What was sitting on the throne of bones was a large, pig-faced creature, towering at least four meters tall with a humanoid body with four arms; it was dressed in jewelry of chained skulls around its neck, wearing a cloth around its nether region.

“What…?” He let out.

“It’s an orc–not just any normal orc, either! That’s an ‘Orc Chief”!” Julius yelled out, holding his sword up, “I don’t know what that thing is doing here, but you need to get out of here! This is too dangerous for you!”

“But…I can’t leave you here!” He contested.

Julius glanced back at him, “Listen to me, Emilio! I’m your father, so–”

Before the man could finish his words, he looked forward to see the red-skinned orc stand itself up with its beady, black eyes looking straight at him, reaching to either side of its throne as it wielded four, giant, curved swords in each of its hands.

Shit! Julius thought.

“Father–?”

Just as he called out, his messy blonde locks were brushed by a fierce wind as Julius dashed forward with blinding speed, meeting the Orc Chief halfway as they clashed blades in the center of the room.

CLANG.

The clash of steel resounded throughout the room with a gust of wind propelling outward from their position._.

He stood there in shock for a moment at the speed not possessed by his father, but the large, burly orc that clashed against him.

…Is he going to be alright? He thought.

Standing there in disbelief, he watched as Julius continued to clash swords with the orc, swinging swiftly, but the orc seemed to be a match for him.

He knew his father had told him to run, but that was the last thing he wanted to do.

It wasn’t quite as fast or as refined in swordplay as his father, but its monstrous strength backed by its superior number of blades made it incredibly difficult to combat as Julius strained himself to keep up with its barbaric barrage.

…I’ll help him! I’ll stay! He resolved.

“Ngh–!” Julius clenched his teeth.

For possessing such size, the orc moved with surprising agility, using nimble footwork to pressure the Mountain God Style swordsman.

As he raised his wand, he realized there was another issue–he’d never had experience in supporting another like this.

The massive orc and his father continued clashing steel as sparks rained down in the crystal-illuminated chamber of bones; he pointed his wand forward, but there was no room for a spell to be cast.

…They’re too fast. I-I can’t find an opening like this! He thought.

“Gyrah!” Julius roared out.

–Breaking through the orc’s offensive streak, the black-haired man stomped forward as his dark-brown boot cracked the stone beneath with the adrenaline that flowed vigorously, swiping his blade with such force that the wind hissed.

The orc squealed out like a pig as a gash was etched across its chest.

“Yes…!” He let out in relief.

–Though, it wasn’t enough.

The beast stomped down, countering with a slash of all four blades, though Julius blocked it–the force had knocked him back several meters.

SCHING. SCHING. SCHING.

Dragging its blades together, the slashed orc looked forward as it cut its blades together.

What’s it doing…? He questioned.

Just then, as a result of the unorthodox action of the orc chief, purple flames birthed themselves around its blood-stained steel.

“Ge-he-he…” The orc laughed.

Julius huffed, holding his beloved sword high before he caught in the corner of his eye that his son was still in the room, “–Emilio! I told you to run! Go–!!!”

“Huh?”

Before he could react as he looked towards his father, a shadow loomed over him–with monstrous speed, the orc chief had appeared in front of him, rearing those blades back with utter malice as it salivated.

“Emilio!” Julius yelled out.

Though he held a blade in his hands, the thought didn’t even occur to lift it. Not that there was enough time for his twelve-year-old body to do so, but simply the absolute dread that crawled over his body made him freeze.

SQUELCH.

As the blades swept forward, he remained unharmed, but blood still laced the air as the smell of iron hit his nose instantly.

“…Huh…?”

Across his vision, he saw blood spraying as somehow, Julius had gotten in front of him, being flung to the side by the brutal slash of the orc’s blades.

“…Father…?” He mumbled quietly.

He looked to the side with trembling eyes at the sight of Julius laid out on the ground across the chamber; a puddle of blood silently formed beneath the man.

“…Father…?” He said again.

–There was no response.

Looming over him, the chortle of the orc chief met his ears instead, but he didn’t hear it. He didn’t even acknowledge the presence of the four-armed, pig-faced brute in front of him.

Dread crept over his body, but soon that despair shifted into something else–”rage.”

BA-DUMP. BA-DUMP. BA-DUMP.

“Father…” His expression began to shift into one of contempt, “…Why? Why did you do that…?”

Father…It’s this thing’s fault, isn’t it…? He thought.

What filled his ears was the resonance of his own heart; like a drum being beaten to the tune of his anger, his heart pumped a new flow of blood through his veins.

It burned.

Through his veins, it felt as if molten lava flowed, filling his body with a heart unlike any other; steam exuded through his pores; his breath left as smoke.

BA-DUMP. BA-DUMP. BA-DUMP.

Something was changing.

In this state of mind, filled with fresh grief and rage, he didn’t question it–all of his focus was set on one thing: “Kill the enemy in front of me.”

Still, it didn’t hurt. Pain was changed into adrenaline as his heart pounded increasingly with the sound of its thumping being audible now.

A change occurred with his body: his veins were visible, shifted into a black shade; his amethyst eyes had increased in vibrancy with his pupil altering to an almost vertical slit.

[Dragonheart System Unlocked.]