CHAPTER 8: ENGAGING THE ENEMIES

Absorbing their energy power essence and refine it into his, Neil get a bountiful harvest, his energy Power are at 200, reaching the level of Intermediate-Class Battle Sage, but Neil distributed again his power to Lily White, making his power back to 150 while lily white reached to 160 power level, Neil wants to ensure that they can last long in a battle of attrition if they meet a numerous Rank D or few Rank C level threat Voids.

After leaving the camp of the orcs, Neil order to Lily White to return in his Null Realm and rest, he has a plan for Lily White and also to challenge himself in solo mission and see how his expertise in lone combat proficiency reached.

“I must collect more power before the recruitment season arrives and be prepared for any worse to come” Neil thought as he continue to venture the woods and making his way to the abandoned castle.

After few minutes of walking deep into the forest, Neil arrives at castle gate, in there he met the enemies with strong presence which he predicted that the encounter will come eventually, there is a goblin Paladin, Troll Warlord, Orc Warchief and a Kobold Shaman, the four of them are Waiting for the Pink Skin that mercilessly murder their kin in a brutal and gruesome fashion.

“Puny Human, me crush your bones and skull!” Orc warchief spoke with deep hatred in his voice.

“You,,, come,,, to your,,, grave” Goblin Paladin joins in.

“After I kill you, I will find that ice woman and turn her into my finest baby maker!” Troll Warlord cut in as he lick his two tusk teeth.

“Strong one, do you wish to be sacrificed yourself for the born of our mighty champion? Then come and be ready!” Kobold Shaman spoke as he started to chant his spell and made a warping portal.

“I,,, Goblin,,, paladin,,, will,,, be your,,, opponent,,, in great,,, entrance hall!” The Goblin Palatine announce his challenged to Neil.

“Well, let see who will have the last breath” Neil replied with his eyes become sharp and charmingly beautiful.

The four enter the portal and the portal disappeared, the castle gate opens as a numerous goblin warriors appeared, goblin archers are start to appeared in above the castle walls with their bow and arrow already point at Neil.

Neil breathy sigh, he then readied himself as he run in full throttle speed, goblin archers release their poisonous arrow to shot him down but utterly failed to hit him in his ridiculous speed, Neil engaged the goblin warriors as he readied his runic sword and mace, bashing their shield with his light infused elemental mace and cut them down by his sharp lightning infused elemental sword.

Dodging their ludicrous attacks as Neil swing his weapon like he is dancing on the dance floor with numerous yet deadly patterns of smash and slash sequences, goblins on hit were turn into bloody mush when being brutally bash by mace or slice into halves by the sword.

Added by the chain lighting that electrified these small but deadly beings, Neil launch a particle light beams to the direction of the goblin archers, killing them in process or injured them as light beams pierced and destroy their bows.

Neil continue his swift assault with nimbleness and unpredictable moves, less couple of minutes, half of the goblin warrior numbers are lifeless piling up in the gates, some goblins are retreating in terror, Neil chuckled, typical instinct of these monsters when facing something stronger than them is to run for their life and regroup with others to fight against it.

Neil let them escape as he proceed to the castle gates, he inspect the architectural structure of the castle, the keep seems desolated but not truly destroyed, watch towers, buildings for the royal maids and servants are also in there, storage room and stabled are still not entirely destroy by the old age and dust coverings.

“Null Ascension – Radar Scanner” Neil conjure his searching and detecting magic as he scans his surroundings, he found an unlock door at his left side and proceed there, entering the hall way, when a numerous goblins appeared with their shield and respective short sword, Neil engaged in battle as he dive straight in a flash.

Blocking all attacks by his lightning sword and counter very fast with his light mace, and if the situation is complicated, he dodge to the other side to get a breathing room and then attack in process, Neil swing his sword in a wild arc and killed two goblin warriors in a blink of a second, one goblin tries to jump on Neil for an ambush, but he meet the tip of that mace that smash deep to his bones.

“A futile attempt, but bold bravado” Neil voice with contempt as he continue to bash the enemies with his mace and parried their attack with his sword.

Jumping and sliding, Neil is really sneaky as ever, his sudden movements are hard to catch by the eyes of goblins, he proceed to kill them one by one, Neil goes into savagery as blocking one of the goblin's attack and swing his mace so hard the head of a poor goblin detached from its body and become a baseball that flew and hit his goblin allies on impact.

Neil swing his sword in wide arc, nearby goblins was cut in half in the blades range, despite its size, Neil wields it like a toy, using its chain lighting to brush the enemies and prevent them to go aggressive, dashing to close the gap or evading enemies attack, all of his training and hard work pays off.

Proceed to another building, Neil encounter a group of trolls arm with a spear, Neil return the mace back to his black crystal space storage and focus to his sword play, one troll dash with his spear ready to skewer Neil, but Neil made a sidestepping, dodging the piercing spear of the troll as he exposed defenseless spot.

“Scum,,,” Neil said as he swing his sword and beheaded the reckless troll.

Neil dashes to the enemy trolls as he leave the dead body of the reckless one as its blood sprayed on the floor, Jumping high with a wild swing arc performance, Neil cut the spear and the troll who wield it in one single strike, he is not done yet, upon landing on ground, he maneuver his position and propelled himself to the direction of another in a flash.

“Wretched creature!” Neil exclaimed as made a powerful strike to the slow reacting troll and cut him down in vertical line, Neil didn’t stop at that as the ambushing troll dash with its spear ready to stab Neil.

Neil shield himself with his sword to block the spear tip as the impact force pushes him a way a little bit and brought down him in his knees, finally someone manage to push him in such manner, Neil stood as he put his sword on his shoulder and face another group of trolls.

“Show me what you’ve got” Neil challenged the group of troll as the group respond with their spears are ready to stab him, as they run towards him with killing intent.

Neil dash to the first one in a flash swing his sword upwards and cut his arms away from his shoulder and swing again his sword in horizontal arc to beheaded the first one, slide to the next one as he stab it precisely to the heart and to the neck, he then duck to dodge the spear throw of the third one as he manage also to catch the ending pole of the spear and throw it to the fourth troll in a flash.

Neil then rolls to the side of the third and swing his sword in a curve arc, cut the the troll from left rib to right shoulder, the fifth trying to stab him but Neil is very evasive as he let the spear tip slide to his shoulder but it never manage to slash as it just pass through, Neil used his left hand to grasp of the face of the troll, using his brute force, he slams its head to the floor and stomped its face till it bleeds.

One troll remaining standing with a trembling expression as it starts run away, Neil never pursue it rather he move on the next alley, as he venture the dark alley, numerous goblins appeared snickering on waiting on him, Neil remain silent as he run very fast to their direction.

“Null Ascension – Radar Scanner”

Neil activated his skills and he found out a numerous goblins hiding next to him, this is gonna be problematic situation for him, Neil remain to be calm as he summon his runic mace again from his black orb space storage and hold it in his left hand, Neil breath deeply and exhale in total relaxation, with his Null spell casting as his radar, he will targeted the nearest goblin as possible.

Remembering the move set of possible anime character dual wielder's moves and how they coordinated their body to this kind of situation, Neil relaxed his mind and keen his sharp eyes on full focus.

“Be like a wind that never ceased to blow” he spat this words as the first goblin approach him with a small wooden club from the darkness.

Swing his sword faster than a lightning as he cut the goblin into two in a flash, he dashed to the nearest goblin on his radar sense as he smash his mace to the head of his second victim and beheaded the third one before they can make any reaction, Neil run very fast, jump higher to close the gap of his next target, Neil landed on next goblin and stab his sword on its pitiful mouth.

He smash his mace to the cheek of the next one but he is not finish as another following blow next to the head of the poor thing, Neil dash to the next target and stab it to the heart and slash upwards to reach to the head, running again like a Savage predator, the next goblin is terrified in the unstoppable force as it approach him, only to see a scarlet eyes shining.

That dark alley become silent in matter of minutes, Neil walk out to the next location which is the grand hall, in there, his first enemy boss appeared as it stood proudly with its fur coat and dark armor, holding a long blade the same height as him, with such imposing manner and prideful demeanor, waiting for Neil’s arrival.

“You’ve,,, come,,, at last” the goblin paladin spoke with impatient tone.

“Yah, yah, nice welcoming party for the likes of me, your armored highness” Neil immediately replied as he scan the whole hall way. “That saying, shall we dance?”

“Prepare,,, to,,, DIE!” Goblin paladin begins as he drawn his long sword as it shines with glistening silver cluster.

“Cool sword yah got there, your highness” Neil continue his bickering and drawn his runic spear, making his battle stance.

The two engaged in battle, exchanging blows to blows as the gust of winds around them became strong, first time Neil felt his very serious one on one battle, the goblin paladins is not just all bark but can bite too.

Swinging the long sword with brutal force of its natural strength is worth of Neil's recognition, but Neil strength is not just a so-so like he was once before, that’s why he fight head on to this Rank D level threat void monster, in terms of speed, strength and endurance, they are both in equal, but to the other criteria on scale, Neil is outclass his opponent in every aspect applied.

Goblin Palatine strike maybe powerful but its not refine strike, his reaction speed are pretty intermediate, only the goblin paladin can boast, its his battle experiences with other race or even human forces, but alas, he meet in battle right now has a double edge experience and weaponry mastery, each of the goblin paladin vicious and cruel attacks are being blocked, parried and deflected by Neil’s well precise and angled spear defense.

Goblin paladin made a powerful cleave but Neil duck and saw an opening, with a flashing speed, Neil thrust his spear to the armor plate of Goblin paladin, a powerful blowing force that the goblin paladin felt, a scrutinizing pain in his frontal rib, his armor plate create a Brocken dent where the powerful spear pierced, a blood leaked from his mouth, indicating how painful that attack Neil inflict.

“Amazing,,, not in,,,, times,,, I met,,, such,,, wondrous,,, enemy,,, like you”

Goblin paladin praised as he touched his Brocken chest armor, as he look to the distance he was pushed by the piercing death and its wielder, a short lady with a long spear, wielding it like a war god of ancient times without showing any openings.

“You flatter me with your words, your highness” Neil teased with a soft voice, he remain focus and steady as always.

“I guess,,,” the Goblin paladin replied as he made a battle stance and prepare to engage Neil again.

“Lets dance!” Neil challenged again as he dash very fast in blink of a second, pointing his spear to its target and perform a numerous and countless stabs.

The goblin paladin tries to block and shrug off the pincer attacks but unable to cope up in its incredible speed as his whole body felt the blows deep within his armor, Neil struck his spear in the ground and prepare a round house double kick, hitting the goblin paladins as he was sent flying far away from Neil, but Neil was not finished, he must kill this guy to reduce the time he spending off.

“ No more games, let’s finish this!” Neil's femine serious tone echoed in the whole hall way as charge again.

The goblin paladin that was sent flying retracted its body to land in the cold floor of the hall way safely as it kneeled on the momentum of its landing, facing the silhouette of his adversary coming to get him.

“Come! My little,,, prey!” goblin paladin smiled as he readied his sword and meet the sharp spear of Neil.

The exchanging of blows comes next, but Neil is very fierce in his attack, making no room for the goblin paladin to counter and forcing him to defend all of Neil’s assault thrown to him.

“RAAGGRRHH!!!” Goblin Paladin roared as his blade shine with a glowing luster, indicating his blade evolve into something more powerful.

“I was waiting for that, you will not reach such height without that runic long sword you have” Neil's cold voice filled of contempt and looking down of Goblin paladin. “But goblin is a goblin”

Neil deep heavily as he stood in different battle stance of wielding his long spear, he visualize the move set of a powerful spear wielding character he remember, positioning himself in the way that the anime character he visualize did when performing his deadly blow.

The two engage in serious battle, but Neil's way of approach of attacking is differ, it is more quicker, more refine than his previous style, almost to the unpredictable state of move set, whenever the goblin paladins made a powerful cleave strikes with his magic imbued long sword, Neil never parried it but letting it pass though to his side as he made a side step or dash and made a powerful counter.

Dent after dent form in the goblin Paladins armor, he felt a numerous blows hitting him mercilessly, he can’t cope up the speed of Neil, before he can fight toe to toe with this pink skin, but now, he was pushed back, he, the goblin paladin, stood on the pinnacle of power of his kin, will find himself in this battle as helpless and a big joke.

Rage filled the eyes of Goblin Paladin, his strikes become more vicious and fast, Neil notice it too, he smiled on this kind of development, he never thought the goblin paladin are easily to pissed, because the goblin paladins puts all of its strength to the offensive, the blind spots and weak point appears, in this situation, Neil already grasp its victory.

Suddenly a powerful piercing force stab the goblin paladin to the heart, bringing him down to his knees as he spat a mouthful of blood as he saw a runic spear manage to pierced his chest perfectly to the dent hole of his armor suit, everything in his vision become blur, the last thing he saw is the smile of his perpetrator, claiming his death by its hands.

Neil get the runic long sword, this blade may come on handy in future, he also absorb the goblin paladins essence energy, it was rich energy, as expected of boss stage rewards, Neil regime the energy power and he accumulated of another 150 power level, much higher than the Void Ape beast he kill back then, now with a total of 300 power level, he can fight more powerful foes head on.

“Now time to move” Neil muttered as he leave the hall and continue to venture the castle and slay some enemies on his way.

“There are three left big figures to kill”

Room after room, Neil continue his slaughter on goblins, trolls and even meet some orcs, making a huge chaos on every way possible, Neil continue his scanning to every room he proceed, not even dare to be careless, well as he expected, ambushes are everywhere, even sneak attacks make by the goblins is very obvious to him, after a long way of journey of killing and tearing, Neil power energy level is at 400.

As Neil entered one of the gardens, he felt numerous non hostiles presence, captives perhaps, Neil continue to proceed the garden, when he step to the middle of the garden, he witness a heart tearing scene, women of different ages are being raped by goblins and trolls alike while being restrained by the chains, in the other side of the garden, he troll warlord sit in his throne with one lady sitting atop of him with a inflated belly and climaxed complexion can be seen.

“Well that was anti-climatic scene we have here” Neil start speaking as his gaze are all over the place, so this is the troll warlord errotic battlefield. “You like to play sword and shield with ladies too much, I can tell,,,”

“Bwahahahaha! Weakling that pussy goblin paladin, thinking he can beat a not so simple intruder like you” Troll warlord spoke as he raised in his throne and removed the poor girl from being stuck in his “thing” and dump her in the other side of the throne like a rag doll.

Exposing his huge and well erected “thing” in front of Neil like he doesn’t give a damn in his existence while the poor lady at the side of the throne crying and twitching, being impregnated by this monster is the humiliating experience she have till she give her last breath.

Neil summon his lightning sword and light mace, he maybe calm and composed outside but deep inside, he is very angry and quiet pissed on seeing people treated in that way, he saw many gruesome things back then on TV, even in anime and manga, but this is the first time he witness it with his own eyes, there is no more words to describe such experience, only thing that came to Neil’s mind is to cut down this rapist.

“Eager to fight me? Very good! That’s more like to it” the troll warlord whistle as the other troll appeared with his light armor suit and his signature blades, in a spam.of few seconds, he is wearing his battle gear and fully prepared. “Before I kill you, where is the snow lady? I like her so much, that a simple glance at her making me-“

“Blah blah blah! Can we start already?” Neil cut in, he is really pissed right now.

“Bwahahahaha! Ok I get it, I'm just merely praising such beauty and can’t wait for her to become one with me” troll warlord chuckled as he dash suddenly in front of Neil, blades are at the point of slashing his throat.

Neil swing his blade in diagonal angle, stopping the indecent monster on his surprise attack, making him to step back, the trolls and goblin present there didn’t dare to make a move, it was their instinct not to interfere or join in the battle without their lord's permission.

Neil dash again with an incredible speed, he swing his weapon in a flowing pattern of attack, surprising the troll warlord and make him put into a defensive situation, but Neil cannot be underestimated, he knew how to use daggers too, and know what its strength and its weaknesses, although the troll warlord may block his weapons, Neil’s feet is free after all, launching a straight kick to the balls of troll warlord is good thing distraction.

Hitting in his weak lower area is truly unbearable that even make him bend to his knees, that kick packs a wallop, if a normal human were put on the same spot of troll warlord, their “thing” will be distort in process plus the unbearable pain that make the unable story stand for a long time.

Neil saw an openings appear as he made a powerful combo, smashing his light mace at the rib side of the troll warlord, while his blade pressing the troll warlords dual daggers to unable it from blocking his mace, the impact again was powerful as few ribs are broken despite the light armor take most of the damage, the troll warlord was gawked in the sudden turn of Neil.

The troll warlord tumble backwards but Neil was hot on pursuit, not letting the troll warlord to have an edge to counter as he rained it with numerous assault, troll warlord was in stale mate situation, finding a way to counter but the openings are not showing in Neil's attack, as for Neil, he calculated his attack to ensure not showing openings and not easily to tire himself from barrage of performance.

“You fools! Take him down!” Troll Warlord finally gave in the order, Neil was never surprised for it. “Damn you! “

The trolls and goblins attack and pounce on Neil in coordinated movements, but Neil is not simple as to kill, he withdrawn his two elemental runic weapons and summon his spear, spinning this runic long metal with a deadly tip as Neil maneuver it around his body, five to seven trolls and goblins caught in the range of the spear, being cut down and slashed by extreme spinning speed that Neil performs.

“Goblins, trolls, orcs, kobold and Minotaur race, same monsters, different worlds” Neil shrugged, he just made a battle stance of his spear when a numerous arrows coming from goblin archers flew to hit him.

Neil spin his spear as he slide to other direction, deflecting numerous arrows while dodging some of it, Goblins and trolls pursue him, troll warlord is also on hot pursuit and using his men as meat shield.

Neil dash to the chasing group as he perform a powerful impact stab, skewered one troll and two goblins in succession, he then pulled his spear and swing in wide arc, beheading the nearby trolls that want to make a sneak attack on him, Neil jumps high, withdrew his spear and summon his ace as he smash the ground the flaming fury axe, a powerful flame wave unleashes and burn the trolls and goblins that inside the range of area attack of Neil's runic axe.

“Show yourself coward, don’t tell me, your this kind of weak?” Neil taunt as her eyes shining in crimson red and her red violet braided hair sways.

Neil continue to walk toward the direction of the troll warlord, suddenly a barrage of knives appeared from the flames, straight to Neil, Neil slide to the side immediately as he withdraw his axe and change it back into lighting sword, he must end this cat and mouse game.

“Null Ascension – Radar Scanner” Neil invoke his null spell, revealing the location of troll warlord that hoping from one direction to another as he throws a barrage of knives at him in simultaneously speed.

“Null Ascension – Enhancement”

Neil dash in incredible speed, tailing the troll warlord in the wide garden as he jumps in to the direction that the troll warlord heading to, it surprise the troll warlord on how Neil tracked him so easily while he change a random location to harass Neil by his knives while using the flames as cover.

“You!” Troll Warlord said as he change his pair of knives and return to use the daggers he frequently use.

“Me” Neil replied with a taunting smile, slam his sword to the Troll Warlord, the latter blocked it with a gritting teeth as he felt the presence of Neil become more stronger than he was before.

“Play times over” Neil activated the runic spell of lighting charges of the runic sword, as the sword go over heat and become a shiny metal as the lighting charges infuse with Neil’s strengthening energy.

“Don’t tell me,,,” troll warlord surprised in the sudden development of Neil's sword, a powerful surge of energy flow from his body down to his arms and weapon, he sense an inevitable danger.

It cut the daggers like a butter, straight to the arms of troll warlord, reaching to his light armor chest, penetrates deep within his armor closer to his rib, a huge deep rift wound appear, before the Troll Warlord can scream in deep pain and agony, Neil’s free left hand pierce through the armor, reaching to his open wide chest, gripped to his heart.

“Don’t speak, just die!”

Words coming from the soft lips of Neil as he crush the heart of the troll warlord, ending his life without resistance, and the garden become silent again, deep inside of Neil’s null realm, Lily White smile as she recovering her strenght and wait for the right time for her to join in battle.