“I won’t let you!”
Even in this situation Gowen believed that they could win as long as he could subjugate the Goblin King.
Also, while the king may have ordered the goblins not to touch him, that order probably wouldn’t hold in the case he could actually defeat him.
Gowen needed to end this battle quickly, or else he would only find himself in the worst possible situation: him alone in the middle of enemy forces.
If a quick victory wasn’t possible, then it would be best for him to just retreat with the army. Dying here now would only disadvantage humanity.
Gowen ran as he brandished his sword.
In response, the Goblin King swung his great sword. His sword was long enough to be a spear as far as humans were concerned, but he was able to easily swing it with one hand.
The Goblin King slashed with his sword down toward Gowen.
A powerful wind blew as the sword descended. It was a slash brimming with speed and power, any human hit by it would surely be cut in half.
But Gowen dodged that attack with the smallest movement possible without either breaking his posture or slowing down. As Gowen approached the Goblin King in an instant, the Goblin King swung his great from the side.
The human soldiers in front of the goblin king cried when they saw the strength behind that attack.
“Nu!?”
But Gowen stopped that attack with the guard of his sword. It wasn’t just their bodies that were different, the weapons they used were different too.
Gowen had no choice but to get up close and personal with the king. By doing so, he was able to mitigate most of the strength behind that earlier swing.
A numb feeling still managed to penetrate Gowen, but he ignored it as his lips curved into a smile.
This close range was Gowen’s domain.
“Die!”
Gowen’s long sword tore the Goblin King’s armor, causing blood to spurt.
The Goblin King clicked his tongue and swung his great sword in response, but Gowen was able to nimbly get out of the way.
Unfortunately, not even goblins could slash behind them.
Gowen was able to retreat precisely because he went around the king.
Gowen attacked once more, but it was too shallow.
It was not able to fatally wound the Goblin King.
The red bear overcoat that the Goblin King wore was able to mitigate most of Gowen’s attack. When coupled with the damage Gowen incurred along the way, the remaining attack power was simply insufficient.
The Goblin King turned around and attacked Gowen. That attack had enough strength to completely lop off one’s arm from its roots, but Gowen managed to jump back in time, causing it to only leave a flesh wound.
Not wanting to give the Goblin King time to recover his stance, Gowen jumped back toward the king, then as he slipped through the Goblin King’s great sword, he thrust out his long sword for the Goblin King’s throat
“Ka!?”
Or at least that’s that Gowen intended, but unfortunately, before he could slip through the Goblin King’s great sword, the Goblin King forced his sword along the ground and slammed it into Gowen’s shoulder.
Due to being buried into the ground the attack barely had any cutting ability left, but it was still strong enough to break Gowen’s armor and reach his bones.
Gowen’s body sank as he came to a halt.
The Goblin King tried to finish him off, but Gowen took advantage of the period when the Goblin King raised his sword to aim for the Goblin King’s neck despite his broken shoulder.
“Nu!?”
But the one to cry was Gowen.
Gowen had gambled big in hopes of a swift victory, but unfortunately, it only led him closer to defeat.
Perhaps if his other arm were still functioning, things might have gone differently, but Gowen did not have the time to think about such things.
Gowen forced himself to send out that one thrust, but with his shoulder broken, he missed his mark and hit the Goblin King’s shoulder instead.
“GURUuuUOoOOAA!”
The Goblin King’s deciding attack descended right above Gowen’s head.
Gowen swiftly concluded that he would not make it were he to try and pull back his sword, so he abandoned his weapon and jumped back.
Black flames passed right in front of his eyes.
When he landed on the ground, he tumbled and fell.
He was not able to dodge that last attack perfectly, and a deep crimson permeated his clothes in the area from his chest to his stomach, while his consciousness momentarily lapsed.
“The enemy commander has been defeated! Drive away the humans!” The Goblin King raised his great sword and encouraged his soldiers.
The battle was leaning more and more toward the goblins.
Doubt filled the western human army. Gowen’s defeat to the Goblin King was a serious blow to their morale. The various platoons could only do their best to try and keep things under control.
“…Not, yet!”
When Gowen regained his consciousness he forced his quivering legs back up.
When the Goblin King saw that he approached the holy knight to finish him once and for all, but the spearmen that were quivering in fear just moments ago, found it in themselves to block the Goblin King.
“Protect Lord Gowen!” A platoon commander of the spearmen said.
The humans stepped forward even as they shook in fear.
The Goblin King sent their spears flying as he cut down one infantry after another, but the humans managed to take Gowen back.
Clicking his tongue, the Goblin King changed his plans.
The enemy commander was heavily wounded. It was time to collapse the enemy lines in one fell swoop.
Black flames burned on the Goblin King’s great sword as he bellowed out a howl. “We’re breaking through! All soldiers! After me!”
Any human that dared to stand before the Goblin King were preyed upon by his black burning great sword.
The Goblin King led the goblin army through the human soldiers like he was running through an empty field.
The humans were powerless before the ferocity of his monstrous charge.
The sight of the Goblin King smashing their spears and the great winds that blew with each swing of his great sword instilled great fear into the hearts of the humans.
Not to mention the soldiers that followed behind the Goblin King.
Gi Ga Rax rode on black-tiger-back to lead the imperial guards, while Gi Za Zakuend led the druids.
Like that a path was naturally created through the human army.
As the middle line completely collapsed, the battle swung completely toward the goblins’ favor.