Chapter 120: Loki The Great!

Sparks exploded violently between the two warriors as they stared into each other’s eyes with open animosity. Neither of them backed away from the clash. Ka’z’s muscles remained tense beneath his crimson scales while Loki kept both hands firmly around his spear, the two of them measuring the other’s strength through the pressure of their locked weapons.

"You fucking lizard, where the hell did you get this?" Loki asked, his eyes fixed on Ashin Grim as though the weapon mattered more to him than the battle itself.

"From the corpse of a dead piece of shit. Do you know him?" Ka’z retorted without hesitation.

Several faces among the Mok tribe warriors twisted with rage. They had all followed Grash. To them, he had been more than just the chieftain of the Ashmork clan. He had been the strongest warrior they had ever known, a figure whose victories had become stories repeated around their homes. Hearing a kobold speak about his corpse so casually only deepened the hatred already burning inside them.

"I’ll be taking it back then!" Loki’s eyes suddenly revealed a dazzling azure light.

Ka’z’s expression changed immediately. The mana surrounding Loki’s body surged with such intensity that his eyes widened in surprise.

’Mana body?’

Ka’z gasped inwardly as he felt the sudden pressure coming from the goblin standing before him.

Loki’s body bulged temporarily as veins across his arms and neck turned a vivid blue. The mana did not spread evenly through his body like Ka’z expected from a true Mana Body. Instead, it gathered violently within his muscles before erupting outward in a sudden burst of explosive strength. Loki swung his spear with everything he had, and the overwhelming force behind the attack caught Ka’z off guard.

Bam!

Ka’z was thrown backward. His feet skidded violently across the uneven ground, digging long trails into the earth as he struggled to regain his balance. He was pushed several meters before finally bringing himself to a stop, his battle ax lowered as he stared toward Loki with narrowed eyes. The azure glow around Loki’s body had already faded, and the intensity that had briefly surrounded him was gone as though it had only existed for a single explosive moment.

"No... It’s close, but it’s not Mana Body," Ka’z muttered out loud as he watched Loki carefully.

[Assimilating Information... 80% .... 90% ... 100%]

[Name: Mana Burst]

[Description: A failed imitation of Mana Body. It is a temporary burst of mana used to drastically increase one’s explosive power for a short period. While it is not as effective as Mana Body, it can temporarily replicate a similar result while placing less continuous strain on the body.]

’I see...’ Ka’z slowly nodded inwardly, a look of surprise appearing on his face.

The technique was crude compared to a proper Mana Body, but that did not make it useless. In fact, the way Loki used it made it especially dangerous. He did not need to maintain the technique continuously. He only needed to activate it at the exact moment when explosive speed or strength was necessary.

Ka’z raised his gaze again, only to see Loki flexing his shoulder as though the earlier exchange had left some strain behind. At the same time, several Mok tribe warriors began moving around Ka’z, spreading out as they tried to surround him with their spears raised. Their expressions were cautious, but their confidence had returned after seeing their leader force Ka’z backward.

"There is no way you are the only one who came here. Where is your army? Don’t make the mistake of thinking I will ask twice," Loki demanded.

Ka’z suddenly let out a loud laugh. The sound was mocking enough to make Loki’s expression darken further, and a cruel smile slowly spread across Ka’z’s lips.

"You don’t seem to understand the situation you are in," Ka’z hissed as he raised one hand before casually letting it fall.

Swoosh!

Arrows tore through the sky from the higher slope where Ka’z’s team had remained hidden. The goblins reacted quickly, proving that they were not inexperienced warriors. Several swung their weapons violently, knocking arrows away before they could reach their vital points. Others twisted their bodies and narrowly avoided being struck, but not everyone was fortunate. A few arrows buried themselves into shoulders, thighs, and arms, causing several goblins to stagger backward in pain.

"They are hiding up there!" one of the goblin warriors gasped as several faces immediately twisted with concern.

Their eyes darted toward the higher ground, trying to locate the kobolds hidden among the vegetation and uneven terrain.

However, their attention was quickly stolen by Ka’z’s cruel laughter. He raised his hand toward the wounded goblins and slowly closed his fingers around the empty air as though grasping something invisible.

"Blood Magic: Blood Drain!"

Buzz!

The blood pouring from the goblins’ wounds suddenly changed direction. Several of them stared in horror as streams of blood rose from their injuries and surged through the air toward Ka’z. The crimson liquid wrapped around his arm before disappearing into his body, and everyone watched with disturbed expressions as his muscles bulged further beneath his crimson scales. The power flowing through him intensified, and Ka’z pushed his Blood Empowerment closer to its limit.

The wounded goblins immediately understood what was happening and tried to cover their injuries, but the damage had already been done. Ka’z’s eyes burned brighter as the additional blood strengthened the spell coursing through his body.

Bang!

Loki shot forward before Ka’z could drain any more blood. The ground beneath his feet cracked as mana burst through his muscles, propelling him across the distance in seconds. His spear was wrapped in azure light as he drove it straight toward Ka’z’s chest.

Peng!

Ka’z swung Ashin Grim without hesitation and deflected the attack with enough force to send sparks flying between them. Loki’s spear was knocked aside, but he did not lose his balance. The moment Ka’z created an opening, he swung his battle ax downward with crushing force.

Swoosh!

The attack struck the ground instead, splitting the rocky earth beneath him. Loki had already moved. His body spun skillfully through the air as he shifted sideways, avoiding the heavy swing by a narrow margin.

Thud!

The moment Loki’s feet touched the ground, he activated Mana Burst again. Blue light flashed through his veins as his body exploded forward, leaving a faint azure trail behind him as he blitzed past Ka’z’s side.

Swoosh!

A cold breeze swept across the battlefield as silence returned. For a brief moment, no one moved. Even the kobolds hidden on the higher slope raised their heads, their eyes widening as they stared toward Loki.

Blood dripped slowly from the tip of his spear.

The Mok tribe warriors erupted into loud cheers, several of them raising their weapons into the air as they believed their leader had landed a decisive strike. However, Loki himself wore a deep frown. His chest rose and fell heavily as he struggled to control his breathing, and when he glanced down at his trembling hands, the numbing sensation running through them was impossible to ignore.

Ka’z stood several meters behind him with a frown of his own. His eyes lowered toward the bloody gash around his waist. Several of his protruding scales had been cut through, and the wound beneath them slowly released blood. He touched the injury carefully before pulling his hand back and staring at the crimson liquid on his claws.

This was the second time someone had managed to cut through his dragon scales, and once again, the reason was connected to the Lightning Cutter rune carved into his opponent’s weapon. However, the rune was not the only problem. Loki’s movements were far more dangerous than Ka’z expected. His agility was exceptional, and his ability to activate Mana Burst at precise intervals made his attacks difficult to predict.

Without any doubt, this person was a much better fighter than Ka’z. His instincts were sharper, his footwork was cleaner, and his understanding of close combat came from experience. Ka’z could already tell that if the two of them had been forced into a battle without magic, bloodline abilities, or weapons, Loki will have completely overwhelm him in seconds.

The realization irritated him, but it also reminded him of someone else. The first person who had ever managed to cut through his dragon scales.

"Bastard... Who the hell are you?" Ka’z growled through his teeth as his crimson eyes rose toward the goblin.

Loki slowly turned his head over his shoulder, his gaze falling directly on Ashin Grim in Ka’z’s hand. The anger in his eyes deepened as he stared at the weapon that had once belonged to his father.

"I’m the son and successor of the man you stole that weapon from," Loki roared as azure mana began gathering around his body once again. "I am Loki, the son of Grash the Conqueror!"