Though a boss monster, ostensibly a great threat able to annihilate a half-dozen unwary delvers within moments, the goblin shaman did have one major disadvantage.

It was still a goblin.

A large goblin, with exceptional magical abilities, yes. But large for a goblin still meant… it came a little above Levi’s waist. More than twice the size of the not-quite knee-high gremlins, but far from the oversized ogre.

And while the more mana and other stats a creature had, the less physical size mattered… right now, it was only level 1, and Levi was level 4. Even with its ‘+’ status as a boss. For all he knew of generalities, he’d never faced this specific boss before. He usually assumed every enemy in a dungeon was intended to be deadly, but these level 1 dungeons were severely testing his ability to continue taking them seriously.

Levi dispensed with anything complicated.

He ran up to the goblin shaman and punched it in the jaw, then grabbed its staff and yanked hard.

Level 1+

(Goblin Shaman)

Health 136%

The sudden motion and attack disrupted the goblin’s spellcasting, the gathered power dispelling in a burst of heat and light that didn’t do more than cause minor discomfort. Well, it did knock Levi’s health down by 4 and scorched the hair on the back of the hand holding the staff nearest the power crystal, but that was hardly worth mentioning.

The goblin’s grip was astoundingly strong for a creature whose head failed to reach Levi’s chest. Levi failed to pull the weapon away, leading to a brief tugging match as both tried to yank it away. The incensed goblin screeched angrily at him, but Levi didn’t release the staff.

While he kept the boss in place and held its attention, Gremlin Two ran up and leapt into the air, Levi’s knife held tight in both hands, slamming it into the goblin’s back. It penetrated deep, then Two’s weight dragged the blade down in a jagged tear.

Level 1+

(Goblin Shaman)

Health 129%

Then the gremlin twisted, slamming his scythe-like horn into the goblin’s back, scoring a horizontal slash to match his vertical one.

Level 1+

(Goblin Shaman)

Health 128%

The goblin kicked Levi viciously, but with his many layers of protective clothing the blunt impact barely left a bruise. Furious, the goblin tugged hard on its staff, trying to pull it free of Levi’s grip.

The goblin may be strong enough not to release its weapon, but Levi was no weaker. He gripped the staff tight, keeping it moving in random jerks and preventing the shaman from getting any spells off. Meanwhile, Gremlin Two continued to savage the goblin’s back with knife, horn, and claws.

Level 1+

(Goblin Shaman)

Health 118%

For a moment, Levi dared to imagine this might be the easiest boss fight ever. The corrosive mana dart from earlier had dissipated by now, and his regen steadily working to repair the damage. It still hurt, a steady uncomfortable heat in his side pulsing with his rapid heartbeat, but wasn’t going to cause any more harm.

Then the goblin screeched and raised its free hand, green light gathering around its entire body.

“Get back!” Levi released the staff and jumped back. Gremlin Two heeded his warning and threw himself away, escaping just in time as power exploded outwards in a wave from the shaman, hissing and snapping.

The goblin laughed and capered for a moment, gleeful at escaping the tug-of-war with an evenly matched opponent. Without warning it raised the staff above its head in both hands, then slammed it down. Green power flared out from the contact point, a straight line of green flame burning itself across the room and up the far wall. Unlike the other spells, it didn’t splash and dissipate. This fire lingered, drying out the ground and crisping nearby moss as it continued to blaze.

Levi could jump over it if necessary, but it added another hazard to the arena. One more thing to keep track of.

He crouched and sprinted away from the goblin, leaping aside as his instincts responded to an unseen attack from behind. He reached the far wall, where the shattered remnants of a crystal lay speared into the ground. Shifting his course, he scooped up one of his throwing rocks in each hand, then ran back at the goblin boss.

It had shifted its attention, firing corrosive bolts at Gremlin Two, who kept trying to reach the boss but couldn’t close the distance without being blasted back.

Levi grinned. He wouldn’t dare attempt this at higher levels, but right now…

He ran up behind the distracted goblin, and smashed the rocks into its skull from both sides with all his strength.

Level 1+

(Goblin Shaman)

Health 115%

Then again, and again.

Level 1+

(Goblin Shaman)

Health 111%

The goblin screamed in anger. It twisted, grabbing behind to claw at his chest, flailing with its staff as it tried to get him off. Levi was faster, twisting with the goblin to stay behind it as he kept smashing it with his rocks, refusing to let the boss reorient.

Level 1+

(Goblin Shaman)

Health 108%

The boss flared with green light. Gremlin Two leaped away, knowing better than to stay in range of that attack. For a moment, Levi considered staying and refusing to be intimidated, but he forced down the momentary cockiness and jumped back. Level 1 did not mean he could treat it casually. He had to remember that. Things he could have easily destroyed in a moment a week ago could hurt him now, he didn’t have the levels and equipment yet.

His brief hesitation meant he wasn’t fully clear of the blast, but it only dropped his health by 7. This attack didn’t even have any lingering health drain.

Levi turned to close the distance. This time, instead of an attack, the boss cast a spell that pulsed briefly white, then dissolved into its own chest. Levi couldn’t see what the spell did. Healing? That might be promising, if the boss used its spells at random instead of when necessary. Since it was still above 100%, a healing spell would do nothing. Of course, it might also be a subtle buff. That would be more dangerous.

Level 1+

(Goblin Shaman)

Health 101%

With Levi now taking the boss’s full attention, Gremlin Two resumed the attack. His health was much lower than Levi’s and dropping steadily from the corrosive dart attacks he’d taken during the brief time he’d held the aggro.

For a moment Levi considered ordering him to retreat. Gremlins simply were not sturdy enough to last long in boss fights. Well, it was only to be expected; if the boss and Levi could be thought of as roughly equal in strength, and Levi could dominate a gremlin without much effort, then it only made sense that the goblin shaman could do the same.

He still didn’t like the thought of losing his new minion so soon.

Of course he did have another option. He should have thought of it sooner.

“Two, get over here!”

His gremlin obligingly broke off his attack and scampered over, head tilted in query.

Levi shoved a restorative potion in his hands and pointed to the far wall. “Go over there, drink this, then rejoin the fight when you’re better.”

The boss took advantage of Levi’s neglecting his defence. A gout of green fire slammed into him, blasting him off his feet and setting his outer layer of protective clothing on fire.

Even as he landed, Levi unzipped and threw off the flaming jacket, rolling back to his feet. The attack only did minimal damage to his exposed face, the layers of clothing protecting him from much of it.

It seemed the boss’s flare attack could only be used once a minute, otherwise he would have been burning it repeatedly while Levi and Gremlin Two wore it down before. All its other spells required that staff.

So, back to plan A: get the staff away, or at least tie it up. Levi charged back in.

Level 1+

(Goblin Shaman)

Health 98%

If it was down to attrition, he had the clear advantage. They’d brought down basically a quarter of its health already.

Just had to keep playing it safe, and victory would be inevitable.