In an enraged state, Jack had only one thought. I fucking hate you! The collision was so violent that his nose was pulped on impact. Though he felt no pain, he registered the wet crunch of his own bones and heard Greaves’ ribs crack through the haze of stars in his red-tinted vision.

  His momentum carried them both over the edge of the precipice, tumbling towards the raging river below in a slow-motion blur. As they fell, Jack punched at the Baron with both his fist and his stump. The noble’s Mage Shield and his magical protections failed to activate from simple physical blows. Greaves’ nose burst into a flourish of slow-moving blood.

  “Die, you bastard!” Jack yelled as the white, churning surface of the river’s rapids grew closer, and time returned to normal just before they hit the cold water. “Die, you…” His yell was cut short by the impact.

  Greaves grunted in pain, and a look of panic crossed his bloody face as he and his attacker were submerged.

  Jack was still seeing red. Fucking die!

  Greaves struggled with Jack for dominance beneath the water. The Baron flailed his arms in panic to reach the surface for air, and clawed at Jack’s face in terror as the rapids dragged them downstream.

  I hate Greaves! The one thought consumed Jack’s infuriated mind. Still in an enraged state, he felt no pain and ignored the Baron’s blows. As Greaves struggled for the surface, Jack punched him with his stump, shattering teeth and cartilage.

  The two adversaries fought in the dark, airless habitat for supremacy, all the while the current threw them against jagged rocks, causing more injuries. Greaves winced as a sharp stone scraped across his spine, opening a deep wound. Jack didn’t even flinch when his knee was shattered on a boulder as they were dragged across the rocks.

  Greaves activated a pseudo healing skill, closing his bloody wounds as new ones were made.

  I hate Greaves. Still feeling no pain, Jack ignored the damage while gripping onto Greaves with his right hand and punching him in the face with his stump. He was still seeing red, the Goblin Pseudo Enrage skill still active. The Baron’s Mage Shield and other protections failed to activate under these conditions.

  Both men surfaced and filled their lungs before slipping back under the raging river as they lashed out at each other.

  Bastard! Die! Jack screamed in his mind as he continued to punch the Baron as they were dragged downstream.

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  Greaves fumbled to retrieve a dagger from his jacket while activating his healing skill. Though Jack and the river were causing damage to the Baron, much of it was being offset by healing. The entangled pair resurfaced for air before ducking under the ice-cold water again.

  I hate Greaves. Still in a rage, Jack continued to punch Greaves with his stump, knocking several of the Baron’s teeth out and tearing open the wound on his severed stump. He hit him again and again, while Greaves stabbed him with the dagger he’d retrieved.

  I fucking ha… Jack’s thoughts were cut short as his rage began to ebb, and the pain returned like a bad nightmare. Fuck! What’s… Fuck! His mind cleared of the rage-induced fog, and the space was filled with pain. Despite his Pseudo Warrior, Endure Pain skill, the pain was debilitating. He knew he was dying; he’d taken too much damage. I won’t let go. He punched Greaves in the mouth again, ramming his bloody stump into his mouth. Choke you, bastard! I will have my revenge!

  At the same time, Greaves regained his composure, he grabbed Jack’s right arm, and activated a pseudo mage freezing spell.

  Jack grunted in pain as he felt his arm freeze and break off against a jagged rock.

  Greaves bit down on his stump like a savage dog. The noble smiled as he drank his attacker’s blood. His wounds began to heal rapidly thanks to Sanguine Pact. His nose repaired, and his teeth began to regrow…

  As they surfaced above the water again, Jack glared at the recovering noble. “No, you fucking don’t!” he spat as he gulped for breath with burning lungs. He activated the Pseudo Mage skill, [Fireball], through his stump, straight into the Baron’s bloody mouth. Fucking die, you murdering bastard!

  Greaves’ protections tried to activate, but they were designed as an external, not an internal shield. The Mage Shield made things worse for the Baron; the [Fireball] was trapped and had only one route, down his throat.

  Jack offered a bloody smile as he watched the Baron burn. Die, you bastard.

  Greaves’ eyes bulged in horror as the [Fireball] incinerated his tongue, throat, lungs, heart, and other organs, overwhelming the Baron’s healing skills. Fire erupted from his eyes, nostrils, and ears. Boiling blood and brains mixed with the river water. The noble’s flesh blistered and cracked.

  Jack felt his stump burn to the bone. He didn’t stop. He clenched his teeth and grimaced at the pain. “I fucking hate you!” he howled as they both slipped under again.

  As they sank into a calmer and deeper part of the river, Jack felt a wave of power and a new skill form as Greaves died. I got you, you bastard! He smiled with relief. With the Baron dead, maybe his family would be safe.

  As he sank to the bottom of the river, blood spiralled into the water like smoke while his spent body convulsed and spasmed from a lack of air. He didn’t fight it. He knew this was the end. I love you all…

  Jack’s vision faded as he thought of his family. Mom, Dad, his sister, Polly, his baby brother, Richard, and his new little sister, Zia. Be safe… I love you all.

  In the cold, dark water at the bottom of the river, his vision cleared, and he saw an ornate door covered in intricate runes. The door opened and there was a bright light.

  The last thing he heard was the same female voice he heard the last time he died. “So many mistakes.”

  Jack died. Again!

  Two more chapters remain, a double Epilogue (dropping tomorrow and the day after) which answers some questions and leads us into arc 2 which continues on Royal Road at or you can read chapter 1 of arc 2 on soon.

  Max-Level Paladin of the Fallen Gods...