Alex knew he had to stay sharp to take down the goblin scout.
He didn't know where the next attack would come from, so every sense was on high alert.
He felt the weight of exhaustion pull at his muscles as he had used up so much energy just escaping the earlier trap, and now he was paying the price.
He would have felt confident about facing this goblin one-on-one if he hadn't used so much energy earlier. Now, he had to be careful.
As Alex scanned the dimly lit cave, he couldn't help but wonder if the goblin had planned this all along.
It had sent its troops to exhaust him, forcing him to burn through his strength before this showdown.
The goblin scout was more than just a mindless monster. It was smart, strategic, maybe even as cunning as the cockatrice he had faced earlier.
If these tutorial monsters were this intelligent, humanity was in more danger than they had realized.
A distinct noise came from behind like a burst bubble.
And the goblin scout darted out from the shadows behind him, with quick movement and with a flick of its wrist, the goblin launched a volley of daggers, each one aimed right at Alex's back.
He reacted instantly, twisting his body to the side, dodging the blades by mere inches.
Using his momentum, Alex dashed forward, aiming straight for the goblin, hoping to catch it off-guard.
But just as he was about to strike, the scout melted back into the shadows as if it had never been there.
"Tcch!"
Alex clicked his tongue, his eyes darting around, searching for any sign of movement.
Suddenly, the goblin scout dropped from above like a shadow, its dagger aimed right at the back of Alex's neck.
With a quick step backward, Alex dodged the deadly strike, feeling the breeze of the blade pass just inches from his skin. He watched the goblin land lightly before him, its yellow eyes gleaming with a taunting challenge.
Without hesitation, Alex lunged forward, hands outstretched to make contact. One touch was all he needed to use his [Exploding Touch].
But the goblin was ready.
It twisted its body with surprising agility, spinning out of Alex's reach, and bolted toward the nearest shadow.
"Whoa," Alex thought, his heart racing. The goblin moved faster than he expected, almost like it was dancing on air.
Gritting his teeth, he chased after it, refusing to let the creature slip away.
But then, the goblin whirled around mid-sprint, launching a pair of daggers at him.
Alex managed to duck and weave, the blades whizzing past his head and he saw the goblin was about to vanish into the shadows again.
Desperately, he grabbed the hilt of [Eclipse Edge], his trusted blade, and threw it like a javelin, aiming right at the retreating goblin.
But Rusuk was too quick.
It melted into the shadows at the very last second, and [Eclipse Edge] plunged harmlessly into the dirt.
"Damn it!"
Alex's frustration boiled over as he clenched his fists.
He had been so close. A few more inches and the goblin would have been caught in his [Exploding Touch].
He hurried over to retrieve [Eclipse Edge], yanking the blade free from the ground. But at that instant, a flicker of motion caught his eye.
The goblin scout had already taken advantage of his distraction, launching another dagger.
A glint of metal was headed straight at him.
Alex's body froze, his eyes widening as he watched the blade cut through the air.
At the last possible second, he activated [Aegis Arcane], and the shimmering magical shield, deflected the attack. The impact drained the last of his mana, and the shield shattered in a burst of light.
"There goes the last of my mana," Alex muttered, his breath ragged.
He had reacted just in time, but now he was out of energy.
The goblin's hit-and-run strategy was wearing him down, and he knew if this kept up, it was only a matter of time before the goblin landed a real hit.
Alex's eyes narrowed as he analyzed the situation. The goblin's tactics were clever using speed and stealth to chip away at him.
It was no wonder it had taken down the cockatrice earlier in the woods.
But he wasn't about to go down like that.
He was no cockatrice, and he certainly wasn't helpless.
He had noticed an opening he could exploit.
The goblin's shadow ability had a clear limitation:
It could only attack once it fully emerged from the shadows, and every time it did, there was a distinct bubble-like sound.
If he timed it right, he could strike before the goblin scout even have a chance to react.
With a deep breath, Alex steeled himself, his mind racing with a plan.
He wasn't going to let the goblin slip away. Not this time.
The faint bubbly sound echoed from behind him, and Alex immediately spun, bolting in the direction of the noise.
As he ran, he pulled a [Blastshard] from his inventory and hurled it high into the air, above where he expected the goblin to appear.
As Rusuk, the goblin scout, was caught off guard as Alex charged.
Its eyes widened in shock, and it tried to retreat back into the shadow, but it was too late—the blastshard detonated overhead with a blinding flash and a deafening boom. The explosion lit up the darkness, forcing the shadows to scatter and exposing the goblin's hiding spots.
Panic flashed across the goblin's face as it scrambled to flee to a darker area. But Alex was ready. He activated [Stun Howl], unleashing a sonic wave that rippled through the air.
The sound wave hit the goblin from behind, and it stumbled, crashing to the ground in a daze. It lay there, disoriented and vulnerable.
Seizing his chance, Alex rushed forward, [Eclipse Edge] raised high above his head, ready to deliver the final blow.
The goblin desperately lifted its dagger to block, but...