Charred trees loomed around Kazuma and Hajime, their blackened trunks groaning under the wind. Each gust stripped away more of the brittle wood, filling the air with ash. Behind them, the battlefield raged—human warriors clashing with goblins in a brutal, unrelenting melee. But in front of Hajime, blocking any path forward, stood twenty towering orcs.
Massive. Green. Muscles rippling under thick hide. Their snarls echoed like distant thunder.
Hajime froze, his pulse hammering.
Shit… there's too many. I can't go all out. Not here. Not now.
He gritted his teeth and tightened his grip on his sword, raising it shakily toward the advancing horde.
The orcs crept closer, their heavy footsteps shaking the ground.
Should I run?
Before fear could take him any further, Kazuma's voice cut through the tension like a blade.
"Hajime. We're taking them down." His voice was calm, steady. "Don't hold back. I'm giving you permission—go all out."
As if summoned by those words, one of the orcs roared and charged, several others close behind.
For a heartbeat, Hajime faltered. Then something inside him shifted.
If I don't hold back… I can take at least ten.
A nervous, determined grin formed on his trembling lips. Flashes of his old life invaded his mind—times when he was weak, afraid, always running.
Never again.
His gaze sharpened. Mana surged through his body, flooding into his sword. The metal vibrated, its edges warping as his magic reshaped it into a long, curved katana. Crude. Imperfect. But deadly.
He wasn't done.
Blue lightning flared around him like a storm barely contained.
[Rank 3 Spell: Bigger Boost][Rank 3 Spell: Heaven's Lightning]
The katana blazed with raw electricity, the lightning no longer wild but focused—coiled along the blade like a living serpent.
Ahead, Kazuma was already engaging the orcs.
I have to help him.
BOOM. BOOM. BOOM.
The ground quaked beneath the charge of an enormous orc barreling toward him, its guttural growl rattling Hajime's bones.
He moved.
In an instant, Hajime lunged forward—so fast the wind roared behind him. His blade, crackling with lightning, cleaved straight through the orc's chest in a blinding arc.
The monster dropped without a sound.
One down.
A second orc rushed from the left.
[Rank 2 Spell: Freeze]
Ice surged up from the ground, locking the orc's legs mid-stride. The beast toppled forward, legs shattering beneath its massive weight. Hajime darted in, his blade flashing.
The head split open, crimson mist spraying into the air.
Next!
Two orcs charged him at once.
Crap—two this time!
He raised his sword, gathering wind.
[Rank 1 Spell: Air Burst]
The blast launched him at the pair like a cannonball. Mid-air, he twisted, blade humming with deadly current. He slashed—but missed. The orc sidestepped at the last moment.
The counterattack was brutal. A massive fist connected squarely with Hajime's ribs.
CRACK.
"Ah—!"
He flew backward, smashing into the ground, rolling through ash and choking on dust. He skidded to a stop inches from a tree, barely managing to catch himself.
Shit… broken ribs.
Before he could breathe, both orcs were on him again.
[Rank 2 Spell: Pain Nullification]
Pain dulled, but his body still screamed in protest.
One orc lunged. Hajime ducked under its punch, the wind of the strike blasting past his head. He leapt upward in one smooth motion, severing the creature's arm in a single arc. Blood sprayed across his face, blinding him.
Ugh. Disgusting.
Mid-air, he spun using air magic to realign.
[Rank 1 Spell: Air Burst]
The compressed air rocketed him forward again. His blade struck down like a bolt of lightning, splitting the orc cleanly.
But before he could react, the second orc was already upon him, fist pulled back for a lethal strike.
No choice.
[Rank 3 Spell: Condensed Explosion][Rank 3 Spell: Blast Protection]
The world erupted.
BOOOOOM!
The shockwave hurled Hajime like a ragdoll. He slammed into the dirt, wheezing for breath, ears ringing.
"Gahh—!"
Breathe. Just breathe. Get up…
He forced his eyes open, coughing, and saw only scorched earth where the orc once stood.
"Not even ashes left," Hajime muttered between gasps. "Remind me never to use that on a person."
The crater still steamed. His body shook. Even with Pain Nullification, his muscles refused to obey.
THUMP. THUMP. THUMP.
The ground vibrated. Another orc was closing in—fast.
Hajime tried to move but his limbs wouldn't respond.
Damn it! I can't move. My body's hit its limit.
His breath hitched. Desperation crept in.
The orc's roar grew louder.
Is this it?
The world slowed. He could see the massive fist already swinging, about to crush him. His mind went blank—no spells, no escape.
Suddenly—
BAM!
A shadow landed between him and the orc, a massive axe slicing through the air with brutal precision.
The orc's roar cut off in an instant as its head flew from its shoulders.
Hajime blinked, wide-eyed, gasping.
Someone stood over him—an imposing figure wielding a monstrous axe.