Part 3

Takagi staggered backward, collapsing to the ground, retching uncontrollably.

"His blows... they're excruciating," Takagi thought, writhing in agony.

"In this world, people fight in various ways... some with swords, maces, bows..." Bruger stated, advancing slowly towards Takagi. "...daggers, and even magic. However, I choose to fight like this." Bruger raised his arms, clenching his fists. With a swift motion, he delivered a powerful right hook to Takagi's face, sending him crashing to the ground.

"In this world teeming with magic, can you believe it? I, a man as prestigious as myself, choose to fight with my bare hands. But don't mistake this..." Bruger continued, mercilessly pummeling Takagi with his fists, showcasing his immense strength. "...for a weakness. My fists are as strong as a club and hard as stone. My speed can outmaneuver any magic projectile. My agility allows me to fool even the most skilled swordsmen, especially those wielding spears." Bruger then delivered a forceful kick to Takagi's stomach, sending him sprawling several meters away.

Takagi's body was covered in bruises, his face streaked with blood. Struggling to rise, he attempted to lift his head weakly, spitting out blood.

"No point in trying to stand. I must say, I'm disappointed that you were the one sent to test me. Was it a joke? Or were you deceiving me? It seems improbable that you could fabricate such a tale with such conviction. Doesn't matter, this duel ended much sooner than I expected; all I had to do was pummel you into submission, you wretched elf. Consider yourself fortunate that there aren't more witnesses to this spectacle—it would have been a potent tool to sow fear among the masses." Bruger grabbed Takagi's turban, lifting his head with a sneer.

Takagi lay unconscious, blood dripping from his open mouth, his face battered and bruised. Despite his state, Bruger showed no mercy. He continued to rain down punches on Takagi's defenseless form, flipping him over so that his face was exposed to the sky. Grasping Takagi's shirt, Bruger lifted him and delivered more brutal blows, causing Takagi's head to bounce off the ground repeatedly. Bruger's excitement was palpable, his actions so savage that even the guards, who were turned away, felt a sense of unease. He laughed maniacally, relishing in the violence, using Takagi's head to crack the floor.

"Your nose is broken, but I'll break it some more!" Bruger bellowed, consumed by his thirst for brutality. Had it been a normal man, their face would have been unrecognizably mangled.

Meanwhile, a coin pouch jingled in the air, its contents untouched. It rose and fell, landing in a hand that tossed it back up.

"It's a pity the orc bartender had nothing useful to share. Another city terrorized by that man. Quite peculiar, don't you think? We must report all this to the Great Ruler," the male elf declared.

"Who cares about these orcs? Our priority is finding the horned elf the Great One sent us to locate," the female elf retorted, raising her arms and reaching behind her head.

As the two elves strolled down the deserted street, the male elf paused in his coin-tossing and turned to face the female elf.

"Are you certain those guards came this way? It's eerily quiet here. No souls stirring, no whispers in the air, not even a hint of fear lingering in the corners. Did the people flee something?"

"Who can say, but I'm confident they passed through here," the female elf replied, her tone resolute.

Pressing onward with an air of indifference, the two elves moved with an unconcealed assurance and walk that suggested they were of royalty or great importance.

"Wait... there are three up ahead. My 'Sense Fear' skill detected them," the male elf muttered in a serious tone.

"If they're here, they must be cowering in fear, which means we're nearing something interesting," the female elf remarked with a grin. She darted forward, abruptly turning to beckon the male elf. "Hurry up, slowpoke! We can't afford to miss out on any excitement!" With a loud clatter of her boots, she set off at a slow speed, one matching her class specialty in magic and not speed.

"Ugh, running in this armor drains my stamina too quickly!" the male elf grumbled as he quickened his stride to keep up.

"Shelur, I hear the sound of armor nearby! What should we do?" Hanz's voice trembled with fear.

"Shh!" Shelur silenced him, her voice low and urgent. "I hear it too, but they seem to be heading towards the center. I doubt they're aware we're up here."

"Hanz... I... I think we should help Takagi." She shifted. "I can't bear to witness this any longer," Shelur's voice filled with anguish. She closed her eyes, pressing her palms against them.

Shelur had witnessed Takagi's brutal beating, his face being pounded while his head bounced off the unforgiving stone ground. She had fought back tears earlier, but now, she was consumed with anger at her powerlessness, torn between fleeing to the safety of the forest or remaining hidden and idle.

"No, don't you see? Maybe Takagi knew his chances were slim, so he sacrificed himself for our survival," Hanz countered, trying to reason with Shelur. Despite his reluctance to leave Takagi, Hanz, a mere inexperienced boy, recognized that they stood no chance against Bruger, not alone at least.

"We should run while they're occupied with Takagi. Once we're out of the city, we can return with reinforcements from the forest," Hanz suggested, his voice tinged with resignation and respect for Takagi's possible sacrifice.

"No, we can't abandon him," Shelur objected firmly.

Hanz lowered his gaze, acknowledging Shelur's valid point. However, he felt compelled to stand firm on his decision, unwilling to render Takagi's sacrifice in vain.

"Shelur, we must go. It's our only option," he insisted.

"My father won't intervene. He fled because every time he tried to confront Bruger, innocent lives were lost," Shelur explained, her voice tinged with sorrow and frustration.

"Look down there. Bruger won't stop at those he's already killed," Hanz pointed out, gripping Shelur's shoulders. "You mentioned that boy down there was in danger. We can't possibly endanger their lives more. Plus we would also put the life of Muk in danger if we stay." Despite his brave facade, Hanz's fear of abandoning Takagi gnawed at him.

Shelur took a deep breath, realizing Hanz was trying to bring her back to reality. They were powerless against Bruger and could only improve their odds by returning to the safety of the forest. She glanced at Muk, who remained scared but silently hoped they would leave.

Nodding in agreement with Hanz, Shelur swiftly grabbed her bow and rose from the ground. "Then we shouldn't waste any time. Let's go."

Hanz smiled, rising to his feet, ready for their next move. Together, they prepared to leave, knowing they had to flee to the forest to ensure their survival.

Hanz and Muk ventured into the streets, their presence unlikely to arouse suspicion among the guards, who would never suspect two boys as infiltrators. Meanwhile, Shelur navigated the rooftops, using the window in the tall building they had hidden in to access them. With her bow at the ready, she followed behind Hanz and Muk, who held hands as they jogged through the streets toward the city's edge. The orc city's roofs provided enough cover for Shelur to avoid detection.

"Hey, you two! Hold on, where are you coming from?" a guard called out as he turned a corner onto the street Hanz and Muk were running through.

"Um, we heard there was trouble, so we got scared," Hanz replied, his voice shaky.

Although Hanz and Muk's presence didn't immediately alarm the guard, his instincts urged him to draw his blade.

"Listen, this place has been deserted for a while, and you're telling me you two magically didn't flee with the rest of the horde? I'm calling bullshit," the guard said, advancing toward them.

Before the guard could get any closer, an arrow pierced through his light armor, striking his stomach. He dropped his sword and fell to the ground. Hanz turned to see Shelur nodding from a distance on the rooftop, her bow still in hand.

"Let's go, Muk," Hanz said, redirecting their attention and urging them to move forward.

—

Bruger's fury intensified, despite having expended much of his stamina from relentlessly pummeling Takagi.

"You're a mockery, all you elves with your fancy magic and nonsense. You haven't even attempted to use magic, perhaps you underestimated me, but it doesn't matter. When it comes to sheer strength, an orc will always triumph over an elf, you fool," Bruger bellowed, his once-neatly combed hair now a mess.

Bruger rose from his assault and ran his right hand through his hair, attempting to restore some order to his appearance. Despite the absence of onlookers, his sense of self-importance prevented him from appearing unkempt. Throughout his exchange with Takagi, Bruger lamented not using a more refined grammar, befitting of royalty. He glanced around, ensuring no prying eyes or ears were nearby, apart from his men and General Okurnion.

Takagi lay unconscious on the stone floor, his face bearing the imprint of Bruger's vicious assault. His eyes were completely white, his face obscured by blood and tears, rendering him unrecognizable. Surprisingly, his turban remained perched atop his head.

"Well done, Bruger," Okurnion remarked with a smirk. "Shall I finish him?" He drew his sword, poised to strike at Takagi's neck at Bruger's command.

"No. I'll do it myself. Hand me your sword," Bruger ordered, taking Okurnion's heavy blade. Gripping it tightly, he raised it high, the sunlight glinting off the finely honed edge.