Reflexively, Logan tried to use Identification on his foe yet again but yielded no further results. A torrent of fear washed over Logan, the red skull and crossbones topped with a golden crown signing his early death. Grasping for anything that could grant him an advantage in the ensuing fight, Logan looked around to see another group of adventurers preparing another assault.

“Severing Slash”, called out a female Fighter.

“Dagger Deep”, a male Rogue called.

“Sleep Shot”, incanted a male Sorcerer.

“Harrowing Blade”, a male Knight shouted.

Displays of blue, red, and yellow showed all their skills activating as they charged down the leader of the army. Logan had barely any time to find their levels but could tell their class easy enough from their gear and skills. Krekka wasn’t surprised, and his retaliation was fierce.

Striking out at the Fighter, Krekka parried the slash and sent her blade flying. Throwing out his left hand, the goblin grappled the woman’s head and moved her to block the spell cast. As the woman fell asleep, Krekka severed her head from the body. The Rogue hit his target with a dagger toss, though the pain was returned as Krekka grabbed the blade from his body and threw it back into the Rogue’s chest, the force pulling him to the floor.

At the last moment, Krekka blocked the blade of the Knight, leading to a clash of strength as the blades slid against one another.

“Cani take you to the pits!” the Knight yelled as he saw his allies fall one-by-one.

“Pits? I am already here”, Krekka spoke in an intimidating and teasing tone.

“Wha- you can speak?”

“Where are your champions? These are not they”, Krekka demanded as he put more force behind his blade arm.

“Logan, we need to help him!” Marcus shouted at a dazed Spellthief.

Logan’s eyes couldn’t pull away from the sight, however. He stared at the scene developing before him. Two teams, decimated. His legs wanted to twist and sprint away. He thought back to Leroy and how he declined an insurmountable quest, why couldn’t he do the same? Could he risk his life to have a chance at seeing his dad again?

“Crash and Burn!” a familiar voice yelled in the skies above.

A figure wreathed in flames had lept from a nearby building and was about to land a strike on the hero. Krekka kicked into his opposing Knight, the adventurer flying back at the strength of the foe. Bringing up his blade just in time to block the strike from the flaming opponent, the clash of metal continued into an explosion of fires and energy. The ground beneath their feet cracked all over and a shockwave of wind was sent in all directions.

The sliding of metal on metal was followed by a newly-revealed Cassius being forced away from the goblin hero. Landing with a heavy impact, Cassius slid across the floor with his sword held high to the side. Quickly picking a vial from his belt, the adventurer downed it, his skin getting coated in dark rock. Moving from vial to vial, dropping them to the floor as he was done, Cassius was preparing himself for the fight to come.

“Are you the champion? That attack was fierce, more than four times that of your kin thus far”, Krekka yelled out towards Cassius.

“Champion? Sure, call me that, goblin dirt. Is that what this was for? To find a good fight?” Cassius replied, his voice gravelly from his new transformation.

“It won’t be I that talks of our purpose, but if you are to be their champion I implore you to grant me a grand battle. At least then, your survivors can say you put up a valiant resistance when they speak of the rubble that remains of your kingdom.”

Taking a drink from a vial, Cassius’s body started to speed up and show afterimages. “No, they’ll speak of how fucked you were to have threatened this place!”

As the pair dashed forwards, Logan was barely able to keep track of Cassius’s charge at Krekka, this time the clash of blades sent off such fierce winds that it shattered all nearby glass, cracked the nearby walls, and popped Logan’s ears. This amazing boost was sure to tip the scales, but it was costly, the vials taking uncountable gold away from Cassius’s reserves.

“Damnit, I need to do something!” Logan yelled in his head.

The Knight from earlier had regained his footing and ran to the side of Krekka to grant what aid he could, even if it was a few seconds it would allow Cassius to land a solid blow.

“Hard Skin, Wall of Iron, Juggernaut’s Stand”, the Knight called out several skills.

Getting coated in red, blue, and yellow, the Knight was a multicoloured bastion of defence. Krekka swung his blade to hit back against Cassius, ignoring the weaker foe to his side, and struck again into a parrying retort from Cassius. The Knight began to stab into Krekka’s side, drawing blood all his own.

Tenn became a blur himself, kicking off as he used Dash to get to the back of the goblin hero, giving almost all of his attention to dodge and parry rather than deal too much himself. Marcus looked at Logan whose body had only shaken at the scene.

“Logan! If we don’t do something you’ll be unable to stand around like that! Fight or bury yourself, which is it?”

Logan heard the words but he was frightened to the core, something big would have to force his hand. His life flashed in his mind, memories of Earth and Avanar, had it all just led to a harsh death in a land that hated him? Amidst the sea of memories, a voice echoed out above it all.

“I don’t mind what you do. If you enjoy what makes your living go for it. But never give up, look at me, I haven’t given up yet. I’ll be here for you.”

The sage advice from the only person who mattered to him at this point. That masculine figure who always encouraged Logan to get back up whenever he fell down. If he couldn’t thank that man for what he had done, Logan would have failed himself. He wouldn’t give up, he’d clench his teeth, throw out his hands, and chant to the sky. If life was going to throw torment at him, he’d absorb it all!

Grabbing onto his periapt of mana tightly Logan let loose the MP stored within, a single tear running down his cheek. “Marcus, covering fire and healing. Spark and Celsius, grapple that fucker!” he commanded his allies.

Darting forwards, Logan formed two clawed hands, the fighting ahead granting him an opening against the goblin hero who had three others to deal with. The Knight defended against the blows aimed at him, Tenn dodged and weaved what he could, whereas Cassius parried and retaliated. As if pushed ever forward by the image of his guiding figure, Logan rushed on.

Flowing his hand across the floor towards Krekka, Logan chanted, “Gaia Wall”, a large wall of rock shooting upwards. As Logan was still moving he was atop it as it erected, the edge of the wall grazing Krekka’s sword arm. Vines and plants whipped out as they grappled the hero’s arm. It wasn’t going to be for long, but Logan didn’t need long.

Running atop the wall, Logan weaved around the vines, jumped to the side and slid down it. Krekka’s arm was high, his underarm exposed. Throwing his arm towards Krekka’s armpit Logan chanted, “Flame Grasp”, a clawed hand of fire erupting in his palm and exploding into Krekka’s weak spot. Heat filled the area as the flames coiled around the hero, his roars of pain revealing it did its duty.

The word “Backstab” floated from the wound, followed by the three allies getting in their own strikes. Logan could feel Krekka pulling at the vines, his hand still grabbing onto his foe. “Flame Grasp!” he yelled again, another explosion of fire originating in his palm and assaulting the weakened Krekka.

The word “Backstab” floated again, Logan continuing his assault. “Necromantic Grasp!” he called out, the flames turning to shadowy claws and tendrils, digging deep and absorbing the lifeforce of the goblin hero. Before Logan could continue with further spells, Krekka kicked outwards at the Spellthief, sending him flying backwards. The heavy blow dealt a major 34 damage.

With his arm free, Krekka kicked backwards and sent Tenn flying also. Logan could see that Krekka’s right arm had gone limp, blood pooling on his right side. Logan’s Dastardly Backstabs skill had made the arm inoperable, thanks to the multiple applications of the Backstab skill. Krekka grabbed onto his blade and pulled it from his right hand into his left, changing grip.

Slashing downwards, Krekka cut through the ending skills of the Knight and cleaved his shield in two, digging deep into the adventurer’s shoulder. Picking the blade up, along with the Knight, Krekka kicked him into the distance. Landing his foot fiercely onto Spark was more than enough to snuff out the elemental. Celsius was just barely able to dodge and help with ranged attacks.

Smashing into the wall, Krekka kicked off of it, the ability to grapple him barely lasting more than a few seconds. He was severely weakened from the sneak attack though, Logan was sure that his left arm would prove less useful than his right.

Even after the onslaught, the hero stood tall. Logan was sure his spells dealt somewhere close to 160 damage if no resistances were at play. With all the other attacks he had suffered, how was the hero still able to fight?

“Orb of all I call to thee, Pondress heal your children. Heal Shot”, Marcus called out in the distance.

Logan was filled with healing lights as he restored 24 health. Marcus sent similar slow casted healing spells to Tenn and the Knight, his MP was sure to run out soon. Cassius pulled out another vial and downed it quickly.

“So, instead of champions, I am gifted a fight split in four. Come, let your deaths mean something”, Krekka announced as he brought up his blade.

“Is he bluffing? Or were my attacks severely weakened?” Logan ruminated in his head as he stood up.

Bringing up his own blade, Cassius retorted, “Give up now and you’ll keep the other arm.”

Krekka replied with a healthy laugh. “You think ‘I’ am losing?”

Cranking his head to the side, Krekka looked at the Knight. In an instant, Krekka’s body warped in on itself as it sucked in the nearby air. Appearing in a similar fashion, with shockwaves of wind on each side, he stood behind the Knight. Biting onto his foe's shoulder he shoved his blade into the back of the Knight, piercing through to the front side.

The Knight yelled out in pain, the breath in his lungs being dragged out as Krekka retrieved his blade and stabbed again. The human twitched and convulsed as blood poured from the wounds and his gaping mouth. Swinging the blade to the side, Krekka sent the corpse flying into a nearby building.

“No!” Cassius yelled.

Using his own teleportation to go after Krekka, Cassius warped from one spot to another. With a wide swing of his blade, he aimed to hit the hero but instead hit a vacant spot as Krekka teleported once again. Appearing in front of Tenn, Krekka let out two strikes, Tenn’s blocking attempts being thwarted as his daggers went flying.

“Fuck!” Cassius swore and he turned his body to sprint at the hero.

Tenn’s eyes went wide as the blade came upwards again, this time using his arms to block the attack. The disgusting squelch of flesh and blood filled the area as Tenn’s hands were slashed through, sending them skywards as blood shot from the wounds.

A yell to the above came from Tenn as his hands were severed, a swift kick from Krekka sending the Rogue into a building far away.

“Tenn!” Marcus called out, charging towards his ally deep in brick.

“Two were slain, two remain”, Krekka spoke tauntingly.

Turning his head to look at Logan it seemed like he was preparing to attack once more.

“No more!” Cassius yelled as he landed a blow into Krekka’s other arm.

Dragging the blade to the side, Cassius tore into flesh and bone and took Krekka from his stance. Moving with the momentum, Krekka spun around and gave a swift backwards twirling kick into Cassius’s face.

“A valiant effort. But if this is all you bring to bear”, Krekka began. His form warped once more as he appeared behind Cassius. “Then you cannot hope to win.”

Krekka’s blade shone a bright red as a mist formed around it, slashing at an almost imperceivable speed it cut diagonally into Cassius’s back. Blood gushed at high pressure as if it was being pulled from the adventurer. Cassius yelled out in pain as he barely stood after the attack. Spinning around faintly he retaliated against the goblin hero, their blades clashing again.

“I’ll… bear it all”, Cassius spoke through heavy breathing, “if it means this city survives!”

Putting more force behind his blade he ended their clash, the sword shining a bright orange. “Cascade Overload!” he yelled. The blade exploded in a massive mass of orange flames, bringing it down into the goblin had it explode once again on impact and again every second thereafter. The flames coiled around and stabbed into Krekka over and over as it tried to overpower the one-armed foe.

Blood poured from both men on the floor beneath them, their energy sapping away with each drop leaving their bodies. Logan had to help, it was going to end if Cassius went down. Running to his foe, Logan was given ample time from the clash of their blades and Cassius’s skill. Placing his hand onto the lower back of the goblin, Logan yelled, “Lightning Grasp!”

Sparks of azure sprung to life in Logan’s arm, dancing around to his palm, and exploded across the frame of the hero. Electric hands dug into his foe’s skin like a thousand tiny knives, causing the hero to yell out in pain once again at another Backstab.

Krekka’s grip on his blade weakened, Cassius eyeing up the chance to strike. Pulling back his blade he had the goblin fall towards him slightly as the orange skill ended, Cassius letting out a wide slash across the stomach of the hero. Blood painted the floor as the stomach of the goblin almost fell out from the inside.

Dropping his blade, Krekka kicked at the side of Cassius’s leg causing the adventurer to falter. A solid punch to the face then sent him flying backwards, followed by a kick backwards into Logan who was also sent back. The goblin hero held onto his stomach as his frame slouched and showed a great weakness forming in him.

“The… skills of humanoids. A pity I could not dine on you all… Champions, you both… I concede a loss”, Krekka spoke weakly as he began to walk.

Logan’s face was filled with another window, filling him with anger.

“The Goblin Hero Krekka has been defeated and is retreating, his-”

“Like fuck I’m letting you walk!” he raged in his mind.

Standing up he threw his hand towards the ready-to-teleport foe, sparks of blue appearing in his palm as he used the final MP left to him from his periapt. “Lightning Shot!” he called out, the fastest spell he had. It was quick enough that it interrupted Krekka’s teleport, shocking the hero with yet another display of electric might.

As if to aid in the attack, an ashin dagger came singing through the air, puncturing into Krekka’s hand and severing two fingers along with two rings alongside a roar of pain. Tenn was seen in the distance, bringing down a leg after kicking a dagger at his foe. Breathing heavily with the blood having stopped pouring from his hand nubs.

“One lived?” Krekka spoke as he fell to a knee.

“You won’t. Necromantic Shot!” Logan called out.

Tendrils of darkness formed in his arm, writhing in a mess of eldritch design. Shooting from his limb they wrapped around the head of Krekka, tightening around the goblin and filling his mouth with pain. A solid crunch was heard as bone and tooth broke, the tendrils crushing his head and healing Logan for 15. Pulling on the tendrils, Krekka was brought to the floor motionless.

The group stared at the body for a while, wondering if he was going to stand again or teleport without their knowing. But it just laid there. Tenn saw fit to join it as he passed out in the distance, the healing not doing much to grant him more blood or energy. Cassius stood and moved to the corpse to give it a solid stab, the only movement it gave back was a shift at the metal entering it.

A heavy sigh left Cassius’s mouth as he fell onto his ass, blood still seeping from some of his wounds. The vials he had downed were wearing off and it showed as his body shrunk slightly and lost its lustre. Marcus rushed over to use Healer’s Caress to make sure no one else was going to die.

Standing tall and approaching the body, Logan saw a victory screen appear, but he didn’t feel the need to check it immediately. Instead, he stared at the body. It was close, and it took everything he had, the life of a Knight, the hands of Tenn, and more. The fight was hardly even five minutes long, showing the lack of reinforcements during the confrontation.

If Logan had been targeted with that weapon he would have died. Or at least lost a limb as Tenn had. Logan counted all of his blessings that he had come out of this fight without losing anything. Even more, since Marcus was left unharmed, though Krekka probably didn’t see him as a threat.

Roars and yells were heard off towards the east, a stampede of feet sounding the retreat of the goblin forces. This was confirmed by another window at Logan’s side. With weakened attributes they were easy pickings for ranged fire and guards, let alone adventurers who sought vengeance.

“Good job everyone”, Cassius began, “since it was our team that defeated their leader we’ll be getting his gear. We can divvy it up later, but I say we sell his weapon off to revive that Knight and give the Rogue his hands back”, he continued as he pointed at the corpse and Tenn.

Picking up the sword, Logan was unable to use Identification on it but having it in his possession told him what he wanted to know.

“Sharkfang - Level 20, Legendary: The sword wielded by the Goblin Hero Krekka. It is said that this blade severed the head of a shark in one fell swoop and travelled the coastline dealing with overreaching ocean monsters.

Deals between 37 and 45 damage on each strike. Grants a +23 to attack rating.

This blade is strong and grants a +10 to defence rating.

Legendary: When this weapon deals the killing blow to an opponent it grants an additional +10 to attack rating and defence rating versus others of that species. This bonus lasts for one hour or until a different species is killed."

It could have sold for 12gold and 50silver on its own, showing it to have a value of 25 gold. It was also the first legendary tier item that Logan had found, revealing some of the effects they could carry. This weapon could give a higher defence rating than a lot of low-level armour did.

“That’s fine with me, what do we do now?” Logan answered as he gave the sword to Cassius.

“We’ll guard this corpse, show that we defeated it to the guards. Also to make sure none of his allies come to revive him.”

“As good a plan as any”, Marcus added as he brought the unconscious body of Tenn over.

Logan was going to reply again but was halted by the countless floating yellow text that was flying into the sky towards the east, and above krekka. It was an uncountable number of rewards for defeating his foes, only his System could count the sheer amount of numbers floating upwards.

“Level up! Gain: 8 HP, +1 Str, +2 Agi, +1 Con, +2 Int, +1 Wis, +1 Cha. You have 1 attribute point to spend.”

Checking his System windows, Logan found he had gained 10,111 XP from the event, from engaging in the felling of 231 goblinoids. Due to the hecticness of the combat, his allies weren’t able to engage in each kill, however, simply being in his party and helping Logan move on to kill others granted them a full reward. Marcus had gained 6,830 XP, Celsius gained 12,743 XP, and Spark gained 14,109 XP.

There were levels all around, Logan went from 10 to 11, Marcus from 5 to 6, Celsius from 6 to 8, and Spark from 4 to 7. Logan placed Marcus’s free point into Wisdom and his own into Intelligence. Since the party were taking a break he also inspected his summons, though Spark wasn’t able to reform with the damage he took.

“Celsius - Flame Elemental. Level 8. STR 17, AGI 15, CON 17, INT 18, WIS 12, CHA 8: 46/46 HP, 4/10 MP. Skills: Ember Shard, Fiery Body, Damage Reduction 2.

Spell List:

1st: Flame.

2nd: Flame Cloak, Flaming Arc.”

“Spark - Lightning Elemental. Level 7. STR 14, AGI 16, CON 16, INT 17, WIS 11, CHA 8: x/40 HP, 6/9 MP. Skills: Electric Body, Damage Reduction 2.

Spell List:

1st: Lightning.”

To follow along with their progression, Celsius had gained access to second-level spells. One gave him a defensive cloak that hurt enemies on contact whereas the other shot a blast of flames into a 30' cone. The MP reserves also went up a good amount, reaching a nice number for future absorbing antics.

“We’ll have to debrief the guard and army. The King should know the goblins were looking for a ‘champion’. It could be important”, Cassius spoke.

“How so? Has this happened before?” Logan asked.

“Well, with the force in the south, it’s surprising such an army attacked the capital. If they had any sort of aim aside from destruction it warrants investigation. They could have been after a newborn hero, or possibly an oracle. There’s also the chance they were persuaded by a demon of some sort about something that didn’t exist, twisting the goblins to do their dirty work.”

“What’s the best bet?” Marcus asked as he started to heal more wounds.

“Hmm. Hard to say. With those numbers and the ability to teleport so many. They had to have had outside help. A powerful demon could have teleported that large an army. Sad to say it was most likely a stronger force, and one we couldn’t have dealt with if it showed its face.”

“A deity could. Fuck, is my presence the reason they attacked?” Logan thought to himself in worry.

The sound of approaching humanoids broke up their short break, army-aligned magi and warriors reached the display of rubble, corpses, and the saviours of the city. Following them was another window.

“Quest - Repel the Invaders, has been completed. You achieved 2 additional objectives during the mission and as such your rewards will be increased. Distributing rewards…”

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