TL Note: Just a short reminder, the druid chief is a goblin rare class. So when protag is talking about goblin rare during the fight, that’s him.

Chapter 25: Duel II

[Race] Goblin

[Level] 22

[Class] Duke; Horde Chiefs

[Possessed Skills] <<Horde Commander>> <<Insurgent Will>> <<Overpowering Howl>> <<Swordsmanship B->> <<Insatiable Desire>> <<King’s Soul>> <<Ruler’s Wisdom I>> <<Eyes of the Blue Snake>> <<Dance at Death’s Border>> <<Red Snake’s Eye>> <<Magic Manipulation>> <<Soul of a Crazed Warrior>>

[Divine Protection] Goddess of the Underworld (Altesia)

[Attributes] Darkness; Death

[Subordinate Beasts] Kobold (Lv9)

[Abnormal Status] <<Charm of the Saint>>

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] <<Swordsmanship B->> 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 swordsmanship,” 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] <<Eyes of the Blue Snake>> 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, analyzing 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 feelings, the goblin rare before me was quite happy.

“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, crushing 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.

Fuck, 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 God (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 (shield),” I chanted.

“The wind bird’s scythe sings (slash),” he chanted.

Our chants overlapped, and as my body was wrapped in black flames, the surging wind of scythe my foe had conjured crashed into me.

The force of that power was such that it sent me flying. But somehow someway… I managed to stand up.

I had braced myself for an attack as soon as I got up on my feet, but what came instead was the goblin rare’s voice.

“Not bad,” he said.

The goblin rare looked to be enjoying himself from the bottom of his heart.

Is that because of his unwavering confidence? I wondered. But not forgetting my manners, I replied, “You too.”

After taking a short rest, I sprinted to close the distance between us again. I won’t let myself get caught up in his pace. Or more specifically, I can’t afford such luxuries.

Being a goblin rare, he might not know this, but the heightened vision of a goblin duke is nothing to scoff at. I didn’t miss the slight weakness he showed when he was bluffing a while ago, his shaking leg. The proof of his fatigue.

Now, I’m going to have you let me take advantage of that, goblin!

“Why the rush!?” asked the goblin rare.

But without stopping, I swung my sword again. And with it I chanted, “Turn me into a blade (Enchant).”

Black flames clad itself around my blade as I swung it.

My physical abilities are far beyond the goblin rare’s, so I’m going to make full use of that and vanquish your magic.

The goblin grew more exhausted with each slash brimming with the power to finish him in one hit.

“My vessel is clad in the wind (Accel),” chanted the goblin rare.

A war of attrition will only lead to my victory. The goblin rare knows this, so he will definitely take a gamble sometime during this fight. A gamble that will lead to my instant defeat.

So I kept my eyes open, paying careful attention for any signs of such a plan. But at the same time, I’m not so nice as to let this goblin take that gamble.

If you’re not planning on anything, I thought. I’m going to cut you down right here!

And I chased after the goblin who had just vanished again.

I slashed and slashed, never letting him rest, a ceaseless flurry of attacks.

“What’s wrong!? Your movements have gotten slower!” I taunted, trying to provoke the goblin in the midst of the onslaught. But he only replied with a sarcastic smile.

–––I guess I still can’t let my guard down then!

“Like a strong wind. Like a whirlwind (Wind Cutter),” he chanted.

The goblin rare casted another wind blade, and I dodged it by moving only half of my body. At the same time, the enemy accelerated.

“My vessel is clad in the wind (Accel),” he chanted.

And in the next instant, he vanished from my vision. immediately, I swung my great sword behind me as I turned, but the goblin managed to dodge my attack.

The goblin rare turned around, heaving, breathless. He was clearly exhausted.

“Surrendering?” I asked him, as I gripped the great steel sword tightly.

But the goblin rare only laughed as he raised his staff towards me.

––– If you’re not surrendering, then I’m going to see this through till the end!

I should get rid of his staff, I thought. So I mustered my strength, and directed it to the soles of my feet. Then with a step, the ground cracked, and in the next instant, I rocketed towards the goblin rare.

But then at that moment, I saw the goblin rare stick his hand inside his robe.

Not good! I thought, my instincts screaming for my life.

What the goblin rare took out was a glittering, silver jewel. Then he began to chant,

“Exalted name of god, hear my call (Kryz).”

Immediately, I used all of my strength to break my charge, and then I rolled off to the side.

But the goblin rare still thrusted his staff into the ground as he continued to chant,

“Thy name… Wind God (Castor)!”

Immediately, a tornado with a radius of 4 meters appeared with the goblin rare at its center.

The tornado stood tall, towering over everything in the shape of a dragon. It groaned there high up above the sky as it looked down on me.

I couldn’t help but gulp at its dignified appearance.

When I saw it come down to attack me, I felt cold sweat permeate my back.

My mouth alone smiled.

Magical energies flowed from the red snake on my arm, filling me with energy. It was as if it was urging me to howl at the monstrosity before me.

“Right, let’s tear it apart,” I said to myself.

––– It’s only a wind right? Then let’s go crush it!

I took a step with my left foot forward, and held the sword upright. Then I mustered up all of the magic within me, and transferred it to my sword.

As the dragon of wind descended, it opened its mouth, aiming for my head.

“Turn me into a blade (Enchant)!” I chanted

This is the third time I’ve used this chant, but this time, I used a great power incomparable to anything so far.

“OOoOOooAOOooO!” I howled

Then with all of my strength, I met with the dragon of wind, and I cut it.

With all of my strength, I cut it. Just one slash.

The raging storm covered my vision. It lifted up the fallen rocks in its rampage. And at the great loss of magic power, I fell to my knees, the angry cries of the billowing wind, echoing in the background.

Until the wind ceased, clouds of dust enveloped the area.

Then when the winds ceased, I stood up, and swung my sword, sweeping the dust away. And then I wielded my sword in front of my chest once more, and I waited.

“The wind bird’s scythe sings (slash),” chanted the rare goblin.

Believing this to be the end, the goblin rare used the rest of his remaining strength to finish me off. That attack of his was like a great sword.

I calmly parried his attack with my own sword, and the goblin’s eyes opened wide. Then I pulled back my sword, and I swung it.

The goblin rare no longer had any strength to dodge, and he flew into the air, drawing an arc.

A foe I could not let my guard down even for a moment.

The goblin rare gazed at the sky as he fell down to the ground.

Then I touched his neck with my sword.

“To think I would misread at the last moment,” he said.

“I just got lucky,” I said.

“Heh, luck?” replied the goblin, seemingly dissatisfied.

“If you can’t accept that, then it’s simply the difference in the object we seek,” I said.

“The object we seek?” he asked.

“Ambition, in other words.”

“Ambition, you say?”

The goblin rare looked up despite his anguish. And knowing that the goblins in the village were also listening, I said out loud,

“I am going to build a country. I will gather all the goblins and create a mighty country. So follow me! I need your strength!”

The goblin rare had a hard time just breathing, but as if there was nothing funnier that what I had just said, he laughed.

“A goblin’s kingdom, you say? Ha ha ha… I see, no wonder I lost.”

The goblin rare closed his eyes quietly, and then he took a deep breath.

“Alright, go. Go and take everything that I have.”

I carried the bloodied, weakened goblin rare, and I carried him to where Reshia was. Reshia puffed her cheeks but ignoring her I said,

“Heal this one.”

As the goblin rare opened his eyes, he asked,

“Why did you save me?”

And I answered,

“Your so-called everything… That includes you yourself, right?”

The goblin rare stared at me blankly, then he broke out into laughter.

◆◇◇◆◆◇◇◆

Magic manipulation has advanced.

The Third Impact (The Third Chant) acquired.

Your level has risen.

22 => 26

◆◇◇◆◆◇◇◆

Author’s note:

I’m going to leave the relationship between the old goblin and his child for later.

My apologies to those who were expecting it.

The next opponent is finally the awaited rematch with the gray wolves.