nChapter 117 – First Strike (1)

nCrockta raised his body.

nHis whole body creaked and groaned, a cacophony of injuries that was hard to bear. Calmahart, who was the victim of his kinetic energy, should be a mess inside and outside the body. He looked down at the great chieftain, who didn’t move like he was a dead man.

nNow that the dust settled down, all eyes in Juora were on him. The orcs and dark elves, everyone was shocked by Crockta’s appearance.

nCrockta raised his greatsword before the orcs could recover. The warriors finally realized the situation and moved their bodies, but Crockta’s greatsword didn’t stop. Ogre Slayer descended towards the fallen Calmahart.

n“Waahh!”

n“Great chieftain!”

nThe screams of the dark elves and the orcs mingled together.

nAnd Crockta. His face distorted.

n“Kuhuhuhu…”

nTruly a monster. Calmahart had grabbed the greatsword with his bare hands. Crockta gazed at him and smiled. The eyes of the great chieftain were clearer than ever. Calmahart also smiled at Crockta. It was a horrible smile that didn’t care about the blood flowing from his mouth.

nHe got up. Crockta tried to pull back the greatsword but it didn’t move within the grasp. Crockta kicked Calmahart’s body. It felt like a rock. But it was useless. The great chieftain slowly lifted his head.

n“We meet again…”

nCalmahart stood up while still holding Ogre Slayer’s blade.

n“Crockta.”

nHe remembered Crockta’s name and then wielded Ogre Slayer.

n“Kuhahahahat!”

n“Kuhuk!”

nCrockta persisted in holding the handle of Ogre Slayer. As Crockta didn’t let go even when it was shaken left and right, the great chieftain threw Crockta along with the greatsword. His body was thrown back and he hit a wall.

n“Cough!”

nCrockta raised his body. His head was ringing. The moment he wanted to grab his forehead to recover from the shock…

nA shadow entered his field of view.

n“……!”

nCrockta instinctively wielded the greatsword. It was stuck in something heavy.

n“Ueeh…!”

nIt was a halberd that a great warrior had aimed at him. Crockta swung the greatsword back around and beheaded him. Blood flowed onto the ground from the body of the dead warrior.

nHis opponent wasn’t just Calmahart. This was a war. The Great Clan warriors slowly started approaching Crockta. Crockta raised his greatsword.

nThen he laughed. “Yes, it should be like this.”

nThings were never easy. He always performed the most difficult missions in the most dangerous place. It would be too easy if it was finished like this.

nCrockta searched for any gaps as he was surrounded by the warriors. He had to kill the weakest one and escape the disadvantageous formation. Grasp the weakest person, the weak point, and then bite.

nIt was war.

nAt that moment, he could hear, “Don’t forget us dot!”

nThere was a colorful bombardment of energy. Magic power bullets poured from the sky, causing the warriors to retreat. It was Tiyo. Tiyo’s General had developed even further. General Vulcan rotated and fired bullets indiscriminately.

nBoro kept turning around, making it easier for Tiyo to attack. Then the dark elves recovered their minds and started fighting. Arrows flew.

n“It has been a while.”

nA familiar voice was also heard. Life was always unknown. He never expected that he would welcome this twisted voice.

n“Are you weak? You must be exhausted with that blow.”

nDriden. He had recovered from the impact and was standing with his double swords. His face was a mess thanks to Calmahart, but he was gazing in front of him in a sharp manner.

nCrockta laughed, “You really look pitiful after just one blow.”

n“What, were you watching?” Driden also grinned. It was hard to see his smile.

n“A monster.”

n“Monster.”

nThey muttered at the same time as they gazed at the approaching Calmahart.

n“I will take care of the rest.” Driden said. His double swords started to flow like he was already in combat. The moment someone entered that trajectory, it would become a storm.

n“The great chieftain?”

n“You take care of it.”

nCrockta laughed out loud. It was a pleasure to be recognized by a great fighter like Driden, but it was never pleasant to deal with that monster alone. But it couldn’t be helped. Crockta raised his greatsword. He exchanged a glance with Driden. There was brief eye contact and they nodded. Then both of them rushed out at the same time.

nThe great chieftain was in front of him. Crockta jumped up and roared, “Bul’tarrrr!”

nHe brandished his greatsword. The great chieftain also wielded his double edged axe. Both weapons hit each other. His hands shook from the crushing impact. Crockta dug in and aimed for the great chieftain’s lower body. The great chieftain stepped back and aimed at Crockta’s head. The attacks of the two missed. They hit air instead of each other.

nCrockta accelerated his body. His field of view was clear. His keen senses read the surroundings. Now his power was at the Pinnacle. Crockta’s movements encouraged the great chieftain. He also entered that realm.

nThis was no longer a fight, but a dance that was a mix of the sword and axe. The axe aimed at the neck while the greatsword aimed at the abdomen. Just before they dealt the fatal blow, their bodies twisted once again.

nTheir weapons stopped in the air. Their bodies met instead of retreating. They punched and kicked each other. Crockta was pushed back. The great chieftain laughed and raised his axe again. Crockta spat out blood and lifted the greatsword. Ogre Slayer vibrated.

n“Join me, Crockta.” Calmahart laughed. “You are qualified to enter the Great Clan. I’ll give you the position of a clan chief.”

nClan chief. There was no such position in the Great Clan. The leader of the clan was the great chieftain. Calmahart wanted Crockta so much that he even created a new position.

nBut…

nHe knew Crockta and knew that Crockta would refuse. Crockta lifted Ogre Slayer instead of responding.

n“Kuahahahat! Good answer!” The great chieftain jumped forward while reaching out a hand. Crockta’s greatsword responded by blocking the axe held in one hand. It was an overwhelming confidence in his strength.

nCrockta squeezed more strength into his muscles. Just before Calmahart’s other hand grabbed his head, Crockta’s greatsword blew away the axe and became stuck in Calmahart’s side. Calmahart’s eyes widened.

n“Too prideful, Calmahart!”

nCrockta twisted the blade and made the wound wider. Calmahart groaned. Crockta kicked him. Calmahart fell back. Calmahart grabbed the axe and defended against the new blow from the greatsword.

nKakang!

nKang!

nKakang!

nCrockta attacked while Calmahart defended. The great warriors watching the great chieftain couldn’t believe their eyes. No warrior had pushed the great chieftain this far. The previous attack was a raid. But now, even in the unfavorable situation surrounded by opponents, the orc from the continent was facing the great chieftain.

nThe great chieftain swung his axe but Crockta avoided it. Calmahart’s abdomen was pierced again.

n“Kuhuhuhu…”

nCalmahart laughed. But unlike his facial expression, an intense anger was boiling up inside him. It was different from Driden’s case. Crockta’s blows were heavy compared to the double swords. The internal damage was huge.

nThis shouldn’t be the case. He was the great chieftain, Calmahart. He always had to win overwhelmingly.

n“Kuaaaaaaaaaaaah!”

nHis eyes reddened again. The muscles swelled. A tremendous power rose. This unprecedented power made him feel like he could tear apart the orc from the continent with his bare hands. The madness eroded his head. He grasped the axe. His hands gripping the axe trembled.

nThe wounds instantly recovered. Calmahart’s red eyes stared at Crockta.

n“Look at the little tricks again. Kuhuhuhu.”

nCrockta’s eyes changed. Calmahart had once again fallen into a frenzied state. Something was shining on his forehead. Now Crockta could see. Calmahart borrowed the power of something in this world, just like how Zelkian was the apostle of the world tree. This was what made Calmahart a terrifying monster.

nCrockta declared, “How shameful, Calmahart.”

n“What do you mean?”

n“Your strength isn’t something that you obtained yourself.”

nCrockta stretched and placed his greatsword on his shoulder. He openly stared at Calmahart.

n“If it weren’t for that power, you would be worse off than your own men. Isn’t that right?”

n“Nonsense!” Calmahart exploded, “Stop the bull**! Garbage──────!”

nHe wielded the double edged sword furiously. Crockta retreated but his front was still cut. The berserk Calmahart had unbelievable power and speed. Despite the world slowing down, Calmahart’s axe tore through that slow world.

nCrockta blocked with his greatsword. However, the impact shook his whole body.

n“Trash from the continent─────!”

nCalmahart didn’t miss this chance and came running at Crockta. As soon as Crockta hit the wall, the double edged axe would mangle his body.

nCrockta gritted his teeth. He couldn’t change directions in the air. The great chieftain was going to kill him.

nAt that moment. He felt something flying from behind him. His extremely keen senses recognized it without seeing it. It was General’s bullets that were aiming for the great chieftain.

nTiyo’s support. However, that alone couldn’t deter Calmahart. He wasn’t an ordinary orc but a monster. Crockta quickly calculated how to break through this crisis. The short moment where the great chieftain was holding his axe felt like eternity.

nMaybe. Crockta gritted his teeth. One method came to mind. It was a scene drawn through his instinct, not his head.

nCrockta threw his greatsword. Ogre Slayer flew in the air, spinning round and round. He couldn’t put any strength into it because he couldn’t pivot. The greatsword slowly moved towards the great chieftain, or it was more like the great chieftain was rushing towards the stopped sword.

nAnd…

nGeneral’s bullets hit Ogre Slayer.

n“……!”

nThey hit the handle of Ogre Slayer. The sudden shock caused Ogre Slayer to turn fiercely towards the great chieftain. It spun like a pinwheel towards the great chieftain. Calmahart, who was about to swing the axe, couldn’t avoid Ogre Slayer and clutched his face.

n“Kuaack!”

nOgre Slayer raked across his face as it passed by. Calmahart let go of the axe and grabbed his face.

n“Kuaaaaak!”

nCrockta finally hit the wall and slid to the ground. A huge shock wave. He felt nauseated.

n“Kuaaaaak!”

nCalmahart’s mad shout resonated through the area. Crockta hurriedly got up. Ogre Slayer was at Calmahart’s feet. The bloody face of the great chieftain stared at him. Crockta forcibly smiled.

nCalmahart’s huge body was approaching him. Calmahart’s bloody face made him look like a demon. It was an urgent situation.

nCrockta quickly said, “Look at that expression.”

nThen Calmahart’s face distorted further as he lifted his double edged axe high into the air, its grim shadow covering Crockta’s head.

n