Richard took one slow step back.
Then another.
"…Nope," he muttered under his breath. "This is not my problem. This is too dangerous for me.'"
The four-eyed ape loomed in front of the orc, its massive knuckles still pressing down against the axe.
Richard shifted his weight, already turning his body slightly.
Retreat. Reposition. Live longer.
A very reasonable plan.
Then the ape's upper arms flexed.
The other pair of limbs lifted high and came crashing down onto the axe.
BOOM.
The impact rang out like metal hitting metal.
The orc's knees bent.
Mud splashed outward.
Again.
BOOM.
The orc dropped lower, one knee now sinking into the mud.
Richard froze mid-step.
"…Yeah," he whispered. "Definitely not my problem."
But his feet didn't move.
The ape raised its arms again.
BOOM.
The orc's other leg buckled slightly.
Still, the massive warrior didn't fall.
He gritted his teeth, tusks showing, muscles bulging as he held the axe in place.
Richard swallowed.
His mind started arguing with itself.
'Run.
You're not built for this.
You barely survived wolves.'
Another voice answered.
'He saved you.'
Richard clicked his tongue.
"…This is why I can't have a peaceful life."
He looked again.
The beast suddenly shifted.
Its lower hands grabbed the axe.
For split second, everything paused.
Then it pulled.
The orc's grip tightened instantly.
He didn't let go.
Instead—he smiled.
A wide, almost excited grin.
"You vermin of a beast," the orc growled. "An orc without a weapon is a dead orc."
They started pulling against each other.
Mud tore under their feet.
The axe creaked under the pressure.
To Richard's surprise—
The orc held his ground.
The beast's muscles bulged, four arms straining, but the orc's raw strength matched it. Not perfectly—but enough.
Richard blinked.
For a second, it looked like a stalemate.
Then the ape's tail moved.
Fast.
Too fast for something that big.
The thick crocodile-like tail whipped sideways—
CRACK.
It slammed into the orc's ribs.
The impact sent him flying.
The massive body was thrown dozens of meters away, skipping once across the mud before crashing hard into the ground.
Richard flinched.
"…Holy damnation."
The ape turned its four glowing eyes toward the fallen orc and started walking.
Each step sank deep into the mud.
Heavy and Unstoppable.
The orc groaned and pushed himself up slowly. His movements were heavier now, his breathing rougher.
He spat blood to the side and wiped his mouth with the back of his arm.
"That's a good hit," he said, almost impressed.
Richard stared.
"…Why is he complimenting it?"
The orc raised his axe again.
Then charged.
The ape met him halfway.
One of its fists came down.
The orc raised his axe to block—
CLANG.
Sparks burst as fist met steel.
Another punch followed.
CLANG.
The orc slid backward a few inches with each hit, boots digging deep into the mud.
The ape's knuckles were like solid iron.
Richard hesitated.
His grip tightened on his daggers.
This is stupid, he thought.
I'm going to die for someone I met five minutes ago.
The ape suddenly shifted again.
Its tail coiled.
Then shot forward like a spear, aiming straight for the orc's chest.
The orc noticed it too late.
His eyes widened slightly.
His body tensed—
Then—
Out of nowhere, Richard appeared.
"Move—!" Richard shouted.
He crossed both daggers in front of him.
The tail struck.
CLANG.
The impact rang through his arms like a bell.
For a split second, the strike deflected just enough to miss the orc's chest.
Then the force hit him hard.
Richard was thrown sideways, his body slamming into the mud and sliding several feet. Cold, wet dirt filled his mouth as he coughed and rolled onto his back.
"Ghk—!"
He spat mud out, coughing twice.
"…Okay," he wheezed. "Bad idea."
Everything hurt.
His arms tingled from the impact, his grip almost gone.
Still—
He pushed himself up.
The orc was still standing.
Barely.
Backing bit by bit as the ape froze for a moment.
Richard staggered to his feet and rushed back toward him.
"Don't die yet," Richard said, half serious, half annoyed. "I just paid you back."
The orc glanced at him briefly.
There was a short pause.
Then he gave a small, approving grunt.
"Half-breed… not useless."
Richard snorted.
"…That's the nicest thing anyone's said to me today."
Then both of them turned back to the four-eyed beast as it prepared to strike again.
The ape roared.
Hot blue flames flickered harder around its head, casting strange light across the mud. Its four eyes—lined in a straight row—locked onto both of them now.
The orc rolled his shoulder once, gripping his axe tighter.
Richard stood a few steps behind him, daggers raised, breath uneven.
"…So," Richard muttered, eyes flicking between the beast's arms and tail, "you distract it, I don't die. Good plan?"
The orc didn't look back.
"Don't slow me down," he said.
"…I'll take that as yes."
The ape moved first.
Two fists came down at once.
The orc stepped forward instead of back.
CLANG.
His axe caught both knuckles in a single block. Sparks burst out on impact. The ground beneath his feet cracked as he held his ground, muscles straining.
"HA!" the orc barked, almost laughing.
Another arm swung from the side.
He twisted, letting the blow glance off his shoulder instead of taking it fully. The impact still shoved him half a step sideways.
That was Richard's opening.
He moved in.
Fast—but not reckless.
He darted toward the beast's side, boots slipping slightly in the mud. His eyes scanned quickly—arms, joints, neck, tail.
Too thick.
Too fast.
Too many limbs.
He clicked his tongue.
"Of course, it has no obvious weakness."
One of the ape's lower arms swept toward him.
Richard ducked low, feeling the wind of it pass over his head, and slashed at the creature's side.
The blade struck.
—and barely sank in.
"…Great," he muttered, already stepping back.
The beast turned one of its four eyes toward him.
That was enough.