Owen's blade sliced through the orc warrior's throat, warm blood spraying across his shrouded face. He didn’t falter. His grip tightened on the hilt, the blade trembling only slightly as he dispatched three more orcs in rapid succession, each kill swifter than the last.
Sensing the deadly whistle of an incoming arrow, Owen threw himself to the side, but this time he wasn’t quick enough. The arrow struck true, slamming into his shoulder with a sickening force, sending him sprawling through the air.
Before he hit the ground, Rehan was there, catching him in mid-fall and lowering him to safety. Without missing a beat, Rehan darted behind Shelldon, the massive war tortoise, who raised his armoured shell as a shield against further attacks.
All the orcs had been killed. No Sand Hounds were left. Only the distant archer fired, but even that stopped after a few minutes. He had most likely retreated.
Sheltered beneath its formidable bulk, Owen seized the moment. He activated his power, claiming the corpses scattered across the battlefield—every one of them. With their wounded secured, Owen and his group retreated, disappearing from the chaos to tend to their injuries.
Cedric and Rohan were rushed to Rizael’s infirmary, along with other numerous Warriors and Hunters. Owen himself rested his back against the wall, and slid down until his rear was firmly seated on the sand.
“My Lord,” Draed said in concern, “Are you okay?”
“I’m okay,” Owen replied, exhausted. He glanced at his wound. It wasn’t severe, and hadn't struck an artery. “Just tired. Go and see if Rizael needs help.”
Draed bowed and left. All Owen could hear were his people in pain, their cries filtering out of the infirmary. The Builders wanted to come over and help, but they had their own mission. If the walls weren’t finished in time, the waves would wash them away.
Closing his eyes, Owen focused on his breathing. The sight of Cedric willingly take an arrow for him without hesitation burned itself into his vision. Owen snapped his eyes open. There was no way in hell he was going out without a fight. He had to focus, get stronger.
After a few minutes, Draed and Cedric stood in front of him. It was time to evolve his first two Hunters.
Displaying a list of Tier 2 Hunter Classes for Draed.
Shadow Striker
| Focus: Stealth and Precision
Abilities:
| Shadow Cloak: Temporarily blend into the surroundings, making detection harder.
| Silent Step: Move quietly, reducing noise and chance of alerting enemies.
| Deadly Ambush: Deal extra damage when attacking from a hidden position.
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Storm Ranger
| Focus: Elemental Arrows and Weather Manipulation
Abilities:
| Tempest Arrow: Shoot an arrow that creates a brief gust of wind on impact.
| Gale Shot: Fire an arrow that causes a small shockwave, pushing back enemies.
| Lightning Quiver: Occasionally charge arrows with a small electric shock.
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Soul Hunter
| Focus: Spiritual Tracking and Enhanced Senses
Abilities:
| Spirit Mark: Fire an arrow that slightly homes in on the target, marks the target struck. Consecutive arrows once marked deal extra damage.
| Phantom Shot: Shoot an arrow that can penetrate thin obstacles.
| Wraith Form: Briefly move faster and become harder to hit.
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Eagle Eye Marksman
| Focus: Precision Shooting and Enhanced Archery Skills
Abilities:
| Eagle Vision: Temporarily enhances eyesight, increasing accuracy and allowing for better targeting of weak points at long range.
| Piercing Shot: Fire a single, powerful arrow that can penetrate through multiple targets or armor.
| Quickdraw: Rapidly draw and shoot arrows in quick succession, increasing firing speed for a short duration.
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Arcane Bowman
| Focus: Magical Arrows and Simple Enchantments
Abilities:
| Arcane Arrow: Fire an arrow with a small magical burst on impact.
| Elemental Infusion: Occasionally imbue arrows with basic elemental properties like fire or ice.
| Mystic Volley: Shoot a volley of arrows that slightly adjust their path towards targets.
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Owen was a little complacent when it came to Draed. He was a lot more flexible. Although, when he recalled that orcen archer’s capabilities, it sent a shiver down his spine. No doubt that the orc had gone in the direction of something like Eagle Eye Marksman.
Draed’s eyes had blurred over, deep in thought as he gazed at the System screen. However, he stripped his eyes away a moment later, and said, “What do you think, my Lord?”
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Owen shook his head. “It’s up to you. What do you like the sound of more? No doubt that orc archer was something akin to the Eagle Eye Marksman.”
Draed said after a moment, “I’m thinking of going another direction. I don’t think that type of archery suits me.”
“No,” Owen said in agreement, “I think the same.” It was true. From his memory, the orc had his feet planted firmly in the sand. Each time he fired the bow, his body would recoil backwards; like firing a high-powered rifle. Whereas Draed was always on the move, firing even while jumping sometimes. He was an archer that focused on agility, not strength.
“May I choose, my Lord?” Draed asked, unsure as he glanced at the System, then back to Owen.
Owen smiled. “Of course you can.”
Draed nodded and selected what he wanted.
Draed has selected the Tier 2 Class: Soul Hunter.
Just like with Lome, the evolution was instant. But unlike the undead warrior, it was barely noticeable. If Owen didn’t pay close attention, he would never see the faint ghostly hue exuding from Draed’s eyes.
Draed tested his new abilities. Spirit Mark conjured a ghostly arrow, nearly invisible to the naked eye, that homed in on targets with eerie precision, painfully reminding him of the orc's skill. Phantom Shot appeared similar but packed a stronger punch. The most striking transformation occurred when he activated Wraith Form. His lower legs turned misty and ethereal, allowing him to move faster and silently across the sand, no mark being made.
Owen they activated the evolution for Cedric.
Displaying a list of Tier 2 Hunter Classes for Cedric.
For Cedric, most of the classes were pretty much similar. All were just variants of damage with a single movement ability, increasing his speed. Owen had no input on Cedric’s decision. Each one he chose would prove to dramatically increase his combat effectiveness. In the end, he chose this–
Wind Slicer
| Focus: Wind-Enhanced Strikes and Speed
Abilities:
| Wind Steps: Empower your movement with the power of wind.
| Gale Blade: Increase the reach of a slash with a burst of air.
| Cyclone Cut: Spin with the blade to create a brief, small-scale whirlwind.
Cedric said he would test his Skills later. He didn’t want to disturb the sand, of which Owen was thankful. The last thing he wanted was for sand to get everywhere. Not that it wasn’t already in places he’d rather not talk about.
With that done, Owen turned to the corpses he had stored during his outing. He had over 10 orcs from previous battles, including the evolved form of the Sand Hound. It was time to plunder.
You have plundered a Dune Prowler x1, Orc x11.
| Claimed materials: Summoning Ticket 3x Hunter, Dune Prowler Pelt x1 (Normal), Dune Prowler Organs (Normal) Dune Prowler Bones x13 (Normal), Orc Bones x36 (Normal), Orc Meat x43 (Normal) Fragment: Orc Totem [Drop chance: 11.7%].
| Stats gained: 19 Strength, 26 Vitality, 13 Dexterity.
| Skill gained: Battle Hardened: Increases resistance to mental and physical stress, reducing the chances of being stunned or frightened in combat.
Owen felt the majority of his tiredness wash away like a cool breeze in summer. The added Vitality felt incredible. The wound, of which the arrow was still present, no longer hurt. He glanced at the shaft, then with a little hesitation, snapped it, then pulled out the rest. Only a small amount of blood seeped from the wound, but that was it.
I really love this Skill, Owen thought, unable to muster a smile.
To his pleasant surprise, he had also gained a new Skill and a Fragment. Things were looking up. The Passive Skill, Battle Hardened, would be a welcome addition. Anything that helped him stay calm under pressure was an incredible boon. If he had possessed it during the ambush, he might have reacted faster. This skill would also enhance his battlefield experience, allowing him to manage fear more effectively—something typically overcome only through countless battles. Now, that challenge was largely resolved.
Next up, he focused on his new Fragment.
Fragment: [Orcen Totem].
| Tier: Apprentice
| Type: Artefact/Totem
| Description: The Orcen Totem is a relic from the mighty Orcen Marauders, a fearsome space-faring orc race known for their unparalleled strength and ferocity in battle. These orcs dominate multiple worlds, spreading their influence and power across the galaxy. The totem itself is carved from the bones of ancient, powerful beasts and imbued with the magical essence of their conquered foes. Legends say that it was used in rituals to channel and amplify their magical abilities, making their warlocks and shamans nearly invincible in combat. When activated, the Orcen Totem boosts the damage of all magical abilities, turning even the simplest spells into devastating attacks.
| Runes: Magic Amplification, Ancient Fury, Conqueror’s Might.
Orcen Marauders, Owen thought. Were these orcs part of their race? But then considering the low drop chance of it, it was most likely a distant memory from their bloodline. From what little he knew of the orc tribes, the ones he faced right now were most likely of the Bloodfang tribe. Bloody, violent, and had no desire for peaceful talks.
Owen focused on the Runes.
Magic Amplification
| Description: Increases the potency and damage of all magical abilities by 25%, allowing even novice spells to wreak havoc on enemies. The amplification effect stacks with other similar enhancements, making it a crucial tool for spellcasters.
Ancient Fury
| Description: Channels the ancient wrath of the Orcen Marauders, granting a temporary boost to the user's magical power. When activated, it significantly increases magical damage by 50% for 30 seconds. This rune can be activated once every 10 minutes. Can only be used 3 times before permanently breaking the Fragment.
It was an incredible Fragment and Owen could hardly wait to see the devastation Gorath would cause on the battlefield once he not only evolved, but had the Orcen Totem empowering him further. It would truly be a spectacle. Owen paused, discomfort taking hold of him. He shouldn’t become excited at the notion of defeating his opposition, but something deep down was bringing that feeling to the forefront. And he didn’t like it.
At first, he thought it had something to do with being a Lord. Something, maybe the System, had planted those feelings to make him fight and win glory for whatever reason. But maybe it was just his emotions getting the best of him. They had hurt his people, and he wanted to hurt them in return.
Taking a breather, Owen stood up just as Rizael approached. He was wiping the blood stained on his hands with a piece of cloth.
“Rohan didn’t make it.”