Ethan's chest rose and fell in harsh gasps as the fog in his mind shattered. Sweat trickled down from him.

The whispers still echoed faintly inside his skull, but the roar had cut through them like a blade of light.

"My Lord… RUN!"

It was Randall's voice. His words were filled with desperation.

The darkness that was eating him apart broke when that call reached his ears. His heart shook. His lips trembled as he forced the words out.

"No… This is not who I am!"

Ethan's eyes snapped open.

His dull gaze began to clear, and light returned to them. His heart pounded so loud he thought it might tear from his chest.

The battlefield came into focus again. Blood soaked the earth. Screams filled the air. The sound of steel clashing rang out like endless thunder.

The Orc King stood in the center of it all. Its massive frame loomed like a mountain.

Around it, mercenaries lay beaten.Some crawled to rise, others were too still.

Randall stood not far away. His armor was cracked and battered. Blood streamed down his arm. Yet he still held his sword in both hands. His knees shook, and his chest heaved, but his voice was steady as he shouted.

"Escape… I will buy you time!"

The words struck Ethan harder than any blade could. Shame surged inside him.

He had almost lost himself.

'Damn..I almost threw away my pride and accepted the darkness.'

The Orc King laughed, as its glowing yellow eyes burned with madness. It raised its giant blade and roared.

"Weak! All of you… too weak!"

Ethan's teeth clenched. His hands tightened around his greatsword until his knuckles turned pale.

"I will not lose. I will not betray them."

At that moment, he felt something stir inside him.

A raw wave of undulating power started to beat inside.

A force that had been buried deep, crying for him to reach it. His breath hitched as he understood.

Two sides pulled at his heart. One longed for fame, strength, power, and respect. The other longed to protect his people and shield them from despair.

They were not separate. They were both parts of him. His truest desire was to embrace both.

He wanted to be strong, admired for his courage and the path he chose, without letting go of his honor.

His voice rang out.

"My wish is to be strong enough that everyone sees my courage! To walk a path where I protect without losing my honor!"

The ground shuddered as a force erupted from him. A crimson glow burst out, not wild and uncontrolled, but sharp and condensed. It flowed into his greatsword until the blade blazed with light.

The Orc King raised its weapon to strike, but Ethan moved first. His sword swung with all the weight of his heart.

A crimson arc of light cut through the air. It slammed into the Orc King's chest with a deafening crack.

Flesh tore apart and blood sprayed. The massive figure staggered back, clutching its torso where a deep wound had split across it.

"KURHHHH!"

The monster groaned in pain. For the first time, it faltered. Its eyes flared wide with surprise, then narrowed with delight.

"Hahaha!" Its laughter shook the air.

"Awakening… so you found some power at last. This will be fun."

It pointed its huge blade at Ethan and roared.

"Finally! A worthy foe!"

Randall's eyes widened. He shouted with what voice he had left. "My Lord, it's dangerous!"

Ethan turned to him, his gaze calm and sharp.

"Everyone retreat. Leave this to me. Some battles must be finished alone, no matter the cost."

Randall froze at those words. Joel and Ryu staggered, bloodied, but they looked at Ethan too.

Ethan gripped his greatsword. Crimson light shimmered along its edge. He swung once, and the glow tore through the air with a sharp hiss. His body shook, but his eyes never wavered.

He stepped forward.

BANG!

Slamming his feet into the ground,Ethan propelled his body with a heavy force that shook the place.

The Orc King stomped down. The ground cracked, forming deep fissures. Its massive body lunged straight at Ethan, sword swinging down with brutal force.

CLANG!

BOOM!

The impact rattled Ethan's bones. His arms screamed in pain. Sparks burst in every direction.

The ground beneath them split apart. His knees almost gave in, but he stood firm. Blood rose in his throat, and he coughed it out.

The first clash pushed him back. Pain wracked his body, yet his eyes burned brighter. The fire in his heart roared wilder.

A strange sensation filled him. It was painful, but it was also thrilling. His heart pounded faster.

Adrenaline surged through his veins. The crimson aura around him blazed brighter.

He raised his sword again. His body trembled, but his spirit was unshaken.

His heart blazed like a burning torch.

He let out a roar that carried all his anger, his pain, and his unyielding will. The sound thundered across the battlefield, shaking even those who had lost hope.

"AHHHHHH!"

The Orc King roared bacl, and charged.

Their blades met again.

CLANG!

The ground shook. The air trembled. Sparks rained like falling stars.

But this time, Ethan did not step back.

Ethan stepped forward and swung his sword with terrifying strength.

BOOOOOM!

A deafening shockwave burst out. The ground split apart, stones cracked, and dust rose into the air. The force was so strong that the Orc King was pushed back. His eyes widened in surprise.

"Good!" the Orc King roared. "Fight me!"

With a furious growl, Ethan moved again and slashed. Their blades met.

CLANG!

Sparks burst out as steel clashed. The Orc King used the force of the rebound to spin his huge sword and hack at Ethan's side. His strike was heavy and fast, but Ethan's eyes were calm.

SLASH!

For a moment the Orc King did not understand what had happened. Then pain exploded in his body.

A deep cut spread across his torso, from which blood rushed out as he coughed and staggered.

"Whaaat!" he roared.

His furious eyes turned to Ethan. The man's whole body was glowing with crimson lightning. His aura flared like burning flames. The air itself felt heavy, pressing against the Orc King's chest.

"This… what is this?" the monster muttered in shock.

BANG!

Ethan slammed his greatsword into the ground. The earth cracked beneath it. His face was calm, his dull eyes looking almost lifeless, yet there was something terrifying in them that made the Orc King's body stiffen.

"It's over," Ethan said softly.

The Orc King's jaw tightened. "What did you say?"

"I said it's over. Any more than this is meaningless. I have already won."

The words struck the Orc King like a blade. His face twisted in rage. His voice thundered as he roared.

"Human! You dare to speak like that to me? I was born to test warriors! No one can defile my pride!"

His body shook with anger as he charged. His massive blade rose high and came down with all his might.

But Ethan did not move. He stood still with his eyes focused on the Orc King. The calmness in his face gave the monster an uneasy chill.

Before the blade could land, a crimson line flashed across it.

CRACK!

The giant sword broke apart in mid-swing. Then a piece of flesh slide down from his arms.

The Orc King froze, stunned, as the truth sank in. It was not only his blade.

His entire arm had been severed. Blood gushed like a river.

"AAARRGHHHHH!"

He roared looking at his shoulder that had been cleared.

The Orc King screamed in pain, his howl echoing through the dungeon. His voice shook the stone walls and made the mercenaries still alive cover their ears in dread.

Ethan stepped forward, his lips curling to a grim smile.

"Your scream," a cold voice erupted.

"I like to hear it.Your scream,I like the pain in your scream alas.."

The Orc King trembled as those words pierced his heart like ice. Fear crept into him. For the first time in his life, he felt it. He looked at Ethan and saw not a man, but a reaper standing before him.

"I will end this," Ethan said as he raised his greatsword.

The Orc King's body shook with rage and fear. He roared and lunged forward, determined to strike once more.

But Ethan had already lifted his sword high. Crimson light wrapped around it like flames. The ground rumbled under the weight of his aura.

His eyes stayed calm as he pressed his right foot on the ground and slammed his greatsword.

BOOOOOOM!

The air split apart as the sword released a massive arc of crimson energy. The ground tore open, splitting into two sides as a giant crevice spread across the battlefield. The shockwave burst like a thunderclap, shaking the entire dungeon.

The Orc King roared in despair as the attack reached him. His huge body was lit up in crimson light. The sword arc tore through him, cutting his flesh and bone.

His scream turned into silence as his body split apart.

The explosion threw dust and debris everywhere. Stones fell, the platform shattered, and even the throne of the Orc King broke into pieces.

When the chaos settled, silence filled the dungeon.

The ground was scarred and broken. A great crevice stretched across the room.

The Orc King's massive body lay in two halves, laid motionless.

The creature that had once ruled this place had finally met its end.

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