Swarm of goblins rushed at me, striking with daggers and clubs.
[You have slain a Goblin!]
I pierced one in the head. Blood splattered across my face before fading into faint particles of light.
One leapt at my back, dagger aimed straight for me. I kicked it and slashed its legs.
It groaned on the ground.
"Hrrghh!"
I grabbed its head, and it hissed at me.
"Ugh… I have to say, you're way more disgusting up close than in the computer game," I muttered, wrinkling my nose.
I threw the goblin to the ground and left it there to suffer, its cries echoing behind me.
More goblins charged toward me.
"Hmm… what should I do?" I muttered, scanning the swarm.
Suddenly, I remembered my other skill—the charging type.
"What if I pierce multiple targets with it?" I measured my aim, eyes narrowing on the goblins.
If I charged forward with Scorching Surge, I could hit three goblins in a straight line.
I adjusted my stance, gripping the shaft of my spear at the end.
Then, with a powerful motion, I charged forward, jabbing my spear straight at the goblins.
"Scorching Surge!"
Flames erupted from the tip of my spear, small wings of a phoenix forming on both sides as I ran forward.
Jab!
[You have slain a Goblin!]
[You have slain a Goblin!]
[You have slain a Goblin!]
The tip sank deep into three goblins, and their bodies dissolved into flames.
The remaining goblins scattered in fear.
"Scared now, are we—" I didn't finish what I should say.
A tree trunk suddenly hurtled toward me.
"Oh, shoot!" I shouted, eyes wide. I was about to be hit.
I closed my eyes and accepted my fate.
Then strong arms lifted me into the air.
I opened my eyes and saw a young lady holding me steady, gently setting me back on the ground.
"I just got here in time," she said calmly, cutting through the chaos.
I blinked. I was momentarily relieved, but we weren't completely safe.
Crash!
The trunk smashed into the ground from afar.
"Grrrk!"
The Goblin Ravager roared angrily, then charged in our direction, swinging its massive club.
I turned and saw a guy standing behind me, holding a chameleon-themed staff with its tail coiled around the tip.
"Tchh, what a sloppy player," he said sharply, teasing.
I smiled awkwardly at him.
I glanced at the young lady who had saved me. My face went red as I stammered, "T-thank… you."
She gave a small nod, calm and unreadable.
They were about our age, yet they had arrived at the perfect moment, rescuing me when I was on the brink of disaster.
I turned to see her Player Status display appear above her head. Her name was Freya.
I was about to speak, but I had to focus on the fight.
We all turned our attention back to the approaching Goblin Ravager.
"Efren, help the other two," Freya commanded.
"Yeah, whatever," Efren said, running toward Claude and Dahlia.
I glanced at my companions.
Claude already had the advantage, his long weapon glowing faintly with icy magic, ready to strike.
Dahlia, however, was struggling, flinching each time the Goblin Ravager swung its massive club.
Freya charged forward toward the Goblin Ravager heading for us.
"Wait!" I shouted, but she didn't look back. I followed her immediately.
We arrived just as the Goblin Ravager swung its heavy club at us with a deafening crash.
I rolled across the ground, narrowly dodging.
Another swing came. This time, Freya was faster. She reached the arm of the massive goblin.
"Cirrus!" Freya shouted, stepping forward with determination.
She called out her Arcane Weapon.
Immediately, something extraordinary happened. From her lower back, a magnificent plume of peacock tail feathers sprouted, spreading outward like a full fan.
The feathers shimmered with iridescent blues and greens, a living peacock tail forming behind her.
They shifted instantly, transforming into dozens of glowing swords. The swords spun and floated, creating a mesmerizing pattern of light, before snapping shut into a single, elegant blade in a flash.
The sword floated gracefully into Freya's hand, settling perfectly as she adjusted her stance. She raised it above her head.
I stared, unable to look away. The combination of beauty and power was hypnotic but deadly.
"Plumage Sever!"
Two afterimages manifested beside her, each holding a sword and mirroring her movements as they slashed in unison. They disappeared in a flash the moment the strike landed.
The Goblin Ravager groaned in pain as my strike landed on its neck, blood spraying from the wound.
I glimpsed its HP—the damage had tripled, extra numbers popped up, and a Critical hit indicator flashed after the blow.
‹ Goblin Ravager ›
HP: 65/200
I couldn't process it. This player was incredible. I had to help her.
"Phoenix Flare!"
Flames erupted from my spear. I slashed fiercely at the Goblin Ravager's leg, the blade searing through flesh and muscle as I ran the strike along to its back leg, cutting deep into the limb.
The Ravager recoiled, its massive body wobbling as flames raged along its scarred skin, smoke curling from the scorched wounds.
[-70]
Its body weakened, one leg seared by my flames and the other sliced clean off, and it wobbled violently as it struggled to stay upright.
Each massive step shook the ground, but its weight was too much, and the injuries proved fatal to its balance.
Thud!
It collapsed forward, crashing into the earth with a haze of dust. The impact sent smaller rocks flying, smoke curling into the air. When the dust settled, the Goblin Ravager lay defeated, its once-mighty body sprawled across the battlefield.
Slowly, its massive form began to dissolve, fading into faint light.
[You have slain a Goblin Ravager!]
"Not bad," Freya said calmly.
I glanced at her Player Status display. Her HP had dropped, even though she hadn't taken a single hit.
Freya Boudelair [Lvl.6]
HP: 425/500
EXP: 70/100
"Why did your HP decrease if you weren't hit?" I asked, unable to hide my curiosity.
"It's from the skill I just used," Freya explained, her tone still calm. "It's quite overpowered, so in exchange I lose 15% of my HP."
"That's… insane!" I gasped, staring at the numbers that had dropped.
"No, it's balanced," she said with a small, confident smile. "You have to risk a bit of yourself to unleash stronger skills."
I blinked, realizing just how elegant her skill really was.
[!] Quest Updated [!]
» Slay 25 goblins of any kind.
Progress: 25/25
A hologram notification popped up in front of me, glowing brightly for a moment before fading.
"Oh… we completed our party quest," I muttered, a small smile playing at my lips.
[You have gained 200 EXP.]
[Congratulations! You have leveled up!]
Lv. 6 → Lv. 8