Free Web NovelChapter 22: The Tower of the Infamous [8]
Gerhman approached with a calm step. Korgar got up with difficulty, his left flank bleeding. Pieces of armor were still falling from his massive body. The orc gritted his teeth and charged again, his axe raised high.
The blow came down in a wide arc. Gerhman simply took a step to the side. The blade struck the ground with force and dug a deep furrow in the stone. Korgar roared and followed with a horizontal backswing. Gerhman simply ducked. The axe passed above his head without touching him.
He advanced and planted his fist in the orc’s stomach. The impact lifted Korgar several centimeters off the ground. The air left his lungs in a hoarse sound. Gerhman did not step back. He struck three more times in the same spot, each blow heavier than the previous one. Bones cracked under the impacts.
Korgar staggered back. Blood flowed from his mouth. He wiped his lips with the back of his arm and growled.
"You filthy human... !" freёwebnoѵel.com
Activating his last card, Korgar entered a mad rage. His strength had just increased by a notch. He charged once more toward Gerhman, who remained motionless. Despite the fact that his opponent’s strength had increased, he felt no threat.
Korgar swung his axe in a horizontal cut that Gerhman managed to dodge by taking a little distance, letting the weapon pass. Then, with a quick advance, he delivered a violent mana-covered punch to the solar plexus.
The orc fell to one knee. Gerhman took the opportunity to strike him in the face. Korgar’s head snapped backward. Another blow to the chin almost straightened him. Then he spun on himself, delivering a kick to Korgar that sent him flying into the distance.
Korgar spat blood and got up once again. His red eyes shone with rage. He grabbed his axe with both hands and spun on himself to create a whirlwind of blades. Gerhman simply stepped back out of range. When the orc stopped, out of breath, Gerhman was already on his right flank.
A powerful uppercut lifted Korgar off the ground. His massive body flew several meters before falling heavily. Gerhman walked toward him without hurrying. His boots echoed on the tiles.
"Get up," he ordered.
Korgar growled and got on all fours. He was breathing with difficulty. Several ribs were broken. His left arm hung useless. Despite this, he seized his axe with his right hand and attempted one last desperate blow.
Gerhman caught the handle of the axe in mid-motion. His fingers closed like a vise. He tore the weapon from the orc’s hands and threw it away, then seized Korgar’s massive arm, the one that had held the axe moments before. Without apparent effort, he began to apply pressure. The orc’s muscles tore with sounds of fabric being torn, followed by the sharp crack of the humerus breaking into several pieces. Korgar let out a piercing scream, but Gerhman only smiled. With a movement, he tore off the orc’s arm, who let out a cry of pain.
Desperate, Korgar tried to strike with his other hand, but Gerhman stopped him cold by seizing his face. Then he began to apply force, wanting to crush his face. Next, he seized Korgar by the neck and lifted him with one hand. Gerhman squeezed. The veins in Korgar’s neck swelled under the pressure.
"You... how did you... become so powerful...," Korgar managed to articulate in a hoarse voice.
"That doesn’t matter since you are going to die." Gerhman replied.
Gerhman threw him against a pillar. Korgar’s body hit the stone with a dull sound. He slid to the ground, leaving a trail of blood on the column. Gerhman approached again. He placed a foot on the orc’s chest and pressed. The bones cracked again.
Korgar tried to push the leg away, but his arms no longer had any strength. His red eyes stared at Gerhman with a mix of hatred and disbelief.
He raised his fist. A significant amount of mana concentrated around his hand, forming a visible aura. Korgar understood that the end was coming. He tried one last time to struggle, but Gerhman’s foot held him firmly to the ground.
The fist descended. The impact went through the orc’s skull and shattered the floor below. A sudden silence fell over the throne room. Korgar’s body went completely still. His red eyes lost their glow.
Gerhman withdrew his fist, letting the blood drip. He looked at the corpse for a moment, then raised his eyes toward the ceiling. Dust was still falling slowly in the room.
[Ding]
[You have defeated the Floor Guardian: Korgar]
[XP Gained: +5000]
[Level Up! (Lv. 6 - Lv. 10)]
[Skill Unlocked: Plunder Lv. 1]
[Skill Description] This skill initiates the devouring process, targeting the flesh, magical energy, and soul fragments of defeated enemies. The energy and soul thus harvested primarily serve to temporarily stabilize the user’s soul, but the rejection rate is high.
"System," he murmured.
The blue screen appeared again. A clear message displayed: "Guardian defeated. Access to the upper floor unlocked. Rewards available.
Gerhman quickly checked his statistics. His hit points had gone back up. The recent allocation had taken effect. He closed the interface with a wave of his hand and walked toward the throne at the back of the room.
A chest appeared in front of the stone seat. Gerhman opened it without hesitation. Inside were a golden key, several mana gems and a simple black ring. He took the ring and examined it.
"Identification."
The object shone for a moment. "Ring of Physical Resistance – Increases resistance to blunt force trauma by thirty percent.
Gerhman slipped it onto his finger. He already felt the subtle difference in the solidity of his body. He stored the rest of the rewards in his inventory and sat for a moment on the steps of the throne.
The fatigue from the previous battle had completely disappeared. His body was responding perfectly. He looked at his open hands, then slowly closed them.
Since I have just defeated the Guardian, I think it would be better for me to go back, he thought. He had questions to ask about the cult of the void, but what he wanted most was to rest.
He remained seated for a few minutes, the time to recover completely. The room was silent. Only the sound of his steady breathing echoed. When he felt ready, he stood up and headed toward the large door that led to the lower floors. freewёbnoνel.com
Before crossing the threshold, he cast one last glance at Korgar’s body, then left.
