noveldrama
Chapter 136 The Road to the Orkish Heartland
Chapter 136 The Road to the Orkish Heartland
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The forest was dense around Dabi as he retreated from the Orkish camp.
His instincts told him he had enough distance to be out of immediate danger,
But he knew his presence would be missed, and that soon, the orcs would search the area for any trace of the spy who had sown such chaos.
He glanced over at his pets. Nyx, with its silent, spectral form, moved with a grace that allowed it to vanish into the shadows with ease.
Fen and Whity, though more noticeable, had been invaluable in their recent confrontations with orc scouts, and their loyalty brought him a rare sense of comfort in the dangerous world he was navigating.
"We're moving deeper," Dabi whispered, barely audible even to himself.
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He sensed his pets' shared understanding. He was not going to retreat any further but would push closer to the Orkish Kingdom's core.
Only there could he uncover more about the powerful leaders responsible for orchestrating the invasion.
Dabi buys a mask from the system. Using the mask he could make himself look like Orc.
He choose to Ghral face.
As he was a arena champion. Dabi could get to many places with his face.
Now Dabi check his system notifications.
Level up! + 3
Stats point gain 9
Rewad: voice changing tool
Name: Dabi (Level 118)
Class: Sovereign of Space (Mythical Class)
Strength: 164
Agility: 158
Endurance: 164(+9)
Intelligence: 100
Mana: 10,000
Memory: 100
Skills:
Elemental Master
Dimension Master
Universal Contract
Phantom Steps
Insight+
Quick Analysis+
Dimensional Summon
Dimension Storage
Mana Control
Sprits Pets: Fen, Whity, Nyx
Universal Contract:
Clada and Miranda spirit Guardian
Sub contract -
Fen contracted Mira 13 sister ,
Whity contracted Eli 12 brother
[New Terrain: Entering Orkish Domain.]
As Dabi ventured beyond the camp, the surroundings began to change. The trees grew sparse, and a network of rugged hills and cliffs replaced the dense forest cover.
He carefully scanned his environment, taking in the towering rock formations, red and brown clay earth, and small, sharp bushes that dotted the landscape.
Every step now felt exposed.
In the distance, he spotted a valley between two cliffs, leading towards a large fortress at its center.
He deduced that this stronghold served as a checkpoint for anyone traveling into the Orkish Kingdom's more populated regions.
His mind raced with potential strategies as he observed the patrols of orc soldiers stationed around it.
A moment of hesitation swept over him.
"This isn't like anything I've ever seen before," he muttered.
This fortress wasn't merely a defensive structure; it was a symbolic gate into the heart of the Orkish power.
He would need to infiltrate it if he were to proceed any further.
Using his Insight skill, Dabi focused on understanding the patrol routes and defensive patterns.
Orc soldiers were stationed on platforms, archers keeping a close eye on the valley below.
Small but consistent shifts in their stances and movements told Dabi that they were well-trained, a far cry from the typical brute orc he had faced in lower-ranked encounters.
Nearby, he saw a group of robed shamans, likely overseeing the magical defenses of the fortress.
They moved in and out of the central tower, each bearing a similar insignia a twisted, dark symbol resembling the outline of a horned beast, pulsing with a faint glow.
Dabi guessed this must be the symbol of a powerful clan or leader.
"This is going to be challenging," he muttered to himself, taking stock of his options.
He could attempt to sneak past, but the terrain was exposed.
Alternatively, he could disguise himself with shadows or even summon creatures as distractions to create an opening.
After careful consideration, he settled on a distraction.
Whispering a command to Nyx, he watched as it slinked into the shadows, its spectral form melting into the darkness, reappearing close to the outer edges of the fortress walls.
The plan worked perfectly. As Nyx subtly manipulated the shadows near one of the towers, an orc guard was alerted to an unnatural movement.
The guard raised his weapon, eyes narrowing as he peered into the dimming light.
"Did you see that?" the orc muttered to a nearby comrade.
The second guard glanced over, visibly tense. "I don't like this… feels like there's something out here watching us."
Taking advantage of their distraction, Dabi dashed through the narrow path at the valley's edge, keeping low and hidden.
He pressed forward, closing in on the fortress walls, and managed to slip behind an outcropping undetected. Fen and Whity moved close to his side, silent and disciplined.
Inside the Fortress-
Once inside, Dabi found himself within a maze of corridors and stairways, each lined with crude but sturdy stone.
The air was thick, damp, and filled with the muffled sounds of orc soldiers and shamans as they moved through the fortress.
The fortress seemed even larger from the inside, its halls lit by flickering torches casting shadows that shifted with each passing patrol.
Dabi made his way deeper, keeping to the shadows.
He knew he needed information, specifically about the shamanic rituals and the artifacts the orcs used to open dimension gates.
The Orkish Kingdom's ability to tear through dimensions was likely the key to both their military might and their future invasion plans.
As he turned a corner, Dabi caught sight of a door guarded by two heavily armed orcs.
The door was unique, reinforced with metal engravings and displaying the same twisted symbol of the horned beast he'd seen earlier. Instinctively, he knew something important lay behind it.
Activating his Quick Analysis skill, he studied the guards' patterns.
They switched positions every minute, scanning the hallway with intensity.
Dabi readied his Dimension Summon skill, focusing on creating a silent but potent distraction.
In an instant, a small, agile creature from another dimension materialized a shadowed, panther-like being with dark tendrils trailing from its back.
Dabi directed it toward the opposite end of the hallway, where it slinked out of sight, creating subtle sounds that caught the guards' attention.
"What was that?" one guard asked, moving to investigate the noise.
The other guard followed, weapons raised. As they left their post, Dabi seized the moment, slipping inside the room.
The room was dimly lit, and Dabi's eyes adjusted quickly to the darkness.
He immediately noticed rows of shelves filled with magical artifacts, each radiating a faint, otherworldly aura.
Potions, weapons, and ancient scrolls lined the shelves, each inscribed with symbols that pulsed faintly.
At the center of the room was an altar bearing a large, dark orb the same one used by the shamans in their ritual.
Dabi's heart raced as he realized this orb could be the key to controlling dimension gates.
Using his Insight skill, he focused on the orb, attempting to understand its properties.
A wave of energy emanated from it, a dark and foreboding magic that seemed to reach out, seeking to ensnare those who gazed upon it too long.
"This must be what the shamans were using," he murmured.
"If I can disrupt its energy or learn how it works,
I might be able to prevent their next gate from opening."
However, as he reached out, a faint hum filled the air a defensive enchantment.
Dabi barely had time to react as a surge of dark magic pulsed from the orb, forming into an ethereal guard that loomed before him, its form twisting and reforming with each second.
Dabi fell back, summoning Fen and Whity to his side.
The guard lunged at him, its incorporeal form passing through the room as if it were smoke, but with tendrils that reached out, trying to ensnare him.
"Fen, Whity, attack!" Dabi commanded.
Fen leaped forward, his claws glowing with magic as he swiped at the apparition, while Whity darted around it, slashing at its tendrils with her speed and precision.
The two pets moved in harmony, each coordinating their attacks to counter the guard's movements.
After a tense battle, Dabi and his companions managed to destroy the apparition, leaving the orb defenseless.
He quickly examined the artifact, noting its inscriptions and dark energy patterns.
He couldn't take it with him, but he committed as much as he could to memory, knowing it would be essential for understanding the orcs' dimension magic.
As he prepared to leave, he caught sight of a scroll hidden behind the altar.
It bore detailed instructions on the next shamanic ritual, one that could open an even larger gate.
Dabi pocketed the scroll, knowing that it was valuable intelligence that could help him counter future orc incursions.
With the guards likely on their way back, Dabi slipped out of the room, retracing his steps through the fortress corridors.
Moving swiftly, he avoided patrols, keeping to the shadows as he navigated his way back out.
Once outside, he signaled to Nyx, who had been keeping watch from a nearby outcropping.
The spectral creature joined him silently as they descended into the valley, moving away from the fortress.
As Dabi reached the edge of the Orkish Kingdom's territory, he took a moment to breathe.
His plan to destabilize the orcs from within was working, but he knew this was only the beginning.
He now had crucial intelligence on the orc leaders and their invasion plans, as well as a valuable artifact description that could give him an edge.
He clenched his fists, determination filling his gaze as he looked back toward the Orkish Kingdom.
"This is only the beginning," he whispered to himself.
"I'll gather more information, weaken their forces from within, and make sure they never reach my dimension.
And when I return, they'll know who Dabi is."
With renewed resolve, Dabi vanished into the shadows once more....
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