Berserker

"Ancestral spirits, protect us!"

Hamia's eyes were blood-red as he swung a single-edged great axe, as tall as a man, with frantic intensity amidst the Gnoll warriors. To a Troll Berserker in a state of rage, this battle axe, weighing nearly 20 pounds, was as light and maneuverable as a wooden stick.

This Troll Warlord was a warrior in the purest sense, having been the most outstanding youth of the Mossflayer Clan since childhood. The year he stepped into the ranks of high-level warriors, he became a powerful and honored Berserker under the guidance of the High Priest, completing six advancements along the path of the Berserker in the years that followed. In other words, if he possessed a so-called system, his template would be that of a master-level melee character: 10 levels of Warrior and 6 levels of Berserker.

Although he wore only a layer of simple leather armor, the Troll race's innate agility bonus, combined with years of constant hunting in the forests, granted him speed far exceeding that of an ordinary person. This allowed him to move with remarkable flexibility before a crowd of Gnoll warriors armed with heavy shields, making it difficult for enemy weapons to strike him.

Rage is a unique ability of barbarians, Berserkers, and certain primitive races, allowing one to temporarily gain a +4 bonus to Strength and Constitution at the cost of reduced rationality, along with a +2 morale bonus to Will saves.

If a powerful warrior triggers the Rage ability, it is highly likely that their Strength and Constitution attributes will cross the boundary between mortal and legendary, stepping into the superhuman realm of 20 points. Simply put, such a warrior is not only powerful but also incredibly resilient; as long as their Rage state has not ended, taking on a crowd alone is not just empty talk.

Furthermore, every level 5 Berserker can acquire the "Advanced Rage" ability, which increases the Berserker's Strength and Stamina bonuses during rage to +6, while the morale bonus to Will saves rises to +3. This effect is sufficient to allow the Mossflayer Clan's strongest young warrior to step into the superhuman realm, moving freely through the ranks of poorly equipped Gnoll warriors.

"Die, you Gnoll scum!"

Accompanied by a roar, the Troll Berserker swung his pitch-black battle axe down with savage force, aiming to cleave the Gnoll who was cowering behind a large shield. Under the control of arms possessing strength exceeding a thousand jun, the sharp battle axe carved an afterimage through the air, slamming heavily into the thick wooden shield.

"Boom!"

The sturdy wooden shield, which had been capable of deflecting throwing spears, let out a pained groan under the impact. The great axe sliced both the shield and the Gnoll hiding behind it in two, adding a splash of blood to the cold-toned sky.

The Gnoll warrior collapsed in astonishment, warm blood spraying onto Hamia's greenish face. The Troll warrior extended his tongue to lick his lips, then quickly spat, "A filthy taste!"

Following this, the powerful Troll Berserker continued forward. In his state of fury, Hamia swept through the Gnoll ranks like a whirlwind, stirring up a boundless rain of blood. Behind him was a company of Troll warriors and the Troll priests under their protection. The Troll counter-attack force carved a bloody path through the Gnolls blocking the slope, aiming directly at the catapult encampment not far down the hillside.

"The taste of blood!"

Leading about a hundred warriors to break through the line formed by the Gnolls, the Troll Berserker's body was already dyed a deep crimson, thick blood dripping constantly from his person and his battle axe. Although his entire body was covered in countless shallow and deep wounds left by the cowardly Gnolls' short swords, Hamia, in his state of rage, felt neither pain nor fatigue. His eyes saw only the distant catapults; his mind held only a craving for blood.

"Finally, they've arrived!"

As the Troll warriors escorted the priests to the bottom of the slope, the Blackpaw Gnolls, who had been waiting for a long time, flashed with excitement. Under the leadership of Logul and Tagg, they blocked the path of the nearly hundred Troll warriors. Without wasting words, the Blackpaw Gnoll leader Tagg raised his iron warhammer to meet the Troll Berserker, who had transformed into a blood-soaked monster.

"Clang!"

Facing the great axe descending upon him, the eight-foot-tall Gnoll Champion did not choose to dodge. Instead, he met the attack head-on, gripping his warhammer with both hands to parry the ferocious strike. However, superhuman strength is an insurmountable threshold; before Hamia, who was caught in an Advanced Rage, the Gnoll warrior—with only 16 levels of Warrior—was clearly inferior in a contest of strength.

With just one strike, the refined iron warhammer that Logul had specially selected for him from the armory suffered a massive notch in its handle from the enemy's great axe. Had he not gripped his weapon with all his might, the warhammer might have been knocked from his control by the force of the collision, and he would have become a ghost beneath the enemy's axe.

Seeing the Troll warrior swing his great axe in a wide arc for an upward diagonal slash, the Gnoll, his arms numb and his feet sunk into the mud from the previous collision, was powerless to react. He could only close his eyes and wait for death to arrive.

At the critical moment, the Gnoll Shaman standing in the rear waved his staff: Shockwave! Following Logul's casting, a violent ripple of force vibrated beneath the feet of the Troll Berserker and the Gnoll warrior. The unprepared Troll Berserker lost his balance due to the tremor, and the sharp axe blade veered away from the enemy's vitals, leaving only a deep bloody gash across Tagg's chest.

"Damn scum!"

By the time Hamia regained his balance, Logul had already directed the members of the Blackpaw Clan to pull their leader from the front line, simultaneously sending in the second echelon of Red Pine Gnolls to entangle the nearly maddened Troll Berserker.

Too many, there are simply too many!

Although Hamia's performance, like a god descending to earth, held back the tidal wave of Gnoll warriors, the sheer number of enemies made it impossible for him and the warriors behind him to reach the catapults. Time was slowly slipping away, and his remaining time in a state of rage was dwindling; he could already faintly feel his arms, swinging the great axe, beginning to lose their coordination.

Once the Rage state ended, having used so many overloaded attack methods in the previous battle, he would be nothing more than meat on a chopping block, waiting to be slaughtered! Thinking of this, the Troll Berserker looked back in frustration and shouted to those behind him: "We can't get through! Tell those priests to stop hesitating and unleash it now, or we're all going to die!"

Having said this, Hamia did not look back, charging like a hungry tiger into the Gnolls who were swarming back around him.

"Wild spirits, be with me!"