Defying Fate

Braun's POV

I feel a surge of energy pulse through my veins as I charge towards the Goblin army.

I'll make this quick...

In a burst of blue lightning, I dash forward, swiftly beheading and dicing countless goblins as the one I presume to be Goblin King smirks deviously from his horse.

I wonder if that smirk will stay plastered on mutilated corpse...

"So you're the local hero, Brent Astern is it?" He inquires, dusting off his shoulder pad coated with black fur.

"You're dead either way." I reply coldly, my gaze never leaving his.

"You dare threaten the Goblin King." A nearby goblin commander exclaims.

"Have a problem with that...?"

The commander charges forward, the remaining goblins joining him as they rush towards me.

Pitiful

I raise one hand in their direction, unleashing a powerful fiery blast, burning them all to ash.

My eyes slightly widen in surprise, not expecting my attack to be that powerful.

I've gotten stronger...

"You really are something else, ain't ya?" The Goblin King asks before I turn to face him, my eyes narrowed.

"I'll give you a headstart."

"Hoho, don't get all cocky on me now, you insolent human." He hisses before racing forward with his black scythe.

He might actually be on par with my speed.

I barely manage to dodge his strike, nearly getting my face cleavered in the process.

"What's your goal?" I ask as I land a devastating punch to his ribcage, launching him across the street.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" He groans out, his voice hoarse and raspy.

"Well, I suppose I could tell you since you're not making it out of here alive anyway." He continues, getting up on his feet.

"I beg to differ." I respond, materializing a blue blade once more.

The Goblin King chuckles, seemingly amused with me before he finally answers.

"I was hired by Raymond Felix to anhilate anyone or anything potentially strong enough to thwart his upcoming plans."

My jaw clenches as my grip on my sword tightens.

"What does massacring helpless civilians have to do with eliminating potentially strong individuals?" I ask, reigning in my anger.

"Well, it's always good to warm up before doing actual exercise don't you think?" He responds, grinning wickedly as I scowl.

This monster...

Slaying innocent people for the fun of it makes me sick. Not to mention how I recall nothing from the reddit spoilers of 'Tales Of Esmeraldia' mentioning anything about Raymond Felix hiring Goblins for his plans.

From what I read, he was too prideful to seek alliance from goblins and instead enacted his plans for the tournament all by himself.

Could my arrival into this world have possibly triggered this change of events?

"Here I come!!" The Goblin King shouts as he closes the distance between us effortlessly.

"I the Goblin King Jagar will most certainly have your head!!" He declares as he motions to strike me with a mighty punch.

I reflexively block the attack, sending shockwaves across the entire area.

"I'd like to see you try." I say to him before swinging my blade which crackles with blue lightning.

Jagar swiftly counters with his black scythe nearly sending me staggering back.

I have to admit, I might have underestimated him...

"Know your place in this world, you're a foolish human being, an ordinary Pazalian at that, did you really think you could stop me?" He replies, his scythe breaking through my blade and slicing my chest open with devastating force.

Damnit...

I fall back onto the ground, grunting in pain as I grit my bloodied teeth.

"In this world, power is what matters most, it ensures your authority and status over commoners, with enough power you could get away with just about anything, question is, do you have enough of it....?" Jagar continues as I bleed out profusely, patches of black obscuring my vision.

Damn it all...

Flashes of my life on Earth all come back rushing to me.

Being bullied in grade school, framed in highschool by students who were higher up in the societal hierarchy than me, being targeted and abused in the workplace by my corrupt boss.

I understand it now.

People like Jagar, people who abuse their power are a constant in this world, it doesn't matter that I crossed dimensions, people like this will forever exist.

It's fate...

They take from the needy and ravage their lives with simple orders or even the mere lift of a finger.

The average man like me is destined to be trampled underneath the powerful and corrupt.

But no longer will I be the average man...

I feel a sudden burst of mana awaken from within me as blue energy spirals around my body.

I've been given the opportunity to shape this world with these hands of mine, to dominate.

No matter what happens, no matter who I'll face, I'll rise, rise and become something more than man itself.

Legend.

"You hardheaded brat, did you not hear a word I said!" Jagar shouts, covering up his visible fear with a brave front.

"Thank you for the reminder." I respond, slowly getting back up from the ground.

The blood spilt from my chest slowly levitates into the air in droplets before returning to my body with a blue glow.

"You're right...those on top basically decide the fate of those who grovel at their feet..." I continue, my voice growing darker with each second.

Jagar scoffs, clearly unamused as he grips his black scythe and walks forward.

"There's a new a top dog in town and I'm a here to purge Esmeraldia of all you corrupt scum." I declare, getting into a fighting stance.

Jagar stops in his tracks and cackles.

"You seriously think you can face off against me with no weapon?" The Goblin King asks.

"Yes, yes I do."

"Tsch, then prepare to die." Jagar warns before sprinting forward and slashing his scythe at me.

I easily dodge every single one of his attacks, the force of his strikes shattering the ground below with it's air pressure.

"Die Braun Astern!" Jagar exclaims, swinging his scythe towards my face once more.

However, instead of dodging... I smirk.

Gripping his black scythe with ease, I shatter it using my own bare hands.

"I won't be the one dying today."

I charge my right arm up with mana before delivering an earth shattering punch to Jagar's face causing a bright and blinding light.

Good riddance.

The dust clears to reveal the Goblin King's lifeless body slumped against a wall, his head now completely obliterated.

"Finally." I say with a sigh before beginning to walk away.

I have to return to the tournament and put a stop to Raymond Felix.

Once and for all.

Arielle's POV

A red prison cell materializes around the exterior of the VIP room, entrapping us rulers here.

That bloody Raymond Felix.

To think he was behind the infamous murder of Arthur and Sarah Felix and even has the audacity to trap us here.

He knows full well that with our combined might, we could all take him down in a matter of seconds.

How infuriating...

"To think he'd stoop this low." Jayce speaks, running a hand through his long black hair.

"I always knew he was up to something." Cedric adds whilst stroking his beard.

"I never would've guessed he would be capable of killing his own sibling and sister-in-law." Penelope says, as I walk towards the crimson mana construct trapping us all.

"I know what you're thinking, don't bother trying." Sayro tells me, his signature grin still unwavering.

"Judging by the mana levels I sensed from it, this is no ordinary construct, it's probably made from rare and powerful gemstones, not Raymond's own power." He explains as I let out an irritated sigh.

"No matter what, we'll find a way out, that I can promise." Cedric reassures us as I coldly gaze towards the prison cell.

When I do get out of here and face Raymond Felix, one thing remains certain....

I'll incinerate that reprobate to ash.