Chapter 19 : King
As I open my eyes, the two swords are still stuck in my neck. The ground beneath me shakes Gustav and the Goblin Lord's battle is still ongoing.
At the end of the swords, the Goblin King smirks, staring at me. He knows I would return from the dead.
Sario's body lies on the ground, and suddenly, the Goblin King picks up Sario's head, showing it to me, mocking me.
I use wind magic to push my body off the swords. My neck slips free from the blade's edge, and my body flies into the wall.
I close my eyes.
Sario... I'll make sure to kill this bastard... - I whisper.
*/System: Rebooting...
When I open my eyes again, the Goblin King is approaching, dragging his twin blades along the ground, sparks flying from the tips.
I summon fireballs in both hands, focusing my mana until both flames turn blue.
The Goblin King swings his swords and attacks. I dodge and hurl the fireballs at him. He leaps high, using the ceiling as a springboard to launch himself toward me. Before he can land, I summon spikes from the ground.
Before hitting the spikes, he throws his swords at me and uses both hands to grab the edge of the spikes, stopping himself. Then, like a monkey, he launches toward me again. He raises his hand, and both swords fly back to him, as if alive and under his command.
I summon a powerful gust of wind, pushing him away. Using wind magic, I launch myself above him and summon a massive ice chunk, hurling it down at the Goblin King.
The ice slams into him, pushing him into the ground, exploding upon impact. I land and step on something.
This is... Sario's bow... -
The Goblin King slowly recovers and stands.
I pick up Sario's bow, and something strange happens a white light emerges from my hand, forming into the shape of an arrow.
So this is what you meant, Sario... - Though I've never used a bow before.
I load the white arrow into the bow. It seems simple enough just aim and release.
Calmly, I take aim at the Goblin King... and pull the string back as far as I can. Then, I release it.
As expected, I miss. The arrow passes by the Goblin King.
I feel disappointed. I thought this would be a game changer, like in anime when the main character discovers the power of friendship or something...
The Goblin King smirks once again. This bastard...
Then, as he begins to walk, the arrow turns midair and pierces his back.
It tears through his body like a bullet, exiting through his chest, leaving a huge hole.
The Goblin King touches his chest, shocked. His expression turns from surprise to rage as his green skin turns red.
His muscles begin to bulge again...
The arrow should have hit his head instead...
The white arrow lies on the ground. Should I pick it up?
The Goblin King starts howling, attacking me aggressively.
You think I'm going to run!? -
I duck as he throws a punch, then kick him in the face with both feet, using my hands to balance. He throws another punch, but I dodge repeatedly, using wind magic to boost my movement.
Suddenly, a voice whispers in my ear -- Magic is based on your imagination --
I know... Don't disturb me.
I use earth magic to create a hole beneath the Goblin King. His body falls in, and I close it with earth magic, trapping him between the walls.
I charge up a fireball and use dark magic again. A black fireball appears in my hand, and I hurl it at the Goblin King. He forces himself out of the ground, but the dark fireball hits him directly.
He screams in pain, but still charges toward me.
I dodge his attacks. His movements seem slower now, but each punch packs more power—he must have traded speed for strength.
I roll toward the white arrow and pull it out, loading it into the bow again.
Now, hit his head... -
If only I had more arrows like this... this fight would be over.
Oh yes, imagination... Imagination is my limit...
I poured mana into the arrow, feeling its energy respond and merge with mine. Now, this arrow felt like a part of me. I could sense the elements woven into it. This arrow was pure, raw mana.
I launched it at the Goblin King. He charged straight towards me, grabbing the arrow with his bare hand. Then, it vanished. He looked at me with a smug, confident grin.
- Fool… - I whispered.
Suddenly, the arrow reappeared mid-air, surging forward. The Goblin King's face twisted in confusion. Then, another arrow appeared. And another. Soon, white arrows multiplied, surrounding him on all sides. Panic filled his eyes as he reached for his sword, but before he could grasp it, the arrows converged, piercing him relentlessly, leaving gaping holes in his body.
The Goblin King screamed in agony, collapsing as the arrows faded and formed into a single, glowing orb.
*/System: Main Quest: Kill Goblin King [Completed]*
*/System: Reward Received "Formless Orb"*
The orb floated to my hand and vanished, leaving me staring at the Goblin King's lifeless, broken body. But just to be sure, I grabbed his sword and swung it at his neck, severing it in a single, final blow. Then, I placed both of his swords in my system storage.
Suddenly, a wave of dizziness hit me.
*/System: Mana: 10/3450
So that formless orb drained my mana… I glanced down at Sario's bow, which was left on the ground.
Wait—Gustav! I'd almost forgotten he was still fighting the Goblin Lord.
I rushed to the edge of a huge pit and looked down.
The Goblin Lord's body lay in a pool of blood, with Gustav standing in the center, choking the last newborn goblin in the colony. The cages where women had been held lay shattered, with only a few survivors.
- Father!! - I shouted, hoping to get his attention.
He looked up and leapt out of the pit with ease.
-- Leon! Are you okay? Where's the Goblin King? -- he asked.
I pointed at the Goblin King's remains. He looked shocked, then patted my head with a mix of relief and pride before turning to Sario's lifeless form.
-- Sorry, partner… I was too weak… -- he whispered.
He gently placed Sario's head beside the body. Then he turned to me, whispering something in a voice that held the weight of years of loss.
I summoned fire, casting it onto Sario's body. It ignited instantly. Gustav knelt beside the flames, watching in silence as they consumed his friend's remains.
I jumped down into the pit, surveying the devastation. Broken bodies, shattered cages, and remnants of fear lingered in the air. I moved towards the cages where limbless women lay, casting Psi Blade to cut through the iron bars. They shrieked as I approached, terrified.
I enclosed each woman in a barrier, lifting them out of the pit one by one, setting them gently on the ground.
Gustav stood, moving toward the sealed tunnel entrance. He placed his fist against the debris, which exploded with a forceful blow, clearing the exit. Dust swirled into the air, and as it settled, four figures appeared on the other side.
-- I told you not to use dynamite! -- one of them shouted.
-- Sorry, sorry! -- responded another.
I knew those voices well.
As the dust faded, I recognized them: Deo, Sting, Xhy, and Divi.
Sting's face registered shock at seeing Gustav.
-- Brother Gustav!? -- Sting exclaimed.
-- Master! -- Deo shouted, hurrying into the cave.
They were stunned to see Gustav here, and Deo took in the scene, muttering as he looked around.
-- What a massive nest… I've never seen anything like this. --
Then he noticed me.
-- Young Master?! Why are you here? I thought you were helping seal the tunnels! --
Their gazes shifted to the women lying nearby. Sario's expression turned somber as Xhy rushed to their aid, casting a calming spell to ease their screams and lull them to sleep.
I didn't even know such a spell existed.
-- Brother Gustav, weren't you and Sario on a mission in another village? -- Sting asked, his voice filled with concern.
Gustav sat heavily on the ground, his shoulders sagging, as he began to explain.
-- Half the village we were assigned for a quest was destroyed by goblins, and yes the same goblins from this nest. --
Gustav continued his story, and I watched Sting's expression crumble, realizing what this meant for Sario. He fell to his knees, tears streaming down his face.
When Gustav finished, a heavy silence hung over the group. My presence here remains a mystery, and I feign exhaustion, pretending to fall asleep.
Deo began burning the goblin corpses, scanning the area to make sure no remaining goblin was left alive. Gustav carefully lifted me while the others carried the victims.
As we Finally reach the forest after a long walking at the tunnel, Xhy seals the tunnel entrance with a mark. I heard from their conversation that a guild team will be dispatched to verify the goblin nest's destruction.
It's been a long, brutal night, and the sun is finally rising.
Then, just as I think it's over, a familiar notification flashes.
*/System: Main Quest: Kill Lili Aislien [ 1 Hour Remaining ]