Two more closed in from opposite sides, their levels hovering around the same range Level 28-30, but I stepped between them, letting the first swing pass close to my shoulder before pivoting into the second, the axe cutting across its midsection with a force that carried through cleanly.
The yellow glow flared again as the strike landed, and the body folded under it, collapsing before the first could recover, and by the time it turned, I was already inside its guard, the follow-up strike taking it across the neck.
The third and fourth came together, one slightly ahead of the other, their weapons raised, but I shifted backward just enough to draw them in, then burst forward again, the sudden acceleration breaking their timing as I slipped past the first and drove the axe into the second’s side, the blade biting deep as I used its own forward motion to carry the strike through.
I tore the weapon free and turned, the energy in my body not fading but building, feeding into each movement as the next swing came faster, cleaner, and heavier than the last.
Bodies began to fall one after another, each exchange shorter than the one before, the flow of combat tightening as I forced the pace higher, never letting them settle into formation, never letting them use their numbers.
The yellow glow remained constant now, wrapping around each strike, each burst of movement, turning even simple swings into something harder to block, harder to withstand.
Five down.
Six.
The remaining group tightened, and from within them, one stepped forward, larger, heavier, its presence distinct even before the system marked it.
[Monster Orc – Level 32]
The others shifted around it instinctively, giving it space as it moved, its weapon resting low before it lifted its gaze toward me, the confidence in its stance clear.
"You’ve done enough," it growled, stepping forward, its grip tightening around its weapon. "Now you die."
I didn’t answer.
"Impact Burst."
The surge carried me forward again, faster than before, the energy amplifying the movement to the point where even the ground beneath me failed to hold, cracking as I closed the distance instantly. It reacted this time, its weapon rising to intercept, the clash ringing out as steel met steel, but the force behind my movement pushed through, driving it back a step.
Then another.
The others tried to close in again, but I didn’t let them.
I shifted, breaking away from the boss for a moment and cutting through the two nearest orcs before they could flank me, each strike clean, efficient, leaving no time for resistance before turning back again, the number thinning with each movement.
Seven.
Only one remained with the leader.
It rushed me from the side, but I stepped through its attack, the axe cutting upward this time, the yellow glow flaring brightly as the strike carried through its torso, dropping it instantly.
Only the boss reamined.
It came at me immediately, its speed matching mine now, its strikes heavier, forcing me to meet it directly instead of slipping past. The exchange tightened, each clash sending force through my arms as I adjusted, shifted, and countered, the energy within me building further with each impact, feeding into the next movement.
It stepped in hard.
So did I.
And this time, I didn’t pull back.
"Ruin Strike."
The energy gathered all at once, condensing into the blade, the yellow glow intensifying into something brighter, sharper, as I smashed the axe forward with everything I had. It raised its weapon to block, then its arm, trying to stop the strike, but the force behind it didn’t slow.
It broke through.
The blade cut cleanly, carrying through its defense, through its body, splitting it as the energy discharged in a single, overwhelming release carving a curved arc in the ground.
A series of notifications flashed one after another.
[Level Up]
[Level 26 → 27]
[Level 27 → 28]
[Level 28 → 29]
[Level 29 → 30]
[Combat Points + 400]
[Influence Points + 100]
I stood there for a moment, the axe still in my hand, my breathing heavy but steady as the yellow glow faded slowly from around the blade.
Then I exhaled and began retracing my path back toward the Believer safe zone, the map guiding me cleanly through the trees as the broken trunks and scattered remains of the earlier fight marked the way. The barrier came into view soon after, its faint shimmer still intact, though the presence within it had changed completely, the movement that had filled it before now gone, leaving behind only stillness.
The moment I stepped close, a notification appeared.
[Believer Safe Zone Core Unprotected]
[Capture Safe Zone?]
I didn’t hesitate.
"Yes."
The confirmation barely left my mind before the ground at the center of the zone responded, a faint red glow gathering at a single point before condensing into a small object that rose upward and drifted toward me. It settled into my hand—a token, similar in shape to the one I had used earlier, but this one carried a deep red hue, its surface marked with patterns.
[Believer Safe Zone Captured]
[Influence Points +500]
I let out a slow breath as I looked at it.
"So that’s how it works..." I murmured, turning it slightly before closing my hand around it.
Another notification followed immediately.
[Territory Treasure Activated]
[Emerald Pool]
My eyes lifted.
"Treasure..."
I moved forward, crossing the barrier this time without resistance, the space inside no longer rejecting me as I stepped toward the center. The fountain and hut I had seen in my own zone were replaced here by something different, the layout simpler, but at its core there was a pool.
Small, circular, carved into the ground with smooth stone edges, and within it, a liquid unlike anything I had seen before shimmered softly. It carried a deep emerald glow, the surface reflecting light in slow ripples as if it held something more than just water.
I stepped closer.
The energy coming off it was unmistakable.
Without overthinking it, I removed the torn pants, setting them aside before stepping into the pool and lowering myself fully into it.
The moment the liquid touched my skin—
The effect began.
A cool sensation spread instantly, flowing through my body. The fatigue that had built up from the continuous fights began to fade, the strain in my muscles easing as if it was being washed away, and even my breathing steadied without effort.
I sank further into it.
Let it work.
Time passed without me noticing how much, the emerald glow remaining constant as the liquid continued to flow around me, restoring what had been lost, strengthening what remained. The ache in my limbs disappeared completely, replaced by a lightness that felt unnatural after everything I had pushed through.
Suddenly, I herad a chime.
[Level Up!]
Another followed. And then another.
The notifications stacked, one after the other, as the energy within the pool continued to move through me, pushing my body further.
I stayed there letting it happen.
Minutes passed—ten, maybe more—before the glow began to fade, the emerald liquid losing its intensity slowly, returning to something clearer, calmer, as if whatever it had held was now gone.
I opened my eyes fully. A final notification appeared.
[All Stats +5]
I rose slowly, stepping out as the last traces of the effect settled into my body, feeling the difference in every movement, every breath.