Chapter 19: From Revenge To Conquest - Part 3

The original plan was for Arezu to fight Alex one-on-one. He didn't necessarily need to win; he just had to keep Alex busy long enough for Lynn, Liz, and Hannah to defeat the giant goblin and sever Alex's connection to its monster core and cursed miasma. It should have been a simple task, considering that the giant goblin's combat skills and mystic spells were currently being controlled by Alex, leaving the monster defenseless and powerless. However, that plan relied on the assumption that the giant goblin would fight separately from Alex—or at least retreat, prompting Lynn, Liz, and Hannah to give chase. Instead, the giant goblin continued writhing on the ground in the center of the cave chamber behind Alex, making it impossible for Lynn's group to even approach without risking being targeted by Alex's divine gift and become corrupted by the cursed miasma. And it's okay for me to be the one at risk? Arezu grumbled as he defended, evaded, and clashed—halberd against sword—with Alex. Thanks to Lynn's diversion—or rather, her distraction—the remnants of the goblin horde didn't interfere with the duel. Instead, they bypassed Alex and Arezu, charging toward the cave passage where Lynn, Liz, and Hannah were hiding. A bunch of goblins wouldn't be a match for them. No need to worry, Arezu thought. After all, he could hear the dying screams of goblins echoing from the passage behind him. Still, he worried more about whether he could actually hold out long enough for Alex to regain his senses and stop his rampage. Arezu stayed on the defensive, doing his best to avoid causing Alex any serious injury. To make matters worse, he couldn't use any combat skills to protect himself. Lynn had warned him not to use combat skills against Alex, fearing it might trigger the doofus—as she called him—to activate his divine gift, Takeover. While it left Arezu at a disadvantage, it was a necessary precaution to avoid getting corrupted by the cursed miasma. And it had proven effective so far; Arezu hadn't lost control like Alex had. —Roar!— Breaking the stalemate, Alex activated his basic spell Flame Arrow, summoning a dozen flame arrows in the air above him. All the arrows launched toward Arezu, tracking his movements as he retreated and jumped to evade. Left with no other choice, Arezu swung his halberd-axe to intercept the incoming attacks—prioritizing speed over brute strength while wielding his weapon with precision. A diagonal upward slash was followed immediately by a downward counter-slash, deflecting two flame arrows launched almost simultaneously. A swift, wide, horizontal slash obliterated several more arrows, followed by a brutal return slash that generated a gust of wind strong enough to redirect the last few arrows away from him. Each intercepted arrow burst into flames, scorching his coat and causing the blade of his halberd-axe to glow red with heat. The ones that hit the ground exploded, sending sharp debris flying—shards small but deadly, tearing through fabric and skin alike. Bit by bit, Arezu's stamina and strength were being worn down, pushing him toward inevitable defeat. Refusing to accept that fate, Arezu shifted tactics. He charged at Alex, his burning coat leaving a faint trail of light behind him. —Roar!— Alex responded with another barrage of flame arrows. Arezu didn't flinch. He halted his charge only to swing his halberd-axe at a nearby boulder, shattering it and sending chunks of rock flying toward the arrows. Flames burst midair as rock collided with fire, creating a blazing wall between them. Before the fire could fade, Arezu burst through the flames and closed the distance—reaching Alex within striking range. But it wasn't his weapon that struck—BAM! Arezu landed a full-force punch to Alex's gut, sending him flying and tumbling across the cave floor—past the writhing giant goblin. Before Alex could rise, Arezu dashed toward the giant goblin. Without the combat skill Reinforce to harden its hide and muscles, the monster couldn't defend itself. Arezu swung his halberd-axe down, decapitating the giant goblin in one clean strike. With the source of the cursed miasma gone, he hoped Alex would return to his senses. Still, he remained on guard, halberd at the ready, watching Alex carefully. Alex's sword had already been knocked far away, lost when Arezu sent him flying. He groaned in pain, curled up on the ground—then suddenly went still. For a moment, Arezu dared to hope. But that hope shattered as Alex rose—fast and unnaturally, his movement disturbing and inhuman. He looks even worse than before, Arezu thought, instinctively stepping back. —Roar!— Another inhuman scream. Alex had activated the intermediate spell Obelisk. The ground quaked as jagged rock spikes erupted from the earth, racing from Alex's feet toward Arezu. Arezu wanted to retreat—but doing so might put Lynn and the others in danger. After all—"We found it, Mr. Arezu!" Lynn, along with Liz and Hannah, had appeared at the far end of the chamber—opposite the cave passage where they were supposed to be hiding. While Arezu fought Alex, Lynn's group had defeated the goblin remnants and circled the perimeter of the cave chamber, sneaking through the shadows unnoticed. Their objective was to free the captured adventurers and village guard, have them escort the villagers to safety, and destroy the dungeon core responsible for increasing the amount of cursed miasma plaguing the goblins and corrupting Alex. "Aren't you supposed to be hiding?!" Arezu shouted, glaring at Lynn as Alex turned his attention her way. Forcing me to do something unnecessary again. With that thought, and his resolve steeled, Arezu raised his halberd-axe and activated his combat skill. 'Shatter' His weapon struck the ground with a thunderous impact, destroying the rock spikes advancing on him and drawing Alex's attention away from Lynn back to him. Arezu braced himself. He had just used a combat skill in front of Alex, which might trigger Takeover. He might lose himself—become corrupted by the cursed miasma. Regardless, it wouldn't last long—"Destroy it now, Lynn!" Lynn, Liz, and Hannah were moments away from destroying the dungeon core. Or so Arezu thought. "About that... I think we've got a problem, Mr. Arezu."