Chapter 92 No More Jokes

As Larry fell to his knees, completely exhausted, he couldn't help but feel like this was the end of the road for him. He had given everything he had to defeat the behemoth, but it seemed like it wasn't enough.

Suddenly, the creature rose up, revealing that it was not dead yet. Larry's heart sank as he realized that the hit had been too shallow, and the behemoth was still alive.

To make matters worse, all of the remaining goblin forces had shown up, surrounding Larry. He was completely outnumbered, and he knew that there was no way he could fight them all off alone.

As he struggled to stand up, another behemoth crept up from behind the building, its massive form casting a long shadow over Larry's small frame. He felt completely helpless like there was nothing he could do to survive this battle. But this one was after David, he slowly walked toward him. 

But even amid overwhelming odds, Larry refused to give up. He looked around at his surroundings, searching for any advantage he could find. And then, he saw it.

A large pile of rocks was nearby, just within arm's reach. He quickly grabbed one and hurled it at the behemoth's head, hoping to distract it from David, "Come and get me, you ugly beast! Leave the boy alone! Or I will kill you!"

The creature roared in anger, turning its attention to Larry. The goblin forces also closed in, ready to attack. But Larry refused to back down. He gripped his sword tightly, ready to fight to the bitter end. He mustered the remains of his last strength and stood up with his sword ready. He wasn't about to go down without a fight.

A noise came from behind, and a figure of a human leaped past Larry, he was shocked beyond belief as he watched Suzuka leap at the behemoth with her eyes glowing like red fire. Her fierce attack was so powerful that it blew the behemoth's head clean off, causing its massive body to collapse to the ground for the last time.

As Larry looked at her, he couldn't help but notice that Suzuka was different than usual. She was taller, more muscular, and fiercer than any beast he had ever seen. Her strength was unbelievable, and her power was unmatched.

Without a moment's hesitation, Suzuka charged toward the second beast, her fists raised high. The behemoth roared in anger, its massive jaws snapping as it swung its powerful claws at her. But Suzuka was too fast. She ducked under the first swipe and leaped over the second, landing a hard blow to the creature's chest.

 The behemoth stumbled back, bellowing in pain, and Suzuka seized the opportunity to strike again. She darted forward, her hands moving in a blur as she rained down a flurry of blows on the monster's thick skin. With each punch, the creature staggered, its massive form swaying precariously. It was a brutal fistfight. Each punch they exchanged sounded like cannon shots, sending shockwaves through the rain and turning the droplets into the mist.

Larry watched in amazement as Suzuka fought with all her might, her eyes blazing with a ferocious intensity. The behemoth was strong, but Suzuka was stronger. She pummeled the beast with a series of blows that left it dazed and disoriented.

 Finally, with a mighty punch, Suzuka launched herself into the air and delivered a powerful uppercut to the behemoth's chin. The force of the blow was so great that it lifted the creature off its feet, its head snapping back with a sickening crack. The behemoth's massive form crashed to the ground with a thunderous thud, and Suzuka stood panting, her fists still raised.

Blood and entrails splattered across the ground as she raised her fist, having just struck down the behemoth. The remaining goblins looked on in horror, their eyes widened in terror at the sight of their strongest kin lying lifeless before them. But the fight was far from over. As the goblins fell into a state of panic, their screams echoed through the air, filling her ears with a deafening noise.

 Some ran around frantically, their movements erratic and uncoordinated. Others dashed towards the gates, hoping to make a break for it and escape the carnage that was unfolding before them. Suzuka took a step forward, her fists still dripping with the blood of her fallen enemy.

 The goblins charged at her, their movements clumsy and uncoordinated as they tried to overpower her. But Suzuka was in her full transformation, no more jokes. With each thrown punch, she broke their bone and flesh, sending crushed bodies flying in all directions. The ground shook beneath her feet as she continued her assault, her eyes focused solely on her targets.

She didn't flinch as the goblins' blood splattered across her face, nor did she waver when their cries for mercy filled her ears. The goblins fought back with all their might, but it was a futile effort. Suzuka was an unstoppable force, a mare goblins can't defeat her. She crushed their ranks, leaving a trail of death and destruction in her wake.

 By the time the battle was over, the ground was littered with the broken bodies of the goblins. Their screams had long since faded away, replaced by a deafening silence that hung heavy in the air. Suzuka stood tall, her battle gloves soaking in blood, her eyes scanning the area for any sign of further danger. 

Larry stood motionless, his eyes wide in disbelief at the gruesome scene unfolding before him. The goblin bodies were being crushed and thrown aside like rag dolls, their limbs torn from their bodies in a brutal display of violence. Blood sprayed in all directions, painting the ground and walls with a sickening violet hue.

 The screams of the dying goblins filled the air, mingling with the sounds of metal clashing against flesh. It was a horror show unlike anything Larry had ever seen before, and he couldn't tear his gaze away from the carnage. He watched in terror as Suzuka, her battle gloves a blur of motion, crushed through the goblin horde like a hot knife through butter.

 The goblins tried to fight back, but they were no match for Suzuka's strength and brutality. Their bodies crumpled under her blows, their bones shattering like glass. Larry felt bile rise in his throat as he watched a goblin's head go flying past him, the lifeless eyes staring up at him in mute accusation.

 He tried to look away, to shield himself from the horror of it all, but he couldn't. The sight burned into his mind, a never-ending nightmare that would haunt him for the rest of his days. As the last of the goblins fell, the sounds of battle faded away, replaced by an eerie silence.

 Larry looked up at Suzuka, who stood covered in blood, her chest heaving with exhaustion. She looked at him, her eyes cold and unfeeling as if daring him to say something. But he couldn't find the words. 

Larry approached Suzuka, still shaken from the brutal battle he had just seen, his steps hesitant as he tried to find the right words. She stood there, her fists clenched at her sides, her eyes scanning the area for any signs of danger.

 "Hey, Helen," he said carefully. "That was... insane, what... what was that back there?" Larry asked, gesturing vaguely in the direction of the goblin corpses. "I mean, I've seen battles before, but that was something else entirely. You single-handedly killed them all."

 Suzuka turned to face him, her expression unreadable. "It was just another battle, killing monsters... that's all it was," she replied coldly. 

 "But... the way you fought, it was terrifying," Larry said, his voice filled with worry. "I've never seen anyone move like that before."

 Suzuka shrugged nonchalantly. "It's just years of training and experience."

 "Forget about the fight, more importantly, how did you survive? I was sure you won't make it with those injuries." Larry said, shaking his head.

Suzuka took a second, but after a short pause, she lied, "Um... I had a healing crystal... paid a good coin for it, and it sure paid off."

Larry wasn't convinced but he did not press the matter, "Yeah... it sure did."

David emerged from the bushes where he had been hiding, his face pale and his eyes wide. He approached Suzuka tentatively, his voice trembling as he spoke. "Um, hi Helen, I...I don't know what to say. That was...that was... uh, quite a display."

 Suzuka turned to look at him, her eyes narrowing slightly. "What do you want?"

 "I, uh, I just wanted to say thank you," David said, his voice gaining confidence. "Thank you for saving my life." 

 Suzuka snorted, her lips curling in a sneer. "I didn't do it for you," she said, her voice dripping with disdain.

 "I know," David said, his voice quiet. "But still, I appreciate it. I don't know what would have happened if you hadn't been there."

 Suzuka shrugged, her eyes are still cold and distant. "My body moved on an instinct, having someone die while I'm with the party would leave a bad taste in my mouth, that's all," she said, her voice flat. "I won't do it the next time, consider this was the last time I do anything for you." 

 David nodded, his eyes scanning the ground. "I guess I just wanted to say that...that I'm grateful. And that I owe you one."

 Suzuka raised an eyebrow. "Oh?" she said. "And what, exactly, do you think you can do for me?"

 David shrugged. "I don't know," he said. "But if there's anything I can do, anything at all, just let me know. I owe you that much, at least."

With a loud voice she said, "Sure, whatever," followed by a whisper to herself, "Stop peeping when I'm in a hot spring, you damn pervert." 

As David and Suzuka were talking, Larry made his way back to the shack where the kidnapped girls were being held. His heart was racing as he approached the cage, his fingers trembling as he fumbled with the lock. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he managed to free the girls from their prison.

The girls stumbled out of the cage, their eyes wide with fear and confusion. Larry quickly ushered them outside, where they took in the chaos of the battle around them. 

"David, Suzuka," Larry called out as he approached them. "I've got the girls. They're safe now."

Suzuka turned to him, her expression softening slightly. "Good work, Larry. Let's get them back to town as soon as possible."

David nodded in agreement. "Yeah, man. You're a hero."

Larry hung his head, feeling guilty and ashamed for the mistakes he had made. He had almost led them all to their deaths, and he couldn't help but wonder if he had been too rash, too reckless. As he sadly smiled, he spoke up. "I'm no hero. I almost got us all killed. Just because I insisted on pushing on. That was my mistake."

But Suzuka wasn't having any of it. Her eyes glinted with vexation as she stepped closer. "No, Larry," she said firmly. "If you hadn't done what you did, these girls would have had a worse fate than death. No one rose up for the job! Only you, Larry! You may not have killed the most monsters today, but you are a hero in my book."

David nodded in agreement. "Yeah, man. You saved those girls. You're a hero in my book too."

Larry's sad smile slowly transformed into one of amazement and gratitude. He had never thought of himself as a hero, but maybe Suzuka and David were right. Maybe he had done something truly courageous, something that had made a difference in the lives of others.

As he looked at the girls he had helped to save, Larry felt a sense of purpose wash over him. He realized that sometimes, being a hero wasn't about being the strongest or the bravest, but about being willing to take risks and make sacrifices for the greater good.

"I...I guess you're right," Larry said softly, feeling a newfound sense of pride and confidence. "I'm glad that those girls are safe now."

Suzuka smiled at him, a look of admiration in her eyes. "You should be proud of yourself, Larry. You did something truly heroic today."

David nodded in agreement with Suzuka. "She's right, Larry. You stepped up when no one else would. You risked your life to save these girls, and that's what makes you a hero in my eyes."

Larry's expression softened as he took in their words. "Thank you, guys. That means a lot to me."

Suzuka put a hand on Larry's shoulder, her voice gentle. "We should be moving now, the rain is slowing down. All kinds of monsters will come to feast on the corpses. We need to leave this place at once."

Larry nodded, his eyes scanning the darkening sky. "You're right, Helen. We need to move, and quickly. The rain is slowing down. We can't afford to stay here any longer," his mind raced with thoughts of what could happen if they stayed any longer.

 He turned to the girls, his voice gentle. "Okay, everyone. We're going to escort you back to town now. Stay close to us, and don't wander off."

The girls nodded, grateful for the help of their rescuers. They walked back to town, the group moving swiftly and silently through the rain-soaked forest. After a few hours of grueling walking, they reached the town. Upon entering the guild building Larry breathed a sigh of relief as they met with Kieran, who had successfully escorted the girl he was assigned to safely.

Kieran smiled at them, relief written all over his face. "Thank the Melwyn you made it back safely. We were worried sick about you."

Suzuka nodded, her eyes scanning the room. "We're all safe now, thanks to Larry's quick thinking and bravery. He saved these girls from a fate worse than death."