"I am not the same anymore. My body trembles with excitement, muscles sore and mind focused, as I prepare for the next attack. Styg, with his sarcastic laugh and goblin gaze, taunts me again: 'Eclivel! You're still no match for me, give up!'
My eyes burn with determination. 'We're not finished yet!' I shout, feeling my energy renew with each word. My legs move quickly, sliding in an intricate pattern, my feet almost floating in the air as I advance. 'Hah!'
Styg, with his confident smile, grabs his sword with both hands and swings it, producing a sharp and deadly hiss in the air. The wind seems to align with the blade, creating a threatening sound. I feel my blood boil in my veins as I prepare for the impact.
In a quick movement, my axe swings down with force, meeting the hilt of Styg's sword in midair. The shock reverberates in my bones, but I hold firm. Styg's blade shakes, but doesn't break. 'Good! Your blocking stance isn't bad!' He shouts, making a sound that mixes praise and challenge.
The tension between us is palpable. I will not yield, not today.
'Watch my next move! I'm going to attack your arm!' Styg's threat echoes, but I don't let it intimidate me. He's trying to test me. I can't let that happen.
'Look at me!' Styg shouts, his body twisting as he swings his sword in a huge, deadly arc, aiming for my right leg. I see the move clearly, the attack coming like an arrow of fate, but I don't retreat. I step back, just enough, and with a precise movement, my axe intercepts the blade in midair.
The shock almost makes me laugh.
'You definitely said it was my arm, you didn't keep your word!' I complain, frustration blending in my voice. I'm no fool, Styg. I see your tactics, your tricks. And because of that, I repay with my own relentless defense.
He laughs, a cruel sound, but also filled with a strange admiration. 'Haha... that's called tactics! It's meant to test your agility. My father always taught me that if you don't know how to use tactics in war, you'll be an easy target. I won't be anyone's target. I am the one who controls the game!'
His words touch me, but I don't lose focus. He pulls his sword back, smiling, his eyes gleaming. 'Okay, now that's enough. You're getting better and better! I won't be able to beat you after a few more days!'
I feel the pressure in my chest. He recognizes my effort, my skill, but he's also challenging me. He's good, but not as much as he seems.
With a frustrated gesture, Styg scratches his green goblin head, his words puzzling, but revealing more about him than he realizes. 'Eclivel! My sword technique was passed down by a goblin warrior! I put in a lot of effort, trained with blood and sweat, and my father said my sword is better than that of an advanced Goblin! But you, with your axe, can fight with me and even draw... How is it possible that you were beaten by Charles?'"
"His words hit a sensitive spot in me that belongs to another Eclivel, the one who died before. I clench my fists, my anger and shame mixing together. 'These axe techniques were taught to me by my father when I was younger, unfortunately, I forgot them... I'm trying to practice to remember!' My voice comes out muffled.
But at the same time, my determination grows. 'Once I have the strength, I will definitely seek my revenge. I'll break Charles's arms, but not before stepping on his face with my boot!' I feel the flame of vengeance ignite inside me, stronger than ever.
Styg watches me for a moment, his gaze full of a confidence that is not blind, but grounded. He steps closer and pats me on the shoulder. 'My friend Eclivel, I believe in you. You are already ready to fulfill your desire.'
I looked at Styg, feeling the tension in my body as the adrenaline from another recent training session still spread through my veins.
'Now I can handle one or two opponents, but Charles has five followers with him!' I said, as if pondering the problem. In truth, this situation didn't worry me. I was pretending to care, as I still needed more time to continue my training with Styg. Without him, my revenge plan wouldn't be complete.
But at the same time, Styg's words made me think. What would really be necessary to take down Charles and his followers? I was already confident that my strength could handle them.
'Oh, right, you mentioned the Great Warriors earlier, what are they?' I asked casually, hoping to get more information while maintaining my facade of concern.
Styg, seemingly relieved to change the focus of the conversation, shook his head and sighed, as if preparing to share some of his warrior wisdom. 'You're talking about the Great Warriors? They are on a higher level than regular warriors.'
'No matter where they go, they are considered a great existence! If someone is lucky enough to become a Great Warrior, even a king will be hospitable to them! And if they are willing to pledge loyalty, they'll become a commander of his troops!'
'Their physical body has been taken to the extremes, and rumors say that, in addition to their long-range beast formation, even a heavy cavalry troop wouldn't be able to stop them from advancing!'
I almost stopped breathing. Heavy cavalry... These words, which referred to the peak of military power of the time, meant that these warriors were not just strong — they were practically unstoppable.
'So powerful!' I murmured to myself, letting the idea of becoming one of these extremely strong warriors hammer in my mind.
'A troop commander holds the same status as a commander... even a Goblin general has to greet them if they see them,' Styg continued, ignoring my brief silence.
Styg seemed to notice what was going on in my mind, but he seemed eager to change the direction of the conversation. 'You don't have to envy them. A magus has an even more mysterious and powerful force compared to a Warrior. When you become an acolyte mage, your status is comparable to that of a Great Warrior. And if you become an official Mage, then congratulations, killing a Great Warrior is easier than stepping on an ant.'
'The various kings, from different kingdoms, will all try to be the first to bring their beautiful daughters to your bed…' Styg added, as if this was evidence of the power of a mage."
"Is a mage really that powerful?" I asked, more to myself than to him.
Styg smiled, convinced he had the answer to my question. "Hmm, about that? I'm not really sure, but a mage's status is definitely very high. My father said so! I can swear on the reputation of my Wild Fang family."
He touched his nose, as if he had made a mistake by exposing too much, but I had no doubt that he was telling the truth, at least in his own view.
With a nearly imperceptible movement, I gave the mental command to my virtual laboratory. "Scan the Goblin in front of me."
The response didn't take long. The laboratory soon activated, emitting a brief and unmistakable sound.
["Beep"]
["Analyzing..."]
["Beep. Completed"]
The screen appeared in my mind, loaded with detailed information about Styg, which materialized.
["Status"]
["Name: Styg Wild Fang."]
["Gender: Male."]
["Age: 15 years."]
["Race: Goblin"]
["Strength: 1.90"]
["Agility: 1.80"]
["Vitality: 1.90"]
These statistics stood out in my mind, each number more impressive than the last. 1.90 in strength, agility, and vitality... For a goblin, this was absurd. I knew Styg was strong, but these stats were a milestone. This wasn't the kind of strength a normal goblin would reach with regular training. It meant he had achieved something more.
"Warriors who had begun cultivating the Warrior breathing technique and thus improved their physique, but hadn't yet ignited their internal life energy, were known as Preparatory Warriors."
So Styg was one of these Preparatory Warriors. Someone who had undergone physical training with the breathing technique but had yet to reach the peak of his potential. Styg's physique was impressive, but he hadn't yet tapped into the deeper power that could elevate his strength to another level.
This was only possible because of his noble status among the Goblins. This partly explained his ability to reach these impressive levels. He wasn't just an ordinary goblin warrior. Styg had access to expensive medicines and resources that allowed him to enhance his body beyond what simple training could achieve.
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