As Lux and his group traveled North to face the last Warlord, Oreg, he checked Ishtar's stats to see how much she had changed after she received her rank up.
Ishtar was his main, long range, damage dealer. Lux wanted to know how strong she had become after her duel with Morgazar, so he would be able to make the necessary adjustments when using her expertise on the battlefield.
—---
< Ishtar >
– Named Skeleton Hunter
– Rating: A
– Mana: 10
– Progress (0/2000)
Health: 12,750 / 12,750
Mana: 6,500 / 6,500
Attack: 305 - 355 (+160 Heartstriker)
Attack Type: Ranged Ice Damage
Strength: 125
Intelligence: 130
Vitality: 125 +30
Agility: 130+30
Dexterity: 175 +30
Defense: 155 (+200 Elite Orc Warlord Hunter Set)
Active Skill: Hunter's Mark, Set Trap, Arrow Shower, Piercing Arrow, Siege Stance, Poison Arrow (New) Knockback Arrow (New), Stun Arrow (New), Frostfire Arrow (New), Air Steps (New), Air Kick (New)
Passive Skill: Equip Item, Fast Reload, Hunter's Eye, Bow Mastery (New), Deadly Aim (New), Precision Shot (New)
Title: The Forgotten Queen
Note: She's one of the good guys, but not that good.
—---
'Those are a lot of new Skills,' Lux thought as he checked Ishtar's Skills one by one.
He was pleasantly surprised upon seeing that his Skeleton Archer now had a wide array of attacks that could deal status changes to the enemy like Stun and Poison. She also had an interesting skill called knockback, which meant that her arrow could push her target backwards by five to ten meters.
Although that might not sound much, when used in the right situation, it could create opportunities for her and her allies, in the midst of battle.
Overall, Lux was quite satisfied with the boost in offensive power that Ishtar gained after finishing Morgazar's Side-Quest.
'Now, there's only Oreg,' Lux mused.
After traveling for two days, they had finally reached Oreg's Stronghold, which was located on the North side of the Dungeon. So far, their scouts hadn't encountered any patrols coming from the Orc Warlor's Stronghold.
The Orc Warmonger, Oreg, was known for his Elite Orc Berserkers. They were the juggernauts of the battlefield and would charge at their foes without any hesitation.
They were the most fearsome warriors among the Orcs' melee units because of their "Either you die, or I die" mentality. However, since all of them had come prepared, they were confident that they could deal with whatever the Orc Warmonger could throw at them.
"Strange," Baronar said after they decided to camp for the night. "We are already deep in his Domain, and we still haven't seen any signs of his men."
"Indeed," Morgazar replied. "Although Oreg might not be the smartest among us, he is not stupid. He might have realized that something big might have happened and decided to act according to his gut instincts."
Tanabur, who was busy eating grilled meat, only commented after he was done eating.
"I have already sent two of my fastest riders to his Stronghold to check the situation," Tanabur commented. "They should be back in an hour or two. We'll know the real reason then."
Barca nodded his head in agreement as he listened to the discussion. This was the final stretch before his battle with Orobak, so he was reserving his strength for the inevitable battle between the two of them.
Lux was also paying attention to their discussion as he spoonfed Eiko the stew in his wooden bowl. The baby Slime was not a picky eater, enjoying whatever food her Papa fed her.
An hour later, Tanabur's Riders returned to the camp, and the news they brought with them made everyone understand the lack of patrols in their surroundings.
"Oreg has chosen to abandon his encampment to regroup with Orobak at the Chieftain's Stronghold," Tanabur said. "It is a smart move. Since he knew he's not a match against us, he decided to go to Orobak in order to have a higher chance of survival."
All the Orc Warlord's present then shifted their attention to Barca, who was looking at the burning flames of their campfire. His eyes reflected the color of the flames, making him look more formidable than he usually was.
"We ride at first light," Barca said after a minute had passed. "Our destination, the Orc Chieftain's Stronghold."
—---
The group traveled for a day before they arrived at the center of the Domain where Orobak's Stronghold could be seen.
They had encountered several of Orobak's Scouts and managed to kill a few of them. However, some managed to escape, alerting their Chieftain of their arrival.
By the time Barca, and the other Orc Warlords arrived near the Stronghold, the gate was already shut tight, and several Orc Warriors manned the ramparts.
Two Orcs that stood out from the rest could be seen standing right above the gates.
The Orc on their left, who was over two meters tall and had his entire body covered in black-plated armor, stood arrogantly. He was wearing a horned helmet that covered his entire face, with the exception of his eyes.
A black spear was held firmly in his hand as he stared at the Half-Orc that had dared to oppose him.
"So, you are here, Barca!" Orobak shouted. "I knew I should have killed you when you were just a baby. If I did, I would have been saved from all of this trouble!"
"It's too late for regrets, Orobak!" Barca shouted back at the Orc that had made his life miserable. "I'm here to pay you back for everything you've done to me!"
"You're just like your Mother. Stubborn and stupid," Orobak replied. "She was a fine woman, but he chose your father instead of me. Since that is the case, then it is only fitting that he followed her into the afterlife."
"You Bastard! Fight me!"
"You're not qualified, Half-blood. If you want my head, come and get it!"
The Orcs on the ramparts raised their weapons and shouted their warcries. Some of them even taunted Barca, insulting his dead mother and father.
"Don't let yourself get riled up by him," Baronar advised. "This is how we play his mind games."
Barca nodded as he observed the defenses of the Stronghold. Right now, they only had a little over a thousand warriors on their side. The Half-Orc estimated that Orobak's forces, with the addition of Oreg's Orc Berserkers, numbered about the same.
Although their forces were near equal, in reality, they were at a disadvantage. From the looks of it, Orobak had prepared himself for a siege battle.
Barca knew that if they tried to storm the gates, their forces would only decrease at a rapid rate, with no certainty that they would be able to scale the walls, or break past the gate's defenses.
Even the Orc Warlords, Baronar, Tanabur, and Morgazar, didn't have any advice to give him, which put their assault at a standstill.
It was at this moment when Lux realized that it was up to him to create an opportunity for Barca's forces to break inside the Stronghold and initiate a duel with Orobak.
"I have a plan," Lux said as he approached Barca. "But, I don't know if it will work."
"I'm all ears." Barca smiled as he looked at the Half-Elf who had helped him get this far.
Barca had a feeling that if he allowed Lux to take action, the arrogant Orc Chieftain would soon find himself, face to face with the Half-Orc's fury that he had kept in his heart for years.
