Goblin Heavy Dependence

Chapter 314 Pierced through the chest, he collapsed helplessly to the ground.
For adventurers like Xia Nan, Margaret, and Soldin, their level of strength is probably still far from that of "extraordinary" or "legendary" powerhouses who have already completed their job advancement.

But compared to ordinary people, even newly promoted professionals are enough to be called monsters.

To put it dramatically, if you throw a dwarf directly into a goblin lair, and he doesn't resist at all, but only uses defensive combat skills, letting those green-skinned little guys use wooden sticks and rotten teeth on him, he probably won't be able to break through his defenses for a while.

Faced with Xia Nan's speed and explosive power, ordinary adventurers would probably only feel a light breeze, and wouldn't even realize what happened before their heads were already flying through the air.

Combat skills, specialties, and most importantly, physical attributes—these comprehensive enhancements enabled them to overwhelm weaker enemies.

The speed of their actions far exceeded the imagination of ordinary people.

To be honest, from the moment the three parties met, Abi decided to make a pact under Saroyan's instigation, the magic circle appeared, and then the others stepped forward to stop them, it didn't take long at all.

They were blocked by [Fear] and [Stinky Cloud]. They struggled to break free, and Xia Nan was the first to make a save but was grazed by [Lightning Bolt]. After being seriously injured, he used [Spring Breeze Tears] to recover and cast [Fang Hunt] again to move forward until finally Abi pressed his thumb on the contract.

This whole process seems to have been incredibly long, with each person going through a great deal of things.

In reality, it was just a short time for Abby to wait for the magic circle to form, then walk from outside the magic circle to inside, bite her finger, and press down.

The same applies to what follows.

The Slow spell was cast almost simultaneously with the shockwave, and the Wanderer Sandgold's attack and death followed closely behind.

Even if Xia Nan reacted quickly, the moment Yu Shajin emerged from the shadows and leaped high to swing his dagger at the devil, Xia Nan used [Fang Hunt] to rapidly approach and provide support.

He barely managed to rush forward when the wanderer's charred corpse fell into the magic circle and the gates of purgatory opened.

Aiming at the devil's neck and head, the [Spinning Slash], which had already been fully charged and prepared, was pulled back before it could be completely unleashed. The extremely strong sulfurous stench accompanied a powerful, heavy slash from the side, as if it wanted to split the devil's body in two.

He held his two longswords diagonally to his sides, blocking the attack.

At the same time, he was also knocked back by the powerful force of the machete. He stumbled and stepped, leaving a long trail of cracked footprints on the ground, before he could barely offset the remaining force and regain his balance.

Meanwhile, the demon minions who had come to the material world from the teleportation array with the enemy had already pounced on the Blackwood Squad on the other side of the field.

Two thorn demons attacked Saldin from both sides, three lesser demons besieged Margaret, and the last one flapped its wings and charged toward the mage Joshua behind them.

As the strange demon, nearly two and a half meters tall with dark purple skin, roared and swung its second blade at Xia Nan, it also sneered as it plunged its steel fork into the mage's chest.

If possible, Xia Nan would certainly not stand idly by and watch this unfamiliar adventurer team suffer losses, after all, they were all temporary allies.

But no matter how outstanding he is, he is still just a level 2 professional. How could he possibly overcome the spatial barrier in such a short time and stop the sharp steel fork that had already left his hand and was falling in the air?

This has even exceeded the scope of his own [gravity control].

The abrupt, piercing screams, accompanied by the sharp, shrill howls of the demons, lingered in my ears.

The once frigid air of the open nest had long since been filled with the scorching heat from hell.

Ignoring the throbbing pain in his nose and throat as he breathed, Xia Nan focused his attention to the enemy before him.

This is an exotic demon with a complete human form, combining elegance and rage.

It possesses the distinctive upturned pointed ears and three-dimensional facial features of the elves, but the pale fangs protruding from its lower lip and the steel-like, bulging muscle lines make it resemble an orc from some barbaric tribe.
The most striking feature, and the source of its name "Beard Demon," is the strange, thick, thorn-like beard that grows on its chin.
These are not hairs in the traditional sense; these whiskers with sharp spikes at the ends resemble a group of dark brown venomous snakes with their own lives, rubbing and intertwining with each other, making a teeth-grinding "rustling" sound.

Compared to the other side of the arena, there were Thorn Demons and Little Devils, who also came from Purgatory but behaved like wild beasts.

Although the bearded demon in front of them was also bare-chested, it had a thick piece of coarse cloth around its waist, and its arms, calves, and even its legs were covered with what looked to be quite fine arm and leg guards.

Even the weapon in his hand was a long-handled machete with a clearly superior forging technique and patterns engraved on its surface.

It neither emitted any excited howls nor recklessly released the desires accumulating within its body.

She simply stood there quietly, watching Xia Nan in front of her.

The pressure has suddenly increased!

Xia Nan could feel the immense pressure emanating from the demon in front of him.

As mentioned earlier, monsters of the same challenge level pose varying threats to adventurers in actual combat due to differences in their fighting styles and special abilities.

For example, the petrified lizard that mainly hunts using "petrifying gaze," and the numerically enhanced owl bear that relies purely on its physical strength.

The challenge level for the Demon is the same as these two: "3".

Its physical attributes are slightly weaker than those of the Owl Bear, but its intelligence is significantly higher.

This endows the Sumerian intelligent beings with the ability to learn, allowing them to truly accumulate experience from battles, and even, due to their humanoid structure, to learn skills such as weapon use and combat techniques.

To be honest, before a real close-quarters confrontation, Xia Nan wasn't sure if he was a match for this devil in front of him.

What put him under even more pressure was the purgatory demon, who had now completed the contract, taken control of Abby's body, and was wreathed in dark flames.

The setup and activation of the teleportation array seemed to have consumed some of the opponent's power, causing the flames around him to dim slightly.

Yet, he showed no sign of weakness, standing in the center of the arena as if in control, manipulating and directing the incredibly excited demons.

What should Xia Nan do?
With the passageway so narrow that escape seemed like a dead end, he now had three options.

First, bypass the beard demon in front and support the dwarves and female swordsmen on the other side of the field. Help them clear out the larger number of weaker demons first, and then concentrate their efforts on dealing with the more powerful enemies.
Second, similarly, avoid the immediate demon and carry out the decapitation plan by attacking the demon that controls Abby's body. This might solve the problem once and for all. Without the power it provides, the demons summoned to the material world will become rootless.

Third, confront the demon's attack head-on and defeat it as quickly as possible. Then, based on the situation on the field, decide whether to support the female swordsman and the others, or attack the demon leader.

The brain is thinking rapidly.

The limited time and numerous variables on the field made it impossible for Xia Nan to find the optimal solution in a short period of time.

Reality isn't a strategy game; perhaps I can use the speed provided by [Fang Hunt] to briefly evade the Sumeru's pursuit...

and then?
After you get around the opponent, they won't just stand there doing nothing, and they certainly won't lose their aggro target just because you're a little further away, like in a game.

It will most likely catch up and continue its attack.

Given this premise, if Xia Nan chooses the first or second option, it means that he will have to face attacks from both the front and rear, turning the current brief 1v1 situation into a 1v2 or even more.

The successive release of several spells earlier rendered the so-called "decapitation tactic" a mere pipe dream.

He didn't believe he had the ability to deal with this powerful demon in a short time, given his current strength. What if it used a slowing spell when he got close?
Stay calm and composed.

However, the current situation on the field has exceeded Xia Nan's ability to cope, and his more than a year of adventurer experience is not enough for him to find the key to break the deadlock.

In this situation, what should he do?
His dark eyes swept over the demon, "Abi," and the adventurer's party.

"call……"

Xia Nan let out a long breath.

It doesn't mean giving up thinking, nor does it mean losing fighting spirit.

When the fog is thick, danger lurks, and the road ahead is uncertain.

All they could trust was their own body and the fighting instincts that were formed by the fusion of their own soul and body.

Ding--

Sparks flying!

The fine longsword from the Rockhammer blacksmith shop clashed violently with the sharp longsword forged deep within the inferno.

With its significantly superior strength attribute, the bulging, knotted muscles in the demon's arms, and its much larger and more robust physique, the demon's strike almost completely enveloped Xia Nan's body.

Holding the sword with both hands, his teeth clenched, a powerful force emanated from the sword and spread throughout his body, causing cracks to appear in the ground beneath his feet.

Knowing his own strengths, Xia Nan naturally wouldn't use his weaknesses to attack the other party's strengths.

With a sudden burst of strength from both hands, he braced himself against the longsword and thrust it upwards!
At the same time, exert force with your feet.

Accompanied by a long, mournful howl, the giant black wolf with its swaying mane transformed into a whirlwind, circling around to the side and rear of the Demon. [Whirlwind Slash]!
The gleaming silver-white wolf fangs traced a perfect arc in the air, whistling towards the back of the enemy's neck.

However, it did not fall onto the body as expected.

In terms of physical attributes alone, Xu Mo is far superior to Xia Nan, and his combat experience is also far greater.

It has survived to this day because it has encountered countless enemies.

Among them, there are quite a few with relatively agile movements and explosive bursts of speed.

"Ding!"

The arc-shaped combat technique, imbued with the full force of the body, was blocked by the half-turned Xu Mo wielding his sword. The collision of their forces caused the sword itself to tremble and resonate.

Xia Nan, who was holding the sword, felt a tingling sensation running from his forearms to his shoulders.

"This can't go on, we have to create distance!"

Thoughts flashed through my mind.

Suddenly raising his leg, he stomped directly on the demon's abdomen, and at the same time cast [Fang Hunt], transforming into a black wolf phantom and retreating rapidly to the side.

At that moment, Xu Mo, whose reaction speed was obviously faster than his, seemed to have also realized Xia Nan's strategy of creating space.

He didn't dodge at all when faced with his kick; in fact, he seemed to be actively moving closer, leaning his upper body forward into a twisted bow shape, bringing his dark purple head close to him.

"Bang." — It was the dull thud of a leather boot, stained with blood and mud, striking flesh and blood.

"Sizzle." — It was the sharp sound of the air being torn apart when the thorns on the chin of the demon stretched out like venomous snakes.

A sense of danger welled up inside me.

Almost instinctively, Xia Nan focused his mind and exhausted his mental energy to the maximum—[Gravity Control]!
The thorny beard that had been aimed straight at his face, reflected in his contracting pupils, seemed to be gently brushed aside by an invisible hand.

A change of direction.

It landed on Xia Nan's arm shield, which he raised to protect himself.

A hint of surprise flashed in Xu Mo's murky eyes.

Without hesitation, he chased after Xia Nan, who had just been swept away by the black wolf's phantom and crashed to the ground.

The sudden, maximum output of mental energy allowed Xia Nan to distort what would have been a fatal blow through [Gravity Control], but it also caused him to have a splitting headache and blurred vision.

Just as I regained my balance, the sound of a sharp blade slicing through the air rang out amidst the stench of sulfur.

hold head high--

[Fang Hunt] is activated once again.

When all hope seemed lost and facing a powerful enemy, Xia Nan's mind was already ignited with fighting spirit.

A sudden flash of inspiration for battle crossed his mind, which he instantly captured and transformed into action.

No longer dodging, nor attempting to flank as before.

Xia Nan actually went straight towards the Demon Lord directly opposite him.

The jet-black mane, imbued with the energy of the battle, swayed in the void as the shadowy black wolf howled and pounced.

"Ding!"

A surge of air!

You can see the debris on the ground and the fine dust in the air scattering in all directions as if they had exploded.

With the explosive power of [Fang Hunt], Xia Nan actually managed to withstand the slash from a demon whose strength attribute far exceeded his own by using his non-dominant hand.

On his left arm, the [Netherscale Guardian] from another realm blocked the terrifying blow from the Demon Lord, a blow powerful enough to shatter a rock.

The immense impact, even after being weakened by the arm shield, still possessed formidable power, causing half of Xia Nan's body to instantly become numb and lose sensation.

Despite the pain, how could he possibly waste this precious opportunity that he had finally obtained?

His right hand, which had been free when he used [Fang Hunt], suddenly gripped the longsword tightly and fell straight down.

"Shoot."

His body was also in a stiff state after the collision, making it difficult to dodge. Xu Mo almost watched as the silver-white longsword with ochre-red energy condensed on its surface pierced into his chest.

Gravity Etching – Explosion!

"Boom boom!"

The extremely compressed force field energy suddenly exploded from the sword inserted into the demon's body, like a miniature firework from the inside out.

Flesh and blood were squeezed apart, blood splattered, and the heart was instantly devoured by energy.

In the center of the demon's chest, there was a huge hole through which one could see the rock wall behind him.

Just as Xia Nan was about to draw his sword to finish off the enemy, his arm exerted force, but out of the corner of his eye, he suddenly caught a glimpse of a dark red flame.

A fatal feeling welled up inside me.

As he half-turned his body, he raised the prism shield in his hand with all his might.

The next second, flames from purgatory struck the Serpent Scale Arm Shield.

Xia Nan believed he had done the best he could.

In just a few rounds, while keeping watch on the demon possessed by Abby in the rear, he took the initiative to create opportunities and made brief chances to strike, thus inflicting heavy damage on the demon.

Even after the battle ended, he keenly noticed the infernal flames that Saloyan had suddenly launched at him and managed to defend against them to the last second.

Unfortunately, they were outnumbered and outgunned, and their combat experience was far inferior to that of the devils in hell. They also lacked understanding of the "devil" creature.

This caused Xia Nan to overlook the tenacious vitality of this alien demon, which was unlike that of ordinary creatures in the material world.

Even though his heart had been shattered by the force field energy, the head that hadn't been severed in time allowed the Demon to retain the ability to act one last time before he died.

"laugh."

The dull thud of a blade piercing flesh echoed amidst the demons' shrill laughter.

The demon, its chest blasted open with a huge hole, fell backward to the ground.

The black-haired figure stood stiffly in front of him.

The longsword, chipped in the heat of battle, fell from his hand.

The intense pain caused Xia Nan to look down.

What came into view was splattered blood, a torn shirt, and a gleaming knife tip piercing through his chest from behind.

"grass……"

He cursed inwardly.

His vision suddenly blurred, and darkness engulfed his consciousness like a tidal wave.

He collapsed, unable to move.

　This chapter is a bit longer than usual; I'll finish writing this battle tomorrow.
　　
　
(End of this chapter)