Chapter 26
Chapter 25: Duel II
[Race] Goblin
[Cla.s.s] Duke; Horde Chiefs
[Divine Protection] G.o.ddess of the Underworld (Altesia)
[Subordinate Beasts] Kobold (Lv9)
Kicking myself off the ground, I filled my body with power, and accelerated.
The ground broke, and I turned into a blur. At the same time, I raised Iron Second (Great Steel Sword), and with a growl, I swung it down, seeking to cut the goblin rare into two.
Surprised, the goblin rare quickly retreated.
But he was too naïve.
Does he think I can’t chase such a slow retreat!?
Iron Second crashed into the ground. And using the force of its recoil, I swung the great sword and slashed at the goblin rare.
The [Skill] > guided my sword, leading it towards my foe.
And with the mere legs of a goblin rare that’s inferior to mine, he couldn’t possibly dodge.
But just as my blade was about to hit him, the goblin rare chanted a spell,
"My vessel is clad in the wind (Accel)," he chanted.
And suddenly, the goblin before me vanished. And the blade I had swung, hit nothing but thin air.
"What splendid swordsmans.h.i.+p," remarked a voice from behind.
A vicious smile appeared on my face. Then remarking, "…I see you’re quick on your feet," I turned towards the goblin.
But at that same moment a blade of wind flashed towards me. Quickly, I swung my sword to repel it.
Then I gripped my sword with both of my hands, and I looked on at my foe.
As I thought, this one can’t be dealt with by ordinary means.
[Skill] > activated.
When the numbers favor me, this skill can show me the weaknesses of my enemy.
His weaknesses: The head, the heart, the staff… Hmm… So his staff is his weakness even though we’re both goblins.
As I was thinking quietly to myself, a.n.a.lyzing the goblin, he yelled, "Nothing will happen if you just stand there!"
As he yelled, the goblin thrust his staff into the ground, and chanted another spell.
"My heart rides on the wind (Windea)."
As soon as he chanted those words, the atmosphere shook, and four small tornadoes appeared around the goblin rare.
Are you planning to suffocate me!!? I thought to myself.
"Turn me into a blade (Enchant)!" I chanted.
Seeing the goblin rare conjure those gusts of wind, I cast my own spell, and clad my sword with the flames of darkness.
"GURUuuAAA!" I howled.
With the flash of my spirit, I crushed those tiny tornadoes with the great sword. But one of the tornadoes managed to cut through, and like a blade it struck me a wound.
It’s hot, I thought, as I felt the warm sensation of an open wound upon my feet. But contrary to those
"So you can also use magic!" he happily exclaimed.
Then the goblin rare began to chant a more powerful attack.
"O wind, let the wings–––"
But I wasn’t having any of that, and I immediately charged towards him with my sword wrapped in black flame, leaving the goblin rare no other option but to run away.
"Tch, my vessel is clad in the wind (Accel)!"
I wielded my great sword at my side. And I thrusted at the goblin rare as fast as I could, trying to catch him as I thrusted a thrust that could pierce even the wind.
Yet the enemy was still faster.
The goblin rare channeled the power of accel, and moved at a speed that made him seem as if he had vanished.
But as soon as I lost sight of him, I quickly reacted by swinging my sword as I turned back. Yet I felt no resistance as my blade swung through the air.
Did I miss!? I asked myself.
The resounding chant answered that question.
"Like a strong wind. Like a whirlwind (Wind Cutter)," chanted the goblin rare.
And immediately, two blades shot at a speed undiscernible even by the eye, stirring up clouds of dusts in its path. Behind those two blades, the goblin rare began to chant again
I yelled at the back of my mind, dodge!
Then as I took a step with enough power to bore a hole in the land, I howled, "GURUUuUAA!"
I swung my great sword at the nearing blade, crus.h.i.+ng it. Then as the wind blade vanished, I rushed to the enemy with my sword still raised.
And just when I thought the goblin rare would take a step back, he took a step towards me.
f.u.c.k, that was a good call! I thought to myself. But it’s still too slow!
It takes great courage and insight to make the decision to take a step forward and aim for your enemy’s defenseless bosom instead of running away.
But even so, my sword is still faster than he gave me credit for. And I swung my sword down with a force that could crush even boulders, but then the goblin rare chanted another spell,
"By the authority of the Wind G.o.d (Boost)," he chanted.
And suddenly a film of wind appeared around him, causing my attack to slip, while his own attack continued to make its way for my chest.
No! Screamed my instincts as the swinging staff continued to move, and immediately I chanted, overlapping with the goblin rare’s.
"Let my body be inviolable (s.h.i.+eld)," I chanted.
"I just got lucky," I said.
"If you can’t accept that, then it’s simply the difference in the object we seek," I said.
"Ambition, in other words."
22 => 26
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The next opponent is finally the awaited rematch with the gray wolves.