Rise of the Horde

Xiao Chen stared at the massive three horned creatures that the orcs were riding and the enormous pack of wargs that were with Sakh'arran.

Sakh'arran dismounted from Blackwind after stopping a few paces away and his clansmen followed his actions as they all saluted towards their chieftain. "We're back chief and we brought some friends along with us."

Xiao Chen nodded towards Sakh'arran and his clansmen but his gaze was till focused on the enormous three horned creatures. "I am Khao'khen, chieftain of the Yohan Tribe."

He stepped forward, passing by Sakh'arran and his clansmen as the White Tiger group followed closely behind him.

Dug'mhar somersaulted forward to dismount from his steed with his body crouched down, one hand on the ground and the other on his back.

'What's up with the dramatic entrance and superhero pose?'

Xiao Chen screamed in his mind as he stared dumbly at the orc, who was still maintaining his pose. Slowly raising his head, then straightened his body. The orc now flexed both his biceps towards Xiao Chen, who didn't know whether he should laugh or cry at the current situation.

Dug'mhar continued flexing his muscles in different poses, a proud smile was plastered on his face the whole time. "You have the audacity to bear the name chieftain of chieftains and calling your tribe the strong. Are you strong? Only the perfect me is suitable to carry that name and only my perfect self can call my clan 'the strong'."

Xiao Chen glanced towards Sakh'arran who had a wry smile plastered on his face, who just shrugged in response to his chieftain's confused look.

Dug'mhar continued on, flexing his muscles from his upper body to his legs. "I challenge you to a Mazu'rotha. Defeat my perfect self and you will have the Rumbling Clan at your disposal."

Xiao Chen once again glanced at Sakh'arran with a confused look. He doesn't know what does Mazu'rotha means, and any knowledge related to it since he was no real orc and judging by the way Dug'mhar uttered it, it is an old Orcish word.

Sakh'arran approached his confused chieftain to explain. "Chief, Mazu'rotha means sacred duel where you fight the one who challenges you with pure strength and natural physical ability. No magic and no tricks. Just you, your body and your weapon."

"Hahaha... You have the boldness to carry the name Khao'khen and name your tribe Yohan, but don't know about Mazu'rotha." Dug'mhar laughed as a dubious look was on his face. This was the first time for him to meet a brethren of his that didn't know of Mazu'rotha. The young unbloodied orcs of any tribe would surely know of it because it was one of the greatest honor and ambition of a proper warrior to win in a Mazu'rotha. It was one way to prove your strength and prowess in the absence of war.

Xiao Chen look at the orc mocking him while a mischievous smile was plastered on his lips. "I didn't know that gaining a heavy cavalry would be this easy."

"Alright! I accept your challenge."

Xiao Chen removed his armor, and he even left his sword behind, proceeding to fight barehanded. He moved forward closer to Dug'mhar while the White Tiger group and the others distanced themselves from the participants of the Sacred Duel in a wide circle.

"Ha! Your overconfidence will be your demise"

Dug'mhar shouted as he unstrapped the battle axe that was on his back. Xiao Chen confidently stood in front of him with his right foot forward and facing to right. One hand behind his back and the other in front.

Xiao Chen's outstretched right arm beckoned Dug'mhar to come. "Come on?"

Dug'mhar slowly approached Xiao Chen with his battle axe slung on his shoulder. "I am the chief of the Rumbling Clan. The most perfect of all orcs. See these huge muscles. Better surrender early before you embarrass yourself before the perfect me. Come on, don't be shy. It is not an embarrassment to surrender to this perfect one."

Xiao Chen was once again forced to glance towards Sakh'arran to get an answer to his confusion. Upon noticing the chieftain looking at him, Sakh'arran facepalmed and shook his head.

Xiao Chen returned his gaze towards his opponent who was well within his striking range still blabbering about how perfect he was on how it is not an embarrassment to surrender to his perfectness while still flexing his muscles at him and not paying any attention to his movements.

A helpless smile crept up to his lips as he wondered whether this opponent of his was really just confident of himself or just a plain dumb blabbermouth.

He shook his head in surrender and darted forward, intending to end this nonsense as swift as possible and to stop Dug'mhar's endless blabbering, which was already getting on his nerves.

With the momentum of his charge, Xiao Chen focused all his strength on his right arm. His left foot forward and his body slightly bend forward. His body raised upward and along came his right arm clenched in a solid fist where all his strength was focused on.

Xiao Chen gave the still blabbering Dug'mhar a solid uppercut on his jaw. The blabbermouth orc was lifted above the ground after Xiao Chen's fist connected to his jaw.

Dug'mhar flew a good meter backward and crashed to the ground with a loud thud. The battle axe in his hand was thrown further away as he didn't grip it firmly in his hand.

The blabbermouth orc's eyes rolled back, his mouth tightly clenched and his limbs no longer moving. Apparently, he was knocked out cold by Xiao Chen in one solid uppercut.

The spectators stared in silence for a good minute at the spectacle that just happened. They were both dumfounded and surprised at what just happened. Dumfounded because of the foolishness of Dug'mhar and surprised at how splendid Xiao Chen defeated his opponent with just one strike.

Xiao Chen stared in annoyance at the out cold blabbering orc. "Psshh... You talk too much. It's making my ears bleed"

Moving his gaze from the knocked out Dug'mhar towards the orcs who are riding the three horned creatures. After the situation registered on the brains of those watching.

The clansmen of Dug'mhar dismounted from their steeds and ran towards their chief in a panic, fearing that their leader is dead.