The Death Monarch smirked and extended a single finger toward Volk. “Beat him up until his feet can no longer stand back up,” he commanded, his voice low and resonant, the sound of it like a death toll vibrating through the air.

The two skeletal hounds lunged forward, their bodies moving with surprising speed, every step they took leaving scorch marks on the ground.

As Volk struggled to his feet, they were upon him, their razor-sharp claws tearing through the air, each swipe leaving trails of death energy that crackled in their wake.

Volk let out a thunderous roar, defiant and unyielding, as he braced himself, his muscles bulging with newfound fury.

He swung his massive fists, one toward each hound, his movements a symphony of brute strength and raw rage.

CRASH!

His right fist connected with the jaw of the first hound, shattering several of its fangs with a sickening crunch, sending shards of bone flying.

The creature stumbled back, its unholy fire flickering as it reoriented, eyes blazing brighter with rage.

SLASH!

The second hound seized the opening, slashing down with its claws, carving deep into Volk’s side.

The necrotic energy seared his flesh, burning into his muscles as it attempted to weaken him.

Volk’s face twisted in pain, “UURRRGGGHHH!!” but he ignored it, and one could see that his anger was only intensifying.

He swung back, KABARG! catching the second hound by the skull and slamming it to the ground with a roar of fury.

BAM!

Dust and bone fragments scattered as he pressed the beast down, his raw strength pinning it briefly.

But the hounds were relentless.

The first creature recovered and lunged at his back, sinking its fangs into his shoulder, piercing deep with the venomous energy radiating from its maw.

A jolt of weakness surged through him, and he gritted his teeth, feeling as if his strength was being drained with every second the creature clung to him.

With a furious snarl, he swung his arm back, grasping the hound by its skull, and hurled it across the battlefield, sending it skidding across the ground in a tangle of blackened bones and necrotic flames.

Yet, even as the beasts fell back, they didn’t hesitate.

They regrouped, the fires in their eyes flaring with renewed hunger, as if his attacks had only spurred them to fight harder.

The hounds circled him, moving in unison, waiting for an opening, their predatory instincts honed to perfection.

One lunged low, snapping at his legs, while the other leaped high, aiming for his throat with claws outstretched.

Volk swung his fist in a wide arc, catching the first hound mid-air and slamming it down with a thunderous BOOM!, but the second one managed to sink its claws into his thigh, raking down with brutal efficiency, tearing through flesh.

Blood ran down Volk’s leg, but he barely noticed, his vision clouded with rage as he threw the hound off with a mighty shove.

His breathing was heavy, ragged, and he could feel the strength ebbing from his muscles, as though the very energy within him was slipping away.

He gritted his teeth, his fury blazing as he struck out again, his fists colliding with bone and necrotic energy in a clash that sent shockwaves through the air.

Yet every impact seemed to take a toll on him, his limbs feeling heavier, his movements just a fraction slower with each exchange.

Then, as he delivered a crushing blow to one of the hounds, BARRGGHH!! sending it sprawling across the ground, he felt a strange, chilling sensation creep over him-a sense of weakness, like his very life force was being siphoned away.

It was then he realized, with growing alarm, that his strength was indeed being drained.

His muscles felt like they were straining against an invisible weight, his once-mighty fists slowing as if burdened by an unseen force.

His eyes flicked back to the Death Monarch, who stood watching with an infuriatingly calm expression, arms folded, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

…

The Death Monarch’s lips curled into a sinister smile as he watched Volk struggle, his curiosity piqued by the ogre’s stubborn resilience.

Each time the brute rose, snarling and bleeding, he seemed just a shade stronger, his fury acting as fuel, making his strength climb. But how?

The thought intrigued him—an ogre that drew power from anger, growing stronger each time it was knocked down?

That, he had to see more of.

Stretching his bony fingers, the Death Monarch murmured an incantation, his voice a low, echoing chant that seemed to pull the very shadows around him.

Dark energy rippled through the air, coiling from his fingertips like smoke.

Then, with a flick of his wrist, he opened several shimmering portals, each radiating a different aura—one thick with toxic fumes, another crackling with electric sparks, a third emitting a chilling frost, and yet another leaking molten lava that dripped onto the ground, sizzling and hissing.

From these rifts stepped beasts unlike any Volk had faced.

The first creature lumbered forward, an abomination of bulging muscles and slick, glistening skin that dripped with green, noxious liquid, leaving a trail of rot in its wake.

Its face was hidden beneath a hood of sagging flesh, but the fanged mouth beneath it twisted in a grotesque smile.

This was the Venomous Devourer—a beast that oozed poison from every pore, able to rot anything it touched.

Its breath alone made the air turn thick and sour, and Volk could feel the burn of it even from a distance.

Behind the Devourer came another creature, its form slender but coiled tight with lean, sinewy muscle.

Its eyes gleamed with a feral intelligence, and its entire body crackled with volatile electricity, arcs of lightning surging over its spiny back.

This was the Thunder Lurker, a beast that hunted by charging the air with electricity, unleashing blasts of lightning strong enough to turn stone to ash.

A third beast emerged, its body massive and plated with ice that shimmered like diamonds under a pale blue glow.

Each of its steps left frost in its wake, the ground beneath it freezing solid as the creature let out a low, growling snarl.

The Icebound Colossus loomed with a frigid aura, exhaling clouds of freezing mist that made Volk’s breath catch, his skin pricking painfully with cold.

The final beast stomped forward, its entire body a shifting mass of molten rock and fire.

Its skin bubbled and cracked, rivers of lava coursing along its limbs as it moved.

This was the Inferno Behemoth, a creature born of fire, leaving smoldering footprints that set the ground ablaze.

The Death Monarch raised a hand, gesturing toward Volk as if presenting him with a gift wrapped in dark magic.

“Ogre,” he called out, his voice smooth and taunting, “you claim to grow stronger with anger. Let’s test that claim, shall we?” He smirked, his tone laced with amusement. “Each of these… champions have a gift you’ll find most unpleasant. Try not to bore me.”

Volk bared his teeth, GRRRRR his massive chest heaving, eyes narrowing as the creatures surrounded him.

His gaze locked onto the Death Monarch for just a moment, a growl rumbling deep in his throat.

Then, with a thunderous roar, he charged the nearest beast—the Venomous Devourer—his fists raised, ready to crush it into the ground.

But the Devourer was ready.

As Volk closed the distance, it opened its gaping maw, spraying a thick, green mist that enveloped the air around him.

HSSSSSS!

The toxic cloud stung his eyes and choked his lungs, and he could feel his skin tingling, burning as the poison clung to him.

Volk staggered, his strength faltering under the onslaught. His vision blurred, the edges of his mind hazy with the sickly fumes.

Experience more on empire

“RAAAAAH!” With a furious bellow, he swung his fists through the cloud, his anger pushing him forward.

His fist connected with the Devourer’s skull with a crunch, sending a sickening shockwave up his arm, but even as the creature reeled back, Volk’s hand burned, the poison eating into his skin.

He roared in pain, “UGAAARRGGHH!! slapping the toxins away, shaking his hand furiously as the venom seemed to cling, eating through muscle and bone with a vicious persistence.

Before he could recover, the Thunder Lurker was upon him.

The beast darted forward, lightning fast, a blur of crackling energy.

With a hiss, it sank its claws into Volk’s side, unleashing a bolt of pure electricity that surged through his body.

ZZZZZZAP!

His muscles seized, his limbs locked as the electricity coursed through him, frying nerve and muscle alike.

Smoke curled from his skin as the Lurker’s claws dug deeper, its grip unrelenting, its eyes alight with sadistic glee.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep