Seeing the two buddied and sensing the growing tension, Touji Ito calmly intervened.
He offered his own flesh. He extended his hand to Ansel without hesitation.
His voice was steady. It carried the weight of experience and quiet resolve. "You can use my blood."
Ansel looked at Touji's outstretched hand. The offer was generous but hazardous.
He was unwilling to risk Touji's life, no matter how brave the offer. Ansel shook his head. He said firmly. "No. We're gonna look for another way to lure the goblin out."
But Touji was resolute. He said quietly, his eyes calm but determined. "Don't worry, I don't mind if I do."
Without waiting for further protest, Touji took Ansel's sword in his other hand. The blade gleamed coldly in the dappled forest light.
Ansel and Andrew's eyes widened in horror as they realized what Touji was about to do. They both lunged forward, voices rising in desperate unison.
"No... no... nooo!" They shouted. Their words echoed through the stillness of the forest.
But it was late.
With a swift, precise motion, Touji cut his flesh. Blood welled up immediately. It was dark and vivid against his skin. He didn't flinch or hesitate. His expression was serene as the crimson droplets fell to the forest floor.
Despite the pain, Touji's face remained serene. His breath was steady as if he were performing a sacred ritual rather than inflicting harm upon himself.
Ansel and Andrew stood frozen, their protests swallowed by the weight of the moment. The forest seemed to hold its breath. The usual sounds of rustling leaves and distant birdsong faded into an eerie silence. It was too quiet.
Apparently, Ansel couldn't bear to see Touji sacrifice himself at all. This was the first time they had met. Yet Ansel had absolutely no idea how to stop what was happening.
Ansel's heart pounded in his chest as he watched helplessly. Every drop of blood slowly trickles from Touji's palm. The crimson beads fell one by one. Each drop seemed to echo in the heavy silence of the forest.
Time seemed to stretch as the blood hit the mossy ground. It darkened the earth beneath them.
The vibe sifted thick with anticipation. It was charged with an invisible energy that prickled at their skin. Then, faint but unmistakable, a sound emerged from the depths of the forest. A low, guttural murmur that sent a shiver down their spines.
"Do you hear something?" Touji asked quietly. His eyes were sharp and alert. He knew that most humans couldn't hear the subtle noises goblins made. But he wanted to be sure if Ansel and Andrew could perceive it too.
Ansel's gaze sharpened as he strained to listen. He said, his voice steady despite the tension. "I hear it. It's better to close your wound immediately."
Without hesitation, he gently took Touji's hand and used his sleeve to cover the bleeding palm. He pressed firmly to stem the flow.
Andrew's face paled. His eyes were wide with fear as the eerie voice of the goblin echoed through the trees. He asked, his voice barely above a whisper, trembling with the dread "Ansel, if it is a goblin, will we gonna die?"
Ansel met Andrew's gaze. His own eyes burned with fierce determination. "Don't worry." He said firmly, placing a reassuring hand on Andrew's shoulder. "I will never let you die."
His words were meant to steady their nerves, to instill courage in the face of the unknown.
The goblin's voice grew louder. A sinister whispered weaving through the branches like a cold wind. The trees seemed to move in around them. The shadows deepened as the unseen enemy drew nearer, attracted by the blood that stained the earth.
Ansel, Andrew, and Touji stood together, united by resolve and the fragile hope that they could face the coming storm.
The battle was about to begin, not just a fight against a creature of darkness. However, a test of their courage, trust, and the bonds forged in the heart of the forest.
Ansel drew Viorenving from its sheath. The blade gleamed faintly in the dappled forest light. He took a defensive stance, muscles tense and eyes sharp. He was ready for whatever might emerge from the shadows.
Behind him, Touji and Andrew stood close. Their breaths held in silent anticipation. They trusted Ansel to lead the charge.
The forest around them seemed to grow unnaturally quiet. As if the very trees were holding their breath. Then, from the gloom ahead, a massive figure emerged.
A goblin, larger and more menacing than any they had encountered before. Its eyes glowed with a malevolent light.
Ansel's heart sank slightly as he assessed the creature. He muttered under his breath, the weight of the challenge settling heavily on his shoulders. "He has absorbed several human souls. It will be quite difficult. But I have to try it."
The goblin remained motionless, watching them with a predatory stillness that made the hairs on Ansel's neck stand on end. Sensing the danger of hesitation, Ansel decided to take the initiative. With a burst of speed, he charged forward, Viorenving raised high.
But halfway through his sprint, he suddenly stopped and spun around. To his shock, the goblin was already right in front of him, having closed the distance with terrifying speed. The creature's claws were raised, ready to strike.
Thinking quickly, Ansel hurled Viorenving with all his might at the goblin. The sword sliced through the air. Its enchanted blade pierces the creature's body with a sharp, resonant sound.
Apparently, he just swung the blade randomly. He made a bet. Though he didn't see the way the goblins move. It was too fast, like the wind.
And he made it. He could feel the blade touching something.
For a moment, the goblin staggered. Its form flickered like a shadow caught in a sudden light.
Then, just as suddenly as it had appeared. The goblin vanished, disappearing into the forest's depths like a wisp of smoke.
Ansel's breath came hard and fast as he steadied himself. He knew now that the goblin's movements were incredibly fast, almost impossible to predict.
It made Ansel relieved. He lost his strength. It made him paralyzed and the blade fell from his grip.