Chapter 6: Me or him ?
Isaac clutched the hilt of his katana, his breath coming in short gasps, his heart pounding against his ribs. Facing him, the hobgoblin grinned, revealing its yellowish teeth, covered in slime and blood. The monster was massive, much bigger than he had first perceived, and the mass it carried seemed to weigh a ton.
Isaac swallowed hard. He knew that the slightest blow from that weapon could break him in an instant. His body shook with adrenalin and fear, but he tightened his grip on his katana, silently repeating the same phrase to himself over and over again.
- Strength, honour and courage.
The hobgoblin lost patience and charged brutally, brandishing his mace above his head. The next instant, the weapon came crashing down on Isaac, who dodged in a clumsy leap, his breathing ragged. The ground cracked under the impact of the sledgehammer and the monster roared in frustration.
- Fuck...' Isaac muttered through clenched teeth.
Even though his body had been strengthened by the statistics and his awakening as a hunter, he was still weak, and the mass coupled with the monster's power would be enough to send his organs flying off the walls.
The monster turned its head towards him, its eyes gleaming with malice. With a backhand, it swept the air again with its mace. Isaac rolled onto his side, narrowly avoiding the impact. He felt the gust of wind from the weapon's passage brush against his skin, his hair bristling instinctively as he felt it.
He had to strike back.
Taking advantage of the brief moment when the mace was still embedded in the ground, Isaac retaliated. He leapt forward and lowered his katana towards the monster's hip, aiming for an opening in its imposing musculature.