The path of the Soul Emperor

Chapter 18

The orc leader, a figure cloaked in lightning, moved with astonishing speed as Alex darted from tree to tree, his body covered in small cuts.

Holding his position, The orc steadied his sword, readying himself in a stance and thinking, "Second form: Berserk Slashes."

Taking a deep breath, he unleashed a flurry of wild slashes, destroying everything in his path.

Trees shattered, and deep gashes scarred the ground.

Alex, however, dodged the attacks, then stopped, raising his sword as the lightning around it intensified, making it look as though the weapon itself was forged from lightning.

Sensing something ominous, Alex turned back and saw the 30 slashes from earlier advancing toward him.

His eyes widened, immediately activating Wind Veil.

The next moment, the orc leader swung his sword down, unleashing an even larger and more terrifying crescent of lightning aimed at Alex's position.

BOOM

A massive explosion ripped through the area, leaving the orc leader breathing heavily.

He muttered,

"My mana is running out." Assuming Alex had been destroyed, he turned away, ready to assist his men.

Seven seconds passed, and the dust began to settle, revealing Alex standing tall, his strength fully restored.

He activated his powers once more:

[Soul Emperor + Fury + Arcane Mana Skin activated]

Surrounded by an intense aura of arcane mana, Alex's previous wounds healed, aided by his innate regeneration abilities.

For a moment, he closed his eyes, then opened them, feeling the energy surging within him.

His stats—all at D+ rank—were boosted further by Soul Emperor, pushing him to C+, and the 100% increase in power from Arcane Mana Skin added to a 30% stat boost.

Though still shy of reaching B rank, he was close.

The orc leader, sensing this surge, was stunned as Alex appeared before him, dispersing the dust in his wake.

Alex thought, "Don't die yet." The orc leader, with lightning-quick reflexes, managed to deflect Alex's strike to his neck, but not without taking a minor cut.

Jumping back, he regarded Alex warily as Alex spoke.

"I want you to work for me," Alex said.

The orc leader was confused, staring at Alex as he explained, "I intend to unite all the races of Juran Forest and conquer this entire continent. I'm giving you a choice: follow me, or die here—a pointless end for a warrior like you."

The orc leader laughed, showing no fear.

"Hahaha! So, you think I'd be your puppet? Remember, we're evenly matched."

"Are we?" Alex asked as an ethereal Soul Spear appeared behind him, invisible to all but himself.

In a flash, the spear struck the orc at light speed, causing him to cough blood before he even registered the attack.

[LV70] → [Lv68]

"Only a minor decrease," Alex sighed, realizing it would take significant Soul Essence to defeat the orc using Soul Spears alone.

Testing further, five more Soul Spears appeared, each striking the orc in succession.

[Lv68] → [Lv50]

The orc fell to the ground, coughing more blood as Alex observed, "The lower his level, the more effective the damage to his power and soul."

Noting his own limit in Soul Emperor form, Alex estimated he had only five minutes left.

He approached the shocked orc and said, "See, I could have killed you whenever I wanted. I didn't because I sometimes enjoy testing my physical strength."

Looking up in fear, the orc responded, "Then kill me. I won't be anyone's puppet."

Alex paused, raising his sword to the middle of the orc's head. "You won't be anyone's puppet—just a friend who I want by my side when I rule this world. I chose not to kill you because I respect you."

The orc stared at Alex, who smiled and knelt down. "I'll come to your orc city soon. Be ready to welcome me."

Placing a hand on the orc's head, Alex channeled a green aura, healing the orc's minor and some deeper wounds.

"This should keep you alive. Farewell."

The orc shouted, "Wait! What do you mean by visit?"

But Alex had already vanished, moving at extreme speed.

He sensed his group leaving the village and moving beyond his Soul Sense range, so he hurried to regroup with them.

The seed of loyalty was planted, and Alex knew he would soon have a powerful ally—a future B-rank warrior.

Training with him would rapidly increase the physical prowess of Alex's orc clone and enhance his own battle experience.

Arriving at the meeting point, Alex's clothes were slightly torn in places, but he bore no injuries.

Scanning the group, he noticed that Jack was injured, but not seriously.

Lisa had minor cuts, while Stella was seriously injured but not in a life-threatening way.

Sofia was already casting healing spells on Stella with Mai's support.

Lisa spotted Alex as he deactivated all his abilities. "Are you done?" she asked.

"Yeah. I left the orc commander alive to spread the story," Alex replied.

{Author's Note}

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