Chapter 04: First Hunt...

"You really need it?" Silvia inquired nervously.

"Yes." Eldian nodded silently.

"Don't you have one in your inventory?" Silvia asked suspiciously.

"I do, but it's inaccessible at the moment." Eldian answered plainly.

"You don't have any low-grade sword?" Silvia asked with little hope.

"The only low-grade item I have is a shiny horn." Eldian shattered that little hope.

'Low-grade horn?' Silvia struggled to recall such an item. "By any chance, do you mean the horn of the two-headed rhino?" She remembered seeing it in the dungeon, decorated like a Christmas tree.

Eldian nodded in response.

The car abruptly rocked, and all the other passengers drew a deep breath. The delivery especially, he almost choked on his breath.

'Damn! He definitely played a different game.' The driver recalled how others described him.

He glanced at the rear-view mirror. A plain white shirt and black trousers, the sun cast a warm glow on his flawless skin as the morning breeze danced in his silver hair. Sitting silently, looking out of the window he resembled some painting—an artist's masterpiece.

"I am not interested in men." Eldian remarked, still looking out of the window.

The car rocked again; whether it was the obstacles on the path or the carelessness of the driver, none knew.

"I am..." A silent whisper drew everyone's shocked eyes. It was the coworker, his head buried in his phone, his fingers constantly scrolling the screen. "...justice." He mumbled again, and everyone turned away.

"Destination, Arrived!" The electronic voice of the GPS pulled everyone out of the awkward silence.

Before their car stood a five-meter-tall crack of space.

"Take it." Silvia sighed with resignation. Her hands extended a pink-sheathed blade to Eldian.

"Thank you." Eldian took the sword out of its sheath.

«Excellent Sword»

«Rank: D+»

«Requirement: Level 1+»

«Type: Double-edged sword»

«Effect: Strength +5»

"Nice." Eldian was impressed, finding a low-rank sword that had an effect was definitely challenging.

"I grinded a whole week for it." Silvia had to complete a long quest for the sword and being appreciated by the one who completed the world quest did feel nice.

Eldian walked out of the car and stood in front of the dungeon.

«Goblins' Cave»

«Rank: E+»

«Mode: Trapping»

«Max Level: 15»

«Max Hunters: 5»

Drawing a deep breath Eldian stepped for his first hunt.

.

.

.

Goblins were monsters of short stature with levels ranging from 6 to 10, and they rewarded more EXP than any other monster at that level, making them excellent for grinding, at least in the game.

In reality, they were very disgustingly creative. They would kick in the crotch, kick toenails with their stone-like soles, and even throw dust in the eyes. They could use anything and everything to kill their opponents.

This made the goblins' dungeons the last choice of hunters, and often they were cleared just days before the dungeon break.

This dungeon was similar. It was a disaster for any novice below level 15. However, it could be equally rewarding if one has the way. Eldian had that way, or at least he believed so.

Right after entering the dungeon, Eldian could feel his heart pounding profoundly in his chest as he looked at the scene ahead.

Three goblin spearmen in the front, pointing their spears at him, three warriors in the middle with rusted knives, and two archers at the back with their loaded bows awaited him directly at the entrance.

The only source of light in the cave, the glowing moss on the walls, provided just enough visibility to reflect the shiny surface of the arrows.

The leather hilt of the sword was damp with sweat, and the cave's suffocating environment prevented it from drying.

"Kekekeke" Following their signature chuckle, the goblin spearmen in front charged straight at Eldian.

The entrance had vanished, leaving only the frigid wall of the cave behind him; he couldn't retreat. He had to confront them.

Tightening his grip on the sword Eldian filled his lungs to the brim and sprinted straight ahead, his other arm raised to defend his head.

The spears were about to strike him when he jumped past the short goblins. Suspended in the air, the momentum propelled his body to the two archers at the back, both had their bows ready with an arrow.

"Thwack" The first arrow narrowly brushed his thigh. The archer was not ready for the sudden intruder.

"Thud" the other arrow couldn't be avoided; penetrating his shoulder, it tore through the flesh emerging from the other side, digging into the cheek, in the mouth it stopped right on the gum above the upper molars.

"Ahhh!!" Eldian gave a loud cry of pain as his sword inched closer to the archer's head.

As the sword cleaved through the air with deadly precision, it met its mark with a sickening crunch, followed by the grisly sound of metal slicing through bone.

"Thud" Eldian's jump abruptly ended with a fall on the floor, his sword nailing the goblin's head.

"Uhh!" A low grunt filled his mouth with warm blood, as the arrow penetrated in the upper gum.

Lifting his eyes he could see the other archer fixing another arrow in its bow. Eldian had to act quickly. He stood with difficulty, his shoulder and jaws stitched together by an arrow. Every movement increases blood loss, increasing the risk of losing consciousness.

Eldian pulled the sword out of the skull and dashed to impale it in the other archer's gut.

The distance was far too short to favour the goblin, by the time it had pulled the bowstring Eldian threw his entire weight on the creature.

"Kiiiiiii!!!" a high-pitched, guttural screech rang in the cave as the sword made its way into the intestines of the creature. Accompanied by a series of frantic, jagged breaths and guttural whimpers the goblin's body shook frantically.

'Three more.' The adrenaline was masking the pain, but the blood loss was real. He had to act before the pain resurfaced.

Looking past the quivering body, Eldian saw the vanguard.

The scream of the dying comrade had no effect on the goblins, their knives raised high, their jaws wide open dripping saliva in excitement. The sight of blood and gore excited these monsters.

Throwing the dead body aside Eldian made another sprint. Both his hands tightly gripped the sword as his legs pushed him with all the strength they could muster.

As he was about to collide with the goblins, Eldian pushed his shoulder forward.

"AAAAA!!!" Following his war cry his body clashed with the the first goblin.

The impact nailed the arrow past the upper gum and into the hard palate.

"Uh! Uh!" Low grunts followed as his mouth hung half a gape, saliva mixed with blood flowed down the chin leaving a bloody trail in its way.

At least his objective was achieved. The sword had penetrated the goblin's navel, slicing its way through the creature's insides it had broken past its spine.

Eldian did not stop there. With his sword nailed into the goblin, he pushed towards the unprepared spearmen in the back.

A goblin had barely straightened his spear when it pierced the body of its kind and the sword sticking out of the body jabbed his chest.

"Bang!" The goblin's body slammed into the wall of the cave, lessening the impact for the man holding the sword.

"UAaahh!!" Inaudibles left his throat as his jaws vomited blood. Closing them would impale the arrow deeper in his skull, once it reached the brain it would be over for him.

The goblin's body could not stop the spear, it struck past its body penetrating Eldian's rib cage it exited from the other side. His body was pinned to the wall.

'One more.' Eldian suspected that the spear had pierced the right lungs; if it was true, he had little time.

"Keee!" The other spearmen were ready with their spears.

Eldian pulled the sword out, or at least tried to do so. The sword didn't budge, it was stuck. He pulled harder.

The goblin warriors had surrendered him, their knives raised.

No matter how hard he tried Eldian couldn't muster his strength, the sword won't move! The adrenaline secretion was running out and he could feel its effect. His head was spinning, his vision blurred, he tried and tried again but couldn't gather his thoughts.

"Kekekeke." As he saw a goblin warrior jabbing its knife at him, Eldian let go of the sword.

"Thwack" The knife sliced its way into his back, the impact pushed the spear deeper as more of its pointed end struck out of his torso.

The goblin had just experienced the addictive sensation of its knife penetrating flesh when it felt a trembling hand on its back, and then another.

The human had caught him from both sides. He pulled it towards himself.

The goblin was confused, what was this human doing? Isn't he dead yet? An arrow punctured between his shoulder and jaws, a spear impaled his ribs, and a knife nailed his lower back. Blood was oozing out of his gaping jaws and nose, his eyes bloodshot.

Then it looked into his eyes.

"Terror" For the first time in its life the monster experienced the chills of the nether, a force so destructive it could eradicate every existence.

The hands drew it closer... The goblin dropped its hands.

Its flesh gave way as the spear pierced deeper into the gut, penetrating the intestines it dug deeper and deeper pushing the creature closer to the doors of death... The goblin did not resist.