Chapter 20 - Raiders

"Damn. They are hanging in there barely with the defense boost of my golem. Greta, transform now! And for the rest of you, I grant permission to battle!"

I see Grien and his team fighting off but they are badly wounded. Ortov and his team are hiding in back of one of the houses they built. They must not have any combat experience nor skills to protect.

Greta shouted a big roar that startled some of the looters in the distance. Greta's body grew larger. She became a giant werewolf with her black fur that covered her body. She became enraged and immediately rushed to the aid of the goblins.

We followed Greta from behind and we finally reached the battlefield.

There were about 30 people here that are trying to raid my village. The goblins are badly wounded and hanging by a thread because of the healer mages and the defense buff of my Gaia.

"Zeta! Use heal!"

Zeta immediately casted an area of effect heal the barely saved some of the lives of the goblin.

Precia joined the skirmish and used her Katana.

"Shadow Steps." Precia casted her skill and she became ethereal. None of the looters attacks can reach her and she already killed 3 of them.

"Damn! What are we gon do boss?" One of the looters asked.

"I don't freaking know! Look at their equipment. They should be rich! Just continue." I assume the leader of the group replied.

Rize casted her spell and a flurry of arrows came raining down from the sky.

Greta used her increased speed to go in her preferred range faster and dice them up using her claws.

Zeta retracted his weapon so that it turned into a staff. He uses it to protect the other goblins being attacked.

Precia's buff ran out but she can still fight back. She moved quickly and whenever she got near to someone they'll be cut in half.

Gaia joined in the fight and swung his axe. It instantly killed 8 of them in one swing.

"We'll prove ourselves useful too!" The Assault Group stood up as they were finished healing. Grien and his mages used their immobilizing crowd control spell to root some of the looters. The protectors rushed up and used their shield to bash the raiders. The assassins used their vanishing presence to get behind some of them and kill them in a quick strike.

"Goddamn it! Retreat!" The leader of the looters ordered.

"No you won't!" Rize shot him on his shoulder.

"Aghhh!" The leader was in pain.

I went ahead and questioned him on why he was attacking us.

"I don't give a crap about you. My boss will be coming for you."

"Trying to avoid the question huh? Goodbye then." A quick use of my dagger killed him painlessly in a second.

"Yes boss that's them!" A voice in the distance was heard. They walked up to us and that was one of the previous raiders that escaped. And the one beside of him was a bulking man with strong muscles and a huge sword on his back. "Oh my god! Brother!" The looter saw his old comrade dead.

The huge man walked in front of me. I couldn't help but notice the floating triangle on his head.

"You can see this?" He asked.

"Yeah what is that?"

"Haha. HAHAHAHA. FINALLY." He laughed maniacally.

"What do you mean?"

"Nothing, nothing. My name is Tark. Just Tark. I challenge you to a duel."

"What's in it for me?"

"Wait Zieglind." Precia stopped me. "Don't you notice? He's at least a level 50. Let us handle him."

"Nah. I didn't get to participate earlier. Besides, I need to test something."

"Anyway, if you win, I'll give you my precious item. But if I win, I'll take everything here including your village and your women." Tark creepily smiled.

"I accept."

"Zieglind!" Precia shouted.

"Don't worry."

"Then take this." She handed me the Katana I gave her.

"I told you. That's already yours. I can do well here. This is your first time watching me fight right? Savor it."

I put Gaia in my inventory. I combined him with the armor Ruf made. It seems it can equip items when its in my inventory. I removed his axe and swapped it for my giant hammer.

All of them cleared out an area. Ortov and his team went outside of their houses to watch the duel. I asked Grien to start the fight.

"Are you ready?" Tark asked.

"Yep. Ready when you are."

"Fight!" Grien commanded.

I pulled out Gaia from my inventory and summoned him.

"Hey ain't that cheating?" Tark asked.

"I summoned it."

"Whatever you say."

I pulled out Devoratrix from my inventory.

Gaia smashed his hammer on the ground. It created a large shockwave and it sent a lot of the ground flying.

Tark avoided most of it but he was pretty slow.

I rushed in and swung my blade. He blocked it with his own sword. I then pulled out the dagger from my inventory and one hand my Devoratrix and then the dagger pierced through his skin.

"What a dirty move." Tark said with an annoyed face.

He wasn't fazed at all from that shallow wound. He begun counter attacking.

"Protection, Heal, Enrage." Tark casted three buffs that recovered his health and boosted his stats.

"Abyssal Enhancement." I buffed Devoratrix and every weapon in my inventory.

Tark charged in, "Demonic Swing!"

I dodged it by the nick of hair but that swing sliced through most of the trees behind me.

He continued his attacks. "Demonic Barrage!"

A flurry of attacks went my way. I pulled out Devoratrix and my dagger to get the greatshield from my inventory. I blocked most of it but I was blown away by his hits.

I took back greatshield and pulled out both of my twin curved swords.

I attacked him in an X pattern downward and upward. Then a vertical slash combined with a thrust of my weapon.

"Agh!" Tark's eyes grew redder every minute. It must be from his buff enrage. I took out a chunk of his health and his body was bleeding from the wound I gave him.

I took back my curved swords and swapped it for my rapier and dagger.

I thrusted with all my might and I pierced through his thick skin on his shoulder.

But Tark took advantage of it and tightened his muscles. He raised his sword and swung at me.

"DARK ARMOR!"

*ting!*

The clash of metals was heard ringing. I put back my rapier and dagger back in my inventory and swapped back to curved swords.

Even though my dark armor negated much of the damage, I was bleeding on my sides. Enough for me to falter down.

"Zieglind!" All of the spectators shouted.