Chapter 1091: Contrast
(Note: All references to protagonist are now 'Leon', location is 'Skyhold Fortress', and factions are 'Blazeforge Orcs', 'Bloodbone Orcs', 'Bronze Orcs' as per glossary.)
In a flash, the Flame Giant’s huge hands seized the Ice Ape’s head. Flames erupted like a volcano from its palms, completely engulfing the ape’s skull.
A series of muffled booms echoed—thud, thud, thud. The Ice Ape’s body went limp, drained of all strength. When the Flame Giant raised its hands, the ape’s head was charred black...
The Flame Giant’s eyes glinted coldly at the Ice Ape’s corpse, then slowly straightened its towering frame.
While fighting broke out here, another battle was raging dozens of kilometers away...
Rafael led the Skyhold Fortress mages, driving the floating fortress forward at breakneck speed, like a pack of mad dogs. Right now, he didn’t care if they attracted several pseudo Sky Rank magical beasts.
He glanced back and saw a smoking floating fortress plummeting toward the ground...
The floating fortresses of Skyhold are constructed with magic metal inscribed with levitation arrays. From the moment they’re built, they never touch the ground—unless destroyed, and only then do they fall...
Now, that smoking fortress crashing to the ground had clearly been destroyed...
Two mages burst from the floating fortress, but before they could escape, a massive battle qi slash—over ten meters long—swept down from afar...
The two Skyhold Fortress mages didn’t even have time to scream before they were cut down and turned to ash—no bodies left behind...
Rafael’s eyes were bloodshot, desperate to fight back, but two mages beside him held him tightly. The rest frantically poured mana into the floating fortress, heedless of the cost. The power core glowed red-hot, ready to explode at any moment—yet no one seemed to care...
Behind them, a towering orc, gaunt as a specter with skin stretched tight over bone, gripped a slender sword a meter and a half long, closing in on the Skyhold Fortress survivors at terrifying speed...
A few kilometers further back, another group of skeletal Bloodbone Orcs pressed the chase. Their weapons weren’t the massive swords favored by Blazeforge Orcs, but thin blades—like skewers for roasting meat, at least to an orc...
Rafael gritted his teeth, eyes bloodshot, staring at the relentless Bloodbone Orcs. The unmistakable Sky Rank aura, and the ripple of supernatural power—that was the real reason they were losing...
Even with the floating fortress and alchemical arrays, they couldn’t resist—they were facing a true Sky Rank powerhouse, one who could wield supernatural force!
Suddenly, a great river flowing across the land surged skyward, transforming into a massive wave tens of meters wide, crashing toward the pursuing orc...
The tall, thin orc sneered, flicking his slender sword. Instantly, a dozen battle qi blasts—each over ten meters long—shot out like arrows, piercing the river. In less than a second, the wave was shredded into a downpour...
As the river dissolved, a black mist exploded within the spray, enveloping the orc...
The tall orc let out a cold laugh, unleashing a burst of supernatural power. An invisible shockwave ripped apart the surrounding darkness in an instant...
Off in the distance, Morgan and Arno both let out muffled groans, their faces turning deathly pale.
Their spells had been forcibly shattered—and through the lingering magical connection, the enemy had even managed to injure them from afar...
Morgan looked as if he’d seen a ghost, scrambling with the Henry family onto an airship to escape, while screaming at Rafael.
“Rafael, damn it, what did you do to provoke this kind of monster? When did the Bloodbone Orcs get a Sky Rank powerhouse? Damn it, another one who can wield supernatural force...
We’re doomed, we’re doomed! Shit, I never should’ve stuck my neck out for you—now look, that undead-looking bastard’s going to kill me too...!”
Rafael’s face was grim. He didn’t snap back at Morgan’s curses—after all, Morgan and Arno had just tried to help. Who could’ve guessed that this Bloodbone Orc would be so strong, breaking through their carefully prepared defensive spells in a single move...
Suddenly, Rafael’s eyes changed.
“Again? Damn it, you idiot, have you run into a Sky Rank orc who could wield supernatural force before? How did you survive?”
Morgan was momentarily stunned, then broke into a grin and shouted at the rest of the Henry family.
“Idiots, hurry up and power the airship! Lord Morgan needs to contact a real powerhouse for backup. Does that stupid orc think just because he broke through to Sky Rank he can hunt us down at will?
Lord Leon could burn this whole pack of muscle-headed idiots to ashes with a single spell...
As he spoke, Morgan produced a crystal orb, all the while trying to reassure Rafael on the other floating fortress.
“Don’t worry, Lord Rafael. It’s just a Sky Rank powerhouse, even if he can wield supernatural force—so what? I’ve already spoken to Lord Leon. If we run into trouble, he’ll come save us. It’s just one Sky Rank; Leon’s taken down plenty before. Let me contact him now...”
Morgan radiated confidence, completely dismissing the Bloodbone Orcs chasing them. Remembering how Shark was burned to nothing by Leon, Morgan shot a contemptuous glance at the orc in pursuit.
Just another fool, daring to hunt Lord Morgan. Even the Bronze Orcs—the toughest of the Blazeforge Orcs—were burned alive by Lord Leon. And you, you skeletal undead Bloodbone Orc, think you can chase me down?
Just wait—Lord Leon will burn you to ashes...
Morgan activated the crystal orb with a flourish, and immediately an arrow symbol appeared inside, along with a rough distance indicator.
Morgan grinned smugly at the crystal orb.
Good thing I came prepared. Leon definitely doesn’t know—the orb I have is the main body, all the others are just extensions. The main orb can track the direction and approximate distance of its extensions.
Plus, this crystal orb can directly display words through magical fluctuations. As long as Lord Leon takes out his orb, I can instantly transmit my message to him via mana...
Hmm, less than twenty kilometers left—perfect. In just a dozen minutes or so, we’ll rendezvous with Lord Leon. Then that foolish Bloodbone Orc is done for...
Suddenly, the crystal orb glimmered faintly. Morgan quickly channeled mana, forming a message within the orb.
“Lord Leon, help! I’m being hunted by a foolish Bloodbone Orc—he’s a Sky Rank powerhouse, just like that Bronze Orc idiot, both able to wield supernatural force...
Morgan sent the message and waited quietly for Leon’s reply.
After a long moment, the crystal orb remained unresponsive. Morgan, watching the relentless Sky Rank Bloodbone Orc behind him, broke out in a cold sweat.
Why isn’t Lord Leon responding at all? No, he must’ve sensed the distress signal from the orb—so why hasn’t he answered yet?
Maybe he’s busy? Out hunting those pseudo Sky Rank magical beasts? Or maybe he’s run into another orc powerhouse?
No way—Lord Leon is so strong, and his followers are powerful too. There’s no way he didn’t notice; the orb’s already connected...
For over ten seconds, the orb just shimmered with faint magical waves, but no reply came. Morgan’s cold sweat kept pouring...
“Morgan, you idiot, what the hell are you doing? Didn’t you say you had backup? Where is it? That damned Bloodbone Orc is almost on us, and our fortress’s power core is about to blow...!”
Rafael stood on the other floating fortress, gritting his teeth and shouting at Morgan.
Morgan wiped his cold sweat, glancing back at the snarling Bloodbone Orc in pursuit, his confidence wavering.
“Idiot, stop yelling! Do you think powerhouses are just your Skyhold subordinates, ready to be summoned at will? It’s not that easy! I’ve already contacted Lord Merlin—he’s on his way. Head east, that’s where he’ll be!”
Morgan snapped back at Rafael, stubbornly, even as cold sweat streamed down his forehead. He kept channeling mana into the crystal orb, refusing to let the connection drop.
Hearing that reinforcements were on the way, Rafael didn’t bother arguing anymore, instead pouring mana into the floating fortress’s power core.
Morgan’s face was pale as he felt the surge of supernatural power closing in behind them—his legs were trembling.
He kept arranging words with mana inside the crystal orb, sending another message.
“Lord Leon, we’re about to die—the Bloodbone Orc is too strong.”
“Lord Leon, help! That damned Bloodbone Orc doesn’t respect you at all. I told him you killed the Sky Rank Bronze Orc Shark, but he just called Shark a weakling and said he could finish you in one move.”
“Lord Leon, if you don’t hurry, we and the Skyhold Fortress mages are all going to be wiped out...!”
Elsewhere, Leon was speaking with the Mage Legion after their recent battle, pointing out flaws in their casting and coordination, then teaching them a new alchemical array.
Watching the messages appear in the crystal orb, Leon chuckled, not bothering to reply to Morgan right away. Instead, he continued explaining the new array to the Mage Legion.
Suddenly, seeing Skyhold Fortress’s name pop up in the orb, Leon’s eyes lit up. He realized Morgan must have joined up with Rafael. Yet, even together, they were being hunted down by a Sky Rank powerhouse.
The Bloodbone Orc tribe’s territory doesn’t border the Kingdom of Andalusia in the Blazeforge Realm. There are almost no Bloodbone Orcs here, so very little is known about them.
The Bloodbone Orcs are strong, but not as powerful as the Golden Orcs—at least not overall. That’s talking about the tribe as a whole, not individual powerhouses.