I had two abilities that could make me stronger: Ero Boost and Berserk Wolf. If I used Ero Boost and its effect wore off in the middle of the fight, I’d be left vulnerable to another attack. And if I used Berserk Wolf, it would consume all my mana, and I wouldn’t have control over my actions—I might even strike his club and lose my sword. Those two skills, as powerful as they were, should only be used as a last resort.

If I wanted to deal damage to him, I would need to get close enough and strike him with one of the skills I got from Sarah. And the opening would come when he made another serve.

The Hobgoblin resumed his tennis, this time tossing the stone to his side, high enough that he had to jump again. It looked like a normal serve, and I was already shifting my position.

My plan was to pretend to go one way, make a feint, and then dash toward him, catching him off guard.

The club was already in the air, and its trajectory seemed clear to me, so I made the feint, expecting that I wouldn’t be hit and that I would attack him right after. That’s what I thought.

But the moment he struck the stone with his club, I felt something different about his attack. The rubble shattered into pieces midair, and the small fragments were launched in my direction.

There was no way to dodge. His attack was no longer aimed at a single point, but at an area, and I was right in the middle of it. I had taken the bait, and now several projectiles were flying toward me at high speed.

’Damn it, this Goblin!’ I thought, staring at the attack coming toward me.

It felt like time was moving slower—the fragments came at me like bullets, but I could see them.

I only had one hope. I had never tested this, but if I could block part of the attack, I might survive.

"Thunderblade!!" I used this skill twice and managed to deflect the first fragments heading toward my vital points.

"Huh!" But it wasn’t a perfect defense.

I couldn’t defend against all the fragments coming at me, and I was hit in my right arm and left leg.

I felt the skin in those areas heat up, and a liquid run down them. Fortunately, it didn’t seem like my limbs were crippled, so I could still fight.

I almost fell backward after taking the hit, but if I did, I would give the enemy a chance to attack me again—and that would be my end. But my willpower was stronger.

I planted my right foot on the ground, keeping myself standing when the rest of my body wanted to give in, and propelled myself forward. I had nothing else on my mind but winning that fight.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaah!!" I screamed as my body shot toward the enemy.

Luckily for me, the Hobgoblin was still midair, making it impossible for him to dodge my attack.

"You won’t defeat me, human!" I could see him trying to swing his club in defense.

At that moment, a shot echoed through the village. The Hobgoblin’s blood ran down his hand, where it wasn’t protected, and the club he had held so firmly slipped from his wounded grip.

Erina. She was still there. Even from afar, the girl had been watching our fight, waiting for the right moment to help me.

I couldn’t fail—otherwise, her wait and the support she gave me would be for nothing. I quickened my pace, and when I was close enough, I activated my Swordmaster skill.

"Flash Thrasher!"

Three strikes from my sword finally managed to wound the Hobgoblin midair as my body dashed through him.

But it wasn’t enough. The Hobgoblin still had enough strength to stay on his feet.

"Damn human!" he spat, pain and anger in his voice.

His club had fallen a few meters away. Our eyes met the object, and then we looked back at each other.

"Could it be that you’re so weak you need your club to fight?" I said to him, trying to provoke him.

"Ha, can’t I say the same about you? You’re still holding your sword even though I’m unarmed," he replied.

"If I drop my sword, what guarantee do you give me that you won’t run after that big piece of wood and try to kill me again?"

"My word as a Goblin," he replied.

"As if I’d believe that bullshit! You Goblins might be the most treacherous monsters there are. I’d have to be an idiot to trust you," I answered, irritated that he had tried to insult my intelligence.

The Hobgoblin didn’t take long to prove that I was right. He moved toward the piece of Yggdrasil without looking back. To defeat me, he knew he would need the weapon granted by a goddess. But of course, I wasn’t going to allow it.

Anticipating his move, I ran toward the club, and just as he was about to grab the weapon that could level the playing field between us, I struck him.

"Thunderblade."

Blood splattered.

"Aaaaaah!" The red Goblin screamed in pain as his hand was severed. Purple blood gushed from the stump of his wrist, and now I stood between him and the stick of Yggdrasil. His last chance was gone.

"P-Please spare me!" he begged me.

But I didn’t listen to him. I had read SCRL and knew very well the nature of Goblins. The village we were in and the number of Goblins living there hadn’t come from nothing. He had surely killed, looted, and kidnapped human women to reach this point.

If he could, he would do the same to Diane and the others.

These creatures don’t know the meaning of things like compassion or forgiveness. To them, emotions only serve to deceive humans.

Without thinking twice, I brought down my sword—a merciless strike against the treacherous monster.