BXBX NOVEL Chapter 242: Wish (1)
“C-chik…?”
The Orc, about to charge Yoon-seok, raised his head with blank eyes.
Whirrrrrrrrrrr. Clickkkkk.
The gun barrels pointed in his direction. Having used more primitive weapons all his life, he didn’t know exactly what it meant. However, his naturally developed instincts said, ‘that’s dangerous.’
“C-chik…”
Taklan’s cosmic being and Fedomia’s dwarf had a fundamental difference between them, but the Orc was confident that he could break both into two with his ax alone. Yet this…
“Mountain… a mountain of steel is moving…”
How would he reach that thing? Even if he could reach it, how would he tear it down? The moment he saw the spacecraft above him, the Orc was overwhelmed. But that was why…
「Due to the effect of Unique Skill {Strife}, the dispirited condition is lifted.」
「Fighting spirit increases by 5 times.」
The Orc came to his senses faster as a result. A mountain of steel was moving through the sky?
“…If that’s my opponent, I’ll cut it down.”
Energy surged throughout his body.
“I will take it down and move forward, defying everything.”
The Orc took a step forward as if he would not be intimidated. He abandoned his doubts and replaced them with confidence.
“I’m strong…!”
And then.
“Nuclear plasma.”
A blinding light consumed the arena.
‘…Did I go overboard?’
Yoon-seok smacked his lips as he watched.
Boooooom-! Boooom! Boom, boom, boom!
Dust and debris were sent sailing through the air with each explosion. Yoon-seok watched it quietly, his eyes glinting and a smirk on his lips.
‘…So he won’t die this easily.’
The hot wind brushed against his skin. But, Yoon-seok continued to watch the explosion without moving. Surprisingly, he could still detect life within.
—Unbelievable! I’m sure my explosions were perfect! Captain! One more time! Let’s go for another round! This time, I’ll turn him into powder…!
’Forget it. Let’s watch a bit more.’
Lynn grew excited and shouted to Yoon-seok. It looked like it hurt her pride to leave an enemy alive. Or maybe she thought Yoon-seok would summon her less frequently just because she couldn’t kill them. Well, it wasn’t important anyway.
Swaaaaaaaaa.
When the explosions died down, the first thing that came into view was a huge ax.
Boom-!
The ax approached with nary a sound and struck the spot where Yoon-seok was standing.
‘Looks like he still has energy left.’
A total of thirty nuclear rays, yet his foe was able to fight back. Of course, not in good condition.
“Grrrrrrr…”
His body was burnt and red, and white fluid flowed out of his wounds. Also, were his vocal cords destroyed? He kept making a strange growling sound.
’But his magic increased?’
In other words, even though it was a significant blow, his opponent had grown stronger.
’A Berserker?’
Yoon-seok came up with an assumption. Maybe he was the type to acquire higher stats as he incurred more injuries. If so, it would be better to deal a fatal blow rather than acting hastily.
—Captain! Hurry up and use magic… hand over your magic to me…!
Well, since she caused that much damage with thirty shots, he could leave the final blow to Lynn again. She did seem very frustrated lately.
“I won’t let you run away…!”
Once he noticed Yoon-seok backing away, the Orc shouted. At the same time, a black whirlwind erupted from his 15-meter-long ax and began to swirl across the arena.
’Seeing how he didn’t use a command, it must be a power.’
Then, what effect did it have? It was obvious at a glance.
’To draw in the enemy.’
The black whirlwind swallowed everything around it like a black hole. It bore an unbelievable pressure that burdened Yoon-seok. As a result, even the spacecraft hundreds of meters above was slowly dragged down.
—C-Captain! What are you looking at? Do something.
‘…You just called me Captain, yet you’re always ordering me around.’
Yoon-seok clicked his tongue but went ahead and created several Skywrath swords to increase his stats.
Whoooosh! Boom! Boom!
In that black storm that pulled in everything, his foe swung his ax with abandon. Yoon-seok smiled as he witnessed the Orc’s onslaught.
’I think he misunderstood something.’
For Yoon-seok, the spacecraft was just one of many abilities he had.
‘Did he think the distance was my specialty after seeing Lynn?’
If that was the case, Yoon-seok welcomed that misunderstanding with pleasure.
Tadak.
The violent storm began to suck him in when his feet left the ground. Yoon-seok let it without resisting. Perhaps the Orc thought he made a mistake, as he opponent persistently swung at Yoon-seok. And the moment the ax was about to touch Yoon-seok-
’Now.’
Yoon-seok condensed magic at his feet and shot up after stepping in midair.
Slash-!
Tuk.
A part of the Orc’s body fell to the floor. Although it was his arm instead of the neck, he aimed for…
’Well, that’s not bad.’
He would just cut the rest off bit by bit.
「You are feeling a pain that is enough to lose consciousness.」
「Fighting spirit increase by 3 times.」
The more pain he felt.
「Some of the body has been damaged beyond healing.」
「Fighting spirit increase by 2 times.」
More and more.
「Following fighting spirit, all abilities increase by +4.」
The Orc grew stronger. He never thought it was an unusual ability because it was no different from his daily routine before entering the Tower.
—An Orc slave fled to the abandoned land?
Orcs could be found in one of the two places in Kilian. Living miserably in the abandoned land or living more miserably as slaves to the monarchs. The Orc wanted to change that. So he fought countless times against strong enemies and slowly grew through his blood and pain. But…
—Of course, Orcs have to work 100% harder. Do you get it now? That this is the gap between species that cannot be crossed.
Nevertheless, that wall was solid. The difference between species couldn’t be narrowed with effort alone.
—Die now. You worthless trash.
When he was deceived by a high-ranking devil and faced his death, only then did the Orc realize. If hawks flew in the sky, there would be bugs stuck crawling on the and eating leaves for the rest of their lives. The early bird catches the worm, but… early bugs only get eaten.
「The Tower chooses you.」
Yet an opportunity that went against the providence of nature arrived. Everyone was equal here. Of course, there might be some differences, but they all started in the same place.
—What the hell, for an Orc…
The Unique Skill b Strife} given to him by the Tower was a great help at the beginning of the competition. The thing he’d been carrying with him all his life, causing greater despair… that fighting spirit became a practical force here.
「A fatal blow has been incurred.」
「Your life is prolonged until all fighting spirit has been consumed.」
「All abilities increase by +12 in proportion to the fighting spirit consumed.」
「00:04:59 until Last Strife ends」
The stronger the enemy, the stronger he became. As long as he had the will to fight, it showed him how to win against any opponent. Therefore, he abandoned any doubt and followed that path.
An indomitable will to fight. This was his power source that defied the strong prey that caused him suffering. Yeah, that’s what it was. But why…
Why couldn’t he see that path past this guy?
“…He endured thirty shots from Lynn again?”
“Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh!”
“…Did he get stronger? This is bad.”
The Orc let out a thunderous roar and swung his ax.
The Orc had no name. Slave, Orc, trash, junk. That’s what it was called since birth. If he had a name, it would be the nickname King of Turquoise he came up with.
“I became stronger…! But why…!”
The Orc struggled to swing his ax again. No matter how many times he attacked, he was blocked repeatedly.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Thanks to his high stats, the blows grew incomparably powerful with each swing. However, the masked swordsman avoided them with ease.
「Your attacks missed 50 times in a row.」
「Fighting spirit increases.」
No, despite the increase in stats, his evading seemed easier than before.
「Your attacks missed 100 times in a row.」
「Fighting spirit increases.」
He couldn’t understand. Why? How? He’d grown this strong.
「Your attacks missed 150 times in a row.」
「Fighting spirit increases.」
Yes, fighting spirit. Was it because he still lacked fighting spirit?
「Your attacks missed 200 times in a row.」
「Fighting spirit increases.」
「All abilities will increase by +1 until the next blow.」
Experiencing strife all his life, the Orc continued to attack.
「Your attacks missed 250 times in a row.」
「Fighting spirit increases.」
「Damage will increase by 2 times in the next blow.」
As time went by, the Orc grew even stronger.
「Your attacks missed 300 times in a row.」
「Fighting spirit increases.」
「Strength and agility will increase by +2 until the next blow.」
Faster and stronger. But…
“Why can’t I win…!”
The Orc felt a bigger wall than he ever felt in the past.
“I have become this strong, but why isn’t it working…!”
Swinging recklessly as if he had lost all reason, the Orc finally came to a sudden halt. Everything seemed like a waste of effort.
「Due to the effect of Unique Skill b Strife}, the dispirited condition is lifted.」
「Fighting spirit increases.」
When he stopped moving, his fighting spirit increased, but he no longer had the will to fight. Only then did the Orc realize this fighting spirit attached to his heart now was different from that he had before becoming a challenger.
—Don’t touch her because she’s my prey. Human.
Given the option, he chose the easy-looking ones. Pain and wounds were carved all over his body, yet he chose an opponent he wouldn’t have to fight desperately against.
“Is that so… was I afraid of struggling…?”
When did it start?
“Was it because I’m afraid of dying…?”
The Orc shook his head. No, he wasn’t afraid to die even at this moment. Then, when did he become complacent?
“I’m just… was it because I didn’t want to see the fact that there are many stronger than me?”
Finally accepting the truth that he had been avoiding, the Orc slowly raised his head. He still held his ax, and there was still time to fight.
「00:01:21 until Last Strife ends」
A little over a minute. It might be impossible to beat that monstrous swordsman. No, it was impossible. But…
’Is that a reason not to fight?’
The Orc raised his ax again. Even though he felt the gap between them, he would fight until the last second. Like before, he became a challenger.
“…It’s gradually becoming difficult to avoid. What is it? Is it a new skill?”
Swinging again and again. Even if the enemy’s attack hit, without stopping until the end was right in front of him.
「Last Strife has ended.」
‘Is this the end…?’
His body lost strength and collapsed. Magic escaped from him, and his vision blurred.
“…”
His eyelids felt heavy. The Orc resisted with the last of his strength.
“I…”
A green land with lush foliage. Orc tribes were playing across the fields without having to struggle or kill.
Yes, he wanted to be the King of Turquoise.