Vance exhaled. "Alright. Do it. But be silent. If they notice anything wrong, we fall back immediately."
Roth gave a cocky salute before vanishing into the darkness.
I watched him move—quick, precise, effortless. His steps barely made a sound as he weaved between the scattered torches, using the shifting shadows to conceal himself. Even with my enhanced senses, I could barely track his movements.
The shaman stood near a jagged rock outcropping, hunched over a wooden staff. Unlike the others, he wore dark robes instead of armor, his skin a sickly shade of green. His lips moved in a silent chant, fingers tracing symbols in the air.
Roth crept closer, his dagger glinting faintly in the dim light.
Then, in a single smooth motion—
Shhk.
The blade slipped into the shaman's throat.
The orc let out a soft gurgle, eyes widening in shock as he grasped at his neck. But before he could react further, Roth twisted the knife and silently lowered the body to the ground.
I exhaled slowly. "That was clean."
Dane smirked and said, "He is D-rank Hunter for a reason, Kid!"
Roth wiped his dagger on the corpse's robes and signaled back to us.
Vance nodded, his voice low and steady. "Alright. The shaman's down. That means no healing, no buffs. This is our best chance to take them apart."
Dane smirked. "Good. Less magic, more smashing."
Roth returned to our position, crouching beside me. "They didn't notice a thing. The warlord and his guards are still focused on whatever ritual that crystal is involved in."
My gaze flickered to the pulsating red crystal. It was still glowing ominously, mana swirling violently within. Something about it felt… wrong.
Vance's expression hardened. "We don't have time to waste. Next target—the rear guards. If we thin them out, we'll have a clear shot at the boss."
Roth nodded, rolling his shoulders. "I can take out the one at the far end. It's away from the rest, so it won't alert the others."
Vance shot him a look. "Can you do it cleanly?"
Roth smirked. "What do you take me for?"
Before anyone could say another word, he was gone.
I barely saw him move.
One moment, Roth was beside me. The next, he had slipped into the shadows, his form nearly invisible against the dimly lit corridor. He was fast—faster than me.
I tightened my fists, feeling the familiar frustration creep in. I was fast, but not like that.
Seconds passed. Then, a faint gurgle. A body slumped to the floor.
No noise. No alarm. Just clean, precise elimination.
Roth reappeared beside us, his dagger already wiped clean. "Done."
Vance gave a satisfied nod. "Alright. That's one less to deal with. Now, for the next step—"
A deep, guttural growl echoed from the throne room.
The warlord stirred, shifting slightly in his seat.
The growl reverberated through the chamber, low and menacing.
Vance's expression hardened. "Something's wrong."
We all tensed, watching as the massive orc warlord shifted in his throne. His heavy breaths came in slow, deliberate patterns, and yet… he hadn't opened his eyes.
Roth narrowed his gaze. "He's… still asleep?"
Dane scoffed. "Then what's the problem?"
That's when I noticed it. The guards weren't reacting. They weren't scanning the room. They weren't shifting their stance. They weren't even blinking.
A shiver ran down my spine. "Why aren't they moving?"
Vance cursed under his breath. "Shit… they're not just standing guard."
Roth scanned the chamber again, his voice lower this time. "Their formation… this isn't a defensive stance. This is something else."
And then, the crystal pulsed.
A deep, crimson glow spread across its surface, rippling outward like a heartbeat. As it did, the warlord's massive fingers twitched against the handle of his cleaver.
Dane tensed. "Did you see that?"
I swallowed hard. "The crystal. It's connected to them."
Vance's eyes widened slightly. "This isn't a throne room. It's a ritual site."
The realization hit like a hammer. We had disrupted something—something we didn't understand.
Roth hissed. "We need to move. Now."
But before we could take another step, the warlord's eyes snapped open.
Two glowing, blood-red orbs locked onto our position.
ROOOOOAAAAARRR!
The warlord's monstrous bellow reverberated through the stone walls, shaking dust loose from the ceiling. It wasn't just a roar—it was a battle cry, a command that sent a pulse of raw mana surging through the room.
Instantly, the elite orcs stirred. Their heads jerked up, crimson eyes flaring to life as if they had been puppets waiting for strings to be pulled. The eerie stillness shattered as heavy weapons were raised, armor clanked, and guttural snarls filled the air.
Vance cursed. "Shit! We're blown!"
The closest elite orc—a towering brute wielding twin axes—whirled in our direction, nostrils flaring as it caught our scent. It let out a savage growl and charged.
"Incoming!" Roth snapped, already leaping back.
Dane reacted instantly, stepping forward to intercept. His massive hammer swung in a devastating arc, colliding with the orc's chest. The impact sent a shockwave through the room, but the beast barely staggered. Instead, it grinned—a gruesome, tusked sneer—as if amused by the attack.
I barely had time to process that before more movement erupted across the chamber.
Three more elites rushed forward, weapons gleaming under the dim torchlight.
Vance gritted his teeth. "No choice—engage!"
He shot forward, blade flashing as he met the next incoming enemy.
Roth disappeared into the shadows, circling around to flank.
Dane roared, swinging again, this time forcing his opponent back.
I took a sharp breath, my heart hammering in my chest. The warlord still sat on his throne, watching us, unmoving—but the crystal behind him pulsed faster, its glow intensifying.
Something was wrong. He wasn't joining the fight.
I clenched my fists. "This isn't just a normal battle. Something's happening with that crystal!"
But there was no time to think further, an elite orc lunged straight for me, blade descending in a brutal slash.
I barely had time to react.
The elite orc's massive blade came down in a deadly arc, aiming to cleave me in two. My body moved on instinct—Phantom Step.
A burst of speed shot through me. I twisted to the side, the blade slicing clean through empty air where I had just stood. My heart pounded as I landed a few steps away, my feet barely making a sound against the stone floor.
The orc snarled, surprised by my sudden movement.