Thump! Ctch!
Zack jumped and slashed the monster, aiming for its shoulder. At the same time, Michael pulled back his arm going for a blow on its shin.
But the hobgoblin's quick thinking made it take little damage. It quickly turned to make Zack hit its armor while pivoting his foot for Michael to hit its calf instead.
The ax Michael had wasn't that sharp so it only gave a shallow wound. He was sure to break a bone if it hit. In this case, it's shin. But the hobgoblin knew what he was thinking and took a risk by sacrificing its calf. Fortunately for it, the ax wasn't sharp
But unfortunately for them, it now knows the ax is nothing more than a blunt weapon.
However, Michael didn't panic, he knew it wasn't enough to cut deep into flesh—unless it had a fast enough momentum to propel its weighted edge and slice in straight and stable. But the chance to create one is currently unlikely.
All he can do right now is to chip at it whilst waiting for the opportunity to present itself.
But another good news for them is that now that there were two of them, the chances of getting hit are reduced by 50%, divided to both. The monster was slower than them, but they were inexperienced. Heck, this was their first time fighting a monster.
Zack continued his relentless barrage of strikes on its arms while Michael kept bashing its knees and ankles. But every time Michael would aim for them, the hobgoblin would quickly rotate its foot.
Although because of it, Zack could deal a significant amount of damage above when it was focused on its legs.
The hobgoblin turned and turned, unable to hit—unable to use its massive weapon from the close-ranged combat. If it did, they would simply back off and close in afterward. Not to mention raising the said weapon can expose multiple weak spots, it decided to abandon it.
Clang!
It threw its weapon, surprising both greatly.
"What?!" Michael exclaimed. Why would it do that? He wondered.
But the moment he looked away, he was kicked by the hobgoblin.
Thwack!
"Gah!" He puked blood, flung towards another tree.
Bang!
Zack stopped his advance hearing the impact and called out. "Michael!"
Seeing him distracted, the hobgoblin sent another attack with his clenched hands.
Swoosh!
Zack dodged it again, but the moment the fists went past him, it suddenly curved and hit him. "Ack!"
Zack had become complacent. "Haha…of course, it won't be easy." The strike humbled him immediately.
But it wasn't as if he became too arrogant, the hobgoblin had become faster with its freehand.
Seeing Michael still breathing, he took a sigh of relief.
He spat out blood and was able to stand easily after the blow, attacking again, but the same couldn't be said to Michael as he whimpered.
"Fuck." He cursed. He had broken his spine from the impact.
He couldn't feel his body from the waist down, making his heart drop. Beads of tears appeared at the corner of his eyes. Is this it? He thought. Not feeling his legs made him panic.
Theoretically, he could take 2 hits. But a bad landing broke his back.
'No, it can't be.'
He wasn't sure if the pill was enough to heal such an injury but he had to try—it had to work.
Materializing a healing pill again, he gulped it down and hoped it would fix.
Crack!
"AHHH!" Michael screamed in agony. The bone snapped back into place as it welded—he felt a burning sensation behind him, coursing through his veins as he slowly started feeling his lower half again.
Puffing heavily, Zack questioned. "What's wrong?!"
"It's nothing, I'm fine. Focus on the monster!" Michael shouted with moans of pain.
"I'll be alright, be there in a sec. The impact busted me." He added.
The pain lasted for a brief moment before stopping.
Taking a deep breath, he slowly stood up and started feeling his legs. Looking at the monster again, he shuddered even more.
He may have been healed, but he still felt the pain. He was reluctant to enter the fray again, scared of that immense suffering.
Slap!
"Get your crap together!" Michael slapped himself back to clarity.
"Agh!" Zack got hit again, but he quickly gulped down a pill as he was propelled towards a tree to return to the battle immediately.
"I'm coming!" Michael yelled, reaching out for his ax whilst running.
But as he lowered his body to get it, he tripped on a root.
Thud!
"Are you kidding me?!" He cursed. Then suddenly, whilst gazing at the tree's bark, an idea came to mind.
"Zack! Run towards the forest!" He called out. They could chip at it in a tight space where they have the advantage in size.
Zack dashed backward and avoided a blow. "What?!"
"Just go!" Michael yelled entering the thick woods.
Zack looked at the monster then at Michael's silhouette before following. "What if that guy targets the others?!"
"That won't happen!"
"And how do you know?!"
[ Rats! Fucking rats! ]
[ Annoyed, Vexed, Provoked ]
He was surprised to see a thought window, but he had no time to glean over it.
"Just trust me."
Stomp!
The hobgoblin ran after Zack. In an attempt to finish him, it dove.
"Shit!" It tried to crush him with its weight.
Suddenly, Michael appeared out of a tree on the other side of where he ran earlier and grabbed him by the collar, pulling him towards the forest's protection. Luckily in the nick of time, the monster slammed down onto the ground.
Thud!
The hobgoblin skidded as he landed and hit his head on a tree. It was stunned for a moment.
Immediately, Michael used this opportunity and hacked its neck.
Ting!
A piercing sound was heard as Michael's arms were blown away. His weapon hit something hard—metal.
"Wha-" He looked at its nape to see a guard extended from its armor. He tried following up a strike on its head, but his arms shook violently from the weight's recoil.
"Zack!" Michael turned to Zack because he was unable to connect, but he already pulled back his sword ready for a blow.
He took a deep breath and screamed. "DIE!"
Zack stretched his arm and swung down with all his strength but accidentally reached a branch.
Snap!
Thankfully, his sword didn't break and sliced through it. However, it broke the momentum of his strike and only gave a shallow wound. It didn't pierce through its head.
"Damn!" Zack cursed.
Michael saw this and quickly followed up a blow despite his trembling hands. However, the attack was slow and weak. Because of it, his ax was grabbed by the hobgoblin.
It looked up and growled at him. "RAHH!"
The roar once again struck fear into their hearts, making their knees weak.
But Michael used his skill before it and finally figured out what it was doing to them.
[ Skill Cast ( Intimidation ) ]
[ Because of skill, ( Self-Rationality ) the- ]
The text was cut short as Michael dropped down to his knees. He had critically low mana. Letting go of the ax.
"Damn it, why did it have to type?!" He cursed.
Because the text appeared one by one, Michael couldn't use his strategy of opening and closing immediately.
Unluckily, the moment of weakness struck as the hobgoblin stood up. With a wry smile, it threw a punch.
"Michael!" Zack jumped and pushed Michael away.
Thwack!
Hitting him instead, catapulting him onto a tree.
"Ack…" Zack groaned.
Whimpering underneath a tree, the hobgoblin slowly made hits way towards him. It wore another wry smile as it let out a barrage of punches.
Zack could only curl up and take them. Desperately holding on for life. If he losses strength and lower his guard, it would be the end of him.
Meanwhile, Michael looked at the onslaught with a pale face. His body kept telling him to run—he should leave him! And…
He was considering it.
His body shivered remembering the pain he felt. If he tried to save him, he too would end up like that. Looking at Zack with crazed eyes, he crawled away…
He flinched every time he would hear a punch, with guilt slowly eating away at his consciousness in synch. Each hit he would remember a memory of them both. But he threw them away. He wanted to live.
Thud!
Thud!
Thud!
Plop!
It started to sound wet…
Looking back despite knowing it would only weaken his resolve, he saw a bloodied Zack holding on—holding on with fight still in his eyes.
Michael's heart dropped and he started tearing up. He can't do it.
He wanted to live. But he can't just abandon him. He wanted to live…But he didn't want to live knowing he turned a blind eye to death—to a friend.
And most of all…become the person he detests—a person who betrays and oppresses.
Gritting his teeth, he stood up. He wanted to live, and he will do so with his best friend.
"RAAA!" He charged at the hobgoblin, catching its attention.
It looked back at him as he glared. Seeing this, he kicked dirt into its eyes as he materialized a weapon into his hands.
Plorkk!
Michael stabbed its side with a spear, a part of the armor that's open—a part where the two pieces of steel are woven together.
The monster groaned in pain with mud forming on its face from sweat, but he didn't stop there.
"Hng!" He grunted, taking it out before stabbing it once more.
"GRAWWWW!" It screamed in pain. It tried to send out a punch but was stuck—Zack grabbed its fists, pulling it with the remaining strength he has. His yellow aura turned blood red as more veins bulged in his body.
"HAAAA!" Both screamed giving out their last spurt of energy.
Michael sped up. Blood gushed out.
He kept stabbing it relentlessly as the hobgoblin could only flail around.
A little more and it would die from blood loss.
It was now a battle of attrition.