Mark's heart pounded a frantic rhythm against his ribs, a counterpoint to the inferno raging around him.
Flames, ignited by his desperate gamble, danced a macabre ballet across the cavern walls, momentarily obscuring the hulking form of Nam, the Goblin Chieftain.
This wasn't how it was supposed to go. The diversion, though audacious, had been flawless.
He used the chaos to weave through the goblin horde, his movements a blur of honed reflexes. He was almost there, the shimmering portal mere feet away, but fate, it seemed, had other plans.
H had felt it, a weight pressing down on him.
"Not so fast," a deep, gravelly voice boomed, and a wave of magical energy erupted, rippling outwards and slamming into Mark with invisible force. He was sent flying through the air, crashing against the cavern wall with a pained grunt.
There, amidst the flickering flames, stood Nam, the Goblin Chieftain, his eyes glowing with an ominous crimson light.
"Seems you're more than just muscle," Mark rasped, his voice laced with a defiance that surprised even himself.
A flicker of amusement, cruel and unsettling, crossed Nam's brutish features. "Indeed. We goblins are not all mindless savages, like my less intelligent brethren had you believe. They are simply… unevolved."
Mark stared, his surprise and skepticism evident. This wasn't the mindless rage he'd expected from the goblin chieftain. This was something… intelligent.
Nam chuckled, a humorless sound. "I underestimated you, trespasser. Greed clouded my judgment when you revealed the card. But I was expecting you, human. Imagine my surprise when the system itself informed me of your presence in my lair, before the attack even commenced."
Mark filed the information away, his mind racing.
I presume you arrived through the veiled portal beneath the cliff," Nam rumbled. "I even wondered what would have made you leap of that cliff"
Mark's lips twisted into a wry smile, devoid of humor. "Let's just say the alternative wasn't much better,"
"But that portal is one-way," Nam continued, his voice laced with a hint of satisfaction. "Escape is only possible through this one."
Mark's wry smile vanished as Nam's amusement evaporated, replaced by a chilling fury. "Your resourcefulness and cunning surprised me," the chieftain rumbled. "You, a new participant in this new cosmic trial, a low-level human. You should have been easy prey. Yet, you've managed to eliminate many of my kin."
"You fight well, human," he bellowed, a grudging respect tinging his voice. "But your journey ends here."
Mark, though battered and bruised, refused to yield. A spark of defiance ignited within him. "The future," he rasped, his voice ringing with newfound resolve, "is not set in stone."
A cruel smile twisted Nam's lip. "Perhaps not. But in this moment, you are at my mercy."
With a guttural roar, Nam slammed his fist into the ground. The cavern floor trembled, and goblins materialized from the shadows, their eyes burning with a feral hunger. Mark was surrounded and they attacked.
"Here we go again," he muttered, a sigh escaping his lips.
He drew his sword, the metal singing a familiar tune in his hand. This wasn't the first time he'd been outnumbered, and it wouldn't be the last. He activated his "Sword fighting" skill.
The first goblin charged, a Level 12 Goblin Warrior wielding a crude axe. Mark met the blow with his sword, he parried it his movements precise and efficient. A spinning back kick connected with a charging Goblin Scout, sending the creature sprawling.
He weaved through the horde, a whirlwind of deadly steel. Goblins fell around him, their surprised yelps cut short by the swift brutality of his attacks. He was a predator amidst a pack of wolves, his enhanced senses and abilities granting him an almost unfair advantage.
He parried a blow from a Level 12 Goblin Warrior with practiced ease. A spinning back kick connected with a charging Goblin Scout, sending the creature sprawling. Each movement was calculated, efficient, a testament to his honed combat skills.
A deafening war horn echoed through the cavern. A wave of goblins flooded the settlement. Panic surged through him, he activated Zen mastery, calm surged through him, and a steely resolve settled in his eyes. He wouldn't just fight, he would dominate.
He dove behind a smoldering debris, using the flickering flames as a temporary shield.
He parried a blow from a leaping goblin, using the momentum to spin and deliver a counterattack that cleaved straight through its armor.
Another goblin charged; its face twisted in a grotesque parody of rage. Mark sidestepped the clumsy attack, his blade flashing out in a blur, severing the creature's tendons with surgical precision. The goblin crumpled to the ground, whimpering in pain.
He fought like a man possessed, his movements fueled by a potent cocktail of adrenaline and honed skill. Goblins fell around him, their lifeless forms testament to his lethal efficiency. But with each fallen foe, two more seemed to take their place.
The tide began to turn as he faced higher-level goblins. A Level 15 Goblin Berserker, its eyes bloodshot and crazed, swung a massive axe with reckless abandon. Mark danced back, the keen edge of his senses allowing him to anticipate the blow. He sidestepped at the last moment, the axe whistling past his ear.
With a precisely timed thrust, Mark aimed for a gap in the berserker's armor, his blade finding its mark with a satisfying crunch. The creature roared in pain, then mark cut its head off.
A Level 15 Goblin Shaman charged at him, staff crackling with dark energy. Mark sidestepped the blow, the air sizzling where the dark magic had passed. With a flick of his wrist, he unleashed a bolt of mana, the energy spear shattering the Shaman's staff and sending him sprawling.
The cavern erupted into a cacophony of clashing steel and guttural roars. Adrenaline coursed through Mark's veins, fueling his movements.
Goblins fell around him like wheat before a scythe. His strikes were calculated, each blow aimed at weak points. Even the higher-level goblins, their movements faster and attacks more coordinated, were no match for his newfound prowess.
His enhanced senses combined with hunter's instinct allowed him to anticipate attacks, while his "Mana Augmentation" imbued his strikes with unnatural power.
Every so often, he would unleash a bolt of mаna, sending goblins flying or turning them into smoldering ash.
But even as he fought, a part of Mark's mind was racing, analyzing the situation. The sheer number of goblins was overwhelming. He needed an edge, something to turn the tide in his favor.
Nam stood amidst the chaos, watching the with an unnerving calmness. Despite the pandemonium surrounding him, his movements were measured, betraying a predator keenly aware of its surroundings.
Just as he dispatched another goblin, a wave of dizziness washed over him. The exertion, the constant barrage of attacks, was taking its toll. His movements, once fluid and effortless, began to slow.
As Mark clashed blades with a particularly tenacious Goblin Champion, a searing pain lanced through his arm. He stumbled back, his vision blurring at the edges. Nam had landed a glancing blow, his great axe leaving a deep gash.
The goblins, emboldened by their leader's display of power, closed in for the kill.
But Mark wasn't finished yet. He scrambled to his feet, the taste of blood metallic in his mouth weaved through the goblins and charged at Nam.
The Chieftain moved with surprising agility for his size, his strike imbued with raw power. Mark parried a blow from Nam's great axe, the impact sending shockwaves through his arms.
Then he unleashed strikes again and again, his blade a beacon of destruction amidst the horde. Goblins fell back, their fear palpable.
Nam, however, remained a formidable opponent. His experience and cunning allowed him to anticipate Mark's attacks, deflecting blows and countering with deadly precision. The cavern floor became slick with blood, the stench of death hanging heavy in the air.
Mark knew a prolonged battle would lead to his downfall. The sheer number of goblins, coupled with Nam's relentless assault, would eventually wear him down. He needed to end this fight quickly, but he was using all his strength and he did not know what else he could do.
The tide began to turn. The Goblin Chieftain moved with an unexpected grace, his blows powerful and precise. Mark, for the first time, felt himself on the defensive, struggling to keep pace with the relentless onslaught.
As they clashed, a searing pain shot through Mark's arm. He stumbled back, his vision blurring at the edges, amidst the haze of pain and exhaustion, he used mental perception, time seemed slowed, and a spark ignited within Mark.
He channeled mana around him forming a barrier, Nam although surprised kept attacking, his barrier held but it would not last.
He had an idea. He had to try, he had defeated impossible odds, he would not die here.
Focus. Concentration. He poured his mana into his sword, willing it to solidify around his sword. A faint shimmer materialized, then grew, condensing, pure azure energy crackling with restrained power.
The air crackled with raw power. He pushed further, urging more and more mana into the blade. The glow intensified, blossoming into a luminescent aura that crackled with raw power. The very air around the sword seemed to vibrate.
With a final, explosive burst of concentration, Mark unleashed the built-up energy. The blade erupted in a blinding flash, the blue light condensing into a razor-sharp projectile that shot forward in a deadly arc.
The projectile sliced through the air with unnatural speed with a hum that sent shivers down spines.
It was a shockwave of pure power, radiating outwards with devastating force. The goblins around him were thrown back, some sent flying against the cavern walls, others crumpled to the ground, unconscious.
Even Nam, caught in the brunt of the attack, thrown back and hurled several feet away.
Mark lowered his sword, he felt drained, his vision swimming slightly.
With a ragged gasp, Mark stumbled towards the portal, his body screaming in protest. He could see the Chieftain struggling to rise, his eyes burning with hatred.
But Mark didn't have time to deal with him. He had one shot, one chance to escape this nightmare.
He lunged forward, his body a blur of exhaustion and determination. As his hand touched the portal, a wave of dizziness washed over him. The world dissolved into a swirling vortex of colors, and then... darkness.
He awoke with a gasp, sprawled on the cool, damp ground. Disoriented, he sat up, taking in his surroundings. Lush green grass stretched before him, the gentle breeze rustling through the leaves of towering trees. The air was clean, sweet, devoid of the stench and grime of the goblin lair.