System Break

Chapter 135: Ten little Orks

The lucky gaggle of ten orks had a seven foot forest monster descend upon them. 

A group of orks was a horde, but that didn't fit a group of ten or even fifty. Since the size of this group was laughable, they earned the term gaggle.

Their beady eyes widened and they grunted in surprise. It shouldn't have been that surprising, they were on their way to attack me after all. As my fist came down upon the first lucky bastard - time slowed down.

My fist and then my qi crushed his face into the back of his skull and the only place for his brains to go were out his ears. He had a thick skull and it was a mighty blow and there was a distinct lack of brains despite Gisael's warning of their cunning.

His feet lifted and his body flew backwards from the force and speed of the impact. He caught the side of the ork behind him and made it lose its footing as he flew past.

The rest were marshalling their qi and drawing weapons after recovering from their initial surprise. 

The third moved forward a step and so did I as a follow through to my strike. He twisted his torso as he readied his thick scimitar for a powerful strike. It was in the backhand position and the shape of the blade limited him to a sweeping arc. Knowing this and avoiding it were too different things and with ten, sorry nine, opponents there was no time to waste because they'd soon have me surrounded.

The ork's qi streamed up his arm and collected along the edge of his blade. His was just out of reach and I'd be within his. So, instead of striking his vitals I reached with two fingers and struck his arm as his blade began its sweep.

My qi flowed from my fingers and I struck at his stream. His eyes flashed in confusion when the qi stream and his qi strike were interrupted. The qi on his blade dissipated as it flew through the air and the confusion I'd caused made him falter. I took another step forward and struck with my other hand. 

With no weapon in hand I was able to strike quickly. And the qi technique which lent speed to my running worked just as well with my strikes. My one two jabs were lightning quick and the second caught him in the throat.

My qi licked the living wood in my fingers which stretched and entered the ork's throat. Its stoneskin technique was weak, although they had a bag full of techniques none were extremely strong. It was like a watered down version of what the Protector from Dawnharbour possessed.

My fingers cut through his larynx and oesophagus then my qi continued on and severed his spine.

There was no time to watch the dank ork spurt blood and fall into a quivering mass. The next was upon me. His qi tipped spear careened towards my side and I had moments to act.

My muscles from my feet to my neck were threaded with two layers of qi speed and strength. It was draining especially after a long day - and this day was like a baptism of fire. 

I stepped back out of the spear's path and as it passed in front of me I grabbed the shaft and pulled in the same direction as the thrust. The shaft was made of wood and my grip with one hand was better than the orks with two. He tried to jerk it back and I countered and pulled it from his grip.

I twirled the spear, brought the butt down and slid my hand down the shaft. One foot lifted as I leaned and continued to arc the spear head back towards its previous owner. My raised foot stepped towards the ork and the spear thrust followed soon after. The ork twisted to his side trying to avoid the counterattack. Orks were strong and somewhat fast, but they were also big. He had no chance of dodging the spear when I aimed at his centre of mass. It flew through his armour and into his lower stomach. I just kept pushing and let the spear go.

The ork grimaced and gripped the spear with both hands. His buddies were charging me, but I took the time to strike his nose and push it back into his brain using the base of my palm. I ducked under an axe and launched the offending ork with an uppercut. 

He flew through the air and his back arched like a high jumper. His axe dropped to the ground and his qi techniques suddenly quit. The ork wasn't dead but he was unconscious by the time he hit the deck.

I turned to face the next ork, but I was too late. A heavy scimitar cut into my back slicing through skin and muscle until it was stopped by the living wood. The endoskeleton was powered by my qi which enhanced its strength and resilience. Much to its surprise a heavy qi strike from a strong ork was not enough to break through.

I was bleeding profusely when the scimitar was ripped free. It wasn't my worst wound of the day, it was a flesh wound thanks to the living wood.

I leaned away and kicked out. My long leg swung slightly as my knee straightened and me heel connected with the orks chin. My qi flowed from my heel and into his face causing his head to snap sharply followed by a loud crack of his neck breaking.

There was no time to qi stitch my wound and it continued to leak blood like a tap. The six remaining Orks roared in frustration and more than a little fear crept in. In mere moments I'd killed four of them and they'd managed to cut me once.

I stood side on, bent my knees slightly and cupped my hand. I gave them the come on hand sign courtesy of Neo.

Two charged while four hesitated which suited me perfectly. Their fear and hesitation was my advantage. My qi flowed, my blood boiled, and I screamed with battle fury. My fists jabbed at them in quick succession.

They died.

Orks were a powerful race. A race proud of their strength and cunning. They honoured their great warriors. They were not in the slightest empathetic. They ruled ferals through force and fear. The four remaining Orks now experienced firsthand what the ferals felt under their brutality.

I stomped and roared challenging them to fight me. My muscles flexed and filled with qi. I exuded confidence and strength. A strength which overwhelmed them. 

They ran like bitches.

I leaned down and pulled the spear free. They were running off into the darkness, but I could see their cores clearly. I leaned back then launched forward and threw the spear. My qi guided it directly into one of the cores and pushed it through. The ork died with a surprised look on its face.

I sat down next to a corpse and began to qi-stitch the slash on my back. Then I reached down with my skinning knife and cut out its core. I didn't stow it in my pack I ate it instead.

I leaned back and let out a long breath. There were still three more groups of Orks. It was going to be a long night.