Chapter 38 The Deception

No matter the reason for gobliman weird action, the minotaur didn't have the luxury to hesitate especially when his enemy is standing right beside him. Bill grabbed his axe off the ground and swung at gobliman with all his might.

In that split second, as he swung, Bill scanned the room from the corner of his eye, filled with confusion and uncertainty he tried to notice where Suzuka was. 

The minotaur looked back at the gobliman, his eyes narrowed with suspicion. He didn't trust it, not for a second. But he also knew Suzuka was a skilled and experienced warrior, with a keen sense for danger and deceit. No matter what trick goblins pulled to make the girl disappear, he was sure she is fine.

 The minotaur let out a fierce yell, his eyes burning with rage, as his axe was aimed at the gobliman head. But gobliman dodged his attack at the last second and swiftly stepped to the side. Bill turned to him, his axe at the ready, and shouted with a voice filled with anger and resolve.

"Grahhhh! Wretched creature! What did you do to the girl? Tell me, before I ripped your head off!"

But gobliman was just weirdly waving his hands and shouting in a weird language. Bill knew goblins' language and it wasn't it.

"Oh! Disgusting creature! Are you mocking Bill?!"

But gobliman just mumbled nonsense and moved weirdly. Bill couldn't take any more of gobliman nonsense and charge at him. Minotaur and gobliman faced off against each other, and the ground shook beneath their feet as they circled each other. Bill was a massive beast, compared to him the gobliman was like a twig. It looked like if Bill couth him he could snap gobliman like a twig. The minotaur swung its massive axe, and the blade glinted in the dark, but gobliman was quick on his feet, dodging and weaving as he looked for an opening.

The goblin shaman watched from the sidelines, covering in the shadows. A twisted smile on his face as he reveled in the chaos he had created. But gobliman was not about to let the minotaur win. He unsheathed his sword and lunged forward, the blade slicing through the air as he went on the offensive.

Looking at gobliman charging at him Bill readied his shield and said, "Ha! Stupid goblin! Charging Bill? You think that pathetic swing will..."

But before he could finish the sentence the attack hit. Gobliman lunged forward, his sword glowed with sinister energy as he swung it at Bill's shield. Bill braced himself for the impact, gritting his teeth, thinking he is prepared.

But even he wasn't prepared for the force of the blow. The gobliman hit the shield with such force that it sent shudders through Bill's entire body, his hand turn numb for a second and he felt his knees buckle under the strain. He struggled to stand, he bent the knee. His shield fell out of his hand beside him, splintered and split, as he struggled to get back up. 

The minotaur roared in anger and swung its axe, but the gobliman was ready for the attack. With a swift backflip, he dodged Bill's axe before it could hit him. Bill was angry now, but before he went on a rampage he shouted at gobliman, "How! How can a low-life goblin, like you, hit so hard? Where did that power come from?!"

But gobliman was just doing the same thing, making weird noises and making faces at Bill as if he was mocking him or taunting him. Bill was getting really mad now. He pushes himself back to his feet, his eyes blazing with fury. He stomped the shield and broke it into pieces, he grabbed his axe with both hands and went for the kill.  

The two of them clashed in a flurry of steel and sparks, their weapons ringed out as they battled. The two fighters faced off against each other, their weapons drawn and ready. The sound of steel clashing against steel filled the air as they swung their sword and axe at each other, the sparks flying as the blades met in a shower of sparks.

The gobliman with the sword was fast and agile, his blade flashed as he parried his opponent's attacks. The minotaur with the axe was slower but more powerful, his blows shook the ground as he swung his weapon with all of his might. The axe and the sword met with a shower of sparks, the impact sending tremors through both fighters as they struggled. For some reason, the gobliman was playing on defense game, and that made Bill even more furious.

With a swift movement gobliman was dodging all of Bill's devastating attacks and he refuses to strike him even when Bill leaves an opening on purpose to lure in the gobliman for a counter.

 Sweat dripped down their brows as they fought on, but neither of them was tired yet. Their muscles strained with the effort, and the axe and the sword clashed again and again, the sound echoing through the battlefield as the warriors battled for some time. 

Finally, a shifting tides attack happens as minotaur's swing shatters the gobliman sword. Because of the delivered force, the sword burst into a shower of sparks and hot pieces of steel. The moment the sword broke, gobliman backflipped a few times to gain distance and stood still while looking at Bill. 

Minotaur released a triumphant laugh and said to gobliman, "Hahaha! That toothpick you call a sword! Is no match against my battle axe! What will you say now?! You damn goblin!"

Gobliman looked directly at Bill, he extended his arm towards Bill as he was reaching for something. He started to mutter something in his weird language, and a surge of dark energy flowed out, enveloping the minotaur in a thick, oppressive aura.

The minotaur roared in anger and swung its axe, but it was as if the weight of the world had suddenly been placed upon its shoulders. The axe buried itself into the wooden floor splintering and splitting them until it fell down through the floor. Bill moved slowly and sluggishly, his movements labored and strained as he struggled to keep standing. 

Moments later minotaur hit the ground on all four as gobliman was slowly approaching him. As he was struggling to keep himself from hitting the ground, the minotaur shouted, "What is this madness!? What did Goblin do to Bill?! Why does Bill feel so heavy?!"

But gobliman didn't answer, he was mumbling something in a calming voice as he slowly approached Bill. The gobliman approached Bill and stopped, but before he could attempt anything they both got distracted by the notice on top of the stairs where the king's throne was. The goblin shaman walked out of the shadow to cast a distraction with his presence.

Gobliman turned his gaze from Bill towards the goblin shaman, he extended his arm towards the shaman and was about to say something when suddenly Bill started to shout.

"Enough! Enough of this mockery! No holding back! Wrrraaahhh!"

 He was not about to let this foul creature get the better of him. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, he focused all of his energy and rage on a single, powerful emotion.

Quickly, he began to change. His muscles grew and bulged, his skin turned a deep, dark brown as his body took on the shape of a perfect minotaur. His senses sharpened and his strength increased tenfold. He felt a surge of raw, primal power coursing through his veins. This sudden transformation was only possible because some of Suzuka's blood got mixed in with Bill's blood when she healed his wounds. 

Bill stood facing the gobliman, his eyes showed no sign of reason anymore. The gobliman gaped in shock as he saw the transformation, his eyes wide with fear. The gobliman took a step back in surprise as his magic got canceled and the minotaur was free to attack once more.

But Bill was not in the mood to chase nimble gobliman. He let out a mighty roar and charged at him, his hooves pounding the ground as he closed the distance between them in less than a second. The gobliman was able to react but just barely defended himself, he was no match for the transformed Bill. With one powerful blow, Bill struck the gobliman and sent him crashing to the ground, sliding through the ground across the room and crashing into the rubble. 

Without giving even a moment for gobliman to rest he charged after him. The gobliman was gravely injured and still tried to get up but it was too late, Bill was standing right above him and he was fresh out of mercy. He raised both of his hands above his head and pummeled the gobliman. The minotaur only stopped attacking when his full transformation wared off and he felt weak and exhausted, his rage finally spent.

That power gave him great battle prowess but in exchange, it took all of his remaining stamina, he was spent, and now he was struggling to even stand.  

 Bill stood over gobliman in surprise, his fists clenched and struggling to stay focused. The gobliman lay at his feet still alive, battered, broken, and bleeding, his body trembling as he tried to crawl away.

But Bill was not about to let him get away so easily, Mustering the steams of remaining strength he have left, Bill grabbed the gobliman by the collar and lifted him to his feet. His eyes blazing with anger, he snarls as he asks, his voice dripping with rage.

"Before... before I break... this tiny neck. Tell me! Creature! Where! Is! The girl!"

Suddenly the voice he can understand comes from above, it's the goblin language, and it was the shaman goblin. He showed himself again, he burst from the shadows with a smile on his face and a loud laugh.

"Hahhah! You stupid beast! Finally! Defeated! Standing on your last breath! Me! It was me! Me who bested you! You stupid brute! The girl you ask! Hahaha! Look at what you choking... with that hand, wrapped around that tiny neck."

And finally, Bill heard a familiar voice barely whispering towards his ear. He turns to see, and not the gobliman he was choking but Suzuka. Barely alive, bleeding, and broken, but still pleading in whispers for Bill to stop fighting like a broken record.

 "Bill... stop... please... Bill... stop... please... Bill... stop... please..."

The wretched goblin shaman laughing in the background as Bill realizes what has he done. He whispered, his voice filled with horror, "No! What have I done?!" 

 He released the grip on her neck and she collapsed to the ground. He looked at Suzuka, his eyes narrowed as he glared at her. She was lying on the ground, her body battered and bruised, but she was still conscious and barely talking. With his last remaining strength, Bill growled, his fists clenched in anger.

"You think this is funny?!"

The goblin shaman chuckled and weakly lowered his head to look down at Bill. 

"I've won, Beast! It is not funny, it is a joy! I will put your head on the wall, minotaur! You will be my trophy. Everyone will see it! That I! The goblin shaman, Goburlu! Have defeated you! Hahaha!"