Ethan's vision cleared slowly, and his ears stopped ringing. The hall's chaos slammed into him like a wave. The post still dug into his back, and the chains rattled with every ragged breath.

The good thing was, the Cromwell heir was still alive, and not burned to a crisp in an Orc sacrifice. Smoke lingered from the doused pyre, stinging his eyes and throat.

Around him, Orcs clashed with Beatrix and Athena. The witch's fireballs lit up the cavern like bursts of sunlight, while the warrior's sword swung in limb-chopping arcs.

Bodies hit the floor in succession, all of them luckily being Orcs. With thuds, grunts, and screams, they succumbed to his teammates' abilities.

Ethan let his palpitating heart calm down and tugged at the chains. His wrists were raw, chafed, and bloody. Mustering some energy, the boy spoke over the din in a croaky voice. "Beatrix! Athena! What are you doing here? What do you gain from fighting for me?"

Beatrix glanced back mid-spell, her silver hair whipping wildly as she hurled a flame. Her target, a ferocious female Orc, dropped her shield and screamed as her arm was set ablaze.

"Why not, Count Cromwell? Did you think we'd just leave you to roast like a pig on a spit! We made a promise to your mother to protect you, and you aren't the selfish heir we thought you were. Anyway, trust me, once we're out, we're dragging your ass back and spanking you senseless. You've been nothing but trouble, boy. You're always acting like a chicken walking into a butcher shop!"

Athena cleaved through an attacker with a gleeful grin. She enjoyed violence, apparently. Her blade bit deep into the Orc's shoulder with a wet crunch. "Yeah! We can't let you die stupid after all we've put up with!"

Ethan blinked through the smoke, the words sinking in despite the fight's roar. Even though the girls meant well, his perverted thoughts twisted into something else entirely.

A sly grin tugged at his lips despite the pain throbbing in his ribs. "I will allow you to pull my royal pants down and spank me. I'm sure one rough thing will lead to another, and we'll have a good time."

Beatrix snorted, dodging a wild club swing that cracked the stone where she'd stood. "Pervert! Even chained up, you're thinking only lewd things! Shut up and stay put. We're busy saving your ungrateful hide!"

The witch waved her hand sharply. A stalactite broke from the roof and, in its downward path, broke into pieces, landing on Ethan. The chains around his wrists and ankles shattered with a metallic pop, falling away in frozen pieces.

Athena kicked an Orc back, sending him sprawling into two others. "There! You're free now! Run if you can, Countling! We'll cover for you!"

Ethan staggered to his feet, rubbing his raw wrists. The circulation returned with pins and needles. He hoped his dick wasn't dead.

The hall spun for a moment. His HP was still low, the system's warnings flashing faintly in his mind. Emboldened by Athena and Beatrix's help, hope was rekindled. He could actually survive this.

However, that was wishful thinking. More ivory Orcs poured in from side tunnels. They were reinforcements, fresh and furious, braying battle calls to fight to the death. "For the Queen! For the Queen!"

They pushed the trio back toward the post, their crowd closing in like a living wall. "For the queen!"

Beatrix hurled another fireball at the Orcs, but it fizzled weaker than before. Ethan figured she must have used up most of her MP. She was exhausted, the little witch breathing in gasps.

Athena blocked a heavy joint strike from three Orcs. The force drove her to one knee with a grunt. Her sword arms, already bruised and bleeding, trembled under the pressure.

"It's heroic of you two to come back," Ethan shouted over the din. "But at this rate, we're all going to die here!"

Beatrix nodded grimly. "Yeah. These bastards keep coming like roaches from the cracks! We need an escape, but that seems impossible when we are surrounded!"

Ethan scanned the hall desperately, spotting a side tunnel partially blocked by debris. But Orcs swarmed it. His MP was zero, and his skills were offline. "Do you have any food?" he asked the girls with a dumb expression.

Beatrix rolled her eyes, twisting away from a club that shattered a nearby crate. "Not the time to whine like a hungry child, brat! We're fighting for our lives here!"

However, Athena understood what Ethan was looking for. "Here! Catch!" She fumbled at her belt with one hand, tossed two small vials from a pouch. One was reddish brown, the other a purplish blue. They clinked against the stone near Ethan's feet, rolling slightly before he snatched them up.

The boy uncorked the red first—[Health Potion]—downing it in one gulp. It tasted like bitter berries mixed with iron. However, a warmth spread through his veins as the fatal wounds knit closed.

The blue—[Mana Potion]—was like cool mint washing down his throat, MP flooded in like a dam breaking.

[MP: 30/160]

The system came online as Ethan's mental clarity returned. "Thanks! Now let me handle this!"

The Orcs closed in tighter, turning into a wall of spears and snarls. "Ghost Hands!" Ethan invoked in his mind, making the skill surge to life.

Invisible forces erupted from him like a storm, slamming into the front rank of Orcs with crushing power. Spears flew from grips, bodies hurled aside as if by an unseen giant hand. It was like Moses parting the sea.

Within seconds, a brutal tunnel was carved through the Orcish crowd. Their screams rang out, along with the cracking of ribs and twisting of limbs.

Ethan's phantom arms were crushed and tossed, clearing a path to the side tunnel. It wouldn't last long. They had only thirty seconds.

"Go! Through there! Now!" he yelled, Beatrix, although stumped by the miracle unfolding before them, dashed through. Athena grabbed Ethan's arm, pulling him along. "Move, princeling! Not leaving you behind again!"

They sprinted into the tunnel, seconds before the Ghost Hands faded behind them. The Orcs, now free from the magical grip, roared in pursuit, their footsteps thundering like quakes. However, the trio had gained distance, bursting out into the cool night air.

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