Chapter 397 Hobgoblin Rumble

"Come on, Fox. Let's play." The left hobgoblin with the metallic club snarled. The hobgoblins rushed at Keng with no hesitation. The two club hobgoblins swung in opposite directions. One club went straight for Keng's face while the other one went straight for his feet. Keng moved backwards, getting swept from the club aimed at his feet and forcing him onto his back.

Keng grunted as he forced himself to roll backwards.

'Great just what I needed.' Keng attached the Ruby Bow onto his back as he pulled the daggers out.

"Ha, he thinks daggers will do him good in this situation. Take him out, you two." The right hobgoblin spoke. The two archers released their shots. The arrows whistled as they embedded themselves into Keng's body.

'W-what?' Keng stumbled backwards. 'The arrows moved faster than the shot. I would've dodged it.' The two melee hobgoblins dashed at him, readying another swing of attacks at him. Keng jumped up into the air, dodging the melee hobgoblins as the archer hobgoblins fired two more arrows at him.

Keng's three tails extended and grew, blocking the arrows. The arrows embedded themselves into the thick Energy, burning the arrows away as he instantly shot his tails straight at the archers. The archers jumped backwards as light exploded from the tails. Keng dragged his tails straight into the two melees and wrapped two of his tails on them, tossing them as he landed on the ground.

The two hobgoblins burned as energy started to sap them. Keng felt the energy rejuvenate him as he pulled his tails back to him. The two hobgoblins extinguished into dust as the archers shook their heads.

[+2 Hobgoblins have been defeated. 2 Souls added!]

'What the hell is that?' Keng asked. He could see a pop-up telling him he had gained two souls, but he could hear it, too. 'Is this what Lee Seng saw?'

"H-he burned them to ashes! What do we do?!?" The right archer asked in fear. They were backing up to make distance as Keng looked in their general direction.

"We kill him!" The first archer told the second. The archer hobgoblin readied an attack and gritted his teeth. "Blood Hawk." The archer released the shot. The arrow swirled with blood and a huge crimson liquid hawk grew.

'I don't got time to wonder if Lee Seng saw this! I need to live first!' Keng jumped to the side as the blood hawk flew past him. He got onto his feet and tossed a dagger straight for the left archer. He dashed forward and gathered his energy into the other Hydrosphere dagger.

"God Fox Art: Devouring Wave." Keng muttered. He slashed at the left archer as the archer dodged the first dagger. The dagger lit up and exploded. Water and light crashed onto the hobgoblin, eating it entirely as the bow and quiver dropped to the floor.

[+1 Hobgoblin Soul has been added!]

"Argh!" The Blood Hawk shrieked. Keng started to turn to block the attack, but the second archer flew in, pulling a shortsword out and swinging at him.

"You annoying Fox! Die!" The remaining archer shouted. The sword slashed Keng's arm as the Blood Hawk exploded into his chest, sending him flying. Keng slammed into the tree behind him, shattering it as dust, leaves and splinters flew everywhere. The blood hawk wrapped around Keng's torso as the arrow embedded itself deep in his chest.

The blood pulsed as it began to sap at him.

"Come." The second archer motioned. The blood flew straight at the second archer, rejuvenating him. "I shall avenge my brothers" The archer slipped his shortsword back in and pulled his bow and arrow out. He readied it and pointed it straight at the Silver Fox as he slowly stood up. "For the horde! Bloody Thorn!" The arrow released as the extra blood from the Blood Hawk spell began to hum.

'Shit.' Keng grunted. 'That isn't good.' He began to push his light energy out when his head exploded in pain.

"Argh!" Keng threw himself to the side, narrowly missing the thorns of blood head on. He fell onto the ground as the thorn of blood gripped the tree, spreading across the trunk of the tree in an instant.

'Not now!' Keng shook his head. Silver fox fires began to ignite everywhere. Keng fired them in every direction, hoping to hit the last hobgoblin. The hobgoblin made distance as he watched the forest ignite in silver flames. The fires crackled as Keng groaned. A hand ignited in light as he tried to heal himself.

'Dammit, it doesn't work on this?' Keng forced his eye open and looked around. Silver flames were going to devour the whole forest if he didn't do anything. He flicked his hand towards him and the flames flew around him as he stood up.

"Today's totally not my day…" Keng groaned. He turned to look at the hobgoblin. He was already ready with another arrow. "And you!" Keng pointed. "Why can't you just die like the others? Why do you make this hard for me? I have a headache. I want to go home. I want that deer!" The other Hydrosphere dagger appeared in his hands. The silver flames flew into the dagger as Keng's eyes grew serious.

"Rain of Arrows!" The hobgoblin shouted. He fired upwards and watched as the arrows multiplied. "There's no way you can move in your state! You should've minded your own business and died when you had the chance!" The arrow arced and flew straight for Keng as he smirked.

"I should've just died? Are you trying to be a comedian?" Keng chuckled. He flashed and disappeared. The arrows pierced the ground as the hobgoblin started to look around.

"Where did he—"

A hot yet cold metallic dagger pierced his skull in an instant. Flames began to spread across the hobgoblin as the smell of sea water permeated the air.

"Argh…" The hobgoblin grunted as his eyes widened. There, in front of him, stood the Silver Fox. The hobgoblin watched the Silver Fox plunge the other dagger straight into his chest. A sea of water and flames engulfed him. Keng pulled the daggers away and let out a sigh as his wounds healed.

,m [+1 Hobgoblin soul has been added!]

"Where'd the other one… go…? Argh!" Keng clutched his head as he lurched forward. Keng stumbled onto his knees, clutching his head. The colors swirled around him. Whatever forest he could see was quickly being engulfed in the colors.

"It seems like my brethren did die… And this one looks like he's hurt…" A hobgoblin stepped out of the shadows. Even through the pain, Keng could feel a sinister energy he hadn't detected before.

'Is the pain softening my detection?' Keng turned, opening an eye. The hobgoblin was at least six foot. He wore black leather armor and had a sword strapped to the side of his belt. The strangest thing Keng could see before the pain in his head made him close his eyes was his shadow. His shadow didn't act like a normal shadow. It seemed to pull off the ground and float in the space around them.

"Argh." Keng grunted as he clutched his head. He had to keep his eyes open. He had to.

"And it seems like you bear their blood, Fox." The shadow hobgoblin pointed a bony green finger at him. "I will avenge my brothers." He pulled the sword out and in a flash, he appeared right in front of Keng's face. "For the horde!" The blade went upwards. Keng couldn't even think fast enough to evade the attack. The sword slashed at his chest.

The shadow hobgoblin slammed a palm straight into Keng's chest. The shadows burst out of the shadow hobgoblin's hand as he watched Keng fly backwards. Shadows burned across Keng's chest. The healing wound stopped its healing process as it forcefully dug itself into the wound.

Keng yelped in pain as the Shadow moved closer. The hobgoblin sneered as he flashed forward and held the sword in the air.

"Good night, little Fox." The Shadow whispered as Keng's vision went dark.

"Where's Keng?" Lily asked. She looked up at the sky. It was starting to get late. "Shouldn't he be back by now?" Elder Jyu'so and Gorrum sipped their tea as a pot of potatoes and carrot soup was simmering away.

"The kid probably doesn't want to come back empty handed." Gorrum shrugged. "The shock in his eyes when I told him he's soley responsible for meat. Ha, you should've seen it, Elder."

"I'm sure he's trying his best to get something to eat. Knowing him, he'd probably to try to hunt whatever thing he saw first and become fixated on it…" Elder Jyu'so sighed. "I hope that boy doesn't make the wrong choice and not show back up… The soup is ready. We're just waiting for him."

"He should've came back, right?" Lily asked. "He didn't come back for lunch and it's almost sunset. Could something have happened to him?"

"I'm sure it's just what Gorrum said." Jyu'so waved and stood up. "Let's eat. If he doesn't come back by tomorrow morning, I'll go looking for him."

"Elder, I'm sure you know but this place isn't under the curse anymore. Anything good or bad can enter this place. What if—"

"You've came through here a couple times, right?" Jyu'so asked. "Has anything bad ever shown up?"

"Well…" Lily tilted her head. "Nothing I couldn't handle."

"Keng's capable. He can handle himself if he were to come across whatever is out there. Let's eat, alright?"