The Reaping

Chapter 9: Strength of an Immortal God

I landed on the branch, my breath unsteady but my heart racing with exhilaration. The goblins were dead. My new skill—Shadow Step—had saved me.

For the first time since entering this dungeon, I felt like I had a real chance. Then a crackling sound ripped through the air. Lightning.

I barely had time to react before a bolt of raw energy streaked toward me.

I instinctively Shadow Stepped again, vanishing into darkness and emerging in the shadow of a distant tree. The moment I landed, another bolt struck where I had just been. The branch I’d stood on was now a smoldering husk.

My heart pounded, but a flicker of confidence grew inside me. I wasn’t just running anymore. I was dodging. Surviving. We can do this.

I glanced around the dungeon. Only a handful of goblins remained—hesitating at the edges, their weapons raised but their movements uncertain. Zeus, still inhabiting Mikey’s body, stood in the clearing, his eyes scanning for me. His expression twisted with irritation.

Good. If I could keep dodging and baiting his attacks into hitting the goblins, we could clear this dungeon without me ever landing a single hit.

Lightning surged around Zeus’s arms as he raised them again. “You can’t run forever, mortal.” I smirked. "Watch me."

I bolted, making sure to weave between the remaining goblins, daring Zeus to take the shot.

And then, to my surprise—he did. A bolt of lightning exploded toward me. At the last second, I Shadow Stepped, leaving only darkness behind.

The attack missed me. But it didn’t miss the goblin behind me. A shriek filled the air as the goblin convulsed, its body burned to a crisp in an instant. It was working.

From the corner of my eye, I caught a flicker of movement—Mikey’s fingers twitched. A slight hesitation in Zeus’s stance.

Mikey sees it. He understood what I was doing. And for the first time since this started, I felt sure. We were going to win.

Zeus exhaled sharply, his irritation growing. His golden eyes flicked toward me, the electricity around him crackling louder.

I had his attention now. I darted between the last few goblins, forcing Zeus to keep firing. Another bolt shot toward me—I vanished into the shadows again.

The lightning struck another goblin. Its scream was cut short as its charred body collapsed.

I landed behind a boulder, barely winded this time. I was getting used to this. Each step felt smoother, my reactions faster. My instincts guided me, like the skill had always been part of me, just waiting to be used. Only one goblin left.

Zeus tensed, realizing his mistake. His next attack could finish off the last enemy—but then he’d have no one left to strike but me.

I watched his expression shift. Frustration. Then calculation. He wasn’t going to let me bait him anymore.

Before I could react, he vanished in a burst of lightning. A second later, he was right in front of me. His fist crackled with lightning as he swung.

I barely managed to twist away, but the shockwave sent me stumbling. The moment my foot hit the ground, another bolt streaked toward me.

I had no choice—Shadow Step!

Darkness swallowed me, and I reappeared by the last goblin.

Zeus’s lightning struck where I had been, scorching the stone behind it. The goblin turned, confused—and that was its mistake.

Zeus didn’t hesitate. A final bolt erupted from his hand, and before the goblin could react, it was vaporized in an instant.

I stood there, my breath heavy, my muscles coiled. No more goblins. It was just me and Zeus now.

I glanced at Mikey’s body. His hands twitched slightly. His jaw clenched for half a second before relaxing again. He was watching. He knew. He was letting this happen. I swallowed hard. I’d done what I could. Now it was time for the real fight.

Before Zeus could turn his attention back to me, a massive shadow loomed behind him. WHAM!

A giant club swung through the air, slamming into Zeus with the force of a wrecking ball. The impact sent him flying across the dungeon, his body crashing into the stone wall with a deafening boom. Dust and debris exploded from the point of impact.

I froze. What the hell just—Then I saw it. A hulking figure stepped into the light, towering over me.

Its massive frame was wrapped in thick, jagged armor, its grotesque face twisted into a snarl. A crown of rusted metal sat atop its head, and its bloodshot eyes locked onto me with pure hatred.

A holographic notification flickered into view in front of me:

"Warning! Dungeon Boss: Goblin King."