Lian advanced with determination, his eyes fixed on the Goblin King. The monster stood up slowly, its colossal body reaching nearly four meters in height. Thick muscles covered its greenish skin, and the bone crown on its head gave it an even more menacing appearance. The goblin wielded a giant, old, and jagged sword that exuded a dark aura of power.
The creature roared so loudly that the structure trembled, as if even the walls feared their leader. Lian gripped his sword tightly, feeling the rhythmic pulse of the purple stone on the hilt, like a heart beating alongside his own.
"This won't be an easy fight..." he thought, assuming a combat stance.
The Goblin King attacked first, raising his sword in a brutal arc. Lian leapt to the side, narrowly escaping as the blade smashed into the ground with a deafening impact, scattering shards of wood and dust into the air. Before he could stabilize, the monster spun with surprising speed, its sword slicing through the air like a whirlwind.
The blade brushed against Lian's chest, cutting his clothes and leaving a red streak on his skin. The sharp pain made him retreat, pressing the wound with his free hand.
"Damn... he's faster than he looks."
The Goblin King roared again and charged, swinging his sword with savage fury. Lian dodged as best as he could, his legs moving with agility, but the pressure of the fight began to weigh on his muscles. The creature gave him no respite, each strike followed by another with a force that destroyed everything around it.
In a moment of carelessness, Lian tripped over a fallen wooden beam. He tried to get up, but it was too late, the Goblin King was already upon him, raising his sword for a fatal blow.
"Get up, you idiot!" Lian shouted at himself, rolling at the last second. The blade came down with a crash, the impact so strong that the ground beneath them cracked. Fragments flew and struck Lian's face, scratching his skin.
He felt the hot blood running down his forehead, mixing with the sweat dripping from his brow. His breathing was heavy, and the pain from the wound on his chest began to affect his movements.
"If I keep going like this, he'll finish me off..."
Lian tightened the grip on his sword and looked around, noticing the shadows dancing across the room as light entered through small cracks in the walls. His heart raced. The purple stone glowed faintly, as if responding to his thoughts.
"It's now or never."
Lian focused, raising his left hand and closing his eyes. He felt the shadows around him, alive, responding to his call. When he opened his eyes again, they were intense and determined.
The shadows began to stretch, slithering across the floor toward the Goblin King. The creature paused for a moment, sensing something wrong, and roared in defiance. But the shadows moved too quickly, grabbing its arms and legs like living chains. The Goblin King fought against them, pulling and struggling, but the shadows continued to squeeze tighter.
Lian didn't waste any time. With a battle cry, he ran toward the creature, his sword glowing with a dark power. He leapt and delivered a deep slash to the monster's left leg. The Goblin King let out a roar of pain, breaking part of the shadows that restrained him.
Lian fell back, but the victory was short-lived. Furious, the Goblin King struck the ground with his sword, releasing a violent wave of energy. The shadows shattered like glass, and Lian was thrown backward with brutal force. His body slammed into a wooden beam, making an audible crack. He groaned in pain, feeling his left shoulder throb as if it had been dislocated.
"This is getting out of control..." he murmured, panting as he tried to get up.
The Goblin King charged again, limping slightly due to the wound on his leg. Lian knew he couldn't fight the monster head-on, not with his body so weakened. His heart pounded too quickly, his lungs burned with every breath.
"I have to finish this now."
He focused again, looking at the shadows around him. In one final effort, Lian closed his eyes and let the darkness consume him. When he opened his eyes, he was no longer there, his body had moved into the shadows, disappearing completely.
The Goblin King roared in anger, turning his head in all directions, but he couldn't see Lian. Then, it felt something slice its belly. A quick blow, coming from nowhere. The monster spun around again, but the next strike came from its back.
Lian attacked like an invisible predator, emerging from the shadows for just an instant before disappearing again. Each strike weakened the monster, but the effort took its toll. Lian's body burned with exhaustion; every movement drained his energy.
Finally, Lian emerged one last time above the Goblin King, his sword raised. With all the strength he had left, he brought the blade down, piercing the creature's skull. The room shook with the impact, and the monster's final roar echoed like thunder before it fell silent.
Lian pulled his sword free, staggering backward. His body finally gave out, and he collapsed to his knees, exhausted.
"I... did it..." he murmured, his voice barely audible.
It was then that a bluish light began to glow in the center of the room. Lian raised his head and saw the air distort like a broken mirror. A portal slowly opened, pulsing with an unknown energy.
Lian was mentally and physically drained, completely destroyed. With the last of his strength, he walked toward the portal, leaning on his sword. When he crossed through and found himself in that familiar place, he collapsed, and before he could understand what was happening, his eyes closed and everything went dark.
When he woke up, Lian felt warmth on his skin. His wounds burned less, and a soft voice reached his ears.
"You really get yourself into trouble that's far too big for someone so serious, Lian..."
Lian slowly opened his eyes and saw Vida beside him, her hands glowing as they healed his wounds. Her blonde hair fell like a shining veil, and her expression was a mix of concern and relief.
"Vida... I... defeated the Goblin King..."
"Yes, but you almost died doing it." She sighed, finishing her work on his shoulder with some sort of healing power. "You need to be more careful. You can't just go around trying to kill every monster you see without worrying about yourself. Even being Class A, you don't have the same resources the other students do."
Lian let out a weak laugh, closing his eyes again.
"Sorry, but I'll get stronger... this is just the beginning."
Vida looked at him, shaking her head with a gentle smile.
"Rest, Lian. There will be time for that."
That ability he had used had left him completely exhausted. Lian closed his eyes, happy that he had managed to conquer the E-rank portal, and fell asleep.