69 Last Rise **
As Leon and the Goblin Lord circled each other, they locked eyes, waiting for a suitable opportunity to strike.
The Goblin Lord knew Leon had slaughtered all the goblins before this room and that was the reason why he wasn’t rushing in first even though he was so much stronger than him.
‘It’s fight or die… Leon. You’ll either kill him or he’ll kill you— and don’t forget you have two MILEs at home waiting for you, one of which you still haven’t fucked.
So, Get your shit together: Leon thought as he tightened his grip on the blade.
“Grrrrrrrrr…” The Goblin Lord growled low, then stopped and began tapping his club on the ground.
“You go first… Green Fuck.” Leon raised his chin, taunting him with a crooked grin.
“GRRRRRRRRR!!”
The Goblin Lord roared and leapt into the air, landing hard-barely two feet in front of Leon. He yanked his club back and brought it down with full force.
“Woah-” Leon stepped right and dodged the strike cleanly.
*Thud*
*Slide*
Before he could even think about counter-attacking, the Goblin Lord slid the club across the floor to his right rapidly.
*Thud*
The club slammed into Leon’s legs.
“Fucking-!” Leon hit the ground hard.
*Thud*
Before he could finish cursing, he saw it-the club was already coming down at him from above once again with full speed.
*Roll*
He rolled hard to the side and scrambled up.
*Slide*
The same move again.
The Goblin Lord was sliding the club in from the side like clockwork.
Leon jumped this time and dodged it easily.
The club was pulled back and brought down once more-
Leon stepped aside and dodged again.
*Thud*
*Slide*
*Jump*
“He’s attacking in a fucking pattern… just like a goddamn RPG boss. First hit, then slide, and repeat.” Leon muttered, his eyes locked on the goblin Lord. He noticed something-sweat had started forming on the monster’s face.
This time, when the club pulled back, Leon stepped to the right and closed in on him.
“My turn…” He lunged forward and drove his sword towards the Goblin Lord’s neck.
*Tang*
The blade bounced right off-his skin was like a very hard stone.
“What the-” Leon didn’t get to finish. The club was already coming from the side this time, not below.
*CRACK*
It smashed into his left arm and sent him flying into the right wall.
*THUD*
“Shit…” Leon groaned, gripping the wall with his right hand as he pushed himself up.
‘My head…’ He reached back, touched the rear of his skull-his fingers came back bloody.
“Status…” Leon spoke.
…………
Name: Leon Luster
Class: Alchemist
Race: Human
Level: 7
Mana: 450/450 (+100)
HP: 478/700
Skills:
[Skill Crafter (F)], [Inspect (C)], [Adaptive Body (S)], [Minor Healing (F2)], [Trap (F)], [Inventory (F3)], [Blind Spot (F)],
[Touch of Lust (F4)], [Loose Grip (F)], [Adrenaline Rush (F)], [Lustful Thoughts (F)], [Alchemy (F {S-Cap))]
[Glitch Point (F)], [Instant Craft (F1)], [Reverberate (F1)], [Mana Thread (F)], [Life Steal (F)]. [Leeching Aura (F)]
Titles: None
‘Almost 50% of my HP in a single hit… I’ll die in the next one-‘ Leon’s thoughts were cut off when two skills on his status screen lit up red under < Glitch Point>
“What the….? Is it telling me to use them?’ he thought, blinking at the unexpected highlight. The Goblin Lord had started walking toward him, slow and heavy, with a smile tugging at his face.
“Fuck this-Heal,” Leon muttered, pressing a hand to his chest.
Glow
A faint light shimmered over his body. The pain dulled just enough to breathe. He bent down and grabbed his sword.
Grab
Without hesitation, he activated the first red-marked skill.
< Adrenaline Rush>
Everything changed, Immediately. Leon felt no pain in his body.
His eyes turned pitch black as raw strength surged through him like lightning in his veins.
The Goblin Lord froze mid-step. He felt it too-something was off. Something dangerous was coming from Leon.
Leon smirked. His eyes locked onto the Goblin Lord, and a wide grin split his face.
Because now… One red dot glowed bright on the monster’s body.
He took a single step forward, then another, closing the distance.
The Goblin Lord snapped out of his hesitation and yanked his club back for a heavy swing.
But Leon whispered the second skill:
“Last Rise.”
His mind blacked out.
Blink-Blink
Leon woke up in a field.
An endless grassy horizon, wind whispering through the grass. Above, a pale half-moon shimmered on the edge of the world.
And before him stood… an old man holding a sword.
“Hm? You don’t look like you belong to one of my descendants,” the old man said, his voice calm but curious. “Who are you, and how did you acquire this skill?”
Leon blinked in confusion, standing up. “Where….. am I?”
“You’re inside the blade you’re holding,” the old man said. “Don’t worry-time flows very slow in here. Now, answer my question.”
“I got it from a guy named Nemo. I tried to save him, but-“
“Did he die by the sword?” the old man interrupted, a sigh escaping him.
“…Yeah. I killed him. But I didn’t want to-“
“I see.” The old man shook his head slowly. “So you’re the new heir. I’ll show it to you… not sure if you’ll be able to catch it.”
He stepped back and drew his sword. With a soft breath, he moved it in a slow circular arc-left to right. As it moved, phantom swords followed behind like an echo of motion, hypnotic and elegant.
‘Beautiful… Leon thought as he stared at the phantom swords.
“Last Rise,” the old man whispered-
And then, in a blink, he vanished and reappeared in front of Leon.
SLASH
Leon was cut down.
“What the-“
Leon snapped back to reality.
The Goblin Lord’s club was coming down. Fast.
“Last Rise…” Leon whispered, steadying his sword near his left leg.
He began to move it-slow, circular, just like the old man had.
The blade shimmered.
Phantom swords appeared in its wake.
The Goblin Lord froze. His red eyes locked onto the trail, entranced like a creature under a spell.
But the trail faltered. The trance broke as soon as it started.
“GRRRRRRAAA!!” the Goblin Lord roared and raised his weapon.
But it was too late.
*Swish*
Leon’s blade struck clean-right on the Goblin Lord’s neck, where the red mark glowed.
With one blow, the Goblin Lord’s head flew through the air, spinning, before thudding to the ground.
Thump