<h4>Chapter 136</h4>


    No one in the party flinched. Mev drew her sword and stood slightly askew, poised for battle. Charlotte, despite her scowl, spun her battle ax, readying her stance. Lastly, Philip unsheathed his sword and lowered his shield, his eyes locked onto the charging hybrid goblins. The only signs of fear were the snorts from the tethered horses between him and Charlotte.


    Ian, however, ran straight at the goblins. Several goblins, screeching and iling, lunged at him with outstretched arms.


    <i>Whoosh.</i>


    A whirlwind surged around Ian immediately afterward. He had added a drop of chaos power to the Whirling Barrier. It was enough to repel the charging goblins. A few that were caught in the whirlwind were flung back, colliding and entangling with those following behind.


    With a thud, Ian''s sword stabbed down onto the head of a goblin that had fallen to the ground. As he twisted his body and withdrew his sword, he struck again, this time on the crushed skull of another goblin trying to rise. The goblin crumpled with the de embedded in its crown. No matter how tainted by the madness of the ck Wall they were, goblins couldn''t survive with their heads shattered.


    Ian pulled out his sword and prepared to charge again, but he paused. Several swift goblins were already rushing at him madly. The closest one extended its abnormally long arms like a spider.


    <i>What’s with these bastards?</i>


    His left arm flicked momentarily. A throwing dagger flew from his hand, embedding itself in the center of the long-armed goblin''s face. The goblin''s head snapped back, and it crumpled to the ground. The other hybrid goblins trampled over its twitching body as they charged forward.


    Thepleted Whirling Barrier once again pushed back the approaching goblins. However, Ian’s furrowed brow remained as he emerged through the cleared space.


    <i>Why are they so reckless?</i>


    Even if theirir was just ahead, their desperation seemed excessive. Ian''s mind shed back to the goblins he had burned earlier. Despite their leader being attacked, most of them had circled around, waiting for an opening, except for a few. But these goblins sprawled on the ground were different. They charged straight at him as if they intended to die.


    <i>Did this mean the chieftain''s influence was that strong?</i>


    The reason didn’t matter. What mattered was that it disrupted his n to push through and reach the chieftain by simply repelling the goblins.


    <i>Should I just set them on fire? Well, I feel like they’d still probably charge in like moths to a me. </i>


    Ian decided against it as he struck another goblin. Their resistance to fire was higher than it appeared. He had used more magic than intended in the previous battle because these creatures didn’t burn easily.


    Creating openings with lower-tier spells and stabbing them to death was much more cost-effective, even if it was more physically demanding. Besides, his stamina was now on par with that of a seasoned knight.


    Moreover, the chieftain could speak. Given that it likely wielded chaos power, there was no telling what tricks it might pull. It was better to conserve his magic to deal with it.


    <i>Bang!</i>


    A goblin that had tried to press forward with its shoulder against Ian''s de had its shoulder blown apart by the Vacuum Explosion. As its bodily fluids dispersed like mist, Ian continued to swing his sword without pause. In the time to inhale and exhale, two more goblins were sliced apart. The moment he cut thest one''s neck down to its chest, the Wind de dissipated.


    As Ian kicked away the copsing goblin, two more lunged at him from both sides simultaneously. Clicking his tongue, Ian cast Whirling Barrier and rolled on the ground. In the brief instant he rose, he saw hispanions behind him in a panoramic view.


    Mev was swinging her sword, taking a fireball from a goblin head-on. Behind her, Charlotte had just buried an ax into one goblin while grabbing another by the neck and mming it into the ground with her other hand. Philip was also holding his ground, fending off a goblin. To Ian''s surprise, a soft light glimmered over the glove holding Philip''s sword. The de gleamed, imbued with a subtle radiance.


    <i>Damn, did he get himself an artifact or something?</i>


    In any case, the ease of his movements wasn''t solely due to that faint holy power. The hybrid goblins on that side were circling, waiting for an opening.


    <i>So why the fuck are they charging straight at me? Have I drawn all the attention?</i>


    <i>Bam! </i>


    The Whirling Barrier exploded uponpletion. Just as Ian was about to rise and run, his brow furrowed. There was one goblin that hadn''t been blown away by the whirlwind. It was a muscr creature wearing ragged leather armor, with its purple eyes gleaming. It was the tribe leader.


    <i>It blended in with the others barehanded...?</i>


    Even as he thought this, Ian''s body moved reflexively. The Northern Warrior''s sword, imbued with Wind de, descended toward the tribe leader''s neck. It was a swift, precise motion honed through countless battles. The tribe leader raised its arm to block almost simultaneously.


    <i>Swoosh!</i>


    The Wind de cut diagonally through the thick forearm, scattering as it went. The de dug into the neck and stopped just below the corbone. Itcked the strength to cut through to the heart in one stroke.


    <i>If I had the Blessing of Battle, I might have been able to cleave it in two. But I guess this level of fight wouldn’t even catch his attention.</i>


    Just as he was about to apply more force to his arm, the goblin roared, spewing blood-flecked spittle, and reached out. Instead of grabbing Ian''s neck, its strong hand mped onto his shoulder. The goblin tried to hug him tightly, disregarding the deeper pration of the de.


    It seemed like a pointless action, which only bewildered Ian more.


    As the question shed through his mind, <i>What the hell is it doing?</i>


    <i>Thud! </i>


    A hybrid goblin hurled itself against the tribe leader’s back, sending Ian tumbling backward. The tribe leader''s body copsed on top of him. The impact drove the sword deeper, and a throbbing pulse reverberated along the de. Instinctively, Ian twisted the hilt to sever the pulse, grimacing as he did so.


    The fall itself wasn’t too severe, but his head throbbed slightly from hitting the ground. It tasted like iron inside his cheek, as if it had burst.


    "Kyaaah!"


    However, what was crucial now was the hybrid goblin perched on the dead chieftain''s back, breathing heavily and exuding a foul stench. Its red eyes glistened as it stared down at him. Ian tried to push the chieftain''s corpse away and withdraw his sword. Just then, the goblin pinned him down with its limbs. It seemed more intent on immobilizing him than killing him.


    <i>This bastard is doing this too. </i>


    As Ian grimaced, a recollection surfaced in his mind—words he hadn’t paid much attention to, startled by the fact the goblin had spoken.


    <i>Excellent seed?</i> <i>No way....</i>


    The mere thought of it brought a wave of nausea. Ian''s gaze shifted back to the face of the hybrid goblin pinning him down. Now that he thought about it, none of the goblins had used magic against him.


    With a scream, two more hybrid goblins lunged at him, their limbs syed like frogs.


    <i>These disgusting bastards....</i>


    Just as Ian’s eyes swirled with magic, a silver streak sliced through the air, scattering blood droplets. A figure in full te armor wielding a longsword surged past him. It was Mev.


    <i>Bang!</i>


    She rammed one of the lunging goblins with her shoulder, sending it flying, then swiftly spun and brought her sword down. The de, slightly longer and thicker than the Sword of Judgment, cut through the air with a brilliant white arc, slicing the other goblin''s torso clean in half.


    Without even checking the goblin she had just bisected, Mev turned and ran toward Ian. She grabbed the head of the goblin, pinned him down, and yanked it off, mming it into the ground. She then bent down and pounded its face with her left fist repeatedly, each strike radiating anger.


    While she caved in the goblin''s face, Ian finally pushed the corpse off him and stood up. As he caught his breath, gray magic swirled in his eyes.


    <i>Whoosh! </i>


    Goblins rushing toward Mev were swept away by a gust of wind, rolling across the ground.


    Mev stood up and spoke."Still fighting recklessly, Ian."


    Her breath was rough, indicating she had rushed over with all her might. Ian, spitting out the blood that had filled his mouth, responded.


    "Thanks to you, I saved my magic."


    "... You''re hurt, Ian." Mev, who had stopped short and was looking at him, finally spoke.


    Only then did Ian touch the area near his temple. Blood was trickling down, the result of what his hair had soaked up.


    "It''s nothing serious."


    "No."


    A chilling edge crept into Mev''s voice.


    "The price for your spilled blood will be paid with theirs."


    "...." Ian raised an eyebrow slightly. A crimson hue, like blood, began to spread from the tip of Mev''s lowered sword.


    <i>Just from something like this...?</i>


    Even though the wound on his head had already stopped bleeding. Clearly, there was some activation condition he wasn''t aware of. Whatever it was, now wasn''t the time to inquire.


    "Well, do as you wish."


    Momentster, several hybrid goblins charged with beast-like agility that belied their size, thinking Mev''s turned back was an opportunity. However, they were met with a red arc created as she spun around.


    <i>sh!</i>


    One of the charging goblins was sliced diagonally in half. Three consecutive strikes followed with no pause, each doubling the number of dismembered bodies.


    Finally, Mev exhaled and adjusted her grip on the sword with both hands, letting the de''s red hue deepen.


    She spoke with an edge in her voice. "I''ll clear the way."


    Mev''s red de drew a horizontal line.


    <i>Whoosh!</i>


    The holy power radiated outward in a fan shape, cutting through everything in its path.


    A dense spray of purple blood erupted. There''s nothing like holy power, Ian thought as he charged forward. Beyond the crumbling, sliced bodies, the chieftain finally came into view.


    The chieftain stood watching Ian, with the greatsword resting on its shoulder.


    <i>Still, some distance left, huh? You fucking bastard.</i>


    Gritting his teeth, Ian pushed off the ground with all his might. He leaped again, crushing the head of a hybrid goblin that was howling at its severed arm.


    <i>Crackle—</i>


    White lightning gathered along the de of his sword. He was propelled even faster by the ensuing gust of wind. The scene he had envisioned in his mind as he started his charge was finally taking shape. The speed at which the lightning gathered was iparable to before. As he cut through the air, Ian raised his sword high above his head.


    "...!"


    The chieftain''s eyes widened in surprise, though only for a brief moment. Swiftly, it scowled and leaped in reverse. It didn''t take a defensive stance, likely because Ian''s raised sword was glowing ominously. It was a wise move.


    <i>If I hadn’t anticipated that possibility.</i>


    With a powerful downward swing, Ian threw his sword. The de, now crackling with white lightning, spun rapidly as it flew straight toward the chieftain.


    "...!"


    The chieftain''s brow furrowed, clearly not expecting Ian to throw his sword. Reflexively, it swung its greatsword to deflect the iing de. That instinctive move was all it took.


    <i>Boom!</i>


    The moment the swords collided, a blinding bolt of lightning exploded, piercing through the chieftain. The electric discharge spread out like a web, crackling and sizzling.


    "O— <i>Aaargh</i>!"


    A blinding sh followed. The chieftain, frozen mid-swing with its greatsword, screamed. Unlike the other goblins, its voice was deep, as if it had gone through puberty.


    <i>Ssshhh—</i>


    Rolling to a stop, Ian slid to a halt right in front of the chieftain. In his hand was now a dark, sinister-looking staff: the Necromancer''s Wand.


    Ian looked up at the chieftain with burning red eyes.


    "Still craving my seed?"


    He extended the staff. A bright yellow explosion erupted like a pir of fire, engulfing the chieftain''s entire body, which had yet to fully recover from the lightning strike.