, but even they couldn’t hide the wide grin as the orc moved forward. I could smell its musty odor and see the hot air as it breathed. It let its arms fall as they draped across the ground, its fingers clawing at the dirt and leaving trails behind.

  I gripped tightly on the small dagger. It was chipped and rusty, and it didn’t even surpass six inches in length. Not something I would have personally chosen to use against an orc.

  I backed up as the orc neared. A few steps more, and I felt the fallen tree behind. I was in between the orc and his weapon, which was still lodged deep inside the tree. However, looking at the fight itself, I think that the orc and I both knew that a club wasn’t necessary.

  While an orc is physically impossible for you to defeat, you may be able to use its superior senses and size against itself.

  Before I could ask Sys about what he meant by that, the orc made a sudden leap at me.

  Reacting instinctively, I pushed off my left leg using the fallen tree as leverage, launching myself into the air with a sideward twist. The world spun in a blur of motion as I narrowly evaded the orc’s outstretched arms.

  Nice dodge!

  As the orc crashed headfirst into the tree behind me, I seized the opportunity. Clutching the dagger with both hands, I drove it downward toward its spine.

  Or at least, I tried.

  Its flesh made a sound I hadn’t expected. A metallic clang rang out, as though I’d struck iron. The dagger bounced off, useless. I landed awkwardly, stumbling on my toes, but I recovered quickly, rolling backward and rising to my feet.

  “What the hell is up with its skin? It’s tough as steel.”

  An orc’s hide is comparable to metal armor.

  “That’s just not fair,” I muttered bitterly.

  I stood upright, scanning my surroundings. Unfortunately, the impact of the orc’s collision had loosened its club. Now, it had its weapon back in hand. That same twisted grin stretched wider across its face as it lazily swung the massive club, toying with me like a cat with a crippled mouse.

  “What do you have for me, Sys?”

  Like I said, though the orc outmatches you in strength, size, and endurance, those very traits are also its greatest weaknesses.

  “How exactly?”

  It’s slow in close quarters except when it charges. More importantly, while its exterior is reinforced, an orc’s internal anatomy is just as fragile as a human’s. The organs and muscles beneath the armor of its skin are structurally the same. Think of an orc as a giant, feral goblin.

  Slow my ass. Even a trained linebacker would have trouble dodging that thing’s charge. Then again, maybe the orc can only pull off a full-speed tackle after gathering enough distance and powering up its legs.

  But if what Sys said is true……..

  “Organs and muscles, huh?” I muttered, raising my dagger again.

  The orc leapt into the air once more, this time launching vertically, the club raised above its head like a judge’s gavel ready to pass sentence.

  I rolled forward beneath the crushing arc of its swing, not just to dodge, but to reposition myself for a counterattack. Rising swiftly to my feet, I slashed horizontally at the orc’s lower leg, aiming for the Achilles tendon.

  The Achilles tendon, one of the most vulnerable parts of the body, connects the calf muscles to the heel. It’s essential for walking, running, and jumping. And yet, it’s incredibly prone to injury. Overuse, poor flexibility, even sudden strain can rupture it. With an attack as aggressive as mine, this should have crippled the orc entirely.

  But instead, the same metallic clang rang out again.

  “Dude, what do you eat?” I snapped.

  The orc snarled and turned toward me. In that split second, I scooped up a handful of dirt and flung it into its eyes. The beast howled in pain, stumbling blindly. I didn’t have time to follow up since its leg lashed out in retaliation with terrifying speed.

  I conjured a barrier just in time.

  The translucent wall shimmered as the orc’s foot collided with it. While it absorbed the brunt of the attack’s damage, it couldn’t cancel the momentum. The force launched me backward like a ragdoll, deep into the darkened forest.

  Behind you!

  I reacted immediately, dispelling the front barrier and forming another behind me.

  Not a moment too soon.

  My back slammed into a tree with a sickening thud. The new barrier softened the blow, but even still, the air was forced from my lungs in a sharp gasp.

  Can you stand?

  “Two barriers......twenty-five mana each......fifty left-” I wheezed, struggling upright.

  Mana replenished on its own, but not quickly. I needed time, around a few minutes, and I’d have a full hundred again. But right now, every second counted.

  Before I could fully catch my breath, the orc found me again.

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  It let out a guttural, mocking laugh. “Aghawhawhahah!”

  I grimaced. I’d hate to be front row at an orc’s stand-up show.

  The orc trudged toward me, heavy steps crushing branches beneath its feet.

  Beric, I don’t think you should keep waiti-

  “It’s fine,” I interrupted, steadying myself. “They should be kicking in at any moment now.”

  The orc halted mid-step, blinking in confusion.

  There we go.

  It let out a low bellow, shaking its head violently before slapping its nose with a meaty hand. Its expression twisted into discomfort as it started sneezing and roaring, thrashing about like a maddened beast. Two thick fingers jammed themselves up its nostrils in a grotesque panic.

  Ew.

  Plan A, the Achilles tendon, was a bust, but that didn’t mean I’d walked into this without a backup. Like Sys had said, the orc’s internals were just as vulnerable as mine; the real problem was that damned skin, tougher than steel. I knew I might not be able to slice through the tendon, so I banked everything on this: distract it with dirt that secretly contained a handful of ants.

  The orc bellowed louder, staggering around in agony, snorting and grunting like a wild boar, slamming its fists against its own face in desperation.

  That was pretty close, but hey, we’re still alive.

  “Hmm.”

  What is it?

  “I know what you’re talking about, back with Roland. The whole ‘jinxing’ thing, like in a horror movie.”

  What are you talking about? There’s no way that the orc can flush out-

  “Sys.”

  What now-Oh shit.

  The orc plunged its entire head into a shallow creek nearby, the same creek the nobles and I had leapt over during the earlier chase.

  I felt it instantly, a ripple of mana that ran cold through my body. My summons were being recalled. Ants, crushed or drowned or exhausted, were vanishing. The connection severed with each pulse like a string snapping one after another.

  The orc lifted its head from the water and glared at me, steam hissing off its drenched skin. With a sharp spat onto the mud, it beat its chest like a savage ape and let out another feral roar. Its club was back in hand. It wanted both blood and vengeance now.

  The orc stormed forward.

  The orc roared and swung the club in a crushing arc from overhead. I darted sideways, the club slamming into the ground with a thunderous thud, dirt exploding upward. It then swept the club horizontally fast, but I ducked low, the wind of the swing rustling my hair.

  Agh, not the hair. You just had that trimmed yesterday.

  The orc twisted, stepping forward, and brought the club down again. I hopped backward, toes barely skimming the ground as the club shattered a rock where I’d just stood. Another swing, but this time, a fast jab forward like a spear. I pivoted left, the club grazing my arm as I spun.

  Snarling, the orc twisted its hips and delivered a wide side swing. I leapt up, knees tight to chest, letting the club pass beneath me before landing lightly on the orc’s arm. I kicked off the limb just as the orc tried to grab me, flipping backward and landing a few steps away.

  Good. It’s making more rash movements, so it should run out of steam real soon.

  So will I at this rate.

  The orc spun, rage boiling, and lunged with a diagonal smash. I ducked beneath it, sliding across the dirt on one foot, my dagger sliding with me. I had used it to gain control as I slid across the ground. Another overhand strike came, but I was already to the side, circling like a shadow. The club met only air.

  My theory of avoiding the attacks of stronger opponents proved to be true. It felt like I was fighting a boss from a Dark Ghouls game. The only difference between then and now is that I can literally die here.

  Both the orc and I were exhausted. While my mana was slowly regenerating back, my physical stats were nearing depletion. I really should have trained more with that cursed old man.

  I checked my inventory. Besides carcasses, I only had the small gourd with some wolfsbane remaining.

  No good options.

  I couldn’t cut its tendon. The ants were flushed out. I could resummon them, but I was dangerously close to mana exhaustion. The orc knew how to counter them now, and if it found another water source, it’d be all for nothing. I could try to lure it away from water, but at this point, my legs felt like lead. I couldn't trust my body to hold up.

  I was soaked in sweat, gasping for air, running on fumes. My arms trembled. My dagger felt heavier than ever.

  I looked at the orc.

  Its moss-colored skin was glistening under the golden haze of the setting sun, damp with sweat and river water. It had slowed, relying now on both hands to lift the club. Its grin had faded, reduced to a tense sneer. But its eyes, those blazing orange eyes, still burned with primal fury and hatred.

  Its eyes.

  Currently, I have 61 mana.

  This is a stupidly risky move.

  “It’s probably not the right move, but it is the most effective one.”

  Ah, fine! Go for it!

  Taking a deep breath, I willed my legs for one final push.

  I ran to the orc, dagger in my right hand.

  The orc let out a loud war cry and raised its club for another overhead swing.

  As the club went down, I sidestepped to the left.

  “Rogue?”

  “Ready, Boss!”

  Rogue reappeared on my shoulder in a flash, then launched himself straight at the orc’s face like a bullet. With claws unsheathed, he tore viciously into the creature’s eyes. Tough skin was useless here since the eyes had no such armor, especially after I’d already blinded it with dirt.

  The orc roared in fury, releasing its grip on the club to claw at Rogue, stumbling backward in a panic.

  I didn’t waste the moment.

  Using its leg like a springboard, I vaulted upward, my boots digging into its thigh as I propelled myself onto its back. With both hands occupied swiping at Rogue, the orc couldn’t stop me.

  I scrambled up to the thick ridge of its neck and raised my dagger high.

  With a violent thrust, I drove the blade into its right eye.

  A geyser of blood erupted, gushing out in a torrential spray that soaked my hands and splattered across my face. The orc let out a guttural howl of agony, stumbling wildly as crimson poured down its face like rain from a broken sky.

  I grinned through clenched teeth. Even orcs can bleed out.

  LET GO, NOW!

  My body reacted too slowly.

  My grin vanished the moment the orc’s hand shot up and clamped down on the dagger’s hilt.

  In one brutal motion, it reared its head back, then slammed its skull forward, smashing face-first into the ground with terrifying force.

  And I went down with it.

  My body hit the earth spine-first with a sickening thud. The air exploded from my lungs. Blood sprayed from my mouth. Fire lit up in my chest as my ribs screamed and bile clawed its way up my throat.

  “Sorry… Boss…” Rogue whimpered, before vanishing into a flicker of fading mana.

  I tried to rise.

  My arms trembled.

  My body wouldn’t move.

  No barrier. No counter. The impact had shattered my momentum and my body along with it.

  I could only watch, vision swimming, as the orc lumbered over me. Its one good eye burned with primal rage as it grabbed me like a ragdoll, hoisting me effortlessly into the air.

  Then it threw me.

  With the precision and force of a pro baseball pitcher, it hurled me across the clearing. I barely had time to register the blur of trees before my back collided with a thick trunk.

  No barrier this time. No cushion. No chance.

  Pain.

  Raw, blinding pain.

  And then, darkness.