Moments before rushing the high ogre, Rin was deep in thought. He watched from afar as Yagami and the rest of his party fought the high ogre.
The high ogre was level 40,000. His level was around 17,000, so the high ogre was a little more than double his level. Fundamentally, he understood this was the strongest monster he’d ever battled. The level difference was wider than the gap between the lightning beast and himself, which had been sizable in and of itself. Not to mention, he was prepared for the lightning beast fight because of the Complete Recovery Potion and Magic Rebound Medicine he’d received as quest rewards. The system itself had granted him what he needed for the victory, narrow as said victory was.
This time was different. The high ogre was an irregular enemy that seemed placed in this dungeon by a malevolent hand. If Rin did everything in his power to spar with this monster, his true abilities would be revealed, and there was no guarantee that his everything would be enough.
He convinced himself that entrusting the fight to Yagami and the others, given their battle experience, was the right decision to make. He settled for watching them from a distance. It was only when Yagami’s powerful magic failed to defeat the high orc and the rest of the party started to collapse that he reconsidered.
Yet… was clinging to his secret worth risking their lives?
He rejected the idea immediately. His secrets were worth nothing when people were in danger.
What am I here for if not for this?
The answer was crystal clear. He was there to fight challenging enemies, to struggle, and to climb ever higher in power. He wouldn’t let the opportunity go.
“Nameless,” he said.
The sword—a tool crafted to defeat intimidating enemies—manifested in his hand. He sprinted toward the high orc as it brought its greatsword down.
“Wait, Amane! Don’t throw your life away!” someone shouted after him.
Rin didn’t hear it. His mind was focused on the high orc’s movements as he closed in on the speed of sound, the force of his steps powerful enough to crack the stone floor of the dungeon. With the cry of a fierce warrior, he swung Nameless up to counter the greatsword.
The blades clashed and scattered sparks. They strained against each other, evenly matched, until their swords clattered apart.
The others gaped with shock.
“How…”
“He repelled the greatsword?!”
The impact was forceful enough to repel everyone’s fear and replace it with amazement. The high orc was no exception. It squinted down at Rin as if perplexed that such a tiny body could emit so much power.
Rin’s reaction was different. From the observations he’d made on the sidelines, he understood the high ogre’s unique abilities and how to combat them. The conditions he needed were met.
He stared the high ogre in its pitch-black eyes and promised, “I’ll make a meal out of you.”
The stage was set—as the stunned onlookers watched on, their grand battle began.