Chapter 24 - Dark Mage Subjugation (Complete)
Chapter 24 - Dark Mage Subjugation (Complete)
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Looking at the giant goblins that were now six, no, five, Karl felt a surge of competitive spirit.
How boring it had been ever since coming out of the snowfields.
Neither that giant slime nor the large skeleton could kill her. As soon as she exerted even a tiny bit of strength, they died right away, which was quite a dilemma for a barbarian who loved combat.
"Looks like I'll be spilling some blood after a long time."
The giant goblin at the very front—meaning the one that most wanted to die—roared and came running kung-kwang-kung-kwang.
For all its huge size, it was a cowardly bastard that only died if its head was chopped off. Far from being bothered, Karl rejoiced at that fact and swung her hand.
"Kuaaaak!"
More than twice isn't necessary. One hit is enough.
The ankle struck by that powerful fist had its bones snapped right on the spot. Losing balance was the natural next step.
"Good strength, but lacking in technique."
In order to fully unleash strength, the muscles of the entire body must engage together.
Blindly wielding brute force isn't very efficient.
As an example, the straight punch just now was a technique utilizing waist power.
"Kueooooor!"
Of course, if monsters wielding this kind of strength weren't just one, but around five, technique might not strictly be necessary.
Keeping that fact in mind, Karl stepped back to dodge the flying kick.
Meanwhile, the giant goblin with the dangling ankle got back up. Feeling regretful that she hadn't finished it off because she was busy lecturing a monster that couldn't even speak human words, the barbarian dashed forward.
'I'm going to need an axe.'
If that last blow had been made with an axe, the ankle wouldn't just be dangling; it would have been cleanly sliced off.
Of course, bare hands aren't too burdensome to deal with enemies either. But to chop off the head of a target much taller than her, a weapon would be necessary.
The barbarian sprinted rapidly and approached Hector's corpse.
"Kuaaaaa!"
Can't it let out any other cry? Running at a similar speed, another giant goblin kicked Karl in the flank.
"Hum!"
Twisting her body instantly in the direction of the attack and covering her entire body with a cross guard, she managed to avoid a fatal wound, but couldn't avoid flying back several meters.
'Are they thinking of protecting the axe? Unlike what they look like, they've got a bit of intelligence.'
Spinning once in the air to stop herself from flying further, Karl suddenly recalled that the goblins' specialty was tactical cunning.
If two or three of them guarded her axe while the rest swarmed her, she wouldn't be able to avoid a tough fight.
"How fun."
Of course, points like that only piqued her interest.
"Even without a weapon, there's no major problem in dealing with you bastards."
Karl raised her fists. Just as she was straightening her posture, another one rushed at her.
The giant goblin thrust its fist forward. It was a hand as bloated as its massive build.
And that collided directly with Karl's fist.
"Kueooooorrrr!!!"
The big always subdues the small. Softness rarely overcomes strength.
And yet, Karl's small fist (relative only) struck and broke the giant goblin's hand.
The green fingers bent every which way. That wasn't all. The shock traveled all the way up its entire arm, dislocating its shoulder as well.
"Let's start by getting rid of one first."
Karl flashed her teeth and smiled.
Even though her own hand had cracked, that pain was rather a joy.
"Kuaak! Aaaak! What the fuck! My armyyy!"
The black magician, whose arms had even been severed by the imp, flailed around in place and loudly cried out in agony.
Truly, it was a terrifyingly stubborn tenacity to life. To think she was still kicking around even after being beaten into a rag like that.
"You dog-like bastard! How dare you attack your own kin like this! I'll throw you as a goblin dildo—Uaaaaak! Die! Die!"
The black magician raised the staff held in her still-intact arm and swished it through the air.
- U-ung!
The air vibrates. This feeling is exactly the same as when the mage named Lumine threw a fireball.
By the time I thought it was dangerous, it was already too late. I was pushed back along with the sensation of something fiercely kicking my chest.
"Heureok!"
It felt like oxygen was being sucked out of my lungs.
I immediately corrected my posture. In the meantime, the black magician, dripping with blood, was raising her staff toward me.
Just when did this bastard get all the way back over there again? Fuck, I'm gonna get hit by magic and croak before my blade even reaches her!
"Dammit! Did the power get halved because I bled too much..."
Just now, she said the power was halved.
If I had been hit with the original power, my ribs would have been smashed to smithereens.
'No, if I hadn't been wearing a quilted armor right away. That might've been the case.'
Anyway, now that it was certain her magic hadn't dealt me severe damage, it was my turn.
"Imp!"
The imp, which had been diligently gnawing on the severed arm since earlier, rushed at the black magician the moment it heard my command.
"Where do you think you're going, you little shit!"
- U-ung!
That damn magic didn't seem to require chanting any spell; the moment she aimed, it fired and slammed the imp straight into the ground.
"Imp!"
The pitiful imp smashed its head against the stone floor and died a miserable, sudden death right there.
But in the meantime, I managed to close the distance. If I chop off her head, no matter how much of an immortal she is, she'll drop dead helplessly!
"Dieeeee!"
I swung the falchion with all my might, utilizing the power of my waist.
Even though I lack technique, with this speed and force, it will lodge accurately into her neck.
Then at that moment, I'd just shake the blade up and down like a saw and slice off that bastard's neck.
"Fu-, fucked. Screw it, whatever! 'Curse of Rust'!"
- Ji-i-ing!
A green light poured from the black magician's hand and touched my precious falchion.
"What the fuck, my falchion!"
The falchion rusted red like a bicycle left out in a torrential downpour for days, and soon shattered to pieces.
"Haha! Without that sword, you can't use a weapon, right? Yep! You're dead now."
"Shut up!"
Do you know how valuable this weapon is!
I flared up in a momentary fit of rage and ended up throwing a punch.
"Ugh!"
But it landed way harder than expected.
The stud-embedded leather gauntlet instantly knocked out the black magician's molars en masse, and because of that impact, she even dropped her staff.
'Now's the time!'
It was time for my newly bought combat boots and gauntlets to shine right here.
Even though several of her teeth were smashed, the black magician was still maintaining her body's balance, which was actually better. I smashed her face once with my fist.
"Ugh!"
"Just die peacefullyyy!"
Actually, that way was much better!
After kicking her hard in the belly with my combat boot, I continuously pounded her body with my gauntlet.
If I couldn't cut off her head,
I planned to turn her into absolute mush to kill her. Conveniently, her body was riddled with holes all over, making it easy.
"W-wait a minute, sto..."
"Shut the fuck up! You're gonna bite your tongue!"
Every single time I slammed down with the gauntlet, I could feel the unpleasant sensation of the opponent's bones crushing.
In a world where moral norms were taken for granted, doing something like this would have been repulsive and reluctant.
But this is a brutal world where if I don't kill, I die.
"Dieeee!"
The gauntlet finally burst right out through this woman's stomach.
Thanks to repeatedly hitting the same spot, her belly skin loosened up, and her intestines were minced nicely like a hamburger patty.
"Ugh..."
The black magician let out a single groan and collapsed flat onto the ground with a thud.
Is she dead?
No. I don't believe it.
She's an immortal who doesn't die even with her throat pierced; there's no way she won't die just because her torso got a little minced.
It's probably best to chop and grind her up thoroughly so not even a trace of her corpse remains.
"Huuuu!"
What remained was a simple repetitive task. In truth, turning an almost-corpse body into porridge wasn't all that difficult.
Though my body was drenched in blood and bits of flesh got into my eyes, stinging terribly.
"Done."
No matter how much of an immortal she is, if you completely mash her bones and flesh to pulp, she won't be able to come back to life.
With this, she's definitely dead.
'Karl right now...'
- Kuuuuung!
Accompanied by a sound shaking the cave, thick dust billowed up in curls.
"Mmm."
It was Karl.
She had struck the giant goblin with her fist and sent it flying.
Had she cleared everything out already? As expected, she's an amazing person.
Uh-oh, but... she looks a bit hurt?
"Karl!"
"Ah, Dennis. Excellent. Catching the black magician, I see."
It wasn't "a bit"!
Blood was bursting out here and there, and she was clutching her side with her hand as if one of her ribs had broken.
Especially her eyeball—did it pop? Or was blood just flowing into it? She had her eyes squeezed tightly shut.
That appearance looked truly precarious.
"This isn't the time for that! We need to administer first aid right away, then head to the city to get healing..."
"Right, this isn't the time. We must find it."
"Pardon?"
Karl closed her mouth for a moment. Was it because of the pain?
"The Black Magician's Book, we must find that."
A book, you say.
Is it reading time again!