Should it have even landed in my hands? Or is it just my luck? He wondered.
By all norms, it shouldn't even be like this. We are still just at the beginner level and this thing's throwing me skills like snow in Aomori.
Not that I'm complaining though.
GRAAAHHH!!!
Several red orcs roared as they charged at him, drawing his attention.
I guess it's time to rejoin the fun.
He turned his gaze to his interface, smirking as he checked his quest progress.
Kill Count: 97/330.
Yep! It's really time.
With great strength, he plucked his axe from the dead orc on the floor, grinning wide as he waited for the orcs to reach him.
_ _ _ _
Over at where Yuin engaged with the orc, blood sprayed across his face from the erupted wound.
After watching Cola Bear slaughter the orcs earlier, he had noticed their weak points.
"It really worked," his eyes shone with light as he snapped the orc's neck.
As the orc collapsed forward, Yuin jumped off it. His face and clothes were stained with blood, making his appearance messy.
"W-Wow, that's cool," his player cheered lowly from behind.
Yuin turned to him, brow twitching as he stared at how cowardly his player hid behind him.
"You—"
FIAM!
An arrow sliced past his face, grazing his cheekbone.
"Holy plague!"
Before Yuin could even have a moment of reprieve, a massive orc appeared behind his player with its weapon raised, aiming to strike him down.
"Tsk!" He clicked in annoyance and yanked his player forward by the collar, plunging him to the ground for safety.
WHOOM!
The orc's weapon sliced through the air with fierce force, sending a ripple that flared Yuin and his player's hair and clothes.
Not waiting for the orc to rebalance itself, Yuin snapped a forward kick into its shin, forcing it to stagger backward.
As the orc stumbled, Yuin planted his palms on the ground and vaulted over its body with a sweeping kick that knocked it down.
The instant it crashed to the ground, Yuin launched atop it and—
POW! POW! POW!
He assaulted its face and neck with heavy blows that broke the orc's face and rendered it unconscious.
Then, with the same move he had used earlier, he struck the orc's neck again nearly severing its head with sheer strength.
[You have slain an Elite Red Orc!]
[+4 exp!]
Certain that the orc was dead, Yuin moved to rise but his player's scream seized him in place.
"Watch out!!!"
A thick, wooden greatclub swung toward him from the side with great power. Before it could connect, Yuin pushed himself backward, landing flat across the dead orc's legs.
"No breaks…. just like my part-time jobs."
To retaliate, Yuin snapped forward to grab the dead orc's weapon, but it was too heavy.
He went in with his fists instead.
"Keep up behind me," he told his player as he rammed his way through the orcs with raw power.
Every orc that came, Yuin brutalized with just his fists. When the fight allowed it, he dragged them down to his level and smashed their faces in with crushing blows.
As it raged on, whether driven by the blaze of battle or the thrill of slaughter, Yuin's punches only grew heavier and stronger.
[Alert! You have slain an Elite Red Orc!]
[+4 exp!]
[+7 gold coins]
[You have leveled up]
HUFF! HUFF!
"There's really no end to them," Yuin panted.
He was soaked with blood from head to toe, his clothes tattered with bruises covering his face and body.
Sweeping his eyes around the battlefield, Yuin sighted a huge tree in the distance.
Beneath it was empty, shielded from the bright daylight and the ongoing slaughter.
Yuin turned to his player, wiping blood from his face.
"There's a shelter over there. I think you'd be safe there for some time at least," he pointed to the tree.
His player who followed his hand toward the direction of the tree, simply stood still like a statue, pale and blank, offering no response.
But it wasn't that he didn't agree with Yuin about the tree being a safe place for some moments.
It was that the tree was so far away they would need to fight their way through the orcs to get there.
For all he knew, they might not even survive.
Even though the arrows had reduced significantly because the Chosen were taking out the archers, he still feared for the savage orcs with lethal weapons.
True to his fears, the growl of an orc came from behind him.
"Hik!" He gasped, trembling with cold sweat.
Annoyed by the incessant noise from the orc, Yuin's brows wrinkled with irritation.
And his eyes gleamed with anger.
The anger seemed to pump adrenaline into his system because Yuin launched at the orc before it could reach his player.
He shoved its attack aside with force and plowed its face with a powerful punch.
The blow was so devastating it shattered the orc's face, nearly exploding it.
[Alert! You have gained skill: Devastator's Fist]
Yuin paid no mind to the system's alert.
He continued beating the orc until it collapsed dead on the ground. Then he started brutalizing his way toward the tree, his player following right behind him.
Once they reached the tree, Yuin snatched his player from behind and threw him into the shade.
"You'll be safe here for—"
STAGGER!
Yuin stumbled forward, his boot scuffing the ground with heavy, dragging motion.
Following suit was a sharp pain that tore through his upper chest.
Huh?
Dizziness swarmed his vision, clarity fading into blur as he crashed down to one knee.
What was that?! He gasped lightly, dragging his eyes down to his upper chest.
???!!
His eyes snapped wide in shock when he saw the arrow embedded there.
How— When?!
Haa… Haa…
He panted hard, breaths tearing in and out his lungs.
"A-Are you okay?" His player asked.
His panic-stricken face beaded with cold sweat.
"Ugh…" Yuin groaned lowly.
He squeezed shut his eyes, pressing his temples in frustration.
He knew he'd been unlucky from the very start so this wasn't a surprise to him. And he didn't believe that a single mere shot from an arrow would be enough to stop him.
Even if it would, he wasn't going to allow it. Not when his siblings were at home waiting for him.
With shallow breaths spilling from his slightly ajar mouth, Yuin took hold of the arrow's shaft. Then with focus and strength, brows knitted tightly, he shoved it in.
GAH!!
Raw, hot pain tore through his chest as the arrowhead punched out the other side.
Phew!
A breath of relief sifted through him.
His head fell forward, dipping with sweat trailing down his face.
His body slumped as he remained knelt, shoulder slowly rising and falling with each shallow breath.
Hah..! Hah..!
"Please…. break the head."
He could only manage a whisper that didn't even reach his player's ears.
Along with the shuddering pain was confusion to Im Yuin.
It wasn't a shallow belief when he believed a mere arrow couldn't put him down.
However, this single shot seemed to not only be spreading agonizing pain, but consuming his stamina rapidly.
He could feel the shrouds of death slowly wrapping his body.
But still, he wasn't going to allow it.
He just started.
He hadn't even killed half the amount they were asked to kill.
Planting a foot on the ground, Yuin pushed himself up to a stand, swaying lightly. There was no way he was going to let—
THUD!
He collapsed to the ground, unconscious.
…..
A/N: Enjoying this novel? Pls support with Stones and Tickets!
———————————————
— Skill —
Devastator's Fist
Type: Active
Cost: Heavy stamina drain
Cooldown: 40 seconds
Description:
The user channels raw, overwhelming strength into a single strike and releases it in a catastrophic punch that smashes through defense and inflicts devastating damage. This strike is not meant to trade blows but meant to end the fight.
When Devastator's Fist lands, the impact detonates through the target's body and armor, crushing them or sending them flying as if struck by a living siege weapon.
Level 1
—Damage: 180% of base attack in a single hit
—Impact: Target is violently staggered; lighter enemies may be knocked off their feet
—Trauma: 10% chance to inflict severe internal damage, dealing 15% base attack over 3 seconds
—Armor Shock: Defense reduced by 10% for 2 seconds