Kaelus crouched behind a thick bush, his Mana Scan providing a detailed map of the Red Orc settlement. There were twelve Red Orcs and one large, pulsating Crimson Orc.
A frontal assault was out of the question. They might use the captured adventurers as hostages, and he couldn't take that risk. He needed to take them out silently, one by one. He considered using his Wind Needle skill, but he knew the orcs' bulky hides were too tough for it to pierce. He needed something that could pierce their skin from a distance without making a sound. He thought about a wind skill that could rotate in a straight line for maximum piercing power. He knew wind was naturally omnidirectional, so he'd need a way to hold and contain it before shooting it out. A gun! Not just a gun, but a rifle. A rifle made of pure wind mana—a Gale Rifle! The thought filled him with excitement. He envisioned a rifle with a long barrel and a spiral groove on the inside to make the wind mana bullet spin for superior accuracy and force. This was it.
He quietly moved to the edge of the camp, his movements as silent as a falling leaf. He located the first guard, a burly Red Orc standing sentry near the entrance. He channeled his wind mana, shaping it into a rifle. He used his Mana Lock, which, this time, will functioned like a scope, to fix the rifle's position directly on the orc's head. "This is like an FPS shooting cheat!" his inner child screamed. He formed a mana shaped like a bullet inside the Gale Rifle, took aim, and fired. The mana bullet shot out, rotating with a high-pitched, almost silent hum. It struck the orc with pinpoint accuracy. The orc went down, and its body dispersed into mana, leaving behind only its core fragment.
He continued his silent assault, moving like a phantom through the camp. He took out the second guard, then the third, his wind bullets leaving no trace of their passage. The captured adventurers in their crude cage watched in stunned confusion as the monsters around them dropped without a sound. They felt the faint, lingering traces of wind mana with each fall, but they couldn't see their unseen savior.
Soon, only the Crimson Orc remained. Kaelus positioned his Mana Lock, fixing his aim on the Crimson Orc's head. He took the shot. Just as the wind bullet was about to strike, the Crimson Orc flicked its red finger. The bullet, which could pierce solid rock, was deflected as if it were nothing.
"As I thought, it won't be that easy," Kaelus muttered. He abandoned his hiding spot and approached the settlement. He drew his katana, its dark blade humming with power. The Crimson Orc, now fully aware of his presence, emerged from its hut, its beady eyes locking onto Kaelus. It let out a guttural growl, hefting a massive axe. As it stepped into the firelight, Kaelus noticed its teeth—large, crimson fangs that looked sharper and more potent than the regular Red Orcs. They were perfect. This must be the kind of item Grolnuk wanted.
Kaelus simply gripped his katana and got into a low, ready stance. The Crimson Orc roared, its mana surging. It was a terrifying sight, a creature of pure, raw power. It charged, its axe held high, ready to chop Kaelus into pieces.
Kaelus met the charge. The moment the axe swung down, he instinctively imbued his movements with a burst of wind mana, propelling himself with the same agility as his Gale Dash. He moved as a blur, an invisible force guiding him with impossible speed. He was behind the orc in an instant, its axe still swinging through empty air. The sheer force of the blow created a gust that kicked up dust, causing the spectators in the cage to cough. Kaelus felt the raw power of the attack; it was a testament to the creature's immense strength. The Crimson Orc's eyes widened in surprise and fury. It tried to pivot, but Kaelus was already there, his katana slashing at its back. The blade, infused with wind mana, sliced through the orc's tough hide, but the wound was shallow. The Crimson Orc roared, its hide glowing a brighter crimson as a defensive barrier of mana hardened its skin.
Kaelus didn't back down. This was his first time using a katana, yet it felt natural, an extension of his body. He was swinging the 6-star mid-rank artifact like a normal sword, not even using a fraction of its power. However, his movements became sharper and sharper with each passing second. He instinctively applied wind mana to his every movement and swing, turning his attacks into a fluid, graceful dance of death. The Crimson Orc, for all its brute strength, was too slow. It couldn't land a single blow, roaring in frustration as it tried to hit its elusive opponent.
The captured adventurers watched in awe from their cage. They could only see a faint green blur, a streak of light that seemed to dance around the orc, landing blow after blow.
Kaelus, realizing his simple slashes were no longer enough, dodged a wild swing from the orc's axe. He moved behind the orc, and with a final, massive burst of wind mana, he appeared directly in front of the Crimson Orc. He thrust his katana forward, its tip glowing with a concentrated mana point. The point pierced the orc's hardened hide, and Kaelus channeled a massive amount of mana into the blade.
The Crimson Orc's eyes widened in shock. A moment later, a massive explosion of wind mana erupted from its chest, sending it flying backward. It crashed against the ground, half-dead, its body already starting to disintegrate. Kaelus quickly formed a Vortex Sphere and blasted the orc's face. The finishing blow was delivered not for a clean kill, but to collect the precious teeth. The orc's body disintegrated into nothingness, leaving behind a huge chunk of core fragment, almost half of a full core, and its fangs.
Kaelus stood over the core, his breathing calm. The fight was over. He knew he had to learn how to properly use the katana after this.