Chapter 5: Chapter 5: The might of a King!

As Gripgrut was making his proclamation I took in his appearance, and just now realised something.

 

‘This fucker is SWOL AS SHIT?! Isn’t the stereotype for Goblin Kings to be fat slobs? This guy has muscles on his muscles! IS THAT A 12-PACK?! HOW?!’

 

Gripgut was at least 1.8 metres tall, and ripped out of his damn mind. Massive broad chest and arms thick as trees. His legs were no different. Yellow eyes and short black hair, with a clean shaved looking face.

 

‘To be honest, he’s not ugly like his kin. I wouldn’t date him as a human or anything, but he could pass for human if he had human colours for skin and a cloak to hide his face or something.’

 

Mumbling to myself, “But what is his level…?”

 

Gripgrut: “Oh? You know about the human system and their levels, little Artoria? Your knowledge is all over the place, if I am to be honest with you. You know their levels, but assume we have them?”

 

Artoria: “Eh? Yo- we don’t?”

 

He shakes his head, and relaxes his stance.

 

Gripgrut: “No. This is good. I will inform you, and clear my debt to you. Killing you without clearing that debt was honestly going to leave a bad taste in my mouth.”

 

Artoria: “Debt?”

 

Gripgrut: “Yes. You see, I firmly believe in paying back my debts because of the one who named me. I incurred a debt from you, because you provided me with some good entertainment by fighting my kin. But, at the same time, you incurred a blood debt towards me for that very same reason. I will tell you a little bit about levels to clear my debt, and then collect mine from you.”

 

Artoria: “...okay?”

 

Gripgrut: “So, the humans have their system from the Goddess, which has levels. And somehow that same system can “view” our levels if they have a skill called [Appraisal]. But we don’t truly have levels, as we’re not connected to that system. For we have no need of it. We, monsters like you and I, can get stronger by killing anything with mana in it, evolving, or by being named by someone (or thing) powerful. While the humans need that system to help draw mana from their killed targets to safely apply it to their bodies in the way of ‘levels.’ Following so far, little Artoria?”

 

Nodding my head, he continued on shortly after.

 

‘Why is he explaining this? No-one really believes that much in a debt system right…? Well, whatever, more time for mana regen.’

 

Gripgrut: “So, as I was saying. While the system can show our ‘level,’ it is not real and more like an estimate of our strength in their system of power. The one who named me thinks it does this by measuring the mana in us, and I am inclined to agree with him. From the mana I can sense from you, I would say you are in the upper limits of Rank F. Which is ‘level’ 10 and below.”

 

My eyes widened at that. He was really close to guessing my level!

 

Gripgrut: “Yes, you might be surprised to find out you are really so weak. The hobgoblins under me were all lower rank E’s. So, level 15 and lower. But, as you noticed and proved, levels are not the be all and end all. Up to a point. Well, I think that is enough information to cover my debt. I thank you, little Artoria. Truly, it would have left a bad taste in my mouth to not have cleared that small debt.”

 

He got back into his ready stance, which was just a boxer stance I think? Bringing up my sword in a two hand position near my head, I asked a question.

 

Artoria: “No weapon?”

 

He just gave a light chuckle.

 

Gripgrut: “You are not strong enough to warrant one, little Artoria.”

 

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‘Tch, looking down on me. I am obviously lower level than him, but let's see how he likes an Evil Ray with all my remaining mana!’

 

Lowering my sword halfway with my right arm, and pointing it at him, it started to brightly glow and looked like it was giving off flames of purple-black and red. This caused him to smile at me.

 

Gripgrut: “That looks like a very dangerous attack, little Artoria. But-”

 

Without letting him finish talking, I unleashed the attack! Pumping my entire mana pool that was left into this attack caused it to grow quite splendidly in power.

 

The area around me was blinding with the power of the attack, and I could hear it ripping apart the stone of the cliffside Gripgrut was standing at.

 

The attack didn’t last too long, and soon it was over. I felt drained, but not exactly tired.

 

‘So, this is what zero mana feels like. It’s a bit uncomfortable, but nothing major.’

 

As the dust started to settle, my eyes widened at what I saw. Gripgrut was just standing there casually, with his right arm stretched out, palm facing me. The cave behind him was completely untouched, but it had looked like he split the attack to the sides of himself, as there were large and deep holes in the cliff side now.

 

Gripgrut looked to his left side and whistled.

 

Gripgrut: “That was not a bad attack, little Artoria. But is that the best you got?”

 

Before I could even get out of my stupor of him casually stopping my strongest attack, he vanished and was in front of me. I didn’t even get to register his back hand slap as I crashed into the ground below me forming a small creator.

 

Artoria: “Geh! Ack!”

 

Gripgrut: “Then your best won’t do.”

 

He then crouched down near my broken body and looked me over.

 

‘FUCK THIS HURTS!!!! One slap?! ONE?! How was I supposed to kill this fucker, you shitty god?!?! ARGHH, it hurts so much!!’

 

Gripgrut: “It is a shame you are a Fae, little Artoria. You are very beautiful for one so small. I would have taken you in as a concubine. Oh well. I don’t want you to suffer too much, as even that light tap was too much for you. Oh, by the way, I think you should know.”

 

He stood back up, and raised his left foot up to prepare to stomp on me.

 

Gripgrut: “In the human power system, I would be around level 45, a Rank B threat. Good bye, little Artoria. It was a pleasure.”

 

He then brought his foot down, and all the pain I was in was thankfully ended.

 

Opening my eyes to the roof of my shitty shack, I was about to swear up a storm again when a notice took my attention away.

 

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