Stay Behind Me.

"Stay behind me."

Kael gripped his sword tighter, his voice low and steady. I glanced at him sidelong. Was it because he'd touched Gullak's sword? His eyes burned with fierce intensity as he stared at the rotting goblin mage.

Well, he should be more than capable of taking down a goblin mage. The real issue is how I deliver the finishing blow...

Up until now, I'd always struck first to claim the experience points, but this time, landing the final hit was crucial. The problem was that one wrong move could shatter all the goodwill I'd built with Kael in an instant.

Northern warriors hate anyone interfering in their fights. And this isn't just any scrap—it's tied to Gullak's sword. Kael wouldn't want me butting in on something like that.

Even if it was just a monster, to him, this wasn't a hunt. It was a battle for his master's honor.

So how do I take down the goblin mage without bruising Kael's ego...

This time, I turned my gaze to the goblin mage. My lips twisted into a wry smile as I eyed the blue gem embedded in its staff.

Just as I thought... No helping it, then. Looks like I'll need a bit of theatrics.

It might seem ridiculous to pull stunts like this just to boost an NPC's affinity, but if it meant bringing him under my wing, it was nothing.

Kael Harun. You're the one I wanted for Glory's 9. This time, I'm making you mine.

And if I could snag the goblin mage's experience points on top of that? Perfect.

"Hah!!!"

Kael charged at the goblin mage.

Bwoooong—!!!

He closed the distance in a flash and swung his sword. A sharp whoosh cut the air as the blade struck true.

Thud...!!

Instead of a clean slice, a dull impact rang out. Red flesh burst from the blow, splattering everywhere.

"...?!"

Caught off guard, Kael yanked his sword back and looked up.

Where the goblin mage had stood moments ago lay a grotesque corpse. Some nameless adventurer's, perhaps. It was so decayed it was hard to make out, but definitely human.

The goblin had slipped to the side of the body and was cackling at the sight, its rotting facial flesh jiggling with each laugh.

"Shallow tricks...!"

Kael ground his teeth at the goblin mage and tightened his grip on his sword.

Woooong...

A thin, milky membrane formed along the blade. Aura Blade, one of the ultimate swordsman skills unlocked after a second job change.

Normally, you hit level 10 for your first job change and 100 for the second. Aura Blade requires the second change, so using it at level 75 means he's got stats that break level restrictions.

Tahat—!!!

Blade ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠gleaming, he lunged at the goblin mage. Warriors' Aura Blade consumed stamina, not mana. It drained continuously while active, so timing was key—you couldn't just swing wildly or you'd tire out and leave yourself open.

Magic swordsmen got around that by going mage first, then warrior second, unlocking Mana Blade. But its power sat awkwardly between mage spells and pure warrior Aura Blade, making it unpopular with players. Its one edge—elemental damage, unlike neutral Aura Blade—could be replicated with alchemist potions or runestones anyway.

Kwaaaang—!!!!

Kael's Aura Blade slammed into the goblin mage again.

Crack... Crraaaack...!!

This time, no flesh exploded from a corpse. Cracks spiderwebbed across the goblin's face like shattering glass.

"...?!!"

The goblin mage's lips peeled back in a gummy grin. A transparent ice shield had blocked Kael's strike. Far too cunning for a mere monster.

I narrowed my eyes at the scene, scanning the surroundings. Ice pillars dotted the area—easy to miss at first. The goblin hadn't been there originally; it had reflected off the ice.

A prepared trap.

Hidden dungeon bosses were never easy. Even a goblin boss wasn't just some goblin.

And this one's a rotting undead. Normal undead made by demons don't decay further thanks to their power. Progressive rot means it was made imperfectly.

By a human.

Ongoing decay implies part of its flesh is still alive, making it an incomplete undead. That means it retains some of its living intelligence.

That's why it had given me trouble in my dreams when I tried to take it down. Goblins were weak but sly, living in packs. Goblin mages were the smartest of the lot.

I knew about the traps already. Sorry, Kael, but you'll have to struggle a bit. Annoying, but necessary for affinity.

"Watch out!!!"

I'd been waiting. I shouted at Kael.

Chaja ja jak—!!

Shards from the shattered ice pillar hung midair, then sharpened into spikes aimed at Kael's head.

The rotting goblin mage's foul laugh echoed as dozens of ice arrows rained down.

"Damn...!!"

Kael whipped out his sword to block the magic.

Kwagang! Kwang...!!!!!

With superhuman skill, he batted away the barrage.

"Ngh?!"

But the mana-infused arrows shattered into tiny shards that pelted him, slicing shallow cuts across his body.

Thud—!!!

Suddenly, a sharp ice pillar erupted from behind his thigh, piercing inward.

"Gaaah...!!!"

As the rotting goblin mage began chanting, more ice pillars thrust from the ground, assaulting Kael.

Now.

"Danger!!"

I plunged into the chaos of its magic without hesitation.

Even with a leg slowed, Kael can handle the ice arrows.

Left alone, he'd eventually win. But victory wasn't the point right now.

How we win—that's what matters.

Gulp—I swallowed dryly, staring at the incoming ice arrows. Tension rippled through me.

Hero's Sword could deflect magic, but it'd snap instantly.

The rusty sword's durability was 1. No choice—I jammed it into the ground and grabbed the Novice Sword.

"Hraaaah!!!"

All I could trust was my memory of experience. No skills slotted, no system aid—just my five senses against the ice arrows.

Can I do this?

I gritted my teeth and faced forward. The goblin mage's ice pillars rose skyward like missiles.

Swaaaang...!!

Imagining was one thing; doing it another. The sheer speed made my legs buckle.

"Hup...!!"

I held my breath and swung.

Kaang—!!!

One ice arrow hit the blade and shattered. Numbness shot through my palm.

But I twisted and swung again.

One left, two right.

The rapid-fire magic arrows—I sensed them instinctively. Dream fights or arena grind, my body was ready for the next.

Psssh—!!!

The blade bisected the right-side arrows with a deafening crack, shards flying.

"...!!!"

But then—not just the arrows shattered.

The blade snapped off, leaving just the hilt in my hand.

Pfuuuk—!!!!

The left-side ice arrow slammed into my leg.

"Aaaagh!!!"

The stinging pain ripped a scream from me.

"Damn...!!"

My vision flushed red in an instant. The warning when HP dropped below a third.

One more hit and I'm dead.

The danger signal blared as I looked ahead.

"Shit..."

But only for a moment. An ice arrow hurtled toward my face—the last of three.

"Do-hyun...!!!"

Kael yelled my name and hurled his sword at me with all his might. In the chaos, the exotic warrior pronouncing my name so clearly struck me as oddly comical.

That thought lasted a second. I snatched his flying sword with one hand.

Heroic-grade weapon!

No time to check stats. Ignoring my sluggish left leg, I kicked off with my right and leaped.

I threw myself at the goblin mage, thrusting my free hand forward. A dark shadow loomed over its head.

Kwaduk—!!!!!

I drove Kael's sword into its collarbone without mercy.

Schluck...!!

Thick red blood sprayed. The blade sinking into flesh felt chillingly vivid.

Pfuuut...!!

Blood fountained from its mouth like a geyser, chunks of flesh sloughing off amid the stench. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Heroic-grade power was no joke—me at level 19 carving that much out of a boss.

But my low-level strength couldn't one-shot it like Kael might. The goblin mage shrieked and poured mana into its staff. Ice crystals gathered slowly.

I muttered low, eyeing them.

"Lucky for me you're a magic-type monster."

Its ice arrows packed a punch, but casting took time.

I twisted the hilt of the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠sword I'd grabbed earlier.

Pfuk—!!!!

Hero's Sword—worn but still sharp—plunged into its waist.

In that instant, the rotting goblin mage's ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠scream echoed through the altar.