Author's Notes: Chapter edited and corrected by Scott Fellman.
Ruby Pov.
Crescent Rose slashed at the High Orc's neck as it spun at high speed before stopping. I saw Taylor's bugs create a new path towards my next opponent and rushed forward.
We had split up, Taylor was the one in charge, and we all followed her orders, moving around the battlefield. It seemed like a mess, but no, Taylor seemed to have everything figured out, I arrived just in time to interfere and intercept or help a group of low-ranking hunters and heroes.
The group was able to hold their own against a couple of High Orcs, but they definitely didn't have the firepower to kill them. That's where I came in, kill, get out, and head to the next group while Taylor reorganized the now freed group.
This was terribly different from the dungeon on I-island. Horribly different.
The monsters were definitely on the same level, but where I-island's molten metal monsters excelled in defense, the High Orcs were firm and fast. If it hadn't been for Taylor attacking their eyes, ears, nose, and lungs to weaken most of them, this would have been a complete massacre.
Here, we couldn't take our time. We couldn't go from group to group and rest after killing a group of monsters. We couldn't relax and regain our energy, catch our breath, our aura, make plans, and more. No, here, we had to keep going.
Every second we didn't kill a High Orc, that High Orc would go on to attack someone else, people who couldn't defend themselves against High Orcs, heroes, and low-ranking hunters, who, despite not being able to face High Orcs, saw to it that they were helping no matter what.
While those hunters and heroes of B rank or lower, Taylor would have them face the few scattered Grimms that still survived, sometimes it was inevitable that they would face some High Orc, considering there were hundreds of them running around like crazy.
So Azula, Taylor, and I, along with a few heroes and hunters, were tasked with supporting those groups and killing as many High Orcs as we could. We were some of the few people who could kill High Orcs alone, and then there were a few heroes, especially Endeavor, who was destroying everything in her path.
Unfortunately, we didn't have any luck with more high-level hunters and heroes, so we had to make do as best we could while keeping the civilians safe.
Civilians, who, thankfully, had mainly been evacuated. I could feel the aftershocks, tremors, and shock waves where the real monsters at the center of the disaster were fighting, but it was a good thing they weren't moving all over the city when I could have easily done so.
The destruction was concentrated, their disaster contained despite their destructive nature. I watched idly as a group of High Orcs attempted to approach them, but they were dispatched so casually that it made me shudder.
Ryuma wasn't even looking at them; he just swung Shusui to the side, and the group of 5 High Orcs died instantly. I couldn't help but think about Izumi. Was Izumi Ryuma's damn grandson?! From God Sword Ryuma?!
I'd like to say that Izumi's power level would make sense then, but... that would be rude to Izumi; I knew how hard Izumi worked in his training, simply dismissing it as Ryuma's inheritance was terribly offensive.
But it wasn't the time to think about that. I approached the High Orc, who was alone, Thunder Breathing- Third Form: Thunder Swarm, spun around the High Orc at high speed, and unleashed a multitude of slashes in all directions.
The High Orc was unable to defend itself, and Crescent Rose cut the High Orc to pieces. I landed on the ground, looked at the nearby group of hunters, and nodded in their direction. I ran again, following Taylor's insects.
Our disaster was also under control, as much as a broken gate could be. The High Orcs fell around the epicenter of the fight and tried to retreat further and further, but Taylor was able to create a ring of heroes and hunters, preventing the High Orcs from leaving.
Darkness had approached that group, standing in front of where the civilians were escaping and keeping them busy.
Luckily, all of this was terribly effective now that Izumi, even though he's a clone, was here. It was good that he'd discovered a new use for his quirk, and I have to say, seeing a group of half-animal Izumis was pretty sexy.
No, evil Ruby! There would be time to pervert my fiancé later; first, we had to kill the High Orcs.
I quickly shook off my thoughts. Nue-Izumi's flying ability, combined with his lightning bolts, could take out any High Orc at high speed, so he was in charge of killing anyone who was moving away or trying to escape the encirclement.
Ox-Izumi was in charge; the large weapon he stole was very effective against the High Orcs, who were cut in half with terrifying ease. Orochi-Izumi was having trouble, not killing High Orcs, but finding a weapon that actually suited him.
He was killing High Orcs, throwing away his current weapon and grabbing new ones, repeating it over and over again. Orochi Izumi's physiology was perfect for Serpent Breathing. Still, the problem was that it was only suitable for Serpent Breathing, it was horribly incompatible with other Breathing Styles, and High Orcs definitely didn't have a curved sword in their repertoire.
Finally, Deer-Izumi was not at the front; he was simply moving at high speed and giving small touches to all the wounded while healing them almost instantly.
Heroes, Hunters, and Civilians, he moved between all the groups and healed them. Taylor was able to monitor all of us and see if any of us had a serious injury, and Izumi was fast enough to get to them in a few seconds and heal them.
Thanks to their Jackalopes at the start, and now the Deer-Izumi, casualties were actually very, very limited. Which was terribly surprising and a damn miracle considering the kind of mess this was.
Taylor was doing wonders to keep us all from getting killed by preventing them from regrouping. Still, we needed to find the damn dungeon boss.
Izumi definitely needed to use all his power on the enemy his original was facing, and his clones wouldn't leave until they killed the dungeon boss; the problem was finding it.
If Izumi and Taylor were having trouble finding it, then either there was a problem or there wasn't any acid yet. Or, at worst, it was hiding inside the dungeon.
I continued killing all the High Orcs that Taylor was pointing out to me, when I saw a small High Orc just walking in the middle of the destruction, it seemed unconcerned as it looked at everything around it, making no effort to attack others.
I frowned, weird, but Taylor was pointing it out to me, so I ran in that direction.
I approached the small High Orc and attempted to decapitate it as usual, only for the High Orc to disappear. My eyes widened when I felt the High Orc on top of me. I didn't even hesitate when I disintegrated into petals and quickly moved away.
The moment I formed, the High Orc was upon me again. I raised Crescent Rose and parried its weapon's attack. Even though I gritted my teeth, it hit hard, terrifyingly hard. I gritted my teeth and spun around quickly, slashing in all directions, sending the High Orc tumbling away.
I finally stopped and looked at the abnormal High Orc.
It was small, small by the average High Orc's standards at 2.5 meters; it should have been Izumi's height or a little taller, but no more than 2 meters. It was thin, barely had any muscles, and most importantly, it looked old. I hadn't known High Orcs could age.
It was completely red and female, like all the other High Orcs, and had tattoos all over it. But unlike the blue or white lines of the High Orcs, its markings were small, almost like scratches, and black in color.
It had hundreds of them on its body and—wait, two more marks just appeared? It was almost instantaneous; two small tattoos appeared under its ribs, adding to the rest of its tattoos.
I frowned slightly. I didn't have time to figure out what had happened. I focused on its weapons; it had what looked like tonfa swords.
It has a handle perpendicular to the blade. The High Orc was holding the hilt crosswise in its hand so that the blade rested on the outside of its forearm.
It had a small point on the front of the hilt, and the back point, which ran the length of the arm, reached down to the shoulder. It held a tonfa sword in each hand and stood calmly, as if taking a stroll.
The blade was really long, really sharp, and ended in an even sharper point.
Besides that, it didn't look any different than the weapons High Orcs typically had; it looked like the same material, it was just the first time I'd seen that kind of weapon on a High Orc.
It was different. High Orcs almost always seemed to be angry, furious, and attacking everything they saw, but this High Orc was different, utterly different. It seemed no different from that of the other High Orcs.
It didn't have Izumi's ability to perceive everyone's aura from hundreds of meters away. Still, being so close, I could notice it; there was nothing that differentiated it from a High Orc besides its appearance, but... it gave me a terrible feeling.
The High Orc took a nearly silent step and disappeared. I jerked my head back as the blade passed right by my neck. Quick! The High Orc was fast! The High Orc didn't stop; it raised its arm with its fist facing up and the tip of the tonfa-sword facing down, right over my chest.
I disappeared into petals once more and tried to retreat, but the High Orc easily kept up with me. I tried to reform, but the High Orc instantly attacked me, forcing me to remain in a burst of petals.
Until finally my quirk reached its limit and forced me to reform, I raised Crescent Rose and received a decisive blow from one of the High Orc's tongas-swords with the Crescent Rose hilt.
I gritted my teeth at the heavy blow, and I could even hear Crescent Rose protesting the effort. The High Orc didn't stop. It swung its other arm in my direction. I clicked my tongue and raised my arm to take the blow as a swarm began to attack the High Orc.
The High Orc's attack was deflected enough for me to dodge and get far enough away.
"Are you okay?" the swarm asked with its usual eerie rattling.
"Yes, thank you, I think it's the dungeon boss." I said quickly.
"Are you sure?" asked the swarm.
"I have no idea," I said honestly. "It doesn't feel like a dungeon boss, not like the one on I-island, but… It's different, different from all the other High Orcs." I said immediately. The swarm was silent for a few seconds.
"I'll get Izumi," she said simply before the swarm attacked the High Orc, who smerelyseemed irritated by the insects. None of them was harming it. Very well, I have to hold out long enough until Izumi arrives.
I gripped Crescent Rose tightly and took a deep breath. Thunderclap and Flash, I appeared beside the High Orc, Thunder Breathing - Second Form: Rice Spirit. I launched five slashes in quick succession in the High Orc's direction. It simply looked at me through the swarm and swung its tonfa-swords and intercepted all of my blows.
Sound Breathing- Fourth Form: Constant Resounding Slashes, I spun Crescent Rose around my body at high speed while attacking from all angles. The High Orc swung its weapons and began exchanging blows at high speed. I gritted my teeth as it increased its speed.
"Flashfire Fist: Jet Burn !! " Endeavor's voice made me open my eyes. I didn't have time to take a step back when a burning ray enveloped the High Orc, who quickly turned around and used both tonfas in a cross to cover itself from the attack.
I seized the moment, ignored the intense heat, and moved. Crescent Rose's blade met the High Orc's neck. It paused for a few moments before thrusting hard, decapitating the High Orc.
The heat beam stopped as the High Orc's corpse fell to the ground. I blinked as the High Orc's head rolled slightly.
That… was easy.
"That was all from the boss?" Endeavor asked almost contemptuously. I frowned and looked up at the sky.
"The Gate… isn't closing." I pointed. Endeavor looked up and clicked her tongue.
"So, it wasn't the dungeon boss? A waste of time." Endeavor growled. She was about to turn around when a creepy laugh caught our attention.
We both stood on guard and looked towards the source of the noise, the High Orc who had just killed… the High Orc who didn't look dead at all.
The High Orc's head was laughing loudly as the decapitated body slowly stood up. Its head began to rub before joining its body as its wounds regenerated. My stomach dropped several degrees.
Oh goddess… a damn zombie!?
I wanted to scream mentally, please, not another immortal. If I ended up being the same as Ozma, the king of the Grimms… I gulped audibly as I clutched at Crescent Rose.
I stared at the High Orc as a small light over one of its scars lit up before disappearing as the High Orc fully regenerated. I blinked slightly…
I thought quickly, one of its marks disappeared, but there were still hundreds of them around its body, that... was that an indication of its regenerative ability? Was there a limit to how many times it could regenerate? What could revive it? It had to be killed hundreds of times.
If it was true, that was both a horror and a relief; it meant we had to kill it hundreds of times, and hopefully it would die permanently when we did. On the other hand, we had to kill them hundreds of times for it to die permanently.
I almost sighed in relief when I saw Izumi approaching. Behind the High Orc, I could see it kill three High Orcs with ease. I stopped stiffly when three new marks began to appear on the High Orc's body.
I blanched at the implications; every High Orc we killed gave it an extra life. Fuck, fuck, fuck.
I could see the High Orc smile creepily before launching itself at us.
Fuck.