As he placed his hands on the massive door leading to the boss room, his eyes glowing an ominous blue, like a predator, stalking its prey. He pushed the door open, and the creaking sound unleashed a cold air that swirled towards him with terrifying intensity, carrying the musty scent of ancient dust and damp earth, like a breath from the grave.
He stepped into the chamber, his senses on high alert, reflecting a measured dose of caution, like a gladiator, entering the arena. The room was shrouded in profound darkness, akin to the cold, oppressive void of blindness, like a tomb, silent and still. Cyan stood at the threshold, his gaze striving to pierce the blackness like a sharp blade seeking purchase, like a warrior, searching for his enemy. The soft blue luminescence from Luminite crystals behind him cast a feeble fight against the engulfing shadows, like a candle, flickering in the wind.
As he entered, the door closed behind him, extinguishing the slender light seepage, plunging him into a stagnant pool of pitch-black darkness, like a trap, closing in around him. Suddenly, the chamber erupted in a magnificent display of azure light cast by numerous Luminite crystals adorning the walls, illuminating a colossal goblin seated before him, like a giant, risen from the depths of the earth.
The creature wore a tattered skirt, a gruesome necklace crafted from human skulls, and a crown fashioned from human rib bones, sitting like a meditating monk with eyes closed in eerie calm, like a dark deity, worshipped by the goblins.
A bronze sword in Jin-ui's hands – a well-crafted blade he had taken from a goblin elite, like a trophy, a symbol of his strength. The instant he prepared himself, the goblin's eyes snapped open, blazing with intense red energy resembling fiery embers, like a volcano, erupting in fury. The goblin stood, its imposing height and bulging muscles suggesting a strength capable of repelling a missile, like a titan, a force of nature.
It wielded an iron log bristling with cruel spikes, like a club, a deadly instrument of destruction. Cyan swallowed a nervous gulp of saliva, the distinct sound of his throat working audible in the tense silence, betraying his underlying apprehension, like a child, facing his fears. Yet he knew he had to confront this – the closed door dictated "fight or die", like a ultimatum, a choice between life and death.
With resolve hardening, Cyan poised himself to fight, sword pointing directly at the goblin boss, his eyes blazing with steely determination, like a warrior, ready for battle. The goblin king unleashed a thunderous roar that shook the room's very foundations, a fearsome, primal cry that seemed endless, making the walls tremble as if on the verge of crumbling, like an earthquake, a force of nature.
In a blur, the boss closed the distance, swinging its spiked iron log in a devastating arc aimed for the kill, like a deadly strike, a coup de grâce.
"So fast!?" Cyan thought instinctively as the weapon descended like an instrument of doom, like a guillotine, a deadly trap. Reacting on pure instinct, Cyan threw himself to the left, barely escaping the log's crushing path, like a hair's breadth, a narrow escape.
The iron log struck the ground with tremendous force, fissuring the stone floor in a manner resembling a brief, localized earthquake, like a crack, a fissure in the earth. The resultant wind swirled the room like a miniature tornado; everything transpired so swiftly that Cyan barely survived the ferocity, like a leaf, blown by the wind.
"With its size, how can it be so fast," he pondered, his face profusely sweating, upper jaw clenched tightly, like a puzzle, a mystery, unsolved. The goblin swung its log repeatedly; Cyan dodged relentlessly, cognizant that a direct hit spelled instant defeat, like a game, a deadly dance, where every step counted.
He finally grasped the rationale behind Arise's brutal training – the enhanced speeds, the dodging prowess allowing a human like him to confront an E-rank boss monster, like a key, unlocking the secrets of survival.
As he dodged another powerful swing, Cyan blocked with his sword – a clash where brute strength would decide victory, like a test of wills, a battle of giants. His jaws seemed on the verge of snapping; sparks flew wildly from the weapons' contact, like a fireworks display, a spectacle of power.
Cyan's bare feet dug into the cracking ground; the goblin's raw power exceeded his expectations, like a tidal wave, a force of nature. Recognizing the mismatch in strength, Cyan deflected the blow to the ground, like a skilled matador, evading the bull's charge.
The iron log's impact unleashed massive destruction; broken rocks fragmented everywhere like shattering stone shards, like a explosion, a blast of energy.
Seizing the moment, Cyan jumped as high as possible, landing on the goblin's shoulders, stabbing the king's neck, like a ninja, striking from the shadows. The creature unleashed another deafening roar – a mix of pain and fury generating fierce winds that nearly dislodged Cyan, like a hurricane, a storm of fury.
Yet he was unyielding; his grip on the sword was commendable, muscles working at peak capacity, reflecting the intense training of past few years, like a warrior, forged in the fire of battle.
His face contorted with effort; the goblin king's roar of pain subsided into unsettling winds, like a storm, passing over. As the turmoil ceased, Cyan began moving swiftly across the goblin's massive form, the king attempting to swat him like an irritating insect using its enormous hands, like a giant, trying to swat a fly.
In a manner resembling a human futilely trying to swat a persistent mosquito, the goblin king's massive hands slapped wildly, but Cyan dodged with agile speed, running across the creature's body as his bronze sword pierced through flesh like a hot knife through butter, like a deadly dance, a lethal ballet.
Green blood gushed out copiously like a ruptured pipe, drenching Cyan; his entire form was soon coated in the viscous, emerald fluid, like a ghoul, risen from the grave.
Cyan: "Ahhhh...." he screamed, his eyes glowing an ominous blue, jaws stretched taut with unyielding determination echoing through the chamber, like a demon, unleashed upon the world.
The goblin's roars intensified with escalating pain, generating fierce winds as if attempting to dislodge Cyan, like a force of nature, a storm of fury.
After a brutal onslaught, the goblin king finally collapsed to its knees, seemingly on the brink of demise, its body hemorrhaging like a river in furious spate from severe cuts inflicted by Cyan's relentless blade, like a fallen giant, a titan, brought low.
He attacked with growing ferocity and speed, voice hoarse from intense screaming; though the goblin had fallen silent, Cyan's assault seemed fueled by blinding rage, like a wild animal, a beast, unleashed. When the goblin king fell completely still, Cyan knew he'd won – but needed certainty, like a hunter, ensuring his prey is dead.
He sprinted towards the creature's neck intent on decapitating it, running with unwavering focus across the goblin's back at incredible velocity, like a madman, a demon, possessed. As he poised for the fatal strike, jumping with tremendous momentum... The goblin king's eyes snapped open abruptly; it twisted its neck sharply left, causing Cyan to miss his target, like a trick, a trap, sprung.
"What the-" Cyan thought fleetingly as he fell, then was seized mid-air and hurled with the goblin's residual strength against the wall, like a ragdoll, a toy, tossed aside. The brutal impact wasn't pretty; the wall suffered massive damage, Cyan's blood painting the cracks like crimson streams, like a gruesome painting, a testament to the violence.
He was embedded in the wall, slowly sliding down; the attack had massively depleted his vitality – a staggering blow, like a knockout punch, a devastating strike. Cyan struggled to stand, kneeling painfully; his legs seemed damaged, like a wounded animal, a beast, brought low.
Blood cascaded from scalp to neck, shrouding his face in red; the agony was extraordinarily intense, prompting tears, like a child, a vulnerable creature, broken and battered. Suddenly, all wounds he'd inflicted began healing with incredible, instantaneous regeneration – the goblin king possessed a Regeneration passive art, like a phoenix, rising from the ashes.
Swiftly restored, the king rose, approaching Cyan with murderous intent clearly etched in its gaze, like a predator, stalking its prey.Cyan's tears shifted from pain to object fear, like a child, facing his darkest nightmare. "I don't want to die," he cried uncontrollably, like a desperate plea, a prayer to the gods.
The goblin king retrieved its iron log and hurled it with massive speed towards Cyan, his cries turning from cries of pain to cries of despair, like a doomsday prophecy, a fate sealed. As he saw death approaching, his thoughts escalated to a desperate yell, "Ahhhh," like a scream, a primal cry.
The iron log hurtled relentlessly; Cyan thought calmly, "Is this really the end... I don't want to die," his inner voice barely a whisper, like a leaf, shaking in the wind. Another voice echoed urgently, "Jaden!" like a ghostly whisper, a call from beyond.
CYAN: "Who... Is.... Jaden?" he calmly thought to himself, his inner voice barely above a whisper as he faded out, his eyes closing, with the iron log flying at him, his vision turning dark, like a curtain, falling.
Flashback... "Jaden, are you still scared?" like a gentle reminder, a memory from the past. "No, I am not!" young Jaden responded boldly, grinning widely, like a child, full of hope. "Then keep it safe for me okay..." his mom said warmly though her face wasn't visible, like a mother's love, a promise kept.
Present.... "I know That smile?" Cyan whispered in the dark; the iron log seemed to move in slow motion, like a dream, a nightmare. "Where have I seen that smile, where?" after a moment he recalled, not just the smile but everything, his entire life back in Canada as Jaden st Flyn, his entire past life, the hardship, it all came to him from a single smile, like a floodgate, opened.
CYAN: "Yes, how could I have forgotten. Mom" he calmly said his voice barely above a whisper, like a child, reunited with his mother. The full vision of his mother's face before reincarnation, long silky black hair like night sky, pale skin, gorgeous blue ocean-like eyes flashed vividly, like a painting, a masterpiece.
Cyan closed his eyes, calmly whispering in the darkness, "Mom..." like a prayer, a plea to the gods. "Yes dear," a whisper replied in the dark – perhaps his mind conjuring her voice, like a ghostly whisper, a call from beyond.
JIN-UI: "Please lend me your strength" he beseeched softly, like a child, seeking his mother's help. A magnificent white light approached him in his inner darkness; Jadens eyelids snapped open, like a rebirth, a new beginning. Finding himself back inside an unfinished battle...
Back in battle... The iron log resumed its deadly pace; Cyan's eyes now glowed an ominous gold, like a beacon, shining bright in the darkness. He jumped left, dodging barely in time as the log struck the wall unleashing massive destruction, fissuring stone, dust enshrouding the area, like a storm, a tempest.
Cyan's golden eyes pierced the gathering dust, like a hawk, scanning its surroundings. The dust cloud served as a protective veil shielding Cyan from the goblin king's piercing gaze, like a cloak, a disguise.
"You want a better version of me... okay then, right now, right here I swear, I will never run again... no matter how powerful an opponent is, I will bring them down to the dirt and protect what matters most to me," Cyan declared resolutely, his eyes fixed on the goblin king, like a warrior, steeling himself for battle.
He lifted his finger, pointed at the goblin king then said "Bring it on", before he had narrowly avoided death, but the next hit could be fatal, like a dare, a challenge. But he was determined to go all-out, like a gladiator, entering the arena.
The dust dissipated, revealing Cyan's standing steadfast; both adversaries locked eyes with intense, mutual bloodlust, like a clash, a confrontation. Cyan sprinted towards the goblin king, his leather boots released intense thuds that echoed through the entire chamber, like a drumbeat, a rhythm of war.
The king punched the ground, grasping a massive boulder which it crushed into smaller rocks, hurling them at Cyan, like a giant, unleashing its fury. He dodged relentlessly while closing the gap – leaping, performing a front flip as he retrieved his bronze sword lying on the ground, charging full-speed towards the king, like a madman, a demon, possessed.
Suddenly he felt debilitating weakness; hunger and prolonged strain took their toll – headache and wooziness were extraordinary, vision blurring as the ground seemed to beckon him to collapse, like a trap, a snare. He refused, like a warrior, refusing to yield.
"I will not succumb!" Cyan yelled fiercely, eyes focused ahead, like a champion, determined to win. "Haaahhhh" he bellowed; his eyes glowed ominous gold, slicing huge rocks hurtling his way, dodging others, like a god, wielding its power.
As he ran, a voice spoke in his head like a whisper, "Great sage obtained, Player's journey begins", like a revelation, a message from the gods. The voice took him off guard as it continued, "Title (Perseverance) obtained", like a badge, a symbol of honor.
Cyan's speed surged; he seemed like a cornered demon with only the resolve to charge ahead, like a wild animal, a beast, unleashed. His bronze sword began emitting blue energy resembling ethereal flames – infusing aura for sharper cutting edge, like a magic, a power. Closing in, Cyan jumped maximally then hurled the sword with tremendous force towards the goblin king – the blade flew with missile-like intensity, stabbing the king's chest dealing massive damage aimed for the heart but didn't penetrate deeply enough, like a strike, a blow.
The king refused to yield; it seized Cyan mid-air again with swift, precise grip despite its height, like a vice, a trap. Cyan anticipated another throw but the king did something worse – gripped him tighter and tighter, squeezing life out of him, like a python, constricting its prey. The voice spoke again in a whisper inside his head, "Break free or you will die in just 39 seconds", like a countdown, a timer ticking away. As Cyan struggled to break free, his vision blurred as if the countdown to doom continued dropping, like a nightmare, a horror. Weakening critically but refusing to give up – using strength honed over years of training, he squeezed his right hand free, like a miracle, a reprieve. His muscles seemed on verge of bursting – absolute potential unleashed, like a volcano, erupting. With liberated hand he formed a peculiar pose; his hand started emitting blue aura energy, like a magic, a power. The king's grip grew tighter; Cyan lost breath, blood oozing from his body like a tomato being squeezed with utmost force – he was the tomato releasing all juice, like a crushing, a squeezing.
In agony he screamed, voice echoing, like a cry, a plea. His hand controlled aura lingering in the blade piercing the goblin's chest – adding more aura, more power, like a fuel, a boost. The blade burst with immense power like a rocket booster; the king's thick flesh was pierced like butter, like a hot knife, cutting through.
The sword traversed every organ, reaching the heart, like a deadly strike, a coup de grâce. "Darn you, Just die already!!!!" Cyan screamed intensely, burning every bit of aura energy, like a wild animal, a beast, unleashed. Another whisper echoed in his head, "15 seconds left – situation dire", like a warning, a reminder.
When the sword pierced the goblin king's heart, the Goblin King unleashed a mighty roar that released a terrifying amount of wind, its eyes became lifeless after its final roar, the grip that held Cyan slowly weakened until he fell to the ground, like a fallen giant, a titan, brought low. As the whispers in Cyan's mind counted down to his impending doom, the air grew thick with an eerie, deathly silence. The forest, once alive with the chirping of crickets and the rustling of leaves, now seemed to hold its breath, awaiting the inevitable.
"Eight seconds to full body shutdown - situation beyond dire," the voice whispered, its tone detached, clinical, like a countdown to certain destruction. Cyan's vision began to blur, his eyes losing their luster as his back touched the damp earth. The Goblin King's massive, lifeless body loomed above him, its grotesque face inches from his own, its putrid breath washing over him like a miasma of death. The stench of gore and decay filled Cyan's nostrils, a noxious reminder of the brutal battle he'd just fought.
END OF CHAPTER 8