Distortion (4)

I steadily felled the goblin zombies charging toward me one by one, pushing deeper into the village. My body and knuckles were already drenched in thick green blood. My clothes were soaked through, and my hands were caked in sticky fluids up to the backs. But my footsteps never faltered.

As I ventured further in, the goblins grew more varied.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

"Kikiki!"

An archer goblin on a rooftop nocked an arrow and took aim at me. I rolled aside to dodge, then unleashed a punch loaded with shockwave energy.

Vwooom! A blue shockwave sliced through the air, knocking him off the roof.

"Grrrk!"

A magic-wielding goblin swung its staff, hurling a fireball. Searing heat grazed my face, but I dodged with quick footwork and finished it off.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

A warrior goblin twice the size of a regular one charged with a massive axe. But after countless battles, it posed no real threat to me.

When I reached the deepest part of the village, before a charred cathedral-like building, he appeared.

Thud... Thud... Thud...

Heavy footsteps echoed as a massive shadow emerged from the darkness. The Goblin Lord. Over two meters tall, clad head to toe in black armor. Crimson eyes gleamed menacingly through the helmet slits. One hand gripped a huge iron mace, the other a skull-emblazoned shield. His presence dwarfed all the others.

"Grrrrr..."

A low, guttural growl escaped him, laced with bone-chilling malice.

Clank! The Goblin Lord swung his mace. The air itself whistled with its weight. In our first clash, I felt his power course through my entire body.

Boom! The moment my fist met his mace, a massive shockwave erupted outward. But I was the one pushed back.

"Ngh!"

My wrist went numb, and I heard cracks ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠forming in my knuckles. My feet skidded meters across the ground.

Whoosh! I fired back a shockwave, but he casually blocked it with his shield. Blue energy scattered on impact.

"Grrrr..."

A mocking growl rumbled out.

Splat! My fist slipped through a gap in his armor, but black energy enveloped the wound, healing it completely in seconds.

"Regeneration too?!"

Meanwhile, his attacks kept landing. Even glancing blows from the mace made my ribs throb, and every shield bash twisted my body.

Boom!

I was gradually being overwhelmed. My breath grew ragged, legs shaky.

"Hoo... Definitely tough in '4x' mode."

Muttering to myself, I released the gravity.

Instantly, my body felt as light as a feather. Muscles adapted to quadruple gravity exploded with pent-up energy.

Swoosh! I shot toward the Goblin Lord like lightning. Before he could swing, my fist smashed into his shield.

Kaboom!

"Gruaaah!"

The Goblin Lord screamed for the first time, staggering back. Massive cracks spiderwebbed across his shield.

Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!

I hammered away relentlessly. The tide had turned completely. Even his regeneration couldn't keep up with my barrage. Cracks spread across his black armor, and he began to wobble.

But then—

"Gaaaaah!"

The Goblin Lord howled at the sky. Black energy erupted from his body.

Crunch! Crunch!

His muscles swelled massively, armor straining at the seams. Blood-red madness poured from his eyes.

Whoosh! The mace whistled toward ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠my head at double speed. I barely dodged; the wind alone made my ears ring.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

His enraged assaults poured like a storm. Each mace strike shattered the stone floor. 'At this rate, I'm done for!' Nowhere left to evade. As he raised the mace two-handed for a overhead smash—

I recalled how the wall had cratered instantly before. 'Expansion!'

Bang! A massive energy burst exploded behind me, propelling my body forward like a cannonball. The mace pulverized where I'd stood, carving a huge crater—but I was already at his flank.

Thwack! Accelerated by Expansion, my side punch cracked his armor.

"Gaaaaah!"

He tried to shove me back with his shield, but I retreated, then closed in again with another Expansion.

Boom! Spiderweb cracks spread across the shield's surface. I chained Expansions, zipping around the Goblin Lord.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Explosions rocked from all sides, pressuring him relentlessly. Damage accumulated on his armor and shield with each blast.

Crack! Crack! Fissures erupted across the black armor; the shield was half-shattered.

"Grrrrk!"

Furious, he flailed his mace, but I kept slipping into his blind spots with Expansion, pressing the attack.

Bang! Thwack! Bang! Thwack!

With each explosion and strike, his defenses crumbled. Cracks webbed the shield; holes gaped in the armor, leaving it loose.

For the finishing blow, I triggered Expansion head-on. My eyes gleamed darkly, tracing his every move in red lines—mace trajectory, even muscle twitches. Perfect timing.

"Now... it's over!"

Vwoooooom! All my power poured into a final shockwave-loaded strike. Blue energy engulfed my fist and detonated explosively. He tried raising his ruined shield, but—

Kaaaaaboom!

The shattered shield offered no resistance. My fist pierced through, exploding the armor to pieces and impaling the Goblin Lord's chest.

"Gr... gruuu..."

Green blood spewed from his mouth as he slowly dropped to his knees. His massive frame slumped forward.

Thud...

Why did the fallen Goblin Lord's face look... happy?

As silence fell after the battle, I retraced my steps. Then, a strange sight unfolded.

To either side of my path, ethereal blue lights rose from every goblin corpse I'd slain.

Whiiiish...

Luminous blue wisps coalesced into forms, like moonlight dancing on water—transparent, mystical spirits taking shape. They looked as they had in life: unscarred, free of pain, pure souls.

From young goblins to elders, all those I'd sent to death stood there. No torment or resentment on their faces... just profound peace.

They began to move.

Swish...

One by one, they knelt on one knee, hand over heart—like knights saluting their lord, or devotees in prayer. No words, but their gestures brimmed with heartfelt gratitude.

Then, a brighter light bloomed ahead. The Goblin Lord appeared, more dignified and majestic than in life. No armor, no wounds—a perfect soul form.

He met my gaze steadily, approached slowly, then bowed deeply, hand to chest. A leader's grace shone through, releasing regrets of failing his people, guilt of harming loved ones as a zombie. Pure thanks remained.

The Goblin Lord clasped his hands. White light gathered in his palms.

Whirrr...

It condensed into a radiant white orb, warm to the senses. He offered it to me with both hands.

Whoosh...

The orb floated toward me, enveloping my body in soothing warmth on contact.

Ssshh...

It seeped into my skin, stirring deep changes within.

From then, the goblins began vanishing sequentially.

Ssshh...

From the rear, one by one, they dissolved into light with smiles of deep satisfaction—peace at last. A young goblin waved a tiny hand before fading. An elder nodded in thanks. A mother goblin clasped hands in prayerful bow.

Their long suffering ended.

Only the Goblin Lord remained last. He bowed once more, then spoke.

"...Thank you."

Ssshh...

He too became light and vanished, gazing at me with a serene smile to the end.

Deep silence blanketed the village—no wind, no birdsong, utter stillness. But it wasn't heavy; it was peaceful, like respite after a long war.

My ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠chest swelled with tangled emotions: sorrow and joy, pain and solace intertwined.

The familiar chime shattered the quiet.

A barrage of notifications followed, but exhausted from the unplanned delve, I just wanted to get back and rest.

Kim Miyeon