Overly Sensitive Doesn't Always Mean Negative

"First of all," Kiyotaka began. "According to the information we have obtained, the goblins in Damuro, specifically the Old City of Damuro, are exiles from the other side of Damuro, New City. They usually form groups ranging from three to six, if not more in it. We'll look for them for our first day and so on for a period of time, and when we get the better of things, try moving to another location. To the Cyrene Mines, for instance. The den of kobolds."

'I know that forethought is nothing special but,' I scowled. 'The way he said it as if he assumed this was all nothing but a mere game rubbed off on me a bit.'

"You'll be the main attacker," Kiyotaka turned to Moguzo. "With your huge body, you'll pull as many enemies as you can onto yourself. I'll guard Sasha in case other enemies approach. I will assist when needed or the number of enemies targeted requires my help, but we won't be doing much of that for now, less Sasha dies if not guarded properly."

"Can you say that with at least some emotion?" I grumbled a little.

The flat expression he had when saying I'd die if he wasn't careful simply went too far.

"It's in my nature," he didn't elaborate any further.

"I will try my best," Moguzo nodded confidently. Or at least, he tried to.

Our destination is in sight.

Old City of Damuro. If I had to describe it with one word, it's simply ruins. As far as the eye can see, there are only crumbling buildings that you can catch. Not even a single one of them has an intact wall or roof. Everything is either partially or completely collapsed.

I heard the only goblins that roam around these parts are the dregs of society. The New City of Damuro located on the other side of the city was where the tough goblins lived, apparently.

"Stay still beside me," Kiyotaka warned me.

"I know." Even without him telling me, I at least understood the risks of being a priest.

The enemy was not so stupid as to not know the most important role in a team. They will try to kill us when the opportunity arises, that's why we are the most protected in the team. Mages were the same, except, as long as they were given time to complete their spells, they had a higher chance of defending themselves. I originally considered choosing that role, though as you have seen by now, I didn't. After more consideration, their limitations weren't really worth the payoff. I chose a priest as a result of that.

"Moguzo," Kiyotaka called out.

"Y-Yes?"

"Are you nervous?"

"... quite a bit."

"Remember what I said earlier, when we were overrun by pit rats."

Moguzo took a moment to remember. "As long as you're calm, you can handle the situation. Right?"

"Yes, and that applies to this situation as well. You do that, you'll be surprised at how clearly your vision widens. Try by simply taking a deep breath to calm yourself down."

'Why didn't you say that to me too?' I thought in my head.

Kiyotaka sent a look to me. "You've already composed yourself. I want you to do things differently as well. As the one in charge of the backline, you've unquestionably got an even broader view than the frontliners. I want you to utilize that advantage to check the condition of the battlefield in case something we can't spot appears."

'That makes sense.'

As awful as my personality is, I'm not so awful as to not help my comrades in despair, as long as it benefits everyone, of course. I would also feel bad if I saw someone else working hard to protect me while the person they were protecting casually chilling around.

"You can trust me with that," So with that, I answered with full confidence.

Kiyotaka nodded a little at that.

Without further ado, we stepped into the Old City of Damuro. For now, Kiyotaka led at the front, and of course, with me behind him. Moguzo is positioned at the very back of me in case something attacks from there. If we found an enemy that matched our target, Moguzo would step forward, replacing Kiyotaka in the process.

'To be honest, even I had trouble getting the feeling that Kiyotaka had a strong sense of presence. Regardless, though, he's showing signs that he is. What was he thinking when he sent the, well, how should I put it, laggy Moguzo to the front lines?'

Either way, as we make our way, I feel a strange feeling the further we go.

We soon encounter something before long. Three of those somethings, to be precise.

"Moguzo," Kiyotaka called out simply.

"Coming in!" Moguzo bellowed.

The three somethings we encountered had greenish skin. Their appearance is more or less the same as the ones we encountered in the spring a while ago. Although they were cleaner than the mud gob, they were unable to conceal their shabby appearance.

One of them wore full chain mail with a polished sword in its hand. The other two only had a portion of it over their upper bodies, each of them armed with a spear and shield.

"Well, I suppose that is to be expected," Kiyotaka flatly commented, facing the two spear and shield users who lunged straight at us, ignoring Moguzo whom the sword user struck straight away. "You shouldn't worry about the situation here, Moguzo, all your attention can be focused on your opponent only."

'Are they after me?'

Once they encountered us, all of them, without exception, zeroed in on me. Their depressingly gazes of killing intent were frightening in their own ways. They didn't even need to exchange words or gestures to mobilize a strategy that focused on me last as their main prey.

"Ngh!"

'Moguzo seems to be in trouble,' He had only been parrying the sword wielder's successive attacks right off the bat. 'But he doesn't look panicked... I guess?'

His expression was not exactly calm, but it was not exactly panicked either. He kept a certain amount of composure in his mind, and as a result, hadn't let the enemy's attacks hit him even once. Although he only continued to defend, it was the sword user who looked even more panicked.

'Kiyotaka is, well, I guess that doesn't need to be explained anymore.'

The instant they were in his range of attack, Kiyotaka swung his sword at the spear user on his right, raising his half-broken shield to protect himself from the goblin's spear on his left.

His blade nearly split the goblin's head in two, but an unmistakable miracle descended upon it since it held with its shield at the very end by a hair's breadth. That kept it away from death's door, albeit it still got knocked off by the impact.

'That movement is Punishment, isn't it?'

It was one of the two basic skills taught to paladins. They used their shields to protect their bodies and swung their swords at the enemy in the process to kill enemies. His movement just now undoubtedly resembled the Punishment skill.

'How can he use it that smoothly, though?'

Still holding his shield forward, Kiyotaka strode forward with quick steps straight for the other goblin.

'Was he going to run him over?' Apparently, yes.

The goblin in question was given no time to dodge. It didn't so much as get thrashed to the ground by Kiyotaka's sheer strength. The shield didn't help it much. It sprawled on the ground in a giddy manner.

Not giving it a chance to regain its composure, Kiyotaka repositioned his sword grip to a backhand grip, thrusting it into the gob's face in the next moment. That most likely killed it instantly. The gob only flinched slightly before its body gave no sign of life at all.

The sword and shield user who had been knocked away by Kiyotaka's initial attack had regained its poise, beginning to rouse itself to fight back. Kiyotaka didn't let it. He threw his shield at the goblin who is still trying to rise to its feet. Whether by chance or on purpose, it struck him squarely in the head. The throw was hard enough to send his head sprawling to the ground.

'Now he can do hunters' thing?'

I turned my gaze away from the innards of their pulverized heads. It wouldn't do me any good other than cause unnecessary agitation.

'I have to examine our battlefield, too, after all.'

For now, I can't find what you call reinforcements, and just in case, I checked some ruins suitable for hiding constantly, as well.

'And it looks like even Moguzo will finish the battle on his own before long, huh?'

You know you're going to win when your opponent is panicking. Now Moguzo could parry his opponent's attacks with more confidence, and he seemed to be able to guess the pattern the enemy was using on him. When one of the goblin's sword swings lunged at him, that was when Moguzo sprang into action.

He batted it away with a force that was clearly controlled, unlike what it had been a while back. The gob lost its balance.

"Hgh!" Moguzo groaned.

He brought his sword up above his head, swinging it towards the gob's shoulder in the next second.

'I know that is Rage Blow but,' I widened my eyes. 'I don't know that it could be 'that' strong.'

It would appear that I wasn't too far from the truth, either. Moguzo's terrifying force, which could split the gob's chain mail with ease, could bring even Kiyotaka's normally flat expression to change.

Not really significant. It only causes him to simply raise his single eyebrow in wonder. Still, I can't help but surprised by that little change.

"You have a great sense of timing, Moguzo." Kiyotaka complimented him for it.

"Ah, really?" Moguzo smiled in embarrassment. "For some reason, I like doing something that relies on precision and detail like this."

'How can he be calm after killing 'it'? Am I the only one being overly sensitive here?'

I couldn't know for sure.

For sure, however, it is thanks to that, I noticed something from one of the ruins I had been keeping a constant eye on, that something was revealing itself.

'Another gob?'

It's all alone. It held something in its hand, though, and it aimed at me.

'A crossbow...'

When I realized what it was, I reflexively stepped back.

"Gh?!"

It still hit me, nonetheless. On my right thigh.

'I'm gonna fall,' It hurts so much that I thought so.

Only that I didn't

Kiyotaka embrace me in his arm. Not even a second after he did that, though, something else flew out at me. Kiyotaka had fortunately, inexplicably, swatted it away with his sword. That's very impressive, considering crossbows were undoubtedly superior to ordinary bows.

"An ambush, huh?" Kiyotaka muttered lowly. "Retreat to that ruin, Moguzo."

"Okay!"

'Ambush... Was it really?' I, on the other hand, was very doubtful of that possibility. 'How could it be?'