The moment Ethan stepped forward, the chaos around him seemed to slow down, and his presence alone drew attention from the battlefield.

The Orc army did not miss that.

From their ranks, a massive figure stepped out, and the ground trembled under his weight as he walked forward slowly. His body was covered in dark green skin layered with thick muscles, and scars ran across his chest like old battle marks. In his hand, he carried a gigantic war axe that looked heavy enough to crush mountains.

His eyes locked onto Ethan.A grin spread across his face.

"So you are the one leading them," he said, his voice rough and deep.

Ethan did not respond immediately, and his grip on his sword tightened slightly.

The Orc raised his axe and slammed it against the ground once, sending cracks spreading outward.

"Name’s Grommash Bloodfang," he said, and his tone carried pride. "Mythic rank of the Orc clans."

Ethan exhaled slowly.

"Ethan."

That was all he said.

The next moment both of them moved.

BOOOOM!

Both figures shot forward, and the collision between them shook the battlefield. Ethan’s blade met Grommash’s axe, and the impact sent a shockwave across the area, pushing nearby soldiers back.

Sparks and energy burst outward as their weapons clashed.

Grommash laughed loudly.

"Good!" he roared. "You can take it!"

He swung his axe again, and the force behind it was overwhelming, but Ethan stepped to the side and countered with a sharp strike aimed at his shoulder.

CLANG!

The blade hit, but the Orc’s body was tough, and the attack only left a shallow mark.

"Not enough!" Grommash shouted as he pushed forward.

The two exchanged blows rapidly, and each strike carried enough force to tear the ground apart. The air distorted under their attacks, and the space between them seemed unstable.

Ethan’s movements were precise and controlled, while Grommash fought like a raging beast, relying on brute strength and relentless attacks.

Another clash.

BOOOOM!

The ground beneath them cracked again, and both of them slid back slightly.

Ethan’s eyes narrowed.

He could feel it.This Orc was not weak.

Behind Grommash, another presence rose.

A second Mythic rank Orc stepped forward.

He was slightly smaller, but his aura was sharper, and his eyes were cold and calculating. He held two curved blades, and his movements were much lighter.

"Don’t hog all the fun, Grommash," he said with a smirk.

"Ragnok Shadowclaw," he added, glancing at Ethan.

Ethan frowned slightly.

Two Mythic ranks.

Before he could react, Ragnok moved.

SWISH!

His figure blurred, and the next moment, he appeared beside Ethan and slashed toward his side.Ethan reacted instantly and blocked.

CLANG!

But the force pushed him back slightly.

Grommash did not waste that chance.

"Now!" he roared and swung his axe down.

BOOOOM!

Ethan crossed his blade and blocked, but the combined pressure forced him down, and the ground beneath his feet shattered.

For a moment, he was caught between them.

Then he pushed back.

A surge of power erupted from his body as he forced both of them away, and a shockwave spread outward.

"Not bad," Ethan muttered.

On the battlefield around them, the war had fully erupted.

The Orc army clashed directly with the remaining human forces, and the difference in strength was clear. The Orcs pushed forward aggressively, smashing through shields and breaking formations, while the human soldiers struggled to hold their ground.

However, they did not collapse.

Under Ethan’s presence and command, the remaining soldiers gritted their teeth and fought back.

"Hold the line!" Han shouted as he cut down an Orc in front of him.

Hale stood beside him, blocking another attack and countering immediately.

"We can’t fall here!" he added.

The humans tightened their formation slightly, and although they were pushed back, they still resisted.

Meanwhile,Ethan faced both Grommash and Ragnok.

The three figures moved again, and their clash sent waves of destruction across the battlefield.

CLANG! BOOOOM! SWISH!

Each strike carried terrifying power, and every movement left marks on the land.

The clash between Ethan, Grommash, and Ragnok intensified as the battlefield around them continued to crumble under the pressure of their power, and every exchange between them sent shockwaves across the war zone.

Grommash roared as he swung his massive axe again, and the force behind it split the air while aiming straight for Ethan’s head, but Ethan stepped forward instead of retreating and met the attack head-on.

CLANG!

The impact rang out like thunder, and for a brief moment, the two forces pushed against each other, but then—

Ethan moved.

His arm twisted slightly, and his blade slid along the edge of the axe before redirecting its force, and in the same motion, he stepped inside Grommash’s range and struck.

SWISH!

The slash cut across Grommash’s chest, and although it did not split him apart, it forced the Orc back as blood spilled out.

Grommash’s eyes widened for a second.

"...You—"

Before he could react, Ethan had already shifted again.

Ragnok appeared from the side, his twin blades cutting through the air in a precise arc aimed at Ethan’s neck, but Ethan leaned back slightly and avoided the strike by a hair’s breadth, and then countered immediately.

CLANG!

His sword collided with both of Ragnok’s blades, and the force behind it pushed Ragnok backward, his feet dragging across the ground as he struggled to stabilize himself.

Ethan did not give them time.

He stepped forward again, and his aura surged violently as he unleashed a series of rapid strikes.

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!

Each blow carried heavy force, and the pressure built up quickly, forcing both Grommash and Ragnok onto the defensive.

Grommash tried to push back with brute strength, but Ethan’s attacks became sharper and faster, while Ragnok attempted to flank him again, but Ethan’s awareness did not leave any openings.

Then....

BOOOOM!

Ethan released a burst of power and struck both of them at once, and the impact sent them flying backward.

Grommash crashed into the ground, creating a deep crater, while Ragnok was thrown across the battlefield and barely managed to regain his footing.

For a moment, there was a brief gap.

Ethan stood there, breathing slightly heavier now, while his aura flickered faintly.

"If I was at my peak..." he muttered under his breath.

His eyes remained sharp, but he could feel it clearly.

His mana reserves had already dropped by nearly half.

The continuous battles, the previous clash, and the forced breakthroughs had drained him more than he had expected, and at this level, recovery was not instant.

At higher stages, even a small loss took time to recover.

If he had been at full strength, he knew this fight would have already ended.

Grommash slowly stood up, wiping the blood from his chest, and his grin returned, though it carried more caution now.

"You’re strong," he admitted.

Ragnok also steadied himself and looked at Ethan with narrowed eyes.

"But not enough," he added coldly.

Ethan did not respond, but his grip on his sword tightened again.

The battle resumed.

........

Far behind the battlefield, within the Orc army’s command camp, a different scene was unfolding.

A tall figure stood in the center of a ritual circle, and his long white hair flowed down his back as he raised a staff covered in ancient markings. The air around him shimmered with strange energy as multiple crystals floated before him.

The Orc shaman’s eyes glowed faintly as he focused on the crystal in front of him.

He extended his staff forward, and the energy within the crystal activated.

"Connection established," he muttered.

The image within the crystal flickered, and then a voice came through.

The shaman bowed his head slightly. 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

"Lord Siegeford, the human you spoke about is here."

For a brief moment, there was silence.

Then a cold voice responded.

[Very good... keep that bastard occupied.]

The tone carried killing intent.

[I am on the way.]

A faint distortion passed through the crystal, and the voice grew colder.

[I will tear that bastard into pieces.]

The connection was cut out next instant.

The shaman slowly lowered his staff, and a faint smile appeared on his face.