The Endless Horde Pt.1

[The horde never falters, with even defeat being nothing more than an excuse to begin a new page]

'So the system's decided to be a riddler now?'

Nick tightened his grip on his sword as he watched the second skull light up–orcs.

[27 Orcs summoned; Classification: Greater]

[8 Orcish Berserkers summoned; HP 75/75] 

[10 Orcish Tankers summoned; HP 120/120] 

[9 Orcish Shamans summoned; HP 60/60] 

An aura exploded across the battlefield that far exceeded anything the elves could have ever hoped to emit. Nature itself cried against the impending bloodlust of the war machines. The air cracked with an intensity that could only be found when 2 races were fighting to the point of extinction. Even reality was tearing itself apart at the seams.

Nick stood amidst the chaos concerned with nothing more than the experience these warriors would give him.

'The Fallen gave me 100 experience each. If I get the same amount from these warriors, that's 2,700 experience. Almost enough for 2 levels, huh.'

In a burst of chaotic energy, the orcs charged at the Emperor, the King of the Cosmos, the Progenitor of Destruction. Their howls tore through the air as each of them was eager to be the one to deal the killing blow.

[Emperor's Slash]

[D-Rank Orcish Berserker, Classification: Greater defeated]

[Experience Gained: 100]

[Leve-

Nick's sword clanged as he blocked an overhead strike from an Orc's battle axe. At the same time, Nick shoved another incoming attacker to the side.

His attack had cleanly decapitated its first target, sending its head flying and blood squirting out of its neck. However, the rest of the Orcs were far too erratic in their charge. Despite their recklessness, they had created so much distance between each other it rendered his perk nigh obsolete.

Nick pushed the axe off him, rolled, and grabbed another Orc Berserker by its shoulder blade, digging his hand into its skin and almost ripping the bone at its joint.

His initial target was the Orcs head, but he was far too short to reach it.

The Orc howled in pain as it flung its arms in desperation but its comrade shut it up with his axe. Its mouth was still wide open as it rolled across the battlefield of the dead–its final resting place.

His enemies gave Nick no time to rejoice. The fact that 3 enemies were dead was meaningless when 24 enemies were left.

War cries rang through the battlefield as the Tankers and Berserkers charged with axes high.

The tankers were giant even by Orc standards, towering at 9 feet tall. Each of them was equipped with a giant double-bladed axe stained with the blood of a million battles.

The Berserkers were far smaller at 7 feet tall and carried 2 smaller war axes with the fury of a rabid monster.

He couldn't see any shaman joining the fray for now, but he figured they probably filled the healing role for the Orcs. Smiling, he waited for the Orcs to leave their backside completely unprotected.

Their errant bloodlust made them ferocious and unpredictable, but it also meant they were far more offensively inclined. Unlike the elves who stayed in formation, the orcs charged wildly from every direction with little care for anything besides hacking flesh into little pieces.

The circle of war closed tighter and tighter but Nick still didn't raise his weapon in defense. Instead, he bent at the knees, preparing to leap.

When he could see the pitch-black eyes of the Berserker, he knew it was time. Leaping with such force that whatever counted as a frontline for the orcs staggered, Nick jumped high and fast, quickly spotting the group of shamans.

These orcs were far more calm and collected, staying together tightly knit as they waved long wooden staffs, clearly incanting some kind of magic. Nick figured it would be hard for them to do that if they lost their heads.

His [Fang of Finality] sliced through their ranks the second he landed. Taking his time so he could do the most AoE damage with [Emperor's Slash] Nick deliberately held back his strength.

To his surprise, he didn't even need to do that. He created 3 deep gashes in the Shaman's torso, dealing enough damage to drop it to 10 health.

This was enough to deal 36 damage to the other Shamans, dropping their health to 24. To his surprise though, they healed their comrade, thinking that would do anything.

The orc laughed as its wounds began closing. Nick returned the laugh with one of his own before slashing its head off.

[Emperor's Slash]

Laughter still rang throughout the battlefield as the orc didn't realize that it had died killing its healers. Nick was already shifting his attention back to the main course–10 Tankers and 5 Berserkers.

Seeing their entire legion of Shamans had been killed, 3 of the Berserkers roared at their comrades, waving their axes in the air toward Nick. A clear designation of war.

In a flash Nick zipped through the air, slicing each of their heads off with one strike. The resounding aftermath of an [Emperor's Slash] killed 2 Tankers as well. A clear declaration of victory.

Nick and his Fang zipped through the orcs, using his superior Dexterity and smaller size to evade strikes as he stabbed and sliced through their ranks.

[3 Orcish Berserkers defeated]

[2 Orcish Tankers defeated]

2 Berserkers roared in rage as he ripped their bellies open, spilling their guts. The second flung his axe at Nick's ankle. He had thought that he had cleanly killed them, but his [Farseeing Eyes] showed the danger just before it would have ended his crusade.

Jumping in the air and turning at the same time, Nick extended his arm and sliced off the Berserker's head, leaving him alone with 8 Tankers.

This gave the other Orcs an opening that they quickly took. Even though they were slower due to carrying such heavy axes, they still bounded through the field at incredible speeds due to their bloodlust.

Their axes bounced off the ground as they ran, kicking up mounds of dead dirt and old skeletons. Nick knew just by looking at the axe he would not be able to block its strike.

Instead, he'd have to dodge their strikes and then stab them whenever he found an opening. In order to do that, he'd have to be patient against their furious frenzy. When they struck carelessly with great strength, he'd have to attack precisely with great care.

Otherwise, he would quickly become a red mist.

Nick barely dodged in time when the first axe flew through the air, but because of its heavy strike, the axe was stuck in the ground. He didn't press that advantage as he knew another axe was approaching his head from behind him.

Instead, he ducked and stabbed his sword through the other Orc's chest as he fell with his blow. The Orc's axe found itself embedded into its comrade's head.

2 down, 6 to go.

'After I push your fat ass off me.'

Seeing that he was under the weight of the fallen Tanker, the other 6 orcs quickly took their chance, attacking the corpse in hopes they were damaging the king underneath.

He was unscathed though he was beginning to feel the pressure. Putting it aside, he timed the length of their strikes.

1 second. That's how long I have between each strike to make my move.

With every strike, they were tearing away more and more of the corpse's weight. Soon, Nick knew he'd be able to easily jump from his position.

A slash and another. Flesh tore as the Orcs maimed their comrade in a desperate bid.

Then Nick denied them.

He thrust his arm through the Orc's torso, which was weakened by its comrades, and then the rest of his body followed soon after.

The Orcs were still raising their arms to prepare another strike, unable to defend themselves as Nick disarmed all of them at once.

12 arms littered the battlefield, followed quickly by 6 heads.

Only the Emperor, the King of the Cosmos remained.

Ethos, Apostle of the Remembered, began to feel fear.