1-v-1 with a World Boss?!

The lion man licked his fangs. "Rizz… Menace of Trodar… Prove to me your worthiness for such an audacious title." 

Twirling his knives, Rizz smiled under the pot. "Why not? Since you've asked so nicely, Raykahl, Mr. Fake Boss." 

"You see me as a false enemy?" 

Kaboom! C-Crackle!

Explosive arrows and a barrage of lightning crashed into the flame barrier. But they only created noise to distract the spectators outside of the barrier, despite the best efforts of the leading sorceress and rogue.

"When I have a challenger, it becomes only them and I," Raykahl remarked, never glancing at the futile attacks. "None may intervene. And neither of us may flee. You or I die here." 

Rizz picked his protruding nose. "What kind of cheat is that? Come on, which of the devs are you? This has to be a prank or an announcement event, right?" 

Readying his stance, gripping the greatsword with both hands, Raykahl's domineering gaze peered through the goblin's concealed stats. "Oh, ho, ho… A goblin at level 295? Perhaps it is due to you being a hero. But I suspect you have nurtured great skills, pot goblin. 

"Now, will you make the first move? Or shall I?"

Flipping his blades upright, Rizz loosened up. "Alrighty, little kitty. Let's tango!" 

Rizz shot himself straight ahead in a shroud of lightning, aiming himself like an electrified cannonball at the lion man. 

Raykahl didn't shirk. His flaming greatsword swiped at the incoming goblin with impunity. "Too easy–"

"Uh, uh, uh!"

K-Rrrip! K-Rrrip! C-crackle…

Just before the sword could make contact, a guiding gust carried the goblin projectile aside. They didn't hit straight on anymore. But Rizz easily snuck in a couple of glancing slashes while evading the heavy sword strike. 

Raykahl's demeanor hadn't changed at all. He was just as steady as the moment he'd stepped through the world gate. Even with a tinge of electricity trying to numb his side from those two cuts.

However, it would be a lie to say that Raykahl felt nothing for each new wound he received. Because each fresh trickle of blood added a bit more to the catkin guardian's expectations, widening his smile ever so slightly. 

"... Again," Raykahl growled, pinning his huge feline pupils onto the goblin's every movement. 

Rizz kept a close eye on Raykahl's health bar. It was the only thing that actually felt like it belonged to a world boss. "Really, which dev are you? I already had proof of a fourth world in development, and for your second health bar. But you're too much fun to be any old world boss."

"Fun? You find it amusing to face me?" Raykahl questioned with an emotionless face. 

"... Sure. Why not?" Rizz shrugged. 

"Oh… Oh, ho, ho, ho, ho!" 

Raykahl opened his mouth wide. His fangs elongated and his face stretched as Raykahl showed a hint of demon-like aura. "Good! I'm in need of a true challenger! Do not disappoint me, Menace of Trodar! Or I'll claim your helm as my piss pot!"

"What's new, pussy cat? You'll have to wait in line for that one." Rizz laughed with a maniacal grin. 

But in the back of his head, Rizz was busy trying to assess every possible aspect of the situation. From the catkin's unknown armor and gear to the man's unusual race and abilities. "I'll admit it, though. I'd be in trouble if the devs started coming after me. Cause you'd just cheat and take away all my stuff." 

"I know not what these devs are," growled the Solar Sentinel, letting his inhumanly low voice thrum across the now-burning flower field. "I know only of my orders. And I was told that if I came here, a challenger would arrive. I've waited far too long for this. So, kill me, Menace! Or I'll eradicate all fibers of your being!"

ROOOAR!

A plume of dark red flames rocketed out of Raykahl's mouth. 

But the goblin vanished from his spot the moment the liquid flames hit the grass. 

"Never underestimate the Rizz!" 

The pot goblin was in the air, behind Raykahl with both daggers swinging toward the catkin's nape. And Raykahl countered without hesitation, swinging his wide-faced greatsword behind his head as a makeshift shield. 

Yet the daggers and sword never collided. 

A light hum of energy hissed in the air as the goblin blinked away in a flash of purple energy, reappearing to the front-left side of the catkin guardian. 

FRRRIP! THUD! Thump, thump.

The goblin took a low roundhouse kick to the shoulder, flinging the 1.6-meter goblin away from the 2.3-meter, flaming catkin. 

But though Rizz hit the ground hard, he managed to put his arm up as a guard. Rizz also tucked into a ball mid-air to recover as quickly as possible. One of his daggers stabbed the ground to keep Rizz standing, and to stop him from getting too close to the fire barrier. 

"Oh, ho, ho…" Still smiling, Raykahl pulled the electrified dagger out of his kicking leg. It had been stabbed clean through the thick armor, all the way down to the hilt. The catkin sniffed the bloodied blade. "Hmm. Lightning for partial paralysis. Spatial to cut through my armor. Wind for piercing power. And darkness for unhealable damage… 

"You are not failing my expectations, Rizz, Menace of Trodar."

Rizz wore a mad lad grin beneath his helmet pot. He glanced at his own health, stamina, mana points, and skill points out of habit, comprehending his current status before Rizz could blink. He wasn't in too bad of shape. But it would only take a few more kicks like that to end the battle, and that was if Rizz could keep blocking them.

"I'd say the feeling's mutual but you still won't tell me who you are?" 

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. No, no, no…" Raykahl heaved a fiery breath, distorting the air in front of him from the casual heat he emitted. "Already, I have announced myself. I am Raykahl, Solar Sentinel. And it is my intention to find a challenger. That is why I've come. And that is what I demand, Menace of Trodar. 

"I shall warn you only once more, Hero Rizz. The more you deny my purpose, the shorter your life shall be."