[Race] Goblin
[Level] 12
[Class] Duke; Horde Chief
[Possessed Skills] <
[Divine Protection] Goddess of the Underworld, Altesia
[Attributes] Darkness, Death
[Subordinate Beasts] Kobold (Lv9)
[Abnormal Status] <
The gray wolf was 2 meters long, making it bigger than me. Scars could be seen on its gray fur. But those scars did not give the image of weakness, instead it exuded an aura of experience.
Wolves with a small build and brown fur followed the gray wolf. There were 20 of them, but in contrast to the fearsomeness of that gray wolf, those wolves were but fodder.
Now, although we might be inside a forest, it's not as if there're trees abound everywhere equally. There are also some places where the trees are less dense, and some areas that are plains. And the gray wolf chose the plains, an area with little trees, for their hunt.
I need to buy time for Gi Gu and the others until they're able to find a way out, and run back to the village.
As I thought that to myself, I looked on at the approaching threat.
I have never fought with a gray wolf before, but I know… that thing is without a doubt formidable! Yet despite that, I couldn't help but smile.
––– Strong? Formidable? What's that got to do with me? A place like this isn't fit to be my grave!
At those thoughts, I raised my voice, and ordered the goblins,
"I will hold the rear! Now, run!"
At my voice, the goblins ran with the escorts.
The attacking wolves formed a line as they began to close in, their fangs ready to strike from a multitude of angles.
"Let my body be inviolable (shield)," I chanted.
I braced myself for the oncoming fight, and casted a shield over my body, keeping the damage to the absolute minimum.
Just dodging won't be good enough in this fight. Even if I were to dodge all of their attacks, that won't be good enough to create an opening for a counterattack.
One of the wolves went after my legs from my lower right. Another tried to seal my arms from the opposite side. And from behind me, another leaped, aiming for my neck.
Everything happened in the blink of an eye. A speed at which Iron Second couldn't possibly hope to reach. The small stature of the wolves didn't help as the colossal size of my sword in contrast to their dwarfed stature left me in an uncomfortable position.
Yet despite that, I swung my sword.
With an overbearing strength that could summon winds, I swung my sword. Iron Second flashed, and the wolves before me were cut in halves. The sword completed its swing, but it rested not. Following the trajectory it had come from, the sword returned, and in its path, it blew the remaining frightened wolf away, sending it into the air.
The [Skill] <
My dignity in full display, I bellowed out an earth shattering howl, activating the [Skill] <
"GURUuuRUAA!"
With it, my foes stopped in their tracks, unable to move.
––– Now, what will you do?
The gray wolf before me remained unperturbed.
Perhaps it's planning to leave the hunt solely to its subordinate wolves without lifting a finger, but I can't have that. Of course, killing all of these wolves isn't a problem for me, but that's not the problem. The problem is that there's a possibility that the wolves might just ignore me, head straight for the main unit instead, and kill the non-combatants one after another.
That result is unacceptable. Which is precisely why I must show my strength, and keep them pinned here. When their leader comes to understand that it's not possible to defeat me unless it personally comes to fight, then it will make its move. And once it does, its subordinates will stay in order to protect it.
And as expected, regardless of how composed that graywolf was, it still took a step forward from its pack.
–––Oh? So you feel like doing it?
The subordinate wolves were already that fast. What more this gray wolf? I'll have to pay careful attention, and make sure to accurately measure the distance between us.
"UwooUUwooUu!"
At the gray wolf's howl, its body turned into a blur.
Before I knew it, my body was in midair. A blow had hit me from the side, sending me into the air into a flip.
–––Fast!
Although it got me, thanks to the shield I casted earlier, I didn't receive any fatal damage. Only, my chances of winning had just gotten dimmer.
How am I supposed to fight against something that's so fast I can't see it?
–––No, right now, my focus isn't to kill it, but to buy time. I shouldn't –
As I was ruminating on the situation, the wolf turned into a blur again.
I felt a blow land on me, and I was sent into the air again. Then the gray wolf calmly closed in on me.
–––Not good! At this rate, I'm going to lose!
Who is the hunter? Who is the hunted? At that moment, the gray wolf had clearly answered that question.
◆◆◆
With a slash from its long sword, Gi Gu slayed the brown wolf before it. Then it looked behind.
Gi Gu's revered chief had not yet returned.
The first time Gi Gu had caught sight of that chief, he was already far stronger than Gi Gu. A blue-skinned body that was far bigger than Gi Gu's.
That memory left in the goblin a sense of fear that to this day ruled over it.
Gi Gu had after all only become the leader of the horde because of its predecessors' death. A position that merely rolled over to its feet so to speak.
There were no goblin rares during that time either.
Gi Gu believed in its own fortune. And at the same time, it had hoped not to repeat its predecessors' mistake.
And just as Gi Gu had hoped, in its time as chief of its horde, they were able to gather more food. And they had even succeeded in catching humans.
But then that goblin came. And it easily slayed his enemies. And once again, Gi Gu and its horde had found themselves under someone's lead again.
But this time, they were far more numerous than before. And their food supplies were even more abundant. So much so that they probably would never taste the pain of starvation ever again.
Then there was that time when Gi Gu first learned the taste of the double head's meat. It was a taste that he would never forget.
But that goblin was not content, no. That goblin carried with him a frightening ambition. He wished to gather under him the numerous goblin villages.
And that ambition sparked desire in Gi Gu's eyes.
Each time Gi Gu saw the chief, fire would light from inside its heart.
But whether these feelings that Gi Gu felt were loyalty or jealousy, Gi Gu did not know.
Gi Gu knew only one thing. The chief leaving would be problematic.
That alone Gi Gu understood.
…The king hasn't come yet, thought Gi Gu.
"Gi Go," called Gi Gu out to the newly added goblin rare.
The goblins were currently struggling hard against the wave of wolves before them as they fought to make a path of retreat.
"Keep going like that!" ordered Gi Gu.
Then Gi Gu ordered the opposite to its own men.
"Come! We need to save the king!"
◆◆◆
Without trying to bite at me, the wolves rammed themselves against me as the gray wolf waited for me to run out of strength.
That overly calculating fighting style rendered me powerless. If only the wolves would come to bite at me, then I might still have some chance at winning so long as I'm able to stop one or two of them. But the gray wolf continued to have the wolves relentlessly throw themselves at me, while it waited outside of my range, rushing towards me from time to time in a speed I can't match. And each and every time I would be sent flying.
"GU, RUuuu…"
Using my sword like a cane, I helped myself up.
Even though I know they're just trying to tire me, I can't let up the shield, otherwise, the surrounding wolves will tear me to pieces. I don't have any other choice, but to cast my shield, and try to kill the wolves to the best of my abilities.
The situation is getting bleaker and bleaker.
But at the same time, there's no other path for me to take.
What to do?
But then right at that moment, the area behind me suddenly became noisy.
I saw Gi Gu kick away the wolves surrounding me as it came to my side with reinforcements.
"Chief, please return," said Gi Gu.
Thank you, I thought.
Only, this still leaves us with the problem of the enemy here. But…
"I understand. We'll retreat like this. Restrain the wolves!" I ordered.
And slowly we retreated, carefully making sure that the wolves won't be able to surround us.
The wolves probably chose a place with few trees because of their fighting style. So in that case, retreating to a place with plenty of trees should increase our chances of winning.
"UwoooUuUUu!"
At the gray wolf's howl, the subordinate wolves spread apart, widening their surrounding over us.
"Gi Gu, keep your guard up as we enter the forest."
As I gripped my sword, I kept my gaze on the gray wolf. I slowly retreated, and the gray wolf calmly closed in on us.
So long as we keep this, we'll be able to retreat as soon as we enter the forest.
But as I thought that to myself, I let my guard down. It was only a moment, yet it was at that very moment that the gray wolf attacked, and my response was too slow. At the very moment where we were about to enter the forest, away from the flatlands, the gray wolf vanished, and it instantly closed the gap between us.
"UwoooUUun!"
That loud bellow shook the earth.
Behind me was a tree, in front of me was the unstopping rushing gray wolf. At the same time, the brown wolves closed in from all directions.
"Gi Gu, run! Don't let –"
Without even any time to give any orders, the gray wolf sent me flying. My body slammed into the trees, and the force of the trees breaking passed through the shield into my body.
After two or three bounces, I stood up.
"Gu, Ku…"
As I stood up, I braced myself for the wolves' next attack, but it didn't come. Not the gray wolf, nor the wolves surrounding Gi Gu could be seen. All of them were gone without exception.
–––Did they let us go?
Staggering, the worst scenario flashed through the back of my head.
–––Don't tell me, they…
"Gi Gu, we're heading for the main unit!"
I struck my unmoving legs, and I began to sprint for the main unit.
"Release," I muttered.
As the darkness surrounding me receded, Gi Gu and I made way for the main unit at full speed.
◆◇◇◆◆◇◇◆
For driving away the gray wolf, your level has risen.
12 => 14