Chapter 146: Chapter 146: To What Do I Owe Pleasure? (2)

The ogre's eyebrows began twitching uncontrollably. I have no idea why. He doesn't seem to like the reply that I gave.

"Uh, should I have started with a hi first?" I asked politely.

All of them were looking at me confused. Then they began laughing raucously.

"Should I introduce myself first then? I'm Claude Weiss by the way." I broke the binding magic, shattering it into pieces then reached out my hand to them.

Rather than responding like civilized people, the ogre chose to respond with his fist as he rushed to me with his massive stature. Then soon followed by the others, as they prepared their magic against me.

'They've been cautious of me since the beginning?'

The ogre swung out his right arm at me. I was in utter disbelief at how massive his fist was, considering it was probably more significant than my head. Nevertheless, the bigger the object the slower they are—or so I thought because he was coming at me with a speed that I'd never seen from someone of his size.

I preemptively swerve to the left. Then waited until the moment I saw his elbow right before me before I struck back, striking his ribs.

-Bam!

He didn't flinch, but at least I got some reaction from him as he furrowed his eyebrows deeper. Then he swung his arm to me, so I ducked down and retreated away. It's expected for him to have a body tougher than steel as he's from the ogre race, but I didn't expect it to be tougher than most of the ogres I've in the past. Then from my left, two magic projectiles were flying in my direction. As it got closer, their faces lightened up.

"Bug off." I slapped their magic like it was nothing.

'Be interesting...' Then I recalled the words of Keris that seemed to be a message for me.

My guts are telling me something's off. They're well aware of my strength as they're showing signs of alertness toward someone like me. Could it be because of the time I fought Arya? If the rumors of Arya and me fighting spread, I would've noticed it but that didn't happen because whenever I encounter a schoolmate they would treat me like usual—the usual degrading look. There's a possibility they brushed it off. Leaving me with either they've investigated me or someone's behind everything.

'Now, how should I deal with them? I was planning to use them as a warning for others...'

"Play along." I flashed a smile.

The perpetrator who attempted to curse me last time could have instigated all of this. Now, if that was the case, I need to know their end goal on what they wanted from me because there are a lot of variables that need to be accounted for. Do they want me to believe in something? Do they want me to take a course of action that would benefit them? What's the perpetrator's main objective? Etc. Therefore, I need to allow the perpetrator to manipulate me in order to understand the perpetrator's objective.

"Be a fool to fool the fool," I muttered.

I went head-on with the ogre which took him by surprise. I can't brush off the other three dorks along with this ugly ogre in front of me, so I took a gamble and decided on meeting him head-on in order to stop them from casting magic projectiles at me. The likelihood of them attacking me with their ranged attack remains, but the chances of that happening is low as from assessing their behavior with the ogre it seems they fear and don't want to enrage him. Now, I need to forcefully narrow their choices down to close combat.

The ogre and I swung our fists against each other at the exact time. Then he grinned after seeing that I'm fighting him head-on. The reason being, his massive stature grants him longer reach than mine.

'Look at this ... He thought I was stupid and arrogant. Who would take you head-on when you have a hand that massive?'

I disappeared in his sight then...

"Huh?! Where did he—Puh!"

As my fist deepened into his abdomen, I exerted more force than usual which sent him flying through the woods, destroying a few trees along the way like a bulldozer ramming through those poor trees. Also, two of his companions were also caught along with him, and only one managed to dodge his big-ass body. Poor them.

The ground began rumbling. From up ahead, the ogre emerged holding a tree in his right hand that's like twice his size.

"You're decent." The ogre stated.

"Hold on... I thought all ogres are stupid! You're speaking eloquently! Holy! I didn't realize that until now!" I blurted out casually.

"Stupid? What did you say to me? I'll murder you!" He yelled as he threw the tree in my direction.

I summoned my weapon, cutting the tree in half. Following that, I saw the guy who survived hiding behind the thrown tree at me with his palms out to me while muttering words under his breath, seemingly waiting for the perfect opportunity. Multiple compressed magical energies formed around him.

"Aura Staves!"

'Now, that I didn't expect. He's clever. Did they plan that?'

I cut through every single one because it was far more efficient than dodging all of it. Then used the pole to land a sweeping blow into his torso.

-Smack!

"Pah—kiegh! W-What? N-No wa—!"

Even after taking a blow, he attempted to cast another spell right straight to my face which took me by surprise, so I unknowingly landed another sweeping blow to his right arm. He fell on his knees, clutching in pain.

"Ukkkkh—!"

Once I felt the ground tremble, I glanced to my right. There was a massive figure charging in our direction, so I kicked the poor guy in the face before retreating away.

"Kuraaah!" The ogre screamed as he went across my sight.

I looked in the distance, checking the two poor people who got bodied by the ogre. The two were barely standing, yet they were already preparing a spell to attack me. I vanished from my spot, reappearing behind the guy whose main purpose was to cast those annoying bind magic.

Instead of using my weapon, I threw a punch right through his face but got blocked by a translucent shield comprised of magical energy that was cast by the other person next to him. I punched it again but added more power behind it which shattered the shield into pieces.

"Akh—! Ridiculous! Are you a monster!" He exclaimed.

"How insensitive of you to say that to some—"

Before I could continue on, my senses screamed at me telling me to jump high as possible, thus I did. The ogre threw another tree at me that barely missed his companion by a hairbreadth.

'Uwah! He's relentless!' My eyes widened.

He then threw another one. I incinerated it into ashes with my purple flame. It's been so long since I used it. "That's so refreshing."

"Bastard, come down—?!" Before he could finish his sentence, I shut his mouth by landing on his face. The two fell to the ground, struggling to stand up as I'm standing on top of them.

"Are you all friends? I hope so."

"Fu—" I stepped on his head, not allowing him to talk.

I leaped back a few meters away.

"Don't make me laug—" As the other guy was about to speak, he was annihilated by a tree that the ogre threw.

Looking over their mishaps, I felt a little bit of sympathy for them. "Ouch! That freaking hurts. They received a full-blown force from that throw. The ugly ogre doesn't hesitate whether it's his friends or not."

"A scary giant." I scoffed.

'Two down. With how powerful that throw is, they won't be able to have the energy stand anymore. That worked too well, too fucking well. I'm glad the hideous ogre was an idiot. At end of the day, he's still a dumb ogre.'

The ground trembled once again. In the far distance, I can hear a deafening laugh heading toward my direction.

"Kuahahaha! You're making my blood pump with joy! Kuahahaha!" The ogre cackled while charging in full sprint. "The strong ones always conquer beauties and for I shall have them!"

"Dumbtard."

I stayed in my spot showing no signs of avoiding his full-on assault. It brought a smile to his face. The look in my eyes instantly changed which erased the smile on the ogre's face.

As soon as our eyes met, I slipped beneath him.

"H-Huh?"

Then punched him right in his solar plexus.

"Oough!"

Shortly after, I was forced to teleport away from him because I thought I would be able to overpower him with my fist; however, his weight exceeded what I expected. I exerted the same amount of strength in my fist both earlier and now. Then looking at my numb shaking hand. I came to a conclusion.

"Ogre's ability to amplify the strength of their muscles. What a cheat."

"Kuahaha! I feel it!" The ogre looked at me as he was rubbing the area where I struck him.

"He's enjoying it?"

"Kuahaha!" He leaped across while laughing hysterically.

He landed in front of me, thus the beginning of his barrage of punches. "Kuahaha! After this, she'll be mine!"

"Which one are you talking about?" I asked nonchalantly as I dodge every single of his punches.

That took him by surprise which made him stop throwing punches. Then he laughed hysterically louder than his previous one.

"Gahahaha!"

'Eh, it's a different laugh?'

"The Samurai."

'Samurai... Adelle?'

Then he continued throwing his fist at me.

"I was rejected by her because of a certain someone! It's you! All of them also said the same, that's why we came here! But now—Gahahaha, she'll change her mind!"

'Me? Oh, yeah... But, all? All of them? Hold on, I thought he was here because of Lily... Adelle? And, we? This is making me confused.'

It's been minutes yet he hasn't landed a single one. At first, he'll use right, then left jabs before ending it with a right cross, but following that, he'll do the same but ending it with a right straight then he'll change it next with a left cross. He's not underestimating me, but rather the contrary, all this time he's trying to throw me off by mixing a lot of sequences because he knows that I'm also a quick-witted fighter. Moreover, he's using his insane height and reach to his advantage.

Of all the ogres that I've fought, he's the first one who uses a brain to fight rather than relying on strength alone. He has techniques to back his strength. I'm not saying, all ogres don't use techniques, but rather because of their nature.

"Kuahahaha! Be overwhelmed!"

I slithered through his offense and punched him again in his solar plexus which forced him to retreat. Since my reach is shorter than his, adding to the fact that I need to adjust because of his height, I need to be careful.

-Bam!

"Urk! Ku-Kuahaha... You got the power! Kuahaha!" He held his stomach.

'After this hit, his body will toughen up again.'

"Just shut up, your laugh is annoying."

The ogre's eyebrows twitched and slowly turned into a frown. I took that split second to shove my fist into his nose which completely caught him off-guard. He fell on his back.

"Guaaaaaaaah!" The ogre roared then an immense raging aura erupted from within him, disrupting the space around him. Soon after, his skin became red and his mana increased by three folds. He laid his sharp eyes on me and smirked.

"Berserk. Fuck this." I muttered.

'When can I see the curse? At least, one of you peeps got one. Come on! Use a curse magic! I've been wasting my time here!'

He charged and his speed was faster than before, but my eyes can still follow him properly so I'm not bothered by it. On top of that, his spirit was also running along with him, which seems to be a bull with four horns and six legs. I swiftly avoided the two before I began my counterattack.

'Are they even related to Karis? Or are they just suckers who are just jealous?'

The flaming spear in my hand burned brightly. After slipping through the back of the bull spirit, I began hitting every vital part of the ogre's body with the pole of my spear. He has lost the sensation of his right arm and his left thigh considering they're my target since the start of the fight. It was apparent from how he switched his fighting style from fighting with his right to now with his left.

I planted both of my feet on the ground while his left fist drawing closer. I revealed a grin from ear to ear before countering his left fist with my right fist, and slowly, the sound of bones cracking bit by bit reached my ears, soon to be followed by the agonizing scream of my foe.

"Gaaaaaah—! M-My left arm!"

I stepped back, putting a distance between us, and stood there without showing any remorse, just a blank face.

"Come on, curse me." I said before proceeding to step on his broken arm.

"Uugh—Aaaah...! Shit, shit, shit, shit! Curse you! Aaaah! It's burning, fuck!" He screamed, clutching his left arm with his numb right arm. His skin returned back to normal.

"You're an ogre for fuck sake, a mere broken arm like this shouldn't hurt... Burning?"

Looking down, I saw his entire arm in blazing dark purple flames.

"Oh! My bad, my bad! I got too excited." I snapped my finger which extinguished the flames.

Even though the flame was gone, the ogre kept screaming in agonizing pain.

Then suddenly, my entire leg was wrapped by this elastic type of object that came from the ground. The air in the surrounding became heavy as if something was about to happen—a war. The sound of leaves rustling followed by people's footsteps surrounded me.

A group of men emerges behind the trees, equipped with their weapons. Not only that, the sky became bleak as if it was shrouded by something magical. So, my current situation would be considered dire, as I'm surrounded from every side without escape by a legion of men or so, whom I haven't met in my entire life.

"What now?"