Chapter 63: Defeated In Three Clashes!
A low groan escaped Ka’z’s lips as his gaze dropped to the bloody wound carved across his left shoulder. Crimson blood steadily seeped through the narrow gaps between his overlapping scales before running down his arm in warm streams. His face slowly twisted into a deep frown.
It wasn’t the pain that bothered him.
It was the wound itself.
Since the day he had been born into this world, nothing had ever managed to break his scales apart from birth. Only Boi had managed to hurt him only because he couldn’t put up his scales as usual.
Yet now he was bleeding.
That realization disturbed him far more than the fact Grash’s attack had nearly cleaved him in half.
Huff!
Ka’z exhaled heavily.
The jagged scales protruding from around the wound slowly shrank back into place, returning to their ordinary appearance as the draconic reinforcement faded. Fresh blood immediately welled from the gash once the hardened scales withdrew.
Across the battlefield, every member of Grash’s group stared at him with unconcealed disbelief.
Brox scratched his beard while Tal’s usual carefree grin had disappeared. Even Lucy narrowed her eyes. None of them had ever seen anyone stop one of Grash’s full powered attacks head on, twice.
Behind Ka’z, cheers suddenly erupted from the retreating kobolds.
"Captain Ka’z!"
"He stopped him again!"
"The Child of Prophecy!"
Excitement spread through the frightened warriors like wildfire. Moments ago they had believed Grash to be an invincible monster beyond reason.
Now one of their own had stood before him twice and remained alive. They believe hope returned.
Unfortunately, It was misplaced.
"Idiots!"
Tu’ka’s voice exploded across the battlefield with a fury none of them had ever heard before.
"Move! He’s buying time for you! Stop standing there and cheering!"
He pointed furiously toward the distant cave entrance. Every kobold froze and the older ones stared blankly.
Mi’ya’s eyes widened and even Drak looked shocked. No one had ever heard Tu’ka raise his voice before.
He rarely spoke and when he did, it was always calmly. Yet now he was practically roaring. His expression alone made everyone realize the severity of the situation.
Without another word, the retreat resumed. No one dared hesitate again.
Ka’z watched them disappear over his shoulder before a faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
’They actually made even Tu’ka angry.’
That alone almost made the situation funny.
"I’ve never seen a kobold capable of hardening his scales before."
Grash’s calm voice immediately drew Ka’z’s attention back to the battlefield.
His pupils contracted as the smoke had completely cleared. Grash stood exactly where the explosion had thrown him, a large scorched hole had been burned through his thick fur coat, exposing a dark metal breastplate beneath. The armor had bent inward from the force of the fireball while patches of soot still clung stubbornly to its surface.
It wasn’t destroyed, not even close.
Ka’z slowly inhaled. His strongest element had barely damaged the armor beneath the coat. Clearly it wasn’t normal armor.
"It doesn’t matter."
Grash calmly rolled one shoulder before resting the battle axe against it.
"You won’t stop me a third time."
Ka’z tightened his jaw. Every instinct screamed at him to retreat. But someone still had to buy time.
Slowly, he lowered his center of gravity and assumed a fighting stance. This time, he attacked first.
Bam!
The dirt exploded beneath his feet as Ka’z shot forward with everything he had.Grash smiled faintly before racing forward. Within moments both figures entered striking distance.
Ka’z’s pupils flashed.
[Combat Aid Module I Activated.]
The familiar translucent projection instantly appeared before him. A ghostly three dimensional image of Grash materialized ahead of the real one.
The projection swung horizontally. Exactly one second before the real attack.
Swoosh!
Without hesitation, Ka’z ducked beneath the predicted slash. The real axe passed harmlessly above his head exactly as the projection had shown.
His burning left palm immediately shot toward Grash’s exposed chest.
"Ign..."
Before the words could fully leave his lips Grash moved sideways. His enormous body shifted with terrifying agility, allowing Ka’z’s palm to miss by mere inches.
The momentum carried both of them past one another.
Ka’z was half crouched after missing his attack, but his eyes remained on the target while Grash looked down at him from the side as they crossed paths.
They passed one another completely.
Thud!
Ka’z immediately rolled across the ground before springing back onto his feet.
Behind him Grash never slowed, he planted one foot into the ground and the earth cracked beneath the impact.
His entire body twisted around before launching forward once again. This time both hands gripped the battle axe and the weapon rose high overhead.
Ka’z’s breathing steadied as he copied what he had witnessed only moments earlier. His body spun and mana surged.
"Vael Mael!"
Wind Magic: Wind Storm!
Boom!
Violent violet winds erupted outward, spiraling around Ka’z before crashing directly into Grash.
The rushing currents slammed against the Goblin Chieftain with tremendous force and his advance finally stopped. His boots carved long trenches through the earth as he skidded backward several steps.
Grash slowly lifted his head while the muscles beneath his armor violently expanded. Veins bulged across both arms as he tightened his grip around the battle axe and lightning erupted across its blade.
"I told you before."
His voice had become noticeably deeper as the runes along the axe blazed with dazzling azure brilliance.
"You won’t stop me a third time!"
Electricity crackled violently through the surrounding air and the lightning gathered into a single concentrated edge.
With a furious roar Grash brought the battle axe down.
"Lightning Magic: Lightning Slasher!"
Slash!
A blinding crescent of condensed lightning burst from the descending axe and the roaring hurricane split cleanly apart.
The raging winds scattered instantly as though sliced by an invisible blade. Everything behind it was cut apart.
Silence followed.
Pfft!
Tu’ka stopped running and every kobold froze. Their eyes slowly widened as they watched with horror in their eyes.
Ka’z remained standing for one brief second then his knees buckled.A long crimson line slowly opened across his chest and blood erupted from the wound in a violent spray before soaking the earth beneath him.
Ka’z slowly collapsed onto both knees, one trembling hand instinctively reaching toward the massive gash carved across his chest while disbelief filled his widening eyes.
He had been completely defeated.