The Place Where Everything Begins

Unlike the grubbing hobgoblin warriors, which were only 180 centimeters in height, that Jeremy had fought against some time ago.

Those guys were just regular soldiers at best...

At this moment, the enemy in front of Jeremy still had green skin and two long pointy ears like an average hobgoblin warrior. However, it stood at a staggering height of more than 190 centimeters with roughly 150 kilograms or so of weight, causing its body to be muscular with rippling muscles all over its green body.

The muscular dark-green hobgoblin wore only furry leather pants and boots without wearing any shirt or armor on the large body whatsoever, making the eight packs together with the fine, bulging muscles to be exposed fully for the onlookers to see.

Within the monstrous creature's right hand was a big one-meter-long-chain morningstar made of unknown metals in which looking at the outer appearance alone should easily weigh more than 100 kilograms. Still, the green creature was carrying it like a small toy as if it weighed nothing at all.

Meanwhile, it seemed like not only was its strength superior to an ordinary hobgoblin warrior because it was currently exuding out a feeling of dangerousness strongly to any bystander whom had laid their eyes on it.

'Damn, it's not a normal hobgoblin warrior... It is a true-blue Dokkaen that had inherited the Ancestor's Strength from its predecessor. That means the guy can also wield the Wind energy. That's why the System wants me to get the fuck outta here, huh.' Jeremy cursed within his mind at ridiculous 'intent' exuding out from the green skin creature.

While staring at the bulging muscles and veins on the hobgoblin's body, Jeremy thought further,

'Even those physical maniacs, Orcs have to be cautious around a Dokkaen...'

When Jeremy had undergone the easy-difficulty trial earlier, he had fought with a Dokkaebi and four other ordinary hobgoblin warriors. He had to admit that the five hobgoblins in the hidden chamber were nothing before the monstrous creature in front of him at all.

It could be said that a Dokkaebi was already a special hobgoblin born with an inherent elemental affinity passed down from its late ancestors called Ancestor's Guidance, which was able to make the said Dokkaebi capable of wielding the elemental-related spells according to its affinity alignment.

However, regarding the green muscular outlander, Dokkaen standing composedly in front of the metal gate, it was simply a 'much more' special kind of hobgoblin, which was born with another inherent trait passed down from its late ancestors called Ancestor's Strength.

Strange enough, the Dokkaen could only wield one element, which was the Wind element, unlike the Dokkaebi that could utilize any elemental energy type it was born with...

Well, you might be curious, if a Dokkaebi could be born with any element, including the Wind element itself, why didn't we call the Dokkaen as a Dokkaebi then?

Well, it was simple... for that, the Dokkaebi was born with only moderate strength at best, but the Dokkaen's physical strength was on another level entirely; the difference between the two was just too far apart like heaven and earth.

To put it simpler, even if a Dokkaebi was somehow born with the Wind elemental affinity, it could only cast wind spells at best. Indeed, it might be born with supreme control over wind-elemental spells capable of casting tier-4 or tier-5 spells like mages of the human race, but it could never have a strong enough body to the point of being able to fight in close range.

However, the Dokkaen was different. If a Dokkaen was born, it would be immediately blessed with supreme strength from the Ancestor's Strength capable of turning mountains and destroying moons if its ancestors were strong enough. Also, when the said strength was combined with its capability in casting wind-elemental spells like the Dokkaebi, it would be really unstoppable...

That's why the Dokkaens categorized themselves differently from the Dokkaebis...

That's also why the candidates to become the Hobgoblin race's supreme leader were always elected from the Dokkaen warriors...

Only the strongest Dokkaen could be the Hobgoblin race's supreme leader...

*Sigh...*

Jeremy sighed in tiredness after realizing what feats his opponent was capable of doing...

'I hope it is the weakest Dokkaen in existence, or else, I will have to use that thing...' Jeremy thought while feeling tensed up to the point of his hand holding the wooden shaft tightening up a bit.

While both sides were staring at one another in a stalemate, assessing the opponent ahead of them carefully, Jeremy continued his thought further,

'No matter what, I cannot engage in a melee fight with it. I have to maintain at least five meters of dis... Fucking shit!'

Jeremy's thoughts about strategies in the upcoming fight were interrupted by the fast-approaching Dokkaen.

A moment ago, they stood 30 meters away from one another...

A split second later, the Dokkaen had shortened the distance to only 20 meters...

That's how fast it was...

*Whoosh*

From any onlooker's point of view, the Dokkaen seemed to be gliding along with the wind towards Jeremy because they couldn't see exactly how fast the Dokkaen's legs had hit off the ground.

Any ordinary person could only see a blurry silhouette hitting off the ground, and the Dokkaen's heavy body was propelled forward swiftly.

A split second later, both sides were already less than 10 meters apart...

'That's easily faster than 50 miles per hour. But that also means it is indeed one of the weakest Dokkaen...'

After knowing his opponent's estimated prowess, Jeremy thought relievedly while pointing the wooden staff in his hand forward...

"Mana Bolt," Jeremy mumbled lightly as an activating sign.

Then the spell Jeremy had prepared earlier started to take shape in front of the golden orb.

Instead of the tennis ball's size like when Jeremy had fired towards the young Goron, the mana bolt was roughly two times bigger this time.

That was a matter of course, for Jeremy had even chanted the magical words and drawn the strange runescripts to cast this mana bolt spell...

That meant the power variation between the two ought to be different too...

After activating the spell, Jeremy hurriedly backed away from the approaching Dokkaen while his mouth and two hands were also moving to cast other two new spells simultaneously in preparation in case the enemy could block his surprise attack.

Meanwhile...

*Whoosh*

The mana bolt flew swiftly towards the rushing Dokkaen at breakneck speed....