Consciousness flickered back to life in the darkness. A cold, heavy sensation enveloped my entire body. When I opened my eyes, I saw a vast space that seemed endless, with the shadows of torches flickering faintly on the ceiling. It looked like the interior of an old castle. The stone walls were stained black, and a red carpet was spread across the floor.

As I tried to push myself up, I realized my body was different from usual. A massive 303-centimeter frame was encased perfectly in black armor. Black hair flowed over my pale skin, and the outline of a giant skull tattoo on my back was visible through the gaps in the armor.

And then—

Thump. Thump-thump.

The sound of footsteps running from a distance echoed through the hall. It wasn't just one person. There were several.

The owners of the footsteps soon revealed themselves. Three orc warriors clad in black armor charged toward me, swinging massive axes. Their eyes were filled with bloodlust, and saliva sprayed from their mouths along with their ragged breathing.

The orc warriors did not understand my muttering. No, they didn't care in the first place. The lead orc roared and raised his axe over his head. The rusted iron glinted dully in the torchlight.

The axe swung down toward my shoulder. However—

Clang.

A sharp sound of metal hitting metal. The orc's axe blade bounced off the black armor without leaving a single scratch. The orc's arm trembled violently from the impact.