Cornering the Goblins

The caves were all dimly lit because of the torches that were hanging on the wall of the cave. Oslo dissipated the fire so as to conserve his Mana, and besides there were torches lighting it so there was no need to use his Mana for sight anymore.

Out of three caves, there was only one cave which produced heinous laughter and screams. The screams that were coming from the cave was that of a human, there was no doubt. The other two were silent as calm pond but Oslo could feel that there was a horrible creature inside the middle cave.

He thought of it but wasn't too sure about it so he looked at Alphonse and said, "Doesn't the A-rank adventurers have good senses than a D-rank? Can you use your sensory ability to sense these caves!"

But when he looked closely, he saw Alphonse' pale face which was robbed of it's color. With a shaking voice, Alphonse replied,

"I tried it before but my senses were forcefully cut off by some unknown force inside the cave."

Hearing him, Oslo was sure that his gut feeling was right. "Then let's take another cave." He said.

He had an ominous feeling about the middle cave so he had chosen not to tread it. The cave on the right didn't feel right as well because it was dead silent and he had next to no idea of what would happen if he entered the cave.

So what he chose to enter was the left cave which was giving off the screams and laughter. He had guessed that it was likely that it was in the middle cave where the boss of the dungeon resided and he was not ready to face the boss yet

The more he treaded, the louder the noise became making him aware that he was getting closer and closer to those goblins. If he were to describe what he was hearing then it would be like this.

ZTSGYXBUFDHISWHUHOXQWGI!

GE GE GE GE!

AHHHHHHH!

The whole cave was echoing in these voices. At the end of the tunnel, both of them saw a chamber which was as well it by the torches. The chamber was as big as ten rooms and there were about twenty goblins inside which were as well equipped with weapons.

With those golden eyes, Oslo could see the aura of the goblins and the captives. The captives were chained in the wall like some animals and their face were robbed of redness as if they had no blood left in their body.

And out of seven chained captives on the wall, six were already dead and one of them was barely holding as his aura was clinging on the last thinnest layer. Even if he tried Oslo couldn't save him. Alphonse seeing the scene sweated profusely because it was his first time seeing so many monsters in one place.

Out of twenty small goblins, there was a big one with a saber. With those many scars on it's body, it was likely a goblin warrior which had gone through various battle. Rather than those small goblins, it's aura was the thickest and it's body was size of an adult human with well refined muscles.

It was a goblin that had evolved among the group and became a Hob goblin. Even though it was a head taller than him, Oslo was confident about taking it on. But what he needed to keep an eye on was that sharp saber that goblin possessed in it's hand. From it's sharpness one could guess how many battles it had been through.

With a long blade, it was as long as Oslo's leg.

Another goblin came before the captive that was barely alive with a dagger but as it raised it's dagger, the body became cold hinting that it was dead but the goblin didn't knew that.

Stab-

The goblin stabbed the boy but no screams left it's mouth like before. Other goblins laughed at the scene that one of their friends couldn't even make a human scream of pain. They deemed the goblin as incompetent.

Stab- stab- stab- stab-

The goblin stabbed more and more so as to prove them wrong but as before, no words escaped the mouth of lifeless corpse.

Seeing the goblin not even letting go of the corpse, Oslo was enraged as blood had risen to his brain. He didn't reveal himself from the shadow but used his ability to control the flames.

The fire residing in the burning torches flew in the air and appeared before the goblin with a dagger in it's hand. Seeing the fire, the goblin subconsciously took a step back in fear.

More and more fires left the torches and merged as one making a huge ring entrapping the goblin and started burning it alive producing more green flames for Oslo to control.

Slowly, the dimly lit chamber was filled with green light. Even though the flames burning in the torches were normal, when Oslo controlled them, they turned green. The Hob goblin was also alerted by the sudden fires that had started flying and merged into one. With the saber tightly held on it's hand, it scanned the surrounding but found no one and wasn't aware of what was happening.

Oslo's control over flames were getting better and better. Not only could he now control the flames produced by him but he could also control normal flames that were already lit. But he felt that it was too good to be true and there must be a catch.

Maybe there were flames he couldn't control as well but he just didn't know about it.

No matter where Hob goblin looked, it couldn't find Oslo. But Oslo didn't have any plan on burning every goblin alive. He slowly revealed himself as Alphonse followed him with the legs that were shaking crazy.

Swis~

The goblin that was groaning in pain because of the fire was kill by the dagger that penetrated its abdomen. Oslo didn't have any mastery over throwing weapons but he was happy with the result he had got just now.

He again controlled the fire and made a wall so as to not let any goblins around him when he retrieved the dagger covered in green blood. Although it was warm inside the chamber because of the fire, the blood of the goblins ran cold.

In front of them was a monster which controlled the power that hurt them. Oslo fused more Mana, making the wall of flames even long and vicious than before and it then bordered the goblins limiting their movements. They couldn't run away because the wall of flame was blocking their way. But little did they know that Oslo didn't plan on killing them by burning them.

He had something else in his mind.

But not all goblins were caged inside the fiery wall and some of them had managed to jump out of fiery wall and getting out of it was successful.

But...

Slash- Slash- Slash-

The dagger cut past every goblin that jumped out of the wall of fire and painted the floor in green.

[Ordinary Magic Beast (Rank D) Goblins killed. No magic core obtained.]

Seeing the scene, the other goblins were scared out of their wits. They couldn't leave the chamber because of the fiery wall bordering them and even if they could transverse through the wall, they would just be sliced bloody like a chunk of meat. They were about to lose it.

Some of the goblins holding a spear rose their hands and aimed their weapons at Oslo.

"Naive! Stupid goblins!" Oslo shouted with a mocking grin, "I'll show you my shield."

Alphonse had stopped shuddering by now and was controlling himself. When he heard about Oslo's shield, his eyes lit up. How great the shield of an adventurer as brave as his would be? He was curious to see the shield Oslo possessed and if there was same type of shield on the market, he was definitely going to buy it.

"Behold!" Oslo shouted at goblins and hid behind Alphonse.

"Human Human Shield!"

'So it was me!' Alphonse' heart skipped a beat when he heard that but it too late now.

Swooosh~

Clang~

The spears collided with his armor and we're stopped on their tracks. They say a cornered animal would be fiercest than ever and the situation made Alphonse suddenly realize what the saying meant. This time now they had cornered the goblins, they were fiercer than ever.

Before when a goblin stabbed it's spear at his armor, it's spear shattered but now it was different than before because when goblins used their strength just now, there was a dent on his armor. But thankfully, it wasn't pierced or broken.

'Thank you, dad! The armor you chose for me the other day has become in time of need. I'm eternally grateful.' Alphonse was happy that even he had rejected the armor, his dad had forced him into wearing one.

Clang~ Clang~ Clang~

Other goblins as well threw what they had from another side of the flame towards Alphonse but it only made a dent at most. Alphonse had a smirk of triumph on his face now as he was currently impenetrable in front of the goblins.

Stab-

"Eeeeeeeak!" Alphonse jumped in surprise.

One of the dagger had managed to Pierce through the armor. If the chest part of the armor wasn't little bulkier then he was afraid that his chest would have been pierced.

Thankfully, he had his armor saving him but the smirk he had from before was lost. His legs gave up and he fell on his knees with tears flowing down his eyes. He was scared shitless.

'God, let me live through this ordeal and I promise I'll be a good boy and not go in an adventure anymore, ever.' He pleased.

'...Just forget about the last part!'