Sunlight barely pierced the oppressive canopy of the Orc's Den as Noah weaved through the ancient trees. Here, even his honed senses were challenged. The damp undergrowth muffled his footsteps, and the gnarled roots formed a treacherous obstacle course. But Noah, fueled by a warrior's focus, moved with a silent grace born from years of rigorous training.
Suddenly, a flicker on the edge of his perception. Not sight, not sound, but a presence, a disruption in the forest's oppressive stillness. His signature skill, Presence Detection, flared to life, pinpointing the source – an orc. A surge of adrenaline coursed through him. There they were, the denizens of this primeval forest.
The orc, a hulking brute with tusks that curved menacingly from its lower jaw, lumbered through a thicket of twisted vines, its beady eyes scanning the path ahead. Unaware of the silent predator stalking it, the beast let out a guttural growl, a sound that echoed eerily through the silent trees.
In a flash, Noah was upon it. His movements were a blur, a deadly whisper through the ancient forest. Nemesis, his trusty blade, sang a deadly song as it carved a clean arc through the air. The orc's surprised grunt was cut short as the blade met its mark, separating its head from its massive shoulders. The body crumpled to the damp earth with a thud, barely a ripple in the heavy stillness.
Noah stood poised, his senses on high alert, the crimson sheen of Nemesis the only evidence of the swift, silent kill. He knew this was just the first encounter, a mere skirmish in the warren that was the Orc's Den.
[You have obtained 2% Exp.]
A quick look at his growing status window displayed his stats.
■Status Window
Name: Noah Adler
Rank: Expert
Level 45
Class: Angel of Death
Title: Goblin Slayer
◇◇◇◇◇
☆Stats☆
Mana: 108
Strength: 117
Intelligence: 100
Dexterity: 117
Luck: 91
Stat Points: 2
Coins: 15060G
The creature roared in pain, clutching at the fiery wound as it slumped to the forest floor. Panic seized the remaining two orcs. They scattered, desperate for escape.
Noah didn't hesitate. The final arrow, fueled by his mana, flew true. It struck the last orc in the back, directly in the heart, silencing its panicked screech. The creature crumpled, joining its fallen comrades on the bloodstained earth.
With a deep breath, Noah dispelled the magical bow, letting Nemesis return to its familiar sword form. He surveyed the scene – four orcs lay defeated, the forest floor a testament to his swift and strategic use of both his combat skills and his telekinetic abilities. He knew the Orc's Den held more dangers, but he was not really worried,he would prevail.
[You have obtained 8% Exp.]
''Sigh! Let remove their magic stone to earn some credit.''
The metallic clang of Noah's blade against orcish armor echoed through the oppressive silence of the Orc's Den as he pried a pulsating, emerald-green magic stone from the fallen beast's chest. With a satisfied grunt, he tucked the stone away and scanned the forest floor, his senses on high alert.
The air crackled with a renewed tension. The orcs, it seemed, were no longer content with lone patrols. Six hulking figures emerged from the dense undergrowth, their guttural growls a menacing chorus. Noah's lips curved into a grim smile – they were adapting, sending more warriors to deal with the silent predator stalking their territory.
But underestimating Noah was a grave mistake. He crouched behind a gnarled tree root, the familiar weight of Nemesis reassuring in his hand. This time, the clattering rock wouldn't suffice. He needed a more immediate distraction. With a surge of focused mana, he ripped a thick vine from a nearby tree, imbuing it with telekinetic energy.
The vine whipped through the air, wrapping itself around a particularly belligerent orc, yanking it away from the group and slamming it into a towering redwood.
The orcs roared in fury, their attention momentarily diverted. It was the opening Noah needed. Nemesis transformed into its longbow form in a blink, three flaming arrows nocking themselves onto the enchanted wood. He let out a silent prayer for enough mana, the previous fight having drained his reserves.
The first arrow found its mark, burying itself deep in the chest of the stunned orc entangled in the vine. The second arrow, fueled by Noah's remaining mana and a surge of adrenaline, streaked through the air, taking out another orc before it could react. The remaining four, enraged and desperate, charged towards him, abandoning all semblance of strategy.
A feral grin split Noah's face. He loved close-quarters combat. With a flick of his wrist, Nemesis shifted back into its sword form, a deadly glint reflecting the faint sunlight filtering through the canopy. He danced a deadly ballet around the charging orcs, his movements a blur of trained precision. Steel met flesh in a symphony of clangs and thuds.
Two orcs fell quickly, their roars cut short by the swift brutality of Noah's attacks.
The last two orcs, wounded and demoralized, attempted a desperate flank.
But Noah was a whirlwind of motion, anticipating their moves. He parried a clumsy blow from one orc, using the momentum to deliver a powerful kick that sent it sprawling. The final orc, fear clouding its judgment, lunged at him with a bone-axe. Noah sidestepped the attack with practiced ease, his blade flashing out in a deadly arc.
The axe clattered to the forest floor, followed by the orc's lifeless body.
Six orcs lay vanquished, the forest floor slick with blood. Noah, panting slightly, surveyed the scene. His mana reserves were depleted, his body ached, but a triumphant smile played on his lips. He was deep within the Orc's Den now, facing its denizens head-on. And despite the growing danger, a sense of accomplishment warmed his chest. He was someone who grow stronger through adversary.
[You have earned 12% Exp.]
At present, his progress bar towards the next level stood at 22%, even after slaying 12 Orcs. This exemplifies the arduousness of leveling up from the Expert rank onward. Higher ranks necessitate a substantial amount of experience points. In order to reach level 46, he would have to eliminate 34 additional orcs, taking into account that, at his current level, each orc slain grants a 2% Exp boost.
''Well, I will succeed, I will complete this mission.'' Noah looking at his smart watch vowed. It was past 2 p.m, meaning that at best he still have four to five hours remaining to reach level 47 and complete the mission.
It would be a hard thing to accomplish without Exp Booster but it wasn't impossible, considering that today he was aiming for the third floor where there was a boss that could earn him a good chunk of Exp.
''Time to move forward!"