The red-skinned golden-glowing High Ogre stares me down 5m away at most.

I can smell its breath from here.

The grip on my left hand’s dagger tightens as my sword glows red hot in the other.

We analyze each other for another couple of seconds, then simultaneously charge forward aiming our blades at the other for a kill shot.

*CLANGGGG*

The monster learned its lesson from our last clash. My sword collides with its shield as my dagger blocks the long silver sword. Scraping metal noises fill my ears as I push the beast forward. Sparks fly, but the creature grunts and jumps back before I can manage to land an attack.

Blood still drips from its abdomen from my earlier hit. I watch the heavy-breathing monster analyze my stance and come charging at me again.

I run forward as well, thinking of ways to switch things up this time around.

Moments before impact, I air-step using my right foot, turning 90 degrees mid-lunge mimicking the movements of my first successful attack.

The monster’s eyes track my change in direction and it counters with its shield, painfully remembering its previously failed attempt.

I grin, then air-step again with my left foot launching me about 4m in the air just above my opponent’s head. It lets out a grunt and shifts its shield in confusion while craning its neck to follow my flight path.

I throw my dagger straight ahead as I fly over the beast. It continues to lift its shield and watch me from above as I abruptly shift the dagger’s trajectory using telekinesis.

The High Ogre’s eyes are open wide with fear once again as it stares at me from below. A shining black blade flies toward its open neck.

I create a dense pocket of wind magic above me, then push myself down with a red-hot glowing sword at the ready.

It raises its shield while simultaneously being stabbed in the neck by my surprise dagger. I created the perfect distraction…

*CLANGGGG*

The massive hulking Ogre lets out a roar as blood spurts from its neck and my blade hits its shield. Its long silver weapon attempts a swing at me, but I twist my body out of the way while controlling my telekinesis to push the dagger deeper and deeper.

I let out a laugh as I stand 3m away from the rage-filled blood-soaked monster. With an outstretched left hand, I pull my blade from the beast’s neck, tearing away even more flesh. It flies through the air back into my grip covered in a thick crimson liquid.

The gold-glowing Ogre is a tough one, I’ve got to give it that. Even with my insane stack of buffs, it can still take 2 good hits from me and almost rival my strength. I hear its blood gurgle in the back of its throat as the beast breathes heavily and grunts while continuing to stare me down.

The High Ogre runs forward again holding its blade steady and its shield held high covering its wounded areas. It’s a much more defensive attack strategy, but there’s no other way for it to win this brawl otherwise.

I look up at the charging monster and whip my dagger at it using telekinesis while covering the blade in a dense layer of wind magic.

I use this quick moment before our collision to take a deep breath in through my nose, then exhale through my mouth. I concentrate a steady flow of mana into my long sword allowing it to glow bright red.

Dark flames and dense swirls of wind magic engulf my sword growing hotter and hotter as they fuel each other draining me almost completely dry of my entire mana supply. I raise my blade high up above my head while watching the shiny black dagger whistle through the air at the monster ahead.

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The light clash of metal on metal followed by the scraping sound of my dagger against its sword is my sign to strike. Now all I have to do is finish this battle in a single blow.

With a yell, I bring my blade downwards releasing all the energy built up inside. A demonic-looking dark red crescent of flames covered in a sharp white aura of wind emerges from my sword and rockets at the monster in front of me.

I watch in awe as the High Ogre struggles to keep my dagger at bay while lifting its shield to block the incoming deadly strike.

The beast attempts to move its sword to block the incoming wave, but my dagger slides downward threatening its neck, keeping the long blade occupied.

On impact, the dense wind energy cracks its shield instantly, splintering metal fragments off in all directions.

An echoing roar fills the air as the wind blade filled with dark fire slices through the Ogre’s heavy chest plate as well.

The beast is thrown backward as it takes the full-force attack head on….

I was expecting it to slice clean through, but my eyes widen as I watch the beast dig its feet into the ground while being pushed back over 10m.

The High Ogre cries out and struggles in agony until it finally twists its body out of the way….

*SHINGGG*

The dark crescent of energy slices off its arm at the shoulder before arcing upwards and disappearing into the wide-open black sky.

I grin and reach into my item storage to pull out a few mana crystals, plundering their MP.

*THUDDD*

The smile leaves my face slowly as the dust settles and I watch the mutilated body of a flaming Ogre drop to its knees.

The slash took off about a full third of its left side. Arm, shoulder, and all. The beast’s armor and shield are destroyed beyond use. It’s losing blood at an alarming rate and cannot continue.

I sigh and walk over to my defeated opponent.

It glares at me coughing up more blood and readying its blade with its good arm.

I nod slowly.

“I commend you for your resolve, but this is the end.”

With a flick of my left wrist, I use telekinesis to summon my fallen dagger. It flies through the air and lands directly into the High Ogre’s neck.

The monster’s eyes become cold and its sword falls to the hard ground.

[Level Up]

[Level Up]

[Use Absorption]

Skill: Extreme Strength

[YES][NO]

I smirk and choose yes while taking the dagger out of my former opponent’s neck and placing it into my item storage.

[Status Open]

____________________

Name: Jay Soju

Level: 307

Hp: 1540/1540

Mp: 1535/1540

Strength: 744 [+662]

Speed: 886 [+532][+260]

Agility: 916 [+412]

Defense: 664 [+258][+232]

Mental Strength: 744 [+149][+365][+298][+335]

Skills:

Absorption

Swordsmanship

Combat Magic [Fire Summoning]

Inspect [Special Grade]

Enemy Detection

Body Hardening[Special Grade]

Self Regeneration

Spacial Magic[Item Storage]

Plunderer

Telekinesis

Appraisal[Special Grade]

Conceal

Dungeon Walker

Intimidation

Dagger Mastery

Stealth

Bloodlust

Equivalent Exchange

Combat Magic [Wind Summoning]

All-Seeing Eye

Extreme Strength

Items Equipped:

Golden Wolf Ring [+20% Mental Strength]

Cyclops Eye Pendant [+40% Defense]

Dark Elf Boots [+60% Speed]

The Flame Emperor’s Sword [Fire Aspect][+89% Strength][+49% Mental Strength]

Ring of Protection [+35% Defense]

Griffin’s Talon [+40% Mental Strength]

Enchanted Silver Ring [+30% Speed]

Serpent King’s Scale [+45% Agility] [+45% Magic Resistance]

Desert Troll’s Charm [+45% Mental Strength]

[Rodrigo’s Silver Bracelet]

_____________________

I look around as the adrenaline from my battle begins to wear off.

To my right side, Arie stands about 20m away with his arms crossed examining the corpse of his fallen creature with 3 white glowing arrows sticking out of its forehead.

I grin then turn to my left.

Abby and Maria are about 30m ahead still battling with their High Ogre.

Steam fills the air as Maria creates walls of Ice to block while making “smoke screens” for Abby to attack it blind.

Abby does the same once the steam cloud clears. She creates half a dozen spears of stone to keep the creature occupied while Maria attacks head-on.

They’re both much quicker than the Ogre, each attack slices away at the monster’s thick flesh. In time, they will win.

I nod slowly while turning to see Bruce and Nessa handling a beast of their own.

Bruce is holding off the Ogre shield to shield and sword to hammer. They both grit their teeth and let out battle cries.

This is a battle of the tanks, I like it.

Nessa darts around in circles landing cheap shots while glowing with the same golden light as her opponent. Bruce has the natural strength and defense to hold it off, while Nessa is much faster and better at landing guaranteed hits. They have this battle in the bag as well, we’ll just have to wait it out.

I smile and watch my teammates fight as my monster dissolves next to me dropping a large mana crystal at my feet. I pick it up to place it in my item box as I hear Arie’s voice from behind me.

“These Ogres aren’t bad. Rodrigo was right, this dungeon may have a quite difficult boss.”

I turn to see the tan-skinned archer grinning while watching our teammates duke it out with the Ogres.

“Yeah, that was a pretty good fight. It stood no chance, but still, it wasn’t boring-“

“Yes, I watched the end of your duel, it was definitely not boring.”

Arie nods slowly while staring forward.

I do the same. Gold, green, and blue lights flash before my eyes as the battles continue.