"Yeah, I am." Smoke told him nonchalantly.

"So is that how you small mongrels grew to be this strong."

"No idea," Smoke lunged at Jackson, and the two continued their exchange of blows. "But the point still stands," Smoke ducked and dodged of one Jackson's attack. "We'll beat yours, and every single one of your asses!" Smoke swung his warclub over his head and smashed the bronze cog against Jackson's face.

Jackson's head flew back, and his body followed. He landed on his back and quickly rolled back to his feet. Smoke prepared to follow up with a downward swing while his mana converging across his arms and into his war club, embedding itself in the bronze rod and giant cog piece. The warclub was dyed in blue the air around Smoke grew heavier.

Jackson was not lazy and charged at Smoke with his club ready for blood. He raised his club over his head and plunged the iron ball to Smoke's stationary body, but Smoke was faster at drawing his weapon. Once the stress build-up snapped in his muscles, his warclub slashed the air in front of him, sending a large gust of mana slamming against Jackon's naked chest, crushing some of his ribs.

"Looks like I released it too soon." Smoke grinned, but his grin turned sour soon after realizing Jackson was still standing in front of him.

"I agree," Jackson took another step and his club descended on Smoke. The club grazed Smoke's body and planted its iron ball head in the earth.

"You missed," Smoke said when suddenly his gambeson cut in half, revealing his front body. And blood came out like a geyser from chest to his thighs. The rush did not last long, but the long cut traveling across his body showered him in his blood.

Jackson followed with another swing. His mana covered his iron head, sharpening it to such a lethal extent that it could cut through a gambeson. Smoke moved his hands over his cut and healed it with his healing spell. Healing spells can easily be learned, but only those born with a specific Kas can utilize healing spells to their fullest potential. "You're a natural-born healer," Jackson's eyes were full of shock.

"I guess I am," Smoke lunged at Jackson once again and delivered another heavy blow that Jackson parried.

Without any sign of a clear victory, Jackson had to admit his hubris will cause him greatly. He needs his armor, he needs his men, and he needs his greatest weapon, a shield comparable only to the Captain's armor.

The men behind guarding the cave looked in awe at the sight of the shield. "It's the Vice Captain's impenetrable shield, the Sky Aegis!" One of them said.

"No more playing around," Jackson took a more defensive stance, "Come and give me your best shot."

Rock ran to Smoke leaving his bloody unconscious opponent to help get Smoke on his feet, "Looks you need help."

"No, I got this."

"But,"

"I got this!" Smoke raised his warclub and rested in his shoulders. "You keep the ants at bay."

"Ants?" Rock raised his brow. Smoke turned around and pointed at the soldiers that woke up and entered the camp. "What? I thought they were sleeping?"

"Keep them from entering, and I'll take care of Jackson that shield of his."

"Then let's hope the Krepkiy Club could beat it!" Rock laughed before going after the newly arrived punching bags. Smoke charged at Jackson with his bronze club. He smashed and bashed Jackson's shield, but he did not leave a single dent.

Eventually, Smoke's flurry of attacks began to slow down. "Not strong enough!" Jackson bashed his shield against Smoke's club. The silver shield had multiple protrusion along its edge, which interlocked with the cog head trapping Smoke and allowed Cossack to deliver a blow to his left shoulder.

Smoke quickly placed his right hand over his injury and used his healing spell. But his club was still stuck, and Smoke kept his hold of it. "Looks like we're playing tug of war!" Smoke's weight began to increase, and he pulled the shield away.

"You don't give up, do you?" Jackson pulled back while hitting Smoke's arms with his club. But just like how Smoke could not dent the Sky Aegis, he equally could not injure Smoke enough to win the tug of war. Every time Jackson hits Smoke, he would just heal his injuries. "That's it! I have enough of these games!" Jackson began to spin with great speed, throwing Smoke away along with his club that got unhinged.

Smoke landed on the backs of the soldiers standing in front of the cave. Smoke jumped back to his feet and caught his war club. "This is getting more difficult the longer this goes." The soldiers around him stared at the goblin that looked like an angel, unsure what to do with him.

"What the hell are you lot doing? Kill him!" Jackson yelled.

The men did as they were told, but Smoke was far more capable of fighting them. Smoke broke their spears when they trusted their spears, with just a few scratches on his legs. Nothing too severe that he couldn't use a healing spell. But his mana was not infinite, and there will be a time when his body has exhausted all of his fuel.

Smoke knew this and tried to think of a way to beat Jackson. While he was fighting the men, Jackson snuck up behind his and slammed Smoke with his shield. Then Jackson swung his club around his head and used the momentum to deliver another heavy blow that sent Smoke flying towards the red wall blocking the cave's entrance.

Smoke's back slammed against the wall. The hardened Tungstree material was harder than the dirt, and it did not make for a pleasant landing spot. Smoke leaned against the wall while the rest of the soldiers surrounded him. "And I thought you're a fair fighter." Smoke said. "But, you're more of a coward."

"What about you? No matter how much I hit you, you'll just heal right back up like some immortal zombie. I'm just making the playing field even." Cossack slammed his shield and club, and the sound of metal slamming against each other rang through the camp, "Get him!"

The soldiers charged with their spears and swords in hand. Smoke prepared to fight, summoning a thin veil of mana to cover his club. He must converse enough mana, and thankfully, with his back facing the wall, he only needs to worry about the threats in front of him.

Since they were holding spears, only five men could attack Smoke at a time, giving Smoke some breathing room. Their spears were either parried, or it's broken in half by Smoke's clubs, and they had to constantly trade places with the men behind them. One of those next in line was the old man Smoke talked to when they secretly entered the camp. The old man recognized him, "Die, you spy!" He yelled before attacking.

"Sorry," Smoke grabbed the spear and pulled it towards him, "But I don't think I introduced myself. My name is Smoke."

"Are you taunting me!"

"Hahaha! Maybe," Smoke pushed the old man off him and through the next line of spearmen attacking him. After five minutes, Smoke's movement quickly got sluggish while the spears did not stop coming. It was only when a sudden thud from behind the wall did the soldiers stop their assault. "What was that?" One of them said.

"What's wrong? It's just a sound. Get over it!" Jackson yelled, "Or else, I'll have Clay whip you to submission!"

Then a louder thud followed that not even Jackson could ignore, and the soldiers began to slowly away from the red giant wall. Smoke saw the distraught in the men's faces as another thud reverberates through the wooden planks, and a daring idea came out of Smoke's mind. And like a monk preparing to hit an oversized gong to signal the call for prayer, Smoke slammed Krepkiy Club against the crimson wall. But nothing came from it, no more knocking from the other side, just silence.

"Brohohoho!" Jackson laughed, "Look at you lot, acting all scared! Nothing is going to come out of that cave. Everyone, especially that monster, already choked to death by this point,"

But just when he finished his sentence, a massive explosion erupted behind the wall, blowing it to bits and sending everyone standing in front of it flying away. Jackson rolled on the dirt before stopping on his knee. He saw blue mist fall like a landslide while the black smoke rushed out from the cave and reached to the heavens.

Rock, Stick, the goblins, and the soldiers stopped fighting when they saw the cave explosion. Red debris, both big and small, flew past them as fast as a fully drawn arrow and strong enough to penetrate through a thick gambeson and flesh. "Get cover!" Rock yelled, and everyone scattered, searching for shelter.

Jackson raised his shield and hid behind it as the Tungstree pieces smash against the shield's silver dome. None of them could penetrate through, leaving Jackson unharmed, but the soldiers guarding the wall and attacking Smoke were not as lucky. Some died from the flying scraps punctured through their clothing and their vital organs. And most of those that survive were no longer the men they once were, missing parts of their bodies like their eyes.

When the blue mist settled, only the figure of a dark elf wearing a slick black suit and a sword tuck to his hips remained. The dark elf walked slowly out from the cave and into the dim orange light of the setting sun, revealing his cold eyes and a white scarf covering his nose. The dark elf whipped his long curly white hair and brushed the dust off his shoulders. And he stood with tall exuding great confidence and power with his right hand resting on his sword. Jackson lowered his shield to take a peek, "Bret Hart, The Sharp Shooter." He whispered.

Hart pulled his scarf down, "Black Crows!" He bellowed, "You're under arrest by the orders of the King of Dark Flower Kingdom. And let's make it easy for your sakes.,"

"Fuck off!" Jackson cried in anger and fear, "This wasn't supposed to happen! We were supposed to kill you. We were supposed to leave this forest rich than ever!"

"Oh poor soul," Hart said sarcastically. "You thought you could kill me. Sadly, that will not happen. Where have your little band of mercenaries operated? On this continent? Venusia is not the only continent in this world. There are more out there. A bigger ocean that your playgroup will not last in, and yet you were confident you're trick will defeat me. Where did this assured victory come from?"

"From ambition!" Jackson yelled as he gets up on his feet.

Hart bent down and picked up a small wooden block from the ground, "More like hubris."

"If you're so sure, then fight me with your best weapon! Go on, draw your sword!"

Hart stood up and tilted his down, "It's pointless to kill a mouse with a ballista. You may be one of the strongest among your company, but to me, you're just a little mouse. This little thing should be enough. Unless you want something smaller."

"You're going to look really stupid when I kill you!" Jackson raised his shield and charged forward, but Hart shot the debris with just a flick of his thumb, hitting his silver shield. The red chunk of wood bend the metal inward and hit Jackson on the forehead.

Jackson fell to the floor but quickly got back up. But he no longer had his protection as the shield became deformed from the impact. "Let's end this," Just before Hart took a step forward, a warclub with a cog as its headpiece blocked his way.

"That's my mouse." Smoke told the tall, dark elf in front of him.

"Are you insane!" The old elf yelled at him. He was hiding under a large piece of the wall that Smoke caught before it could fall and smash the old elf.

Hart ignored the elder and examined the man in front of him. Smoke's hair freely flowing from the wind, and underneath it was his white feathers. When Hart saw the plumage behind his ears, he remembered the dwarves that came before their general telling him about a goblin that had racial features of an angel. He wondered if this was that goblin. "Very well, go ahead." Hart walked away and sat down, "I will only spectate, but when night comes, it will be my turn."

"You're not getting a turn." Smoke tied his hair into a bun. "Because we're finishing this." Smoke ran to Jackson, and the two clashed with their warclubs. Jackson had the upper hand due to Smoke feeling exhausted from fighting his men. But there was still plenty of mana in his body, and released them from his palm, injecting his warclub with the blue essence.

"Why can't you just die?" Jackson cried as he begins to panic. Then finally, Smoke's club began to glow brighter and brighter, until at last, it no longer had any resemblance of its former form. It was just blue light.

Smoke raised it to the sky, and like a shooting star, it shot down from the heavens onto the earth. Despite the weapons dull end, the light was sharp enough to slice Jackson's armor, club, and flesh. A fountain of blood began to explode out from Jackson's chest, and he fell on his back, without a soul in his eye.