Goblin King: My Innate Skill Is OP-Chapter 49: Python

And if they didn’t...we’d all find out the hard way.

I blinked downward, reappearing between the goblins. But unlike before, they didn’t flinch or jump at my sudden arrival.

That made me proud...They’d grown.

Although I had to admit, I missed the way they used to panic when I popped in out of nowhere.

"Alright, let’s move. Our next target is a level 12 Python."

"Level 12?" Thok’s eyes widened. "Isn’t that too much for us to handle?"

"There’s no need to worry," I said calmly. "You’re strong when you work as a team. And with me backing you up, we’ll manage."

They exchanged glances. Nervous, yes—but their expressions were filled with resolve.

Thanks to levelling up multiple times, they were now more confident, their posture straighter than when we first began.

We moved, and after a couple of minutes, we reached the spot where I had first seen the python.

Getting closer to it, I had them crouched low behind a patch of thick underbrush, careful not to get the python’s attention.

It lay coiled near the base of a moss-covered boulder, half-hidden beneath hanging vines. Its thick, mottled scales shimmered with a greenish-black pattern, and a cloudy film covered its eyes—possibly shedding. But that didn’t make it any less dangerous.

If I remembered correctly, snakes didn’t rely solely on sight. They hunted by detecting heat, scent, and sound.

One wrong move, one snapped twig or poorly timed whisper, and it would strike before we even got into position.

The python lifted its head slightly, tongue flicking in and out, tasting the air. And my gut told me we didn’t have long before it picked up our scent.

I didn’t plan to wait.

"Narg," I whispered, barely louder than a breath. "Go left. When I give the signal, hit it with your strongest fireball."

Narg gave a tight nod and crept away silently, circling behind a thick oak tree. He crouched low, pressed a hand to the trunk, and braced his staff, ready to strike the moment I gave the signal.

"Thok, Zonk," I whispered. "Take opposite flanks. Stay low, stay quiet. Gobbo, Dribb, get ready to move into the front line. Shields up."

The goblins moved without question.

Thok and Zonk split off in opposite directions, circling the clearing in mirrored arcs. They kept low, their movements controlled and deliberate, like wolves stalking prey. Narg hunkered down behind the tree, his knuckles tight around his staff, fingers twitching with anticipation.

Gobbo and Dribb moved straight ahead in a crawl. Each step was slow and measured, but the occasional soft crunch of dry leaves beneath their boots made my stomach tighten.

The python’s head suddenly snapped upward, alert. Its yellow eyes—slit like dagger edges—focused on the location Gobbo and Dribb were.

The thick muscles in its body tensed, and its tongue flicked again.

And I knew it had sensed us.

There was no point waiting anymore.

"Now!" I barked, signalling Narg. And the acolyte stepped out from behind the tree and hurled a fireball towards the Python.

The flame ball hissed through the air in a bright arc, trailing sparks as it sped toward the python. But the reptile’s reflexes were faster than I anticipated.

With a sudden, unnatural twist of its neck, the snake jerked its head aside.

The fireball missed by a breath, crashing into a mossy patch and igniting it in a burst of flame. And a split second later, the python exploded into motion.

Its massive coils unwound in a blur, scales rasping against the forest floor. Its tail lashed out like a whip, slamming into a nearby bush and sending leaves flying.

Then it charged towards the source of the attack, heading towards Narg.

"Shields up!" I shouted, and Gobbo and Dribb stepped into the python’s path, shields braced.

The serpent crashed into them like a battering ram.

WHUUMPH!

The impact was brutal.

Both goblins were hurled backward, boots tearing through soil and leaves.

Gobbo slammed into a tree with a heavy thud, his shield bent inward from the force.

He gasped for breath, the wind knocked out of him.

Meanwhile, Dribb, still holding on, dropped to one knee, his face twisted in pain, as the python’s fangs scraped across his shield, hissing as smoke curled from the metal, its acid corroding the metal.

Zonk charged in from the right, spear in hand, and thrust it hard at the python’s flank, aiming for the soft space between scales. 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

CHNK!

The tip struck true, but barely sank in as the creature’s hide was like armor.

Then Thok came from above, leaping down from a low-hanging branch. His blade sliced through the air, aiming directly for the snake’s eye.

But the python was faster.

It recoiled with unnatural speed, jerking back just in time to avoid the blow.

Thok missed his swing and hit the ground with a grunt. But he rolled with the momentum, sprang back, and disappeared into the underbrush just as the python reset its stance.

His role wasn’t to fight head-on—it was to strike from the shadows.

"Spread out!" I shouted. "Don’t let it focus on one target!"

The python hissed, its massive body coiling tighter, muscles rippling beneath its scaled hide. Acid dripped from its fangs, sizzling as it hit the forest floor and ate into the soil with a quiet hiss.

Then it reared back and spat.

A glob of acid shot toward Dribb.

He dove to the side just in time, and the corrosive slime struck where he’d stood, bubbling against rock and root.

Zonk didn’t hesitate. He charged, spear ready.

But the python twisted with unnatural speed and fired again—another ball of acid, aimed dead-on.

Zonk reacted fast, hurling himself sideways into a roll. The acid splashed past him, missing by inches.

The python began to rear its head again, lining up another shot of acid.

But this time, Narg’s fireball hit first.

The blaze struck the side of the serpent’s neck, searing scales and forcing a shriek from its throat. It turned, enraged, and lunged straight for Narg.

Before it could reach him, Gobbo rushed in from the side and slammed his shield into the python’s head, throwing off its charge.

The impact shoved the serpent’s massive skull sideways, and Gobbo followed up immediately with a sword swing, aiming for the head, but the blade glanced off with a loud clang.

The python’s skull was like forged steel.

Snarling, the beast whipped its tail around in retaliation. And Gobbo, who saw it coming, braced himself, his shield raised.

But..

WHAAM!

The tail hit like a battering ram, and though the shield absorbed most of the impact, the sheer....