Goblin King

Zhao Yan was puzzled about the nature of this adventurer organization that could bring together a bunch of unrelated people to carry out tasks. Just then, he heard a buzzing sound coming from behind him. Instinctively, he turned around and was startled to see a bug the size of a cat barreling straight toward his head. Zhao Yan quickly dodged to the side, but his foot slipped, and he fell out of the tree with a thud. He hit the ground hard, feeling like his spine was going to snap. Rubbing his back, he was surprised to find it didn't hurt at all. Since there was no pain, he stood up, glancing up at the spot where the big bug had been, but it had vanished. This was his first encounter with such a large beetle, but given the magic, barriers, and adventurers, its appearance wasn't too shocking. After all, with all the laws of science being broken here, anything could happen.

Zhao Yan looked toward a cave not far away, wondering how long the others had been inside. He started to worry about what dangers they might be facing. His thoughts turned back to the man who had shown him concern earlier, prompting him to move closer to the cave entrance. Just as he was about ten steps away, he heard a loud rumble from deep inside, like a grenade going off. Suddenly, two people were sent flying out of the cave, landing heavily on the ground and rolling several times before coming to a stop. Dust swirled around the entrance, obscuring what was happening inside. As the two figures scrambled to their feet, Zhao Yan recognized one as the knife-wielding woman and the other as the taciturn man, but the magician and the man who had been so helpful were nowhere to be seen. A knot tightened in Zhao Yan's stomach; something terrible must have happened inside. Perhaps those two had perished in there.

Seeing the situation, Zhao Yan quickly found a tree to hide behind, crouching down so only half his head was visible as he watched. It was clear that although the two who had been thrown out were still standing, the blood trickling from their mouths indicated they were injured. That blood likely signified internal injuries, which were far worse than external ones. If not treated properly, such injuries could lead to organ failure and death. External injuries were much simpler to deal with; timely medical care usually did the trick. He mused that the dramatized blood spitting in shows was just nonsense; if someone could do that, they'd be dead long ago.

As the smoke began to clear, the knife-wielding woman and the stoic man stood tense and wary. Suddenly, something charged out of the smoke. Zhao Yan could barely see it, but he caught a glimpse of a large blade flying straight at the knife-wielding woman's chest. Quick on her feet, she calculated the angle and bent backward, raising her knife to block it. The clash of metal rang out, sparks flying. Without that block, she likely would have been cut open. Instead, the blade embedded itself in the ground behind her. Then, a massive figure charged out of the cave, resembling a truck, and barreled straight into the stoic man. He hesitated for a split second due to the knife-wielding woman's peril, and that moment of indecision resulted in him being knocked off his feet.

Just as he was airborne, a massive foot came crashing in from his left side. If it connected, he'd surely suffer multiple broken ribs. At that critical moment, he shouted, "Barrier!" Instantly, his body glowed with a pale yellow light, which quickly gathered on his right side. There was a loud crack, like shattering glass, as the foot met an invisible wall and halted. In that brief moment, the stoic man used his feet to push off the giant foot, flipping himself away and rolling on the ground to regain his footing.

Zhao Yan was dumbfounded behind the tree. He couldn't believe the human body could react and move with such speed and agility; it was on another level compared to top athletes. In just a few seconds, they exhibited extraordinary reflexes and performed unbelievable maneuvers—almost like superheroes, minus the ability to fly.

After the two were attacked, the stoic man immediately grabbed the knife-wielding woman, pulling her away from the creature. This gave Zhao Yan a moment to observe the monster more closely. It stood at least four meters tall, with a stout, muscular build. To put it bluntly, one of its arms was thicker than the stoic man's waist. Its dark blue skin was bulging with muscles, showcasing immense strength. The head was disproportionately small compared to its body, almost as if it were attached afterward, with sharp teeth and long tusks. A bite from it could probably crush bone. Could this be what they called the little demon king? But based on the name, it didn't seem to fit; it looked more like a creature of nightmares. In Zhao Yan's opinion, it deserved a name like Old Demon King or Big Demon King.

The little demon king observed the two distancing themselves but didn't charge in right away. Instead, it slowly moved toward the large blade that had been thrown earlier. With little effort, it pulled the half-meter-deep blade from the ground. The creature emitted a sound that almost resembled a laugh, but before it could get another chuckle out, the hilt of the blade exploded, sending a cloud of black smoke billowing up. Seizing the moment, the knife-wielding woman sprang into action, her speed suddenly increasing as she dashed in an arc to the side. The stoic man followed suit, readying his sword for a frontal assault. As the smoke cleared, the little demon king clutched its eyes in apparent pain, swinging its large blade wildly as if it had lost its sight.

Recognizing their opportunity, the two of them launched an attack on the little demon king simultaneously. The stoic man deflected the creature's large blade, allowing him to thrust his sword directly at its belly. Meanwhile, the knife-wielding woman leaped high, aiming for the little demon king's neck. Zhao Yan's eyes lit up at the sight, realizing that these two were working together remarkably well, making the most of their brief window to strike. If they succeeded, they could surely kill this monster.

Just as the little demon king seemed doomed, its lips curled into a mocking smile. With a swift motion, it swung its large blade, knocking aside the stoic man's sword, and then lifted its left hand to grasp the knife-wielding woman mid-air, slamming her into the ground with tremendous force. A massive crater formed on impact, and Zhao Yan winced at the sound of her agonized scream as blood spurted from her mouth. Seeing this, the stoic man reacted instantly, swinging his sword again. This time, it glimmered with a faint yellow light, and he shouted, "Enhance!" The little demon king, noticing the impending attack, didn't stand its ground but leaped back to avoid the sword.

With a fierce motion, it hurled the knife-wielding woman toward the stoic man. He caught her with one hand just as he regained his balance, but the little demon king's massive blade was already aimed at him from the side. If that strike landed, they would be cut in half. With bulging veins, the stoic man shouted, "Barrier!" This time, however, the defense was no match for the last. The large blade slashed through, only pausing briefly before continuing its deadly arc.

Without thinking, the stoic man raised his sword to block, but it shattered upon impact. Although he managed to deflect it, the tremor in his hands revealed he no longer had the strength to withstand another strike.

The little demon king grinned maliciously, raising its massive blade for what was clearly a finishing blow. Just then, the knife-wielding woman surged from her weakened state, diving low and speeding toward the creature almost like a bullet. In the blink of an eye, she darted between the little demon king's legs, slashing its thick ankle with her knife. Blood sprayed forth as the creature let out a painful wail.

The little demon king swung wildly in response, aiming for the empty ground next to the stoic man, sending dirt flying everywhere. In that split second, the stoic man locked eyes with Zhao Yan, a glint of determination flashing in his gaze. Zhao Yan realized with dread that he had been discovered in his hiding spot. Before he could think to flee, the stoic man closed the gap in a few strides and grabbed Zhao Yan, tossing him toward the little demon king.

Zhao Yan didn't have time to process what was happening before he was launched through the air like a cannonball. He cursed the stoic man's ancestors, shocked that he would use a kid to distract the monster. Even if the plan was to draw attention, he was hardly more useful than a rock—why not throw that instead?

While Zhao Yan grumbled internally, he quickly found himself face-to-face with the little demon king, close enough to smell its foul odor, as if it hadn't bathed in years. But once again, something unexpected happened. The little demon king instinctively raised its blade to slash at him as he approached, but it flinched to the side at the last second, avoiding him entirely. Zhao Yan hit the ground hard, rolling as he landed. The stoic man was stunned, the knife-wielding woman was dumbfounded, and to their surprise, even the little demon king looked confused, clearly unsure why it had chosen to dodge instead of attack.

Just then, things took another turn. From the depths of the cave, a sharp ice spike, about half a meter long, shot out with incredible speed, plunging straight into the chest of the little demon king. The little demon king howled in pain and turned toward the cave entrance. There, hovering a few feet off the ground, was a woman. Her clothes were tattered and covered in dust, but she seemed completely unharmed.

The cold man spotted the female mage and shouted, "Quick, help! The huntress is seriously injured and can't take any more hits!"

The female mage glanced coldly at the kneeling dagger girl, then shot a disdainful look at the cold man. Without wasting any more breath, she raised her hands to the sky. Suddenly, a flurry of ice spikes began to rain down on the little demon king. He let out a furious roar, raising his large blade to protect his vulnerable spots.

At that moment, a massive sword flew from behind the mage, striking the little demon king's weapon directly. The impact knocked both the demon king's sword and the great sword to the ground. Just then, a figure burst out from the cave. Though he bore a few minor wounds, the speed at which he dashed forward indicated they were just superficial injuries. He rolled on the ground, swiftly picked up the great sword, and swung it hard. A jet of blood sprayed out, creating a gruesome gash on the little demon king.

In just a few seconds, the little demon king, who had just incapacitated two opponents, was now seriously injured. As if that wasn't enough, several more ice spikes struck him again. Meanwhile, the man gripped the giant sword tightly and let out a roar. In an instant, he gathered all his strength and muttered, "Thirty-two slashes!"

The massive sword began to dance in the air, and the sound of slicing flesh filled the air as the little demon king's body was torn apart. In a matter of seconds, he lay in a puddle of blood and entrails, defeated at last.