Chapter 53: Tag of Death (4)

"Hmm?" The Orc Lord Urghan looked at the humans slowly retreating from the front line and snorted. "Foolish humans. Even if you retreat, you won't be able to escape our tribe!

Huff!

"

Holding his blood-stained double-ax over his shoulder, he pitied the foolish humans.

"Once you have challenged our Jagged Boulder tribe, not one of you will leave alive. Bwahaha!

Huff!

"

The Orc Lord's roar echoed thunderously inside the orc village!

[The cries of the Orc Lord pierce your ears.]

[You have been afflicted by Wither.]

[-5% Movement Speed.]

𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

"Sunlight’s Warmth."

No matter how powerful the curse, it didn't affect Kai. As if to prove it, the Wither status effect was easily deactivated along with a bright light.

"Hmm?" Urghan’s eyebrow twitched.

A human was walking straight toward him at a slow pace that seemed more fitting for a model at a fashion show than a battlefield!

This peculiar behavior caught Urghan's interest.

"Who do you think you are?" Urghan looked around with a doubtful look, questioning what he was seeing. "Are you challenging me, Urghan, the chieftain of the Jagged Boulder tribe, to a duel?"

"Duel?"

Well, since it’s a one-on-one fight, I guess it could be called a duel.

Kai nodded with a reluctant expression. "Yes."

"Bwahaha! This will be fun!"

Ding!

[A Foolhardy Challenge]

Difficulty: C-

You are the first player to challenge Urghan, the chieftain of the village of the Jagged Boulder.

Though you have a disadvantage in everything from level, stats, and fighting ability, you will earn great rewards should you succeed.

Quest Reward: Acquire “Courageous Soldier” title, +2,000 Fame, +1 level.

Failure Penalty: Acquire the “Compulsive Liar” title, Fame will significantly decrease, and lose a significant amount of XP.

Kai sighed as he looked at the quest window with a sullen expression.

L-let’s think positively.

He had intended to face Urghan one-on-one anyway, and winning would bring additional rewards, so it wasn't a bad deal.

But if I lose....

Kai squinted. Just the thought of acquiring the title of a compulsive liar made him feel as if he was suffocating.

I have a feeling that getting this title would make my life difficult.

It wasn't just a hunch, but an instinct ingrained deep within human DNA!

Kai bit his lip as he glared at Urghan.

On the other hand, Urghan said with a relaxed voice of a strong, confident being, "I like your glare. Come to think of it, it has been four years since someone dared to challenge me... Who knew a human would challenge me when even my own kind fears me? How interesting.

Huff!

"

Urghan chuckled in a low voice, cracking his neck from side to side. With each movement, the sound of twisting bones shook the air.

"To be honest, I, Urghan, like those with ambition like yours."

"Hm?"

Kai thought this was unexpected. As far as he knew, orcs were monsters with muscles for brains! They were a species with mostly hostile and cruel personalities.

But he's more gentlemanly than expected.

Just as Kai had that thought, Urghan's previously polite expression turned into a scowl.

"But the more I think about it, the more offended I am. How dare you challenge me, the chieftain of the Jagged Boulder tribe."

Kai was speechless.

"Graagh! I hate those who dream grand dreams without knowing their own limits the most!"

Indeed, he was an orc with muscles for brain cells!

"Graagh!"

With a ferocious yell, Urghan raised his double-ax high and charged.

It was evening time and the skies were getting darker. Kai didn't have much time left.

The monsters get stronger under the moonlight.

That would make facing both the Orc Lord and the Orc Sorcerer even more challenging.

Kai kept his eyes on the double-ax coming down on him like lightning. At the same time, he drew his sword out of its sheath, as fast as the wind.

Claaang!

"Kugh!"

It was just a single clash but that was all he needed to grimace at the realization that his opponent was much stronger.

He indeed is an Orc Lord. Our stat difference can’t be ignored.

Kai hadn’t been directly hit and they had simply clashed weapons, yet, his health dropped by 5% in an instant.

"

Huff, you

dare take my attack head-on? You’ve got some guts, human."

Urghan's compliments continued, but Kai couldn’t possibly be happy with them.

"Do orcs fight with their mouths?"

Claang

!

As Kai swung the Long Sword of the Enlightened One in full swing and created distance between him and Urghan, his gaze became more intense.

This guy’s strength stat seems to be about... 100 higher than mine.

Kai had taken the first attack head-on to assess the gap in their stats. And now, having gained the information he wanted, Kai began to move more boldly.

***

Kai had a concern when his debut work, the Getting Schooled video, unexpectedly became a huge hit.

How can I make the second video a hit as well?

Many artists, whether singers, painters, actors, or even novelists, shared this dilemma. The joy that followed the success of one work was brief, followed by immense pressure. The pain of their own success tightening around their necks like a noose was pretty much the destiny of artists.

Of course, Kai didn't feel such extreme stress. After all, making a profit through videos was just a challenge he had undertaken; it was not his main goal.

But that doesn't mean I plan to slack off.

Thus, Kai pondered while eating, playing games, and even washing his face.

What should I show them next?

Such continuous contemplation even invaded his dreams!

Then, after days of thought, Kai came up with an answer.

Wait, why am I even worrying about this?

Such concerns were for those with plenty to show. However, at the moment, Kai unfortunately had nothing!

I only have one thing to show from the start.

He couldn't fight as well as the rankers. If that were possible, he would have fought brilliantly and impactfully like them. If overwhelming skill backed him, there would be no need for such worries.

But my skills are too shallow to boast about that kind of ability.

Facing the Orc Lord, the level 90 raid monster, Kai couldn’t afford to act leisurely. Therefore, what he aimed for was the best timing.

"Gragh!"

Urghan's ax flew toward Kai's neck like a guillotine.

Now!

The moment Kai took a deep breath and his chest puffed out, he vanished.

"Hm!?"

Through the power of Supernova, Kai instantly outmaneuvered Urghan! Of course, such speed would be nothing to Urghan.

However, if someone who was thought to be slow suddenly became fast in an instant, a brief moment of vulnerability would be created by the opponent who had been caught off guard.

For Kai, that amount of time was sufficient.

Slash!

His sword slashed diagonally across Urghan’s chest. However, even if the Orc Lord only had a little bit of health left, he was still the Orc Lord! The damage hardly made a dent.

"

Huff,

these attacks are nothing but a tickle...."

But even as he was mocking the attack, Urghan's expression stiffened, while a smile crept onto Kai's lips.

Never thought it would be this effective.

Kai looked at his sword which was glowing with an unusual green light.

Indeed, Fermi’s Venom is the best.

Among the rewards Kai obtained from raiding the Nest of Fermi, he deemed Fermi’s Venom the most useless. However, after using it against Black Bee's Claude, its effect was beyond what he had imagined.

This venom has an infinite duration!

This meant that unless detoxified, death was inevitable at some point! In fact, even at this very moment, Claude was still cursing Kai while chugging potions. And once his potions ran out, he would die.

"But unfortunately for you... you don't have potions, do you? And it seems like the Orc Sorcerer is busy."

Urghan, facing Kai’s cold smile, let out a low groan for the first time since the battle began. "Uggh. Human, you are wicked! I can’t believe you would use poison in a sacred duel!"

"Says the one who has a wickedly higher level than me."

Ignoring Urghan's words, Kai instead created distance rather than charging at him. This fight was not meant to be a fair duel between warriors from the start.

It was a fight to determine who kills and who was killed.

Fermi's Venom continued its diligent work and chipped away at Urghan's health.

Now his remaining health is 14%.

If everything went as calculated, Urghan would fall in about fourteen minutes from now!

From now on, Kai's task was to survive that duration without dying.

"...I see. You never intended to fight a warrior's duel from the start."

"That’s right. I don't even know what that is to begin with." Kai nodded.

A fierce anger erupted from the depths of Urghan's eyes at those words. "For the crime of insulting the sacred duel of orcs, you will pay with your death!

Huff!

"

"I have no intention of apologizing, and even less of dying."

Though Kai’s words flowed smoothly, sweat poured down his back like rain.

Supernova has already been deactivated.

Since Supernova only lasted a few tens of seconds, there was no way he could have resisted until Urghan's death. Therefore, Kai chose to dodge Urghan's attacks using his basic stats!

If I die, that would be the end, but....

Kai's gaze fiercely turned towards the ongoing battle between the Orc Sorcerer and the Black Bee guild.

If I win, I get everything.

"Graaaaagh!" Urghan roared as he charged like a tank.

Kai, seeing that ferocious image, moved with light footsteps. He had already titled his new series,

Tag of Death

.

***

"...What on earth is he trying to do?"

"

Tsk

, I put my hopes up for nothing."

"Why did he give up the Orc Lord if that was all he was gonna do?"

"Oh, we're doomed. We're all dead."

The players within the expedition force who were now mere spectators, could not hide their disappointment watching Kai's battle. And this was because, since the battle began, Unknown had swung his sword only twice. After that, he seemed to be running away constantly.

When they finally realized death was inescapable and their faces darkened, one player muttered, "...But he is really good at running away."

That single remark started it all.

Having gone through all five stages of grief, denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance, the players simply sat down as if they were on a picnic, watching Kai's battle with accepting expressions.

"True. He really does run incredibly well."

"You should jump to avoid that! Exactly! Damn, it’s actually pretty fun watching this too."

"Wow, he actually survived that."

"Is he from a circus or something?"

The players enthusiastically offered advice like elderly people playing bingo on bingo night!

Then, one player tilted their head and asked, "By the way, what was Unknown's job again?"

"Can't you tell? He's obviously a Warrior."

"That’s bullshit. Look at those moves. He’s clearly a Rogue with the best dodging skill and highest Agility stats."

"That's strange. Last time he summoned Skeletons, so isn't he a Necromancer?"

"No, he's a Warrior, I'm telling you."

"No, he's a Rogue."

The players were suddenly engaged in a heated debate!

Just before they began cursing at each other, the player who had first spoken said with a dumbfounded expression, "...Hey, but he caught him."

"What?"

"Caught? Caught what?"

The heads of the players who were previously arguing turned in unison to look at Urghan. What they saw was Urghan on his knees, slowly turning to ash and disappearing.

"He caught him."

"He sure did."

"He really did."

A brief moment of silence passed as the information captured by their eyes traveled to their brains. After that moment, the previously silent players erupted into a collective scream.

"Dang! He actually did it!"