Heaven's Greatest Professor

It turned out there really were other forsaken running wild in the outer layer. And it wasn't just goblins; orcs seemed to have come in large numbers as well. They encountered a group barely a few minutes away. Apparently, the orcs were running towards them after picking up on the disturbance. Unfortunately for them, they were unaware that their fate wouldn't be any different from the goblins'.

Agnes was certainly in the mood today. She mercilessly slaughtered through their ranks, leaving Warden to mostly watch her lithe form breaking through them.

"Keep a couple of them alive," Warden said, getting his hands dirty in the slaughter as well. "We might want to know how they entered the space."

Agnes agreed, even though she showed no sign of agreement. She kept the orc chief and another underling alive when she was done with it. She was still pristinely clean even with all the bloody work; one simply couldn't help but be envious of such power.

Warden gained some good points in his Strength and Dexterity by killing a few of the orcs, but the aspect of cleaning himself of the filthy blood irritated him once again. He really should wear the Cloak of Void Radiance. He could even change its appearance from the imperious white to something ordinary.

Regardless, I need to take care of the orcs first, Warden thought and advanced towards the remaining two. Although the captain left them alive, one was bleeding perilously, while the other had most of his energy sucked out of him.

Warden stooped down before the chief orc, meeting his eyes with a sardonic smile. Without wasting ceremonious words, he got to the point.

"Do you want to live or die?" Warden asked. A sudden look of surprise flashed in the green-skinned orc's expression, but soon the look turned into defiance, as he was about to spit blood into Warden's face.

Thankfully, his superhuman reaction came in time as he lurched from the spot. He had just cleaned himself; in no way would he let this orc stain him again.

"I'll take that as a no, then," he muttered. He walked to stand tall above the orc, and clasped his palm over its head. Purple void energy sparked into existence and surged into the orc's brain. Before it could even let out a scream, its eyes turned vacant. Warden pulled his palm back as it lay down, lifeless.

[Silver grade energy harvested.]

[+1.3 Spirit.]

[+2.3 Strength.]

Warden turned to the other orc, who had a befuddled look in its eyes. Allowing some of the baleful power of the void to spark his eye into a dangerous glint of purple, he arrived in front of the orc and smiled. It was enough to make it shiver in fear.

"How have you entered the subspace?"

The orc shuddered, wordless to answer. Weakened from blood loss, it was no more capable of defence against his attack than its chief had been.

"I won't ask another time," Warden raised a hand, on which wisps of purple energy danced on his fingers.

"I'll answer, human, don't kill me," the orc screamed. "We entered through a spatial tear."

"How many of you entered the subspace, and how long ago?"

"There are hundreds of us, more if you count the goblins and trolls..."

"So, there were trolls too, huh?" Warden mused aloud. It had been some time since he had any reason to focus on Recovery, and the presence of trolls only spurred him further on that note. "And how long ago did you enter?"

"It has been more than two weeks," the orc replied.

Warden's gaze shifted to Agnes, who furrowed her brows in confusion. It took her a moment to catch on; Warden's look was loaded with implication.

"What?" she asked, puzzled. "It's weird, I understand what you're saying, but whatever came out of the orc's mouth sounds like gibberish."

Warden tilted his head, nodding in understanding. "Actually, I don't think I know their language. It is likely I have some translation power."

Agnes's eyes lit up. "Freaky Celestials and their freaky secret powers."

"Regardless, this one's saying there were hundreds of orcs, goblins, and trolls that entered the subspace through another entry the military failed to notice. And that was a couple of weeks ago. They already had a head start on us."

Agnes's expression shifted instantly. "This complicates everything. Ask what their objectives are."

When Warden pressed the orc further, it hesitated, its eyes filled with fear. Clearly, it was withholding information.

"What are your objectives?" Warden repeated sternly. "Do you want me to ask another time?"

"I don't know! I don't know, I swear!" the orc pleaded, its head bowed. "We do as the chief commands; we know nothing."

"You're lying."

"No, no, I swear I don't know anything!"

"Then what's your use to us?"

The orc stopped begging, its eyes turning bloodshot. "I beg of you, I know nothing. The lord wanted us to hunt moonspawn... we're only on a scouting mission."

"Moonspawn, huh," Warden nodded. "Anything more you'd like to add?"

"I don't know anything! Please, I beg of you... you promised..."

"..." Warden shook his head and turned to Agnes. "Looks like he can't give us all the answers."

Agnes launched a blade of darkness to behead the orc. Warden felt a twinge of pity but pushed those feelings aside. This was the front lines, after all. Sentiments would only complicate matters.

Even though the orc was nothing but a minion following orders, those orders were to harm them. "Looks like our objectives align for now," Warden told her. "The orcs are after the moonspawn as well."

Agnes sighed. "Hopefully, they focused all their attention on the moonspawn and didn't go after the teams."

While a group of goblins and orcs was nothing to the two of them, it was a different story for others. Agnes and Warden were peak existences among the iron ranks. While other elites might contend with an orc chief on their own, they were outnumbered by at least five to one. The odds did not look good in their favour.

"Let's go, there's no time to be patient."

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