Isekai Losers!

Ch 24: Battle of Lyugo, Part 2

"You shall remain alive and witness my grand slaughter of Lyugo, knight." the queen declared with a prideful grin as she spun her axe.

"I..."

"Ha?" the queen frowned.

"I think not, villain..."

Goldegar coughed, his hands grabbing a handful of dirt as he began pushing himself off the ground.

"A sign of... the gallant and the courageous..." he stuttered, getting to his knees.

"...Is to never give up, lay their life down while protecting what matters most..."

"Yah." the queen grimaced. "How do you plan on doing that? You can hardly move, dumbass."

"I shall show you a power unattainable by the cowardly and ill-willed. A power reserved for those with a lion's heart! Reserved for protecting the light!!" Goldegar screamed as he stood up, snot and blood hanging out of his mouth.

"What are you talking ab---"

"Gahh!" Goldegar smacked himself in the chest, startling the queen ever so slightly.

"Wha---"

"Gah! Gah! Gah!" he resumed hitting himself in the chest repeatedly as his breathing hastened and his armour began denting in that very spot.

"You delusional old man." the queen spat. "Before you can kill yourself, I'll put you out of your misery myself!"

She ran towards him, raising her axe.

Before she could close the distance however, Goldegar suddenly puffed up. His limbs and torso grew comically large in a heartbeat, causing his armour to burst and fall apart.

"Ha?! Gyurgh---" the queen, baffled, had no chance reacting to a sudden spinning kick delivered by Goldegar. She flew and spun violently, tearing down an entire wall on impact.

Goldegar stood there, his overly muscular torso and arms exposed while pieces of his torn clothing danced in the spring breeze. The little bit of hair that Goldegar had left on his balding head perked up, thick and spiky.

"Gah! Fuck!"

The queen angrily pushed and kicked the rubble off of her as she toppled back to her feet.

"Villain! Bear witness to my ultimate power!" Goldegar shouted. "I have been granted to strength and heart of a lion. It pains me that I must slay you using the power of such a noble animal, but slay you I will!"

"Don't screw with me, you bastard!" the queen screamed angrily as she raised her axe.

Goldegar crouched, grabbing his sword. He then jumped towards the queen.

The two began exchanging blows at  once again. This time, however, Goldegar effortlessly matched the queen's speed, and then some.

The queen began dodging the swings, rather than blocking them, finding herself on the backfoot.

As she slowly stepped backwards, narrowly avoiding contact with the sword through dodging and blocking, she finds herself walking into a wall. The queen hastily rolls out of the pinch, stumbling away from the knight in a panic.

She looks up at the knight, her eyes wide with fear. The wall behind him, the one where she stood just seconds prior, was cut diagonally, split neatly.

"If I get hit by that, I'm dead meat."

The queen's eyes spoke louder than anything else.

Goldegar wasted no time running towards her, swinging his blade once more. The queen didn't even attempt to block, immediately jumping away.

This would repeat over and over as the queen ran around, scrambling and hiding behind carts.

"Ghh---!" Goldegar groaned, grabbing his huge chest with his free hand.

The queen, seeing this as a moment of weakness, immediately turned around and swung her axe at the man.

Her previously panicked expression turned triumphant in a heartbeat, but it was gone just as quickly when Goldegar blocked her attack, closed the distance, and delivered a punch to her face.

"Arghhaa!!" 

The woman screamed as she rolled over a couple of times. Still, she managed to land on her feet, her eyes locked with Goldegar's

"Hehe..." the queen smirked, revealing a busted lip and blood smeared all over her teeth.

"I don't know what you did, old man, but that power of yours is temporary, isn't it?? Isn't it?! How much longer do you think you'll be able to keep it up?!"

"As long as I must." 

Goldegar pointed his sword at her.

***

On the outskirts of Lyugo, a boy ran up a hill like his life depended on it.

"Nizren... Maya...!"

Finally, he reached the hot spring complex, effortlessly jumping over the fence and running straight towards the entrance.

"Let them go, you smelly goblins!"

Ivan shouted as he busted the door, raising his swords and spreading them like wings.

"Hm...?" Ivan looked around the quiet, dimly lit room.

"Hya!" 

A female voice yelped as a pan landed on the back of Ivan's head. The boy dropped to the floor.

"Huh..? Mr. Ivan, is that you?" the blonde girl asked gently, placing her hand over her lips.

"Sure is..." groaned the boy as he slowly got up.

"I'm terribly sorry!" she yelped. "I thought you were an intruder..."

"He is." 

The pleasant voice of an older lady came from a different room. She opened the door, looking at the boy with a playful smile. "Merely not the dangerous kind."

"Nizren... Aren't there any goblins here?" Ivan asked.

"None." Nizren shook her head. "It would seem that they are all pre-occupied with the town itself. That said, you are much more needed there than here."

"But then..." Ivan murmured.

The goblin king said "The back. They are exposed". What else could've been meant by that statement? Was it simply a diversion to get me off the battlefield? 

"This is no time to stand idly by and think." Nizren interrupted Ivan's thoughts. "Please go back to Lyugo. The people there need your strength. Maya and I will manage."

"The people... The people! In the back! The church!!" Ivan looked up.

"Hm?" Nizren tilted her head.

"Shit!" Ivan rushed out of the house.

How could I miss something so important!? They are attacking the church behind our backs!

***

"Hyargh!" Goldegar pushed his blade towards the queen who deflected it with the side of her axe.

"Haa... haa..."

"You're growing slower, knight..." panted the queen. "Before long, you'll be all out of your courage, hehe..."

Goldegar clenched his teeth, sending a couple of swings at the queen's head. She blocked them, her hands trembling with each swing. Goldegar then delivered a dropkick to her knee, causing her to kneel down.

The queen kneeled firm, holdign her axe up in a defiant block.

Goldegar then began pummeling at the axe; specifically, the metal handle. He brought his sword down again and again on the same spot, each strike sharper and angrier than the last.  The queen could only remain in place and take the blows before finally...

The metal broke into two pieces. Goldegar's sword was halved.

"I suppose... a goblin's metal is stronger than that of man..." the queen looked up at the man with a grin, her face weary and stained in blood, much like his own.

"Hargh! 

Goldegar kicked her in the stomach, causing her to roll over a small distance away.

The man took two steps toward the curled queen, but that's all he could do before suddenly coming to a halt

"Gah... Ha--- agh!" 

Goldegar's expression turned painful as he grabbed hold of his chest, his breathing growing concerningly shallow.

The queen began standing up, almost like nothing had happened. She had survived all of Goldegar's attacks.

"That doesn't sound good." the queen pouted mockingly as Goldegar fell to his knees. "Looks like your lion's heart is giving out."

Once on her feet, the queen began walking towards Goldegar.

"It's a shame. You'll probably die on your own before I'm done with all the little critters in that church. However, I do hope you get to witness at least some of them, begging for mercy as I let them drown in their own blood..."

The queen picked her axe up, standing right over Goldegar.

"But... just to be sure... I'll cut off your arms so you don't interfere."

She raised her axe slowly, menacingly.

A black-haired boy appeared between Goldegar and the queen. He extended two curved blades, which were neatly tucked under his arms, towards the queen.

The muscular woman swiftly, but narrowly, dodged the blades. She couldn't dodge the following triple kick combo to her stomach, chest and neck, however, and she stumbled backwards.

"I'm not a huge fan of such cliche situations, but I suppose the hero has arrived right on time." the boy smirked, pointing his right blade at the goblin queen.

The queen seemed unamused, staring daggers at Ivan.

"Didn't expect to see you so soon, your Highness. How's the stomach injury?"

"It's healed up quite nicely, as you can see!" The queen proudly pointed at her undamaged six pack.

"Perhaps a bit too nicely. Also, well..." 

Ivan looked her up and down. Her body was in outstandingly good shape, other than the injuries sustained during her fight with Goldegar.

"...I hope you don't take offense, but you've also changed quite a bit since we last met. I don't suppose you or your goblin shamans could've done all this. Mind telling me who the generous benefactor is?" Ivan raised an eyebrow.

"Cocky little bug... I'll tear you in half!" the queen screamed.

"S...sir I-Ivan..." 

Ivan turned around to find Goldegar, still on his knees, breathing heavily.

"I... I am terribly... s..."

"No. You did your best. Thanks for holding out so long, Goldie." Ivan smiled.

"You may rest."

Suddenly, the queen jumped at Ivan while he had his back turned.

"You can both rest in hell!!"

Her attack was blocked, however, by a guard no less.

Ivan wasted no time, using the chance to wind up for a flying kick to the queens chest.

Unlike the previous three, this kick had enough force to send the large woman flying.

"Sir Ivan! I was dishonourably defeated by t's wench a while ago and left the captain to fend her off on his lonesome! I will not allow for it to happen again!" the guard declared.

"Mailand, was it?"

"Sir!"

"As much as I'd love to tag team her with you, Goldegar needs immediate medical attention." Ivan explained "Whatever is troubling him isn't an external wound." 

"But---"

"He will die if he stays like this." Ivan continued. "Please, get him to Rishia or any other healer you can find."

The guard hesitated, looking at Ivan with uncertainty.

"A-aye!" 

Mailand threw Goldegar's hand over his shoulder and pushed him up. 

"Please be careful! The wench packs a mean punch!"

Ivan nodded as he watched the man drag off Goldegar.

"You know..."

A deep female voice escaped from some nearby rubble. Ivan turned to it.

"I'm getting tired of this shit!!" the queen shouted as she jumped up into the air, leaving the rubble behind.

"No need to get upset." Ivan shrugged. "It's just gonna get worse from here on out."

"The knight had that same pathetic confidence, and look where he is now!"

"Embraced by his comrade? Well, I wouldn't mind if all this ended with me receiving a warm embrace as well." the boy smiled.

"You shall receive an embrace by my axe, skyborn." the queen clenched her teeth as she began walking toward Ivan.

"You know what I don't understand, Henrietta? Just what the hell the doctor saw in you. He genuinely seemed to think he can help you, but all you are is another nasty goblin who just happens to talk."

"Shut up! Just what do you know about me?! Do you think humans are better than goblins?? No, they're just as bad, if not worse, so shut the fuck up!"

"Why would you say they are--- oohha!" 

Ivan couldn't finish as the queen dashed towards him, taking a couple of swings at him with her greataxe. Ivan dodged them with ease. The queen then swung her axe into the ground and attempted grabbing Ivan with her huge hand.

The boy just narrowly dodged the unorthodox attack, escaping with a backflip.

He wasted no time getting into an offensive stance and jumping towards her. The queen quickly grabbed her axe and parried Ivan's initial strike. The boy kept at it, however, spinning around her and giving slashes at any exposed spot.

The queen, as fast as she was, couldn't keep up with the smaller, nimbler opponent and received several cuts across her legs and torso.

"Garhhh!!" errupted the queen, swinging her axe with a spin, right into Ivan.

The boy managed to put his two swords in a cross-like block, but that was barely enough to block her axe from splitting him in two. The extraordinary force sent him hurdling into a nearby cart.

"Shit..." 

Ivan stepped out of the dust cloud.

She's incredibly sturdy. I've used far less strength to cut her open last time; this time I can hardly pierce her skin with my swords, but she's bleeding a bit, at least. On the other hand...

Ivan looked down at his blades. The left one had a dent right where the axe struck. The dent went quite deep into the blade, almost half-way to the other side.

The difference in speed isn't big enough to make me untouchable. If I get hit by her, well, I suppose it'll be game over.

"Feeling weak in the legs, boy? Where'd your confidence go??" the queen asked.

"I suppose goblin's don't get jacked for show, huh? That's some nice armor you got there." Ivan smiled, raising his swords.

All I gotta do is stay away from that axe and build up momentum to do some real damage. Easy enough...

And so, Ivan and the goblin queen resumed their bout.

***

On the battlefield, the humans did their best to fend off waves of goblins. The civilians and guards held the defensive line while Lan and Itten disrupted the enemy behind the frontline. Lynn and other ranger's did their very best to cover the duo.

"O great wind spirits, grant me the power of nature to decimate my enemy. Dance with me, dual twister!!"

Lan chanted as two raging tornados erupted from the ground, snatching dozen's of goblins with their violent currents

The girl stood still, focusing on the tornados and controlling them.

"Itten attack!" shouted the boy as he slaughtered a goblin that tried to sneak up on Lan.

"I appreaciate your help very much, wizard lady, but please try not to leave yourself wide open like this!"

"Bear with me!" Lan shouted. "I'll try to grab a few more goblins with the twisters, please watch my back, mister!"

"This is looking grim, doc." Lynn sighed as she fired arrows without pause. "The goblin formations are getting more organized by the second. Lan's diversion bought us some time but we need Ivan if we want to keep the monster's at bay."