The relentless rain doused the crackling fire, as the kobloids gathered in front of the kneeling orcs.
"First of all, remove your armor and hand over your weapons," Thorian ordered. His command caused a stir among the orcs, but Zogthar took the lead and dropped his battleaxe on the ground. He proceeded to remove his armor, piece by piece, revealing his scarred and wounded body. By the end, he was left with only a loincloth to cover his genitals.
Observing their new leader's compliance, the other orcs followed suit, rising to their feet and removing their armor one by one. The sight of twenty muscular orcs, with their imposing physiques and battle-hardened bodies, standing exposed to the pouring rain was truly a spectacle to behold. Rivulets of water cascaded down their broad shoulders and chiseled torsos, accentuating the scars and marks that told the stories of countless battles.
Thorian turned to the kobloids behind him and commanded, "Gather their armor and store it in the village hall."
"Understood."
"Yes, sir!"
The kobloids approached the orcs, collecting the discarded armor as the orcs stood unflinchingly in the downpour. Their eyes remained locked with Thorian's, who stared back at them with a composed expression.
As the kobloids carried the armor away to the hall, Thorian advanced without breaking eye contact with Zogthar.
"From this moment on, until I say otherwise, your sole task will be to cut down these trees," Thorian declared, gesturing to the dense forest surrounding them. The orcs followed his gesture, taking in the extent of the task. "You will neither eat nor sleep until I release you from this duty."
"You want us, the proud orcs of Butarand, to become your menial workers?!" An orc who had been kneeling at the back stood up, glaring fiercely at Thorian. "You'll pay for this transgression!"
As the enraged, naked orc charged at Thorian, the latter could only sigh inwardly at the absurdity of the situation. Oh well, roasted pig is always delicious.
Just as Thorian prepared to unleash a Combustion Touch, a powerful fist landed squarely on the charging orc's jaw, sending him flying to the side.
"Barmaloth!" Zogthar's eyes glowed red, radiating a murderous aura. "You dare defy the orders of your leader. You deserve death!"
Zogthar strode over to the stunned Barmaloth, striking him with a powerful knuckle blow. He then proceeded to pummel the hapless orc with one hammer fist after another, bruising bones with each impact. Barmaloth's grunts soon transformed into pleas for mercy as Zogthar's relentless assault threatened to reduce him to a pulp.
Nox winced at the brutal display unfolding before him and glanced toward Thorian. However, Thorian remained impassive, choosing not to intervene. As the minutes passed, Barmaloth's cries for help eventually ceased; he had died.
As everyone's attention was fixated on Zogthar's lethal assault on Barmaloth, Thorian noticed movement off to the side and quickly shifted his focus. A small goblin was entering the village through a gap in the damaged wall.
Tsk, that's why I didn't want the wall to break.
Thorian conjured a fireball and dispatched the goblin, sending it to join Barmaloth on the journey along the River Styx.
"Kobold, Nox, watch over the orcs. I'll handle things outside."
With that command, Thorian leaped through the makeshift opening in the wall, only to discover a sizeable group waiting for him outside. Twenty goblins and five hobgoblins.
Sensing the mana within his body, Thorian realized he had only a third of his pool remaining. Nevertheless, he was confident it would be more than sufficient.
As the hobgoblins charged toward him with their spears, Thorian swiftly conjured a fireball and hurled it in their direction. As the spell made contact, he lunged at the five hobgoblins, searing their defenseless bodies with the intense flames of his Combustion Touch.
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Level up!
Thorian dismissed the notification and swiftly closed in on the remaining dazed hobgoblin. After delivering two rapid punches to its gut, the green humanoid crumpled to its knees. Thorian then struck its neck with a powerful thunderclap.
The goblins, who had been following the lead of the hobgoblins, were bewildered by the speed at which Thorian had dispatched their leaders. Just as they were about to flee in fear, a white blur rushed past Thorian from the side.
"You won't escape! You're my level up!"
The kobold charged at the group of goblins, a wide grin adorning his face. He darted from one side to the next, slaying two or three goblins with each swing of his axe. Whenever he spotted one of the green creatures attempting to make a run for it, he hurled his lunar bolt, stopping the fleeing goblin dead in its tracks.
I thought I told him to keep an eye on the orcs.
Thorian shook his head and chuckled at the kobold's antics before deciding to return to the village. If the kobold was up to the task, there was no need for Thorian to expend any more mana on mere grunts.
Display Panel
Ding
Status Panel Race Flame Kobold Level 3/30 (exp: 7/600) Class Magus Level 17/20 (exp: 123/410) Lifespan 40 years Cultivation realm Qi Gathering First Stage (31.6%) Stats Strength 37 Agility 42 Constitution 19 Mana 52 Qi 4 Free Points 3 Skills Minor Fire Affinity (Passive) Flame resistance (Passive) Fireball (Active) Combustion Touch (Active)
Huh, so I leveled up twice? I guess I missed a notification when fighting the orcs.
Upon reviewing his updated stats, Thorian felt a sense of satisfaction from his progress. Although his current capabilities paled in comparison to those from his past life, he had reached a level where he could at least hold his own in the early days of the apocalypse.
Snapping back to reality, Thorian glanced around to find Nox and the orcs staring intently at him. Zogthar, having killed Barmaloth, had returned to his position and was waiting.
"What are you standing around for?" Thorian furrowed his eyebrows. "I've already given my order. Start cutting trees."
As usual, Zogthar was the first to take the lead. He lifted his battleaxe from the muddy ground and approached one of the trees to begin cutting. The rest of the orcs followed suit after exchanging a few grunts. However, none of them voiced any complaints, likely fearing a fate similar to Barmaloth's.
As the orcs busied themselves with cutting trees, the kobloids returned to Thorian after completing their task. Just as before, Thorian instructed the magi to ascend the watchtower for a better vantage point. He also included the two priests this time, as their abilities had a sufficiently long range to be cast from that height.
Meanwhile, the warriors joined the kobold who was manically massacring monsters as if they were sheep in a slaughterhouse. Observing the scene, Thorian noticed that the original pack of goblins had already been killed, their lifeless bodies strewn across the ground.
Are those Rabarrians?
The kobold and the warrior kobloids were now engaged in combat with large, humanoid rabbit-like creatures. Their eyes were red, and their ears flopped around, but their fists were incredibly fast, enveloped in a red aura. The warriors' blue light and the Rabarrians' red aura clashed fervently as both sides fought for their lives.