Thokk's eyes bulged as the blood stopped circulating to his head, but he did not surrender. Instead, as bloody blue spittle frothed from his mouth, he leaped into the air and fell down on his back, crashing down heavily on top of Goromir.
Goromir grunted at the impact, but held firm, his body reinforced by accelerated flow. [Flow Accel] did enhance durability, speed, and strength, but because it boosted everything evenly and continuously, it was not nearly as effective as specialized mana applications such as [Guard] or [Dispersal].
Thus, Goromir should have sustained good damage, especially considering Thokk's raw power, but Goromir was trained to take pain.
Thokk did this again. He did not have the energy to leap up this time, but instead slammed his back into the ground again, swiveling his head back into a headbutt. Thokk's head made contact with Goromir's nose and shattered in completely, but Goromir simply breathed out clots of blood and bone and held Thokk even tighter.
Then, it was over.
Thokk fell unconscious, the breath choked out of him and his tongue lolling out through his shattered teeth.
Goromir let go and shoved Thokk's heavy body off of him with a deep breath.
Goromir stood up and pumped two fists into the air, and the swarm cheered at the spectacle of a battle.
"Ah, to revel in the cheers of a proper duel. It does bring me back," said Goromir. He nodded at the attention and then immediately knelt down by Thokk, checking his vitals with a hand to his heart and neck. "Alive. To be expected. You are a tough one. Stubborn, too."
"Hear me, all you who are of the Champion bloodline!" said Goromir. "Your leader was mighty, and I do not wish to take his place when his potential is such that it may even eclipse myself. Keep him close to you, for he knows you far better than I, a stranger from a stranger time still, does."
"Then what was the point of the duel?" asked the elder.
"To move my body properly after the centuries, I suppose," said Goromir. He then looked to the Collector and bowed his head. "And to prove my worth to the Sovnar."
"Your worth as a combat capable specimen has already been analyzed," said the Collector. "As has the potential of this entire swarm now that it has received the benefits of the Breath of Life."
The Collector raised an open palm towards Thokk's unconscious body. It closed its hand, its metallic black claws clinking in contact. Magical energy flowed out from the Collector in ghostly blue strands, curling out from the fingers and into thin wisps surrounding Thokk.
Thokk's pale white body immediately rose up, fully conscious. His fractured jaw, lacerated mouth, and minor disorientation from loss of oxygen were completely resolved in a single instant. This was regenerative capability exceeding that granted by Higher Calling and did not require completely enslaving the specimen as well.
Overall, the Collector determined that with the evolution of all the goblin specimen through Higher Calling along with the addition of the Breath of Life enhancing them at the cellular level, even the basic champion units were just shy of the four-star adventurer's battle capacity.
The elite units would pose a highly favorable fight against the four-star adventurer with the new elite units known as 'Goromir' and 'Kandak' defeating the adventurer in 90% of all potential simulations the Collector ran in its processing system, with the remaining 10% accounting for sudden surprises from the four-star adventurer's varied abilities.
A fighting force of this caliber would allow the Collector to easily overrun a basic human settlement such as that which it analyzed the outskirts of when it was in the biome of the Darkwoods. However, this swarm would still not be able to reliably fend against a strong individual unit such as the golden winged humanoid.
However, with the infinite regeneration granted by the Breath of Life, the Collector could still conceivably utilize the units at the least as body bags and distractions, and with the significance of death having become less meaningful, they would as individuals be likely more receptive to it.
In any case, the Collector would have to instruct the elder and the elites to inculcate more sentiment among the champion units to be more willing to expend their lives to death's door in situations where such became necessary.
For now, however, the Collector had to begin moving.
"You are now in restored condition," said the Collector to Thokk. "You will remain as my carrier unit, for I sense that it has now become a title worthy of honor that I shall not strip from you."
The Collector motioned to Goromir. "Yet, your victory shall not go unnoticed. You and your brethren elite specimen desire to be my personal guard. Agreeable."
Kandak came up beside his brother and the two elites bowed their heads while crossing their fists over their hearts. "We serve as your First Hand, great Sovnar."
"As the quantity of this swarm grows, so too will the need for more carrier units. First, we mobilize, for time is limited." The Collector began to move, and its intent spread throughout the swarm.
"Towards the dungeon of the specimen once known as the 'Stormbear'. There, this swarm shall reconvene with the force left behind within the dungeon. I sense yet that the units in the dungeon are still alive, their vitals functioning properly.
That indicates that the champion's evolution into an elite has concluded, creating another strong body with potential to lead.
When the entire swarm is gathered there, I shall utilize some time to conduct additional experimentations, ascending another unit to carrier status for I intend to split this swarm into two.
One half of this swarm shall remain in this land and take control of the rest of the goblin tribes and bring them within the fold. It will conquer as many dungeons as possible, creating a network of surveillance through which any tinkering attack or movement may be sensed ahead of time.
The other half of the swarm will accompany me in crossing the Rift."
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