“Take him away!”
Goliath remained steadfast even in the face of his defeated soldier. Philio was dragged away, dark smoke arising from his stomach. The champion stabbed his spear into the ground in front of him and pointed his sword at the army.
“At half-night, we shall reconvene,” Goliath declared. “I will participate and single-handedly defeat every soldier!”
[ Warning! Mini Boss has awakened! ]
[ Warning! Mini Boss in vicinity! ]
King Saul's soldiers exchanged uneasy glances, whispers of fear weaving through their ranks like a chilling breeze. The name of Goliath reverberated through their thoughts, a name synonymous with unparalleled strength and towering stature. Tales of his prowess had spread far and wide, each story stronger than the previous.
“Didn’t he destroy a boulder with a single thrust of his spear?”
“I heard he killed a man by crushing his skull.”
The rumour mill ran its course and William began to understand who Goliath was. He was bigger, he was stronger, and he was a legend.
“There is nothing stopping the king from fighting.” King Saul, though resolute in his determination, couldn't mask the concern in his eyes. “We accept, Great Goliath!”
‘So what happens next?’ William asked. His question was answered a moment later as King Saul ordered his men to set camp. Both sides were to remain on opposite ends of the vale. Both sides were to wait and follow this strange game.
“The special objective,” William whispered to Kazi. “It’s already here.”
“Marta’s performance sped things up, just like I thought it would.” As the female Wizard returned to them, smiling, Kazi gave an approving nod. “Good work!”
“Thank you!” Marta raised a hand for him to give her a high-five. Awkwardly enough, Kazi didn’t, so William picked up the slack and high-fived her instead.
‘He really doesn’t touch women, huh?’ Suddenly, he remembered the time he sparred with Marta. William assumed Kazi had a strict guideline on what was appropriate.
That aside, there was the rise of the mini boss. William stole one last glance at Goliath and inhaled sharply.
[ Name: Goliath
Level: 26
Class: Intermediate Swordsman ]
‘Who in the world is going to be able to fight that?’ William glanced at Kazi. ‘Kazi, right? If I go, I…’
He clenched his fists before promptly relaxing. ‘Cool yourself. Don’t let your frustrations get to you.’ As everyone behind him scattered and set-up camp, William took another gander at the giant. Swole and tall, he was blessed with genetics that the modern gym world would envy. It was unfair.
“Helmet, bronze scale armour, greaves, and a spear for long-range attacks. He’s good,” Kazi said to himself, humming. William whipped his head to him.
“Right!? He’s massive! His only weak point is…” William’s gaze went down. “...his legs.”
“Which he likely makes up for with his spear. You won’t be able to get close. Even if you did, he has that sword. Thirty-six inches long, high-quality, and quick for him to use. In fact, hm…his grip seems to indicate he’s better with the sword than the spear. He probably has a slow shift before he thrusts the spear forward.”
Yeah, William really didn’t understand Kazi. Sometimes, he’d be the biggest goof and other times he’d be doing Sherlock Holmes type deductions.
“Are you going to fight him?” Marta asked. “I feel as though I might not be fast enough.”
Kazi really seemed to approve of this new Marta. “Your spell was great, Marta, don’t get me wrong, but this is much better. You’re getting smarter and growing patient. In battle, it’s the hardest thing someone can do. Anyway, yes, a battle between you and Golaith would be a toss-up. It would essentially come down to who can land the first hit. He breaks your barrier first, he wins. If you land one Super Shadow Bolt, you win.”
“I guess,” said Marta. She seemed a bit less certain. “Super Shadow Bolt does over a thousand points of damage. My MP is 526 and each Super Shadow Bolts costs close to 195 MP since Passive Flow of Mana reduces it by 25%. The issue is, well…I’m still having trouble with using offensive spells while my barrier is on.”
“Oh, I see. So if he attacks relentlessly, you probably won’t be able to fight back…” Kazi looked at William. “How much is your defence?”
“Uh, gimme a sec. Open status.”
[ Status: William Martin
Class: Amateur Axeman
Level: 24
HP: 265
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HP/Minute: 21
MP: 341
MP/Minute: 42.25
Attack: 193
Defence: 138
Attributes
Strength: 127
Resilience: 53
Agility: 64
Deftness: 49
Vitality: 42
Magical Might: 43
Magical Mending: 42
Distributive Points: 15 ]
“135,” William said. “Why?”
“Just because we need a base for his stats and you’re the closest thing to Goliath,” Kazi replied. “Your HP?”
William checked again. “265.”
“Marta’s attack would beat him, no question about it,” Kazi said. “The issue is the charge-up time and speed.”
“My agility is 64,” William supplied.
“Mine is 21.” Marta frowned. “Goliath saw what I did to the soldier. Unlike the first soldier, he will know how to react. The odds are a little…”
“Yeah, it’s less about your abilities and more about match-ups. He saw what you could do and that automatically puts him at an advantage.” Kazi let out a sigh and dropped his arms to his side. “Man…it would have been nice to see you beat a mini boss and get the XP.”
Marta unequipped her staff and hung her head. She must have been looking forward to a better battle.
Evening descended upon the Valley of Elah, a hushed anticipation draped itself over the encampments of both the Israelite and Philistine forces. The sun dipped below the horizon.
Within King Saul's encampment, torches were lit, their flickering flames casting dancing shadows upon the faces of the soldiers. A subdued murmuring floated through the ranks—prayers, whispered conversations, and silent preparations for the looming confrontation.
The thin river between the two encampments was a source of worry. One step, one splash, and the world was alert.
At first, the trio sat separated from the Israelites. Marta had made a strong impression on the men; fear, unease, and a dash of awe. According to Kazi, pottery was widespread in this era. It existed but it wasn’t portable so soldiers didn’t carry food with them. Their only option was to send a batch of soldiers to a nearby village for resources, or gather food themselves. Both options had their own risks.
Therefore, to convince them, Kazi opened up his inventory and fed the soldiers.
Dried fruits, nuts, and pieces of bread wrapped in cloth, all contained in several baskets that were handed out. The soldiers, initially startled by the baskets, carefully checked the contents and food. The aroma of the provisions wafted through the air, mingling with the faint crackling of torches and the murmurs of anticipation that hung over the encampment. The soldiers gave in and ate.
Gratitude shone in their eyes. The nourishment provided a glimmer of comfort and assurance amid the looming uncertainty of the impending battle. The atmosphere among the soldiers began to shift, transforming from one of unease to a semblance of camaraderie and determination.
King Saul himself appeared, still on horse ride. For some reason, the tallest man on their side refused to set his feet down.
“Impressive. What kind of magic is this?” King Saul asked.
“A gift from the Lord,” Kazi replied, gesturing to Marta. “She has been blessed.”
“Blessed, indeed.” King Saul gazed down at Marta. “I thank you. Would you also do us the honours of feeding the Philistines?”
“H-huh?” Marta didn’t understand. “Feed…the enemy?”
“Yes.”
The king’s orders did not make sense to anyone, except Kazi apparently. He smiled as if expecting this. He got up and said, “I will do as you say, O King.”
The king regarded Kazi with approval. "Very well. Your name?”
“Kazi Hossain.”
“Kazi Hossain, proceed with caution and extend our gesture of goodwill to the Philistine camp."
Kazi sent William and Marta a wink before heading off. ‘What in the world is he thinking?’
Like always, William didn’t expect to receive the answer till much later. Ten minutes passed. The sunset became steeper. The time for battle was almost there.
Who was to be selected? Who was to fight Goliath? The king had not decided and no man had stepped up to the challenge.
That was until there was commotion at the back. Soldiers were gathering at their flank. William and Marta exchanged glances.
“Let’s check it out,” William said.
“Identify yourselves!”
At the call of King Saul’s voice, the soldiers moved swiftly, rallying together and positioning themselves, ready to defend against what seemed to be an unexpected threat. Swords were drawn, and tension crackled in the air as the soldiers prepared for a potential skirmish.
The man and woman, seemingly unperturbed by the commotion they had incited, approached with measured steps. A tall, buff man in silver scale armour and a muscular woman in an armless white outfit and a waist-cape hanging from her waist. The woman led the duo, her hair done in a ponytail, expression set in a scowl and didn’t stop walking.
Amidst the mounting tension, William's keen eyes caught a glimpse of familiarity. A name, a level, and a face. With a gasp of recognition, he stepped forward, raising a hand to signal for calm.
"Wait! Wait, wait, wait! These are, uh…” William looked back at the two. They weren’t some random foreigners, they were players. The woman raised a brow and then blinked in recognition. “Ksenia, right? Remember me? William?”
“William!” Ksenia, once ready to fight a whole army, relaxed. “It’s good to see you! I almost didn’t recognize you. My bad.”
[ Name: Ksenia Stárová
Level: 21
Class: Intermediate Martial Artist ]
‘Is it just me, or…is she much stronger than before?’ William shook his head. Now was not the time to think about that. He turned to King Saul, who seemed as puzzled as everyone else.
“These are friends?” the king asked. “Who are they? Where are they from?”
Marta swooped in, “Do not worry, King Saul. These are men and women fated to be with us.”
“Ho? Is that right?” King Saul believed her. Of course he did, from his perspective, she was a woman of God. “I shall allow this. Next time, do let me know, Lady of Yahweh.”
The soldiers remained tense even as William and Marta approached them. The king’s trust in Marta was unshakable and he left without another word.
“Sorry about that,” said William. “You came at a bad time.”
“No kidding. I thought those guys were Goliath’s army,” Ksenia replied. “By the way, which side is this?”
“The Israelites under King Saul,” Marta said. “David doesn’t seem to exist here.”
“Enough about that.” Her male partner came forth, massive arms crossed. He was just as tall as King Saul and his muscles were almost as polished as Goliath’s. If there was a man on their side that could be attributed as a giant, it would be him. It would be Nikolai Aleksandrovich Ivanov.
‘Holy shit, it’s him!’ William hadn’t recognized him since he had switched from a tank top to sleeveless scale armour. Once the short hair and expression came into view, he was unmistakable. ‘He’s so much bigger up closer!’
“You are players,” Nikolai stated. “Tell me: what do you wish for?”
Ksenia rolled her eyes. “Sorry about that. He goes around asking th—”
“Hush, Ksenia! I want to hear them! You!” Nikolai pointed a finger at William. “What is your dream, young man!?”
“My dream? Um…”
William…didn’t really know.
“Dreams are what make us. They are what keep us going in this game.” Nikolai moved onto Marta. “How about you?”
“…I want to get stronger.”
“Interesting! Why?”
“Because…” Marta inhaled. “I just want to.”
“Strength, regardless of reason, is a great dream!” Nikolai grinned. “It seems we will get along fine, Marta!”