Chapter 22: Goblins

Muwi's body glowed, his four tails flaring up as he got ready for the fight. The tiger didn't waste any time and lunged at him with its claws out. It was fast, but Muwi was faster. He dodged to the side, flames coating his paws as he slashed back, but the tiger twisted in midair, dodging with an impressive move of its own.

The two clashed again, claws meeting in a burst of blue flames. The tiger growled in frustration, clearly pissed off that it couldn't land a solid hit. Its slashes were sharp, quick, but Muwi wasn't letting it take control. He spun, dodging and landing strikes of his own, though the tiger was smart enough to avoid serious damage.

Both of them landed a few feet apart, watching each other closely. Muwi's eyes flicked to the tiger's body, looking for any openings. He could tell the tiger wasn't just a normal beast—it was learning, figuring out his moves. The tiger's dark essence pulsed, and Muwi knew this fight was going to be more challenging than he thought.

The tiger charged again, moving even faster this time. Its claws swiped through the air, aiming for Muwi's throat, but Muwi dodged, leaving flame afterimages in the air as he split into three. The tiger paused, confused, as it tried to figure out which Muwi was real.

That was all Muwi needed. All three of him attacked at once, slashing from different angles. The tiger dodged the first hit but got clipped by the second, Muwi's flames burning through its fur. It yowled in pain, stumbling back, but it wasn't done yet. It regrouped, its essence flaring again, and lunged back into the fight.

Muwi wasn't backing down either. His tails whipped around, gathering blue fire as he prepared to finish this. But then something changed. The tiger's claws started glowing, turning into sharp obsidian blades, and it vanished. Muwi barely had time to react as the tiger reappeared behind him, claws slashing through his defenses.

Blood splattered on the ground as Muwi was thrown back, landing hard against a tree. He gritted his teeth, flames flickering around his body as he forced himself to stand. The tiger had evolved mid-fight, just like that. It was stronger, faster, and it had figured out how to counter his flames.

The tiger didn't wait. It launched itself at Muwi again, but this time, Muwi was ready. He growled and unleashed a torrent of blue fire, forcing the tiger to back off. The flames twisted and spun around Muwi, forming a protective barrier. But the tiger didn't care. It slashed right through the flames with its obsidian claws, ignoring the damage as it closed the gap between them.

The tiger and Muwi collided in midair, claws clashing again and again. The ground cracked under them as they fought, neither giving an inch. Muwi's flames burned hotter, but the tiger's claws were relentless. It was like the fight with the iron boss, only this time Muwi took john place.

Suddenly, the tiger's claws dug into Muwi's shoulder, tearing through his fur and drawing more blood. Muwi roared in pain but didn't let up. He retaliated with a powerful slash, his claws coated in dense blue-hot flames. His attack connected, tearing through the tiger's chest and setting it ablaze.

The tiger yowled in agony, its obsidian claws shattering as Muwi's flames consumed it. It thrashed around, trying to extinguish the fire, but it was too late. Muwi wasn't letting it get away this time. He leaped forward, claws out, and finished the fight with one final blow.

The tiger collapsed, its body disintegrating into ash as Muwi's flames reduced it to nothing. The fight was over.

Muwi panted, standing tall with his fur still smoldering from the fight. His wounds were deep, but his flames had already started healing him. He looked over at John, who had been watching from the sidelines with a grin.

"Nice one, Muwi," John said, walking over. "That tiger was a tough bastard."

Muwi huffed, a smirk on his face. "Yeah, but not tough enough."

"Let's move," John said, glancing at the map. "We've still got a goblin camp to hit."

Muwi nodded, his tails flicking behind him as they continued their journey deeper into the forest.

....

John and Muwi continued walking west through the dense Nuki forest, their eyes scanning for any signs of the goblin settlement. The quest was simple, a basic E-rank job. Wipe out a goblin camp, collect the loot, and return for the reward. But John wasn't one to let his guard down. "It's an E-rank quest, but let's not get cocky. There could be surprises," he said, adjusting his grip on his spear.

Muwi, now the size of a small wolf, trotted alongside him, his four tails swaying. "You think it's gonna be that easy? Feels off to me."

After a while of traveling, the forest opened up, and they came across a lush valley. The first thing John noticed was that this wasn't just a random camp of goblins scattered around some campfires like he'd expected. It was a city. Small buildings, crafted from wood and stone, filled the valley.

Dirt paths connected the houses, and a stream ran through the middle, providing water. Goblins moved around, busy with their daily lives, buying food from stalls, working, or talking with each other.

"This isn't what I was expecting," John muttered, narrowing his eyes. "They're more... humanoid..."

Muwi nodded. "They've built a real city here. Look at them, they're not just monsters. They've got a society."

John pulled up his command interface and typed quickly:

His body shimmered and faded out of sight, with Muwi following suit. "Let's take a closer look," John whispered, and the two walked through the city invisible.

The goblins were about half the height of a regular man, but their strength levels varied wildly. Some looked barely stronger than a child, clearly F-rank. Others, particularly the ones armed and standing guard around the city, gave off a more intense aura. John could feel it, B-rank strength. That was a problem.