Chapter 181: Fighting the orc

"GRRAHH!" The orc roared, bringing its mace down in a vertical strike.

Vlad jumped sideways to dodge it. However, the moment the mace struck the ground, it tore the earth open, sending dust and debris in every direction. The impact was so destructive that it sent Vlad skidding several feet backward.

The orc bolted towards him with its heavy body, the reverberation spreading through the land. Once Vlad was within range again, it swung the mace, aiming for his torso.

Vlad hurled himself into the air, letting the mace pass beneath his feet. He landed on the orc’s head and brought his blade down vertically.

The tip had barely touched its skull when the orc’s massive fist came for him.

He stopped the attack midway and jumped down, landing behind it.

"Its movements are simple and slow, but the strength behind its attacks is no joke," Vlad muttered, his crimson eyes sharpening as he stared at the orc. Now that he had analysed its attacking pattern, it was time for the counterstrike.

When the mace came for him this time in a thrusting motion, bolts of crimson lightning crackled around his feet. In an instant, he burst forward, his body moving like a blur.

He moved past the mace, the tip of his blade piercing between the knuckles of the orc’s middle and ring fingers. The blade dragged along with him, cutting through the orc’s skin and slicing open its arm all the way to its shoulder.

Splatter!

Thick green liquid fell to the ground from the wound as Vlad landed behind it.

"GRRAAAHH!!!" The orc roared in pain, its arm hanging limp at its side. It pivoted on its feet and swung the mace at Vlad with its functional arm.

Once again, Vlad vanished from his position, leaving only a trail of lightning in his wake.

A spray of green blood gushed out as Vlad’s blade pierced halfway through the back of the orc’s knees.

It fell to its knees with a heavy thud, its eyes desperately searching for Vlad. There he was, standing beside it just a few metres away.

It swung the mace sideways in desperation. However, the strength behind the attack had already been reduced by more than half due to its injuries.

Slice!

The mace moved past Vlad from one side while the orc’s sliced arm moved from the other as his sword cleanly severed its wrist.

"GRAAAAHHH!" It screamed out in pain, its mouth wide open, revealing its terrifying maw.

Now that it was completely defenceless, Vlad grabbed the hilt of his sword with both hands, veins bulging across the backs of his palms as he swung the blade in a wide arc.

It struck the orc at the throat with a heavy bam, the blade cutting into it’s skin, only to produce a bead of blood.

He clenched his jaw and pushed the blade forward. It finally dug into its tough skin, the air filling with the roar of the orc and the wet sound of flesh being cut.

With a little more strength, Vlad’s blade finally cut through it cleanly in one smooth motion. Its growls vanished as its head fell to the ground with a wet thud, followed by its massive body.

His eyes shifted towards the last orc that Hugo was fighting. One of its arms was already severed, while numerous cuts covered its torso.

Its other arm moved in desperation to strike Hugo, but he dodged the attacks skillfully. The saber in his hand was laced with sharp green mana, extending to twice the size of its blade. With the final swing, he severed the orc’s head as well.

Once the orc fell, he immediately rushed towards Vlad, his lips parted and eyes widened.

"You did not just kill an orc without using Sword Aura!" He demanded in exasperation, his eyes still unable to believe what they had witnessed just a few minutes ago.

"Ye-yeah, have I done something wrong?" Vlad asked, raising an eyebrow.

Not only had he killed a Peak Rank Two Monster without using Sword Aura, but he had done it so effortlessly that it was hard to believe he was just a freshman.

His every move was so precise and flawless that, for a moment, Hugo thought he was watching an academy professor giving a swordsmanship lesson.

Before Vlad could reply, the other party members also arrived at the scene. Raphael had seen Vlad’s duel against Lorenzo around a month ago. The absurdity of how much he had grown since then left him flabbergasted. Alisha seemed even more impressed now, her black eyes looking at him excitedly.

Only Seraphina was unsurprised. She had long been aware of his capabilities after he broke free from the Four-Ring Spell that she had used to bind him in her room. Defeating an orc with ease should be the least of his abilities.

"Why are you all looking at me as if I’m an exotic species?" Vlad asked, feeling a bit awkward under their relentless gazes.

"The world is changing so fast..." Hugo sighed, shaking his head. "The younger generation is already surpassing us millennials."

"Idiot, you are just a year older than him," Alisha snapped at him, her brows furrowing. "And we shouldn’t even call you older since he has spent five years in a State of Enlightenment. Technically, he is the oldest among us."

"Guys, I don’t think my age should be the centre of discussion right now," Vlad said awkwardly, trying to end the topic. However, both Hugo and Alisha seemed reluctant to do so.

The looks on their faces said that they were just getting started. However, the debate was put to an end when Seraphina stepped in.

"You three may rest now," she ordered Vlad, Hugo, and Raphael, although none of them seemed like they needed any rest. "Alisha and I shall finish the rest of the work."

She and Alisha drew disposable gloves and masks from their storage rings and moved towards the carcasses of the orcs.

With a few series of hand signs, Seraphina materialised two crimson magical circles on either side of her. Massive arms of fire came forth from these circles. They grabbed the dead bodies of the orcs and gathered them in one spot.

Meanwhile, Alisha drew a large circle around the bodies with her staff and began mumbling something, closing her eyes.

Numerous complex patterns appeared inside the circle beneath the orcs, their surfaces glowing with golden ink.