NOVEL NEXT Chapter 96: Defeating the Goblin King!
Solemn silence gripped the group like a chokehold. No one spoke, no one moved. Their expressions were pale and hollow, a mixture of disbelief, humiliation, and despair.
Two hours.
That wasn't even enough time to properly set up camp, much less conquer a mid-tier dungeon. But Ethan—no, Leon Grimveil—had not just conquered it… he was devouring it.
Their original plan had involved resting between battles, gradually wearing down the Goblin forces, taking care not to overextend. In their minds, they would triumph together against the Goblin King after a hard-fought journey.
But now?
That vision had been reduced to ash.
Their pride as elite members of Desperado—shattered. Completely and utterly shattered.
Elira clenched her fists, trembling. "We're not even going to get one kill…"
It was a quiet, bitter truth. Everything they'd come across since entering had been nothing but aftermath. Blood-stained ground, scattered goblin corpses, craters in the earth left by overwhelming force—trails of destruction left behind by Ethan, over and over.
They were chasing shadows.
Each new scene of carnage chipped away at their confidence until only helplessness remained.
"How do we go back to Nexa like this…?" one of the party members muttered under their breath.
And that was the real wound. The Desperado Guild even the low tier rank 1 members was known for its speed-clears. Their reputation built on efficiency, on coordination, on results.
But this?
This would stain them for months—maybe years.
Garron Flintblade turned to their leader, his face ashen and voice grim. "What should we do, leader?"
All eyes fell on Rynel Vaen.
And the weight on his shoulders threatened to crush him.
He had made the call to let Ethan join them. He had ignored the initial doubts, thinking it would be harmless—perhaps even helpful. He remembered the looks of ridicule his team gave Ethan when they first saw him… remembered how they dismissed him outright.
And now, the very person they looked down on had destroyed everything.
'Leon Grimveil… just who the hell are you…?'
Why couldn't they find any background information? Why did it feel like he had been sent by the heavens just to humble them?
He felt a cold sweat slide down his back as he imagined the sneering faces of the other Desperado members when they returned. No achievements. No loot. No contribution.
Just humiliation.
Rynel clenched his jaw, fists curling with frustration. He had led many successful raids before. He had carried his team, earned their trust. But this?
This was something no amount of leadership could fix.
His voice was low, but resolute.
"…We head to the beam. As fast as possible."
The others blinked in surprise.
Rynel raised his head, his eyes filled with quiet pain—but also clarity.
"I don't care if we make it in time or not. I just… I want to try. Even if I fail, at least my heart will be at peace knowing I did everything I could."
A heavy silence followed. Then slowly—one by one—they nodded. They all felt the same way.
They couldn't go back without trying. Even if they didn't stand a chance, even if they never landed a single blow on the Goblin King— They had to try.
Even if only to protect the last fragments of their pride.
*****
Meanwhile, Ethan soared through the skies atop Kaeryx, the wind shrieking past as the black dragon cut through the air like a phantom. The green beam of light loomed closer with each passing second, pulsing faintly against the overcast sky like the heartbeat of the dungeon itself.
Unlike before, the land below was unnaturally still. Not a single goblin remained. The hordes, the warcries, the chaos—it was all gone. Only silence lingered now.
The remnants of battle marked the land like scars—craters torn into the earth, shattered weapons, smoldering goblin corpses strewn across scorched terrain. Ethan had looted the weapons of the slain Goblin Generals earlier—crude but unique Rank 1 gear, valuable enough to fetch a good sum if sold.
But none of that mattered now.
Ethan's eyes narrowed as they approached the beam's origin. Something—someone—was waiting.
At the very base of the green pillar, a lone goblin knelt.
It wasn't like the others.
This one exuded presence.
It was positioned directly in front of the beam, one knee on the ground, its hunched yet broad form looming in silent reverence. Both hands gripped the hilt of a massive Greatsword, the tip of its chipped, blackened blade buried in the earth. Its head bowed low as if in solemn meditation, emerald skin glinting under the spectral glow of the rune-light. Wind tugged at its tattered, kingly mantle—frayed and bloodstained.
And then—
Its head lifted.
Fiery green eyes ignited like twin lanterns beneath its jagged brow.
It saw Ethan.
And in that single moment—the stillness shattered.
The Goblin King vanished from sight.
A sharp gust exploded around Ethan as his eyes widened.
'Fast—!'
In a heartbeat, the goblin was in the air beside him, its massive Greatsword raised high, gleaming with malicious energy. It came down in a devastating arc, aiming to cleave Ethan in two—
—but the blow never landed.
FWOOOSH—!!
Kaeryx let out a low, thunderous snort.
In the blink of an eye, the dragon's tail swept in a blur, striking the Goblin King midair like a steel whip. The impact resounded like a detonation.
BOOM—!!
The goblin was sent hurtling to the ground like a flaming comet, crashing into the earth below with brutal force. The resulting crater shook the surroundings, stone and soil exploding outward.
Ethan landed gracefully a short distance away, watching with calm eyes.
Kaeryx hovered above, its wings unfurled like a tyrant's throne.
'Such impudence. Master, allow me to deal with this insolent creature.'
The dragon's telepathic voice was a mixture of cold fury and hunger.
"Hm." Ethan gave a slight nod, hands behind his back. "Do as you wish."
The moment those words left Ethan's lips, Kaeryx's golden eyes gleamed with savage joy.
It had waited far too long for a chance to play.
The goblin groaned, rising shakily from the crater, blood trailing down its misshapen jaw. Its armor cracked, its grip on the Greatsword trembling.
But it wasn't done.
With a guttural roar, it burst forward again—ignoring Kaeryx completely—its bloodlust honed on Ethan. The King's blade swung out in a killing arc, determined to take Ethan's head even if it meant its own death.
"Pitiful," Kaeryx growled.
Like a phantom, the dragon moved—far faster than a creature its size should.
CRACK—!
A single clawed foreleg intercepted the goblin mid-charge, backhanding it out of the air with contemptuous ease. The force shattered stone upon impact, forming another deep crater as dust shot into the sky.
Before the goblin could rise—
A swirling orb of flame materialized beside Kaeryx's outstretched claw.
The core of it burned with a golden hue, a flame not of this world.
FWOOOOM—!!!
The fireball screamed through the air and collided with the goblin, engulfing it instantly.
The goblin wailed in agony—not from the heat, but from something deeper. Its shrieks were raw, primal. The flames licked not just flesh, but soul.
Its very essence sizzled, as though reality itself sought to purge its existence.
Kaeryx's voice rumbled low and deep like distant thunder, laden with disdain.
"Screech, filth. Let your soul feel what it means to offend a being beyond you."
The goblin writhed, clawing at its burning body, but still—it didn't fall.
Ethan watched with faint intrigue as the creature staggered upright once more, body still smoldering, pieces of charred flesh falling off with each breath. Its knees wobbled, but its grip on the Greatsword remained firm.
With a roar of defiance, it charged once more—toward Ethan.
Ethan raised a brow.
'Still coming? Even after that?'
A small nod of acknowledgment touched the corner of his lips.
"…Not bad."
But Kaeryx was done playing.
As the goblin leapt into the air, intent on a final blow—
Kaeryx appeared before it once more.
Its eyes were like molten suns.
Its claw whipped out again—SLAM—!
The goblin's body was flung sideways, bouncing off the earth like a discarded rag.
"Foolish."
The word echoed from Kaeryx's maw, sharp as blades, cold as glaciers.
The goblin lay motionless, gasping for breath, its will still clinging to life—but its body nearly broken.
And Kaeryx stepped forward, each step a tremor.
The earth quaked beneath the might of the Sovereign Dragon, dust rising around its scaled feet as it loomed over the broken goblin like death incarnate.
The Goblin King coughed out blackened blood, its body trembling, its armor shattered beyond recognition. Bones cracked audibly as it tried—desperately—to push itself up with one arm, the other hanging limply at its side.
Even now, it refused to yield.
Its eyes, once blazing with pride, now flickered like dying embers. Yet that stubborn flame remained, the will to fight, the will to protect whatever pride a king of monsters might still cling to.
Kaeryx's eyes narrowed.
'Disgusting.'
The dragon raised its clawed hand high into the sky, shadowing the goblin beneath. And without a word—
BOOM—!!!