Zeke spotted a Wizard of Narak who emanated demonic energy, standing beside the Ork chieftain.
"A Wizard of Narak. So they were here too."
The Ork Warrior Captain Tauga bellowed a war cry toward Zeke.
"Human scum invading our territory!"
Taugaʼs shout echoed thunderously through the area.
The other Ork warriors behind him clashed their weapons against their iron armor, creating a cacophony as they joined in the roar.
He had ordered Kaimanʼs unit to attack the front of the village and draw attention, but it seemed the Wizard of Narak had seen through the feint.
Tauga stepped forward, raising his thick greatsword toward Zeke and shouting.
"Filthy human! I commend your courage in crawling all the way here. I, Tauga, shall deal with you personally!"
The surrounding Orks erupted in cheers mixed with war cries.
Looking at them, Zeke recalled the Balrogs he had seen in the Inverted Tower.
"Those were hopeless too, but these Orks are no different."
The Wizard of Narak standing beside him seemed to be saying something to Tauga, but the belligerent Ork chieftain had no intention of listening to the mage.
He advanced with his greatsword raised.
"Fight like a warrior and meet a glorious end!"
With that, he charged straight at Zeke, lifting the greatsword high.
Whoosh!
The greatsword, infused with the characteristic Ork elasticity and robust strength, hurtled toward Zeke.
Zeke stepped back and deftly evaded the blade.
Tauga bared his sharp fangs and yelled.
"Donʼt run like a rat—come at me!"
Zeke used Illusion Step to smoothly dodge Taugaʼs attacks.
Though the strikes were fierce, they posed little threat to Zeke, a Black Knight.
Instead, Zeke was more concerned about the Wizard of Narak in the rear.
"There might be more allies lurking."
He decided to make use of Tauga charging like a wild boar.
Zeke swung Bahamut to deflect Taugaʼs greatsword.
Clang!
As his greatsword was repelled head-on, Tauga glared at Zeke, his battle lust burning even hotter.
"Good, good! Thatʼs more like it!"
At that moment, Zeke looked Tauga straight in the eye and said.
"Iʼm disappointed. To think an Ork warrior is only this capable."
Speaking in the Ork tongue, Zeke caught Tauga off guard.
"How do you know our language, you bastard!" He pointed his sword at Tauga and continued.
"A sacred warriorʼs battle, sullied by that lowly mage. I suspect more mages are waiting in the rear, watching for an opening to strike."
Tauga swung his greatsword wildly and roared.
"How dare you insult me, Tauga!" He roared toward the sky.
"I swear on the name of a warrior! There are no mages lying in ambush! That mage is the only one, and if any others interfere in this battle, I wonʼt stand for it! Stop your nonsense and fight like a true warrior!"
Taugaʼs words twisted the Dark Mageʼs expression.
Seeing that, Zeke nodded.
"Looks like no additional personnel were dispatched here." Zeke smirked inwardly, gripped Bahamut, and charged at Tauga.
Whoosh!
With the Chamber of Metal Power deployed to add weight, his sword struck down heavily on Taugaʼs greatsword.
Boom!
Tauga blocked Zekeʼs sword but couldnʼt withstand the immense force and was pushed back.
The power was so overwhelming that his greatsword was deeply dented.
Zeke looked at the retreating Tauga and said.
"Tauga, was it? Clashing blades lets me feel just how formidable a warrior you are." Tauga grinned, baring his fangs.
"Not bad for a human."
"Tauga, how many warriors like you are there? Iʼd love to clash with them in heated battle as well."
Tauga burst into laughter.
"Hahaha! Youʼve got guts for a human. In our Iron Legion, warriors of my caliber are a dime a dozen. Especially the special forces blessed by the Constellations—theyʼre on a whole other level compared to the likes of me..."
Then Tauga caught on and glared at Zeke, raising his greatsword.
"You sly human, trying to pry information out of me during a lull!" He realized that Zeke was extracting intel.
Zeke felt a pang of regret at Taugaʼs quicker-than-expected insight.
"Still, I learned quite a bit. Iron Legion and special forces, huh." Tauga roared and charged with his greatsword raised.
"Haaah!"
His greatsword came crashing down from above, aiming to cleave Zeke in two.
In that instant, a flash gleamed from Zekeʼs hand holding Bahamut. Slash—
Zeke swung his sword at an imperceptible speed.
As Tauga swung, his hand and head were severed simultaneously, thudding to the ground.
Thud!
Taugaʼs massive body collapsed.
The watching Orks froze, murmuring in confusion, unable to grasp the situation.
Then the Wizard of Narak shouted.
"Seize him!"
Only then did the Orks realize Tauga had been slain in a single stroke by Zeke.
"Get him!"
They charged at Zeke with roars bordering on howls.
Zeke activated the Lionʼs Roar skill against the oncoming Orks.
Roooaaar!
As the Lionʼs Roar erupted, a tremendous sound burst from Zekeʼs body.
The Orks swept by it recoiled with dazed expressions.
"Ughhh!"
Even the battle-loving Orks retreated in mental disarray; the power of the Lionʼs Roar was that overwhelming.
Impressed inwardly, Zeke summoned his Aura Blade and began sweeping through the stunned Orks.
Slash!
The Orks struck by Zekeʼs sword were bisected, armor and all.
"Gaaah!"
Blood sprayed everywhere as limbs flew into the air.
Zeke cut down the Orks while pursuing the Wizard of Narak.
The mage was fleeing toward the rear.
Zeke leaped forward and hurled chains at the escaping mage.
Clink!
The flying chains wrapped around the mageʼs body.
"Ugh!"
The bound mage writhed desperately to break free, but it was futile.
Zeke quickly closed in and slapped the mageʼs cheek.
Smack!
"Guh!"
The mage spat out blood and broken teeth from the blow.
Foaming at the mouth, he shouted at Zeke.
"The Harbinger of Blood and Madness will save us!"
Zeke sensed a peculiar madness in the mageʼs voice. "This one worships the Harbinger of Blood and Madness too." At that moment.
Ssssh—
Zeke turned toward the ominous energy coming from behind him, where a bloodcrimson aura enveloped the bodies of the dead Orks.
Moments later, astonishingly, the dead Orks began to rise.
Growl!
They were revived with tougher bodies, fiercer battle lust, and even more madness than before.
Zeke grabbed the mage by the collar, staring at the risen Orks.
"What did you do? The dead Orks are coming back to life." The mage grinned maniacally at Zeke. "Ruin! Youʼve invited your own doom!" Zeke punched the mageʼs face again.
"Gurgle!"
The single blow nearly caved in the mageʼs face.
Zeke clicked his tongue, healed the mage with Recovery, and tossed him aside.
"Weʼll talk later."
Zeke immediately sheathed Bahamut and drew the Jeweled Sword Roland.
Hummm!
As the Halo of Light from the Sacred Radiance Technique flowed over its surface, Roland took on the form of a legendary holy sword.
Zeke advanced with Roland drawn, and a revived Ork charged at him, shrouded in blood-crimson energy.
Growl!
The first Ork swung a massive battle axe at Zeke.
Slash—
Roland, infused with the Sacred Radiance Technique, cleaved through the axe and the Ork in one stroke.
Sizzle—
The Halo of Light clung to the Orkʼs body where the Sacred Radiance Technique had struck.
Areas touched by the light were unable to regenerate or reattach limbs.
Confirming the Sacred Radiance Techniqueʼs effectiveness on the revived Orks, Zeke donned his Hercion and enveloped his body in it.
"Alright. Letʼs see what youʼve got."
Zeke, cloaked in the light of the Sacred Radiance Technique, plunged into the Ork horde.
Boom!
The Mace of Light, conjured by the Sacred Radiance Technique, crushed the Orks.
Its power was similar to that of the Sacred Flame Technique, but the clinging Halo of Light continuously eroded their demonic energy.
"Grrraaah!"
The Orks engulfed in the light screamed in agony.
Seizing a brief opening, Zeke unleashed another Lionʼs Roar at the Orks.
Roooaaar!
The struck Orks momentarily snapped out of their madness, gripped by fear of Zeke.
Zeke exploited the gap, thrusting Roland into their bodies one by one.
As he dispatched them individually, he sensed something approaching.
Roooaaar!
An Ork warrior, now the size of a Cyclops, charged at him.
Boom!
Zeke reeled back from the direct body slam.
Regaining his footing, Zeke looked up to see that it was Tauga—the dead chieftain.
Tauga now resembled a Balrog.
His body was pitch-black, with grotesque tendons bulging over his hardened muscles.
Tauga gaped his maw at Zeke.
Fwoosh!
Blood-crimson flames poured from his mouth.
But such flames couldnʼt harm Zeke while he wore his Hercion.
Zeke sheathed Roland, grabbed Taugaʼs wrists, and exerted force.
Crack!
The immense strength snapped both of Taugaʼs arms with audible pops.
"Gaaaah!"
As Tauga screamed, Zeke channeled the Sacred Radiance Technique into him from that position.
Boom!
A fierce storm of light engulfed Taugaʼs body.
"Gaaaaah!"
Consumed entirely by the light storm, Tauga vanished without a trace, not even bones left.
Zeke extended shadows to absorb the fallen Orks cleanly.
As an ancient race, the Orks yielded substantial Karma Points upon absorption.
"These Orks are pretty rewarding."
With the Orks dispatched so easily, the watching Wizard of Narak trembled.
Zeke approached the discarded mage, grabbed his collar, and hoisted him up.
The relatively short mage dangled in the air.
Zeke addressed the Wizard of Narak.
"What were you planning to do with the brainwashed Ogres?" The mage clamped his mouth shut.
Zeke shook his head with a click of his tongue.
"Doesnʼt matter if you donʼt talk. I have plenty of ways to find out." Zeke dragged the mage slowly toward the Ogre pens.
The brainwashed Ogres, under the magesʼ control, were gathered inside.
Zeke said to the mage.
"Do you see those Ogres?"
Without waiting for a reply, Zeke opened the pen and shoved the mage inside, then shut it again.
The mage smirked at Zeke for tossing him into the Ogre pen.
"Fool. These Ogres are brainwashed and respond only to my commands." He planned to secretly order the Ogres to break the pen and escape in the chaos.
Then Zeke drew Roland again and shouted.
"Recovery."
Instantly, Recovery took effect on the Ogres inside.
Growl!
The mage inside sensed something amiss.
"W-What?"
He stared blankly at Zeke, then slowly turned around.
The Ogres, their brainwashing lifted by Recovery, straightened up and slowly approached the mage.
Crack!
The sound of their rock-crushing grip strength emanated from the Ogres.
Panicking, the mage pounded on the pen door.
"W-Wait! Let me out! Get me out!" Desperately, he cast a spell.
Humm!
A translucent black barrier formed.
Immediately after, the Ogres lunged and hammered the black barrier with their fists.
Crack!
Cracks soon spiderwebbed across the barrier.
As the mage shook the door, alternating glances between the Ogres and Zeke, one Ogre raised its arm and smashed the fractured barrier.
Boom!
The barrier shattered, and the Ogreʼs fist descended toward the mageʼs leg.
Crunch!
A single punch pulverized the mageʼs leg.
"Gaaah!"
The mage collapsed, trembling and bleeding.
Zeke then summoned the Chamber of Firepower between the mage and the Ogres, erecting a wall of flames.
The Ogres roared, blocked by the flame wall.
From outside the pen, Zeke said.
"Anything youʼd like to say?"
"F-First, spare my..."
Without a word, Zeke cast a healing buff on the mage.
His shattered body was restored to normal.
"Huff, huff."
Regaining his form, the mage felt as if heʼd awakened from a nightmare.
Zeke told him.
"If you feel like talking, speak up. Iʼll keep you from dying until then." Gradually, the flame wall faded.
Seeing the Ogres closing in, the mage screamed.
"I-Iʼll talk! Iʼll tell you everything!"
Zeke halted the Ogres with the Authority of Shadow Domination.
The Ogres, having crossed the just-extinguished flame wall, froze right before the mage.
Zeke asked the sweating Wizard of Narak.
"Those Orks. How did you extract them from the Forest of the Forgotten?"