I rushed forward, my eyes locked onto the four [Blazing Orcs] ahead.
Each one towered over me, their massive bodies glowing red from the molten energy flowing within.
In their hands, they gripped rocky, spiked clubs brutal weapons meant to crush anything in their path.
The first orc roared and swung its club down toward me.
Instead of dodging, I raised my forearm and caught the brunt of the strike. A heavy shockwave rippled through my body, the force pressing me down slightly, but I held firm.
My muscles burned, but I didn't break my stance. The orc's molten eyes widened slightly surprised that I didn't crumble under its strength.
Before I could counter, another orc lunged from the side, swinging its weapon toward my ribs. I shifted just enough to absorb the blow with my other arm. The impact sent me skidding across the ground.
I clenched my fists, eyes narrowing.
These Orcs weren't just mindless brutes. They were fast, their attacks refined, their footwork sharp. They weren't just relying on brute strength, they fought with skill.
A grin spread across my face.
This was going to be fun.
The Orc lunged at me raising its club high.
I sidestepped, feeling the rush of air as the weapon smashed into the ground, sending molten rock spraying everywhere.
Before it could lift its weapon again, I exploded forward, my fist driving straight into its chest.
The impact caved in its ribs and sent cracks spreading across its molten skin. It barely had time to gasp before its body shattered, chunks of hardened rock and magma scattering across the battlefield.
I snatched its club from the ground. It was heavy, but in my hands, it felt just right. My fingers tightened around the rough stone grip.
The remaining three Orcs snarled, stepping forward in unison.
The closest one lifted its club high, but I moved first.
With a burst of speed, I swung my stolen weapon sideways, the sheer force behind it smashing through the orc's waist. Its body split in half, magma spilling onto the ground like blood.
I spun, shifting my grip, and lunged at the next orc. It tried to block with its weapon, but I twisted mid-air and brought the club crashing down on its head.
The impact split its skull open, magma spraying from the cracks before its body collapsed into a heap of molten rock.
I looked at the last orc.
I shot forward, gripping the club with both hands, and swung upward. The jagged spikes slammed into the orc's chin, snapping its head back violently.
Its molten veins pulsed one last time before its body fractured from the force, breaking apart in a shower of fiery debris.
I exhaled, tossing the club aside.
My heart thrummed with Essence, and my body was heating up nicely.
I was getting into the rhythm, but this wasn't enough. I needed stronger enemies, not these level 10s and 11s.
I wanted the real threats—the kind that would push me to my limits, force me to dig deeper.
I scanned the battlefield, searching for something more. But the strongest Abomination I could find was only level 12.
'Disappointing.'
Around me, Unit 02 was locked in combat, fighting in groups, slowly chipping away at the monsters.
I turned my gaze toward the volcano. That was where I needed to go. If there were stronger Abominations, they'd be near the source.
Without hesitation, I sprinted forward, cutting through the battlefield like a bullet.
Any Abomination that got in my way fell instantly, shattered by a single punch, crumpled under a devastating kick. Their bodies barely slowed me down.
The further I pushed, the more I cut through the first wave, at least 60 Abominations standing in my way.
They fell one after another, shattered by my fists and crushed beneath my strides.
I didn't stop, didn't slow down.
By the time I reached the halfway point, the battlefield behind me was littered with broken bodies, and I had already left them all behind, moving straight toward the mouth of the volcano.
The heat around me grew more intense, waves of scalding air rolling over my skin.
My bare feet smacked against the lava-covered ground, cracking the scorched earth beneath me with every powerful stride.
I locked my gaze on the peak of the volcano.
I slowed my pace as I neared the summit of the volcano.
There was no sign of any more Abominations.
I stepped forward, standing at the very edge of the volcano's mouth.
The heat was suffocating, pressing down on me like a living forge.
Waves of scalding air rolled upward from the molten depths, distorting my vision and drying the sweat on my skin before it could even form.
The ground beneath my feet was cracked and charred, radiating heat so intense that even breathing felt like inhaling fire.
Below me, the massive crater stretched nearly a hundred feet deep, a lake of molten rock bubbling and roiling.
The volcano sounded like a slumbering beast, growling in its sleep.
Each time the lava shifted, thick plumes of steam and toxic fumes hissed into the air, the stench of burning minerals and sulfur filling my lungs.
But what caught my attention weren't just the fiery depths. It was the four tunnels carved into the inner walls of the crater, evenly spaced around the perimeter.
Each tunnel had guardians.
Abominations stood at the entrances, each of the four different Abominations fighting outside occupied one tunnel.
I frowned.
There was no visible way for them to climb out of those tunnels. No ledges, no steps, nothing that would allow them to ascend.
Suddenly I thought of something.
'Did the eruption itself launch them to the surface?'
The volcano wasn't just spewing fire, it was spewing monsters.
The realization sent a thrill through me.
This wasn't just some random spawning ground; this was a hatchery, a nest designed to create and unleash wave after wave of destruction.
And I had no doubt that deeper inside, stronger creatures were waiting to emerge.
I took a slow breath, feeling my Generator Core hum within my chest.
My body had been absorbing the ambient heat all this time, the scorching temperature feeding into my Essence store.
The kinetic energy from my movements and the heat radiating from the volcano were fueling me, turning every moment into raw, usable power.
'Good.'
I scanned the tunnels, my eyes locking onto one in particular the one where two Orcs stood.
They were bigger than the ones I had fought before, their molten-red skin glowing beneath the cracks of their hardened exteriors.
Each one gripped a massive spiked club, heat radiating off the weapons like they had been pulled straight from the forge.
'Level 13. Perfect.'
I took a step back, steadying myself.
The volcano rumbled beneath me, another low growl from the beast slumbering below. I could feel the next wave building, but I had no intention of waiting.
For the first time since the battle started, I activated my skill.
[Essence Manipulation]
A surge of raw power flooded my limbs as I channeled Essence into my legs, compacting and reinforcing my muscles. My body tensed, energy coiling like a compressed spring, heat and kinetic force merging into one explosive motion.
Then—I moved.
A short sprint. A single, devastating leap.
I soared through the scorching air, clearing the lava pit in one bound. The Orcs barely had time to react before I slammed into them like a living projectile, sending all three of us crashing into the tunnel.
The moment we hit the ground, the real fight began.
In an instant, I rolled to my feet and let out a roar. Grabbing the nearest orc by its legs, I channeled Essence into my back and hands, strengthening my grip.
With a sharp jerk, I swung the orc like a club, smashing it into the others.
Roars and growls echoed through the tunnel.
The space was tight, barely 6ft wide and 12ft tall, but that was more than enough for me to rampage.
Essence surged into my fists, and I attacked.
One punch crushed a chest. Another shattered a skull.
I grabbed an orc by the throat, lifted it, and slammed it into the tunnel wall.
Its body cracked like brittle stone.
The narrow space worked in my favor.
They had no room to escape.
I ducked under a wild swing and countered with an uppercut, sending the orc crashing into the wall. Another lunged at me, its spiked club swinging fast.
I caught it mid-air.
Heat burned against my palm, but I ignored it. With a sharp yank, I tore the weapon from its grip and brought it down, crushing its head into the ground.
And then, silence.
I exhaled, my gaze sweeping over the broken remains of the Orcs.
The heat in the tunnel was even more intense than outside, the air thick and heavy.
It was time to see what lay deeper inside.