There was no feinting or grandstanding between the two warriors. Ronan and Zagbar the Bloodthirsty stared each other down as the crowds of goblins parted ways for the mini-boss; their champion.

Zagbar nodded in appreciation when Ronan didn't back down from the threatening imposition. The hobgoblin shifted its shoulder, swinging the large blade down and grasping the handle with both hands. The muscles in its arms strained as they held up the weight, but Ronan could tell from the moment it took its first step towards him that the champion knew how to wield its weapon of choice with practised expertise.

Unfortunately for the hobgoblin, Ronan outleveled it by a couple digits, not to mention that his stats were likely far higher. As soon as the mini-boss made a move he started forming a mana bolt in his off-hand while adjusting his stance to receive its first blow.

Rather than rushing in blindly, he wanted to observe its movements. He'd fought one hobgoblin champion before, but Magriz'al was wild and unrestrained. The look in Zagbar's eyes seemed colder and more calculating.

Underestimating an opponent or striking without knowledge would get one killed fast. Ronan didn't fear death, but he wasn't here to die like an idiot.

Zagbar raised its sword to the right, slightly twisting its hips as it approached within striking distance of Ronan. The obvious attack was a diagonal downwards slash, but before the boss could start its move, a mana bolt screamed across the space between them and exploded against its shoulder.

Zagbar staggered as the spell struck it, but its grip on the blade didn't slip a centimetre. Its footing, however, was not so stable. The moment Ronan saw it bend backwards to compensate, he darted forwards and thrust his shortsword at its right hip.

He felt the thick muscles of the boss tense around the conjured blade. The champion grunted and slammed the hilt of the blade downwards at Ronan's exposed head.

Against an opponent with a regular weapon it would have been a devastating counter-attack. The benefit of a conjured weapon was that Ronan had no need to cling to it. He released his grip and jumped backwards, allowing the construct to dissipate as the mini-boss' blow struck empty air.

Zagbar wasn't fazed by the miss. It simply hefted the sword up while glancing at the bleeding wound on its thigh. It raised the leg slowly and then smashed it back into the dirt, staring defiantly at Ronan. The message was clear.

A superficial stab wound wouldn't be enough to kill the bastard.

From that moment the battle sped up. The two warriors had tested one another and realised that neither was easy prey.

Ronan launched a stream of mana bolts at Zagbar, keeping the furious berserker at a distance while he occasionally darted in and out. Each time he struck, he targeted points of the hobgoblin's body that were vital for mobility.

Once his foe was crippled, he could then put it down like a dog. Unfortunately the champion seemed to have a high regeneration stat, perhaps even a natural advantage from the system. The wounds he dealt only bled for five or so seconds before scabbing over, the mini-boss' movements barely impeded.

On the contrary, the mana bolts seemed to be leaving lasting damage. Where they had struck, the charred flesh refused to heal and whenever Ronan struck somewhere he'd hit with a mana bolt, Zagbar visibly winced.

Ronan wasn't escaping unharmed from these exchanges. A few cuts marred his upper body and there was a nasty gash down his left leg. The left side of his torso ached, especially when he twisted into his sword-strikes, after he'd caught a heavy punch from the hobgoblin champion while dodging a bite from its rotting teeth.

Both fighters were breathing a little heavier than they had at the start of the battle. Ronan wasn't that wounded, but rather enjoying the fight so much that his heart was racing, pumping blood and adrenaline through his veins.

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He had figured out Zagbar's movements. The boss was fast for a monster wielding a weapon of that size, but it had a few common patterns. Wide, sweeping, overhead slashes that were intended to cleave Ronan in half or sever limbs. They were easy enough to dodge, but always followed by a rapid lunging punch or kick that tried to sweep him off his feet or daze him.

When the hobgoblin champion made its next move, stepping outside of Ronan's range of attack before cutting back in as it swept its sword down from above, he was ready for it. Blocking such a powerful strike wasn't the best way to handle it. He could have, but he didn't.

Ronan ducked under the sweeping blade, bending his spine backwards and straining the muscles in his back. Conjuring a small dagger, he caught the edge of the broadsword and swept it to the side.

Zagbar realised what he was doing a fraction of a second too late. The broadsword swung round, the momentum carrying the mini-boss with it. The powerful muscles in the hobgoblin's legs and shoulders allowed it to halt the spin, but Ronan had already lunged forward, a shortsword appearing in his hand as he did. The tip of the conjured blade pierced Zagbar's back beside the spine, then Ronan twisted and pushed, severing it at the base.

The hobgoblin wasn't dead, but it dropped to the ground like a sack of bricks. Its upper body was still functional but it could no longer twist or hold itself up. Dropping the broadsword, Zagbar flailed its arms, clawing and scratching at Ronan's legs as he approached with sword held loosely in one hand.

Even though it had lost, the boss refused to go down without a fight. Ronan respected its determination, but his path was set. He stomped on one of its wrists, crushing the weaker bones. One arm limp, Zagbar still hit and grabbed at him with its remaining hand, until Ronan sliced it off with a casual swing of his sword. He grabbed the braided hair that fell from its furrowed head, yanking it off the ground. He stared into the hobgoblin champion's eyes for a second before cutting its head clean off.

You have killed [Zagbar the Bloodthirsty - MINI BOSS][Hobgoblin Champion Lv.40]!

+25 Bronze Credits

+187 Copper Credits

+3 [Mana IV] Mastery

+11 [Stamina IV] Mastery

+6 [Dagger I] Mastery

+7 [Sword III] Mastery

+Hobgoblin Fingers (Uncommon)

+Bone Charm Lv.40 (Uncommon)

+Mini-Boss Shard Lv.40 (Body)

You have leveled up to Lv.43!

You have leveled up to Lv.44!

You have been restored!

+10 Vitality

+10 Endurance

+4 Wisdom

+4 Intelligence

+6 Acuity

+172 Free Stat Points

Ronan read through the notification, marvelling at how many credits he'd earned for taking down a single enemy. The multipliers were really starting to show their prowess after his last iteration.

The experience was incredible too. Even without the critical hit multiplier he had managed to reach level 44 by defeating a level 40 enemy. In his earlier iterations that was unheard of. He realised quite how ridiculous it might get in future. Earning his class by killing a single monster would only be the beginning.

He paused when he reached the end of the notification. There was one more, regarding the end of the stage. He was curious about the rewards.

Congratulations, you have cleared Stage 4 of the tutorial!

All basic system functions have been unlocked! Access will be restored once you exit the tutorial.

+12 Bronze Credits

+477 Copper Credits

+Myriad Skills Tome (Rare)

+Endless Treasury Token (Legendary)

Stage 5 begins now!

This was the moment he'd been dreading. The harder difficulty tutorial didn't end with the fourth stage. Then again, Zagbar had only been a mini-boss. He should have expected this.

The only thing that confused him was that he could only see ordinary goblins. The champion was dead. What monster could even pose a threat to him now?

He received his answer a moment later when a guttural screech pierced the lingering silence, emanating from the opposite edge of the goblin settlement. At the noise, all of the goblins' faces stretched, fear creeping into their visages.

In the distance, he heard faint screams. Thick black smoke curled into the air, seeming to form screaming faces. The smoke spread through the crowds of goblins, and when it touched one, it would seep in through their pores, draining them of life and leaving hollow husks of pale green skin behind.

Something disturbing was happening and Ronan had no desire to be caught in the insidious spell's grasp. He turned tail and ran out of the settlement, the screams of the goblins in his ears.

He wasn't running away. That would be cowardly. He simply had no desire for a damned shaman to use him as spell-fodder. Once the magic had run its course, he would return to find the boss, as he assumed the spellcaster would be the final challenge of the harder difficulty tutorial.

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