My pace remained high as I moved between the trees, the ground shifting under my feet with each step, roots and uneven soil forcing small adjustments that my body handled without thought. The weight of the axe rested comfortably in my hand, no longer foreign, no longer heavy in the way it had been earlier, as if my grip and the weapon had already settled into an understanding built through constant use.
A sudden movement ahead broke my rhythm.
Two shapes burst out from the undergrowth almost at the same time, their bulk forcing branches aside as they charged forward with low, guttural sounds that carried through the trees. I didn’t slow down. The moment they came into view, I checked their identities.
[Monster Boar – Level 17]
[Monster Boar – Level 17]
They were fast, faster than their size suggested, their bodies angled low as they drove straight toward me, tusks cutting through the air in wide arcs meant to tear through anything in their path. I adjusted my footing slightly, letting their approach close the distance instead of stepping away from it, and at the last possible moment, I moved.
The axe came down in a clean arc.
The first boar didn’t even complete its charge. The blade cut through its neck with a single motion, the force carrying through completely as its body collapsed mid-step. The second followed immediately, its path already set, but I had already turned, the movement flowing naturally into the next strike. Another swing. Another clean cut.
Both bodies fell without slowing me down.
I didn’t stop to look back.
The map guided me forward, and after a few more minutes of steady movement, the boundary became visible before I reached it. There was a faint shimmer in the air, stretching outward in a wide dome that covered the entire area marked in red.
I slowed as I approached.
[Believer Safe Zone Detected]
The notification appeared the moment I stepped close enough, and additional lines followed immediately after.
[Safe Zone Rules:]
→ Entry restricted. Unauthorized access denied.
→ Barrier can be broken through sustained external force.
→ All entities within the Safe Zone are under protection until the barrier is compromised.
→ Safe Zone Core present within.
Another line appeared beneath it.
[Takeover Condition:]
→ Destroy or claim the Safe Zone Core
→ Convert territory using a Defier Token
[Reward:]
→ Reduced cost for upgrading existing Safe Zone
→ Access to additional structural enhancements
→ Increased Influence gain within converted territory
"So same concept... just on the other side," I murmured, my gaze moving across the shimmering barrier.
Breaking it directly would take time. Time I didn’t need to waste. Instead, I stepped back slightly and moved along the edge, circling just enough to find a clearer view inside. The shimmer distorted the vision slightly, but not enough to hide what was within.
I was surprised to find Orcs within.
A full group of them. Ten... maybe more.
Some stood idle, others moved in loose formations, their weapons resting against their shoulders. They were relaxed and chatting happily.
Behind them I saw something large shift.
My eyes narrowed slightly.
[Monster Hegla – Level 22]
The creature resembled a massive, thick-skinned beast, its body built low and wide like a hippo, but its structure far more defined, muscles visible beneath the skin as it shifted its weight slowly.
Seeing the leather on its back I understood it was a Mount and a war beast used by the orcs.
I exhaled slowly.
Breaking the barrier wasn’t the best option. Pulling them out was.
So instead of attacking the shield, I stepped out into the open, making no attempt to hide myself as I moved closer, stopping just within clear sight of the entire group.
It didn’t take long. One of them noticed.
Then another. Soon, all eyes were on me.
A grin spread across one of their faces as it stepped forward, its axe resting lazily against its shoulder.
"Well... look what we have here," it called out, its voice rough but clear. "Food walking straight to us."
A few others chuckled, their attention sharpening.
"Not even trying to hide," another added. "Must be tired of running."
I said nothing. Just stood there.
Watching.
Two of them broke formation, stepping forward without waiting for any order, their movements confident as they approached the edge of the barrier.
[Monster Orc – Level 26] [Monster Orc – Level 26]
They crossed the boundary without hesitation.
The moment they stepped out—
I moved.
The distance closed quickly, my body shifting forward as the axe came up, the yellow glow already wrapping faintly around the blade as the energy flowed through it. The first orc raised its weapon, but was overconfident. My strike landed clean, cutting across its torso and driving through with force that didn’t slow until it had already fallen.
The second reacted faster, its weapon swinging wide, but I stepped outside the arc, then lunged forward movement tight, and brought the axe up from below. The blade caught it across the neck, the impact snapping its head back before the follow-through finished the motion completely.
Both bodies dropped. Silence held for a second.
Then a roar.
The entire group reacted at once. Weapons lifted. Voices rising. They surged forward, crossing the barrier in numbers now, no hesitation left in their movement.
I chuckled, turned and ran toward the forest.
The ground shifted under my feet as I accelerated, the distance between me and them stretching just enough before they followed, their heavier steps tearing through the terrain as they gave chase. I adjusted my path, pulling them deeper, forcing them out of the protected zone and into open ground where their numbers would work against them.
The first closed the gap. I turned sharply and met it head-on. The axe moved before it could strike, the yellow glow intensifying for a brief moment as the blade cut through its defense, splitting its chest open before it could recover.
Seeing the orc was dead I moved again.
Another followed and I slowed slightly. Its weapon came down hard, but I shifted aside, letting it pass, and drove the axe into its side, the impact forcing it off balance before the next strike separated its neck.
I looked behind and the others were still coming and shouting at me to face them head on.
A notification flashed briefly.
[Level Up]
[Level 25 → 26]
I didn’t stop to read further.
The fight wasn’t over yet.
The moment the first two fell and the rest poured out of the barrier, I did not slow down or look back, instead pulling them deeper into the forest where the ground dipped and rose unevenly, forcing their heavier frames to adjust with every step while mine flowed through the terrain without breaking rhythm.
Their voices rose behind me, rough and aggressive, weapons cutting through branches as they chased, but I let the distance stretch just enough before turning sharply and launching myself forward again.
"Impact Burst."
The energy gathered instantly around my feet, the faint yellow glow tightening before releasing in a violent surge that shot my body forward, the ground cracking beneath the force as I closed the gap between me and the nearest orc in an instant.
My axe came down before it could react, the energy infused into the strike driving the blade through its shoulder and deep into its chest, the impact lifting it off its feet and slamming it backward into a tree hard enough to splinter the trunk. Its blood spilled all over me.
I pulled the axe free in the same motion and moved again, not giving the others time to surround me.