Shadowed Gaze: The Highserk War Saga - Chapter 65

“Ugh, ahh, you all, what… when the battalion commander returns—”

The High Ogre viciously bit off the flank of a soldier it had cut down. The prey, incapable of anything but groaning, arched back momentarily, a mixture of saliva and blood bubbling from its throat after a gurgling cry.

“Ugh, g-gyaaahh!!”

Savoring the chewed flesh, the High Ogre swallowed it down. The texture of the meat, overflowing with blood and magical energy, and the screams stimulated its appetite and sadistic nature.

Indeed, there was nothing quite like eating humans alive. The High Ogre relished the resilience of the innards in its mouth, cracking open the ribs to reach its prize – the heart, which it ripped out and swallowed whole.

When thirsty, it would tear off limbs to drink the blood, and when hungry, it would split open the abdomen to feast on the entrails. Inside the human castle, the High Ogre indulged its desires unrestrained.

The only miscalculation was that the High Ogre’s king, the apex of their kind, had perished in a mutual kill with a human enshrouded in azure flames. The High Ogre couldn’t hide its sorrow and confusion over the death of a king it admired, but as a monster, it quickly adapted.

Its peers, equals in the pack, had mostly perished in battle against the humans. To decide the next king meant to kill countless of its brethren who rose to claim the title, and to reign supreme atop their corpses.

The High Ogre could reign as the next generation’s king without lifting a finger. Not just its brethren, but also lowly monsters followed its command. Its diverse pack, despite great sacrifices, reveled in the feast of devouring humans.

Favoring organs, the High Ogre selectively ate, especially enjoying the hearts of powerful human warriors and magic users. Feasting here could pave its way to becoming a true Lord in both name and reality.

The High Ogre was filled with ambition. Moreover, the flesh of women and children was tender, enjoyable whether eaten, violated, or crushed. Humans were indeed creatures born to be trampled.

Having nearly finished its meal, the High Ogre tossed aside the now hollow torso. Lowly imps and dog-faced creatures drooled and swarmed over the leftovers.

Seeking more prey, the monsters advanced towards the humans’ stronghold. Wolves ripped apart straggling soldiers, dim-witted Trolls swallowed crushed children whole, and Goblins tormented women with crushed limbs.

It was a night parade of a hundred demons, a monster’s banquet, as the human world transformed into a demonic territory. The High Ogre trembled with joy in the destruction.

Its subordinate monsters charged into the humans’ frail positions. Goblins were pierced through the throat, Skeletons shattered, and Orcs beheaded.

The High Ogre laughed at such futile resistance. Kicking aside a dog-faced Kobold to use as a shield, it cut through the haphazardly thrust spears with its claymore and charged in.

With a few swings of its claymore, all the humans grouped together sank to the ground. The monsters piled onto the humans lying breathlessly on the ground, biting through their jaws, tearing with claws, and ripping off limbs.

The humans, likely in total collapse, began fleeing en masse. With monsters inside and outside the castle, they were no different to the High Ogre than trembling horned rabbits in a burrow. The monsters began chasing the fleeing humans.

It was a hunt, slaughtering them one by one. It should have been a fitting exercise before a meal. That was until—

Suddenly, a wind blew inside the windless castle. The air heated up in an instant, turning into a raging firestorm. Overflowing azure flames turned Skeletons to ash and purified Ghouls. Imps writhed on the ground, and Wolves ran around, engulfed in flames.

This was not the High Ogre’s first encounter with the detestable azure flames. Emerging from the fire was the human who had killed the king, now possessing golden eyes that instilled fear in all who saw them.

Impossible. Unthinkable. Why was he alive? Why did he possess those eyes? The human, wearing a mask resembling a great demon and revealing eyes not of this world, emerged from the azure flames.

What was there to fear? The High Ogre denied such emotions. If the human lived, it would simply kill him again.

As the High Ogre roared, its Kobold underlings threw arrows, spears, and stones. Goblin Mages and Wraiths cast their magic.

Instead of diminishing, the azure flames spread, engulfing those monsters in a sea of fire. Screaming and dancing in madness, the monsters that passed through were all equally decapitated, their heads falling to the ground, never to rise again. Like the Flame Emperor Dragon, the human moved with the dignity of a king.

The zealous members of the ogre’s kind, relying on their magical barrier, plunged into the fray, but they were easily slain by swords wreathed in azure flames. It was as if they were mere weeds being cut down, slashed and burned, as the humans advanced relentlessly.

Above, the Death Condors and Hellbats, disturbed by the turbulent air currents and scorched by the azure flames, fell burning from the sky.

The ground, the sky, the entire landscape was being dyed in a hue of azure. The High Ogre roared and leaped into the fray. Retreat was inconceivable. The humans’ eyes transformed, narrowing vertically like those of his brethren. The High Ogre tried hard to avoid looking into those eyes.

The High Ogre kicked off the ground, putting all his might into a greatsword strike, but it was effortlessly caught by a human, who was no taller than the his chest.

It was impossible to accept. The High Ogre, dragging his greatsword back while grinding it against the human, aimed slashes from the left, right, low, and high, but the human did not even flinch. It was as if his every move was anticipated. Instinct screamed to flee. Yet the pride of a great monster, and the innate fighting spirit of his race, drove the High Ogre to continue the battle. He let out a roar that shook the atmosphere, opposing the azure flames. With his mightiest strike, he sought to lay the undead to rest.

The High Ogre, raising his sword high, felt a strange sensation; his body was not responding. His body slowly shifted and heat, intense heat, scorched his entire being. His torso was cleaved diagonally, and from the wound, azure flames gushed out. Flailing his arm, he tried to breathe but inhaled only flames. The world was spreading with azure. Gradually, the High Ogre’s movements slowed, and only his charred corpse remained on the cobblestones.