Relying on his exceptional vision, thanks to his unique eyes, Nero sidestepped at the last moment, slashing at the orc's upper body while under the temporary boost of his physical strength. The cut wasn't deep, but it was enough to make the orc pause. Seizing the opportunity, Nero followed up with a double slash, creating a cross-shaped wound on the monster's torso. Blood gushed forth, and the creature cried out in anguish.
"Guh!"
Nero jumped backward and rolled on the ground. His aim was to sever the monster's tendons. Although humanoid monsters were stronger and different from humans, they did share some similarities; for instance, the locations of certain organs were the same for both. Right now, Nero was targeting the orc's tendons, knowing that by cutting them, he could hinder the monster's movement, allowing him to inflict more damage. Orcs were notorious for their annoying ability called Regeneration. While not as exceptional as that of an Ogre or Cyclops, it was still bothersome.
To begin with, an orc's hide was extremely tough, making it difficult to cut. Combined with its regenerative abilities, it presented a significant challenge. Nero noted that the orc's first wound had nearly healed; if it weren't for the cross-shaped gash he had created, the previous injury might have already mended.
However, just as he was about to sever the first tendon, the orc spoke.
[Human cunning!]
The monster immediately raised its right foot and stomped it hard on the ground.
Boom!
A tremendous shockwave erupted, and Nero was sent flying, completely caught off guard by the sudden attack.
The orc quickly followed up by breaking a medium-length tree in half.
Bang! Crack!
Picking up the broken tree, he transformed it into a makeshift club. After weighing it in his hands, the orc nodded in satisfaction and shot forward like an arrow, closing the five-meter distance in an instant.
Arriving before Nero, who was still feeling dizzy, the orc brought down his club.
Nero felt a chill run down his spine. In desperation, he rolled twice to the right, narrowly avoiding the club.
Boom!
The shockwave from the club's impact with the ground dealt him some damage, sending tree splinters flying that cut across his cheeks, a burning sensation spreading as blood trickled down his face.
He had no time to dwell on the pain, though, as another attack was already coming his way. He jumped backward to evade it, but to his horror, it was a feint, not a real strike.
Upon seeing the wolfish grin on the brutish creature, he realized he had been tricked.
The orc had feigned an attack, knowing Nero would jump back, allowing the real blow to come in the form of a whistling strike.
Hastily, Nero crossed his arms, positioning his sword downward as he remained in the Second Gear state. His focus sharpened; he wished for his eyes to help him. Then he saw those lines again—time seemed to slow down. He carefully observed the lines, realizing he needed to place his body in the brighter trajectory, which he did, this way the damage wouldn't be to severe.
Finally, the club whistled through the air and collided with his body.
Bang! Swoosh!
Nero was violently sent flying, crashing back-first into a large tree.
"Gah!"
He grunted in pain before vomiting a mouthful of blood that stained his clothes red. One of his arms was broken at an awkward angle, and the other was similarly injured, with numerous splinters piercing through. He was engulfed in immense pain, his vision blurred. The duration of his skill was almost over, leaving him with mere seconds at best. Blood dripped from his forehead into his eyes, and his back felt like it had been hit by a truck. He couldn't stand, his body in a wretched state. He attempted to lift his upper body several times, only to fail miserably. Finally, his head fell to the ground, leaving him unmoving, as if he had lost consciousness.
The orc dragged his club along the ground as he slowly approached the fallen human. This human was the first to injure him so severely in quite a while. If the man could use that strange power they called the blessing of law, things could have been much more dangerous. Nevertheless, in the end, the orc was the victor.
He stopped in front of Nero, who lay in a puddle of blood, his body twitching weakly. The monster's grin widened, nearly splitting his face as he glanced at the cross-shaped wound on his torso, which showed no signs of healing. He thought it would become his trophy—a scar to remember for a long time.
Lost in his thoughts of victory, the orc forgot something crucial: despite being in such a dire state, the young man never let go of the sword in his hand.
Drunk on his triumph, he had become unguarded, failing to remember how cunning humans could be—even when himself had acknowledged this earlier. After all, he was a monster with limited intelligence.
Just as the orc let his guard down and leaned in to crush Nero's head, the young man, who had shown no signs of activity, suddenly lunged forward like a cornered beast.
"Second Gear!"
Using the last ounce of strength he had, he shot forward, sword thrusting out in front of him. With everything he had left, he pierced the sword into the orc's chest, driving it through the cross wound and straight for the heart.
Puchi!
The orc was caught completely off guard, unable to react as the sword pierced through his heart. He felt life slowly draining from his eyes, his last thought being that humans were indeed cunning.
Plop!
The giant body began to fall forward, but Nero had no strength left to move. He slumped weakly to the ground, the orc's lifeless form collapsing on top of him, burying him beneath it.
Boom!
Nero momentarily lost consciousness.