The Goblin Chieftain's roar thundered across the street, rattling broken glass and shaking the very air. Its massive frame loomed over the battlefield, three meters of corded muscle and green skin, scarred from battles it had clearly survived. In its hand was a crude but devastating iron club, the head dented and stained with old blood.
But it wasn't just the size that made Ji-hoon's chest tighten.
It was the eyes.
They weren't the mindless, hungry eyes of the lesser goblins. They were sharp, cunning, calculating.
The monster's gaze locked onto Ji-hoon, and its lip curled into something disturbingly close to a grin.
The system chimed.
[Bloodlust Surge Activated]Stronger enemy detected.+50% boost to all stats.
Ji-hoon felt the rush immediately his muscles tightening, senses sharpening, his heartbeat steadying into a predator's rhythm. But the Chieftain wasn't moving yet.
Instead, it barked something guttural to the goblins nearby.
"Kill….. others. Leave… nothing....alive."
The lesser goblins screeched and scattered, charging at civilians, Kronos users, anyone not holding the Beastbone Spear. The Chieftain wanted Ji-hoon for itself sensing he was the strongest prey.
The beast stepped forward, its club dragging sparks along the pavement. "Strong…..human. I…..enjoy….breaking… you."
Ji-hoon's grip tightened. "Try it."
The Chieftain lunged, but not recklessly. It feinted left before swinging right, the iron club whistling through the air. Ji-hoon barely dodged, the shockwave slamming into his shoulder and sending him staggering.
It's testing me.
He spun his spear into a thrust aimed at its gut. The fang tip struck but the Chieftain twisted at the last second, letting the shaft scrape across its ribs instead of piercing deep.
The monster's grin widened.
"Fast… spear…..I….impressed."
The fight escalated quickly.
The Chieftain herded Ji-hoon backward, its swings deliberate, forcing him against overturned cars and broken walls. Every strike shook the ground, sending debris flying.
Ji-hoon countered when he could, the Beastbone Spear flashing forward, but the Chieftain adapted. It angled its body, let blows glance off muscle, and even used its club defensively, intercepting thrusts with crude but effective parries.
Around them, civilians screamed, scrambling for safety. A few brave Kronos users tried to interfere hurling sparks of magic, swinging beginner swords but the Chieftain barked an order, and goblins swarmed to intercept them.
This was no wild animal. It was a commander.
Ji-hoon's chest heaved. The stat boost gave him speed, power, clarity but his HP was still low, and the Chieftain wasn't tiring.
The monster laughed, a guttural, broken sound. "Human… strong. But…. weak inside."
It slammed its club into the ground, shaking the pavement, then lunged forward in a blur of motion that belied its size. Ji-hoon dodged, but too late the back end of the club whipped around and smashed into his ribs.
Pain exploded through his body. He staggered, coughing blood.
[-31 HP]
The Chieftain raised the club again, eyes glinting. "Mine… win."
Ji-hoon steadied himself, spear trembling in his grip. If I fight it head-on, I'll lose. I need to outthink it.
His gaze flicked across the battlefield. Rubble. Broken cars. A fire spreading from a shattered stall.
An idea formed.
The Chieftain charged again, roaring. Ji-hoon sidestepped, thrusting his spear into its thigh, then ripped it free and sprinted toward the fire.
The monster followed, grinning as if sensing a trap. "Trick… me?"
It swung but Ji-hoon kicked a burning cart forward. The flames flared, momentarily blinding the beast.
Ji-hoon lunged.
The spear drove upward, piercing deep into the Chieftain's shoulder. The monster roared, staggering back. Its club fell from its right hand, useless.
But its other hand shot out like lightning, gripping Ji-hoon by the throat.
The world blurred as he was lifted into the air, the monster's grip crushing his windpipe.
"Die… now."
Ji-hoon gasped, struggling, the edges of his vision darkening. His hands tightened on the spear still lodged in the beast's shoulder.
And then the Fragment of Oblivion stirred.
A chill swept over the battlefield. The shadows seemed to lengthen.
[Passive Skill Activated: Echo of Fear]Enemies within 10m suffer -15% to all stats for 10 seconds.
The Chieftain froze. Its grip loosened, eyes widening as its muscles faltered. For the first time, fear flickered across its face.
Ji-hoon seized the moment. He drove his knee up into its chest, forcing space, then shoved the spear deeper into its body.
With a roar, he twisted the weapon, shoving until the fang tip burst out through the other side.
The Chieftain howled, its body convulsing. Its grip slipped, dropping Ji-hoon to the ground.
He landed hard, gasping for air. But he didn't stop.
With every ounce of strength left, he rammed the spear upward, piercing through the underside of the Chieftain's jaw.
The fang tip exploded out the top of its skull in a spray of black ichor.
The monster staggered, eyes wide, mouth moving soundlessly.
"...strong….human…..I…..acknowledge"
Then it collapsed, shaking the ground.
Silence.
The street was painted in blood, bodies strewn across the pavement. The goblins that remained scattered into the shadows, their leader slain.
Ji-hoon stood over the corpse, chest heaving, spear dripping with dark blood. His body screamed with pain, his HP dangerously low but he was alive.
The system chimed softly.
[Boss Defeated]EXP Gained: 1,200[2x Title Bonus Applied] → 2,400 EXPLevel Up! → Level 7New Skill Unlocked: [Piercing Thrust]
Ji-hoon exhaled slowly, pulling the spear free.
Around him, civilians and Kronos users whispered in shock.
"He fought it… like an equal…""No, stronger…""Did you hear it? The goblin… it spoke…"
Ji-hoon ignored them all. He looked down at the spear in his hands, its fang tip gleaming even through the gore.
Then at the corpse of the Chieftain, its eyes still wide with the echo of fear.
This was only the beginning.
The monsters weren't just beasts.
They were intelligent.
And the war for humanity's survival had truly begun.