11 Victory

I gritted my teeth, realizing that the situation had just become more precarious. A second Goblin, armed with a bow, meant that I had to contend with ranged attacks while dealing with the wounded Goblin at my feet.

"Ughh..."

Ignoring the pain on my cheek, I steadied myself and assessed the situation. The wounded Goblin was on the verge of collapse, struggling to maintain its hold on consciousness. Its companion in the treetops was sizing me up, no doubt calculating the best angle to shoot another arrow my way.

"You won't escape either..."

I muttered through clenched teeth.

With the adrenaline still coursing through my veins, I made a split-second decision. I charged at the injured Goblin, using the element of surprise to my advantage. As I closed in, I swung my branch downward, delivering a powerful strike to its head.

Thud...

The wounded Goblin's eyes rolled back, and it collapsed to the ground, motionless. I had neutralized one threat, but I couldn't afford to dwell on my victory for long. I had to act swiftly if I wanted to survive this encounter.

𝙆𝙞𝙆𝙞𝙆𝙞𝙆𝙞𝙆𝙞...

The Goblin in the treetops, witnessing its companion's demise, let out an enraged cry and fired an arrow in my direction.

Swish...

I dodged to the side, narrowly avoiding the deadly projectile. It was clear that this Goblin was a skilled archer, and I needed to find a way to close the distance and eliminate its advantage.

Thinking on my feet, I sprinted towards the nearest tree, using it as cover from the Goblin's arrows. I could hear the twang of its bow and the thuds as the arrows embedded themselves in the bark around me.

Huff...

I circled the tree, staying low and moving quickly to evade the Goblin's aim. I kept my eyes fixed on the Goblin, waiting for the right opportunity to strike. It was clear that my branch would be of little use against a foe perched high above.

Swish...

As the Goblin pulled another arrow from its quiver, I seized my chance. Timing my move with precision, I dashed out from behind the tree and lunged at the trunk, propelling myself upward with all my might.

Grabbing hold of a low-hanging branch, I managed to swing myself up into the treetops. The Goblin's eyes widened in surprise as I landed on the same branch, mere feet away from it.

With a surge of determination, I launched myself at the Goblin, tackling it to the ground. We grappled, each of us fighting for control, our strength matched against one another.

"You fucker!"

Using every ounce of my strength, I managed to overpower the Goblin, pinning it to the forest floor. It struggled and thrashed beneath me, but I held on with an unyielding grip.

Breathing heavily, I locked eyes with the struggling Goblin beneath me. Its snarls and hisses filled the air, its wild eyes filled with a mix of fear and defiance. It was a fierce creature, and I couldn't afford to underestimate it.

With a quick twist of my body, I disarmed the Goblin, knocking the bow out of its hands. It clawed and bit at me, desperate to break free, but I maintained my hold, refusing to let go.

"..."

Using my free hand, I searched for anything I could use to incapacitate the creature. My fingers closed around a small rock, and without hesitation, I brought it down with force, striking the Goblin's head.

Thud...

The rock struck the Goblin's head, and for a moment, it seemed to go still. But to my surprise, its eyes narrowed, and a wicked grin twisted across its face. In a swift and unexpected move, the Goblin managed to wriggle free from my grasp, slipping out of my hold like a slippery eel.

My heart raced as I realized my mistake. I had underestimated the cunning and resilience of this creature. The Goblin's hand darted into its tattered clothes, emerging with a small, wicked-looking dagger glinting in the dappled sunlight.

"Damn it!"

I cursed under my breath.

Without wasting a second, the Goblin lunged at me with a ferocious snarl, brandishing the dagger with deadly intent. Its movements were swift and calculated, driven by a desperate desire to survive.

I barely had time to react as the blade whizzed through the air, narrowly missing my arm. Instinctively, I twisted my body, trying to evade the Goblin's onslaught. But the creature was relentless, slashing and thrusting with reckless abandon.

My heart pounded in my chest as I danced on the edge of danger. Each dodge, each parry was a gamble, a dance with death. I knew that I had to find an opening, a moment of vulnerability in the Goblin's assault, or I would succumb to its relentless onslaught.

The Goblin's dagger sliced through the air, narrowly missing my arm once again. I could feel the rush of wind as it whistled past me, a chilling reminder of the imminent danger I faced. The Goblin's attacks were swift and precise.

With each clash of our weapons, the sound reverberated through the forest, a discordant symphony of steel meeting wood. The Goblin's eyes burned with a primal intensity, its feral instincts guiding its every move. I knew I couldn't let my guard down for even a fraction of a second.

As we circled each other, a wicked grin crept across the Goblin's face. It seemed to revel in the chaos, feeding off the adrenaline-fueled frenzy of our battle. The creature's tattered clothes hung loosely around its frame, allowing it the agility to strike with lightning speed.

In a flurry of movements, the Goblin executed a series of feints and slashes, pushing me back with relentless force. Its dagger was an extension of its arm, an instrument of destruction honed through countless encounters.

"Shit..."

Although the Goblin was an archer and not a melee fighter, it had proven to be more than capable in close combat.

Whoosh...

As the Goblin lunged forward once again, its dagger aimed at my throat, I made a split-second decision.

Summoning every ounce of strength and agility, I sidestepped the attack, narrowly avoiding the razor-sharp blade. At that moment, a surge of determination coursed through me, propelling me forward. Taking advantage of the Goblin's temporary loss of balance, I unleashed a swift and powerful strike.

Using the momentum of my dodge, I pivoted on my heel, rotating my body with precision. My clenched fist connected with the Goblin's jaw, a resounding crack reverberating through the air. The force of the blow sent the Goblin reeling backward, momentarily stunned.

Thud...

Seizing the opportunity, I pressed forward, driving my advantage home. With a swift motion, I closed the distance between us, my forearm crashing into the Goblin's chest. The impact knocked the wind out of the creature, causing it to stumble further.

Refusing to relent, I followed up with a series of calculated strikes, targeting vulnerable areas. My weapon connected with the Goblin's ribs, eliciting grunts of pain. With each blow, I felt the satisfaction of gaining the upper hand.

Finally, I saw my chance. The Goblin's defenses were beginning to crumble, its movements growing more predictable. In a split-second decision, I took advantage of a slight hesitation in its attack.

As the Goblin's dagger swung toward me, I seized the opportunity, sidestepping the strike and redirecting its momentum. With a fluid motion, I deflected the blade, guiding it harmlessly past me.

And at that moment, the tide of the battle shifted irrevocably. Capitalizing on the Goblin's vulnerability, I lunged forward, my own weapon finding its mark. With a swift and precise strike, I struck my weapon to the Goblin's head, causing blood to splash everywhere.

The Goblin's eyes widened in disbelief, a final gasp escaping its lips. It slumped to the forest floor, its body growing limp and lifeless.

The battle was over.