Chapter 9

I tried to sound confident, But as I stood there, pointing at the Goblin King, having declared my intentions to subjugate his kingdom, my mind raced with thoughts. Had I really just challenged the Goblin King? What was wrong with me? Why did I not think this through?

The King stood up. "It is true you can probably beat me in a fight. However, as the king, I cannot silently hand my subjects over to someone else. If you wish to fight, we can fight in this room. It is wide, and free of objects." He grabbed a large two handed sword, that was sitting next to his throne. "This will be a battle for the kingdom. If you win, I will hand over the kingdom, and you can do with me what you will." His eyes radiated hostility. "However, If I win, you will surely die"

He began to race towards me. I reached into my inventory, and pulled out my broken dagger, just in time to block his sword, coming down above my head. We were about evenly matched in strength, and speed. But the size difference between out weapons was something that was a disadvantage to me. I shoved his sword up, and leaped back before his sword slammed itself onto the floor.

Clearly I was at a disadvantage trying to defend against his sword, so I would need to go on the offence. I raced forward and positioned myself on his left side. I thrust my dagger, aiming for his open side. Just as quickly as I could thrust, He used his sword to parry my dagger. He slashed at my neck, and I bent over backwards In order to dodge.

"What the fuck are you doing? Your going to get us killed!" It was that same voice in the back of my head. "What the fuck do you want? I'm busy right now." I rushed towards the King, but once again my thrust was parried. Our stats were similar, yet there was a far gap between our experience in combat. And I didn't know what I needed to close that gap.

"Were going to fucking die! Why didn't you think about this before challenging the fucking King."

It was that same voice. "What do you care? Aren't you Mr. KillEverything?"

"Yeah, Kill everything besides me! And your me, and I'm you. So I can't let you die. Just keep dodging and we can figure out how to beat him."

The King's sword came slashing at my left side. I took a couple steps to the right, just enough to make the cut shallower. The sword lodged in my side, and blood spilled out onto his sword.

The voice in my head began frantically shouting at me. "What are you doing!? I told you to dodge."

"Shut the fuck up. I ain't no pussy." I grabbed his sword with my left hand, keeping it from moving. and I began to wind up my right hand. I felt a presence in my right hand. It was the presence of something less than a living being, but more then a non-living entity. It was the presence of magic.

[Activating skill (Dagger throw lvl1)]

It felt like the dagger flew out of my hand, and knew just where to land. And it did in fact land. It thrust itself right into the King's chest, just missing his heart. Blood spilled out onto his chest.

I smiled. "A wound for a wound." At the same time we both reached for each other's weapons, that were now lodged in our bodies.

[You cannot equip any other weapons until the Trial of Swords is completed.]

[You cannot equip this dagger, as it is currently under exclusive contract with a player.]

There was an awkward silence, as we both realized the situation we were in.

He lunged for his sword, and I side stepped him and jumped in the air and landed behind him. "Good thing my agility is high." I jumped onto his back, and wrapped my arms around his neck. "Let go.. bastard." he said, while trying to pry my arms off his neck. While he was preoccupied I pulled out my dagger from his chest, and jumped off him.

By now the voice in my head chimed in "Your a crazy fucking bastard. that could've gotten us killed!"

"Didn't I tell you to shut the fuck up? It worked didn't it?"

I had no fucking clue how I closed the gap, But somehow I did. Somehow I was at an advantage here. With blood spilling onto his chest, I leaped at him, closing the gap. I began to thrust my dagger. I had finally put him on the defensive. He dodged the first few thrusts, before taking a swing at my head. I ducked underneath it, and drove my dagger into his left leg. After dodging a few more of my swings, and thrusts, his left leg finally collapsed, covered in blood.

"I forfeit. You win. I hate to abandon my people, but I cannot fight anymore."

Truth was, I also couldn't fight for much longer.

[You have subjugated a Goblin village, and achieved something never done before by a player.]

[You have been awarded 200 copper, and 1,750Xp]

[Your rewards are being doubled due to (???'s Blessing)]

[You have leveled up x2]

[Your level has been capped at lvl, 5. You will receive the rest of your levels after advancing to the next floor.]

[str, + 6]

[speed, + 4]

[Agility, +3]

I looked down at him, he looked like he was in pain, but more so he looked like he was ashamed.

breathing heavily, It was heart to speak. "As your new king... I'm placing you... In command, If I'm going to.. conquer the... tower... I don't have time to... Watch over every village... I-"

I didn't manage to get everything out. Instead I landed face first on the floor, with a sword in my side. While my consciousness faded, I heard the voice in my head say "Your a fucking crazy man."

"...Did I tell you to shut the fuck up yet?"