Chapter 27 - Chapter 27: The Berserk Orc King

The battlefield lay in ruins.Smoke curled from broken trees, shattered weapons glinting in the pale sunlight. The air reeked of blood, sweat, and scorched earth.Most of the enhanced orcs were dead—their life force seemingly drained, their bodies lifeless and twisted. Only a few disoriented normal orcs trembled at the edges, too shocked to fight.The crystal embedded in the Orc King's chest pulsed violently, casting eerie shadows across the carnage.Jiya, Veer, Ashish, and Anika stood together, bruised and bleeding, their chests heaving with exhaustion. The Orc Queen lay motionless, her threat extinguished by Jiya's tier-5 awakening.Relief flickered—but was brief.From the center of the battlefield came a roar that shook the ground—a sound so filled with raw fury that even seasoned warriors instinctively crouched.The Orc King had gone berserk.His massive frame thrashed with uncontrollable rage, and the crystal on his chest seemed almost alive, absorbing the chaos around him.Each step he took flattened the ground.Each swing of his clawed hands shattered stone and bone alike.Veer clenched his fists."He's… he's stronger than before… it's like the crystal is feeding him."Ashish tightened his stance. "We need to keep distance… and be smart. Direct attacks won't work."Anika's eyes darted around, noting the few surviving orcs. "Those remaining are terrified… they won't fight unless he forces them. We need to focus on him alone."As they tried to approach strategically, the Orc King's aura flared violently.Energy radiated, sending shockwaves that knocked the group back with every movement.Jiya gritted her teeth, feeling the weight of desperation pressing down.Then, for the first time, they glimpsed the thoughts within the beast's mind—a whisper amid the rage:We never wanted this… we are not the villains… why must we suffer so?The words carried strange, almost human sorrow.Veer's eyes narrowed.Could it be true? Could these orcs be… victims themselves?But there was no time to ponder.Each second meant more destruction.The group coordinated their attacks.Veer absorbed kinetic energy from shockwaves and released it as blasts.Each strike barely slowed the Orc King.Ashish's stone-hardened body deflected blows that would have shattered normal warriors, protecting Veer and Anika.Anika's powers disrupted the energy around them, helping maintain footing amidst violent terrain.Jiya's sword slashed with destructive energy—but even her tier-5 aura barely grazed the beast.Then, as they prepared for another combined strike, a shadow appeared at the battlefield's edge.Calm.Controlled.Unlike anyone else, he moved as though the chaos didn't exist.No fear.No hesitation.Dust swirled around him as he walked forward, each step deliberate, each movement radiating absolute confidence.The Orc King paused for a moment, his attention snapping toward the newcomer.His roar faltered, replaced by a cautious growl.The figure stopped a short distance away.His long coat fluttered in the wind.The sword strapped to his back caught the light, gleaming like a promise of destruction.Calmly, he surveyed the battlefield, eyes narrowing as they fell upon the berserk Orc King.Then, with a voice that carried over the chaos—brazen and unyielding—he spoke:"Ah… so my suspicions were true."The group—Veer, Jiya, Ashish, and Anika—stared.Unsure whether relief or terror should take precedence.This stranger was clearly powerful, and yet his aura suggested mastery, control, and experience far beyond any ordinary warrior.The Orc King snarled, turning his fury toward the new arrival.The ground cracked under his movements as if the earth itself feared the encounter.But the man stood his ground, unshaken, almost taunting.The battlefield seemed to hold its breath.Veer felt a surge of hope.Could this person turn the tide?But he also felt caution—this stranger's presence could change everything, for good or ill.And above it all, the crystal on the Orc King's chest pulsed violently, its energy unpredictable and dangerous.The battlefield was a powder keg.The arrival of this mysterious warrior promised to ignite it.For a brief moment, silence fell.Broken only by the crackle of dying energy and the distant groans of surviving orcs.Then—the first movement.The battle was far from over.