A gust of bitter wind slapped my face as soon as I teleported to the tenth floor of the tower. The landscape opened out in front of me like a gigantic, flat arena encircled by reddish cliffs. It was as if the world itself had shaped this place to test the spirit of anyone who dared to step foot here. This wasn’t a playground; it was a coliseum. An arena hewn from stone and shadow where only the brave, or perhaps the foolish, would dare to tread.

I glanced at my HUD, which came to life in a holographic display, giving me the lay of the land. This floor was much smaller than the previous ones, more like a compact battleground compared to the expanses of the size of Hokkaido I’d navigated before. It felt claustrophobic, and the air crackled with the promise of an epic confrontation. My eyes were drawn to a throne about three hundred yards away, sumptuous and intimidating, practically screaming for someone bold enough to claim it.

And then I noticed it. A large green circle painted beneath my feet glowed slightly in the blurred light. Suddenly, a holographic screen appeared in front of me, scintillating as the letters formed.

The timer will begin as soon as you step off the circle. For the tenth-floor battle, you are allocated one hour to complete the fight. Failing to do so will teleport you back to the previous floor, with a retry becoming available after twenty-four hours. At any point during the battle, you can retreat by stepping back into the circle, teleporting you to the previous floor, with the same retry option available.

Well then, what are we waiting for? Let’s dance. Just as I prepared to step off the circle, another screen popped up, giving me more details about the challenge ahead.

This level is ruled by the savage Goblin King Krag. Defeat him and conquer all floors under goblin rule. Beware of his two bodyguards, Mirella and Nirella, known as the twin vixens.

Vixens? My eyes widened. While I flicked through the information about Krag, I couldn’t help but linger on the details about Mirella and Nirella.

***

Krag the Brutal

Emerging from the shadowy depths of the Goblin Warrens, Krag the Brutal commands fear and respect from his unparalleled strength and merciless tactics. His scarred body is a canvas of battles past, each mark a badge of honor and a warning to challengers. Krag wields the Crusher, a massive spiked club made from the bones and sinews of fallen foes. Its sheer size and weight can pulverize armor and rend flesh effortlessly. On top of his physical prowess, Krag’s nearly impenetrable skin makes him almost invulnerable to conventional attacks. His berserker rage amplifies his strength and agility at terrifying levels.

Mirella and Nirella, the Twin Vixens

These two rose to fame after a daring raid on a rival goblin tribe, catching Krag’s eye with their cunning and combat skills. Now, they serve as his bodyguards and advisors. Known for their lethal mix of beauty and danger, they’re experts in deception and subterfuge, using their charms to gather intelligence and ensnare foes.

***

Yes! I finally got to see some chicks in this game. Even though they were goblins, hey, it was all good. With a swagger, I advanced toward the grand throne. As I drew closer, Krag’s gigantic form became clear. He stood ten feet tall, rippling muscles beneath scarred green skin, and a mane of spiky hair cascading around his broad shoulders. He sat on the throne, grinning wide to reveal jagged teeth, his yellow eyes glinting with primal intelligence.

“Oh, a puny challenger!” he jeered, his voice booming through the arena.

I ignored Krag’s taunt and focused on Mirella and Nirella, who leaned against his massive arms, smiling coyly.

“Ahem!” I cleared my throat. “Let’s leave the ladies out of our duel, shall we? I don’t like hitting women, especially when they look… so helpless and beautiful,” I suggested. The twins giggled, their laughter ringing like a carillon in the wind.

My smile grew wider. The mission was to defeat Krag, not his bodyguards. I had plans for Mirella and Nirella. Maybe they could join my party. I already imagined the fun we would have together. You know, like picnicking by the riverbank, bathing together in shallow ponds, and sleeping side by side on a bed of grass under the stars. It was every high school boy’s dream.

I slurped back my drool and wiped my lips as Krag spoke again. “Of course, I don’t intend to ask my women for any help with my fight, puny human.”

My eyes narrowed as I scrutinized the hulking goblin. Why did I have a feeling that he was going to backtrack on his words? Krag slowly stood up, picked up his weapon, and approached me. Mirella and Nirella remained seated, watching the duel unfold like beautiful spectators should.

And so, the battle began.

Krag came running toward me, swinging his massive club with terrifying speed. I dodged just in time, feeling the rush of air as the club narrowly missed me and shattered the ground. “That was close,” I thought, my breath hastening. But there was no time to relax. I quickly loaded a hiishi into my SlingBam.

I aimed and fired. Bullseye! The projectile struck Krag in the chest and exploded on impact. “How about that?” I grinned widely, but my grin quickly faded. The flames engulfed Krag, but the goblin king merely roared, his leathery skin absorbing much of the damage. Seriously, how much HP does this guy have?

Krag retaliated, charging at me again. I rolled to the side, barely avoiding another devastating swing from his weapon. As I came up from the roll, I loaded another hiishi and fired, this time aiming for his legs. The explosion staggered him, but only for a moment. I knew I had to keep moving.

I dashed around the arena like a headless chicken, using the terrain to my advantage, dodging and weaving as Krag chased me, swinging his spiked club with fury. Quick shots with my SlingBam chipped away at his defenses, each hiishi causing minor blasts that seemed to annoy him more than anything.

Then, things got really hairy. Krag’s eyes glowed with a feral light as he entered his berserker state. Oh shoot! I recognized that look. He started to move faster, his attacks more powerful. I hardly had time to react as his club came down again, the impact sending tremors through the ground and causing me to lose my footing.

Scrambling to my feet, I realized I needed a new strategy. I scanned my surroundings and spotted a large boulder nearby. An idea formed in my mind. I dashed toward the boulder, Krag hot on my heels. Reaching the boulder, I used it as cover and took a deep breath, steeling myself for the next move. As Krag rounded the boulder, I sprang into action, firing my hiishi in rapid succession, aiming for his head. The explosions created a blinding flash and a deafening roar. Krag stumbled, disoriented by the assault.

Seizing the opportunity, I sprinted forward, closing the distance between us. I jumped onto Krag, using my special skill “leap” that I got on the fifth floor to climb up his massive frame. Krag roared in anger, trying to shake me off, but I held on, positioning myself on his shoulders.

“Sayonara, sucker!” I yelled exultantly.

With one final effort, I pressed the front end of my SlingBam directly against Krag’s head and fired. The blast sent me flying backward, but it also brought Krag to his knees. The goblin king’s roar turned into a groan of pain as he collapsed to the ground.

Just as I was about to finish him off, Mirella and Nirella appeared at my sides, clasping my arms firmly.

“You are so strong, human,” Mirella said. She and Nirella began to rub their chests against my arms. Yep, you heard me right. Their busty chests rubbing against my arms. My face turned red from the unexpected contact.

“You bet I am,” I replied, taking a gulp.

“Do you want to play with us, mighty warrior?” Nirella asked teasingly.

“I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” I answered eagerly, my cheeks growing warmer.

Mirella and Nirella nodded at each other, slowly stretching my arms apart with their hands until I stood like a human cross.

“Ladies, what are you doing?” I asked, grinning and glancing from side to side, still not fully grasping their actions.

“Playing with you,” they replied simultaneously.

At that instant, Krag stood up and looked at me. “Having fun, puny human?” he asked with a sinister expression.

My jaw dropped. How did this guy get up after all those injuries? Krag raised his club and brought it down onto my head.

“Ackkkk!” I yelled as the weapon descended on me. “You bitches!” Everything went black before the familiar system failure message appeared in my vision.

SYSTEM FAILURE! SYSTEM FAILURE! SYSTEM FAILURE!

Just great! Back to square one again.