Misfortune Favors The Weak

YuWon wondered, feeling the warm blood on his face. Forget about taking down the monarch. They couldn't even get past his generals.

As he turned to one side, he saw Soo-Ah fighting desperately. The skeletons were clashing with goblins thrice their size. Sweat dripped down her face as she commanded the undead, trying to hold back the monarch's army at bay.

But no matter what she did, the skeletons kept perishing. Even though she kept raising new ones to replace the destroyed ones, YuWon knew it was a matter of time before she ran out of mana.

Not much further, Min-Joon was also fighting the goblins like a maniac. Although his [Berserk] skill was good, it wasn't enough. Why? Because he was losing strength, as blood kept pouring from the stump where his arm used to be.

Even so, Min-Joon kept swinging the blade. But it was clear he wouldn't last much longer. Every strike of his grew weaker, and every breath came more labored.

As for YuWon... He had been long out of the fight. He was on the ground, his head on Gina's lap. Blood gushed from a deep wound on his forehead, the wound that the Monarch had so graciously given him.

YuWon remembered the scene even as he struggled to stay conscious. One hit was all it took to reduce him to such a pitiful state.

Defeating... the monarch... won't be easy.

Just then Gina's whimpering voice echoed in his mind. She was holding YuWon's head to stop the bleeding, but in vain.

"YuWon, please," Gina begged, tears falling down her cheeks. "Keep your eyes open. Don't leave me…"

Although YuWon didn't have the strength to smile, he felt happy. After all, it was the first time Gina had addressed him by his name. Unfortunately, he couldn't enjoy the feeling for long as Min-Joon's screams filled the air.

How did we end up like this?

***

About an hour ago...

With their preparations complete, YuWon, Soo-Ah, Gina, and Min-Joon left the campus, with Soo-Ah's skeletons trailing behind them. With Gina's help, they had tracked the Monarch's entourage to a desolate highway just outside the campus.

However, that's when they realized how severely they had underestimated the Monarch. There were at least a dozen hobgoblins surrounding a carriage inside, which was the monarch.

But that wasn't the only threat. More than a hundred goblin scouts were scattered throughout the area, and two elderly goblins with staffs were walking behind the carriage.

"Is that—" Soo-Ah couldn't speak and covered her mouth.

YuWon could understand why. After all, one didn't see naked humans drawing a carriage like animals. However, unlike Soo-Ah and Min-Joon, YuWon didn't care about that.

The goblins were strong, and the humans were weak. It was inevitable for the rule of nature to take over. Besides, had it been humans who used Goblins as slaves, he was pretty sure no one would bat an eye; including him.

But YuWon was interested in something. Namely, those old-looking goblins. It was the first time he had seen them and, from his experience, he knew dealing with them would be troublesome.

"Those are shamans," Gina whispered, noticing YuWon was staring at them. "Don't be fooled by their frail bodies. They are incredibly strong. At least four times stronger than father. That's what he told me."

YuWon nodded. He had expected that much, but even then, the shamans only added to his tension. They were already outnumbered, and now they had to deal with powerful magic users too?

"We can't take them on in a direct fight," YuWon mumbled. "We need a plan—"

Unfortunately, they won't have any time to think things through. By allowing Gina to locate the monarch, YuWon had made a grave mistake. It never crossed his mind that just like Gina could feel the monarch's presence, the latter could do the same.

But there was no time to regret. The monarch's army charged right towards them.

"Get ready!" YuWon shouted.

Soo-Ah's skeletons rushed forward, along with Min-Joon, who immediately went berserk. YuWon had told them to try not to kill the goblins until the hobgoblins were dealt with, but in the heat of the moment, not even the skeleton could keep their mind straight.

"Fucking hell! Gina, take care of the shamans!" YuWon ordered, his eyes fixed on the hobgoblins. "I'll handle these brutes!"

Gina nodded and headed straight for the shamans. Meanwhile, YuWon turned his attention to the nearest hobgoblin. The creature was massive, even bigger than Skullee. Even so, they didn't fare off any better than him.

The hobgoblin swung its giant club with all its might, aiming to crush YuWon. He dodged the attack, letting the club smash into the ground and sent gravel flying in all directions.

"It's your loss," YuWon smirked, noticing the weapon stuck to the road.

Using the club as a ladder, YuWon climbed to the hobgoblin's head before punching it with all his might. The force of the blow shattered its skull, and the creature crumpled to the ground, dead.

But there was no time to celebrate. Another hobgoblin came charging at him, its club raised high. YuWon ducked under its swing and kicked its leg, bringing the creature to its knees. A quick, decisive strike to the neck finished it.

Just like the two before, YuWon took down the third hobgoblin. But as he moved to attack the fourth, something felt off. It almost felt like an invisible force was dragging him down, slowing his movements.

He looked up and noticed a shaman focusing on him. Gina was trying to attack the one targeting him, but the other shaman kept her preoccupied, maintaining its distance and only interfering when she got close to the other shaman.

"Fuck this shit!" YuWon cursed and rushed towards the shamans.

He had to stop it before it could completely immobilize him. But just as he reached the shaman, he felt a massive presence behind him. It was the Goblin Monarch.

YuWon looked at the creature. The goblin barely looked like one and was as tall as a troll. Gold covered every inch of its body, including the sword it carried.

"Perish," the monarch mumbled, swinging the blade.

Because of the Shaman, YuWon remained rooted to the spot and a moment later, pain shot through his head. The impact was brutal, sending YuWon flying across the highway. He crashed to the ground with no energy to fight back.

***

Back in the present...

Darkness slowly clouded YuWon's mind and keeping his eyes open felt like a herculean task. Soo-Ah, having power over the dead, immediately noticed YuWon's state.

"YuWon!" she yelled. "Don't you dare give up now! You still have to prove your innocence, remember?"

Innocence? Why would I think about such trivial things?

YuWon wanted to retort, but felt his life slipping away. The world around him grew darker, the sounds of battle fading into a distant echo. He tried to focus on Gina's face, on her pleading eyes, but it was no use.

The darkness was too strong. He had lost too much blood. His strength was gone. And as his eyes squinted shut.

[Respawning at the last known checkpoint. Please wait.]

[Respawn Points: 993/1000]