The Dance of the Black Axe

USING THEIR CONFUSION and the cover of the dust, we broke in

toward the orcs' right flank.

I wasn't about to let Myne take the orcs all by herself. I dove into the

squadron with my sword held in a middle guard, protecting my chest. That

way, it was poised to deflect missiles. The orcs would have a hard time

using distance attacks without risking deadly friendly fire. If they really

were as smart as humans, they'd know better than to take that risk.

As I expected, the back-line orcs tried to retreat, while those wielding

swords and spears attempted to block my path. Compared to Aaron, though,

the orcs were no more worthy opponents than a gaggle of babies. I didn't

stop for an instant. Black sword in hand, I took down thirty orcs in seconds.

Gluttony skill activated. Total stat increase: Vitality +156,800,

Strength +153,600, Magic +121,600, Spirit +128,000, Agility +121,600.

New skills added: Spear Technique, Magic Boost (Low), Magic Boost

(Medium), Spirit Boost (Low).

I got fewer skills from the orcs than I expected, probably because

they carried a bunch I already had. All the same, in terms of stats, they were

quite delicious. Each orc had around four thousand stat points across the

board.

Gluttony was blissful as it savored the new dish I'd just fed it. This

was completely different from my goblin hunts. In the grasslands, all

Gluttony had seemed to do was grumble and moan about the low-quality

trash I guzzled down. Considering the souls of orcs were a few hundred

times more nourishing, stat-wise, that made sense. I would keep Gluttony

happily full of these orcs, preparing for the fearsome enemy we were out

here to slay.

The black sword snapped right and left and right again as I worked

tirelessly, slaughtering the orcs around me without hesitation. The metallic

voice rang in my head as I finished off victim number seventy. We'd

estimated a total of two hundred in the squadron, so if we shared them

evenly between us, then I needed another thirty or so to make my quota.

How is Myne doing, anyway? I thought, as quivering pieces of

chopped orc rained down around me. Unless Galia was prone to weird

weather that included showers of gore, the carnage could only mean one

thing.

I glanced over at where Myne stood. She was fighting in a style I

recognized from the last time I'd seen it, using the same move she had used

to launch that holy knight into the sky and far, far away. With each swing of

her black axe, she sent another orc flying into the distance to its death. It

was a showy technique, with big, bold movements, but efficient. Not a

wasted action among her strikes. With as little motion as was required, she

sent orc after orc to its doom, her movements as smooth and flowing as a

dancer's. It was tremendously pleasing to watch.

I wonder if I can do that?

I tried to mimic her movements myself, but I was met by Greed's

raucous laughter. "Goodness gracious, Fate. You're the worst dancer I've

ever seen! And, boy, let me tell you—I've been around for a while!"

"Shut up, Greed. I think it's more like this…"

"Oh, no. You are horrible. Simply awful. Didn't Aaron already teach

you how to fight? Myne was born with her talents. They're hardwired into

her. You can copy her all you want, but you'll never master her art."

Natural-born talents. That sounded so cool. I wanted one too! But if

that strength and grace really were things she'd been born with, then they

were clearly out of my reach.

I continued watching Myne as I sliced through the orcs attacking me.

There was something else about the way she fought—something instinctual.

It was as though she didn't think about her movements at all, her body

acting on its own before she became aware of the reason. With enough

experience fighting in Galia, that seemed like an ability I could develop too.

Watching other adventurers, I realized, was a bountiful resource all its own.

Myne noticed my gaze, and a hint of a smile crossed her face before

she launched an orc straight at me. Its corpse almost collided with me. I got

the message loud and clear, though. Stop gawking, and take care of your

own share already!

All right, all right, I'm fighting, I'm fighting, I thought. It's okay just

to take a short glance, isn't it?

Despite Myne's warning, I tried to keep an eye on her. After all, this

was my first time really seeing her in battle. I wanted to learn as much as I

could.

That is, until she launched another three orcs at me. I decided maybe

it was better to focus on my own side before she launched the next ten. Ten

would be pushing it.

We took down the remaining orcs in a frenzy of blood. They fell one

after another, their final words little more than ugly death snorts. All that

remained was the final blue-skinned orc in charge of the squadron.

I could already hear the monster's goodbye snort as I analyzed it with

Identify.

High Orc Leader, Lv 45

Vitality: 203,400

Strength: 217,500

Magic: 175,300

Spirit: 154,300

Agility: 168,400

Skills: Strength Overload, Strength Boost (High), Vitality Boost

(High)

This high orc was quite the tasty stat treat. It wasn't a crowned beast,

but if these kinds of stats were common among monsters in Galia, then

everything I'd heard was true. The monsters of Galia were truly a rank

above anything outside the region.

I was curious about Strength Overload, so I used Identify to learn

more.

Strength Overload: Doubles the user's Strength stat for a set period

of time. After use, Strength stat drops to ten percent of its total. Recovery

takes one day.

Huh. A stat-boosting skill. Doubling my strength could really come in

handy, too. Still, the danger of leaving my strength at a measly ten percent

for a whole day made it risky. With that in mind, Strength Overload would

be like an ace up my sleeve—something useful for getting me out of a

pinch. I'd enjoy making the skill my own, and I intended to feast upon the

high orc leader, who seemed just as ready to fight to the death.

As I finished sizing the monster up, it erupted into a death snort.

Myne jumped in from the side and launched the beast far into the distance.

However you sliced it, that orc was dead on impact.

"Hey!" I shouted. "That monster was mine! Damn it. I was really

looking forward to getting Strength Overload…"

"You'll find orcs all over Galia. Just kill another one. But if you ask

me, Strength Overload is a trash skill anyway."

"But it literally doubles your strength!"

"And look at the risk you have to take for it. Like I said: Trash.

Skill."

Is she really saying that about a skill that doubles your strength? I

couldn't believe it.

I was still fuming as Myne sighed, dropped her axe, and flopped

down to take a break. The axe hit the ground with a deafening roar, sinking

into the surrounding earth and caving it in to make a small crater around

her.

What the hell?! Just how heavy is that axe, anyway?!

I knew the black axe could change weight, but I had never expected

its mass could grow to such a crazy extent. I watched in disbelief as Myne

gently patted and whispered to her weapon. "You did a great job, Sloth. A

really great job. Keep it up."

Keep it up? Does she mean…get heavier? That has to be what she's

talking about.

Myne pointed to the spot next to her. "Fate, sit. Rest. Quickly now."

"But I'm not even tired," I said.

"After a battle, you always rest. This is important!"

"Hey, wha…ouch!"

Myne gripped my hand and pulled me to the ground next to her.

"You're always so forceful," I grumbled, rubbing my hand.

"Thank you. It's nothing, really."

"It wasn't a compliment!"

"Oh? What a pity."

"Do you even really mean that?!"

"Not really."

There it was, the vague, awkward personality I'd grown used to. We

sat on the ground and, for a time, stared up at the stars together. We had

nothing else to talk about, so we listened to the night insects chirp as the orc

blood cooled around us. When she had rested long enough, Myne stood and

pulled her black axe from the small crater it had created.

Just how much farther does she intend for us to walk? I wondered.

"Not much farther now," Myne said as if reading my mind. "Well,

assuming it hasn't moved."

"It…?" I asked.

"It is what it is."

What?! That isn't an answer! Surely the black sword can help me out,

I thought. "Hey, Greed, what's this 'it' Myne's talking about?"

Greed grunted. "It is what it is."

Damn it, not you too! Both of you, stop playing around, and give me

an honest answer!

I'd just have to walk on to see it for myself. Thus, we continued

deeper and deeper into the wilds of Galia.