Ogres

Ogres were much weaker than Forest Trolls, with only eighty percent of a troll's strength and size. They were slow to react and lacked a troll's absurd regenerative ability.

But no matter what, it was still a monster far beyond human limits, its physical attributes easily overwhelming Harrot's.

More importantly, the weapon in Harrot's hands could barely penetrate an ogre's defenses.

An ogre's hide was thick and tough; leather armor made from it was no less protective than ordinary chainmail.

The greatsword Harrot was using now was not the one he had used against the troll yesterday, but the battered standard-issue greatsword from the Gladiatorial Arena.

Dragon Slaying Sword Qi probably can't kill something this big in one blow either! Harrot thought in despair.

He was alone now. The Bald Man was not there to hold the line for him, nor were there other gladiators to cover and support him.

Facing such a massive monster alone, Harrot realized he was not as strong as he had imagined.

Heh, just last night I was still agonizing over whether to become Count Sarik's subordinate, whether to give up my dreams and live an ordinary life. Now it seems my road has come to an end!

Just as Harrot despaired, a miracle occurred. Count Sarik's younger brother, Marcus, stepped to the very front of the VIP stands and threw the greatsword on his back toward Harrot on the arena floor.

Like Sarik and Harlaus, Marcus had fiery red hair and a handsome face. He shouted at Harrot, "Use my sword, warrior! This sword is my reward for your outstanding performance yesterday!"

Marcus's throw was accurate. The greatsword plunged straight into the ground a meter in front of Harrot. Harrot looked up at Marcus, whose eyes were filled with anticipation.

Harrot opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but held it back. Whether it was thanks or praise, it could wait until after the gladiatorial match!

Harrot's fighting spirit reignited, completely driving away the despair in his heart. He took a deep breath and picked up the greatsword embedded in the ground.

The greatsword had satisfying weight and felt excellent in his hand. It seemed to contain some rare metals. Though Harrot knew nothing about forging, he could still tell that this greatsword was extraordinary.

The ogre was already charging toward him with a roar. Harrot no longer felt the slightest fear and bravely raised the greatsword as he charged the ogre.

The audience was stunned by Harrot's courage and cried out in surprise. A smile also rose on Marcus's lips as he stood at the front of the VIP stands, watching the match.

Closer, closer still. Just as Harrot was about to collide with the ogre, it raised its wooden club high and smashed it down at him.

Harrot stared intently at the ogre's attack, then suddenly leaned backward and slid along the ground beneath the ogre's legs.

"Boom!" The ogre's club missed and slammed heavily into the ground.

As Harrot dodged the ogre's attack, he also slashed viciously at its crotch.

"Ooooooh!" The ogre let out a pained howl. Harrot had landed a devastating blow on its vital spot—such pain was unimaginable!

The ogre's forward momentum was abruptly halted. It pitched forward onto the ground and rolled back and forth, venting its pain.

With his "+30 Defense," Harrot was immune to the abrasions caused by his slide across the ground.

His health was still completely full. Harrot shouted with fighting spirit, utterly overpowering the ogre writhing on the ground and screaming in pain.

"I can win! Ogres are slow to react and have no regenerative ability. I'm faster than it, and my weapon is sharp enough. I can defeat it!"

Harrot was incredibly fired up. Level 3 Running and 11 points of Agility were not particularly high, but they were enough against an ogre!

The ogre climbed back to its feet, its eyes bloodshot as it glared viciously at Harrot. It no longer charged at full speed, instead dragging its club as it walked toward Harrot step by step.

Harrot's Agility could certainly leave the ogre behind, but he had no ranged attacks. Once he used Dragon Slaying Sword Qi, he would collapse from exhaustion, so it could only be used as a finishing move. He could not hurt the ogre without getting close, so rather than retreating, he took the initiative to attack.

The ogre stopped and unleashed a Heavy Strike at the approaching Harrot. With its immense strength, the heavy club could kill Harrot in a single blow.

Harrot saw through the ogre's attack completely. The instant the club came down, he rolled sharply to the side and avoided it.

"Boom!" Another deafening impact rang out. The club had struck only a dozen centimeters away from Harrot, and the terrifying force sent a chill down his spine.

If that club hits me even once, I'm dead!

Taking advantage of the moment while the ogre recovered from its swing, Harrot slashed at it one-handed, then rolled again to evade its kick.

This treasured sword was exceptionally sharp. Harrot could only attack with one hand so that he could roll away quickly, but even so, he could still cut through the ogre's outer hide.

This was Harrot's first time fighting with Agility rather than relying on strength. He also had Marcus's treasured sword to thank for that; otherwise, he could have hacked away with that broken sword until nightfall and still failed to kill the ogre.

Using the same tactics, Harrot attacked, dodged, and attacked again and again. The ogre failed to hit him even once, and could only smash its club into the ground repeatedly in helpless fury.

Scarface in the VIP stands was dumbfounded. He had never imagined that Harrot, a brute known for his strength, could move with such agility.

The Bald Man was also wildly excited as he cheered Harrot on.

"That's it! Ogres aren't trolls. If those small wounds keep piling up, they'll wear it down to death sooner or later!"

Harrot had a freakishly powerful semi-datafied body and enormous stamina. He could keep rolling and dodging for a long time, and he was confident he could outlast the ogre.

Everything seemed to be going well, but when Harrot dodged the ogre's attack once again and prepared to close in, his heart suddenly lurched. Instinctively, he sensed danger.

Harrot had no time to think. He instinctively took a step back, narrowly dodging the ogre's grab!

Harrot staggered back several steps in terror, panting heavily as he looked at the ogre's savage face. The ogre opened its mouth and stuck out its tongue, seemingly mocking Harrot. It knew how to deal with this scurrying little pest now.

Cold sweat broke out on Harrot's forehead. The ogre had truly come within a hair's breadth of catching him just now. Its move had clearly been premeditated!

It must have seen through my movements long ago. It kept pretending to be angry while actually waiting for a chance to kill me in one strike.

Damn it, how could an ogre be this smart and this cunning? I almost got myself killed!

Harrot could not help trembling when he thought about what would happen if the ogre caught him. It seemed he could no longer use that monotonous hit-and-run style of attack.

This gladiatorial match was very similar to Harrot's earlier fight against the rapist Rodri, except this time Harrot was the agile one fighting on the move.

Though Harrot had abundant stamina and could fight a prolonged battle, there was one unavoidable problem.

The ogre could use all kinds of feints and fake attacks to lure Harrot in. It could endure countless attacks from Harrot, while Harrot would be completely finished if he made even one misjudgment and got hit.

Harrot took a deep breath, suppressed the fear in his heart, and considered his options. He had to change his fighting style.