Chapter 996: An Opponent To Take Seriously

Chapter 996: An Opponent To Take Seriously



Alexander's focus shot through the roof, the sounds in the cave almost disappearing entirely for him, as his breath and heartbeat filled his ears.

'This foe is no random kobold,' he mused, looking the lizard up and down.

The kobold's scales gleamed like polished steel, their reddish hue gleaming ever slightly in

the light that Kary's flames were still emitting above them. He looked like a devil straight out of a movie, his glare cold enough to freeze over hell itself.

'I can't win as just a human. I'll need to meld. White, you with me?' he mentally asked his canine companion.

'Leave the mutt out of this, young one,' a female voice echoed in his mind, followed by a warning growl.

White wasn't happy with being called a mutt, but shegror's presence pushed back the wolf's pride and took the forefront of Alexander's mind.

'You are dealing with disciples of a dragon. You should meet them with a dragon yourself. It's only fitting,' Shegror advised, her voice resonating in Alexander's mind like crystal.

While he was having this conversation, he and the kobold never once let go of their focus on each other, waiting for a move to be made.

With each twitch of a muscle, a sign of impending action, both sides reacted, their muscles preparing for the inevitable, but no motion ever going through.

A battle of the mind was happening, micro-movements the only sign of it on either's body, while the remaining kobolds ran at the eleven party members like a tidal wave, ready to consume the earth.

'Fine. I'll meld with you. But keep the power to a minimum. Only what you think is necessary. I need to conserve mana. I have a feeling this one is not the last one I'll meet,' Alex warned the dragon.

'Okay. If you want to guide this fight, I'm all for it. But Standing still too long is bad for us, too. I don't know how long the others can hold back the masses of kobolds,' Alex said, glancing to his left, where the army of kobolds had finally crashed into the tunnel entrance, where Kary had backed the party.

'Seems to me like your partner has the situation handled. Smart idea of her to bring the kobolds into a choke point. I understand why Logith feared her mind more than her power,' Shegror replied, a tinge of mocking to her tone.

Alex ignored the poke at the green dragon and focused his mind on the foe before him, who was also eyeing him intensely.

'I will tell you what to do to win this fight. It will require a lot of micro-maneuvering. Are you up for it?' Shegror asked, her tone still slightly mocking.

'Who do you think you are asking this to, woman? I got the stamina of a hundred men,' Alex joked, eliciting a scoff from the dragon.

'We'll see about this.'

In the meantime, at the cavern entrance, Kary had led the party back into the tunnel, knowing they couldn't afford to get surrounded by the kobold army. She counted at least a hundred heads, and she didn't want to risk a full encirclement.

From inside the narrow tunnel, which only spanned twenty feet wide by as much in height, they at least had a chance to hold off.

As soon as they got inside it, she instructed Rì-Chu to form platforms on the walls for their archers and gunner, thinning their back line a bit. It was done promptly, and the three concerned jumped on them without being told, understanding their use.

"David, send your undead to the front with Winston! We need a solid barrier between them and us. Keep three of them close to our physical ranged for protection!" she ordered.

"On it!" David shouted, instructing three kobold skeletons he had raised in the previous rooms to guard the archers and gunman.

The rest, he sent to Winston's side.

When the wave crashed into them, Winston was ready, along with the skeletons and zombies, and his shield took the assault like a dam stopping a river.

"You're not getting past me, you ugly lizards!"