Chapter 55: Eve of their Rematch 1

The air itself crackled with raw magic as Aid's emerald aura danced a him. In that split second before he vanished, his eyes, normally a warm crimson, flared a vibrant red, there was a mix of gre in them mirroring the swirling ergy. His longsword, once an unassuming weapon, now pulsed with the same otherworldly light. Th, he was gone.

Not a single goblin ev twitched in time.

Pui!

A sicking spray of crimson erupted from the massed ranks as Aid reappeared in their midst, leaving a trail of dismembered bodies in his wake. The remaining goblins, their bloodlust momtarily replaced by primal fear, recoiled from the whirlwind of emerald steel.

One, embolded by either courage or stupidity, charged. Its scimitar, wickedly barbed and stained with countless battles, met Aid's blade in a shower of sparks.

Klangs!

The impact st the goblin flying back, its scimitar clattering uselessly to the forest floor. It landed with a sicking thud, its eyes wide with terror as Aid loomed over it.

But before Aid could deliver the final blow, a guttural roar echoed through the trees.

''Roarrr!"

A massive goblin, twice the size of its brethr and clad in crude but surprisingly well-made armor, emerged from the forest. Its single, bloodshot eye locked onto Aid, and it charged, its thunderous steps shaking the very g.

Dun! Dun!

Aid, his emerald aura flickering slightly from the exertion of the previous slaughter, readied himself for the new challge. The forest floor crunched under his boots as he braced himself for the impact, his emerald aura intsifying to a blinding light. The clash, wh it came, was like the meeting of thunder and lightning.

Bang!

The g shuddered, and leaves rained down from the shak canopy.

Aid, though momtarily staggered by the force of the blow, held his g. He gritted his teeth, channeling the emerald ergy coursing through him, and with a surge of strgth, pushed back against the brute. The massive goblin, surprised by the sudd resistance, stumbled backward, momtarily off balance.

Seizing the opportunity, Aid launched a counter-attack. His emerald blade blurred into a whirlwind of motion, striking the giant goblin with a series of lightning-fast strikes. Sparks flew with each clang of metal, and the stch of blood and burnt flesh filled the air.

The other goblins, embolded by their champion's initial success, let out a collective roar and charged forward. But before they could reach Aid, a wave of emerald ergy erupted from him, knocking them back with a bone-jarring impact. The forest floor was littered with groaning goblins, their eyes wide with shock and pain.

''Ah! Ah!"

Aid stood panting, his body shaking from exertion. The world a him seemed to blur at the edges, his vision swimming with exhaustion. Yet, despite the debilitating fatigue, a surge of triumph coursed through him.

He had survived. He had faced down the monstrous goblin chieftain and emerged victorious. But the victory came at a cost. His body ached with countless wounds, each a testamt to the ferocity of the battle. He leaned heavily on his longsword, its emerald glow now dimmed and flickering, a mirror of his own fading strgth.

Despite the fatigue and the looming aches, Aid allowed himself a momt of satisfaction. He had prov his mettle, a crucial step in his journey to face his ultimate oppont, Noah. Tomorrow, he would confront his nemesis, his body still bearing the scars of this conflict but his spirit unwavering.

He knew the upcoming battle would be far more challging, a duel that could reshape the very fabric of their world. But Aid, fueled by the fire of determination and his newfound confidce, was ready to face the challge.

[Level up]

As the adraline subsided, the true toll of the battle slammed into Aid. His muscles screamed in protest, each movemt a symphony of pain. Yet, the notification tingling in his mind provided a sliver of solace. He had leveled up, his hard-fought victory pushing him closer to his goal of becoming a Regular Rank Player.

Focusing on the notification, he saw the satisfying number: [Level 8]

Two more levels, and he would officially break free of the limitations of a Newbie Player. A surge of pride, tinged with exhaustion, warmed him from the inside out.

The notification offered a temporary reprieve from the physical reality. Most of his fatigue, the crippling exhaustion that had threated to consume him, evaporated. Some of the minor cuts and scrapes, mere annoyances in the heat of battle, had begun to close, leaving behind faint pink scars.

However, the deeper wounds, the ones that threated to fester and cripple him, remained stark reminders of the brutality he had faced.

Ignoring the protest of his aching muscles, Aid knew tding to his injuries was paramount. He couldn't afford to dwell on the allure of another night resting beath the starlit sky. With a grunt, he pushed himself forward, the forest floor crunching softly beath his boots.

Deeper he vtured, the dse canopy overhead filtering the sunlight into dappled patterns on the forest floor. Th, the sound of rushing water reached his ears, growing louder with each step. A smile cracked his dry lips. A waterfall. Perfect.

Pushing through the undergrowth, he emerged into a clearing bathed in the ethereal glow of the afternoon sun. There, cascading down a moss-covered rock face, was a waterfall. The cool mist that hung in the air carried the refreshing sct of the forest, a welcome change from the cloying stch of blood and sweat that clung to him.

Without hesitation, he discarded his worn tunic and boots, leaving them in a heap beside the pool at the base of the falls. The cool water, a stark contrast to the heat of the day, washed away the grime and blood, leaving his skin tingling and surprisingly invigorated. He winced as the water touched his deeper wounds, a necessary pain he dured without complaint.

As he scrubbed and cleaned, focusing on the soothing ssation of the water, a new thought struck him.

'To sure everything is perfect I must have some insurance. Contacting them is a must.' Aid decided to contact his subordinates, to have them join for tomorrow but first he had to td to his remaining wounds, suring they wouldn't become a hindrance in the battles to come.

With a sigh, he rummaged in his pack, pulling out the bandages and poultices he had acquired through scavging the survival kit dropped by the drone. The road ahead was long and arduous, filled with challges yet unknown. But Aid, cleansed and revitalized, faced it with rewed determination, his spirit unbrok by the trials he had overcome and those that lay ahead.