Red Monster
Chapter 80: Chilling Demonstration
Red realized that things didn’t really change. He might be stronger, but it didn’t change or stop others from trying to kill him. The Chief might not condone killing, but he wouldn’t put in extra effort to stop it.
What he didn’t understand was why the Chief allowed him to fight to the death with a hob? Especially after their big loss under the Dire Wolf attack. This was not a wise decision.
He hated the hob for what the hob attempted, but he didn’t want to kill the hob. Especially when the kobold came for the village. He didn’t want to kill, but he would have to if his hand was forced. He also took a mental note about the Matron. If a chance was presented to him, he must kill that Matron.
Red’s mind was in a chaotic jumble. He told Darla to stay at home or go to the main kitchen, not wanting her to find out the issue. He would solve the issue on his own.
He returned to the village hall with the same clothes, not even bothering to get his armor. He just needed his bow and three arrows.
The goblins had heard what happened. Only some of them took his misfortune in glee. Most of them looked concerned, which was a great relief to Red. At least, not everyone in the village wanted him dead.
These people were worried because he solved the food issue for them, improving their meals. More meat, variety of food, and all of that happened when Red took charge of the village. They didn’t want Red to die.
The Chief and his squads were waiting for him in front of the hall. The hob that challenged him motioned toward the training ground, "Follow me!"
Red didn’t follow him, "The Chief wants me to show how I can kill so many kobolds. I can only show it if we fight in the jungle!"
He was not stupid enough to follow the hob to fight in the training ground when he was bringing a bow. He also had the justification to avoid the training ground. It was a stupid move to risk fighting a hob head-on. He only needed to do one thing: show the Chief how he could kill so many kobolds.
The Chief led the people outside the village. There was a clearing in front of the village. The Chief and the others stayed behind, watching from the entrance as Red was facing the hob at a distance.
Red positioned himself closer to the jungle, having his back toward the jungle. The hob was standing ten steps away from him. The instruction was to wait for the Chief’s cue; only then could they start.
The hob had a spear in his hand, grinning ear to ear as if he had won the fight. Red didn’t wear armor and was regarded as a challenge by the hob. The hob also didn’t wear armor, swinging the spear to warm up.
"Start!"
The hob was about to launch himself forward. He knew how to fight against an archer, not to give his enemy time and distance. But the hob was stunned in his first step, startled to see what his enemy did.
Red turned his back and ran toward the jungle. He was so quick that he reached the tree within a few seconds. He climbed the giant tree within a few seconds, so quick that he disappeared right after. The thick leaves totally covered Red, and just like that, the hob lost sight of Red.
The hob didn’t just lose sight of his opponent, but he was also at a loss and didn’t know what to do. He looked at the tree that Red climbed, then he looked at himself. He might have evolved, grown stronger, but he couldn’t climb the tree that fast.
The hob turned around toward the Chief and was about to complain that this was not a fight. His enemy ran like a coward, but the words never came out as sharp pain hit his left thigh. He fell on his left knee and grunted in pain.
He looked down at his thigh. An arrow embedded in his thigh, blood flowed from the wound, which was followed by constant pain. The hob turned toward the direction from which the arrow came. It didn’t come from the tree his enemy climbed.
The arrow came from the tree, close to the road on the right path. That was like nine or ten trees away from where Red climbed. He was confused, but the constant made him realize that this was not the time for this.
This was not the fight he envisioned when he proposed it to the Chief. This was cowardly behavior, not that of a warrior. He was about to complain until another sharp pain hit his right thigh, forcing him to kneel on both of his knees.
The hob could no longer hold his voice as he screamed in pain. But the pain was overwhelming, and his mind became clearer. He knew the arrow came from behind him, but then what? With an arrow on each of his thighs, he was immobilized. The last arrow would kill him.
The hob knew the third arrow would kill him, but there was nothing he could do about it. He could not match his enemy’s speed even without arrows in his thigh. With an arrow in his thigh, it was impossible to catch up to his enemy.
There was only one thing he could do: surrender. He must surrender and hope the Chief will stop Red.
"I surrender! I surre—"
The word cut half-through as an arrow hit his head from the hob’s right side. The body fell to the side lifelessly with his eyes widened.
Red came down from the left side of the jungle, having his bow on his back and an empty quiver. He didn’t return to the Chief right away, heading to the dead hob, retrieving the arrow. He used the chipped arrow in this fight, not willing to waste his good arrow on this hob.
It was not that he was arrogant, but because of the nature of the fight. If it were a one-on-one duel, then he might not have a chance. Since the Chief asked him how he demonstrated how he killed kobolds, he showed the Chief.
He returned to the Chief’s group. The three Matrons were hunched behind him. He bowed his head toward the Chief.
"That’s how I can kill many kobolds, Chief." He showed them how he could move freely on the tree and had been killing the kobolds from above. It was never a fight.