The battlefield still trembled under the berserk Orc King's overwhelming aura. The air thickened like a storm about to break, crackling with raw, unpredictable energy.Then a voice interrupted the chaos.Aditya, finally regrouped with Veer and the others, narrowed his eyes at the figure approaching from the shadows. There was something different about this man—his calm, his aura, his sheer disregard for the chaos that surrounded him."Who are you?" Aditya demanded, voice steady but cautious.The man didn't answer. His gaze remained fixated on the raging Orc King, as if nothing else existed—just the beast and himself alone in the storm.A deafening roar tore through the air.The Orc King charged.His colossal form tore across the battlefield like a living mountain. Claws gleamed with bloodthirsty intent; muscles swelled beneath cracked, scarred skin. The crystal in his chest blazed as if alive, pulsating with a dark, hungry light. Each step shook the earth, shaking loose debris and cracking the ground.But the stranger moved with no haste, no panic—only deadly precision.When the Orc King's monstrous claw swung down, the man finally moved.In a blur too fast to follow, he vanished.A heartbeat later, the sound of blades slicing through flesh echoed.The Orc King froze mid-attack. His body trembled, a deep slash tearing through his chest—dark blood blooming like ink across scarred flesh.Another blur—another precise strike.And then another.In the span of moments, the once-overpowering monster, who had pushed Aditya to his limits and trampled armies, crumpled with a deafening crash.His massive form collapsed heavily to the ground.The crystal sputtered violently, then flickered and dimmed.Silence.Everyone stared—anyone still standing caught in the shockwave of disbelief.Veer's jaw clenched as his fists trembled.Ashish's eyes widened in disbelief.Jiya's breath caught in her throat.Aditya's face hardened. He fought the urge to stare—this man had taken down the beast in a matter of heartbeats. An impossible feat. His mind raced.What tier is he?
Tier 5? Impossible…
Beyond that—tier 6? Or even…His lips pressed into a thin line.No—there is no tier 6... not in what we know.
Unless… the system is hiding something.Without a word, the mysterious man walked toward the fallen Orc King's corpse.He crouched, his hand reaching almost casually into the monster's chest.Without hesitation, he pulled the dark crystal free.The battlefield flickered anew as the strange glow wafted from his grasp.Aditya stepped forward sharply, voice edged with suspicion."Wait. That crystal—what do you know about it? About the orcs?!"The man ignored him, pocketing the crystal with aloof efficiency.Aditya's energy flared, blocking his path."Answer me!"This time, the man turned slightly, eyes cold and unreadable."Don't shove your nose where it doesn't belong," he said, his voice steady and calm. "This is beyond your scope."Before anyone could react further, the figure blurred again—faster than lightning—vanishing into the horizon with a crack of wind.Veer's fists clenched tighter.He felt an odd chill—something ancient, something dangerous.Behind him, the others could only stare—silent in awe and unease.Who was that?And what truly lies behind the crystal?Deep in their bones, they knew: this encounter was only the beginning.