NOVEL WEB Chapter 23 : Berserker Goblin & Karma Elf
Draz is a Berserker Goblin from the Shrillsteel tribe, and he currently serves as the guardian of the goblin settlement's gate. The goblin tribe leaders had previously announced an important meeting, and Draz was chosen to protect the front gate.
The goblin settlement is circular in shape and has four gates, one on each side, each typically guarded by 1 Berserker Goblin and many other goblins.
Draz is a goblin with reddish-green skin, a powerful muscular body, standing at about 2.5 meters tall. His body is covered in scars, evidence of numerous battles and a testament to his toughness.
His pointed green ears are adorned with ten earrings each. He lacks hair and has yellow eyes with horizontal slit-shaped pupils. Draz has four orc-like fangs, and his teeth are sharp enough to chew through metal.
Currently, Draz is seated in a small chair, observing the surroundings in silence. It's a sunny day, with the sun directly overhead at 90 degrees, and the intense heat can be felt even on the barren plains.
Goblins are resistant to the "Sun Burn" debuff, caused by prolonged exposure to the scorching sun. In the game Monsterland, there are skills and spells that can inflict this debuff on enemies, potentially causing significant HP loss.
Draz is currently feeling empty and bored, yearning for a battle. Berserker Goblins are typically leaders in combat, and Draz's last battle was about a year ago.
Goblins are primitive in their attire, usually covering only their vital parts. However, leaders and Berserker Goblins like Draz wear complete armor, the origin of which is unknown.
Many Hobgoblins and regular goblins patrol the area, never seeming to experience boredom.
"I hope to find an opponent, at least once," Draz wishes.
A human woman approaches Draz and offers him a drink. She's dressed minimally and seems to be a captive, serving the goblins. There's no choice but to obey or face torture and death.
Upon sensing danger, Draz quickly drinks the offered beverage.
"Oh? It seems my wish is granted," he remarks.
"EVERYONE, ASSEMBLE!!!!!" Draz shouts, and all the hobgoblins and regular goblins gather around him, armed with swords and spears.
Draz pulls his large sword from the ground, positioning himself at the front of the goblin formation. His warriors are visibly excited to have him lead the charge. Draz smiles proudly, seeing the enthusiasm in his troops.
"So, we'll see what danger is coming,"
When a goblin warrior was about to ring a bell, Draz immediately raised his hand as a signal not to ring it. Draz was excited because he anticipated the possibility of facing equal or stronger enemies.
From a distance, two figures with human-like body sizes were walking casually. Draz squinted his eyes to focus on the two figures.
"Elves!?"
The long and pointed ears of both individuals surprised Draz. Elves had never been seen in the Abyssal Forest for thousands of years; they resided solely in the Elven Kingdom.
"How could elves be here?"
Draz focused on the approaching elves and noticed that they were wearing luxurious clothing, which was quite out of place in the deep Abyssal Forest.
"Why are they dressed so lavishly? No one should wear such clothing in a place like this."
Many questions filled Draz's mind, but he shook his head to dismiss them. He now stared at the two elves intensely while tightly gripping his large sword.
In Draz's assumption, elves were a powerful race, evidenced by their longevity spanning thousands of years. The age of elves was common knowledge among all living beings in this world.
One elf male and one elf female. The assumption of them being a married couple was the possibility that crossed Draz's mind upon seeing their striking resemblance. Other races, in general, would find it challenging to differentiate one elf from another if they shared such similar physical features.
Draz's killing aura radiated strongly, making even his own troops sense it. If the two elves provoked him, Draz would swiftly attack and eliminate them.
The distance between Draz and the elves was now about 7 meters, and the two elves came to a halt.
"Who are you?"
Draz's voice sounded angry, but it was his usual tone.
The elf woman appeared to be emotional but was restrained by the elf man. Draz sensed that the elf woman was far more dangerous than the one in front of him.
"Allow me to introduce myself. I am Aether, and this is my subordinate Saphielle. We are messengers of the Gods,"
Draz found it hard to believe the words of the elf man. Matters of faith were typically handled by tribal leaders, and goblin warriors like Draz merely followed orders, knowing very little about the Gods.
"Don't joke around!!! Or I will kill both of you right here!"
Draz shouted with great firmness, astonishing the goblins, who immediately formed a neat horizontal formation.
"Alright, it's okay if you don't believe, then what do I need to do to make you believe?"
Aether inquired with a neutral expression, devoid of emotion, and Draz contemplated the situation. Was this elf stronger than him?
If the elf in front of him was stronger, Draz would likely lose, damaging his reputation. However, there was no aura of a powerful being emanating from these elves.
If the elf in front of him was weaker, it presented an excellent opportunity to boost his reputation. Perhaps he would be considered 'great' for defeating an elf.
Draz decided to be confident and assume that these elves were stronger than him.
"I challenge one of you to a duel!!!"
Draz shouted loudly, causing a gust of wind.
Aether merely smiled and patted Saphielle on the shoulder, signaling that Saphielle would duel with Draz. Aether then stepped back a few meters, and Saphielle advanced until the distance between Draz and Saphielle was now 2 meters.
The goblins, upon hearing Draz's challenge, hit their shields with the back of their swords, creating a loud sound, as if chanting "Duel! Duel! Duel!"
Draz looked around confidently. Typically, Berserker Goblins had a Special Skill to sense an opponent's strength, but Draz couldn't detect the enemy's power, and his instincts told him he would have a favorable outcome.
Saphielle smiled at Draz, standing without any weapon.
"Hey, elf woman! Aren't you carrying a weapon?"
Draz asked to confirm whether Saphielle intended to use a weapon or not.
"No need," her voice sounded cold.
"Alright, don't blame me if I kill you."
"Just go ahead and try if you can."
"You underestimate me? Typical elf woman."
"Hmmmmmm."
A Hobgoblin then walked over, carrying a small stone, standing right beside Draz and Saphielle.
"Sorry, I'm just here to signal the start of the fight. If this stone lands on the ground, the fight begins."
Draz and Saphielle nodded in agreement. Meanwhile, Aether took a few more steps back to observe the duel between Draz and Saphielle.
"I'm Draz."
"I'm Saphielle."
They introduced themselves by name.
[Telepath]
"Saphielle, don't kill him. If you want to have fun, go ahead, then you can finish it in a way that shows you're a messenger of the Gods."
"I understand, Aether-sama."
[Telepath End]
The Hobgoblin then threw a small stone into the air, capturing the focused attention of Draz and Saphielle as they watched the stone descend. A moment later, the stone landed on the ground, causing all the goblins to cease hitting their shields with their swords and shift their focus to the upcoming duel.
Immediately, Draz sprinted with great speed, intending to strike Saphielle with all his might.
On the other side, a yin and yang symbol appeared right under Saphielle's feet, indicating that she was in combat mode, and her [Ultimate Passive Skill: Karma] had activated.
The duel had begun.
