Wei showed a bored expression to the dwarf.
"Well, I think my friend and I don't need a buff. We're leaving."
Without waiting for a reply, Wei turned his back. Ryo followed quietly.
The glowing garden faded as they stepped through the portal door. In an instant, they were back outside beneath the massive tree, the wind brushing across the open grassland.
For a moment, everything was peaceful.
Then the ground trembled.
Thud…
Thud…
THUD.
Both of them froze.
In the distance, rising above the tall grass, stood a towering figure—at least three times the height of a normal goblin. Its green skin was dark and scarred, muscles bulging like knotted rope. Resting on its right shoulder was an enormous wooden club reinforced with iron spikes.
The goblin giant's yellow eyes locked onto them.
Wei squinted. "Well… that doesn't look friendly."
The giant exhaled heavily through its tusked mouth. With each step forward, the earth shook beneath its feet.
Ryo slowly reached for his sword. "That's not a normal goblin."
The giant swung the club off its shoulder and slammed it into the ground, cracking the earth and sending dust into the air.
Wei grinned slightly, excitement replacing his boredom.
"Finally… something interesting,"
""HAHAHA! Did you two enjoy the elven women inside that tree?" the goblin giant boomed, his voice rumbling like distant thunder.
Wei raised an eyebrow, unimpressed.
"We don't need any buffs," he said calmly. "We're strong enough to cut down a normal creep like you."
The giant's grin slowly faded.
"Normal…?" he repeated, lowering his massive club from his shoulder. The iron spikes scraped against the ground, carving a deep line through the earth.
The air grew heavy.
Ryo's eyes narrowed. "Wei… be careful."
The goblin giant's body began to swell slightly, veins glowing faintly beneath his green skin. Strange markings pulsed across his chest—similar to the glow of the pods inside the tree.
"You refused the fruit…" the giant growled. "Good."
He slammed his club into the ground. The shockwave blasted outward, flattening the surrounding grass.
"Because I already consumed ten of them."
A violent aura erupted around him—thick, emerald energy spiraling upward like a storm.
Wei's confident smile faltered for the first time.
The ground cracked beneath the giant's feet as he took one step forward.
"Now," the goblin giant snarled, baring his tusks, "let's see if you're strong enough without a buff."
The goblin giant's grin widened.
Suddenly, his green skin began to harden. The color drained from it, shifting into a shiny gray tone. Cracks of light flickered across his body as if something beneath was reinforcing him.
Within seconds, his entire form transformed into something like polished stone—smooth, dense, and metallic in sheen.
Wei's eyes narrowed. "You've got to be kidding me…"
Ryo stepped back slightly. "It's a defensive enhancement. His skin isn't just stone… it's compressed mana."
The giant lifted his massive club and slammed it against his own chest.
CLANG!
The sound rang out like iron striking iron.
"You think I'm a normal creep?" the goblin roared. "This body can withstand ten thousand strikes!"
"This body can withstand ten thousand strikes!"
Wei rolled his shoulders casually.
"Well, that's great," he said with a faint smirk. "My blade's going to enjoy testing that."
He glanced sideways at Ryo.
"Step aside, Ryo. This one's mine."
Wei tightened his grip on his sword, the edge gleaming under the light.
"That's my gold and EXP walking right there."
Ryo exhaled quietly but didn't argue. He stepped back, eyes sharp, ready to intervene if needed.
The goblin giant let out a deep rumbling laugh, stone grinding as he shifted his weight.
"Arrogant human…"
He raised his massive club and pointed it at Wei.
"Come claim your reward."
Wei drove his sword into the ground, gripping the hilt with both hands.
The moment the blade pierced the earth—
The ground liquefied.
What had been solid grassland instantly transformed into violently splashing water, waves spiraling outward from Wei like a rising tide.
The goblin giant's stone feet sank slightly.
"What—?!"
Before he could react—
Four colossal water-forged swords erupted from the surging surface, each one towering like a monument. They rotated rapidly, circling the goblin in a tightening formation, trapping him inside a spinning ring of blades.
The water roared.
Wei pulled his sword free and launched himself into the air.
Suspended high above the battlefield, his figure silhouetted against the sky, he twisted his body and brought his blade down.
As he descended—
A blazing arc of boiling blue water burst from his sword, curving downward like a falling crescent moon.
The temperature of the battlefield spiked. Steam exploded upward as the glowing slash carved through the air.
At that exact moment—
The four giant water swords shot inward simultaneously.
The goblin giant was struck from five directions at once.
BOOOOM!!!
A massive explosion of steam and shattered earth engulfed the battlefield, sending shockwaves tearing across the grassland.
Water and dust spiraled into the sky.
For a moment—
The giant's stone figure disappeared inside the boiling mist.
For a few seconds, nothing could be seen—only boiling mist and rising steam swallowing the battlefield.
Then—
A deafening scream tore through the air.
"RRRAAAAGGGHHHH!!!"
A violent surge of energy erupted from within the mist.
BOOOOM!
The shockwave blasted outward, instantly clearing the steam and scattering the remaining water across the shattered ground. The grassland flattened once more under the pressure.
As the haze vanished—
The goblin giant stood at the center.
Cracks spread across his shiny gray stone skin, glowing faintly with emerald light beneath the surface. Pieces of fractured stone fell from his shoulders, dissolving before they hit the ground.
His breathing was heavy.
But he was still standing.
The giant slowly lifted his head, eyes burning with fury.
"You… dare…"
The energy around him intensified, spiraling upward like a raging storm. The cracks along his body pulsed brighter, as if something inside him was trying to break free.
Wei landed lightly on the water-soaked ground, sword resting on his shoulder.
"Hm," Wei muttered. "Still alive."
Ryo's gaze sharpened.
"He's not just enduring the damage," Ryo said quietly. "He's converting it."
The goblin's roar deepened, no longer just anger—but transformation.
Stone fragments began pulling back toward his body.
And the cracks—
Started sealing.
Wei burst out laughing.
"Hahaha! I think your strength is just for screaming. Let me finish you now, you good-for-nothing big-ass boulder!"
He vanished in a forward dash.
The goblin giant roared and swung his massive club horizontally, aiming to crush Wei mid-charge.
CLANG!
Wei met the attack head-on.
His sword intercepted the club with perfect timing. The impact sent a violent shockwave across the battlefield, splitting the ground beneath their feet. The sheer force caused the giant's club to recoil and bounce upward.
Ryo's eyes narrowed. "He redirected it…"
Wei didn't hesitate.
The instant the club rebounded, he shifted his stance.
A vortex of glowing, boiling blue water spiraled around his right fist like a raging flame. Steam hissed violently as the pressure built, the energy compressing tighter and tighter around his knuckles.
"Water Fist."
Wei lunged forward.
He leapt toward the giant's exposed torso and drove his fist forward with everything he had.
BOOOOM!!!
The glowing blue water detonated on impact.
A violent explosion of steam and compressed force blasted outward, rippling through the goblin's stone armor. Cracks spider-webbed across his stomach as shockwaves traveled up his massive frame.
The giant's eyes widened—
Then his body buckled.
The towering goblin dropped to his knees, both hands slamming into the ground to stop himself from collapsing completely.
The earth fractured beneath him.
Steam rose from his chest.
Wei landed in front of him, fist still smoking.
"Stay down," Wei muttered.
The giant goblin knelt on the shattered ground, struggling to catch his breath. Steam rose from the cracks in his stone-like skin as his massive chest heaved.
Wei stepped forward calmly.
He raised his sword and slid the blade beneath the goblin's thick neck, the cold steel pressing against the rough gray skin.
"Tell your tribe this," Wei said coldly. "If they don't kneel and join me… I'll erase your entire tribe from the face of Birigan."
He pushed the blade deeper.
A thin line of dark blood trickled down the goblin's neck.
The giant scoffed, his cracked lips curling into a grin.
"Are you really that dumb, human?" he growled. "You think we're all the same?"
Wei raised an eyebrow but said nothing.
The goblin continued, his voice filled with mocking pride.
"And even if you kill me now… our shamans will resurrect me."
Wei tilted his head slightly.
"Oh really?" Wei said, amused.
A slow grin spread across his face.
"Then I hope you get revived… before I wipe out your entire ugly tribe."
SHHK!
Wei's blade flashed.
In the same instant the sword cut through the giant's neck, the massive head tore free from its body and spun through the air, dark blood spraying across the grass.
THUD!
The head crashed onto the ground while the giant's body remained kneeling for a brief moment—then collapsed forward with a heavy crash that shook the earth.
Wei flicked the blood from his blade.
"Let's see how many times your shamans can bring you back."