The fight continued as it became a blur of movement and sound. Volk didn’t know why the system appeared and disappeared once again.

It was only brief but he knew it was the system still.

With the help of the system!

His system!

Soon, another clash commenced!

Like earlier, another glowing screen hovered before Volk’s eyes, pulsing faintly as if mocking his confusion.

Ding!

| Absorb? |

The single word hung in the air, daring him to act, but Volk hesitated.

His thick fingers twitched, the gauntlet humming faintly as if in anticipation.

“What in the hell does that really mean?”

Volk growled under his breath, his tone a low rumble like distant thunder.

He squinted at the screen, but its meaning remained elusive.

He scanned the battlefield around him, his sharp eyes searching for something—anything—that might explain the prompt.

His nostrils flared as he sniffed the air. He caught no hint of hazardous magic particles, no noxious aura. It made no sense. “What am I supposed to absorb?” he muttered.

Baron Geisler, standing a dozen paces away, used the momentary pause to adjust his stance.

His battered shield still bore Volk’s hand-shaped dents, and his sword gleamed faintly in the pale light of the storm-filled sky.

Volk narrowed his eyes. “You,” he muttered, his voice as sharp as the blade aimed at him. “You’re hiding something.”

Geisler’s lips twisted into a faint smirk. “You’re observant for a beast,” he said, his tone dripping with disdain. “But it won’t save you.”

Volk’s massive chest rumbled with laughter. “Oh, I don’t need saving. But you might, little man.”

The Orc moved first, closing the distance between them in a blur of muscle and rage. His gauntlet hummed as it swung, the air cracking under its weight.

WHOOOSH!

Geisler sidestepped, his movement precise and efficient.

The gauntlet smashed into the ground where he’d stood, sending dirt and debris flying. BOOM!

Volk didn’t stop. He pivoted on his heel, swinging his other fist.

SWISH!

This time, Geisler raised his shield just in time.

The impact was deafening, a metallic CLANG! that reverberated through the air.

Geisler grunted as the force of the blow sent him skidding backward, his boots digging furrows in the dirt.

“Ogre you are losing strength,” he admitted grudgingly, his shield arm trembling from the strain. “You will never win.”

Volk grinned, baring his sharp teeth. “Let’s test that theory, shall we?”

The Orc pressed the attack, his movements growing faster and more calculated.

He feinted with his left hand, forcing Geisler to raise his shield, and then swung low with his right.

CRASH!

The gauntlet clipped the edge of the shield, sending sparks flying.

Geisler retaliated with a swift slash of his sword.

The blade cut through the air with a sharp WHISTLE! Volk dodged, his movements surprisingly agile for his massive frame.

As the fight dragged on, Volk began to notice a pattern.

Geisler’s attacks were sharper, faster, and stronger than they should have been. His strikes carried a weight that hinted at magic, but there was no visible aura, no telltale glow.

Volk frowned. “You’re using magic,” he said, more a statement than a question.

Geisler’s smirk returned. “I don’t,”

The Orc growled. “Heh! You don’t fight like any human I’ve ever seen. But your tricks won’t save you.”

Volk shifted his approach, his attacks becoming more probing.

He tested Geisler’s defenses, throwing feints and light jabs with his gauntlet.

Each time, Geisler countered with an almost mechanical precision, his sword flashing like lightning.

CLANG! THUD! SWISH!

Volk’s blows came faster and harder, each one aimed to overwhelm Geisler’s defenses.

The ground trembled with every strike, cracks spidering out from where the gauntlet met the earth.

Geisler’s movements remained deliberate, but Volk noticed something.

Whenever the Baron attacked, his strikes were magically enhanced, his sword cutting deeper and faster. But when he dodged or evaded, the magic seemed to vanish.

The realization clicked into place. “You’re conserving your strength,” Volk said, a hint of admiration in his tone. “Smart. But it won’t be enough.”

Geisler didn’t reply. His expression was one of grim determination as he lunged forward, his sword aimed for Volk’s chest.

SWISH!

Volk sidestepped, the blade missing him by inches.

He retaliated with a massive swing of his gauntlet.

BOOM!

Geisler blocked it with his shield, but the force sent him stumbling.

Volk laughed, the sound booming across the battlefield. “You’re not bad for a human. But let’s see how long you can last.”

He crouched low, his massive frame coiled like a spring, and then leapt into the air. The ground shuddered beneath him.

Geisler’s eyes widened as Volk descended like a meteor, his gauntlet aimed squarely at the Baron’s head.

CRASH!

Geisler rolled to the side just in time, the impact sending a shockwave through the ground.

The fight grew more brutal with each passing moment.

Volk’s attacks were relentless, his gauntlet smashing through rock and dirt as he pursued Geisler.

The Baron, despite his injuries, held his ground, his sword and shield moving in perfect harmony.

SLASH! CLANG! BOOM!

The battlefield was a cacophony of sound, the clash of metal and the roar of the gauntlet blending into a symphony of destruction.

Finally, Volk decided to end it.

He slammed his gauntlet into the ground with all his might.

BAM!

The earth trembled, cracks radiating outward in a spiderweb of destruction. Geisler stumbled, momentarily losing his balance.

Volk seized the opportunity.

He surged forward, his gauntlet raised high.

WHOOSH!

The final blow came down like a hammer, smashing into Geisler’s shield.

CRUNCH!

The shield shattered, fragments flying in every direction. Geisler was thrown backward, landing hard on the ground.

Volk stood over him, breathing heavily, his gauntlet humming with residual energy.

Geisler struggled to his feet, blood dripping from his forehead. His sword was still in his hand, but it trembled as he raised it.

“I will find your tricks!” Volk said, his voice a low growl. “Just give up.”

Geisler’s lips curled into a defiant snarl. “Just a scratch,”

Before Volk could respond, the glowing screen reappeared, floating before him.

Ding!

| Absorb? |

Volk hesitated, his eyes flicking between the screen and Geisler.

The Baron, sensing the pause, lunged forward with a desperate cry. But Volk was ready.

He sidestepped the attack and slammed his gauntlet into the Baron’s chest, sending him sprawling.

As Geisler lay on the ground, coughing and struggling to rise, Volk stared at the screen.

“What the hell are you trying to tell me?” he muttered.

The fight reignited with ferocity, the battlefield now a war zone of shattered earth and scorched debris.

Baron Geisler, battered but unbroken, rose to his feet. His sword glinted in the dim light, the edge sharp and deadly again and again.

His shield, though dented and cracked, remained steady in his grip.

Volk cracked his neck, his hulking frame towering over the human.

He flexed his gauntlet-clad hand, the hum of its latent power growing louder. His lips curled into a savage grin. “Ready for another round, little man?”

Geisler’s gaze was unwavering, his eyes filled with determination. “I’ll bring you down, beast,” he spat.

Volk didn’t wait for an invitation. He lunged forward, his massive gauntlet swinging in a brutal arc.

WHOOSH!

Geisler raised his shield just in time, the impact sending a deafening CLANG! through the air. The force of the blow forced him back several feet, his boots carving trenches into the dirt.

The Baron retaliated with a swift slash of his sword. SWISH! The blade cut through the air, aiming for Volk’s exposed side.

The Orc twisted, narrowly evading the strike. His gauntlet came up in a counterattack, aiming for Geisler’s torso. BAM!

Geisler ducked, the gauntlet whistling past his head. He pivoted on his heel, bringing his shield around in a crushing bash.

THUD!

The edge caught Volk’s shoulder, staggering him slightly.

Volk laughed, the sound deep and menacing. “Not bad, human. But not good enough.”

The Orc surged forward again, his attacks growing faster and more aggressive. He jabbed with his gauntlet, each strike aimed to break Geisler’s defenses. CLANG! CLANG! BOOM!

Geisler deflected each blow, his shield bearing the brunt of the attacks. He moved with calculated precision, his footwork keeping him just out of Volk’s reach.

But Volk noticed something.

With every swing of Geisler’s sword, every raise of his shield, there was a faint shimmer—a fleeting aura that seemed to enhance the Baron’s movements.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep