Chapter 107: New Changes in Biological Research |
Lance decisively threw away the short bow in his hand.
With a backhand motion, he drew the Shortsword from his waist, and his left arm swiftly equipped the Kite Shield.
Facing the enraged Hobgoblin, Lance launched a direct counter-charge head-on.
Midway, a reckless Goblin suddenly darted out, trying to block Lance’s advance.
Before Lance could swing his sword—
a whip of magic came whistling from behind.
Cecilia’s 【Thorn Whip】 wrapped precisely around the attacker’s neck and jerked backward, flinging the creature far away.
The Hobgoblin let out an extremely terrifying roar.
This sound was completely different from the shrill cries of ordinary Goblins. Gripping the heavy warhammer tightly with both hands,
Lance remained absolutely calm.
He pushed off hard with his right foot and nimbly dodged to the left.
With a thunderous boom, the warhammer struck the ground where he had just stood, sending wet soil and shattered stones flying in all directions.
This was a perfect opening.
Taking advantage of the moment when the enemy lifted the heavy hammer, Lance gripped his Shortsword and thrust toward the glowing red weak point on the Hobgoblin’s neck.
But the creature possessed extremely strong combat instincts.
The Hobgoblin suddenly tilted its head to dodge, and the blade only sliced open the rough beast-hide on its shoulder, leaving a long bloody wound.
The intense pain triggered the monster’s ferocity.
Using the force of pulling the warhammer free, the Hobgoblin twisted its thick waist.
The hammer tore free from the ground and swept horizontally with tremendous centrifugal force.
At that moment, Lance had just completed his thrust and couldn’t retreat in time.
In a split second, he could only curl his body and use the Kite Shield on his left arm to meet the wooden handle of the hammer, avoiding the heaviest metal head.
Even so, when the handle struck the lower part of the shield, an unstoppable force surged through instantly.
Damn it!
Lance cursed inwardly.
He immediately estimated that the Hobgoblin’s Strength had reached at least 16 points. Combined with the warhammer, it far exceeded the limit of his shield.
The leather grip on the back of the shield cracked under the strain.
Accompanied by the groan of twisting metal, the entire shield was torn apart by the immense force and sent flying.
The heavy hammerhead barely grazed past Lance’s ribs.
Cold sweat instantly soaked his back.
Using the momentum of being knocked back, Lance rolled awkwardly across the muddy ground, creating distance.
“Senior!”
Seeing this from the bushes, Cecilia cried out in alarm.
Her voice stood out sharply in the chaotic camp, instantly exposing her hidden position.
Not far away, the remaining few Goblins immediately changed direction and charged toward her, waving their crude weapons.
“I’m fine—deal with the Goblins first!”
Lance shouted firmly.
He steadied himself, holding the Shortsword in one hand, and glanced down at it.
The essence of Castro Swordsmanship lay in defensive counterattacks, requiring coordination with a shield.
Now that he had lost the shield’s defense, relying solely on a Shortsword against such a heavy weapon meant the technique couldn’t display its true power.
He felt that once he returned, his combat system needed an urgent overhaul.
Against this kind of high-strength, high-Constitution tank—
the newly upgraded Azure Dragon Ultimate Flow, enhanced with specialties, was far more suitable for intense close combat than a one-handed sword.
Lance loosened his grip and directly threw the Shortsword into the mud.
His chest heaved violently as scorching white vapor poured from his mouth and nose.
The Dragon-Hunting Breathing Technique was pushed to its limits.
In the vision of Weakness Insight, the red weak points across the Hobgoblin’s body glowed even more intensely.
Seeing its prey discard its weapon, the Hobgoblin let out a cruel grin and charged again with its warhammer raised.
Lance did not retreat. Instead, just before the hammer fell, he stomped forward and dashed.
His explosive speed exceeded the descent of the warhammer. His body twisted nimbly, passing by the Hobgoblin.
Reaching its rear flank, Lance kicked fiercely with his right foot at the weak joint behind the Hobgoblin’s knee, causing its massive body to lose balance and tilt forward.
A cold glint flashed in Lance’s eyes as his right hand curved into a claw.
【Azure Dragon Ultimate Flow · Blazing Rending Claw】
The penetrating attributes of Azure Dragon Armament and Trench Rat’s Bite perfectly stacked.
Lance’s fingers, carrying a faint red glow from air friction, sank directly into the glowing weak point under the Hobgoblin’s right armpit.
Slash!
Critical damage stacked!
Even with a Constitution as high as 17, the arm was nearly torn off entirely by this devastating strike.
Green blood sprayed out like a high-pressure jet.
The Hobgoblin let out a shrill wail. Its right arm’s nerves were damaged, its grip loosened, and the warhammer crashed heavily into the mud.
Driven into fury, the monster could only clench its intact left hand into a fist and swing wildly toward Lance’s head.
At that moment—
a streak of dark blue magic shot precisely into the Hobgoblin’s left shoulder.
Frost instantly spread across its dark reddish skin.
The movement of its left arm froze momentarily.
Cecilia had completed her task. The surrounding Goblins had all been cleared, and she could now fully support Lance.
Lance ducked under the slowed punch, planting his left foot firmly in the slippery mud.
Using his left leg as a stable pivot, he twisted his body sharply.
His upper body lowered drastically as his right leg, like a compressed spring, swept upward in a sharp semicircle.
【Azure Dragon Ultimate Flow · Dragon-Leaping Tail】
【Effect: Limb Explosive Power +4, Knockback +2】
Bang!
The top of Lance’s right foot struck the glowing weak point on the Hobgoblin’s left jaw.
The sound of bone cracking and collapsing was chilling.
Sharp teeth mixed with green blood sprayed wildly from the monster’s distorted mouth.
Due to the knockback effect of 【Dragon-Leaping Tail】,
the heavily injured Hobgoblin’s head snapped backward, its massive body losing balance and staggering back repeatedly.
First-ring spell 【Color Spray】
Immediately after, a fan-shaped burst of multicolored light exploded across the monster’s face.
The Hobgoblin shut its eyes in agony, covering its blinded face as it howled in despair.
Lance landed firmly on his right foot, then pushed off the ground with his left, launching forward like an arrow.
His right hand was tightly aligned, fingers straightened, the edge of his palm wrapped in an invisible, razor-sharp force—like a deadly spear tip.
【Azure Dragon Ultimate Flow · Dragon-Slaying Spear】
【Effect: Physical Penetration +4, Critical Damage +20%】
With unstoppable ferocity, Lance’s right hand pierced precisely into the shattered wound in the Hobgoblin’s jaw.
His fingers penetrated the fragile throat cartilage without resistance, bursting out from the back of the monster’s neck in a spray of blood.
Lance expressionlessly withdrew his arm, now soaked in green blood, shaking off the residue.
The ferocity in the Hobgoblin’s eyes completely faded as its massive body toppled backward, crashing heavily into the mud—lifeless.
【Killed a specific mutated elite of the species… Initiating evaluation… Weakness Insight Mutation (Action Prediction)】