My blades fell lifeless from the air and the Orc wasn't too far away from me either. It brought the axe’s blade back around and smashed it into the wall.

{Rush has been Activated}

I shot away from the wall and bounced off the ground near the massive creature's belly. I tucked myself down as close to the ground as I could and brought my body towards it with a fast snapping motion. “Shadow Claw!”

The large claws overtook my hands and dug into the monster's belly, tearing open three large slashes across its emerald skin in a shallow cut. Blood followed the claws in a light splash but that was the extent of the damage. A fraction of the metre above its head dropped and my mouth gawked.

“It barely budged…what the hell?” I looked up and the Orc's arms were raised in the air.

The large axe crashed down from above and nearly split me down the middle. I dodged out the way as fast as I could but I barely kept up with that explosive speed. My back slammed against the ground and I rolled across it a few times.

“Gyaaaaaaaaaarrrhh!!!” With a bellowing roar, the Orc summoned a heavy stampede of footsteps from the distance.

Not long after, three new green heads peeked around the corner and we were faced with a group of Orc’s. There was barely a difference between their levels, all of which looked as threatening as the first.

A large frame with bright green skin, dirty rags wrapped around their waists and a body littered with cuts and scars. They were warriors through and through, nothing like the other monsters we had faced so far.

“There’s four of them–on the Eighth Floor no less!” Veldor kept his shield raised.

Arga and I lay back behind his guard while I regrouped my senses. Nothing had been broken and I hadn’t lost much health either. It was a first for me to walk away from something like that without harm, I barely knew how to react.

“This must be why we haven’t run into many monsters yet. I never would have guessed that they’d form a Death Pack though.” I dusted off my coat.

“You good?”

“Yeah, thanks.”

Veldor braced his shield as if he were about to be attacked. A serious aura surrounded him as he stared down the enemy, hiding behind his guard.

“You two keep to the sides, the only charge in for sure-fire attacks, otherwise keep your distance while I tank the agro.”

It was a standard strategy Veldor used in his guild and managed to bring us up to speed with. Essentially he would take the brunt of the enemy's attacks and throw them off their balance, then Arga and I deal damage while it’s confused.

This process was rinced and repeated a few times until they died and then we moved on to the next monster. This time…I couldn’t fight my urge any longer. Holding back and sharing the experience, I didn’t want to.

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“I’ll take it from here.”

My words turned Veldor’s head, his mouth dropped as the visible rage welled up behind his words. “You got this? The hell do you mean by that?! This isn’t the time to be acting cocky, that’s a dangerous monster even for us!”

I walked past and bore no concern for his warnings, rather I felt I needed to calm him down. My eyes were already locked on my target and it stared right back. The Orcs' gleaming red state cut through the dusty tunnel with a hideous intent of bloodlust.

If I don’t take some risks to get stronger, then how could I possibly think of reaching her level? I know it’s selfish, I know it’s stupid but even so…even so…I have to prove to her that I’m a real adventurer. I have to show Liv next time we talk, how strong I really am.

“I’m sorry to ask you guys this but I’ll be taking these four on my own. I hope you don’t hate me for it.” I gave a slight bow as I passed them.

“Sigh…you're seriously an idiot to your core. I don’t plan to let you put me in danger by dying, so I’ll give you three minutes. Three minutes alright, after that, we step in and finish this for real.”

My mouth curled into a smile as all four Orcs filled my vision.

Those three minutes were curtsy to save me but he didn’t have to do that. Veldor’s just as interested as I am to see what I can do. So for that, I’ll make sure to win. I’ll devour all four of them and climb this Tower with the strength I get from it. I’m going to win!

My enemy moved in, its axe dragged along the floor as it rushed towards me. I felt the rumbling of its weight under my feet with every step as the floor shook violently.

The gap closed and it was right over me, its axe swung down heavily and I jumped off to the side.

Good, it’s got easy-to-read motions. Wide swings always–next should be its other friends attacking me too.

Behind me were two figures, each one barreling at me with their weapons. One carried an axe as well, while the other led with a massive wooden club.

I saw no gaps to squeeze through, so I had to make my own.

“Shadow step–” I appeared behind them just low enough to avoid their notice and suddenly a skill menu appeared in front of me. “What the…”

{Shadow Step} + {Shadow Spike} - {Chain Skill: Shadow Trail burst}

My eyes lit up with excitement and my lips moved along to the screen in front of me as I recited the words laid out for me.

“Activate Chain Skill, Shadow Trail–Burst!”

The shadow beneath me stretched out in a long trail that linked with the Orc's shadows. A massive stretched-out line formed across the tunnel between the three of us, one larger than I had ever made before. Once they followed the direction of the shadows they finally noticed me standing beside them.

Their rage went into overdrive. Both their weapons rose above me, as well as the first Orc that I had escaped before. By the time their weapons reached the air, every inch of shadow on the ground between us rose in a mess of compacted spikes.

Bound by the thick steaks that pierced their arms and legs, the Orcs struggled to budge but…they were Orc’s in the end. With a second burst of strength, they managed to break through and the two Orc’s in front of me brought their weapons down.

“Shit!” I panicked and stepped back.

I managed to avoid the axe but I wasn't as lucky with the club. It flew into my side and it felt as though my body had turned to melted jelly. I blacked out if only for a second and suddenly shot into the wall of the tunnel.

My health bar flashed from the corner of my eyes with a red haste. I took that hit dead on and was close to death. Only one hit managed to do that to me and yet…I had another on its way.

Standing over me were all three of the Orc’s that I had hit. The fourth made its way over and the four of them raised the weapons over me in a slow ascent.

Arga’s eyes filled with dread as she took a desperate step towards me. “Oh no–Rei!!”