The Lord’s Raids

A little distance away from the bloody battlefield, a man walked calmly, seemingly unconcerned about the chaos unfolding just a few meters away.

Perhaps this nonchalance stemmed from his confidence in his own strength, or perhaps he was simply mad.

He was making his way toward a bush.

As he focused on his objective, a thunderous noise echoed through the clearing.

He quickly turned around, his eyes widening in surprise, then let out a mocking laugh as he saw a young woman dispatching her enemy.

"Kufufufu! They didn't even need my help."

"Now, I'll deal with this rogue who thinks he can hide."

After walking for a few minutes, he finally stopped in front of the bush. He executed a quick draw, slicing through the foliage effortlessly.

Suddenly, an angry roar erupted from the bush, and a figure leaped back, landing deftly on its feet.

Cliff clicked his tongue in annoyance.

"I thought I cut your head off," he spat. "Make sure my next move doesn't miss."

The figure turned out to be a hobgoblin, unlike his comrades who were being cut down on the battlefield. This one was larger, and his skin was not the usual green, but a dark red.

Cliff analyzed the creature calmly, immediately noticing the deep gash running between its chest and abdomen from his earlier attack.

The hobgoblin locked eyes with Cliff, his dark, bloodshot gaze unyielding. He pressed a hand against the wound, which continued to bleed profusely.

The creature's expression shifted as he stared at his blood, and with a furious roar, he gripped his club tightly and brandished it threateningly toward Cliff's face.

Cliff took a step back, gripping his saber with both hands, ready to retaliate.

Before his eyes, he noticed an ethereal red glow emanating from the creature's arm. The light slid down the length of the club, enveloping it entirely.

Suddenly, Cliff felt a chill run down his spine, a cold sweat forming as the temperature around him surged alarmingly.

Then, without warning, he watched as the club ignited in flames. Before he could utter a word, the creature lunged at him, its weapon raised high.

Cliff jumped back just in time, feeling a gust of hot air wash over him as the flaming club smashed into a nearby tree, splintering it on impact.

Shit! If I had been hit by that, it could have been the end of me, he thought, leaning on his hand and tumbling backward to increase the distance between them.

"Me… kill… you!" the creature growled, its voice a guttural snarl.

Cliff flinched at the creature's words, but before he had time to react, it pounced on him. He leaped sideways, perhaps making the biggest jump of his life, narrowly dodging the creature as it slammed its flaming weapon into the ground.

The force of the impact left a small crater beneath them.

It's getting dangerous here! Cliff thought, bracing himself against a tree branch as his eyes met those of the creature.

The hobgoblin's hideous face twisted into a devilish grin.

"You…be…cockroach…come…here!"

If someone had told Cliff that he would one day be called a cockroach by the ugliest creature he had ever seen, he would have vehemently denied it. Yet here he was, taken aback by the absurdity of the situation.

How ironic, damn it!

Looking down at the creature from above, he watched as it began to back away. Cliff silently begged it not to do what he feared it would.

Once it had gained some distance, the creature sprinted forward, swinging its flaming club toward him.

Damn, I don't have a choice!

As the creature charged, Cliff leaped at it, his katana raised high.

He poured all his strength into the attack.