Even I Get This Kind of Lucky Break?!
Soon we arrived at the goblin village. Beyond the exhausted, crawling goblins, their burrow came into view. There were about three of them milling around in front, looking so damn peaceful it warmed my heart. Now shit was about to hit the fan.
"Good. They haven't spotted us yet. When I give the signal, charge. We'll ambush and take out the ones in front of the burrow."
"Huff...!"
"Hoo, hoo!"
Oh Geun-shik, Jang Yeo-min, and Do Sam-cheol—all three warriors gripped their weapons, breathing heavily with excitement.
We picked up the pace with quick steps, advancing steadily. If we could sneak up and wipe out the ones at the burrow first, this would be a hell of a lot easier.
But then.
Thud!
"Grahk!"
Suddenly, Jang Yeo-min—who was walking ahead—tripped over a tree root and face-planted!
"Kerruk!"
"Kerraaaak!"
That blew our cover with the goblins! This fucking idiot pulling the dumbest shit right to the end...!
"Fuck this! No choice—fight! Form up—"
"Uwaaaaaah!"
"Kraaaaah!"
But these assholes—what, did they eat the wrong drugs?—suddenly started roaring and charging!
"Hey, hey! Hold up! Stop! Form the formation, I said!"
I yelled, but the hyped-up warriors weren't listening. Oh Geun-shik, Do Sam-cheol—they ignored formation entirely, howling war cries and charging like maniacs into battle.
"Uwaaaah!"
"Die! Dieee!"
The brave idiots leaped forward, tangling with the goblins.
"Fuck! Get back here! Form the damn formation!"
I screamed, but the situation was already out of control. I rushed over in a panic, sticking by Oh Geun-shik as he wildly swung his sword, and slashed away.
Slash!
"Kerak!"
One unlucky goblin went down to my sword before it could even thrust its spear.
I scanned the surroundings. Goblin reinforcements? Some were coming from inside the burrow. None outside for now. Team positions?
"Kraaaap!"
"Haat!"
Do Sam-cheol and Jang Yeo-min were way ahead in different directions, flailing their weapons wildly.
"Oh Geun-shik! Link up with Jang Yeo-min first, then Do Sam-cheol! Fighting scattered is dangerous! Form the formation!"
"Kh, kkh! Got it!"
"Kerraaak!"
A goblin lunged from my left with a stone spear, face twisted in malice, killing intent on the tip. I caught it perfectly and unleashed the stance I'd nailed last time, flicking my sword upward.
Crack!
The goblin's spear shot skyward, and I brought my blade down to finish it.
"Oh...!"
Succeeded again! This stance was fully mine now. Twice in a row—the sensation stuck in my hands, confidence surging. I could use it anytime.
Savoring that rush, Oh Geun-shik and I moved toward Jang Yeo-min.
"Hraaaap!"
Alone, Jang Yeo-min was jumping and rolling, putting up a pointless solo fight against a bunch of goblins. That's why I said form up.
"Jang Yeo-min! Over here!"
"Heuk, heuk! I'm saved!"
No matter how armed a human guy is, three goblins with stone spears piling on at once? You're done.
I slotted him into the formation and cleared the goblins. A bit sloppy, but stable. Intel on the small village checked out—no major reinforcements, Do Sam-cheol holding his own. We'd win smoothly.
"Now link up with Do Sam-cheol—"
Whoosh!
The moment I opened my mouth.
Thud!
Do Sam-cheol from over there suddenly slammed into the ground right in front of me. Huh?
"Guhk!"
Do Sam-cheol rolling on the dirt. Time seemed to freeze. Do Sam-cheol... just flew over? Did Red Bull give him wings or some shit? Red Bull in Murim? Nah, that's weird.
"Kryaaaak!"
And then an even weirder bastard appeared. Wider than the others side-to-side, head a size bigger. Beast-bone jewelry and armor covered its body, stone mace in hand.
"Boss...!"
The thing had launched Do Sam-cheol!
"Kuhek!"
Do Sam-cheol puked blood, trying to rise... Gotta rescue fast, team up!
Chickening out on a boss means death! Crisis ignited my fighting spirit—that instant.
"Chieftain! It's the chieftainnn!"
"We didn't hear about thiiiis—hwaaak!"
Total collapse. Oh Geun-shik and Jang Yeo-min on my flanks turned tail and bolted! These fucking bastards?!
"Hey, you pieces of shit! Where the hell you going!"
Should I run too?! The thought flashed, but since I'd steeled myself to fight, I was slower to flee than them. And that made me the prime target!
Turning my back now meant instant death!
Puke!
"Kuhk!"
Goblins swarmed the chieftain, stabbing Do Sam-cheol's back with stone spears. Sickening stench of blood. Dead, no doubt.
"Gruk!"
Flash!
At the chieftain's command, the remaining goblins rushed past me. Yeah—after the fleeing Oh Geun-shik and Jang Yeo-min.
"Kruk!"
The chieftain eyed me, snorting, striding over.
"Fuck...!"
Challenging me one-on-one? Bring it!
"Kraaaaaah!"
The chieftain roared and charged. Blazing speed—short-distance sprinter level. Barefoot too? Inner energy maybe? If I'd turned tail against this, I'd be dead.
But I didn't run. I'd kill it. Like hero Himmel would!
"Hup!"
Like trained: rooted like a tree, power in my legs, aimed precisely at the charging beast—mace raised—targeting its neck.
Flash.
One step forward, sword thrust. Superior reach over the mace. Chieftain's blind charge. Synergy—my blade pierced its neck—
Flash!
No! It jumped—my tip scraped bone armor, grazed its arm only!
"Kryaaaak!"
"Heuk!"
Flying chieftain swung its mace. I raised my arm in desperation to block.
Crack!
"Gwaaaak!"
Hit! Even with fish-scale bracers, couldn't fully tank a mace. Damage reduction felt like zero...!
Overwhelming pain scorched my arm!
"Graaak!"
No time to groan. Arm? Not broken! Just fucking hurts! Without bracers, it'd snap—and I'd die!
"Naryeotagon!"
I dove, rolled ugly, stood. Dodged the chieftain's follow-up barely. Good result? Ugly's fine—hell, heroic.
So not Naryeotagon—Fairy Roll.
"Gruk gruk!"
The goblin chieftain mocked me. The nerve!
"You fucking prick...!"
"Grruk!"
This smaller shithead mocking me?! I dropped low, swept sand, hurled at its face.
Whoosh!
"Gruk?!"
Chieftain shielded its face. Cowardly? Bullshit—doesn't exist. Life-or-death here. Why fight a monster in this hellhole? Kill or be killed. Fair play's luxury.
"Uwaaaaa!"
Swept more sand, charged. Chieftain dropped guard to counter.
"Eat this again, you fuck!"
Slash!
Another faceful of sand!
"Kruk!"
This time, chieftain took it, forced eyes open, lunged. Panicked swing—too wild. I dodged.
From there, sword like lightning!
"Dieeeee!"
Full-power diagonal slash.
"Gruk!"
Chieftain raised arm desperately. Bone-covered. Primitive armor. But that slapped-together shit couldn't block my sword.
Slash!
Blade glanced bone, deep gash in arm. Felt my edge hit its bone.
"Keeek!"
Blood sprayed. Wounded chieftain flailed mace wildly. I gambled. Better lose an arm than head.
Swing arm—hit inside wrist, not forearm. Mace neutralized.
"Uwaaaaa!"
Roaring, dropped sword, tackled! Close range—grappling!
"Geruk!"
Fallen chieftain thrashed to shake me. Instead of fist, shoved bracer-arm to its face.
Crunch!
As expected—instinctively bit my fish-scale bracer. That's what I wanted.
Shing.
Dagger out.
"You're done!"
Stab!
Bypassed bone armor, into torso!
"Guk?!"
Sharp dagger dug in. Chieftain convulsed like electrocuted, eyes bulging.
No mercy!
"Die! Die!"
Stab! Stab!
Pull, stab repeatedly. Chieftain twisted at first, but after five, weakened—released bracer.
"Gek...!"
Slash!
Dagger arc—blood flung. Reverse grip high.
And.
"End!"
Stab!
Blade into eye.
Shudder...!
Strong spasm. Then.
Thud.
Definite death. Goblin chieftain down.
Realizing it.
"Uwa, uwaaaaaaaa!"
I roared like Luffy seeing Ace die. Brain flooded with victory high. Exhaustion from exertion. All poured into the howl.
I killed it—the goblin chieftain! Obvious boss mob! One of the 108 Yokai Army leaders! If I'd fled, I'd be dead! But I stood, unleashed all my built-up experience, turned tables, killed it!
"Kraaaaaaaa!"
Roared long, uncorked gourd, chugged water.
"Hoo!"
Water cleared my head... Not safe here. Goblin remnants trouble. Hide, regroup with allies—then.
"Hm?"
Suddenly, faint light leaked from chieftain's solar plexus. Like something glowing inside, shining through flesh.
"Wh-what?"
Alert spiked. Curiosity too. What...?
"..."
Swallowed, cautiously touched. Warmth? Something inside, sure.
"Fuck it!"
Hate suspense. Dagger above solar plexus, carved out flesh, extracted.
"This is...!"
A small green-glowing orb. Orb...?
"Yodan?!"
No way—is this a yodan?