I can see screams of goblins, frightened by the fire slowly consuming their settlement. I can hear their footsteps. Hundreds of goblins are moving, some getting away, some getting closer, but almost half towards the source of the fire. All of them must burn and turn into ash. I have no intentions of sparing an enemy.

 

I began moving towards the hut in the middle. Flame is on the other side, so there are almost no goblins on this part, and a moonless night combined with the chaos is enough to hide me from the rest.

 

Step by step, I closed the distance between my target and myself. Warmth carried by the winds flowing from the fire is caressing my skin, and the ground covered in mud is trying to swallow my boots. I took a deep breath. It smells like pine, ash, and burnt flesh.

 

I stopped to confirm a little theory in my head. I looked towards the zone where hordes of goblins work to control the fire. These are the loyal ones, then turned towards the gate, another large group is there, they escape with nothing but a weapon, if they are lucky, with a sack of hoarded items. These are the ones who care about their life.

 

For me, fires won't spread out of this place since there is a large clear zone between the town and forest, and they are running away from nothing. But I am okay with having fewer things to deal with right now. I already have a full plate.

 

I felt something hit my leg and unusual wetness. Just another goblin, but smaller than the rest. There is a bucket next to my leg. Let me guess. This one was trying to help the others but stumbled to my leg. Why? Because the bucket was too big for it to see its front while carrying it.

 

This one is quite the scaredy cat too. It is just trembling on the ground, not moving, not screaming. Maybe it is just a child, but I am not in a position to show mercy. Well, not enough to spare one.

 

I cleaved the goblins head away from its shoulders in a single strike and ended its life without causing much pain. "This is the best I could for the enemy." I am not sure if it's a child or underdeveloped, but it is dead now, and I have no further questions.

 

Without losing any more seconds, I turned back to my target. The hut where I assume the shaman lives. I didn't see it outside, but I clearly heard some distinct shoutings. It must be their leaders. I will sit inside the hut, kill it when it decides to enter back, and I will run into the forest.

 

I reached the hut. It has several windows, only protected by a small curtain from the inside and a plus-shaped wood piece from the outside. I grabbed the wooden part and ripped it away, then entered inside.

 

Rugs. Rugs cover the whole floor, and they look expensive too. I wonder where these creatures plundered to get their hands on such items. 

 

I began searching the place while waiting for my target. Towers of money, books, cooking tools, or decorative items, they hoarded everything they got their hands on in this place.

 

Usually, I wouldn't let greed put my throat on the line, but I might even take a thing or two on my way back. Perhaps only as a souvenir.

 

A creaking sound came from the front door, and warm air and light rushed inside. I suppose goblins found me. I am not surprised. After all, I left some bodies behind. 

 

I chuckled. I wanted to find out, didn't I?

 

Quickly, I changed my posture and pointed my sword forwards, ready to kill the first thing unlucky enough to enter the room. But nothing came. I began counting.

 

One thousand one, one thousand two, one thousand three, one thousand four. Numbers keep going, but nothing happens.

 

Suddenly a blue beam of energy flew right next to my head and created a small hole in the wall behind me. Shit. With a sudden surge of adrenaline, I rushed to the closest window and jumped outside. I rolled to the ground and then jumped up.

 

An entire horde of hundreds of goblins and hobgoblins surrounded me in a circle. Still, bastards are keeping their distance for a reason. Well, if they want to play, I am available all day!

 

Suddenly, a burst of sinister and ugly laughter echoed in the town, and a creature holding a wooden staff, made from twisted wood with a blue crystal on top of it, showed itself. It is most surely a goblin, small, hairy, marks check.

 

But for a reason, it is wearing a wooden mask with red stripes that covers only the top part of its face. Not me to question these green things fashion sense, but red clashes with other colors, a bold choice, I dare to say.

 

"Seems like you cornered me. Smart one, you are, aren't you, huh?" I smiled and began running towards the shaman with my sword to pierce its heart at the first chance.

 

It is slowly moving backward, no almost stumbling. "So, your toy has a recharge time, aren't I right?" 

 

As I almost closed the distance, I leaped forward with my sword in the air, ready to strike.

 

Something like a tree log hit my side and sent me flying. I rolled on the ground for several meters until I stopped after hitting a stone structure. All the air in my body left me with an impact. I can barely keep my eyes open, and this pain. My insides are burning while my skin from the outside is trying to leave my body. Hopefully, I didn't break a bone.

 

And laughs. Many, and many laughs. Tormenting me, the loser who fell into their leader's trap, and the thing that hit me. A fucking giant goblin. That thing is long as the hut, so I say at least three meters and a half. That thing hit me with it. Wasn't it a trunk of a tree? I think it was an oak tree. I am sure I felt a taste similar to acorns in my mouth when I got hit.

 

"A wise man said. A showman must play for the audience. If they want to laugh, make them." I stabbed the ground with my sword and used it as a support to get back up. "But it isn't the crowd who decides how a show ends. It is up to one on the stage, after all!" I opened my arms.

 

Laughs stopped. Good, I work better in silence anyways.

 

Once again, I began charging at my enemy, but this time to another target, that giant monster.

 

Like a baseball player waiting for the service, it is waiting for me to come, so it can land a second hit and finish me for good. How cute, how brave, how adorable!

 

I increased my tempo and rolled forward the second I saw that giant thing swinging its log. I dodged the attack, but this isn't just about evading.

 

With a quick move, I got back up, pierced through the giant's right arm with my sword, then pulled it forward until I cleaved a large rift on its front arm. Blood flowing out of the arm covered my clothes. Isn't this the best part? Oh, this good feeling, how I missed you!

 

I twisted the sword and pulled it out, then dashed forward and slashed the tendon of the giant's right leg. It fell onto its knee, but my torture only began. I stabbed it through the stomach and began climbing it.

 

The power my gauntlets gave to my hands allowed me to grab and rip its flesh away from its body while climbing to the monster, and as I reached the top, I aimed for the worst.

 

My fingers pierced through its eyes, and I grabbed its skull from inside. How painful it must be, poor thing. It is screaming! It is bleeding. "Suffer more, and don't you dare die until I slaughter every last one of you!" I began laughing like a maniac, but what could I do? I cannot control myself!

 

The giant goblin dropped its log and grabbed me, then began trying to pull me away.

 

And the moment everyone waited. Its skull cracked. With all my power, I pulled the bones out from it, and, finally, a large chunk of flesh and bones flew out. Giant screams pitched high but stopped. I suppose it was too much pain, even for this thing.

 

I pushed it down, then pulled my sword out when its back hit the ground. After it, I swung my sword once in the air, thrust it through the open space in its face, and cut its brain away from the body in one wrist move. "Be grateful I showed mercy."

 

I turned toward the shaman and dropped my sword. "But you, I will show none." I leaped forward. Shaman raised its staff to the air, and the crystal at the top began glowing blue, but I smacked it away from its hand, then grabbed the shaman from the head. I will do something similar to that one goblin, which I ripped its chain away. With one hand, I grabbed its throat and under its chin with the other.

 

I can see the goblins surrounding me having a conflict. They choose to leave the town or fight to grab a thing or two before leaving. Only a fraction of their numbers is daring to stay, and even a smaller number is bold enough to move to help their shaman.

 

"See your loyal minions escaping, isn't it funny? Just look at them escaping." I lifted the shaman into the air. "Here, your mercy." I slammed the shaman to the ground and slowly ripped its head away from its body. I felt all the muscles slowly stretching and tearing when they reach their limit. I can feel the heat that causes. I hear the painful screams. "Don't make it sound like that painful. You would eat me alive when you had the chance. I saw what your underlings do to a living human. It is only a mere conflict between our kins. Someone else wrote the rules before I opened my eyes in this world, and I only apply them."

 

Finally, the head left the body and screams stopped, and a shadow covered the ground. "Perhaps it will rain soon." I looked up. "No. Of course, it won't we are in the nighttime! Fucking hell!" A gigantic monster screamed as I dropped the head on my hand and dashed into the shaman's hut. It is the bird I saw on my first day. It probably came to see what was happening, then decided to feed upon exposed goblins. Shit, so there was a reason why their houses were underground.

 

I closed the door and began peeking outside from a window. 

 

The bird landed on the crowd of escaping goblins and ate several of them. It ate those goblins like they were one-bite snacks. Some goblins tried to throw their spears at the predator, but all of them bounced back from its feathers. After this bold action, those brave ones also turned into food. 

 

People always said that big fish ate small fish, but I never expected to see that metaphor in action this close in my life.

 

That bird-like thing is gigantic. It is at least the size of this hut without opening its wings, and which god is responsible for creating a monster this massive? Did it think it would be funny to make something house-sized invincible and bless it with the ability to fly?

 

I am not one to argue that, but to blame. I will keep its presence low and wait until it finishes its meal. Hopefully, those walls are sturdy enough, and flames don't spread here.