The First Boss Raid [2]

I stayed hidden, observing the battle unfolding before me. Jack and his followers were steadily cutting through the goblin forces. Jack wielded his sword with brutal efficiency, slicing off limbs and heads left and right. His two followers fought at his side, one with a sword and shield while the other blasted enemies with fireballs.

But the goblins kept coming, wave after wave. For each one cut down, two more seemed to take its place. They were slowly being pushed back, unable to make headway.

The Goblin Chief just sat on his throne, grinning and chewing on the rat head. He seemed content to just watch for now.

I looked for an opening, a chance to strike at Jack unnoticed. But the battle was too chaotic, with goblins coming from all directions. I needed to wait for the right moment.

Suddenly, the Chief let out an ear-splitting roar and leaped from his throne. With axe held high, he charged straight for Jack. The other goblins quickly backed away, creating space for their leader.

Jack braced himself, raising his sword to meet the attack head-on. But the Chief's axe came crashing down with the force of a sledgehammer, making Jack stumble. He barely got his shield up in time to block the next swing.

The Chief pressed his attack, raining down blow after blow. Jack was forced completely on the defensive, unable to counter or strike back. His followers tried to intervene, but were pushed back by the Chief's whirling axe.

I saw my chance in the chaos. With the Chief occupied, I dashed behind a pillar nearer to Jack. I notched an arrow, taking careful aim at his back. My hands were steady despite my hammering heart. I had to do this, he deserves it, I chanted in my mind.

Just as I was about to loose the arrow, one of Jack's followers spotted me. "You! You are!" he yelled. It was the other man, Follower 2.

I hurriedly fired, but the arrow went wide as Jack spun around. His eyes locked with mine, blazing with fury. Somehow I felt my heart relieved. I really didn't want to kill a fellow human.

"You treacherous rat!" Jack spat. "I'll gut you for this!"

But... I will do it if it concerns my life.

He tried to charge at me, but the Goblin Chief's axe came crashing down, forcing Jack to defend himself once more.

I ducked back behind the pillar, cursing my missed shot. My element of surprise was gone now. I'd have to find another way to take Jack down.

"Stay focused on me, worm!" the Chief growled, swinging his massive axe.

Ah, I forgot Boss monsters are highly intelligent and can speak naturally. This was one of the unique features that made games love the Eternal Quest. But not for me.

And the Boss, Rat King couldn't talk because it didn't come from the game but mutated.

Returning to the battle, I saw as Jack grimaced but turned his attention back to the hulking goblin. He ducked under a swipe meant to take his head off, then slashed at the Chief's side. But his sword merely glanced off the armor strapped to the goblin's thick hide.

The Chief laughed, a grating, mocking sound. "Is that the best you can do? I'm just getting warmed up!"

Yeah! You can do it, Chief! I'm on your side just this once!

(But he is so damn fluent though in speaking.)

He kicked out with one leg, catching Jack in the chest and sending him flying back into a wall. Jack hit hard and crumpled to the ground, stunned.

The Chief stalked toward Jack, intent on finishing him off. But just then, a fireball came streaking in, blasting the Chief in the shoulder. He roared in pain and anger. It dealt little 18 damage to it.

"Die, monster!" yelled Han, Jack's follower who could use magic. He stood with hands wreathed in flame, ready to cast again. But he needed to wait to cool down.

This bought Jack some time to recover. He shook off the daze from the impact and grabbed his sword, getting shakily to his feet. "HEAL me! And you use shield on me!"

He shouted at the healer woman and the third woman whom I forgot to use a shield on him. They immediately acted as they were ordered.

The Chief growled, beady red eyes darting between Jack and Han. "You maggots think you can challenge me? I'll crush every last one of you!"

With a bellow, he started to glow with a red aura. His muscles bulged even larger as he activated his Bloodlust skill. The goblin warriors and archers began banging their weapons together, working themselves into a frenzy.

I stayed hidden, biding my time. Much as I wanted Jack dead, the Goblin Chief was the larger threat. If he finished off Jack and his crew first, I'd be next.

Somehow we had to turn the tide of this battle. But with the Chief enraged and empowered, victory seemed unlikely...

I think it is time I need to use plan B. Which is using everything I've got at my disposal.

After making preparations I looked at the battle again.

The Goblin Chief swung his axe in wide, deadly arcs, forcing Jack and Joe back. Bloodlust raged in his eyes as he pressed the attack. Jack struggled to deflect the blows, his sword arm growing weary.

At last, the axe slipped past his guard, crushing into his side with sickening force. Ribs shattered from the impact and Jack screamed in agony, falling to one knee. Crimson stained his tunic as he gasped for breath, barely clinging to consciousness.

Han unleashed a fireball, desperately trying to draw the Chief's attention away from his fallen leader.

(Is he really loyal to Jack or doing it out of fear?) I thought puzzled by his actions.

But the hulking goblin just laughed as the fireballs burst harmlessly against his Bloodlusted hide.

"I'll deal with you in a moment, whelp," the Chief rumbled. "But first, I'll finish off your so-called leader!"

He stalked toward Jack, hefting his gore-slicked axe for the killing blow. This was my chance. I focused my status, channeling 9 free stat points into Agility. The world seemed to slow as my speed exploded exponentially. In a blur, I dashed from my hiding spot.

My dagger slashed across the back of the Chief's leg as I blew past him. Howling in sudden agony, the Chief stumbled, his killing stroke going wide. Jack slumped back, barely clinging to life but no longer immediately threatened.

"You pathetic rat! I'll crush you!" screamed the Chief. But with my Agility now a terrifying 27, he couldn't lay a hand on me. I ducked and weaved past his enraged swings as if he were standing still. My dagger carved multiple gashes along his thick hide, sapping away his HP.

But I wouldn't be able to finish the Chief alone at my current power, my strength was too weak. I fell back, calling upon my inner power again. I pushed the remaining 6 points each into Strength and Constitution equally. Muscles bulged beneath my shirt as raw power flooded my body.

The Chief came at me in a berserk rage. I held my ground, dagger clenched in an iron grip. At the last second, I pivoted, using the Chief's momentum against him to guide his charge past me. As he stumbled past, my empowered arm drove the dagger to the hilt into his back.

The Chief let out an unearthly howl as the blessed metal pierced his heart. His axe fell from nerveless fingers as he crashed to the ground. I yanked out my gore-covered blade, breathing heavily.

"ROARR!"

But the battle was far from over. Since the Goblin Chief stood up and screamed in pain and fury.

"You coward! Hieok!" He wanted to slash me with his axe, but suddenly its arms went weak and the axe dropped on his head before falling into the floor.

"W-what?"

Thud!

[You have inflicted Poison into Goblin Chief.]

[Its HP will decrease by 5 each second for 30 seconds.]

Hehe, the plan worked as I looked at my new dagger, Poison Steel Dagger. With this, it would die in 25 seconds even if I didn't do anything.

And now, let's deal with-

"Darling, you are so strong."

Suddenly I heard an alluring voice from behind. Damn! I forgot her!