The King

[ Fear ]

Dreadful aura seeped from Kai's body, wrapping its sinister tendrils around the goblin king and causing its eyes to widen in surprise.

From the previous clash with the human, the goblin was aware that he was dealing with a Viscount level opponent, however, the intensity of aura emanating from Kai right now sent chills down its spine. It was at the same level of his strength, if not stronger.

For the first time in quite some time the goblin king felt a flicker of fear creeping into its heart.

Decades of ruling over its goblin minions, crushing rebellions, and dominating neighboring territories had made the goblin king feel invincible. He was the strongest, smartest, and most feared creature in the land. He had lived through multiple wars and emerged victorious, always one step ahead of his enemies.

However, this weird skinned and tall individual standing before him now, made him tremble although only slightly.

"Ti'm... scared... si? ae rei?!"

Some incomprehensible words escaped the goblin king's mouth as veins bulged on its forehead and his eyes began to turn bloodshot.

His entire body shook with rage and he unsheathed a short sword which was previously tucked at his side. The king was beginning to treat Kai as a legitimate threat.

Kai was also aware of the change in the goblin king's demeanor. His eyes narrowed as he sensed the shift in the goblin king's energy. His hands tightened around the hilt of his own cobalt spear.

He knew that he only had so much time before guards extinguished the fire and came rushing to the scene. He had to finish the fight with the goblin king quickly and decisively. It was actually quite fortunate that the goblin king was enraged because it could cloud its judgment and make it more vulnerable to Kai's attacks.

"Sjer kahl kien'en!"

The goblin king bellowed in a primal rage, his voice echoing through the massive chamber and causing the torches on the walls to flicker and sputter. The royal creature strained its leg muscles and leapt toward Kai with incredible speed and a wild fury in its eyes.

The king's weapon was pointed directly at Kai's heart, aiming to end his life in a single strike.

Of course, Kai was ready for this.

[ Prime Thrust ]

Breathing out, Kai threw his spear and caught it at the last second, causing it to gain a lot of momentum and power, which was enough to repel an attack coming from a monster more than an entire rank above his own.

The King, obviously, didn't expect such an event to occur and was caught off guard by a kick to the chest that sent him stumbling backward.

Huff...

Ragged breaths escaped the goblin king's lips as he crashed into the stone wall, leaving cracks in its surface.

Although the creature's strength was above Kai's, the goblin was very light compared to a human which made it easier for Kai to send it flying with his powerful kick. He wanted to follow up with another attack, however, he noticed that the goblin king was still holding his short sword firmly, most likely baiting him to approach it recklessly.

'I've fought way too many battles to fall for such a simple trap.'

Unfortunately, for the goblin royalty, Kai wasn't a youth who could be easily outsmarted. He had fought for his entire past life and had honed his perception of such deceptive tactics.

Although he had never attended Awakener University, he had a lot of fighting experience and had learned to anticipate and counter various combat strategies. It was probably one of the most valuable things he had brought back from his past life.

Swish...

Seeing as the goblin king was still pretending to be vulnerable, Kai accessed his Spatial Ring and took out a bone spear that he had made from bones of the creatures he had killed and 'Eternal Elm', a tree whose wood was known for its flexibility and sturdiness.

Without wasting a moment, Kai pulled back his arm holding this spear and launched it with all his strength towards the goblin king.

Swish...

The king, obviously, blocked the projectile with his sword but the monster didn't expect the spear to explode upon impact, releasing a cloud of blinding smoke.

It was another trick Kai had learned while experimenting with his Mana Ring. If he mixed Water and Fire at a rapid pace, it would create a cloud of steam upon impact, obscuring the enemy's vision and allowing Kai to launch his next attack unseen.

Pulling out a couple more bone spears from his Spatial Inventory, he launched them at the cloud of smoke rapidly. The first few spears were blocked by the goblin king's sword as he swung it blindly through the haze, however, the fourth projectile connected with its mark, piercing through the goblin king's shoulder.

Growl...

A low growl escaped from the monster's throat as it winced in pain, its grip on the sword momentarily loosening.

Before the king realized that it abandoned its guard and tightened his grip on his sword, Kai was already a few feet away, thrusting his cobalt spear with all the strength he had.

[ Prime Thrust ]

At the last second, the Goblin King tried to block the attack, but since his grip on his weapon was weakened, the force of Kai's thrust was too much for the king to handle.

Clang...

The king's sword flew out of its hands and skidded several feet away on the ground.

For a moment, the battlefield fell silent as Kai stood there, staring at the disarmed goblin king whose expression was a mix of disbelief and anger.

Swish...

Without hesitation, he plunged his cobalt spear toward the goblin king's chest, letting its metal tip tear through the monster's flesh.

As if on cue, the doors to the throne room burst open and guards flooded in, however, the view that greeted them made them freeze in shock.

A being with light pale skin, black hair and two ocean-blue eyes stood near the throne of their king and on the tip of his spear, the goblin king writhed in agony, blood pooling around him.

It was a sight that would make even the bravest of soldiers tremble in fear.