Dishonorable Method

[You have reached the room of Dhaz Raakzal, the Great Commander of the Kobold Grunts!]

[Defeat him and obtain the key to the second floor!]

The notification disappeared as they entered a massive room. Broken weapons made of wood or steel could be seen strewn around and scattered near splinters of what seemed like the remnants of shelves. Dummies made of rotten hay barely held together with strings were all littered with claw marks and marks made from a hard impact against a blunt object.

It seemed like the room had been the target of something unleashing its anger.

Soon after, the small kobold grunt stopped in front of another kobold and started making strange, unintelligible noises and grunts to a massive, three-meter tall kobold holding a spiked club almost as long as it was tall. A pair of curved fangs protruded from its upper lip, and veins bulged out from its hard muscles. It was clear, the creature was nothing less than powerful.

As the two creatures continued to talk in grunts and roars, Dylan and Nora started to whisper at each other.

"I can't believe we got in just like that…" Dylan muttered, still in disbelief at the development.

"Shh," Nora reminded him, "Be careful, it's strong and it gets stronger when it's in a critical condition. I've fought it with my friends before; even the one with the highest endurance was struggling."

Meanwhile, rather than joining in, Charles was more focused at the two creatures. Their exchanges became gradually more heated as moments pass. When he focused at the bigger kobold, information started to appear in front of his eyes.

[Dhaz Raakzal – Kobold Commander]

[Rank: B]

[Intelligence: Medium]

[Details: A former kobold grunt who managed to attain intelligence due to a magic exposure. It gave itself a name and managed to learn rudimentary tactics and techniques, which it used to strengthen itself and claw its way up in the tribe's ranks.]

Kyaak! Kar traz nak!

The kobold commander stood up and slammed down its spiked club, creating a massive dent on the floor and causing the smaller grunt to flinch. The latter took a step back, its eyes no longer in trance.

CRACK!

BAM!

With one mighty swing of its club, the kobold grunt was tossed to the side and slammed into the room's wall, turning it into a smear of meat and guts.

KYAAK!

After letting out a piercing battle cry, it glared at the group. A blood-red aura started to seep out from its body with each step closer it took. Dylan, Nora, and Charles all pulled their weapons, while Henrietta took her stance.

The kobold's aura felt piercing, and a heavy feeling hung in the air.

[Dhaz Raakzal was enraged due to the dishonorable method used to reach his room!]

[Special skill, Bloodthirst Aura, has been activated!]

[The Great Commander's rank has increased to A!]

[Dhaz Raakzal's stats increased by 20%!]

"Hah!"

The moment the kobold commander raised its club, Dylan dashed forward, ready to swing his greatsword.

Clang!

His greatsword collided with the spiked club, its sound echoing all over the room, and Dylan gritted his teeth, trying to stand upright even as the ground beneath him started to crack. Dust flew as Dylan decided to step back, and the moment he did, the place he stood on were turned into a hole, half a meter deep.

"Dammit, that thing is no joke!" Dylan landed next to them and said, "Better get your game on!"

Henrietta dashed forward next, followed by Charles as he activated his special skill.

[Beast Integration – Blessing of Duality has been activated!]

[Strength: 48 (28+20)]

[Endurance: 33 (23+20)]

[Agility: 12 (22-10)]

[Beast Energy: 20/150]

[Time remaining: 3 minutes]

As the black and white aura enveloped him, Charles shouted.

"Hey, ugly f*cker! If you want a piece of me, come here! What are you? Even a slowpoke is faster than you!"

RAAK! NAZKRAA!

Enraged, Dhaz Raakzal proceeded to focus on Charles, and he met the strikes head on, using his hands and forearms to block the attacks from the creature while countering as the creature were stunned.

"Thank you!" Nora shouted, then she went back to concentrating. Light blue and

"Good thinking, Charles!" Without wasting time, Dylan decided to jump into the fray, putting the weight of his body and his greatsword as a way to amplify his attacks.

Small fire blades and ice spears kept on assaulting the monster, yet it only managed to create cuts and bruises. After a bit, Nora was forced to stop, if only to catch her own breath.

"Can you give me a moment?"

The other three nodded briefly, and then, they resumed their assault. Henrietta and Dylan played a more active role, slashing at its back and legs, yet, the creature's legs was as hard as metal.

[Time remaining: 1 minute, 44 seconds]

"Dammit, this thing is sturdy!"

Charles gritted his teeth and blocked another attack, this time, he used his finger to poke a hole into the kobold's eye.

GRAA!

After a wet squelching sound, Charles quickly pulled out his finger and stepped back a bit, dodging the spiked club as it was slammed onto the floor. Though his endurance was enhanced, he could not afford to be lax, as the spiked club was enough to cause bruises and small cuts.

Henrietta had jumped and climbed onto the commander's back, her petite frame a contrast to the half-formed beastly maw replacing her mouth. Charles glanced at her for a moment, remembering that despite the appearance she usually assumed, she was still, after all, a beast.

While dodging another attack from the kobold commander, Charles decided to cast another skill.

[Low-Class Offense Boost has been activated!]

[Your beast's strength, agility, and endurance increased by 10% each!]

[Beast Energy: 10/150]

A crimson aura engulfed Henrietta as she tore a chunk of the beast's shoulder, spurting rotten blood onto the floor and the walls. Like blight from the earth's core, the blood immediately slipped through the cracks and disappeared, only leaving thin lines as a trace it had been there in the first place.

"Great timing! Well, could be earlier, but as one says, the second best time is at the present!" Henrietta said after she spat the piece out. She glared at the meat chunk in distaste and spat out globs of blood that weren't her own, seemingly trying to cleanse her palate.

"The energy recovers at a snail's pace, I can't waste it!" Charles retorted and punched at the commander's wounded shoulder.

RAAK!

Another battle cry and a notification appeared in front of their eyes.

[Dhaz Raakzal has acknowledged the battle as a battle to the death!]

[Dhaz Raakzal's stats increased by 10%!]

"So this is the critical offense skill!" Dylan said, while dodging another attack. Unlike before, the club landed only millimeters away from his face. If he was less careful, his head would perhaps be a smear of blood and guts by now.

"Less talk, more attack!" Charles wasn't so lucky, as he was pushed back by the force of the commander's attack, causing him to be flung onto the wall. Luckily, he managed to land on his feet.

"Thank you, all of you," Nora suddenly spoke up. From behind her, the light of flames danced in tune with her breaths.

[Phoenix Blade Storm]