At William's words, Athena's face crumpled. Her face had the look of utter disgust, like when one saw garbage and said, "Something is going on in that disgusting mind of yours, isn't there?"
William turned and slowly walked towards Athena while chuckling psychopathically.
Athena didn't move. She had her arms folded and bravely stared at William as he stood a step after another.
She took out a long, streamlined but rough dark brown wand from her maid dress. The wand was 9 inches long and looked like several tree roots intertwined with each other.
William's paused and his eyes widened as Athena pointed her wand at him.
Suddenly, when William felt the air around him wasn't right, tiny droplets of water started forming around him.
"What are you doing–"
Wooooosh!
The tiny droplets of water formed rapidly and surged like a wave until they covered William's whole body and suspended him above the ground in a water ball.
William moved around in the water ball frantically with fear in his eyes. He turned to Athena and screamed. The remaining oxygen in his lungs escaped and floated up to the top of the water ball in bubbles.
"Whuuuuurrrrrr!" William screamed out again at the top of his lungs but all sound made in water was muffled. He placed his hands together and silently pleaded. He was drowning.
Athena dropped her wand and instantly the water ball fell to the floor and bursted, leaving William drenched as he gasped for air and coughed profusely.
"Hmph! Never try anything stupid again. I am still a goddess." Athena let William's room after.
William stared at the floor, completely drenched. All that was going through his head was:
…What the *cough* what the heck? That girl, that was… that was… so… so fuckin' awesome! I must learn magic! I need to f*ckin' learn magic! He had a wide smile on his face and indescribable feeling of awe completely overpowered his mind.
…
William held the slim sword with an eerie smile on his face as he stood away from the summoning circle.
"Try not to disappoint this time. At least learn something this time." Athena said to William before placing a dead fish in the middle and taking out her wand then pointing it to the summoning circle
William just scoffed slightly as his response to Athena.
A dim blue light appeared above the summoning circle and the short green creature was already feasting on the dead fish.
William didn't rush forward like the other times. He waited until the goblin finished its snack then he said, "Where are my shoes?"
The goblin grunted and tightly held its heavy wooden stick. It was still barefooted like it always was.
"Let's get this over quick. Come at me." William turned the sword backward and held it behind his arm, letting the blade touch his elbow a little the then put his left hand behind him and added, "Don't worry I'll go easy on you."
"Gaaaaaa!" The goblin screamed and charged at William.
The goblin sprung into the air in an attempt to smash William's head. This was 10 times faster than the first goblin avatar he won.
William's swiftly used two steps to evade the strike and instantly counterattacked, aiming for the goblin's throat.
Still in midair, the goblin used it's wooden stick and changed its direction from where William previously was in a blink, to block the incoming sword aiming for it's throat.
Kin!
They both clashed, William was stronger and had more force but the goblin used the force to flip backwards sideways, to create some distance between them.
Athena was at the side, watching, with a bit of surprise written on her face.
She was in thought …I saw him fighting the air but he improved this much in just one night? His counters start less than a second before the goblin even starts the action.
The goblin stared at William for a few seconds, re-evaluating him until William grinned and said, "You scared?"
The goblin screeched and charged at William. William slashed at the goblin but it rolled to the side, evading the attack.
It instantly turned around on the floor with its heavy wooden stick aiming for William's lower leg.
William waited till the bludgeon passed a certain point, where he was sure the goblin couldn't immediately stop the force put in the bludgeon and raised his foot up slightly.
Shhh… The bludgeon slid in and fit the space William provided for it then he applied force, preventing the goblin from retrieving it's weapon.
The goblin wanted to drag the wooden stick but William's sword was coming down at it, so it abandoned it's bludgeon and retreated.
William smiled and calmly kicked the wooden stick at the far corner behind him, it got to the door that led back up the stairs.
Athena was genuinely surprised seeing this …He knows the goblin's next movement before it even makes it! He knows that's his only advantage so he disarmed the goblin, creating another advantage for himself by being the only armed one in the duel! Amazing! This perv might actually have some talent! The wisdom I blessed him is paying off, but still, I'm surprised it's this quick.
William wore a wide and devilish smile as he walked towards the goblin.
The goblin shivered and let out low screeches as it walked backwards away from William till it's back touch the walls. It knew there was only one way out and that was to fight.
William dusted his clothes, "Now, it's time for the final act. I don't know, have you heard of the saying of the cornered rat?"
"Geeeiiiii!" The goblin let out an ear-splitting screech, immediately, William charged at it. The scream was a cry for help to its fellow goblins but unfortunately, it was the only goblin in this realm.
William positioned the sword straight horizontally in front of him. This was a charged forward attack.
The goblin ducked and jumped to the left where William's hand was behind his back.
The goblin felt a force drag him back and his evasion was abruptly stopped. William used his left hand to grab it's leg!
Athena was amazed …The pincer attack was just a feint! He was aiming for this all along! The act of hiding his hand behind his back with the excuse of going easy on the goblin was just a ruse! He disarmed it and threw a very convincing feint and didn't think twice in going against his word, tricking the goblin to trap it. A scum through and through. He wasn't faster, or more flexible, or more dexterous. He had almost equal strength too, but he created his advantages one by one to overcome his limitations. From the beginning, everything flowed exactly how he wanted it. He dictated the whole battle. It ended immediately it started!
"The cornered rat will bite the cat," William robotically turned to look at the goblin. He added, "Then why don't you kill it from afar?"
Seeing William's face, the goblin was overcome with a sense of dread, it knew it needed to flee at all costs!
"Giiieeeeerrrr!" The goblin shook its left leg frantically in an attempt to loosen William's grip and used it's fingernails to fiercely scratch the back of William's left hand until the scratches drew blood.
William didn't mind that and even tightened holis grip. He was once caught in an explosion, what sort of pain could a few scratches make him feel compared to that?
He raised his sword high. The goblin's eyes followed the sword and a sense of urgency rushed in, it increased the speed it shook it's leg and the deepness of the scratches –now turned wounds.
Athena was ecstatic, she spoke eagerly, "Yes! You're talented after all!"
William held the sword high with a face that was contemplating.
Athena noticed this on his face and her face turned blank and sadistic, "Finish it, William. We need parts of its body to perform the ritual. You will be able to use ki!"
…Wait, the ritual… the ritual… entails eating creatures from other realms? Like… like that Mysteries isekai? But it's more serious here since, that means, the witches… ate the elves for mana?
The realization hit William but he still struck down without any worry. A pincer attack aiming for the goblin's head!
*Chhh*
The tip of the sword entered the gap in the concrete beside the goblin's head.
The released his grip from the goblin's ankle. The goblin quickly ran and went to carry it's wooden stick.
The back of William's hand dripped blood. He said, "I said I'll go easy on it. There must be another way for me to attain ki."
A shadow covered Athena's eyes, she took out her wand and said with authority, "William, kill that goblin.".