Goblin Heavy Dependence

Chapter 478 The End
"So I still couldn't do it..."

The intense pain emanating from her entire body made Lorraine feel her consciousness fading, her vision blurring, and even her eyelids feeling heavy and sticky. Each blink felt like it took all her strength to close and open her eyes again.

His chest felt like it was leaking air, and his breathing was wet and hollow. His nasal cavity and mouth were filled with the metallic smell of fresh blood.

She didn't know the extent of her injuries, nor did she have the energy to carefully perceive the source of her pain.

Consciousness is gradually sinking into the rapidly fading vitality.

Lorraine has been adventuring for many years and has had close encounters with death before.

She could smell the increasingly deep and obscure aura of death in the air, and feel the shadow of Death's scythe slowly descending upon her face.

She could do it so many times, and whenever she was in dire straits, she always managed to find hope of turning things around.

Whether it was timely support from her teammates or enemies who were also critically injured and on the verge of death... she ultimately survived.

But where is the hope right now?

Lorraine can't see it.

Arken was struck squarely in the chest by a Shark Beast's punch. Even though the special path of the Barbarian class prevented him from dying on the spot, he was barely clinging to life. Let alone getting up to fight again, it was uncertain how long he could maintain that state.
Sasha's injuries appeared to be even more severe than Aken's, with a broken arm and a dislocated leg. Even if he were to wake up from unconsciousness now, he would likely have difficulty getting up, let alone continuing to fight.

The only variable on the field was the black-haired youth named "Xia Nan," who had joined the team as a "temporary member" and whose combat power far exceeded her expectations. She didn't even know whether he was dead or alive.

Just moments ago, Lorraine was briefly lifted into the air by the water flow from the cracks in the ground. She witnessed the shark beast's thick, whip-like arm swing directly at Xia Nan's arms, which he had crossed in front of his chest as he tried to block.

I also witnessed firsthand how the exquisite plate chainmail armor on the shark beast's body twisted and deformed under the immense force of the shark beast, and how scarlet blood, along with the crisp sound of bones breaking, mixed with dripping bits of flesh, gushed out of its mouth.

I was merely caught in the crossfire and suffered such severe injuries.

The opponent was hit head-on by the shark beast, which had completely entered a state of rage, and its injuries were no less severe than its own.

She can no longer even hear Xia Nan's cries of pain.

Considering the worst-case scenario, the other party is probably already...

"Bang, bang, bang."

The heavy footsteps of the shark beast gradually approached, accompanied by a slight tremor in the ground.

The heavy, labored breathing of the monster's massive body echoed through the air, and the stench grew stronger.

Lorraine lay quietly on the ground, blood spreading beneath her, her pair of slowly losing consciousness, her brown-red eyes staring at the sky.

At this moment, she could even foresee what was about to happen.

With several key members, including himself, seriously injured and forced to leave the field, only Hein, Alton, and Rennes remained as the only fighting force on the field.

Even though the Shark itself was seriously injured, it was clearly beyond the capabilities of these support-oriented team members.

The most sensible course of action would actually be to turn around and retreat, return to the port, take a boat, and leave, hoping that the severely injured shark would stop pursuing them.

but……

Lorraine knew that Hein wouldn't run away.

Despite his seemingly calm and composed demeanor, the Druid's inner self remained unchanged.

Even with the rare flying ability among low-level professionals, they could easily escape safely.

Given their personalities, faced with such a desperate situation of near annihilation, they would only rush towards the enemy like moths to a flame, striving for that last sliver of possibility.

For some unknown reason, a faint smile suddenly appeared on Lorraine's lips, which were stained with scarlet blood.

Perhaps because death was imminent, the female captain's thoughts drifted away like a kite with a broken string, memories from the past that had been somewhat blurred suddenly became clear and kept flashing before her eyes.

Lorraine suddenly recalled a pitiful little girl from many years ago, standing on the dock with a wicker backpack taller than herself.

The ill-fitting, oversized robes and the wet, stubborn, and sensitive gaze made the other person look like an abandoned stray puppy.

Even today, he may appear composed and calm to outsiders, but Lorraine knows that it is only because of his role as the core spellcaster of the team that he deliberately puts on an act. After pretending for so long, it seems that his personality has become like that.

Only when I'm alone with her occasionally can I see the shadow of that stubborn girl from the past.

Then there's Ryan and Gordon.

In truth, these were the two people Lorraine felt most ashamed of in the team.

Despite having been with him the longest, they usually did the most troublesome tasks, such as managing the crew, keeping track of supplies, and guarding the ships. But the two brothers never complained and always did their best to fulfill their responsibilities.

She had originally planned to hand over the captaincy to Ryan when she decided to retire, but now that opportunity was gone.

Aken, the good news is that he doesn't have to tell the other person's family about his death in person, and he doesn't have to face the disappointed and sad eyes in the tribe anymore.

Sasha had originally planned to train him for a few more years, letting him learn from her how to read the weather and how to deal with storms. It wasn't easy for a spotted cat who was born afraid of water and worked at sea, and now that opportunity was gone.

Consciousness became increasingly scattered, and the spirit sank into a lightless abyss, as if even the soul was about to drift away from the body.

At this moment, the last image that appeared in Lorraine Morton's mind was the reason she created "The Blade of Vengeance," buried deep within her heart, and the goal she had been pursuing all these years at sea:

"Father……"

Huff—

The sound of a short-tailed albatross flapping its wings overhead briefly brought her back to reality.

Then, being casually knocked away, the pained cry from Raine, the sudden halt of the piano music, and being hit by a jet of water in a hurry, along with the noise of feathers rubbing against the air as she fell from the sky, all drew Lorraine's attention back to her.

I don't know where he squeezed out the last bit of strength.

A faint glow appeared on the scorched surface of the body, and the long, fiery red hair, covered in dirty mud, swayed gently.

Like a critically ill patient who has been bedridden for many years, Lorraine's body trembled violently as she struggled to turn over on the ground, changing her position from lying on her back to lying on her side.

Blood dripped from fingertips, falling onto the curved blade under the influence of gravity, where it evaporated into mist.

Her right hand gripped the hilt of the knife tightly, the sharp blade deeply embedded in the ground, serving as the sole support for her body.

He struggled to his feet, panting heavily, and slowly rose to his feet with great difficulty, supporting himself on his knees.

The blood flowing from her forehead stained Lorraine's vision crimson, leaving only blurry, scarlet outlines of everything before her.

She raised her head slightly.

What came into view was the massive, twisted, and broken figure of the shark beast, and its thick left arm, which was gradually rising and gathering strength as its muscles bulged and expanded, about to fall.

And just as all of this was about to come to an end.

Between Lorraine, who stands still awaiting death, and the enormous shark beast gathering its strength to unleash its punch.

"Susu."

A small, warm, fragmented object drifted down through the air like a falling leaf.

It's snowing?
Lorraine, in a daze, thought to herself unconsciously.

But then, the fleeting, silent flame burning in the wind made her realize the true nature of this small piece of debris.

"Oh, it's ashes."

Thump... Thump... Thump...

A heavy, drum-like heartbeat came from behind me, accelerating continuously;

Unlike the scorching heat of her own flames, a gentle, yet seemingly melancholic, wind blew her fiery red hair wildly.

Lorraine couldn't see what was happening behind her.

What she could glimpse was the shark-like beast's body, frozen as if it had encountered some kind of natural enemy, and the increasingly intense flame reflected deep within its dead black eyes. It had not suffered any attack, nor encountered any substantial threat.

This terrifying monster, which nearly wiped out the Oath of Vengeance squad, instinctively took a step back for the first time since the start of the battle, facing the enemy standing right in front of it.

As soon as its heavy webbed feet touched the ground, the shark beast, as if humiliated, roared and howled at Lorraine's back in a fit of rage and bravado.

The response was a wolf howl that Lorraine knew all too well, yet was even more profound and lingering.

hold head high--

Time and space seemed to stand still at this moment.

The shark beast continued its roaring motion, and the muscles in its throat could even be seen writhing inside its gaping maw covered with sharp teeth, with thick saliva mixed with blood spurting out.

A black wolf, wreathed in flames, brushed past Lorraine from behind.

Molten flames spread across his body like shattered ceramic; a scorching straight sword, its color shifting from pitch black to orange-red; and jet-black hair swaying violently amidst flying sparks…

And those dark eyes, like those of a solar eclipse, with flames swirling around their edges.

"Boom!"

The next second, the scorching wind surging from the high-speed movement pushed the heavily injured Lorraine away from her spot.

With both feet off the ground, his weak body soared high into the air, but just as he was about to land, it was as if an invisible hand lifted him from below, reducing the force and allowing him to slowly lie down.

On the other side, after entering the ember state, the [Emberfall] straight sword, which was originally as black as night and turned orange-red like the afterglow of the sunset under the effect of the melting fire, also revealed its complete state as a purple rare quality weapon after a long time.

laugh--

A perfectly curved afterimage, remnants of sparks, suddenly flashed through the air.

The 33% attribute bonus provided by [Echoes of Ember] instantly boosted Xia Nan's already superior physical attributes compared to adventurers of the same level.

With the surge in basic attributes, the power of [Fang Hunt], [Whirlwind Slash], and even the perception-driven [Heavy Tide] has been greatly enhanced.

Xia Nan had tried before, but the shark beast's exaggerated physical attributes and its thick, tough skin made it impossible for him to penetrate its outer defenses, even if he managed to break through them. He was unable to reach its inner muscles or even its bones.

The [Heavy Tide] effect that comes with the slash attack has absolutely no effect on the Shark Beast.

However, the actual effect of this sword strike after entering the residual fire state is completely different from before.

The shark beast reacted very quickly. When Xia Nan approached and the straight sword fell, it had already placed its left arm horizontally above the neck, which had been blasted open with a bloody hole, attempting to defend and block with its own body.

After all, that's what it did before.

In the very next instant, the shark learned a lesson from such actions.

After activating [Echoes of Ember], Xia Nan already gains a 25% bonus to Ember damage. Furthermore, the [Melting Reshaping] property of the fully formed [Ember Meteor] straight sword further increases the Ember damage of his attacks, in addition to the original bonuses to "Slash", "Decapitation", and "Mind".

If such a sword strike were performed in a game from my previous life, it would probably immediately cause a screen full of colorful numbers representing different damage attributes.

In reality, it manifested as a molten blade that pierced through the shark beast's skin, fat, and muscle in an instant, landing heavily on its arm bones.

They retreated in an instant.

The lingering embers on the blade meant that the straight sword encountered no resistance when it was drawn, and was cleanly and decisively pulled from the enemy's flesh.

The fierce gale that comes with the 【Fang Hunt】 skill brings with it a trace of embers, turning into a scorching wind that scrapes across the shark beast's massive body like blades, instantly drying the sticky liquid covering its skin.

Use the recoil from the collision with the shark beast to unleash [Fang Hunt] again and retreat.

The bone-white leg armor gleamed with a flame-like light.

Landed lightly.

With his right hand holding a sword, Xia Nan casually tore off the plate and chainmail armor, which was twisted beyond recognition and completely rendered useless by the residual fire, and dropped it to his feet, revealing the thin, dark lining underneath.

The metal chain of the necklace, 【Tears of Spring】, was also tinged with firelight, its end sinking deep into the neckline; the hem of the garment seemed to be ignited by flames, scattering ashes as it swayed with the airflow.

He exhaled softly, sparks floating with his breath, his dark eyes, edged with flames, fixed on the remains of the shark beast, writhing in agony as it was burned by the embers.

Xia Nan's face was expressionless, with only a mournful and tragic crimson flame burning illusoryly on his body.

The duration of 【Echoes】 is only one minute, and the Shark Beast has already used all its trump cards under the previous siege, and is now in a state of serious injury.

He no longer needs to study combat strategies, nor does he need to consider whether he can fit into his teammates' rhythm.

What Xia Nan needs to do...

He simply swung his sword.

"Chi Ang——"

The long howl of wolves rang out once again.

The black wolf, its mane wreathed in mournful crimson flames, shook violently. With its long limbs, it leaped high into the air, its sharp, flaming fangs, glowing with ochre-red light, suddenly swooping down.

Having lost its right arm and covered in wounds, the shark-like beast, whose muscular and massive body was not good at dodging, could only resort to offense as a form of defense in the face of such a dangerous attack.

He roared and swung his remaining left arm, his fist pounding wildly at the sword blade.

And just as the fist and the sword tip were about to touch.

Xia Nan's wrist, which was gripping the sword hilt, suddenly twisted, changing the "thrust" to a "slap".

The sword blade rose, and the blade gently struck the back of the shark beast's hand.

Buzz-boom——

[Gravity Etching] erupted, and the force field energy transformed into small, ochre-red fireworks that engulfed the shark beast's fist.

It was just a feint!

Xia Nan continued moving, using the impact of the energy burst from the force field, combined with the invisible gravity, to lift his body, which was surrounded by flames, a little higher.

With a somersault, his leather boots landed lightly on the outstretched arm of the shark beast.

Gathering power... [Whirling Slash]!
With a sudden burst of strength from his waist and abdomen, he rotated his entire body 180 degrees.

The molten sword blade, under the effect of the combat technique, instantly embedded itself in the bloody hole in the shark beast's neck, making Xia Nan appear as if he were suspended from the shark beast's body by the sword blade.

[Gravity Control] Works silently, maximizing its effectiveness.

The momentary gravity applied to him, the brief imbalance effect of [Heavy Tide], and the inertia of his body after using [Spinning Slash] caused the shark beast's massive and burly body to tilt in the direction where Xia Nan exerted his force.

It couldn't let Xia Nan do as it pleased, and instinctively wanted to straighten up.

Thus, with the blade inserted into its neck pointing downwards, the shark beast stubbornly arched its neck upwards.

Both sides exert force simultaneously.

"Sizzle."

The sound of flesh tearing echoed through the air.

Blood gushed out and splattered all over his body.

Xia Nan felt the straight sword in his hand, which had been stiff and difficult to grip, suddenly loosen.

The body hanging from the shark's body lost its support, and its feet touched the ground.

Before him lay the massive, severed shark head.

(End of this chapter)