Alex arched his back, bending like a bow just in time to let the axe whistle inches above his nose.
The weapon sailed past him, its sharp edge close enough to feel the rush of air on his face, and slammed into the stone wall behind him, shattering rock with a thunderous crack.
Alex's eyes widened, his heart beating like a drum.
That attack had power—real power. If he had reacted even a second slower, he would've been done for.
He pushed himself back upright, breathing hard, his muscles tensed and ready.
The Goblin Boss's roar echoed through the cavern, its red eyes glowing with fury as it growled:
"You miserable worm. Do you know how much energy I wasted because of you?!"
"I don't know. How much was it again?"
The goblin's fury burned in its eyes as it glared at him, but instead of another axe, it reached down and pulled out a massive greatsword, the blade nearly as tall as the goblin itself.
"Human...You're dead!"
With a deafening roar, the Goblin Boss charged, covering the distance between them in a flash.
Alex barely had time to react as the goblin brought the greatsword down with brutal force.
For a split...dumb second, he thought about blocking it with [Eclipse Edge], but he quickly changed his mind.
Not doubting that the sheer power in the swing was enough to shatter his weapon—and probably him along with it.
At the last moment, he leapt to the side, the blade crashing into the ground where he'd just been standing, sending a shower of dirt and rock flying.
The goblin snarled, lifting the greatsword for another strike and yelled:
"Stay still, you coward!"
But Alex was already in motion.
His body became a blur as he shot forward with lightning speed and aimed for the goblin's neck—hoping to end the fight with a single, decisive strike.
The Goblin Boss, however, reacted with shocking speed, tilting its head just in time.
Alex's blade whizzed past its neck, and instead, he adjusted his aim mid-strike, bringing his sword down hard on the goblin's wrist.
There was a sickening *crunch* as the blade cut deep, severing muscle and bone. Blood sprayed into the air as the goblin's wrist was torn open, and the greatsword tumbled from its grip.
The Goblin Boss roared in agony, clutching its injured arm, blood pouring from the ragged wound. Alex landed a few feet away, his breathing steady and his eyes focused.
He knew this creature was different—stronger, faster, smarter, and he should finish it off quick, but he couldn't resist the temptation of facing such a terrifying creature head on.
Alex muttered, wiping the blood from his cheek with the back of his hand and teased with a grin:
"You're tougher than you look."
"Fucking human!"
The goblin snarled, rage dripping from every word.
"Wow, you've got quite the potty mouth for a goblin. Where'd you learn to talk like that, anyway?"
"Silence!" the goblin growled and picked it's weapon with its second arm, charging forward.
It swunh the greatsword in a deadly arc, but Alex jump back just in time to avoid the blade.
"C'mon, what did I do to make you so angry? I thought we could have a civil conversation, but you're giving me the silent treatment."
"You bastard! Son of a bitch!" the goblin spat, his words more vulgar Alex couldn't resist chuckling.
"You have no idea, human! Do you know how much energy I wasted resurrecting my fallen soldiers because of you? Now they're all dead. Again. And I can't bring them back this time!"
"Why not"
"Baran can't! Baran failed king once by letting them die. Can't fail him again!"
Alex's eyebrows shot up in surprise:
"Wait, you have a king? Like, a Goblin King?"
"Don't you dare speak of Baran king!"
The goblin yelled, charging again with fury.
Alex barely managed to block the attack, their blades clashing violently. The force of the blow sent him stumbling backward until his back slammed into a rocky outcrop.
He was pinned.
"Crap."
The goblin raised his greatsword high above his head, ready to finish Alex off.
But Alex's used [Aegis Arcane] and an invisible barrier shimmered above him, stopping the blade just inches from his face. The barrier cracked under the pressure, sending spiderweb-like fractures through the air.
Alex's eyes widened as he wondered how much strength was behing that swing for [Aegis Arcane] to begin to crack.
Not wasting time he leaped out of danger just as the barrier shattered.
But the goblin charged again, but Alex reacted fast, thrusting face forward and releasing a [Sonic Howl].
The shockwave hit the goblin square in the chest, sending him slidding backward across the rocky ground.
The goblin's eyes narrowed: "*You... you have the same power as chicken! You one of them?!"
"What? Do I look like a giant chicken to you?"
"You might be chicken in disguise. Me no know?"
Alex placed his palm on his forehead shaking his head:
"I hate to break it to you, but I'm just a regular human."
"No matter—Cockatrice, human, it doesn't matter! You'll all pay with your lives!" The goblin's voice was a furious snarl. "Your essence will revive my army, and we will hunt the Cockatrice King! I'll bring its head to my lord, and then, *finally*, I'll earn the rank of Commander and escape this cursed cave!"
"Yeah, that's not happening," Alex said, shaking his head. "You really think you have a shot against the Cockatrice? You're out of your mind."
"You talk too much, human!"
The goblin raised his sword, the air around him growing thick and heavy with power. His body began to glow with a sinister red light, his skin steaming and boiling as dark energy poured off him like smoke.
The he growled, his voice twisted with raw fury.
[Bloodlust]
Alex's eyes went wide as the goblin's power skyrocketed.
He could feel the heat rolling off the goblin's boiling skin.
With a mental shout, he activated his system, dumping all of his free stat points into Strength.
He barely had time to react before the goblin was suddenly right in front of him—moving almost as fast as him.
The goblin's blade came crashing down, and Alex managed to block it with [Eclipse Edge], but the sheer force of the blow sent him flying.
His feet left the ground, his body rocketing through the air until he slammed into the cave wall with a bone-rattling thud.
Stars danced in his vision, and the impact knocked the breath from his lungs.
"What the hell was that?"
Alex gasped, blood dripping from his mouth.
His whole body ached, and his chest burned from the impact, but he didn't have a second to catch his breath as....