Clank—Ching!
Zack parried a strike. Smoothly scraping it out of a deadlock, he countered with a slash before hopping backward. Maintaining his distance.
Blood gushed at him as he sliced the goblin.
Thud!
It dropped down dead, covered with countless cuts. Bright red from the blood it shed.
Then, a green orb escaped its chest and entered Zack's. He wasn't alarmed by this heeding Michael's words. And judging from his reaction earlier, this was probably not only harmless but essential for them.
Only one thing came to mind thinking of an orb entering the body that's important, EXP.
Seeing their comrade die so pathetically—killed without landing a single hit, they backed away cautiously. Their bodies were also littered with cuts.
But Zack did the same and hid behind the cover of the thick flora. He made them the ones to attack whilst he used a poking strategy. It was working surprisingly well.
However, he was more passive now compared to earlier because his buff was gone and he doesn't know how to activate it. Otherwise, with his speed, he could have struck them on all sides—swiftly disposing of them before they even knew what hit.
But now that it was gone, he was feeling sluggish and stiff. His mind worked slower unlike before when he could think and analyze clearly during battle. Now, he couldn't even think of a plan despite hitting from afar.
"KIKI!" A shrill laugh reverberated.
Swoosh!
Two goblins suddenly attacked from both of his sides, swinging their blades towards Zack's neck instantaneously.
Thunk!
Zack crouched and dodged, kicking his feet on the bark and propelling himself out of the encirclement. Hitting the wood instead.
"Fast, but not fast enough!" He skidded as he landed
Raising his sword, he finally took the initiative and charged. A green aura surrounded him once more. The buff, fortunately, activated again.
Clank—Cling!
He struck twice instantaneously. It was blocked, but the force blew their arms away, opening their guards.
It was a big chance to take care of them both simultaneously.
However, just as he was about to thrust into the heart of his enemies, a goblin suddenly sprung up in between the stunned pair.
Zack was forced to abandon the golden opportunity and hold his blade high to block the attack.
CLANG!
"HNG!" Zack grunted. He could feel his entire body shake from the strike. The goblin used its entire weight.
The strength of the attack made Zack's aura shine yellow. Showing the magnitude of the attack that forced his blessing to turn a gear up. Although it was only for a moment since it caught him in surprise.
The goblin landed and followed a slash to Zack's side which he blocked by twisting his elbow and dropping his blade.
Zack pushed its sword away and stabbed it in the stomach. Blood violently gushed out to his body. But he had no time to spare.
Immediately, he ducked. Dodging two blades directed to his head again from behind. The goblins thought they could sneak up on him and finish him off, but Zack's senses have been sharpened by his aura.
He used his sudden drop and executed a sweep kick, surprising and dropping both.
Zack quickly stood up, twisted his body and stabbed the one behind him on the throat whilst falling, and hopped on the other as it landed.
He raised his sword and pointed it at the goblin. Doing so, he saw its terrified expression. Quavering and trembling from fear.
But he felt no remorse at all. This was just self-defense—they brought it upon themselves.
"Ki…KiKe…" It started pleading, tearing. But instead, it brought an opposite effect to him.
Zack looked at it disgusted, irked by its behavior. Zack hates nothing more than two-faced people. To think other species would be the same.
He had always thought humans were the most detestable beings because of their greed and selfish desires.
Looks like it runs in everything sentient. In life itself.
He gazed at it one more time before ending its essence painfully…
"HAA!" He started stabbing it.
Chut! Shik! Fffftt! Shank! Splitch! Pkkkhht! Pllkkkcchhhh!
…
Raising his bloody head up, he gazed at the Gorey mess of his surroundings. Chunks of flesh littered and blood splattered all around.
The goblin he sat on was no longer distinguishable if it weren't for its legs—the only body part left from the annihilation,
He had accidentally let his anger get the better of him remembering bastards of his old world.
Suddenly, a red holographic message appeared before him…
[ The Fallen has taken an interest in you ]
—
"HAA!" Michael grunted, slashing the goblin's back.
He dodged the creature's counter as his attack was evaded also and quickly got behind it, dealing a deadly blow.
Like how he had done it during his first time, he kicked it behind its knees, making it drop down in pain.
Kneeling, he held its head steady and…
Ctch!
He shoved his dagger deep in its throat. The blade cleanly pierced through that the blood flowed out peacefully, indicating no hesitation in his thrust.
The skillful dispatch showed his exceptional growth despite the short time. Improvement that will surely make you end up behind bar's back on earth. But even then there was an age where this was the norm. However, not anymore.
Taking a sigh of relief, he sat down. He released the bloodied dagger—lowering his guards.
It was finally over.
A smile weaved into his face. He did it. He won.
He gets to live another day.
As if a switch, as soon as he relaxed his body, he felt drowsy. But he had to go back to camp first. Sleeping here all alone with no knowledge of the beasts that reside here was a death wish.
He materialized a tumbler of water made out of wood and drank by the edge. He didn't feel scared at all despite his fears of height. Either because of adrenaline or serotonin from victory.
That's when he felt a sudden tug.
Just as he thought everything was over…
Something clutched his foot—a goblin he saw as he looked down, tightly gripping his boots.
Michael immediately brought out his dagger.
Seeing the slope, he also noticed the figures walking at the bottom—the goblins had survived the fall.
Crunch!
The goblin lost its footing, falling down and bringing Michael with it. But thanks to his quick thinking, he lodged his dagger into a crevice.
"Are you crazy?! If I die, you die also fucking idiot!" Michael cursed him.
But right now he had a different thought—he was wondering why there was another goblin. He clearly just took out enough to make it five unless he was mistaken which he highly doubted. After all, it was just a matter of addition!
He thought it was a straggler because he clearly saw five going to Zack also.
However, it wasn't, as only four corpses lay barren around him right now…
Hearing his roar, the goblin put it a wry smile and started moving—jumping up and down mid-air. Planning to take him down with him.
"Oh no, you don't!" Michael started kicking it but to no avail. Even with its face bleeding and butchered—its face no longer recognizable, it still held on until-
Crack!
The stone cracked from the movement big enough to unlatch his dagger!
Swoosh!
They both fell… "No!"
Thud!
He hit a stone, instantly breaking his left arm as he rolled down the hill.
Thwack!
Hitting another, he broke his thighbone and right ankle.
Crunch!
His right shoulder was dislocated along with his right knee...
Thump!
"GAH!" Michael finally reached the soil. It cushioned his fall but it was too late. He was already mortally injured.
Unable to even lift a finger, he dejectedly looked at the goblin who brought his massive downfall. Literally.
It was dead, but with a wide smile on its face.
His body felt like hell. It was fucking painful. He couldn't even move them yet he can feel the agonizing throbs.
'Why the fuck am I so unlucky?' He asked himself listlessly, thinking back on all the things that could have been avoided in his life if it weren't for his rotten luck.
'If you just want me dead, kill me already!' He said to the gods inwardly as the goblins approached him…
"JUST KILL ME IF YOU WANT TO!" He suddenly screamed, startling the monsters.
"I DON"T WANT TO FEEL PAIN! I DON'T WANT TO BLEED!" He yelled like a madman.
"Just kill me if you want to…don't let me suffer..." He pleaded. But once again, silence except for the steps of the monsters.
Until a piercing sound suddenly rang out…
[ Seven laughs at your patheticness. It enjoyed your outbursts. ]
Reading the message, a tear trickled down his cheeks before the sadness became hatred.
"KIKIKI!" The goblins readied their swords, raising it above Michael.
'You mean this was on purpose?! Somebody is making my life hard on purpose!?' He roared.
He was able to tolerate it when it was just small strokes of bad luck. But to feel pain?
No. He won't stand for this.
If somebody wants to see him die for amusement. He'll return the favor…
CLANG!