Chapter 07: Dare Oppose me?

A duel of warriors was about to unfold. On one side stood a pale-green humanoid monster with bright yellow eyes and a big scar on his face. He wielded a one-handed iron mace, ready to strike.

On the other side stood a tall man with long black hair and flaming crimson eyes. Many scars adorned his body, bearing witness to his numerous battles. Unfortunately, unlike his opponent, he wielded only a small, rusty knife, far from ideal for this fight or any other.

The pale-green goblin made the first move, dashing towards Aron with astonishing speed. His strong legs allowed him to close the gap in an instant as he swung his iron mace from the side, aiming for Aron's head. Caught off guard, Aron was surprised; he realized he had underestimated the goblin's speed and the sheer force behind his strike.

This level of speed and strength made Aron second-guess this fight. However, a burning sensation ignited within him—a thrill for battle, the taste of bloodlust, the glorious victory. Aron was like a child eagerly awaiting his birthday presents.

Reacting swiftly, Aron leaned his body forward to avoid the strike, allowing the mace to pass harmlessly above him. He used his knife to stab the goblin in the waist, but it wasn't enough. Determined, Aron pushed the knife to the side with all his strength,

Aron managed to surprise everyone, including the pale-green goblin, who saw a big cut on his side. A pained scream escaped his lips. With his free arm, the goblin attempted to punch Aron, but once again, Aron dodged the attack by leaning further and moving to the right, simultaneously stabbing the goblin's right shoulder.

Even Aron was surprised by his own agility and the precision of his moves. and his ability to secure two stabs on the big goblin. Aron instinctively knew what to do and how to do it. Not letting this chance go to waste, Aron pulled out his knife, intending to strike the goblin once more. He aimed for the back of the goblin's neck.

The big goblin saw the knife heading to his back neck, knowing that a hit in that spot could incapacitate him. However, the goblin, a seasoned leader, had survived countless battles and possessed great experience against different opponents. He swiftly struck Aron's chest with his elbow, pushing him back, and followed it up with a heavy kick from his right foot, slamming Aron to the ground.

[-10 HP]

"Cough...That was a great move!"

Aron coughed up blood; the impact of the hits clearly damaged his chest. However, the pain quickly transformed into a surge of power, thanks to his "Wrath" skill. The pain became fuel, empowering Aron.

He was thrilled by his newfound abilities, but his smile vanished as he witnessed the goblin's wounds healing at an extraordinary rate. The stab in his shoulder had already healed, and the large cut on his waist was in the process of closing, leaving behind a prominent scar.

Aron cursed his luck. "Damn, this is bad. I'll probably tire before him. In that case, it's game over for me... I need a plan."

Aron racked his brain, searching for a way to defeat the goblin, but that regeneration ability would surely get in the way.

'The head, I need to take his head off, no head, no healing, simple and effective plan'

With determination, Aron dashed towards the goblin, aiming for his eyes. If he could at least blind him, just for a short time, then he could attempt to chop off his head.

The goblin stood, waiting for Aron to get closer. Aron suspects something is off. He thought this was probably the drawback of super healing, but he took his chances nonetheless.

As Aron closed in, he clenched his fist, preparing for a powerful strike to the pale-green goblin's eye. Suddenly, the goblin opened his mouth and emitted a mighty roar that froze Aron in his tracks.

[You have been Stunned]

Aron's eyes widened in shock. "What? Did he just use a skill?"

That brief moment of vulnerability allowed the big goblin to deliver a powerful blow to Aron's stomach. Aron was about to drop to his knees. Nevertheless, the goblin quickens his descent. He swiftly followed up with a strike from his mace at Aron's back.

[-30 HP]

"Ughhh!"

Aron screamed in agony as he felt some of his shoulder and back bones shatter under the force of the blows. He collapsed to the ground, blood spilling from his mouth.

However, the goblin was only getting started. Raising his foot high in the air, he prepared to crush Aron's head. Aron saw the giant foot coming his way, and ironically, in this moment, he remembered what he did to the first goblin he encountered as he crushed his head like a watermelon. Now the same is about to happen to him.

'Over my dead body!' Aron shouted internally.

Summoning his remaining strength, he rolled out of harm's way, narrowly evading the foot. As the foot crashed to the ground, Aron gritted his teeth and used his knife to stab the goblin's foot. The blade pierced deep, but Aron didn't stop there. With all his might, he twisted the knife, breaking its grip and leaving the blade embedded in the goblin's foot, hoping to cripple him in some way.

Aron smirked as he watched the big goblin suffer. However, his smile quickly faded as the goblin swung his mace once again, forcing Aron to roll out of harm's way.

Aron continued rolling until he had created some distance between himself and the pale-green goblin. Struggling to his feet, he smiled as he saw the goblin clutching his injured foot, attempting to remove the embedded blade.

For some reason, Aron thought it would be a good idea to taunt the pale-green goblin. Little did he know that he would soon regret his words.

"Is this all you've got, you ugly piece of meat? What are you going to do with one leg?"

[I don't think this is a good idea, master.]

[....*Oh! Your dead now*...]

Raum watched from afar, witnessing Aron's taunting, and couldn't help but slam his head against the wall in frustration. "Bad idea, taunting that type of goblin," Raum muttered.

The pale-green goblin glared at the man before him. He didn't understand his words, but he sensed the mockery.

'Me!? Making fun of a great warrior of the goblin race!!'

Something snapped inside the goblin's mind. He cast his mace aside and raised his right hand, forming a claw shape with his fingers.

Aron instantly took a defensive stance for any incoming strikes. But instead of attacking Aron, the goblin plunged his clawed hand into the center of his own chest, embedding all five fingers within.

Aron sensed a shift in the air, and he could hear the sound of a heartbeat coming from the pale-green goblin.

In response to Aron's taunt, the pale-green goblin activated his unique skill. His pale-green skin turned red as he grew taller, his size doubling. His yellow fangs became longer and sharper, and his muscles bulged with brute strength. The goblin had transformed into a larger, stronger, and angrier version of himself. With furious eyes fixed on Aron, he resembled a relentless predator, ready to crush a bothersome insect.

'Oh!! Damn!'

[...*See? I told you*...]

Before Aron could even contemplate escaping, the red goblin dashed towards him with incredible speed. From Aron's perspective, the red goblin looked like he had just teleported to him.

Aron crossed his arms, protecting his face, but the force of the punch sent him flying through the air. He didn't even have a chance to hit the ground before the red goblin leaped into the air, crashing down on Aron with his feet and scorching him into the ground.

Helplessly, Aron shielded his face as the red goblin unleashed a barrage of punches and kicks upon him. The goblin left no room for recovery or escape, relentlessly hammering Aron's body and breaking every bone within him.

Thanks to his "Wrath" skill passive and due to this barrage of hits. Aron reached a point where he suffered no health loss, but that didn't help with the rest because every inch and fiber of his body was screaming in pain, and his broken bones rendered him unable to fight back.

After a relentless onslaught, the red goblin finally ceased his assault, confident in his victory. As Aron lay motionless on the ground in a pool of his own blood, his arms and legs shattered.

The red goblin triumphantly raised his arms high in the air, eliciting cheers and roars from the other goblins who celebrated their leader's victory. The red goblin then grabbed Aron by the throat and dragged him towards the center of the cave, where a massive bonfire blazed. Upon reaching the bonfire, the red goblin lifted Aron high in the air, bringing him close to his ugly face.

"ARON!"

Raum flew at full speed toward the red goblin, hoping to create an opportunity for Aron to escape. But before he could get close, the red goblin swung his hand in the air, generating enough wind to slam Raum against the cave wall. He then turned his head towards Aron, giving him a cruel smile before throwing the broken man into the fire.

***

Meanwhile, deep within the cave, a proud goblin performed his duties with utmost seriousness. Filled with energy and determination, this particular goblin aimed to prove himself as a valuable member of his kind and hoped for a chance to rise in rank one day.

The proud goblin stood there, daydreaming of what his life would be. He can imagine all the sumptuous food, the beautiful mates, and the envy and respect of his friends. But he needed to prove himself first, so he quickly snapped back to reality before grabbing his small wooden spear.

Today is patrol duty, and he intends to carry it out diligently, unlike his foolish kin. With dreams of a better future, the proud goblin marched into the dark recesses of the cave, ready to fulfill his responsibilities.