“Ugh!” I grunted as the bat collided with the shield. The force of the blow sent a shockwave through my body, and I felt a sickening crunch—something had definitely broken. The shield held, but just barely, and I was left reeling from the pain that radiated through my chest and arms.

But the ogre wasn’t done. It raised the bat again, bringing it down with relentless fury. I could do nothing but brace myself as each blow rained down, the repeated impacts making it harder to breathe. My vision blurred from the pain, and I could feel my strength waning.

In the midst of the chaos, I noticed the green orb speeding towards me, almost as if it sensed my desperation. It flew to my side just as the ogre prepared for another strike, and all I could think of was one word: Heal.

The green orb responded immediately, emitting a soft, soothing light that enveloped me. As the light bathed my body, I felt the intense pain begin to subside, the broken bones mending themselves and the deep bruises fading away. The relief was almost overwhelming, and though the ogre was still attacking, I could feel my strength returning.

With the healing light working its magic, I realized I had a chance to fight back. This wasn’t over yet.

But I couldn’t attack if this ogre kept smashing its bat into me. Did it ever get tired? I had to think—think, Kenji, think!

Then it hit me. The orbs floated around me, even after they transformed into weapons. If they could float, could they also fly? I had to try something, anything, to break free from this relentless assault.

I focused on the sword orb and imagined it flying straight at the ogre, stabbing it. As if reading my mind, the sword shot forward with incredible speed, piercing through the ogre's thick hide and coming out from its back. The ogre let out a guttural roar, the pain forcing it to stop its relentless attack.

This was my chance. I struggled to my feet, shaking off the lingering pain, and quickly observed the ogre. It was wounded, bleeding heavily from the sword’s strike, but still standing. Its eyes were filled with rage, but the momentary pause in its attack had given me the opening I needed.

It wasn’t over yet, but I had finally turned the tide in my favor.

The sword returned to my hand just in time for me to see the ogre start sprinting toward me, its eyes burning with fury. I knew I had to act fast. I quickly commanded the green orb in my mind to emit a blinding light right in front of the ogre’s eyes. The orb responded instantly, releasing a bright flash that made the ogre stumble and cover its eyes, roaring in frustration.

This was my chance!

The healing from the green orb had done its job—I was back on my feet, and I could feel my strength returning. This skill was really something else. Without wasting any more time, I sprinted toward the ogre, my heart pounding in my chest. As I got close to its right leg, I tightened my grip on the sword and began slashing with all my might, aiming to cut deep into its flesh.

***

In another part of the map, Eliza found herself surrounded by a group of goblins. Her expression remained calm, almost indifferent, as the goblins closed in on her, their weapons raised. Without a hint of hesitation, she began to glow, her entire body suddenly enveloped in light magic. The transformation was instant—Eliza’s power surged, her strength and speed amplified beyond normal human limits.

She lunged forward, her first strike hitting the goblin in front of her with such force that it was sent flying through the air. The remaining goblins hesitated, their courage faltering as they witnessed the sheer power Eliza wielded. Panic set in, and they turned to flee, but it was already too late. In a blur of motion, Eliza appeared in front of the fleeing goblins, cutting off their escape. With precise, powerful strikes, she dispatched them one by one, the goblins falling before they could even react.

When the last goblin fell, Eliza's glow faded, and she returned to her normal state. She stood there for a moment, catching her breath. Suddenly, she felt a faint tremor under her feet, her gaze shifting to the southern part of the map where a small plume of dust was rising. She knew Kenji was there, but her face remained emotionless as she observed the distant smoke.