Hours went by in the blink of an eye.
Xavier and Leyla encountered several groups of Kobolds, but they didn’t have to jump into action often. Glut killed most Kobolds before they realized they were in danger, and Glut’s Foundation increased quickly. The stronger Xavier’s little companion grew, the faster the Kobolds collapsed.
Because there was no challenge, Xavier and Leyla took longer to notice that there were more Kobolds nearby than usual.
“We should return to report the situation home soon,” Leyla suggested.
“Let’s take a look at Logwood first. Glut can inspect their camp from above. It’s about time we find out how dangerous the Kobold Camp is. It will be a problem if their numbers keep increasing like this,” Xavier pointed out.
Leyla agreed, and the trio began sprinting towards Logwood. Glut was having the time of his life, soaring through the sky and quickly navigating through the dense treetops after having been confined in the cocoon for so long. Xavier only smiled as he saw Glut soar higher, his majestic feathers catching the sunlight and glinting magnificently.
Xavier and Leyla jogged through the uneven ground as Glut took an aerial overview of the once vibrant human city. What he found was worrisome. Logwood had turned into a huge Kobold Camp. There was no sight of a human as far as he could see. All previously created human structures were razed to the ground or reduced to ruins. And a few new wood structures had been created to house the Kobolds.
They were a vast, thriving settlement that seemed to multiply like rabbits. Glut kept searching for something in particular and decided to fly at a lower altitude while being careful not to get seen. He took cover of the numerous branches and leaves to look at the ground and soon spotted what he had been looking for.
Every monster settlement had a Monster Gate that served as its entry into this world. The Kobold Settlement was no different. Glut perched on a branch silently and observed the Monster Gate, which was shining brightly. A few Kobolds guarded it while the others were busy polishing their weapons or doing other chores. A slightly problematic fact was that now there were a few ‘larger’ Kobolds.
Glut took off as silently as he had arrived and flew back to Xavier after seeing everything. He reported his findings and observations to Xavier, whose face turned grim. Leyla only heard the chirping sound of Glut but was amazed that Xavier seemed to understand perfectly whatever Glut was telling him.
“That is bad,” Xavier mumbled before turning to Leyla to tell her what Glut found out.
“Yep. That isn’t good. We have to deal with them soon.”
All of a sudden, the scenery around them changed. The bushes behind them rustled, and a shadow engulfed them. Xavier and Leyla reacted fast. They jumped to the side and rolled over the ground when they sensed something was off. A quarter of a second later, the ground tremored. Something heavy crashed into the ground where they had been a moment ago.
Rubble and debris shot in all directions, but Xavier didn’t pay much attention. He used Elemental Aegis to block the projectiles and used Judgement a moment later.
Herculean Giant Kobold – 1100 – Strength
How did we not hear this…thing?! Xavier cursed, readying the Onyx Blade in the next second.
The name of the Kobold suited the giant monster very well. It was huge, around 4 meters tall, and looked like a wall of muscle was walking towards them—no, not walking. It was advancing towards them as if they were annoying pests it couldn’t wait to squash under its feet. Its huge, bulbous eyes were menacing, and the earth shuddered under its weight, cracks appearing on the surface of the ground.
When Glut told Xavier that there were a few larger Kobolds, Xavier did not wonder just how huge they might be. But now he had found out.
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The Herculean Giant Kobold was probably the strongest Kobold Xavier encountered. However, he was not afraid. His Foundation wasn’t low either, and he had the perfect Cards to deal with such a massive creature.
He brandished the Onyx Blade and applied Pierce Armor, Armor Break, Shadow Blade, Energy Blade, and Coat of Fire. Coat of Fire was amplified with Glut’s superior flames, further strengthening Xavier’s attack power. Simultaneously, he used Borrow to loan most of Glut’s Agility for a few seconds. As Borrow's power reached Xavier, he added Dash and Thunder Step to amplify his Agility further.
His lower body brimmed with power. The thunderous sound created by Thunder Step reverberated through the surroundings as Xavier kicked the ground. He disappeared from his position and appeared next to the Herculean Giant Kobold. The Onyx Blade sliced through the Herculean Giant Kobold’s heel. The Onyx Blade vibrated wildly in Xavier’s hands, but he forced it under control. He didn’t care if the Onyx Blade shattered. The Herculean Giant Kobold had to die.
Xavier’s movements accelerated even further suddenly. The Herculean Giant Kobold tried to attack Xavier, but it could not reach him. The moment it turned around, Xavier was already somewhere else. He severed through both heels and pierced the Kobold’s calves cleanly as well.
The Herculean Giant Kobold let out a roar filled with fury. Its massive arms smashed upon the ground, creating a slight tremor. The trees around the impact area were uprooted as spider web-like cracks filled the ground. Leyla, who’d been shooting at the Herculean Giant Kobold from a safe distance, tried to warn Xavier, but that was unnecessary.
Xavier was already above the Herculean Giant Kobold. He used Borrow again, replacing the Agility he’d borrowed with his companion’s Star of Strength.
Raising his arm high, he brought down the Onyx Blade hard. The Herculean Giant Kobold swung its head wildly, trying to throw Xavier off its body, but Xavier maintained an iron grip on the hilt of his Onyx Blade. The monster thrashed and tried to smash its back against tree trunks and boulders, but Xavier used every ounce of strength to pierce the Onyx Blade deeper, cutting through the tough skin and bone of the monstrosity.
“Die, you bastard!!” Xavier roared as he felt the monster’s movements slow down a little. His muscles bulged, and skin burst, blisters appearing all over his body, but he grit his teeth and twisted the Onyx Blade one last time. And then he heard the sound of a crack. The monster lost its balance, and the body fell with a thud while Xavier was still holding onto the blade's hilt. At last, the Herculean Giant Kobold stopped moving as the blade cut through the Kobold's neck, cleanly severing it with a streak of light and darkness passing through the air.
Herculean Giant Kobold(Rare-Superior) has been slain with major contribution.
+13 Soul Essences, +8 Rare Card Shards, +1 Epic Card Shard.
[Proficiency of Borrow reached 100%. Level 3→ Level 4.]
A fountain of blood and bits of skin were sprayed on Xavier as the blade cut deeper, but Xavier could finally breathe. He let go of his hold on the blade, and half stumbled to the ground. His lungs were screaming for air as he doubled down and took in deep breaths while wiping the blood and sweat off his face.
“Are you alright, buddy?” Xavier asked Glut, who chirped in response.
“Yeah, I’m fine,” Leyla answered while dusting her clothes, only to realize Xavier had asked that question to Glut, not her. She frowned but did not comment anything. Xavier smiled sheepishly at Leyla, who shook her head and let him catch his breath.
Using Borrow was taxing for both Glut while the Card was in use. The abrupt switching off of the Card’s power left Xavier reeling from the aftereffects, as the feeling of massive power coursing through his veins disappeared suddenly. But that lasted only for a few seconds.
The trio decided to head back home after a few minutes of rest. Xavier was eager to share his findings with the leadership but he sensed the wary looks thrown at him by the residents on his way to his room.
The welcoming smiles and hopeful looks were now marred by suspicion and distrust. The last few incidents had changed the atmosphere in Haven. He recalled how people used to sit together, training with Cards or just doing chores together, but now he saw no large groups talking amicably.
Glut chirped and settled on his shoulder, demanding pats as Xavier looked around. A man had not been paying attention to where he was heading and accidentally bumped into another man. As a result, a scuffle broke out. Xavier had to intervene and calm them, but getting everyone to work was getting harder like earlier.
The feeling of distrust was increasing, and humans did not regard each other as trusted partners anymore. The slightest conflicts were beginning to turn into fights, and Xavier could see his dream of a peaceful community crumbling.
It was a relief that people still looked up to Silvia and Zora Vador and believed in them to some extent. The two women were working hard to restore the earlier trust and feeling of unity in the settlement. Without them, everything they'd worked for would have collapsed by now.