A Week of Battles
For the past seven days, the ruins had become a battlefield.
Wave after wave of monsters had come crashing down on them. Each new assault brought fresh horrors, pushing them to their limits.
The first few waves had been easy—a mix of F and E-rank monsters like Direwolves, Armored Boars, and Mantisaurs.
Then came the more dangerous threats:
Wave 4: A swarm of Venom Stalkers, agile spider-like creatures with corrosive venom. Their rapid movement and ability to climb walls forced the group into a defensive battle, relying on coordination to keep them at bay.
Wave 5: Howling Specters, ghostly entities that drained mana on contact. Without Elena's Holy Light, they might have been overwhelmed.
Wave 6: A pack of Basilisks, their petrifying gaze forcing the group to fight blind or rely on indirect attacks. Sylvara and Luca led the charge, using nature magic and earth manipulation to control the battlefield.
Wave 7: Frostclaw Bears, hulking beasts with ice-covered claws that could freeze flesh on impact. Seraphina had shined here, her ice magic clashing with theirs in an intense duel of control.
Now, they had one final wave to face.
And it was going to be the worst one yet.
---
Leon's Pov
Leonhardt Valerian tightened his grip on his sword as the ruins shook from the approaching horde.
The final wave was here.
A deep, guttural roar echoed through the trees.
Then, hundreds of figures emerged from the shadows.
Goblins.
Not the weak, cowardly ones he had read about in books. These goblins were organized, each of them holding crude weapons and wearing scavenged armor.
And leading them…
A massive C- Rank Orc Warlord.
The beast towered over the goblins, standing nearly eight feet tall, with thick, scarred green skin and burning crimson eyes.
It wielded a massive greatsword, the jagged metal stained with dried blood.
Leon exhaled slowly.
"This is it."
Beside him, Alicia von Rosenheim unsheathed her flaming sword, her golden eyes fierce with determination.
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Luca Ashenpaw cracked his knuckles, his beastly grin revealing sharp canines.
"The orc is ours," Leon said, stepping forward. "The others will handle the goblins."
Alicia smirked. "Fine by me. I've been wanting to test myself against something big."
Luca laughed, stretching his arms. "Let's see if this thing can handle us."
The battle began.
While Leon, Alicia, and Luca charged the Orc Warlord, the rest of the party engaged the goblins.
Seraphina's Ice Griffin swooped down, freezing goblins solid before shattering them with its claws.
Sylvara called upon Nature's Wrath, vines bursting from the ground and impaling her enemies.
Reynard darted through the battlefield, using his illusion magic to confuse and assassinate goblins before they even realized he was there.
Elena stood at the center, casting protective barriers while sending out waves of holy light to burn through the goblins.
And Alden…
Alden moved through the battlefield with precise, controlled strikes.
A katana in one hand, a dagger floating beside him—his telekinetic control had reached a new level.
Each movement was calculated, each attack measured—a perfect blend of skill, experience, and power.
---
The Orc Warlord raised its massive greatsword, bellowing as it brought it down with enough force to shatter stone.
Leon barely dodged in time, rolling to the side as the blade tore into the earth, leaving a massive crater.
That was close.
He pushed forward, his Thunder Fang Wolf attacking the orc's flank with crackling lightning.
The orc grunted, swatting the wolf aside like it was a mere nuisance.
Leon lunged in, his sword crackling with electricity, aiming for the orc's exposed side.
But the warlord was fast—faster than something its size should be.
It twisted, blocking with its forearm, taking the strike but preventing any deep injury.
Leon clicked his tongue.
I need to be smarter.
Alicia came in next, her Crimson Lion roaring as she swung her flaming sword.
The orc raised its greatsword, clashing against hers in a blazing impact.
Sparks flew as Alicia was pushed back, but her flames left a burn on the orc's blade.
Luca took his chance, using his earth-enhanced fists to strike the orc's legs, trying to unbalance it.
The warlord stumbled, but it wasn't enough to bring it down.
Leon's mind raced.
We need to take control of the fight.
He switched tactics, shifting to his spear and attacking from a longer range.
Alicia and Luca kept pressuring the orc, preventing it from focusing on any single one of them.
Then Leon saw his opportunity.
The orc raised its weapon for another massive strike, leaving its chest wide open.
Leon surged forward—
Lightning coursing through his spear.
"Now!" he shouted.
Alicia's sword flared, and Luca drove his fists into the ground, causing a shockwave beneath the orc.
The orc roared, trying to regain its balance.
Leon didn't give it a chance.
He thrust his spear forward, the tip crackling with electricity, piercing straight into the warlord's heart.
The orc stiffened, its eyes widening in shock.
Lightning surged through its body, paralyzing it as smoke rose from its flesh.
Leon ripped his spear free, flipping backward just as Alicia brought her sword down, cleaving through the orc's neck.
The warlord's head hit the ground with a heavy thud.
Silence followed.
Then—
The goblin horde broke.
Without their leader, they scattered, fleeing into the forest.
Leon let out a breath, his arms aching from the prolonged battle.
Alicia wiped sweat from her brow, her flames dimming. "That was tougher than I expected."
Luca rolled his shoulders, flashing his feral grin. "That was fun."
Leon chuckled, glancing toward the others. The rest of the party was finishing off the last of the goblins, securing their victory.
But even as relief washed over them, a part of Leon felt uneasy.
Alden's POV –
Blood. The scent of iron was thick in the air, mixing with the stench of sweat and death.
Alden moved like a shadow through the battlefield, his katana cutting down goblins with precise, measured strikes.
His telekinetic dagger danced around him, piercing eyes, throats, and hearts, clearing enemies before they could overwhelm his allies.
The battle had been going on for nearly an hour now.
His muscles ached, his breathing was ragged, but his mind was sharp—analyzing every movement, predicting every shift.
From the corner of his eye, he saw Leon, Alicia, and Luca engaged in their battle with the Orc Warlord.
They can handle it.
Alden focused on the horde. There were still dozens of goblins left.
Seraphina's Ice Griffin was freezing enemies, crushing them with its claws.
Sylvara's Nature Magic turned the battlefield into a maze of thorned vines and piercing roots.
Reynard moved unseen, his illusions tricking goblins into killing each other before his daggers found their mark.
And Elena—
She was the pillar of their formation, casting healing waves and protective barriers, preventing injuries from turning fatal.
Alden had no doubt.
They were winning.
Then it happened.
Leon's lightning-coated spear struck the Orc Warlord's heart, paralyzing it.
Alicia's flaming sword came down—
And the orc's head rolled across the battlefield.
A moment of silence followed.
Then—
The goblins broke rank, fleeing into the forest.
The battle was over.
Leon exhaled, wiping the sweat from his brow. "Finally… it's done."
Alicia sheathed her sword. "That was intense."
Luca cracked his knuckles. "Easy win."
Alden, however, felt uneasy.
Something was wrong.
In the game, this was supposed to be the final wave.
After the warlord's death, the horde was meant to fully disperse, ending the encounter.
But now…
His instincts screamed at him.
The air shifted—
And a new, heavier presence filled the battlefield.
No… This isn't right…
Then—
A second roar shattered the night.
Alden froze, eyes widening as something stepped out of the forest.
A towering figure, standing even taller than the first orc.
Thicker muscles. Heavier armor. A massive, cleaver-like blade resting on its shoulder.
But that wasn't what shocked him.
This was not the Orc Warlord from the game.
This… was something new.
The one we killed… was female.
And now, her mate had arrived.
A male Orc Warlord.
Its blood-red eyes locked onto the corpse of the fallen orc.
A moment of silence…
Then—
It breathed in deeply, its muscles tensing, and let out an earth-shattering—
"KROOOOOHH!!"
The ground trembled.
And Alden knew—
They weren't done yet.