Luka stood to the side, eyes half watching the huge Troll and Brea, who rushed forward. He channelled his Miasma into a thin yet dense layer that wrapped around his blade, giving the edges an extra-sharp, deep pink rim.

He raised his weapon above his head.

The dark blade vibrated rapidly with a fierce buzz.

’This thing’s attributes are ridiculous!’

[Nemesis Record]

Name: ???

Race: Mutated Troll

Rating: Tier 1 (Peak)

Danger Level: Black

[Combat Attributes]

Strength: 180

Endurance: 100

Dexterity: 10

Agility: 10

Willpower: 10

The fact that it was a Tier One Monster was a stroke of luck for the pair. When monsters reached the next tier, they would completely evolve and gain a significant boost to their abilities.

’One or two blows and I might die, let alone her...’

Brea, ignorant of his worrisome thoughts, calmly held her massive axe with a single hand, the other raised in the air, hand like a claw as if offering it up to the cavern ceiling.

"For those that have come before, watch and support my divine path."

Her rough voice became fair, beautiful and soft.

She spoke as if singing a divine hymn, words rolling in the ancient tongue one after the other, nothing like a normal Templar.

Golden pillars shot from the sky, penetrating the massive cavern, despite there being no visible damage.

The light created eight pillars around her, forming a diamond shape.

"Let it be known, fiend. That I am your nemesis." The first pillar overlapped with Brea. "When your blows reach me, I shall not stop," the second and third pillars overlapped with her this time, creating a dense glow, almost like armour. "Should my axe find you. Then fear my divinity, for you are my prey."

Upon the last word, her entire body shimmered, the final pillars enveloping her weapon, the grey iron axe now shimmering with a brilliance it lacked before.

Opposite her, as if momentarily dazed by the sudden divine language, the Troll shook its head and slammed its own chest with a frightful boom.

The room shook as it roared, sending thick globs of drool in every direction.

"Phew, this is going to be dangerous..."

This time, Luka’s eyes peeked at Brea.

He’d once analysed her attributes before, but they seemed normal.

However, somehow he felt this wasn’t correct.

So he squeezed his abdomen, sending more and more Miasma towards his eyes, increasing the force and power of the System’s analytic scanner.

[Divine Record]

Name: Brea Bladefist

Age: 28

Race: Orc, Orge

Level: Tier 1 (Mid)

Rating: ???

Class: Divine Templar (Unique)

Talent: Piety, Unbreakable Will (WILL: +10), Warchief’s Daughter (STR: +10, END: +10)

Skill: ??????????

Dangerous.

Extremely dangerous.

’How did I manage to grope her in the !?’

Suddenly, it dawned on him that this woman wasn’t part of his System yet because of her previous connection with Michael and the Templars. Her power and classification also seemed closer to a monster than to a humanoid or a force of light.

’Damn racist system...’

"Focus, little noble boy."

Her husky voice leaked as she stood two metres from the huge Troll.

"On what?" 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

His eye remained locked on the Troll, not moving for a second. So he didn’t quite understand her meaning until she suddenly groaned.

"Hrrrrrrgh!"

The moment she made the noise, the Troll hurriedly raised its arm to strike her down.

"Make sure you watch me, and don’t look away, kid!"

Brea ignored the Troll and focused on herself. She clenched her elbows tightly against her waist as an explosion of Miasma burst from her body.

"How!?"

Luka gasped.

He couldn’t understand how she did it for a moment.

But found himself immersed in the mesmerising scene.

She drained Miasma from the surrounding crystals, turning the beautiful streams of blue into a passionate shade of gold. Her body was a container for divine power, and yet it easily absorbed the dirty gold Miasma of Greed.

"Haha..." Her lips trembled as a laugh escaped. "Hahahahahaha!"

The Troll slammed down with her rusted chains.

Bang!

A massive shockwave spread from the impact, cracking the ground beneath Brea. Her body remained upright, holding her axe with both hands to block the blow.

But she’d changed.

Dark gold lightning arced from her body.

Her hair danced in the air, a mixture of black and red.

Long tusks curved beneath her lower lip, with a thick golden nose ring.

Brea grew taller with copper-red skin and tight, well-formed muscles bulging along her spine, shoulder blades, and arms as she caught the Troll’s blow.

"Shit...Ptooh! He’s really fucking strong." She cursed, spitting on the floor.

Her armour appeared to have burned the moment she transformed, revealing a tribal-style chest wrapping keeping her massive breasts tightly contained.

The change in her attributes was massive.

Nearly double in most attributes, compared to her human form.

[Combat Attributes]

Strength: 52 (+10)

Endurance: 65 (+10)

Dexterity: 15

Agility: 13

Willpower: 30 (+10)

[Extra Attributes]

Loyalty: ???

Affection: 62

Corruption: 10

Charm: 36

—

’She’s still Brea!’

She turned to Luka and snarled.

"Hurry up, my divine shield won’t last for more than ten seconds!"

"Ah!"

A little shocked by her sudden revelation, he lost composure.

Meanwhile, Troll pulled back its arm, glancing at the still-standing Brea then at its own arm again... before grunting and raising its arm once again.

"Luka!" Brea remained in the same state, both arms holding her axe, as a golden shield shimmered above her body. "Attack it with that foul weapon of yours, now!"

His body moved before she shouted, his steps lighter than ever thanks to the upgrade of his Agility and Dexterity.

He covered the distance in several seconds.

The Troll focused on Brea, slammed down once again, the wind howling at it, and smashed into the golden light.

Crack!

Deep cracks spread through the golden light as Luka grasped Oblivion overhead.

He slashed down the Troll’s back, from right shoulder to left waist.

The blade sank several inches into the tough flesh, his magenta flames instantly searing the Troll’s regenerative flesh as he quickly twisted the blade and followed up with another slash, cutting across the dark blue hide of its waist.

"Grrrrrrraaaaa! I....It hurts!" The monster roared, swatting the air, slamming its chains around violently, almost sweeping Luka off his feet.

He jumped back, avoiding the rusted chains that deflected the second lot with Oblivion.

Clang!

Brilliant orange and black sparks flung from the blade as the Troll slowly turned to face him for the first time since Brea stepped forward.

"Y...You make pain!"

"Avoid it!" Brea shouted.

Luka couldn’t hear her voice as the thick, iron chains shot forward like a javelin thrown by an orc warrior.

The Troll punched forward, sending the jagged, broken chains flying forward at him.

"Shit!"

His legs spread almost completely as the metal passed inches from his forehead, the cold whisp of wind leaving a lingering chill on his cheeks.

He quickly jumped to his feet and grasped Oblivion, ready to fight.

On the opposite side, Brea, in her Ogre form, rushed at the Troll, and with a heavy chop, slammed down her axe where Luka struck before.

Thunk!

The moment her axehead sank into the monster’s flesh, it convulsed.

Her axe tore apart the thick hide, splitting the small sword wound to make a deep, bloody gash.

Upon taking the damage, it suddenly recoiled, running away to the cavern depths, before a low crunch echoed. The Troll was eating Mana Crystals again.

But, it wasn’t just one or two—the monster devoured mana crystals like berries.

"Luka, this thing’s doing something strange!"

"You don’t say!"

The previous times, its power would spike after eating one, but now... the deformed crystals on the Troll’s back began to shimmer and glow.

A flicker of blue.

The low crackle of electricity.

Massive wings of lightning spread from the shoulders of the Troll, spreading through its limbs like a beautiful flash of light.

The lightning crackled from the tips of its chains as the Troll slammed both fists against the ground with a low grunt.

"Die.... Die..... Enemies Die...!"

Luka took a deep breath.

He tried to analyse the Troll’s movements, which slammed its chest in a posture.

"Brea, can you make any more of those shields?"

"Hell no!"

The entire cavern filled with crystals became an active lightning trap.

A single misstep, and the pair would enjoy being jolted by the electricity generated from Miasma and Mana reacting to each other.

Though Brea’s body glowed with a golden light, only four of the eight pillars remained.

"The Troll’s weakness is the nape," Luka shouted, before shifting further from her. "We should avoid standing close—that lightning looks dangerous."

"Heh, little noble, don’t be so soft, let’s fight!"

Luka’s brows furrowed.

"Soft...?"

"Hmph~ What did I hit a nerve, pretty boy?" She smirked at him but remained focused, keeping her eyes on the Troll.

"Heh, what nerves. If you don’t mind, how about a bet!?"

He hated losing to this woman.

It wasn’t anything serious, just an innate desire to beat her.

"Then if you manage to land the killing blow...." She paused, raising her axe as the Troll strode towards them.

"Maybe~ I’ll let you taste the body of a Half-Ogre!"