“Ahahahaha! Struggle all you want. But the outcome is clear! It’s either you succumb to your faith in becoming my experiment, or you suffer before you become my experiment. Either way, both choice works for me.”

Orakh ignored the Old Hag’s provocation and shouted, “Did you find it yet?”

“Not yet!”

“Hurry! We can’t hold this many golems!”

The situation turned from bad to worst within seconds when the witch fed [Bev-Rage] to the Golems and Orcs on her side.

The Orcs could really kill the witch, but the nasty thing about the Old Hag was her skill to control creatures to her whims and feed them potions to buff them.

“Things aren’t looking favorable for us,” said Ragnar, staring at the Orcs that were hit by the Old Hag’s Magic.

Ren was right. The Old Hag could really kill them if she wanted. She was just toying with them, and Ragnar didn’t know what to feel about it.

At least they were given more time to struggle. Though Ragnar really didn’t know what they were doing here. But the one thing he knew was that . . . even if Ren was shrewd and frustratingly annoying, he delivered what he promised one hundred percent. That, at least, put his mind at ease.

While everyone struggled from the fight, the area was filled with a nauseating smell coming from the cauldron. The Old Hag kept throwing ingredients inside it. It wasn’t rotten but something akin to the smell of strong perfume that really gets into the head and nose. Even their throat was burning.

[Your DEF decrease!]

[Your STR decrease!]

[You suffered from Dizziness!]

A Series of notifications rang in Evie, Ragnar, and Ren’s ears. The Dizziness also added to their predicament, and those who were affected paused and clutched their head in agony.

The Old Hag took that opportunity to cast another wave of [Charm] Spell. A burst of pinkish beam zoomed their way. Draki and Orakh immediately evaded, but some Orcs couldn’t even move a muscle from the status effect of the smell, and the pinkish light hit them straight on.

While the others were rooted to their spot because they were locked in combat with the golems and their fellow Orcs, who shifted sides and restrained their movement.

Ren didn’t have a problem with the Dizziness since his ATP was high to combat it, but Evie wasn’t. Without thinking about Ragnar and whether he was alright or not, Ren took Evie in his arms and immediately retreated to a safe distance.

Evie was small, so her weight wasn’t a problem with Ren, even if his STR was still in the single digit. After making sure that they were safe from the witch’s clutches, Ren immediately let go of her.

Ren’s face was serious as his voice, but his ears were red. Evie was so soft, and he tried hard not to think about that feeling as he stared into her.

“Are you alright?”

Evie shook her head rapidly and blinked many times to get the Dizziness out of her system. It took five seconds or more because her ATP was still low.

When she looked over at Ren, the subtle concern on his face and voice punched the air right out of her, and she immediately looked away. The nearness was making her insides swirl like the very strongest of tempests, and the ghost of his grip on her waist burned her.

Even without a mirror, Evie knew that she was bursting red.

She blinked slowly and spoke gruffly, “Y-yeah.”

The two immediately refocused their attention on the Old Hag to escape the awkwardness that lingered between them.

At the side, Ragnar was giving them the side eye. “I hope you’re that attentive when it comes to your client.”

Ren gave a lazy grin. “You’re a big man. You can take care of yourself.”

Ragnar’s middle finger wanted to extend forward so bad.

As the seconds burned away, everyone was stripped of hope. Dread sat like mud in their mouths when their numbers only listened as time went by and the Old Hag was still in full health.

They knew that if this kept up, they were dead.

“Gruda! Haki! Did you find it?!” Panic pulsed against Orakh’s words, but he heard no answer. He strained his eyes in the dim light, searched for the two Orcs, and found them already at the Old Hag’s side.

Orakh lips bleed from how hard he was biting his lips. He was not angry if they died. Dying fighting on the battlefield was the greatest honor for the Orcs. He was mad because he had to fight and kill his fellow clansmen. And it seemed that there was no way out from this predicament but death.

But if they die, then he would take the Old Hag with him.

When the potion’s effect weakened on the golems and Orcs, Orakh let out a loud battle cry and stormed the Old Hag with two axes in his hands. His axe danced through the battlefield, and a series of combos killed the golems and flung the Orcs who were trying to block his way to the Old Hag.

Orakh was blinded by his fury, and he saw nothing but red rage. The only way to state his anger was the Old Hag’s head in his hand.

However, it was precisely what the Old Hag wanted, and Orakh was met by a rain of arrows sizzling with acid. With so many of them, it was impossible to evade it. What’s more, Orakh hadn’t expected it, and he paused to defend himself against the shots.

“Ahahaha! Got you!” The Old Hag laughed before another shot of pinkish beam flashed before Orakh’s eyes.

Orakh couldn’t even gasp that he had made a blunder, and now he would pay for it with his life.

While Orakh was wallowing in self despair, Ren’s gaze glowed in focus. And before Orakh would be controlled mindlessly, he timely saved him with [Butterfly of Deceit].

Illusions took hold of Orakh’s form, and his real body was transported to a safe distance by thousands of butterflies before the beam of hearts could make him lose his mind.

The Old Hag’s eyes narrowed at Ren, and her patience was running thin. She threw and threw ingredients in her cauldrons while the chemicals poured into the ground and sprung dozens of golems to obey her commands.

“Kill that brat! And bring the Orcs to me half-dead if you must!”

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