The Goblin Champion roared as it burst through the trees.
The ground shook beneath its heavy footsteps as the towering monster charged toward Marcus's group, iron club dragging through the dirt behind it.
Marcus's grin slowly faded.
Up close, the creature was even more intimidating.
Nearly eight feet tall.
Muscles like twisted tree roots bulged beneath thick green skin. Rusty armor plates were strapped across its chest and shoulders, and the iron club in its hand looked heavy enough to crush bone with a single swing.
Lyrielle drew her bow instantly.
"My lord!"
Marcus raised his hand.
"Meteor!"
A flaming streak tore through the sky.
WHOOOOSH
BOOM!
The meteor slammed directly into the Goblin Champion's chest.
The impact forced the monster back a step.
Smoke rose from the burned armor plate.
But the goblin only laughed.
A deep, ugly sound.
Then it kept charging.
Marcus blinked.
"...Oh."
"You're tough."
Lyrielle fired.
THUNK!
Her arrow struck the monster's shoulder, punching through the armor plate and drawing dark green blood.
The Champion roared in anger.
The wolves surged forward.
The Alpha Dire Wolf leapt first, jaws snapping toward the goblin's arm.
Two other wolves attacked its legs.
Marcus raised his hand again.
"Meteor!"
Another blazing rock screamed downward.
BOOM!
This one smashed into the Champion's back.
The monster staggered again.
But it didn't fall.
Instead it swung its massive iron club.
CRACK!
One of Marcus's wolves was hit mid-jump.
The impact was horrifying.
The wolf's body flew through the air like it weighed nothing.
It slammed against a tree and collapsed instantly.
Marcus's stomach twisted.
"Dammit!"
The rabbit girls charged.
The green-eyed rabbit girl stabbed her spear into the goblin's side.
The black-eyed one lunged low, trying to hamstring the creature.
The Champion roared again and kicked.
The black-eyed rabbit girl barely rolled away in time.
Lyrielle fired again.
Two arrows.
Three.
Four.
Each one struck the goblin with brutal accuracy.
Still—
The monster refused to fall.
Marcus clenched his fist.
"Meteor!"
A third meteor fell.
BOOM!
The Champion's armor cracked under the impact.
But the monster grabbed the Alpha wolf mid-bite and threw it aside.
The Alpha slammed into the ground and rolled, stunned.
Marcus's jaw tightened.
"Alright."
"You want meteors?"
He pointed again.
"Meteor!"
Another flaming rock struck the goblin's shoulder.
Green blood splattered across the ground.
The Champion roared louder.
Then it charged Marcus directly.
Marcus's eyes widened.
"Oh—"
Lyrielle stepped in front of him instantly.
"My lord!"
She fired point-blank.
The arrow buried itself into the goblin's throat.
But the monster still swung.
The iron club came down like a falling tree.
Marcus barely dove aside.
BOOM
The ground exploded where he had been standing.
Dirt and splinters flew everywhere.
Marcus rolled to his feet.
"Okay."
He raised his hand again.
"Meteor!"
BOOM!
Meteor number five slammed into the Champion's chest.
The monster staggered again.
The wolves attacked its legs again.
Biting.
Tearing.
Another wolf leapt for the throat.
The Champion caught it mid-air.
Then slammed it into the ground.
CRACK
The wolf went still.
Marcus's grin was gone now.
This was a real fight.
"Meteor!"
Number six fell.
The goblin's armor finally shattered.
Green blood poured from multiple wounds.
But the Champion still stood.
The rabbit girls kept attacking from the sides.
Spears stabbing again and again.
Lyrielle fired relentlessly.
Marcus raised his hand again.
"Meteor!"
BOOM!
Number seven.
The goblin staggered.
"Meteor!"
Number eight.
The monster dropped to one knee.
Marcus breathed heavily now.
He felt something strange.
A draining sensation in his chest.
But he ignored it.
"Meteor!"
The ninth meteor screamed from the sky.
BOOM!!!
It struck the Goblin Champion directly on the head.
The impact shook the entire clearing.
Dust exploded everywhere.
When the smoke cleared—
The Champion finally collapsed.
The massive body crashed into the dirt.
Still.
Silent.
Dead.
For a moment no one moved.
Then the system notifications exploded across Marcus's vision.
Goblin Champion Defeated
Spirit Shards +500
Level Up Experience Gained
Marcus took a step forward.
Then suddenly felt dizzy.
Lyrielle grabbed his arm.
"My lord?"
Marcus blinked.
"...Whoa."
He looked at his hand.
"I can't cast again."
Lyrielle frowned.
"What do you mean?"
Marcus checked the system.
A new message appeared.
Mana Depleted
Meteor Skill Limit Reached
Current Cast Limit: 9
Increase Mana to cast additional meteors.
Marcus exhaled slowly.
"So that's the limit."
Lyrielle nodded thoughtfully.
"Your magic requires more mana."
Marcus rubbed his face.
"Yeah."
"But we won."
He looked around.
The wolves slowly regrouped.
But three bodies remained on the ground.
Marcus's chest tightened.
Three wolves hadn't gotten up.
Lyrielle quietly lowered her gaze.
"The Champion was powerful."
Marcus nodded.
"Yeah."
The Alpha wolf limped toward him and lowered its head.
Marcus crouched and placed a hand on its fur.
"You did good."
The Alpha gave a low rumble.
Then the system chimed again.
Rare Loot Obtained
Unit Card – Goblin Worker x4
Marcus blinked.
He pulled the cards from his inventory.
Four glowing cards appeared in his hand.
Goblin Worker Unit Card – C Rank
Basic labor unit.
Effective for construction and resource gathering.
Marcus slowly smiled.
"Well."
He stood up.
"We just got workers."
The rabbit girls gathered around him again.
The hazel-eyed one looked relieved.
"We survived."
The green-eyed one grinned.
"And we killed a boss."
Marcus looked back at the massive corpse of the Goblin Champion.
Then at the forest beyond.
His wolves had proven themselves.
His companions had fought well.
And even with losses—
His army had grown stronger.
Marcus stretched his arms.
"Alright."
He looked at the group.
"Let's head home."
Behind them…
The mist continued watching.
And deeper in the forest—
Something far stronger than a Goblin Champion had just felt the nine meteors fall from the sky.