Chapter 779: The Spirit Became a Blade (Patreon)

Orc General Ruax was hiding from the Orc Lord in a cave at the foot of the mountains, deep inside territory occupied by the Ratman Tribe. There, far from the Orc Lord’s eyes, he had managed to get away with his betrayal. He had abandoned the invasion of the human city and left his Vice-General alone on the battlefield. And yet, through sheer luck, or simply because everyone who could expose him was dead, no one had discovered what he’d done.

Every orc involved in that battle had died. There were no witnesses. The only real consequence was that Ruax had lost standing with the soldiers who had remained at the base, as well as with the Orc Lord himself. Ruax could live with that. It was far better than being exposed as a traitor trying to get back in with the Orc King.

Ever since then, he had kept tabs on Kargan whenever the War Wolf passed through the region. Kargan was clever. Ruax just needed to be cleverer. Whenever Kargan passed through the base, one messenger warned Ruax while another tailed the wolf into the forest. As a beast tamer, Ruax knew special concoctions that could mask their scent, and Kargan’s nose never picked them up.

Perfect.

Ruax had five Vice-Generals. One was dead, one traveled with him, another remained with the dwarf tribe, and the last two guarded the nearby prison fortress.

The Vice-General traveling with him came rushing back through the Ratman cave, breathing hard.

“My General, they’re moving again.”

Ruax turned his head. “Who?”

“The Orc King’s soldiers.”

“Moving?” Ruax narrowed his eyes. “How many?”

He had information from Kutar, his contact inside the Orc King’s army. According to Kutar, they still hadn’t found the Orc Treasure. But if they were moving through the forest, maybe the treasure was somewhere nearby.

Kutar wouldn’t reveal its location if he found it first. Even with a contact inside the enemy army, Ruax needed to stay one step ahead. All he had to do was bring the treasure to the king. Then everything would be forgiven.

“They’re attacking human villages,” the Vice-General said. “We don’t know how many there are, but there are a lot.”

Ruax fell silent. That could mean several things: a random attack, a trap meant to lure out the Lord’s orcs, or a search party hunting for the Orc Treasure. Maybe they’d picked up a trail.

If they had, Ruax couldn’t afford to sit here and wait. He couldn’t simply order his soldiers to ignore enemies either. The orcs around him were hungry for battle, and Ruax needed to keep up appearances.

It doesn’t matter if I kill more of the king’s orcs. In the end, I’ll be forgiven.

So he gave the order to attack. The orcs cheered, banging their weapons together and growling with bloodlust.

Ruax went to the Ratman chieftain. “Send your soldiers with us. I need their noses.”

The Ratmen had one job: find the treasure. So far, they had failed, but so had Kargan.

Ruax marched out with his orcs, the Ratmen following behind. After the defeat his army had suffered, the last thing he wanted was suspicion spreading among his Vice-Generals. A mutiny would be disastrous. He also wanted to interrogate any surviving orcs from the king’s army, but there was one problem: no one else could find out about the Orc Treasure.

They pushed through the forest until they found a destroyed village. Broken homes, smoke in the air, signs of battle everywhere. They moved on to the next village, where the attack was still underway. A few humans fought with swords, desperately trying to hold their ground, but they were being overwhelmed.

Ruax watched for a moment. Is this a trap for me?

It was always possible. The king’s orcs might be trying to lure him out, and Kutar could even be behind it, frustrated by Ruax’s lack of results. Ruax glanced back at his orcs. They were already gripping their weapons, waiting. In the end, it didn’t matter. He charged.

Ruax caught an enemy Vice-General by the throat and smashed him into the ground, then drove his fist down again and again until the orc stopped moving. His troops roared their approval. By then, the humans had already fled into the forest, while the Ratmen searched houses, corpses, and trails for any trace of the Orc Treasure.

“General Ruax.”

One of his Vice-Generals approached. This time, it was the one stationed at the fortress.

Ruax turned, still holding the dead orc’s body. “What are you doing here?”

“Kargan returned and passed through the base. He’s starting his search again.”

Ruax devoured the dead orc’s head before answering. “Keep hunting down the survivors. Tell the rats to keep doing what I ordered.”

Then he left alone, just him and his whip. Ruax raced through the forest to spy on Kargan, though it wasn’t hard to figure out where the War Wolf would be. Kargan followed his routine with discipline, moving from camp to camp and delivering messages from the Orc Lord. Eventually, Ruax saw him head toward the cave where Thork, Stone Shield, one of Ruax’s Vice-Generals, was stationed. Kargan went inside, and Ruax stayed hidden among the trees, watching.

The Orc Lord was clever. He had never assigned any general to search for the Orc Treasure, nor did he reveal every clue he uncovered. Ruax still took pride in his own cunning, and once Kargan finished here, he would probably resume his search.

Not long afterward, a howl echoed from inside the cave. Kargan’s wolves grew agitated and rushed inside. Ruax frowned. He had never seen that happen during the War Wolf’s usual routine. Even the chained dwarves outside stared in confusion. Then Kargan emerged from the cave, bloodied, a large metal box clenched between his teeth.

“Open it!” he shouted at a pair of dwarves following him.

“It won’t open,” one of them said nervously. “It was a trap. The box locked itself.”

Kargan growled.

“Give us some time and we can forge a key,” the dwarf said.

“I don’t have time. You’re coming with me.”

The other wolves grabbed the dwarves and took off running.

Ruax remained frozen. No. That can’t be it. The treasure was in there?

It had to be. Kargan was too determined. He hadn’t even been willing to wait for the dwarf to forge a key. He’d just charged into the forest with the box.

Ruax followed. As he ran, he focused on a skill, then burst from the trees and slammed his head into Kargan’s side with tremendous force. The War Wolf went flying, crashing into the other wolves and taking them down with him. The metal box hit the ground.

“Ruax!” Kargan snarled as he rose. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

Ruax heard something inside the metal box and forgot about everything else.

The Orc Treasure.

Ruax moved. “The treasure is mine.”

Kargan growled as the other wolves closed in, trying to surround him.

“I’m taking that box to the Orc Lord. Stay out of my way, Ruax.”

Ruax drew his whip. “I’m not letting that happen.”

He attacked first. The whip cracked across the wolves, forcing them back as Ruax twisted and swung it toward Kargan.

“You fucking traitor!” Kargan snarled.

“I’m taking my place back at the king’s side!”

The whip struck Kargan, but the wolves lunged in to bite Ruax. He crushed one with a punch, while another took several lashes before collapsing. Kargan leaped onto him. The two crashed through branches and brush as Kargan sank his teeth into Ruax’s shoulder.

Ruax grunted, shoved his forearm against the wolf’s jaws, and forced him back just far enough to loop the whip around his neck. He pulled hard while Kargan clawed at him as the leather tightened.

“I’m going to tame you, Kargan!” Ruax shouted. “You’ll be nothing but a pet!”

The wolf thrashed harder, and Ruax pulled tighter. Then the ground vanished beneath them.

They tumbled over an embankment and crashed into the river, leaving the Orc Treasure behind.

***

Luke and the others were still making their way through the forest, fending off wasps and frogs. Eventually, things began to calm down, and Luke finally had a chance to take in just how rich the place was. Minerals jutted from the soil, exposed veins running between roots and stones. Some rocks looked like they still had gold embedded right on the surface, as if the forest itself had swallowed a mine and left pieces sticking out.

“A guardian’s duty is to protect the entrance and the people who live here,” Illyra said. “Those who carry the Light. But we’re also not supposed to mess with the ecosystem. Killing a few beasts is fine. Wiping them out isn’t.”

So basically Mother Nature.

When they reached a more isolated area, they decided to rest. Not because of themselves, but because of the snake boy traveling with them.

“I want levels, Human,” Franky said. “So I can get strong and beat the winged rat.”

“You really love messing with Angie...”

The group started discussing what to do next. They could hunt beasts for experience points or continue toward the Illuminated Forest, where there might be other sentient beings who could tell them more about the desert and what had happened during the Integrations. The tree’s core might not even be in that direction.

While Angie and Charlie got camp set up and kept Franky busy, Luke wandered off into the forest alone. When he opened the level 120 skill notification for [Shadow Phantom Reaper], five options appeared before him.

[Shadow Mark Step (Legendary)]: The Shadow Phantom Reaper can mark the shadow of any target within his field of perception. While the mark remains active, he can instantly emerge from that shadow, allowing him to pursue prey, slip into blind spots, or launch sudden attacks. The target must remain stationary and within his field of perception for displacement to occur.

[Shadow Scythe Blades (Epic)]: The Shadow Phantom Reaper infuses his knives with dark energy, warping them into curved shadow scythes. While active, his strikes become heavier, sharper, and harder to predict. Enemies killed by these blades are consumed by shadow, leaving only dark silhouettes behind.

[Shadow of Faces (Epic)]: The Shadow Phantom Reaper can steal a fragment of another person’s shadow and shape it into a living mask, perfectly imitating their appearance. The mask is ideal for infiltration, disguise, and moving unnoticed among enemies.

[Artemis’ Spirit Slash (Legendary)]: Blessed by his beloved Goddess through the [Blessing of Artemis], the Shadow Phantom Reaper can channel Spiritual Energy through his blades, unleashing slashes far beyond their physical reach. These attacks strike both body and spirit, allowing them to wound incorporeal beings and pierce spiritual defenses. The skill draws directly from the user’s soul, and excessive use can strain the spirit. Damage increases slightly with Lethality, Intelligence, and Spirit.

[Reaper’s Mark (Epic)]: [Predator’s Mark] evolves under the power of the Shadow Phantom Reaper. The Reaper can mark up to 5 targets. Marked enemies below 50% health take 10% increased damage, and marked kills grant 15% bonus experience instead of 10%.

Luke stared at the fourth option. “Why the fuck does one of these skills have your name on it?”

“Yay!” Artemis exclaimed from the necklace. “It’s proof of our love, Luke.”

While the voice from the necklace celebrated, Luke read through the descriptions again. “Tone it down. I need your help here. Or are you not allowed to help?”

“Well, this one does have my name on it. And since you’re basically my pleasure machine—I mean, my apostle—maybe I should help.” She paused dramatically. “Of course, I’ll be completely impartial and absolutely won’t tell you that you should definitely choose that skill. I would never do that. I’m just saying, you know, having spiritual attack power is useful. Especially when it has your beloved goddess’s name on it.”

“Your impartiality is overwhelming.”

Since the necklace was anything but impartial, Luke was on his own.

This mentions the Spirit stat, but I don’t have that anywhere on my system interface. Maybe it unlocks at higher ranks.

[Shadow Mark Step] was excellent. That could completely change how I fight.

[Shadow of Faces] was just as tempting. A perfect disguise could get me into places brute force never would.

Luke stared at Artemis’ skill again. I’m going to regret passing on Shadow Mark Step.

“Damn it, Artemis... I really don’t have a choice.”

[You have acquired the Class Skill: Artemis’ Spirit Slash (Legendary)]

Artemis had once told him that spiritual magic could hurt gods. Luke was far too weak for that now, but someday, it might matter.

“Yay, Luke. I knew I was your beloved Goddess.”

“You know I didn’t write the skill description, right? Obviously I wouldn’t have written that.”

“Doesn’t matter. Deep in your heart, I know you love me.”

Luke drew both kukris and focused on the skill. The moment he activated it, his sense of his own body shifted. For a second, everything went dark except for a glowing outline. It took him a few seconds to realize he was looking at himself. That luminous outline was his spirit.

“That felt like watching myself from outside my own body. Weird as hell.”

Still, he understood. He could see something like an energy bar connected directly to his spirit. The [Blessing of Artemis] was what allowed him that brief glimpse.

“I’m not going to die from this, right? Like, using it isn’t going to permanently burn away my soul or something?”

“No, dude. Spiritual Energy is like mana and stamina. You don’t even have the stats for it yet, so it’ll recover slowly.”

Tiny white particles gathered around the kukris.

“It’s like Illyra’s energy, only smaller particles. And a lot more of them.”

Spiritual energy.

Luke moved deeper into the forest until a tryceratops lumbered out between the trees.

“So how does this work?” he muttered. “The description said it extends the blade, but the blade still looks the same size.”

The beast charged at him. Fast. Everything Luke knew about tryceratops said they were herbivores, but judging by the way this thing was trying to run him down, it seemed pretty damn carnivorous.

“Good thing you’ve got thick armor,” Luke said, dodging aside. “Now I can see how effective this actually is.”

Luke slashed once. A blue streak shot from the kukri. It happened so fast that he startled himself. He hadn’t even meant to attack for real.

The tryceratops split apart, three pieces hitting the ground. Luke stared.

[You have slain an Ironhide Triceratops - Lvl 130]

[+52 Soul Energy absorbed]

“Holy shit.”

Luke checked his spiritual energy.

Empty.

“I didn’t even touch it.”

“Thank your goddess, Luke. Pamper her, kiss her, take her to bed, and do everything else you can think of,” Artemis said.

Yeah. Artemis had earned an offering. Not the indecent part, but an actual offering? Sure.

He picked out the juiciest fruit he could find, cut it up, and pulled out some wine he’d been saving. Using [Transmutation], he created a glass from water, poured the wine, and arranged everything on broad leaves beside a tree.

“Artemis, my beautiful Goddess. This is my offering to you. I promise next time I’ll send you something even juicier.”

He thanked her.

Later, Luke sat with the rest of the group.

“I don’t think my fireballs work on these guys,” Franky said, eating meat with his hands.

“No shit,” Angie said. “They’re like level 100 and you’re level 8.”

“I already told you I don’t understand all those numbers.”

Franky had never been much of a student, but this wasn’t about numbers. He used to judge danger through instinct and his beast system. Now he has neither.

For Franky, it was like losing one of his five senses.

“So what do we do?” Charlie asked. “Go find the other tribes?”

“Maybe explore more of this forest first—”

Luke froze as something tugged at his mind.

Otto.

He focused on [Soul Infectation]. The fragment was still with Otto.

“Lord Moon,” Otto repeated several times. Wherever he was, he seemed to be alone. He was performing the “ritual” Luke had taught him before leaving. It was fake, of course, but it worked well enough to get Luke’s attention through [Soul Infectation].

“Lord Moon, all the villages are in danger.”

***

Ruax burst through the river’s surface with Kargan’s teeth inches from his throat. The raging current dragged them downstream as they tore into each other.

Ruax shoved the wolf away, but Kargan twisted and drove him underwater again. Seconds later, they broke the surface once more.

“Traitor!” Kargan shouted.

Ruax answered with a punch.

A massive waterfall loomed ahead. Ruax hammered Kargan across the snout, then hurled his whip toward the riverbank. The tip caught around a rock just as the current swept the War Wolf away and sent him plunging over the falls. Ruax hauled himself toward shore and dragged his battered body out of the river, a deep gash splitting his side. He couldn’t stop now. The Orc Treasure was within reach.

He limped back through the forest, eventually passing through a grove of trees heavy with yellow fruit, crushing several fallen ones beneath his feet as he went.

“Where is it...?” he muttered.

He was losing blood, and his injured leg slowed him down, but he kept moving. When he finally reached the spot where the box had fallen, Kargan’s wolves were waiting for him.

Ruax charged. They bit and clawed at him, tearing into his flesh, but he managed to kill one before the others fled. Maybe they were cowards. Maybe Kargan had called them back. He didn’t care.

He turned toward the two dwarves sprawled on the ground, trembling. “Where’s the fucking metal box!?”

“H-he took it,” one stammered.

“Who?!”

“An orc! He went that way!”

Ruax grabbed the dwarf by the throat and lifted him off the ground. “If you’re lying, I’ll come back and kill you.”

He dropped him and ran. Practically hopping on one leg, Ruax followed the trail until he spotted an orc in the distance, running with a metal box. His whip cracked through the air and struck the thief. The orc dropped the box, but Ruax didn’t stop. He struck him again and again, then drove a fist into his stomach and sent him flying when the orc tried to turn.

Ruax picked up the box and peered through the hole. “Found it.”

He burst out laughing, but the laugh quickly turned into a cough.

Ruax pushed onward through the forest. He needed to think fast. He was wounded, and now Kargan knew what he had done. Ruax wouldn’t just be an enemy of the War Wolf anymore. He’d be an enemy of every general, even the Orc Lord.

“I need time.”

He needed to find Kutar. That orc had the means to get him off the continent and take him back to the king. Ruax stumbled, his injured leg nearly giving out beneath him, but he forced himself forward. Not after everything he had done. He would make it back to the king. He would reclaim his position.

As he pushed himself upright again, he spotted something between the trees. A giant spider was pulling something from a tree trunk.

“Spider!”

He’d said it too loudly. The creature turned, and the instant it saw him, it started running.

“Get back here, spider!”

Ruax forced his injured leg to move, leaped, and swung his whip in midair. The weapon wrapped around one of the spider’s legs, yanking it off balance. He needed to devour it. Maybe eating its flesh would trigger one of his healing skills. It wouldn’t heal him much, but it was better than nothing. The spider crashed to the ground, and Ruax climbed on top of it, grabbed one of its legs, and twisted.

“Mommy! Mommy! Mommy!” the spider screamed.

Ruax froze. “You can talk.”

“Mommy! Help!”

Ruax wrapped the whip around the spider and hauled it upright, winding the weapon around its body like a leash.

“Move.”

The spider tried to pull away.

Ruax activated a skill. Electricity surged through the whip.

“Mommy!”

“Move, or I’ll do it again.”

The spider trembled, then reluctantly started forward.

Ruax climbed onto its back with the metal box tucked against him. When the creature slowed, he sent another jolt through the whip.

“Faster.”

The spider obeyed. Now he had a mount and the Orc Treasure. Ruax had finally gotten exactly what he wanted.

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