Suliven's eyes locked onto Goblin Slayer— his expression shifting into a psychotic grin. With a mighty roar, he lunged forward in a flash, with the Earth trembling beneath his feet. A massive fissure split the ground where he had stood— uprooted by the sheer force of his acceleration.

Goblin Slayer's instincts screamed at him as the dark elf closed the ten-meter gap in an instant— his massive claymore already in motion for a sideways swing.

The teen barely managed to register how fast Suliven was moving before he dove into a roll— narrowly avoiding the lethal strike. The ground where he had just been standing erupted into rubble as Suliven's claymore tore through it— sending debris flying.

The dark elf immediately followed up with another strike, this time aimed downward, cratering the earth with a violent shockwave that knocked Goblin Slayer back, skidding across the ground on his back as the force of the blow rattled his bones.

Sliding back, the teen could hear Suliven's enraged battle cry echo through the night. He glanced up just in time to see his shadow looming over him— the dark elf launching himself into the air, claymore raised high, ready to bring it down in a devastating overhead strike that would shatter the Earth.

Goblin Slayer with it.

Thinking quickly, the gray-haired teenager slammed his tomahawk into the ground, the blade biting deep into the dirt. He used the weapon as leverage, shifting his momentum and hurling himself to the side just as Suliven's claymore came crashing down.

The force of the impact split the earth, sending chunks of rock and dirt flying in all directions. A few of them clipped Goblin Slayer as he rolled away, but he gritted his teeth and pushed through the pain.

Before Suliven could capitalize on his assault, a brilliant bolt of cyan lightning struck him from behind, crackling with power and making him stagger.

Snarling, the dark elf spun around, only to see Remi speeding towards him, their front two tendrils flinging them through the air with such force that they broke the sound barrier.

Remi landed on Suliven's chest— teeth bared in a monstrous snarl, as they bit into his neck with savage fury. Their katana stabbed into his gut repeatedly, while their tendrils coiled around him like snakes— sending surges of lightning coursing through his body to prevent him from prying them off.

Suliven roared in fury, with the glow from his body intensifying as the light burst outwards in a violent explosion of power. Chunks of Remi's tendrils tore apart from the force— bits of their artificial gel flesh splattering across the ground.

Despite the damage, Remi didn't flinch. Skidding back on their heels, they shot a bolt of cyan lightning from the blade of their katana directly at Suliven's chest. But the dark elf was quick— he swung his claymore in a wide arc— parrying the lightning bolt with the flat of his blade and sending it spiraling off into the sky.

With another bloodthirsty roar, Suliven rushed at Remi, the ground crumbling beneath his feet as his acceleration uprooted the very earth itself. The two clashed, the slime beast's katana meeting the dark elf's claymore with a resounding clang that echoed through the battlefield.

Suliven's fighting style was berserk, overwhelming in its raw, brute strength, while Remi was swift, precise, but still struggling to keep up with his relentless assault.

Remi parried and dodged as best they could, but Suliven's power was immense. With a final, brutal slash, the dark elf broke through Remi's defense— his claymore slicing through their midsection with sickening force.

Cyan gel sprayed from the wound, splattering across the ground like blood.

Remi staggered— their mutilated tendrils flailing, as Suliven followed up with a powerful strike that sent them hurtling backward at Mach speed, and crashing into a ruined brick building. The impact caused the structure to collapse, with a thick cloud of dust and debris billowing out from the ruins.

Suliven's grin widened in victory, but before he could celebrate, Goblin Slayer leaped onto his back. Wrapping a chain around Suliven's thick neck, the teen pulled with all his might, choking the dark elf. "I'm going to break you," he growled into the dark elf's long ear— his voice cold and threatening.

Suliven's rage exploded. With a snarl, he flailed, trying to pry Goblin Slayer off. But before he could, the teen buried his tomahawk into the back of his head— the blade sinking deep into flesh.

Suliven let out an enraged roar— the white light from his glowing body bursting outwards once again in a shockwave of energy. The chain around his neck snapped, and Goblin Slayer was flung back as his tomahawk was torn from his grip and sent flying out of reach.

Snarling, Suliven rushed at Goblin Slayer. The armored warrior rolled to the side to avoid the charge, but the dark elf was faster— his foot connected with his abdomen in a brutal kick, with the force of it causing the teen to feel his organs shift painfully inside him.

Before he could react, Suliven's massive hand wrapped around his head, lifting him off the ground with ease. Goblin Slayer's orichalum helmet held strong against the crushing force, but his eyes went wide with pain as the dark elf drove the top spike of his claymore through his abdomen— gutting him.

With a savage spin, Suliven hurled Goblin Slayer's body across the battlefield— the warrior's armor streaked with blood as he flew through the air and crashed near the rubble where Remi lay.

Seeing the teen's bloodied form, the slime monster's eyes flared with rage. Their topaz irises glowed brighter, with acid leaking from their gritted teeth as they let out a primal snarl. Their tendrils flickered with electricity as they launched themselves back into the fray— their katana clashing against Suliven's claymore once more.

This time, Remi fought with even more ferocity, their strikes faster and harder, but Suliven met them blow for blow.

As the two titans dueled, Goblin Slayer lay on his side— one hand pressed against his abdomen to keep his ruptured organs from spilling out. His vision blurred, his body growing cold as blood continued to pour from the wound. Trembling, he reached for his backpack, dragging it in front of him. With weakening fingers, he spilled its contents across the sand, grasping desperately for several broken vials that rolled free.

Meanwhile, Remi let out a growl of effort as they slashed upward— sending Suliven flying into the air. With their katana raised high, cyan lightning crackling around their body, Remi began to charge a powerful spell. Above them, Suliven's body glowed brighter— a blinding white light radiating from him as he gathered his own power. The very air trembled from the force of their combined magic, rocks and debris flying back as the battlefield seemed to warp under the pressure.

For a brief moment, there was a stillness— a calm before the storm. Time seemed to slow, the world holding its breath.

And then, the two unleashed their spells.

A massive bolt of cyan lightning erupted from Remi's katana— engulfing Suliven in an overwhelming surge of energy. The lightning crackled upward into the sky, powerful enough to tear through the storm clouds, and clearing the night sky in an instant.

But Suliven, in what seemed to be his final act, casted his own spell.

A beam of blinding white lunar energy shot down from the heavens, enveloping Remi. The blast was so powerful that Remi's head was disintegrated into ash— their katana and raised arm obliterated in the same instant. The ground beneath them exploded in a cloud of dust and debris, with the shockwave tearing apart the Earth around them.


As the dust and debris from the cataclysmic explosion began to settle, the once lively courtyard had been reduced to a massive crater— scorched and ravaged by the combined power of Remi and Suliven's final spells. The ground was blackened, charred beyond recognition, and bits of cyan gel littered the battlefield like bloodstains against the cracked earth.

From the edge of the crater, Suliven crawled out— his body trembling from the exertion. His once bright white aura flickered— barely holding together as he dragged himself upright, coated in grisly injuries. His skin was scorched, his armor cracked and broken in several places, but he was still in one piece— still alive. He stood at the edge of the crater, breathing deep, rapid breaths as he overlooked the destruction below.

Staring down into the abyss, he saw the remains of Remi— bits of their cyan gel scattered across the blackened sand. A triumphant grin spread across his cracked lips as he uttered, "I did it… Storm Lord is no more… The Muhati Desert can now finally be- Tch?!"

But then, his breath hitched. His eyes, glowing white with the remnants of his lunar magic, flicked up, locking onto a figure standing on the opposite side of the crater. They stood ominously with crimson lightning still surging through and around their armored body— their single glowing red eye glaring back at Suliven through the visor of his helmet.

Suliven's face twisted in disbelief. "You... You should be dead!" He snarled, fury lacing his words. "Hear me?! DEAD!"

Goblin Slayer's voice was steady, calm, and lethal. "So should you."

Suliven's fury exploded. With a guttural roar, he leaped across the crater, the earth where he had been standing uprooted from the force of his movement. His massive claymore was raised high above his head, prepared to cleave Goblin Slayer in half.

But as Suliven descended like a force of nature, the gray-haired teenager stood unarmed, with crimson lightning still crackling around him. From underneath his helmet, a daring smile formed on his lips.

At the last moment, Goblin Slayer ducked beneath Suliven's attack, narrowly avoiding the deadly swing of the claymore. Suliven's momentum carried him forward, and before he could recover, the agile teen sidestepped and delivered a powerful uppercut into Suliven's abdomen.

The blow landed with the force of a battering ram, sending a ripple of shock through the dark elf's body— his breath leaving him in a grunt of pain.

Suliven snarled, enraged by the hit, and swung his claymore wildly. But Goblin Slayer was faster, his reflexes sharpened by the lingering effects of his buff spell. He weaved in and out of Suliven's relentless attacks, dodging each swing of the claymore with precise movements. His body moved with calculated efficiency, and every time he dodged, he countered with devastating punches and kicks, striking the dark elf in weak points with brutal accuracy.

Suliven roared in frustration, each missed attack fueling his anger. His claymore cleaved through the air, but Goblin Slayer remained untouchable, his movements swift and fluid. He ducked under another swing and delivered a crushing elbow to his ribs, followed by a swift kick to his knee, forcing the dark elf to stumble.

Enraged beyond reason, Suliven planted his feet and began to charge up his lunar magic once more. The ground trembled as rocks and debris around them levitated, drawn up by the immense energy building inside him. His body glowed with the familiar blinding white light, the runes of power forming in the air around him.

But just as Suliven prepared to unleash his devastating burst spell, Goblin Slayer sprang his trap.

Instead of retreating, the teen rushed forward and grabbed Suliven's claymore with both hands, catching the dark elf off guard as he pulled it free from his grasp. Suliven's eyes widened in shock, but before he could react, Goblin Slayer swung the massive weapon with all his strength.

The blade sliced cleanly through Suliven's midsection— cleaving him in half from the waist. Suliven's glowing white aura flickered violently as his body was torn apart, blood spraying across the battlefield. His expression twisted in horror, unable to comprehend what had just happened.

But Goblin Slayer wasn't finished.

With a grunt of effort, Goblin Slayer swung the claymore upward— carving deep through Suliven's torso, and splitting his skull in half. The sheer force of the blow obliterated the dark elf's upper half— leaving his mutilated remains dangling in midair for a split second.

With one final move, Goblin Slayer delivered a powerful downward-horizontal slash— sending Suliven's upper body into the crater with bone-splitting force.

Without another moment to waste, the dove to the ground— hitting the deck, just as Suliven's charged-up lunar burst spell detonated.

The explosion rocked the battlefield, a blinding white light consuming everything around the crater. The ground shook violently as debris flew in all directions, rocks and dirt pelting the area as the destructive force of Suliven's spell was unleashed.

The explosion sent shockwaves across the desert, but Goblin Slayer held firm, lying prone as the storm of magic raged above him— blinking the dust out of his eyes, and trying to regain his bearings. The silence that followed felt deafening, broken only by the teen's ragged breaths.

But then, a slow, sickening sound began to emerge from the edge of the crater— a wet, dragging noise, like something scraping across the ground. The teen's heart skipped a beat as his eyes shot toward the sound. From the edge of the crater, something began to move.

It was Suliven, or at least what was left of him.

The once mighty figure was now a grotesque mockery of his former self. His body was moon-scorched, and his flesh was charred and split wide open. His chest cavity gaped horrifically, showing the jagged remains of his ribs and a pulsating, exposed heart, barely hanging on.

His face was mutilated beyond recognition— his lower jaw dislocated and hanging loosely, the skin peeled back in places, revealing muscle and bone underneath. One of his eyes had burst, leaving a gaping, bloodied socket, while the other, still glowing with eerie white light, locked onto him.

Goblin Slayer's breath hitched, and panic surged through him. Scrambling on his back, he used his elbows to push himself away, tucking his legs beneath him, trying to create distance. But Suliven's upper half began to crawl— his arms dragging his ruined body forward with unnatural strength.

Suliven's mutilated face twisted into a sickening grin, his voice distorted and gargled as he let out a victorious, wet-sounding laugh. "Y… Y-You… TTTThink… T-This issss… O-Over..?" He rasped— his voice bubbling from the blood in his throat. His hand shot out and clamped down on Goblin Slayer's ankle with a force that made bone snap.

The teen screamed in pain, his left ankle mangled under Suliven's death grip. The dark elf let out another sickening laugh as his upper half lunged forward, pulling Goblin Slayer closer to the crater. His eyes glowed with insane triumph as he dragged the teen toward the edge of the crater— intending to pull him into the searing flames within.

Suliven's mutilated body continued its relentless crawl—each pull dragging Goblin Slayer closer to the pit of fire and molten earth. Writhing in agony, the teen rolled onto his stomach and kicked at Suliven's hand with his free leg— trying to dislodge the death grip. His mind raced, panic setting in as he realized he was being dragged toward certain death.

He fought with every ounce of strength he had left, but Suliven's grip tightened, the bones in Goblin Slayer's ankle grinding against each other with sickening cracks. The pain was overwhelming, but he still fought through it— kicking and screaming as the dark elf dragged him closer, inch by inch, toward the pit's edge.

Then, just as all hope seemed lost, a sudden, eerie presence loomed behind Suliven. Two translucent tendrils, made from the familiar cyan gel, rose ominously from the darkness. They hovered for a moment, their presence menacing as they cracked through the air like whips. The air seemed to grow colder around them as they descended on him.

Without warning, one tendril darted forward, plunging into the dark elf's screaming mouth. His mutilated jaw cracked open even wider as the tendril forced its way down his throat, bulging his neck grotesquely as it traveled deeper into his body. His body convulsed violently as the tendril pushed further, visible through his torn chest cavity, snaking its way down toward his exposed organs.

Suliven's screams were garbled, distorted by the tendril now lodged in his throat. His eyes, one wide with terror and the other an empty socket, bulged as his body began to shake uncontrollably. The other tendril wrapped itself around his torso, coiling like a snake as it squeezed, pulling him toward the pit.

Goblin Slayer, freed from the dark elf's grip, panted for breath in pain and horror— watched in disbelief as Suliven's upper half convulsed, as his mouth stretched wide by the cyan tendril. He caught a glimpse through the dark elf's open chest cavity as the tendril wormed its way through his insides, before the dark elf was dragged into the pit, his upper half disappearing into the flames below.

The sickening sounds of Suliven's body being consumed by the flames filled the air. For a long moment, Goblin Slayer just lay there— his chest heaving, his eyes wide as the crimson lightning faded from his body. The glowing red of his left eye dimmed beneath the visor of his helmet, and the battlefield grew quiet once more.

Just when the silence seemed too thick to bear, Goblin Slayer's gaze snapped toward the edge of the crater. A small, pale hand was clutching the blackened earth, struggling to find purchase.

They were trying to pull themselves up, but their strength was failing them. Their once fearsome form was reduced to a weakened, naked body, cyan gel slowly regenerating across their torso. Despite the situation, a grin spread across their bloodied lips as they glanced up at him.

"Why, hello there, Old Sport," they cheerfully said, while struggling to pull themselves higher, "Mind giving me something to tug on?"

Goblin Slayer stared, still in shock, muttering their name under his breath. "Remi…"

But the pain shot through his body, snapping him out of his stupor. His broken ankle throbbed with every heartbeat, and his abdomen ached from the earlier blows. He let out a slow, trembling breath, fighting through the pain as he dragged himself toward the crater's edge, using his hands to crawl over the scorched earth.

Reaching out, Goblin Slayer grabbed Remi's hand and began to pull them up, groaning from the effort. Slowly but surely, Remi's form emerged from the crater, their body still regenerating but entirely devoid of clothing.

Once they were safely out of the crater, Goblin Slayer collapsed beside them, breathing hard, the pain in his body overwhelming but the relief of survival washing over him. Remi, now lying on their back, chuckled weakly, their voice still carrying that cocky, playful edge.

"Told you he ain't shit," they said, still grinning. "When we're done stargazing together, we outta go free them broads up in fuckin' Rapunzel's crack-tower over there— see if ol Suliven's left us some cool shit up while we're at it."

Still trying to catch his breath, while focusing on anything other than the excruciating pain in his mangled ankle and pulsating organs, all Goblin Slayer could afford to offer the slime monster was a shaky thumbs up— one that he held up briefly, before letting his arm fall back down to his side.

"Outta boy, Sportsy! That's the kind of "can do attitude" that I like to see!" Remi replied enthusiastically, despite showing no signs of getting up off of the floor— seemingly content with just lying naked beside the gray-haired teenager, and listening to his heavy breaths while staring up at the full moon above.


Author's notes: And there concludes the most violent arc to this story as of yet! Some thoughts to jot down is that the Muhati Desert was a fun setting to have Goblin Slayer muck around, and definitely gave him his first actual companion, funding, new perspective on what qualifies as a goblin and what doesn't, and overall he had some good character development there.

I also got to introduce the major factions of the story: Pendragon Empire, and Blackwatch. Both are evil in their own ways, and are looking to serve as good antagonists for Goblin Slayer, when he's not slaying goblins and other enemies.

I'm liking the way the world is coming out within the story, and the way Goblin Slayer's character development is. He started out as narrow-minded, being full of anger, and growing seemingly more unhinged as failure after failure begin to weigh down on him, but then now he's starting to reconsider what he thinks is a goblin, is starting to a light at the end of the tunnel, and is becoming slowly but surely more open-minded which will only become more apparent as time goes on— especially with Remi at his side, forcing him to step out of his comfort zone.

I'm itching for more slice-of-life moments, before the next violent arc filled with bloodshed and mutilation.

After Goblin Slayer wraps up in Delrivkat and gets stuffed prepared for his return from Crossbell, I'm going to have him and Remi travel out of the Muhati Desert, and get out of the frontiers— finding their way back to civilization, where it'll be safer and they'll have actual money to buy shit and enjoy their time.

So without giving away too much, here's how it's gonna go: Delrivkat, a populated town away from the frontier, a steamboat trip across a body of water, and then Crossbell.

Also, thank you to those who've shown support and feedback, even if sometimes it's not necessarily constructive feedback, I still get excited whenever I get a new review.

I usually try not to write too many author's notes, but since this final chapter of the Blood Meridian arc was relatively short, I figured this would be a good time to touch bases with you guys.

So thank you again, and I hope the next chapter brings you enjoyment!