CHAPTER 42: FIGHTING THE DUNGEON BOSS!

’What the fuck is with this goblin’s speed and strength!’ he cursed inwardly as he plunged both daggers into the ground to halt his flight.

His intuition tingled again. The goblin didn’t give him a moment of respite—it was already in front of him, attacking deftly once more.

Xavier raised his blades to block, feeling the force of each blow reverberate through his arms. The goblin’s attacks were relentless—each strike precise and powerful.

Xavier struggled to keep up, his muscles straining as he parried and dodged. The goblin moved with unnatural agility, its twin blades a blur.

It was as if the creature could anticipate his every move. Xavier’s mind raced, searching for a weakness, a pattern in the goblin’s attacks.

The goblin’s next slash came from an unexpected angle, forcing Xavier to twist his body awkwardly to block it.

The impact jarred his bones, but he managed to hold his ground. "You’re fast," he muttered through gritted teeth. Insanely fast.

Xavier feinted to the left, then spun to the right, aiming a counterstrike at the goblin’s exposed flank. The goblin dodged with ease, its gaze filled with disdain, retaliating with a flurry of swift, brutal slashes.

Clang—!!!!

Xavier blocked desperately, his daggers a whirlwind of steel. Each clash of their blades sent sparks flying, illuminating the dim chamber in bursts of light.

The goblin’s relentless onslaught began to wear Xavier down. His arms ached, and his breath came in ragged gasps. But he refused to yield.

Summoning his remaining strength, he launched a fierce counterattack, driving the goblin back step by step. His daggers sang through the air, clashing against the goblin’s short swords in a deadly dance.

For a moment, it seemed he had gained the upper hand. He forced the goblin toward the rune stone, the green light casting eerie shadows on their faces. But the goblin, with a guttural snarl, unleashed a devastating flurry of blows, driving Xavier back once more.

Xavier felt the goblin’s intuition skill pushing him to his limits—each move anticipated, every strike met with brutal force.

He knew he had to find a way to break the goblin’s rhythm, to outthink the creature that seemed to read his every intention.

The goblin was not only insanely fast, but also strong. Every clash of its weapon with Xavier’s carried an impact powerful enough to send him flying.

"Damn it," Xavier cursed and began circulating the mana within him. He increased the speed of the mana flow through his body.

This time, he managed to do it with his eyes open. Maybe the tense situation made him focus more—the fact that a single mistake could end his life made his heart thump loudly.

He gritted his teeth and increased the speed of the mana circulating within. The mana flowed through his meridians, muscles, and blood vessels, boosting them. In that single moment, he felt invigorated with energy. The goblin didn’t look so fast anymore.

Before, his body had been moving subconsciously due to instinct, blocking attacks without actually seeing the goblin’s movements.

Swoosh—!!!

But now, things were a bit easier. His moves weren’t bound by instinct anymore—they were guided by his will, carrying a sense of purpose.

The goblin, unlike the goblin commander Xavier fought before, had been completely silent since the start of the battle. It didn’t snarl or shriek; it just looked at Xavier with disdain.

Now, noticing that Xavier’s eyes could follow its movements, the goblin remained silent—but increased its speed. Xavier handled the increased speed just fine, surprising the goblin.

The goblin sprang backward, staring at Xavier for a second. They locked eyes in an intense standoff.

Without a word, they both moved—racing straight for each other in a deadly beeline, their weapons ready for another clash.

The goblin’s short sword came down in a vicious arc, aiming for Xavier’s shoulder. Xavier, feeling the surge of mana within him, sidestepped and deflected the blow with one of his daggers. The force of the impact sent vibrations through his arms, but he held firm, using the momentum to spin and deliver a counterattack. His other blade sliced through the air, aiming for the goblin’s side.

The goblin twisted its body, narrowly avoiding the lethal strike. It retaliated with a quick thrust of its short sword, aiming for Xavier’s midsection. Xavier parried, the clash of metal ringing out, and used the opening to step inside the goblin’s guard. He delivered a powerful elbow strike to the goblin’s face, sending it reeling back.

Xavier pressed the advantage, his daggers a blur of motion. Each strike was precise and powerful, the mana enhancing his speed and strength. The goblin, though fast and strong, was beginning to falter under the relentless assault.

But then, the fiery red aura surrounding the goblin grew stronger. Its speed increased to an unfathomable degree, its movements becoming a blur. Xavier found himself pushed into a position of despair as the goblin’s strikes came faster and faster, each one barely blocked or dodged. He was struggling to keep up, his stamina waning once more.

The goblin’s short sword whistled through the air, each swing a deadly blur.

Clang-!

Clang-!!

Clang-!!!

Xavier was forced to parry and block each and every one of the goblin’s attacks. He could feel his muscles screaming. The goblin only got faster, and Xavier knew it was only a matter of time before things got out of hand.

His instincts—and the [Goblin Intuition] skill—were the only things keeping him alive. He was forced on the defensive, his twin daggers flashing like a shield against the relentless onslaught. The goblin’s newfound speed was overwhelming, each clash of their blades sending shockwaves up his arms.

Xavier knew he had to end this quickly.

He took a deep breath, focusing his mind. He visualized the goblin’s possible paths of attack. With precise calculation, he threw daggers he had looted so far into the three different paths the goblin might follow.

The goblin, reacting to the sudden threat, subconsciously moved into the path Xavier had anticipated. Prepared for this moment, Xavier surged forward, his remaining dagger aimed with deadly precision. As the goblin moved to dodge the flying blades, it exposed its flank.

With a swift, fluid motion, Xavier’s dagger sliced through the goblin’s side, leaving a deep, gaping wound. The goblin howled in pain, its movements becoming frantic and desperate. Xavier didn’t let up. He followed through with a series of rapid strikes, each one finding its mark.

SQUELCH-!