NOVEL NEXT Chapter 85: Dominant Hero
Ethan's torso burned like fire where Garkash's whip had torn into his flesh.
[HP: 55/100]
His mana had bottomed out during the frantic battle, leaving him vulnerable. However, much time had passed, and MP regenerates, albeit slowly.
[MP: 25/160]
It wasn't much, but it might be enough for one last desperate play. "Luka," Ethan whispered hoarsely. "Hold on. I'm getting you out of here."
The Orc Queen lifted her head weakly, her white hair matted with sweat and dirt. "Idiot human... I'm tired of asking you to run, so do what you must…."
Garkash cracked the whip again, and Ethan moved and twisted, taking the blow across his shoulder. Jellyskin had already stopped working since this was the fifth impact.
[HP: 50/100]
The Cromwell heir picked up an ax and attacked Luka's chains. Nothing. If magic like Secas couldn't cut, a blade was useless.
Jibreel, the shaman, cackled from the sidelines. "Foolish boy! You think you can play hero? My chains are unbreakable, forged in the blood of ancient Orc spirits! The Queen will be bred, and we will feed on your corpse after!"
Ethan's mind raced. There was no point fighting back if Luka's bindings weren't released. But how? He needed to know more about them.
A spell from his arsenal bubbled up in his memory, one he had acquired in Cromwell Castle during his first few days. It was a revelation incantation, designed to uncover hidden properties of objects.
With his regenerating mana just barely sufficient, Ethan muttered under his breath, "Vanchsneff Nachtaal!"
A soft blue glow enveloped the chains binding Luka to the mast. Ethan's vision sharpened, and system overlays appeared like augmented reality. Symbols and runes floated in the air, revealing the chains' secrets.
[Revealing the Secret…]
[Item Analysis: Shamanic Binding Chains]
[Properties: Forged by Orc shamanic rites using elder spirit blood. It is unbreakable by conventional means, being resistant to physical force, elemental magic, and standard enchantments. Vulnerability: Can only be severed by dragon fire, dragon magic, or weapons infused with draconic essence.]
[MP: 15/160]
The spell had cost him dearly, but he hoped it was worth it. The crowd's roars faded for a moment as Ethan processed the information. Dragon magic? He hadn't even heard of the term before right now. If Beatrix were here, she could have been of help. This spell was useless.
Wait! Then it hit him. A flash of memory from his inventory. A reward from his first Orc killing spree, as Cassie.
Ethan's heart pounded with a mix of hope and desperation. He opened his inventory interface mentally, scrolling through the list of items. There it was.
[Dragonfang x1]
[Description: A dagger made of a fire dragon's tooth. When infused with MP, it can burn through most materials and skins. A powerful weapon for close combat.]
He summoned it with a thought. The weapon materialized in his hand in a puff of sparks and smoke. The dagger wasn't edged; rather, its blade curved like a fang. Veins of red pulsed along its length, as if there was fire trapped within.
Garkash paused. "What sorcery is this, whelp? A toothpick? You think that will save you?"
Jibreel snarled, taking a step back. He was the only one who could perceive the power emanating from Dragonfang. "Impossible!"
Ignoring them, Ethan channeled some of his remaining mana into the dagger.
[MP: 10/160].
The blade ignited, translucent red flames licking along its edge. It was as if it had been awoken from sleep.
With a swift slash, Ethan brought Dragonfang down on Luka's chains. Sparks flew as the tooth met metal. For a second, nothing happened. But then, a wail escaped the chains, as if something within had been vanquished.
"No! The elder spirits!" Gibreel called out in panic.
Luka's chains didn't just break. They shattered into tiny pieces of iron. The Queen stumbled free, rubbing her raw wrists. She gasped, flexing her fingers in disbelief.
The crowd fell into stunned silence for a heartbeat, then erupted into furious howls. Garkash bellowed in rage, his erection now wilted from the shock. Jibreel staggered back, his hands trembling on his staff. "Even elder witches couldn't break these chains… This boy… Who is he really?"
Ethan didn't waste the moment. "Luka, run! I'll clear a path!"
With the remaining MP, he activated Ghost Hands fully. Charging forward, he barreled the phantom limbs into the nearest cluster of Orcs. Axes bounced off like toys, while spears bent harmlessly. Their bodies, too, were swiped aside like bugs with sickening crunches.
A path opened up. The tunnel was narrow, and Ethan had to stay in place to hold it together, but it was enough for the Queen to escape. "Go! Get out of the camp! This is your only chance!"
To his surprise, Luka didn't flee. Instead, she snatched a fallen ax from the ground. "You think I'll leave you here to die alone, human? I am Luka Voltha, Queen of the Orcs! I don't run from a fight! If these heathens want my pussy, they better bring iron dicks!"
She swung the ax, cleaving through an approaching Orc's shoulder. Green blood sprayed, and the beast howled before collapsing. Luka stood tall, her tattered rags barely covering her curvaceous form. The Cromwell heir felt a powerful wave of attraction towards her.
Those full breasts heaving with each breath, and her muscular thighs flexing as she readied for more. This ivory-skinned Orc woman was really worth all the trouble.
"Luka, listen to me! You'll get killed! There are too many for us to fight and win!"
She grinned ferally, her green eyes glinting in the firelight. "Then we die together. Better than running like a coward, or getting fucked by that mindless brute."
Garkash roared orders to his Orcs, letting his voice roll like thunder. "Kill the boy! Capture the Queen alive for breeding! We don't need her limbs for that."
Ethan's mind whirled. He couldn't let Luka throw her life away after coming this far. But there was no way he could convince her otherwise.
Then it clicked in his mind. During a routine check of his system and inventory, he had observed a new entry in the DOMINUS section. Luka's blowjob had added her to the list.
[DOMINUS] [Level 1]
[Generating the list of spiral-marked targets]
[…..]
[Ivy Cromwell] [Status: Slave]
[Elaine Brackish] [Status: Unclaimed]
[Hilda Trombone] [Status: Unclaimed]
[Artis Lupine] [Status: Unclaimed]
[Luka Voltha] [Status: Unclaimed]
If activated, the system allowed Ethan to issue commands with magical compulsion, overriding free will in dire situations. He had intended to use DOMINUS for lewd acts, but this was not the time.
[System advice: MP too low]
[Activation chance: 25%]
"Okay, let's try it, anyway."
[Luka Voltha] [MP-10]
[Successful!]
[Luka Voltha] [Status: Slave]
[Commands may be remote, delayed, or direct]
[Success of command depends on its complexity]
[Set trigger word to activate Dominus on Luka Voltha]
[Trigger words must prefix commands, without which Dominus shall not work. They also activate delayed commands]
"Ivory Queen."'
[Updating…] [Luka Voltha] [Status: Slave] [Trigger word: Ivory Queen]
[Issue your first direct command to: Luka Voltha] [Requirement: Slave must be in your presence]
Ethan spoke aloud. "Ivory Queen…"
"Huh?" Luka snapped. "Why are you trying to insult me in the middle of a battle? Have you lost your mind?"
"Ivory Queen Luka," the boy said firmly, locking his eyes with her. "As your Dominus, I command you. Escape the camp. Now!"
The words carried a surge of mana, weaving into her mind like invisible threads. Luka's eyes widened, and her body jerked as if struck. "What... No! I won't! Argh!"
She resisted the command, her strong will pushing back against the compulsion. Her ax hand trembled, and she took a step forward as if to fight, but the Dominus control was too powerful.
Tears of frustration welled in her eyes as her legs moved against her will, carrying her toward the path Ethan had cleared.
"Ethan! You bastard! You've done some weird magic, haven't you! You'll pay for this later!"
Regardless, the Queen's body obeyed, dodging an arrow and sprinting into the shadows beyond the bonfire. The Orcs tried to pursue her, but Ethan blocked them with a swing of Ghost Hands, buying her precious seconds.
[MP: 0/160]
[HP: 40/100]
Luka had vanished into the night, her curses still echoing in his mind. Ethan slumped against the conjugal mast, alone now in the sea of enemies. It made sense, since he was going to be screwed by the Orcs.
Garkash exploded like a volcano. "You let my cum-bucket escape! Enough playing with the prey! Archers! Riddle him!"
A volley of arrows whistled through the air. Ethan dodged what he could, but two found their mark. One pierced his shoulder, making pain lance through him like lightning.
[HP: 35/100]
The second arrow grazed his side before sticking in his thigh, tearing into muscle.
[HP: 30/100]
He yanked them free with gritted teeth, but the damage was done. Orc poison seeped through his blood. Even though POISON RESISTANCE held tight, his vision blurred, and his strength left his limbs.
In the distance, he heard shouts. They were familiar voices. Beatrix and Athena had probably figured out he was surrounded. They were fighting their way through the outer camp.
Sounds of clashes of steel and bursts of magic proved that. They were coming for him, but the camp was vast, and the Orcs too numerous. It was pointless. They were too far to reach him before he was killed.
Ethan sank to his knees, the platform slick with his blood. The only respite was Luka's familiar fragrance lingering there. If he survived, she promised him a chance. But survival looked impossible right now.
Depression washed over Ethan like a cold wave. Why had he come here to Promiscua? To play the hero in this twisted isekai world? On Earth, he'd been a nobody, dying of an overdose alone in his apartment. Perhaps it should have ended there.
Here, Ethan had built power, a potential harem, and had adventures. But all of that led to this? Dying in the mud, surrounded by monsters, while his girls were too late to save him.
Garkash approached, realizing Ethan couldn't move his limbs anymore. He raised his ax, aiming it at the boy's neck. Ethan closed his eyes, prepared to die. What a shitty end to his fantasy life!
AWOOOOOO! A spine-chilling howl pierced through the air, unsettling the camp like a banshee's wail. From the South gate, terrified Orc cries rang out as they were thrown into the air, ripped into shreds. They were fleeing. From what?
Someone or something was coming.