Journey to Become the Zenith

The Ogre Hunt

”Then come!” she shouted fearlessly. ”Face me! I am Lane the first woman of Victor, the Blade of Death!”

Her voice echoed across the battlefield.

For a brief moment, even the sounds of battle seemed to fade.

The undead army continued advancing without emotion, but the living would have certainly been stunned by the declaration.

Lane stood atop a pile of shattered bones, her black hair dancing in the heated wind created by the burning battlefield. Ash drifted around her like snow.

A grin slowly appeared on her face.

”Victor is definitely going to complain when he hears about this.”

She could almost picture his reaction.

The handsome young man with black hair and golden eyes would probably pinch the bridge of his nose and ask why she was announcing embarrassing nicknames in the middle of a battle.

The thought almost made her laugh.

”Too bad.”

Her eyes shifted toward the approaching monsters.

”I think it sounds cool.”

The two ogres roared.

Their massive bodies shook the ground as they advanced.

Several undead instinctively moved out of their path.

After she shouted her affiliation, Lane charged at the ogres, who were wearing bronze armor, and had very large maces as their weapons. One of the ogres saw that Lane was charging towards it, so as a response it lifted its mace and swung it down trying to hit the approaching Lane.

The gigantic weapon descended from above.

Whoooosh!

The sound alone was enough to make most warriors freeze.

The mace was nearly as large as a carriage.

If it connected, even a heavily armored knight would be turned into paste.

Yet Lane didn’t slow down.

Not even slightly.

At the last possible moment, she shifted her footing.

Boom!

The mace smashed into the earth.

The ground exploded.

Dirt and broken stones flew everywhere.

A crater several meters wide appeared instantly.

The ogre’s yellow eyes widened slightly.

Its attack had missed.

”Too slow.”

Lane’s voice carried a hint of disappointment.

The ogre growled angrily.

Its grip tightened around the handle of its weapon.

The second ogre roared from behind.

The sound shook nearby trees.

Lane darted to the side in a blur, narrowly avoiding the descending mace.

The massive weapon crashed into the ground with enough force to shake the surrounding earth, sending dirt and broken stones flying.

Without slowing down, Lane sprang forward.

Her body moved with practiced precision as she leaped onto the ogre’s arm and used it as a foothold. Then she pushed off again, climbing higher in an instant.

Only when she was nearly in front of its face did the giant realize what she was aiming for.

Too late.

Bang!

Her foot slammed into the ogre’s right eye.

A burst of blood sprayed through the air as the vulnerable organ ruptured beneath the impact.

”ROOOOAAARRRR!”

The ogre let out a deafening scream and staggered backward in agony.

Its mace swung wildly in every direction.

Skeletons were smashed apart like brittle twigs.

Several zombies were crushed beneath its feet.

One unlucky undead knight was struck by the flailing weapon and hurled into a nearby tree.

Lane landed lightly several meters away, her eyes never leaving the battlefield.

The wounded ogre continued thrashing around until the second ogre stepped forward and released a furious roar directly at its companion.

The sound wasn’t merely anger.

It was a command.

Gradually, the injured monster regained control of itself. Blood still poured from its ruined eye, but it steadied its footing and tightened its grip on the mace.

Lane clicked her tongue.

”Tougher than I expected.”

As the two ogres attempted to reform their battle line, she moved again.

Silent.

Fast.

She slipped behind the nearest giant, carefully studying it as she circled.

Truthfully, she knew little about ogres beyond the stories she had heard while growing up. Tales always described them as enormous, savage monsters, but stories rarely helped when facing the real thing.

Fortunately, Victor had taught her something far more useful.

Observe.

Analyze.

Find what the enemy values most.

Her eyes swept across the creature’s body.

Crude bronze armor covered much of its frame. The craftsmanship was poor, little more than thick metal plates strapped onto a mountain of muscle.

Then something caught her attention.

The back of its neck.

Unlike the rest of the armor, that area had received special treatment.

Additional plates.

Thicker straps.

Multiple layers of reinforcement.

Far more protection than anywhere else on its body.

A faint smile appeared on Lane’s face.

”There you are.”

The moment she spotted the spot behind the creature’s neck, Lane’s eyes narrowed.

Based on its movements and structure, it was the most likely weak point.

She charged toward the blinded ogre.

Several undead moved to intercept her.

A skeletal warrior lunged forward with a spear.

Lane caught the weapon mid-thrust and twisted sharply.

Crack!

The skeleton’s arm broke apart instantly.

Before the creature could react, her elbow smashed into its skull, reducing it to scattered bones.

She continued forward without losing momentum.

A zombie threw itself at her.

Wind mana condensed around her hand, forming a razor-sharp edge.

Slash!

The undead was cleanly cut in two.

More enemies rushed toward her from every direction.

Lane weaved through them effortlessly, her movements smooth and precise. Every step was calculated. Every strike served a purpose.

The tide of undead seemed incapable of slowing her advance.

In only a few breaths, she reached the towering monster.

The ogre sensed the approaching threat and turned toward her.

Too late.

Lane had already leaped onto its leg.

Using the creature’s massive frame as footholds, she climbed rapidly—leg, waist, shoulder.

The giant roared and swung a huge hand toward her.

It missed by a fraction.

Mana surged through Lane’s body.

Blue currents of energy gathered around her fingertips.

A technique Victor had personally taught her.

Concentrate.

Compress.

Pierce.

Her fingers straightened as mana condensed to an extreme degree around them, turning her hand into a weapon sharper than any spear.

”Let’s see if I’m right.”

The ogre suddenly understood what she was aiming for.

Its remaining eye widened in panic.

But the realization came too late.

Lane struck.

Crunch!

The armor protecting the back of its neck exploded apart.

Her hand tore through metal and flesh alike before driving deep into the monster’s body.

For a brief moment, she felt something resisting her advance.

Then—

Snap.

A distinct sensation traveled up her arm.

The giant creature froze.

Its massive body trembled violently.

Blood burst from the wound as its movements abruptly stopped.

Lane’s arm remained buried deep within the back of the ogre’s neck as the monster stood motionless, caught between life and death.