( Warning - The content in this chapter may contain content that is disturbing to some )
The sound of clashing steel echoed through a forest, punctuated by harsh cries and a string of vicious curses. A troupe of C Rank Hunters, all women, encircled a group of orcs, who, despite their enormous size, were clearly outmatched.
The five orcish figures – larger than any human – writhed and retaliated against their attackers. Their brown, gnarled skin was slick with a sheen of sweat and blood, muscles straining in a desperate struggle for survival.
Helen, a petite woman with fiery red curls and emerald green eyes, fiercely swung her steel longsword at an orc, her features twisted with disgust, "These disguisting brutes deserve nothing less than a slow, painful end," she hissed, landing a punishing blow on her orcish adversary.
Gronk, the largest among the orcs,, bared his tusks, his bulbous nose flaring as he fought to hold his ground against Helen. His beady black eyes narrowed with fury and frustration, "Puny...human! Erghh!" he grunted between heavy breaths, his voice echoing with savage roughness, only to be silenced by another brutal blow from Helen's longsword.
Beside her, Tessa, a willowy figure dressed in leathers, dark hair tightly braided, pulled back her bowstring, icy blue eyes focused intently on her target, "Aye, let's make them remember every damned soul they tortured and killed," she chimed in, releasing her arrow with a resounding twang, the missile hitting its mark with pinpoint accuracy.
Beside Gronk, Tark, a more wiry orc with a long, pointed chin and a mop of greasy, matted hair, dodged an arrow, just barely, "Cursed... bitch! Yargh!" he spat, his guttural growl reverberating off the damp stone walls.
A second arrow from Tessa's bow found its mark, eliciting a strangled yelp from the orc.
Nearby, Marlene, a sturdy woman with curly brown hair and hardened amber eyes, brought down her battle-axe on another orc, "For every innocent life taken, you'll pay tenfold!" she roared, her voice echoing menacingly in the dungeon.
Mangled, a hunchbacked orc with a snub-nose and uneven tusks, faced Marlene's unyielding wrath, "No...mercy," he wheezed, misshapen fingers clawing weakly at her. However, Marlene's axe came down once more, causing Mangled to stumble back, his plea cut short.
On the other side, a young woman named Faye, delicate yet deadly, spun her twin daggers with practiced ease, her blonde hair a halo around her determined face, "We'll make you beg for death," she sneered, her lilac eyes ablaze with anger, before she plunged her weapons into the orc before her.
Fighting Faye was Slash, an orc bearing long, jagged scars across his wide, flat face. He grunted incoherently, attempting to swipe at Faye with his crude club. His rage-filled eyes met Faye's unflinching gaze just as her twin daggers found their mark.
Finally, there was Ingrid, a seasoned warrior with a strong physique, her silver hair tied back in a warrior's knot, her stormy grey eyes steely with resolve.
She held her spear with a steady grip, expertly fending off the orcish blows, "Let's not give them a quick death. They deserve to experience their own medicine," she declared, thrusting her spear forward with ruthless precision.
The last orc, Biter, recognized by his broken tusk and wild mane of hair, roared defiantly at Ingrid, his low growls punctuating the steady rhythm of their duel, "I…will…eat…you…," he grumbled, his voice barely audible over the sounds of their clashing weapons. His determination, however, wavered under Ingrid's relentless assault.
As their weapons met orcish flesh, the chorus of their angry declarations echoed in the air.
Despite their brutish strength and raw power, the orcs were gradually succumbing, their once boisterous threats now reduced to feeble grunts and groans.
*Whoosh!*
In the midst of their violent dance, suddenly a thunderous flap of heavy wings echoed above.
The air shook with a preternatural force, and an immense, demonically regal silhouette with wings spanning 20 feet plunged from above.
Its large, onyx-black eyes glowed with an otherworldly menace, and its fearsome form cloaked in a stormy gray armor of feathers caused the women Hunters to halt their onslaught and look up in terror.
*Screeeee!*
With a scream that echoed like rolling thunder through the cavern, the massive beast swooped down, its talons extended.
"Aaah! Help!!"
Faye's horrified scream cut through the air as she was seized and lifted off the ground. The rest of her friends could only watch, frozen in shock and disbelief, as Faye was cast through the air like a doll, landing at the feet of an emerging group.
With his long silver hair flowing like moonlight and his ghostly red eyes filled with cruel amusement, Edmund's figure sent chills down the spine of the Hunters as they felt his and his group's chilling aura engulfing them.
Behind him, Thaddaeus Slate's towering form was a stark contrast to the backdrop, his armor-like ensemble providing an almost spectral silhouette. His slate-gray eyes watched the scene unfold with detached interest.
On his other side, Zephyrine Gale, dressed in her billowing silver-blue dress, her majestic wings folded against her back and looked to the side as she waved at the flying beast that had dropped Faye before Edmund, "Nicely done, Aeolus," Hearing her words, Aeolus landed beside her and raised its head with pride upon hearing its Master's compliment.
Zephyrine knew Edmund and the rest of them could easily destroy this group of Hunters.
But since they had yet to find ways to sustain themselves in this dungeon, they were playing it safe by trying their best to not expend their mana or tire themselves too much.
Ignatius Pyre stood apart from the rest, the fiery colors of his outfit mimicking the flickering torches of the dungeon, his eyes ablaze with ridicule upon seeing the group of Hunters.
His tall, lean form was swathed in luxurious dark fiery robes, the garment accentuating his dangerous aura.
Edmund's lips twisted into a cruel smirk as he sauntered over to Faye, seizing her by the hair and pressing a dagger to her throat.
"Get off!"
"Quite a spectacle you've been putting up, ladies," Edmund's voice rang out, the dangerous purr echoing in the air.
He tightened his grip on Faye's hair, tilting her head back to meet her teammates' horrified gazes, "But I suggest you surrender now...or watch me carve out her flesh...slowly."
His proclamation sent a chilling ripple through the Hunters, their eyes darting between their captured teammate and the menacing group before them.
The orcs, too, watched the scene unfold, their battered bodies tense, uncertain whether to celebrate their temporary reprieve or despair at the entrance of a potentially more dangerous enemy.
Their tribe wasn't exactly on talking terms with the Bloodburn Kingdom.
With a gasp, Faye forced herself to speak, her voice quivering but laced with defiant resolve, "Don't surrender...They won't...let us...go..." Her pained, determined eyes locked onto her team members, who stood trembling, the weight of their impossible situation heavy in their stares.
Edmund, however, had no patience for heroics. His sadistic smile never faltered as he drove his dagger into Faye's shoulder, eliciting a heart-wrenching scream that echoed throughout the area.
"Aarghh!!"
"Make your decision, ladies," he said, his voice dripping with cruel amusement as he licked the blood off of the dagger, "I wonder how many stabs she can endure before she bleeds to death. But maybe it's for the best. I will have a fresh supply of blood to sustain me for a while, hehe."
The echo of Faye's scream lingered in the air, amplifying the tension that had filled the area.
The eyes of her friends shimmered with rage, their knuckles whitening as they gripped their weapons.
But beneath the anger, a fear gnawed at them, a painful helplessness. The disparity between their power and that of Edmund's group was too great. Even their rage couldn't bridge that gap.
"Stop!...We will surrender…" And so, with a deep, shuddering breath, Ingrid, the leader of the group, stepped forward.
She stared at Edmund, her piercing eyes glinting with a despairing resolve. She let her weapon drop, the clatter echoing in the eerie silence that followed Faye's scream, "Let her go," she commanded, her voice choked with restrained emotion.
The desolate sound of her weapon hitting the ground seemed to echo her words. One by one, the rest of her team followed suit, the hope draining from their faces as they dropped their weapons, a harsh clatter in the chilling silence.
Edmund gestured at Zephyrine and Ignatius to incapacitate them.
The orcs watched the scene unfold, their brown eyes wide with a mixture of relief and dread, their bodies frozen as they waited for the unfolding of their fate. What was this young lord going to do with them?
In the midst of the mounting tension, Gronk, the apparent leader of the orc group, chose this moment to seize control of their fate.
He bolted from his frozen brethren, his bulky form causing the ground beneath him to tremble slightly with each hurried step. Dropping to his knees before Edmund, he hastily retrieved two luminescent scrolls from a hidden pocket in his tattered, dirt-covered clothing.
In a hoarse whisper that echoed strangely around the cavern, Gronk offered up the scrolls, his voice gruff yet weak, "My lord, we had found these two right when those Hunters attacked us. So please…," he pleaded, holding up the scrolls, "Take these and pretend you never saw us. I-It's a fair trade, right?" His voice wavered, revealing a barely hidden fear.
Edmund, releasing Faye abruptly into the hands of Thaddaeus, extended his own hand to take the scrolls without responding to Gronk. His ghostly red eyes, brimming with a dark interest, glinted under the luminescent light of the scrolls.
"Faye!" Ingrid, who was kneeling along with her friends, cried out, aghast, as she watched Edmund tossing Faye into the hands of another wicked demon, "You promised to release her!" she shouted, her voice echoing with despair and defiance.
"Silence, cunt!" Zephyrine slapped Ingrid, making her fall over while the rest gritted their teeth with seething expressions.
But Edmund was already absorbed in the scrolls, ignoring her.
[ Skill: Forgemaster's Might ]
[ Type: Limited ]
[ Description: Harness the raw materials of the dungeon to forge weapons, armor, and accessories. At base level, you can forge simple weapons and basic armors ]
[ Restriction: You can only learn 1 out of 4 Limited Skills during the entire quest. Once learned, you cannot learn any other Limited Skill nor can you remove it. You will forget this Skill once the quest ends ]
[ Skill Progression:
Level 1 - Novice Blacksmith: Able to craft simple weapons and basic armor using Common Grade materials. Learns Common Grade forging techniques.
Level 2 - Journeyman Blacksmith: Learns to process materials more efficiently. Speed of forging increases and there is a small chance of crafting weapons and armor with bonus stats. Learns Rare Grade forging techniques.
Level 3 - Expert Blacksmith: Master of complex forging that can create rare and powerful weapons, armors, and accessories. Learns Epic Grade forging techniques.
Level 4 - Master Blacksmith: Can identify and forge unique weapons, armor, and accessories that offer unique buffs and effects. The durability of rare weapons and armors increases, and there is a chance for bonus yield.
Level 5 - Grandmaster Blacksmith: Capable of crafting legendary weapons, armors, and accessories that can drastically enhance the wielder's abilities or even provide temporary immunity to certain status effects. Bonus yield chance significantly increases. Learns Legendary Grade forging techniques ]
[ Skill: Mystic Alchemy ]
[ Type: Limited ]
[ Description: Transmute and refine materials harvested from the dungeon into potent potions, elixirs, and other consumables. At base level, the alchemist can create simple healing potions and basic consumables ]
[ Restriction: You can only learn 1 out of 4 Limited Skills during the entire quest. Once learned, you cannot learn any other Limited Skill, nor can you remove it. You will forget this Skill once the quest ends ]
[ Skill Progression:
Level 1 - Novice Alchemist: Able to craft simple healing potions and basic consumables using common materials. Learns Common Grade concoction recipes.
Level 2 - Journeyman Alchemist: Learns to transmute materials more efficiently. Speed of concocting increases, and there is a small chance of crafting potions with bonus stats. Learns Rare Grade concoction recipes.
Level 3 - Expert Alchemist: Master of complex transmutations that can create unique and powerful elixirs. Learns Epic Grade concoction recipes.
Level 4 - Master Alchemist: Can identify and create unique potions that offer unique buffs and effects. The efficiency of Epic Grade consumables increases.
Level 5 - Grandmaster Alchemist: Capable of crafting legendary elixirs that can drastically enhance the consumer's abilities or even provide temporary immunity to certain status effects. Bonus yield chance significantly increases. Learns Legendary Grade concoction recipes ]
Edmund's lips curved into a excited smile, "Thanks to our orc friend here, we now don't have to worry about weapons or potions," Hearing his words, Edmund's vassals had their eyes light up.
Edmund then looked at Gronk, making him swallow his saliva, "As for you…" An idea suddenly struck Edmund as he addressed Gronk, "You Orcs have caused some trouble to my kingdom by plundering merchant shipments in our routes, especially ones that also were supposed to reach my House."
Gronk, yet again, became confused and nervous, wondering what this young lord was coming to by saying this.
Edmund continued with a smirk, "But as some say, even big worms are useful when you need them to burrow into places you can't. And my group is in need of some servants."
Despite hearing the word 'alliance', Gronk's expression only became even more anxious since he felt Edmund was planning to use him and his group as slaves or cannon fodder. Otherwise, he would have killed them already.
Noticing the change in his expression, Edmund laughed and said, "Don't think I am that ungrateful. My servants get what they deserve as long as they satisfy my expectations."
Saying so, Edmund suddenly pulled Faye from Thaddeus' hold, making her grimace, her shoulder bleeding.
"Argh!"
Ingrid and her friends' eyes widened and trembled as they tried to get up and save Faye. But they were instantly knocked down by Zephyrine, Ignatius, and Aeolus, pinning them to the ground.
"AH! LET ME GO!!" Edmund forcibly twisted Faye's arms to the back, locking them behind with his arm.
And suddenly, in the blink of an eye, Edmund used his dagger to slash open her armor and even her underwear right through the middle until the end, making them fall off her body.
"Noooo!!!"
As soon as her naked body came to light, she let out a horrified scream, her arms squirming helplessly within his hold, unable to even use her arms to cover her body.
Gronk's throat became dry upon seeing such a sight, especially down there. It was akin to spotting water in a desert.
Faye felt a sense of ice-cold dread as Edmund circled the tip of his dagger around her stomach, as he said to Gronk, "I know you orcs love to eat and breed all the time and have a special taste for playing with humans. Unfortunately, you people never get to satisfy the dream of using a human to breed, which may or may not work. Nevertheless…now, I am offering you and your friends a chance with five fine Hunters. Of course, I will sometimes play with them as well. Can't let a good supply of blood go to waste. So…Interested?"
Faye's breath hitched as tears began to flow down her cheeks, "No…please…no…just kill us…" she looked at him through tear-blurred eyes, her heart pounding in her chest as her world shrunk down to the cruel smirk on his lips.
But as Edmund expected, Gronk's eyes lit up as he banged his head before Edmund's feet in excitement and vigor, "Of course, my lord! We lowly worms wouldn't disappoint you in the least. We swear!" Gronk felt as if all the beating he and his friends endured were worth it.
Gronk's loud and excited promise made Faye and her friends paralyzed in despair.
As the heart-churning realization of their bleak and merciless fate set in, a visceral dread knotted itself in the stomach of Faye and her friends.
Their eyes locked onto each other's, each pair reflecting the same chilling realization.
The thin veneer of hope they had been desperately clinging to shattered, replaced by a haunting despair that threatened to consume them whole.
