Eli’s kick landed, his heel slamming directly into the orc’s mouth. A sharp crack echoed as one of its massive teeth split cleanly in half, fragments flying through the air and scattering into the sand. Eli didn’t slow for even a moment. Using the recoil, he spun smoothly, momentum carrying his body around as his left leg extended fully, sweeping in a deadly arc toward the orc’s head.

  "Instant Strength."

  The orc caught the kick mid-swing. Its hands clamped around Eli’s leg, fingers digging in hard enough to leave dents in the skin. Even so, it was clearly straining—its arms shook, its stance faltered, and the sand beneath its feet compressed under the force. It bared its broken teeth and sneered, "Is this your strongest man?"

  Eli smirked, completely unfazed. "Not at all, greaseball."

  Soto stepped in immediately. His feet twisted into position midair somehow, hips rotating as his body coiled for power. He drew his fist back, muscles tightening, veins standing out as energy surged through him.

  "Instant Strength."

  His uppercut crashed into the orc’s jaw with explosive force. The impact snapped its head upward, and the jaw fractured visibly, the bone breaking under the sheer power of the blow.

  The orc staggered back, clutching its face as it roared, "What?!"

  Eli bent his left knee, lowering his center of gravity as a sharp, dangerous grin spread across his face. "I don't think I could've written something this evil yet stupid. Instant Speed."

  He disappeared.

  In the next instant, Eli reappeared in a blur of motion, unleashing a rapid barrage of kicks directly into the orc’s hand. The strikes came too fast to track—each one landing with accuracy. I could hear bones shatter, sharp cracks stacking on top of each other as the orc’s grip weakened under the relentless assault.

  Soto suddenly lost his footing as he landed. His strength wavered as the strain caught up to him, and he fell to the ground hard. The orc snarled through its injuries and lifted its foot, bringing it down to stomp him into the sand.

  Soto reacted just in time. He planted his feet, digging into the ground, and caught the orc’s foot with both hands. His arms trembled violently as he held it back, muscles screaming under the pressure.

  He was stronger than it, for now. I need to pull him out. Instant Strength will run out soon...

  A flash of light appeared behind Soto.

  Niko teleported in, wrapping his arms around Soto’s waist, locking them together. He spoke firmly, "Martial Comradery."

  A purple glow flared around both of them, pulsing like a heartbeat. Soto inhaled sharply as power surged through him, his eyes widening. "This feels great!"

  With a roar, Soto pushed with everything he had. The orc’s balance finally gave way, and it fell backward, crashing into the sand with a heavy impact.

  It was now open for me.

  I tightened my palms, focus sharpening as the weapons responded instantly. They soared forward from every direction in the sphere, blades flashing as they struck. Steel tore into flesh, cutting deep and punching into its body. Blood sprayed across the ground. I could see the damage clearly—deep, muscle-level wounds—but nothing vital. Not enough to finish it.

  Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

  I raised my left arm high, mana roaring through me. "Fireballs!"

  Ten red magic circles formed directly above the orc’s cocky face, blazing with intense heat. I slammed my arm downward, and the fireballs launched all at once. Explosions rocked the battlefield as flames engulfed the orc, fire washing over its body in a roaring inferno.

  When the fire dissipated, smoke curling upward, the orc was still alive.

  It smiled.

  It placed its palm on its chest, "Heal."

  No way!

  Right before my eyes, the burns vanished. Bruises faded. Torn flesh reknit itself until the orc stood fully restored, as if the attack had never happened.

  Sosuke finally drew his sword.

  He stepped forward, tension tightening his posture for the first time. His voice was steady, serious. "This orc is strong. You all will die if this continues. I must fight."

  I turned sharply toward him, anger flaring. "No! This is my revenge!"

  Mei appeared from a nearby shadow, only her head visible beside Sosuke. Her expression was calm as she spoke, "Sosuke... let him."

  The orc slammed its foot into the sand, kicking up a thick cloud of dust—and vanished.

  Invisibility!

  Mei turned sharply. "Behind us!"

  I whispered, forcing the words out as mana surged again, "Light Wall."

  The barrier formed just in time. The orc’s dropkick slammed into it with tremendous force, driving me back as I shaped the light into a box around us. We were safe, but the cost was severe. My mana drained rapidly, leaving my body heavy.

  Sosuke looked at me with something close to pity. "Everyone, stand back! Haruto will handle this."

  Soto, Eli, and Niko disengaged immediately, blitzing back to Alex, Isabella, and Mary. They formed a tight circle around them. I could see tears in all their eyes—anger and grief held back by trust.

  They were letting me do this.

  Maya wasn’t.

  Her face was twisted with fury as she summoned a high caliber revolver, loading a bullet colored in complete black, "You guys piss me off, forgetting about what I can do."

  She aimed at the orc’s head, and shot, "Here, a gift, on behalf of Desmond."

  She winked, "Bullet Control."

  The bullet curved, and pierced its eye. The orc screamed in pain.

  I let go of the light wall, and Sosuke and Mei disappeared in an instant, returning to the group.

  I rolled, and the orc landed where I just was.

  "Lightning Bolts."

  These lightning bolts would do nothing except paralyze the creature for an instant at best, but that instant will give me everything I need.

  I thought of a plan perfectly in that moment.

  The orc pointed at its eye, "Heal."

  "Weapon Gate."

  I leapt into the air. Portals flared open behind me in rapid succession, space itself folding as weapons poured through. I seized two swords mid-flight, while dozens more hovered in perfect alignment—aimed from portals directly behind me and above the orc. The air hummed, thick with killing intent.

  The orc planted its feet and drew its arm back. Muscles swelled unnaturally, veins bulging as power gathered into a single, devastating punch. The pressure of it crushed down on me even from a distance, the wind screaming as its fist began to move.

  I screamed. "Gravity! Maximum Output!"

  Reality buckled.

  Gravity intensified instantly, slamming downward like an invisible tsunami. My body screamed in protest as mana was ripped from me all at once, flooding out so fast it made my vision blur. My heart pounded painfully as if it might tear itself apart.

  The weapons pierced through the orc, tearing into it from every direction and carving open holes where there should not be holes at all. Black steel punched through bone and muscle alike, shredding anything in its path. Its skull was riddled through, its torso torn apart, its legs mangled beyond recognition. Its brain, body, and legs were pincushions, just as I had promised.

  The orc’s massive frame finally gave out. It toppled forward, collapsing under its own ruined weight. Even as it fell, its mouth twitched, lips trembling as it tried to force out the word heal.

  My mana was almost gone. My arms felt impossibly heavy, and I dropped my swords. I couldn't stop the trembling as I raised my right arm one last time. With my mana already on the brink, I punched in its direction, "Fireball!"

  Btoom!

  A final spark blessed by God himself answered me. A fireball burst from my fist and slammed into the orc’s mouth. Teeth shattered violently, fragments exploding outward as the blast snapped its head back and silenced it completely.

  That was it.

  I collapsed into the sand, the world spinning and blurring. A yellow hologram flickered above my vision, projecting a message of encouragement I barely had the awareness to register.