Chapter 24- Fetus Orc (Part 1)

What is fun? 

If you ask Arthur that question, his answer would be rather simple. 'Fun is whenever I can do whatever I want and I'm happy doing that.'

His definition was rather simple and based purely on his experience and what he felt was the right answer. However, the moment when he actually felt true fun could be counted on one hand. He quickly realized that being poor and parentless wasn't going to make life any easier for him.

He had heard countless kids complaining about their parents before and how they wished to live without them. However, he truly scoffed at that kind of mentality as those kids had no idea what living with no parents felt like. It was hard, humiliating, and a huge eye-opener.

He didn't understand how those kids didn't realize that their parents were their shield from a very harsh reality. Those same kids when they reach adulthood would always wish to come back to those simpler days where they didn't have to worry about anything and simply enjoyed their time as much as they wanted.

For him, fun was precisely that. Imagining himself as a kid with no responsibilities and simply doing whatever he wanted.

Weirdly enough, that exact feeling was now with Arthur, in a very unorthodox situation that many would've hated.

***

*ROAR* *BOOOOOM*

The orc settlement was in complete chaos. A dozen orcs rampaged through it violently without any restraint. Many of the huts were destroyed and the rest were barely holding on. Their anger was over the roof and their desire for blood reached a new height even they didn't know existed.

All of that was because of one single small boy. Their target kept running left and right like a slippery fish, jumping and dodging their attacks to the best of his ability. At the same time, bloody arrows flew at them from all angles, assaulting their bodies where they least expected.

Arthur was in a really tough spot. Many orcs were chasing him around the place without stopping. Luckily for him, there was enough room inside the settlement for him to run and hide whenever he could. At each opportunity he found, he would attack one of the orcs with his sword and claws.

However, even with his ability to run there was only so much he could do without taking damage. Due to several mistakes, Arthur ended up getting stuck and was captured by one orc.

The monster squeezed his body powerfully, chipping a good chunk of his health bar. However, Arthur was able to pierce its brain with his sword, killing it on the spot. Several other mistakes cost him a lot of his health bar.

There were also his mana and stamina, which were quickly running out. That naturally pushed Arthur to consume the potions he had in his inventory.

Several minutes passed as the battle grew more intense. Arthur was able to take down many orcs with his cheap methods of sneak attacks and running while the Orcs were able to deliver heavy damage to his body whenever they caught him.

"Hah… Hah… Dammit, I need a second to regenerate some stamina, guys!" Arthur heaved up and down as he jumped back, avoiding two large fists. The last three orcs glared at him with a strong gaze.

'Only three, huh? I guess I killed most of them. I didn't even think that was possible.' He thought to himself.

The boy thought facing a dozen orcs was going to be suicide. But, surprisingly, he was able to somehow take them down one by one. He knew that he was stronger than them and was still getting stronger with each kill. Every orc he killed would give him more experience points, more stat points, and even more levels for each skill he possessed.

He was evolving at an extremely rapid pace which helped him a lot in facing the rest of the orcs. Now, Arthur was considerably stronger than before, and yet he was at his end. He couldn't fight anymore as his stamina and mana were completely empty. Even his health bar was below half.

Holding his sword tiredly, he stared at the three orcs with a strong look. 'Well, I can only push myself at this point, it ain't going to be easy. But, I can do it.'

"What are you waiting for, idiots? Come at me. I will pluck your heads like flowers!" 

His words infuriated the orcs as they were about to rush toward him. However, at that moment, their fight was interrupted by a very loud screech. The noise reverberated through the entire place and even beyond it.

"What the…?!" Arthur squinted as he held his ears. The other orcs did the same too as they started groaning in pain.

At the same time, a silhouette emerged from within one of the huts. The creature was crawling on its arms and legs as if it couldn't even walk properly. Arthur frowned upon its sight. It was a very old orc, perhaps even older than the ones he had been fighting.

Its skin was so wrinkly and saggy that he couldn't even see its face properly. However, its considerably long hair and weaker build gave him a hint.

"Is that… a female?" He asked himself. The creature looked on the verge of dying as it screamed loudly. Its screech was so inhumane that he couldn't even listen to it.

*ROAR*

The other orcs roared and rushed toward the female with worried looks on their faces. The female stopped and flopped on her back, revealing her unusually gigantic belly. Veins coursed through her belly, a deep shade of blue.

The other orcs quickly surrounded the female as they tried to pick her up. However, she stopped them and simply laid there, not moving an inch. The other orcs seemed completely lost.

At that very moment, the female's belly started moving, or to be more precise, something within was starting to move. The boy could clearly see the belly distorting and changing in shape as if something was punching holes through it.

'What the hell is happening?' Arthur asked himself and yet he had no answer. 'Is she giving birth?!'

The abrupt realization made him even more shocked. "What kind of birth is th-"

*RIIIIIP*

Suddenly, the female's belly was torn open with a loud noise. Ignoring the creature's long howls of pain, a hand emerged from within, then a second one. The two hands moved around a few moments before they slowly grabbed the belly and ripped it apart as if it were a piece of paper.

Blood and guts exploded everywhere and then, under the horrified eyes, a creature stepped out, dripping with blood. As for the orc, she was already dead.

But, nobody really cared, as their eyes were completely focused on the creature that stepped out. It was tall, almost 6 feet and 4 inches tall. Very skinny, with pale green skin and long limbs. It had a sickly face and a massive jaw.

Its black eyes were hollow like the dark sky as it stared around it silently. The orcs were the first to snap out of their shock as they suddenly went down on their knees, not daring to stare at the abomination.

"..." Meanwhile, Arthur simply watched, not uttering a word. He had nothing he could say, and certainly no sarcastic joke to spout. The sight was simply that horrifying. But, unbeknownst to him, the terror had just started.

What he witnessed after was bound to become a core memory and a glimpse of the true Divine Realm… In it's nightmarish form.

[Ding!]

[Boss enemy detected!]

A//N: Hand me all your PS!