Chapter 123: Gnolls

The sliver of dawn that had peeked through the canopy the previous morning had blossomed into a full-fledged day. Sunlight dappled the forest floor where Noah lay, his sleep punctuated by fragmented dreams of the brutal battle. The clearing, once a stage for a desperate struggle, now bore the tranquil beauty of a sunlit meadow.

But the tranquility was an illusion. The aches and pains in Noah's body served as a constant reminder of the previous night's ordeal. Every groan as he stretched, every wince as he rose to his feet, echoed the violence of the battle with the Ogre.

However, woven into the fabric of his exhaustion was a newfound sense of accomplishment. He had faced a formidable opponent, a creature twisted by darkness, and emerged victorious. It was a grim victory, a testament to his growing power and the harsh realities of his world, but a victory nonetheless.