Hellmode ~A Hardcore Gamer Becomes Peerless in Another World with Retro Game Settings~

Chapter 599: Luvanka's past (2)

Amidst the noise, Luvanka woke up.

"Dear?!"

"Did the ogres attack already?"

Luvanka jumped out of his bedroom and quickly understood what was happening.

The Ogre Emperor had brought its army of ogres to attack Luvanka's village.

"Uhh…I'm scared…"

"It'll be fine, dad is really strong."

The children also woke up from the commotion, and the older brother tried to comfort his sister.

Luvanka quickly knew what to do and began shuffling around a corner of the room, opening a secret room.

"Everyone, hide inside!"

The house had a secret room in case monsters attacked.

"What are you going to do?"

"I'll do what I do best. Just don't come out, no matter what!!"

Luvanka replied as he desperately put on leather gloves.

"Okay, let's get inside!"

The children followed their children into the hidden room, and Luvanka closed the door.

Then Luvanka turned around and ran out into the village, where they were fighting.

(He's going pretty fast, but I feel like he hasn't maxed out his stats yet here.)

Allen analyzed Luvanka's Level as a beastman, by seeing how quickly he traveled the many kilometers between his house and the village gates.

While going to the Academy's dungeons, it took Allen's party 1 year to reach Level 60, so he knew that reaching that in Normal Mode took a lot of work.

Doing so required obtaining 200'000'000 Experience by hunting monsters, which meant putting their lives constantly at risk. Few were willing to do that, especially if they had a family.

And even more in a world before the Demon King raised the Ranks of all monsters.

In the blink of an eye Luvanka arrived at the gate. There were a lot of beastmen with spears and other weapons there, likely everyone in the village who could fight had gathered there.

"Ohh! We've been waiting for you, Val. I'm glad you came."

One of the beastmen looked happy to see Luvanka there.

"Of course. Keep the village safe!"

"Huh? Val, where are you…"

Luvanka passed through the villagers, reaching the closed gates where he squatted and jumped, reaching the top of the 10 meter tall fence and pulling himself up.

"There's so many…"

Atop the closed gate, Luvanka muttered in dismay.

He could see the light of countless torches outside, which were held by ogres.

There were many thousands of ogres surrounding Luvanka's village.

"Destroy the bridge!!"

"Huh?"

"Hurry! Don't leave any openings for the ogres to enter the village!!"

There was a deep moat around the village, so the bridge was the only way to enter.

Since it was still night, the bridge was raised. But if the ogres took control of it, they would be able to freely enter the village. To avoid that, Luvanka told the beastmen to destroy the bridge.

Soon the sound of axes breaking the bridge could be heard.

Hearing that, Luvanka jumped into the moat and swam across to the ogres.

(Which one is the boss?)

Together with Luvanka, Allen's eyes also darted around, searching for the Ogre Emperor.

Just like with goblins and orcs, defeating the boss of an ogre group would disperse them.

The only way to save the village now, would be to defeat the Ogre Emperor.

'Ohhhhh!!'

A young ogre noticed Luvanka, and moved its 5 meter tall body to slam its club on Luvanka.

"Hmph!! Explosive Hit!!"

'Ghoah?!'

Luvanka lowered his body and punched forward. The hit sent the ogre flying back, and before it could stand up Luvanka crushed its head with another punch.

(So he's also that kind of fighter. He's probably a Beast Fighter Saint or Beast Fighter King.)

Allen also analyzed Luvanka's Talent from when he was a beastman.

'Oh, so he's the one who attacked our village? Everyone, go after him.'

Atop a hill near the village, the Ogre King silently watched Luvanka.

'Guoooooooooo!!'

'Guoooooooooo!!'

'Guoooooooooo!!'

Many ogres started attacking Luvanka. He had no ranged or wide area Skills, so he had to directly fight back, but with time his movements began to slow down and he started taking more damage. Soon he had lost his advantage.

"Gh?!"

(Is no one going to come help him?)

Even though Luvanka was being beaten up, the gates of the village remained shut.

Allen estimated Luvanka had a 3 or 4 Star Talent, but that was not enough for him to fight thousands of enemies alone.

The ogres looked weaker than those Allen had fought, since the Demon King had not increased the Rank of monsters yet, but as Luvanka had not maxed out his Level, and he only had leather equipment, it was still impossible for him to win that fight.

'It looks like it's about time, you go too.'

'Guru!!'

'Guru!!'

The Ogre Emperor sent two Ogre Kings, which were bigger than regular ogres, to finish off Luvanka.

"Hm? Ghah?!"

The 2 Ogre Kings sent Luvanka flying all the way to the moat.

He tried to stand up, but the 2 Ogre Kings began kicking him down.

'Good, keep him there.'

The Ogre Emperor went down from the hill, its footsteps making the ground tremble, while the 2 Ogre Kings restrained Luvanka on the ground.

Luvanka could only raise his head, and he saw the Ogre Emperor approaching.

"S-so you're the one who brought all these ogres here!!"

If Luvanka could defeat that monster, all the ogres would leave. He really wanted to get up and defeat it, but the 2 Ogre Kings would not let him move.

'Yes, and you're the one who destroyed 3 of my villages.'

"Huh? So what?"

Luvanka had destroyed 3 ogre villages, as indicated by the 3 Ogre King horns he collected.

'I'm just saying that I'll do the same to you now. Everyone, storm the village!!'

'Guoooooooooo!!'

'Guoooooooooo!!'

'Guoooooooooo!!'

The ogres surrounded the village and began crossing the moat.

Ogres were many times the size of people, so the moat and fence were small to them.

Some smashed their way through, while others easily climbed over it.

"Gyaaaaahhh!! The ogres are entering the village!!!"

Terrifying cries came from the village.

The beastmen inside had nowhere to go as the thousands of ogres attacked.

Luvanka shouted as he heard the buildings collapse and beastmen dying.

"D-damn you!! I'll kill you!!"

'Gunu?!'

"Raaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh!!"

The 2 ogres holding Luvanka's arms were shocked by his strength.

Luvanka had a reason to fight back, his 2 children and wife were in the village.

Just as he was about to release himself, things took a turn for the worse.

'Those arms of yours look really lively. But here's payback for killing my children.'

The Ogre Emperor grinned as he grabbed Luvanka's arm and began twisting to pull it apart.

"Ghaaaaahhhhh?!"

Luvanka's arm was ripped from his shoulder, and once he realized that he shouted in pain.

'And this is for the other village you destroyed.'

Luvanka felt even more pain as his other arm was ripped out.

Having lost both his arms, he began losing a large amount of blood which pooled around him, and his consciousness grew hazy.

The ogres began setting the houses on fire with their torches to force anyone hiding to come out.

"Please stay safe…"

Luvanka's voice was hardly audible as he gave up. He knew life was hard, and that no miracle could save him now. All he could do was hope that his family would not be found, even if he died.

'And lastly, this is for the third village you destroyed.'

The Ogre Emperor's hand reached out for Luvanka's head.

Luvanka did not show any resistance, having already resigned himself to his fate.

Rather than looking at the Ogre Emperor's hand, he was thinking about his family's safety.

But then Luvanka felt like everything went silent around him, the ogres and the village alike.

"What? Who's there?"

Through his hazy consciousness from all the blood he lost, Luvanka felt like he could hear a whisper, like a man was standing right next to him.

'You, who are strong. Do you wish to tread your own path, or be swallowed by the world's path? I'll grant you the power you need, if you obey my conditions.'

It sounded like an elderly man's voice.

"What are you talking about?"

It was impossible for an old man to be next to him, and be able to talk with such calmness.

But considering Luvanka was moments from death, he could hardly think about it so deeply.

Still, the faint hope of a miracle happening sparked up in his mind.

'Yes, I am indeed a miracle. But we don't have time, you must make a choice now.'

The old man continued talking, almost like he could see into Luvanka's mind.

"If I say I want power, will it let me save everyone here?"

'I will give you power. But you'll have to use it for the good of beastmen.'

The old man did not say whether Luvanka could or could not save everyone. But Luvanka did not have the energy to really think about it logically, or try to negotiate further.

"I want power."

He hardly had to think about his reply.

The Ogre Emperor had already torn off his two arms, and his head was about to be next.

Luvanka wanted power, to not die, and more importantly, to save his family.

'I see. Then take care of all beastmen.'

(I can't see his face.)

Allen had also been watching everything that happened, but it was relayed to him just the way Luvanka had experienced it. His view had gone nearly completely dark, and the old man had been standing out of sight anyway, so Allen was unable to see him either.

"Wha-?! What's this?!!"

As the old man touched one of Luvanka's torn arms, Luvanka felt power surging in his body, like warmth washing over.

"