Dark Warlock in the Apocalypse

'As expected, the Dragonic Aura works perfectly,' he thought.

The Dragonic Aura was the dominance that a true dragon, like Fafnir, could exert over lesser dragon-like creatures such as drakes or wyverns. With this skill, having a dragon on their side allowed them to toy with any lesser dragon species. The basic effect was that if a monster faced a dragon and took just one hit, it would flee. In rare cases, a critical strike could immediately tame the monster and allow it to be used as an ally. The only downside was that this skill could only activate in close proximity, making it useless against flying enemies unless they descended.

'Lucky for me, he personally came down for a one-on-one fight,' Justin mused. Thanks to this, the most dangerous threat, the Wyvern, was neutralized. There was no longer any need to worry about the devastating Poison Breath attack that could have wiped them all out.

"C-come on! Let's go!" Urgulla desperately tried to urge his Wyvern again.

"Grrr..."

But the creature remained frozen, unwilling to move.

After a lengthy struggle, Urgulla finally gave up and dismounted, a defeated expression on his face. But, ever the proud orc, he stood tall and declared, "As I said, it's one-on-one! Fighting together with another is dishonorable! Let's fight fairly, just you and me!"

"..."

Justin blinked. Was this orc for real? His shamelessness exceeded even the usual thick-skinned nature of the Green Skins.

Although it was somewhat absurd, Justin decided to accept Urgulla's offer. After all, there was no need for Fafnir to join the fight—none of Fafnir's skills would be effective against the Warchief anyway. Fafnir had already done his part by neutralizing the Wyvern, and Justin thought it was best to let him rest for now.

"Just sit tight for a bit," Justin said to Fafnir.

"Kurruk," Fafnir purred in response, backing away to give his master space.

When Justin turned his attention back to Urgulla, the orc slammed his greatsword into the ground with a loud thud and said, "Snort You may be brave, but you are also foolish."

"...Didn't you just say that earlier?" Justin asked, confused.

"I'm not repeating myself! What I mean is, it's stupid for a mage to challenge a warrior!" Urgulla bellowed, pounding his chest. His muscles were so thick that the impact didn't sound like flesh striking flesh but more like metal clanging together. With his chest puffed out, he spread his arms wide, his greatsword buried in the ground.

"Your magic won't work on me! I will generously let you strike me once before the fight begins! Come, attack me!"

Justin raised an eyebrow, puzzled by the offer. Why would Urgulla let him land a free hit before the duel even started? What was he up to?

'...Is he trying to save face after being humiliated in front of his soldiers?' Justin wondered. While Fafnir had dominated the Wyvern, Urgulla might have wanted to prove that it wasn't because he was weak. Maybe he wanted to demonstrate that, Wyvern or no Wyvern, he was still stronger than Justin, and this was his way of showing it.

'Thick-skinned and clever,' Justin thought. Urgulla's logic wasn't entirely wrong. A mid-level boss like a Warchief would barely be scratched by something like a double-strength Black Missile. Even a Cursed Lightning spell might only stagger him for a few seconds at best. Given the condition of taking one hit, Urgulla would be able to withstand most spells with ease.

That is, unless it wasn't just any ordinary spell.

'This is my chance,' Justin thought with a sly grin, extending his hand toward the orc. He activated the final skill he had received from the Archduke of Curses, Keraith.

"Life Link!" Justin shouted.

Zzzzzt!n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

A pulse of energy surged as the curse took hold.

"...!?"

Urgulla's eyes widened in horror as he realized what was happening.

"L-life link?!" he stammered.

"That's right, Life Link. It's a curse that binds our lives together," Justin said calmly.

Some spells and skills could only be used a limited number of times before disappearing. Normally, these could be replenished through rest or meditation, or by using life-draining skills. However, some abilities were so powerful that they couldn't be recharged at all. Once their uses were exhausted, they were gone for good. Life Link was one such spell.

It was the ultimate sacrificial spell, but with a twist—it didn't have to involve the caster sacrificing themselves. It could be cast on another allied unit to take down a powerful enemy.

Experience tales at empire

[Life Link (Degraded Version)]

Type: CurseDescription: The Archduke of Curses, Keraith, created this most potent curse. It forces two beings to share their life forces. When one dies, the other also dies instantly. However, pain and damage are not shared, and the link automatically dissolves after 10 minutes.Usage Limit: (1/1)

Urgulla's face paled as he realized what kind of spell Justin had cast, but soon, he began laughing.

"Kuhaha! You fool! You must not know the weakness of that spell!"

"Weakness?" Justin asked, intrigued.

"The spell lasts only ten minutes! If I can outlast you for that long, the spell will fade! And there's no one here who could die in your place!" Urgulla boomed, laughing confidently.

"Hmm, you're right," Justin said, nodding as if he were considering the orc's words. Urgulla was correct—if Justin had no one else to sacrifice, then after 10 minutes, the spell would wear off without consequence. All Urgulla had to do was avoid death for that time, and Justin would be left with no advantage.

"But I never said I cast Life Link on myself, did I?" Justin said, his voice calm but firm.

"...What?" Urgulla blinked in confusion.

"I'm linking someone else's life with yours," Justin said, his expression dead serious.

"Liar! There's no one here you can use!" Urgulla shouted, but his voice wavered, as if unsure of his own claim.

"There is someone. A comrade connected to me by heart. No matter how far away they are, they will always come to my aid. And they would gladly sacrifice their life for me—a true soulmate!" Justin declared passionately.

"...!"

Urgulla's eyes trembled with disbelief. It was clear he didn't believe Justin, but the uncertainty was creeping in.

"Well, since you don't believe me, I'll just have to show you," Justin said, his voice filled with emotion. Then, with a dramatic flair, he shouted the name of his long-lost friend.

"Imp Summon!"