The air burned, thick with the acrid smell of melted steel and ash. Damian’s heart thundered in his chest as he faced the copper-skinned goblin, its molten eyes locked onto him with murderous intent. Smoke curled around the creature’s clawed hands, where embers crackled and pulsed. The faint hum of magic radiated from its body, an oppressive presence that filled the charred battlefield.

Damian’s sword trembled in his grasp. His knuckles were white from the strain, sweat dripping from his forehead and stinging his eyes. He forced himself to steady his breathing. This wasn’t just a fight—it was survival.

The goblin snarled, raising one clawed hand, and a fireball blazed into existence, the flames twisting like a serpent. It hurled the fiery projectile with terrifying speed. Damian dove to the side, the fireball exploding behind him, sending heat and debris across his back.

“Damn it,” he hissed, pushing himself to his feet.

Before he could recover, the goblin closed the distance. Its claws slashed toward him, and he barely brought his sword up in time to block. The impact rattled his arms, the force nearly knocking the weapon from his hands. The goblin’s claws scraped along the blade, throwing off sparks.

With a desperate cry, Damian countered, slashing at the creature’s midsection. The goblin twisted, evading the strike, and retaliated with a vicious kick to his ribs. The impact sent him sprawling to the ground, his vision swimming.

Gritting his teeth, Damian rolled to avoid the next strike—a flaming claw that gouged the ground where he had just been lying. He scrambled to his feet, raising his sword in a defensive stance.

“I won’t die here,” he growled, channeling every ounce of determination he had left.

The goblin responded with another guttural laugh, its molten eyes gleaming with sadistic pleasure. It raised both hands, summoning a massive fireball. Damian’s pulse quickened. This was different—larger, more concentrated. He couldn’t dodge this one.

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Summoning every ounce of focus, Damian called out his Blue Lightning ability. The familiar surge of energy coursed through his body as electric currents danced along the blade of his sword. He charged forward, meeting the goblin head-on.

The fireball launched just as Damian closed the distance. He swung his sword with all his might, releasing the lightning-infused energy in a desperate arc. The electricity collided with the fireball, detonating in a deafening explosion. The force hurled Damian backward, slamming him against a car.

His ears rang, his vision blurred. Pain radiated through his body, his burns searing. He could barely lift his head as the copper goblin emerged from the smoke, its steps slow and deliberate.

Damian struggled to his feet, his sword cracked and blackened. The goblin grinned, licking its charred lips as it prepared to finish him off.

With a roar, Damian lunged, swinging his broken sword . The goblin dodged, but the blade grazed its shoulder, leaving a shallow cut. It retaliated with a claw swipe that tore into Damian’s side, blood spilling onto the ground.

He staggered, his breaths coming in ragged gasps. His vision narrowed, while the edges of his sight darkened, but he refused to give in.

Summoning the last of his strength, Damian activated Blue Lightning once more. The electricity surged through him, his body screaming in protest. He dashed forward, thrusting his broken sword into the goblin’s chest with a primal scream.

The blade pierced its copper skin, sinking deep into its heart. The goblin’s eyes widened, its molten glow dimming. It let out a cry before collapsing, lifeless, to the ground.

Damian fell to his knees, blood pouring from his wounds. His vision blurred as he crawled to the goblin’s corpse, his hands trembling. He clawed at its chest, tearing through the flesh to retrieve the mana stone.

With a final burst of strength, he swallowed the stone, absorbing its energy. The familiar warmth coursed through him, replenishing his mana all while ignoring the several notifications. He immediately activated Heal, the skill immediately began to heal his wounds stopping the bleeding too.

Exhausted and trembling, Damian collapsed beside the goblin. His last thoughts before losing consciousness were whose voices were calling for him