The Goblin Champion, a monstrous figure towering over the standard goblins, was the size of an orc. It donned menacing armor and wielded a massive claymore that oozed danger.
Despite my best efforts, I struggled to reach my nearby weapon. My body remained immobile, likely due to the lingering effects of the goblin shaman's magic.
Fuck! I should have been prepared for this type of ambush! If my new skill could give me a heads-up about incoming enemies, it would be perfect.
The shaman closed in with a sinister laugh. My trembling hand finally gripped the gun, but as I seized it, the shaman ruthlessly stomped on my hand, causing me to scream in pain while it continued to chuckle malevolently.
Its cruel intentions were clear – not only to end my life but to torment me as well.
"Shit! You damn goblin!" My anger outweighed the pain; it felt as if my very pride had been trampled upon.
But I wasn't giving up. With all the determination I could muster, forced my left hand to move, and I discovered an object in my pocket – a cutter, enough to give a painful wound.
As my body regained its mobility and I broke free from the magical grip, I jabbed the cutter into the shaman's foot. The shaman screamed, though its stomp was less oppressive now.
With this change in the tide, I moved my right hand and unleashed "Inferno Blast." I fired at the shaman, and the bullet penetrated its chest.
The bullet ignited, resulting in a substantial explosion that shattered nearby glass.
My ears rang from the blast as I spotted the Goblin Champion closing in rapidly. Uncertain if I could fire in time, I placed my trust in instinct and fired Triple Bullets directly toward it, even as its claymore loomed perilously close to my face.
Fortune favored me – the shoots pierced the Goblin Champion, though it didn't obliterate it entirely. Its right shoulder was on fire, and it emitted a deafening cry, seemingly summoning its comrades.
Damn! I should have used Inferno Blast on this goblin instead!
I attempted to fire once more, but time was against me as the Goblin Champion's hand was poised to strike me down. My heart pounded loudly and sweat drenched my temples.
In this apocalyptic world, there were 100 ways to die, one of them being crushed by the crushing hand of the Goblin Champion.
But there was no way I wanted to die like that!
Then, unexpectedly, the Goblin Champion's hand halted, and its body abruptly split into two. I couldn't grasp what had just occurred, but one thing was undeniable – I had been saved.
In the distance, I spotted someone approaching me. He inquired, "Oh, I think we went to the same high school, right?"
The man standing before me wielded a staff, identifying him as a mage. With his dark blue hair and a pair of blue eyes framing his somewhat annoying face, I recognized him instantly. It was Matthias.
He questioned me with arrogance, "Who are you again?"
Matthias Wilson, the wealthiest student from high school. He had always been insufferably arrogant.
We had barely interacted in class, and I had no interest in him. However, it seemed he held a grudge against Randy.
I sighed and got to my feet, muttering a reluctant, "Well, thank you then," as I walked past him.
However, Matthias reached out and grabbed my shoulder, insisting, "Don't be so cold. Aren't we friends?"
I rolled my eyes. He couldn't even remember my name, and I had no desire to engage with him.
Anyway, the fire in the room started to spread and I needed to move.
"I'm not done talking to you!" he asserted, staring me up and down before seemingly recalling something. "Oh, you're Randy's friend, right?" he smirked.
"I saw you yesterday, Randy died, didn't he? What a shame," he continued, provoking my anger even further.
I forcefully removed his hand from my shoulder and retorted, "Don't talk to me anymore. I want nothing to do with you."
"Are you sure? That goblin is summoning its friends. With your current weapon, can you defeat all the goblins outside?" Matthias gestured toward the window.
I gazed outside and realized the gravity of the situation. A horde of goblins, accompanied by a giant goblin in what appeared to be heavenly armored was menacing the building.
There were even goblin riders and shamans readying themselves for an attack.
Darn it! That's why I should have aimed for the head first!
"They've likely realized their friend is dead and will destroy this building. Do you understand now? You have no choice but to work together with me," Matthias said, folding his arms with a satisfied smirk.
I couldn't fathom this man's motives, but his condescending tone grated on my nerves. I couldn't believe I was being forced to collaborate with him. He was a real piece of work.
"Fine," I reluctantly agreed, having little choice in the matter.
"Great, now accept my friend request and join my party," Matthias declared strangely excited.
"Why should I join your party? Why not mine?" I asked, not eager to be a part of his group, especially if he was going to be the leader.
"You're a fussy one, aren't you? Just accept them all already," Matthias replied, looking rather irritated.
I rolled my eyes and reluctantly accepted his friend request, along with the party invitation.
This was the first time I had realized that the system offered these features—adding friends and forming parties. It was interesting.
I asked Matthias, who seemed overly confident, "So, what should we do about all those goblins?"
Matthias crossed his arms, the golden staff gleaming with arrogance. "Just follow my lead and stay behind me," he said, his voice dripping with conceit. "Have you looked at my staff? It's SSR rarity!"
I couldn't help but notice the staff's opulence with its golden hue, a large magic stone in the center, and even golden wings at its head.
I didn't know how many weapons and skill rarities were in this system yet, but because I play some games, I know for sure that there should have been at least 3 rarities.
SSR (Super Special Rare), SR (Super Rare), and R (Rare). The more S you got, the more rare it would be.
"Yeah, and?" I responded, fully aware of what he was implying, but I had no intention of giving him the satisfaction.
Rolling his eyes, Matthias stated, "I'm incredibly powerful now. You won't have to do anything; just watch."
My annoyance with this man grew by the second.
"Sure, I'll be thrilled to be carried by you," I quipped sarcastically.
Matthias crossed his arms, saying, "You should thank me because the killing points you'll earn in this party will be much more than going solo."
I was learning these rules on the fly, and the idea of being at a party with him suddenly didn't seem so bad.
"Thank you for your service, Your Majesty," I said, bowing playfully.
Matthias merely sighed and moved on, leaving me to follow behind. I wasn't sure of his strategy, but given his strength, I assumed he'd obliterate the goblins without much thought.
Without warning, I saw a giant fireball streaked through the corridor, narrowly missing me by mere inches. It struck the wall ahead with a deafening explosion, I could feel the shockwaves through the building.
The floor trembled beneath my feet, and I felt the world around me crumble.
"Shit!" My exclamation was drowned by the collapsing structure. The entire floor ahead disintegrated, creating an impassable chasm.
There was no escape.
I clung to the edge, my fingers clawing at the crumbling ledge, but it betrayed me, crumbling away.
With my heart racing, I tumbled into the ruined building, surrounded by a chaotic whirlwind of debris and engulfed in inky darkness.