18 Dangerous Exchange

After the two of them had moved away from the other followers, Marcus had then led the tiny variant near Garuka's group of goblinoids.

Before they had reached the area, Marcus had repeatedly reminded the variant to never attack aggressively, and put its priority on the words 'Hit. Then. Run...' 'Distraction. Only...'

Marcus would attack first, and only then would the variant show itself.

After hearing Marcus's words, the variant had then answered with an 'Ok! Leader!', but Marcus didn't really know if it had understood all his words clearly.

In doubt, the only thing Marcus could do then was kept on reminding the tiny variant on the way sounding like a broken record.

At first, Marcus thought that it would be better if he would attack alone, while the variant would keep watch. However, Marcus had a nagging feeling that if he ordered the variant follower to do that, it would still do a follow-up attack either way. So instead of holding it back from attacking, Marcus just settled on controlling when and where the variant would attack.

By then, the variant could distract the enemy while Marcus could try to do significant attacks.

Arriving on the area near the goblinoids, Marcus then left the variant behind the goblins, as he then moved near Garuka.

Compared to the normal Goblins, Garuka looked like a father leading a bunch of children. And on the way, Marcus had wished such a father to leave its children behind many times.

'When will they separate from each other?'

Right now, Marcus could somewhat relate himself to the feelings of a kidnapper. Despite how many times Marcus wished for the father to leave the children alone so he could kidnap them, the father never did.

Nearby, Marcus could hear Garuka talk several times. And it might be Marcus's imagination, but it seems that he had heard Garuka murmur in a different language than the gibberish gugaguga from before.

Marcus looked at Garuka's direction seriously.

It was impossible to move closer to see Garuka right now since he might discover Marcus. So right now, Marcus was only near enough to listen and smell the current positions of the goblinoids clearly.

Garuka might look strong, but Marcus still believed that his jaws could still bring down the Hobgoblin if he would attack it with the perfect timing.

Stage 2 creatures might be strong, but they aren't perfect either.

They still have weaknesses, and their attributes in different areas could still differ greatly.

And from the time Marcus had observed the group of goblinoids, Garuka didn't even discover that a bunch of stage 1 creatures was watching nearby.

Meaning, a sneak attack might actually work.

However, for an intelligent creature like Garuka, Marcus is thinking that such a sneak attack could probably only work once. So, he had to achieve the greatest possible outcome from the attack as much as possible.

And for such an attack, Marcus had decided.

At the first attack, he would try if he could kill that Garuka!

For if he managed to bring it down, hunting the others with his followers would then become easier.

By then, not just him, his followers would grow a lot stronger too. They could then go around hunting more and more creatures with great ferocity than ever.

Such a thought made Marcus's blood boil.

Right now, Marcus was waiting for a chance to attack Garuka.

All the time, behind Garuka's back, was a formation of goblins so it would be hard for Marcus to attack Garuka from behind without being seen by the group of goblins.

However, Marcus is thinking that there would still be a time when such an opportunity would arrive.

And that would be when the group of goblinoids was about to return to their base. At that time, Garuka would then be facing the formation of goblins and had his back wide open for a few moments.

That would be the perfect time for Marcus to attack. Thinking so, Marcus waited patiently.

Wait for it... Wait for it...

Now!

After Garuka said a bunch of gibberish to the group of goblins, Marcus had finally detected Garuka walk in their direction. Meaning, Garuka's back is already in front of Marcus!

Calculating Garuka's position, Marcus then leaped!

Marcus felt his body carve a path through the overgrown grass as he then saw the back of Garuka.

He had been bidding his time, and now his timing was perfect.

'Die! Garuka!!!'

With his balance putting an emphasis on his jaws' attack, Marcus landed a huge bite immediately into Garuka's neck!

However...

When Marcus did so, he then felt a huge pain in his back as he was then thrown very very far away...

Afterward, everything became slow in Marcus's eyes.

Below, he could see the group of goblinoids.

Garuka had ducked his body as his left hand held the bloody wound on his neck. On his right hand, Garuka was holding an iron spear with its butt raised behind his neck.

In front of the hobgoblin Garuka, a group of startled goblins was looking at Marcus. The archer goblins could even be seen clumsily try to reach for their arrows.

But Marcus's current eyes weren't focused on them, but on to the area near the formation of goblins.

On Marcus's imagination, he could see the tiny variant about to show itself on a group of goblinoids alone. And without Marcus's presence attracting the goblinoids, he didn't know what would happen afterward.

Ever since Marcus has been here in this new world, he had felt really strong. Marcus might have thought that he couldn't throw his 2nd life away easily in this new world, but deep inside him, he was a little detached to his own death. He had already died once and had been reincarnated, so deep within him, the thought of being reincarnated if he died once again still exists.

And right now for the first time, Marcus is feeling honest emotion.

Anxiety...

It was a weird emotion to feel for such monsters. They were a bunch of little killers that would kill anything that moves, but for Marcus, he had been having the fun of his life growing and hunting together with them.

As Marcus had his body thrown, he was then roaring with all his strength.

"Run!!! Retreat!!!"

At this point in time, Marcus had already forgotten one of the reasons he had for being in a group. At first, one of the reasons was for him to use them as baits when there is a significant danger. And right now, it could be said that Marcus's life is already in danger. But for him, his thought wasn't on him, but on another monster.

'Don't you dare die you little fucker!'

...

On an area, a group of lizards could be seen waiting.

They have been battle-ready from the start since they are waiting for an enemy that their leader said he was trying to lure.

All this time, they had planned to keep on waiting patiently. However, suddenly, one lizard began moving in front.

It was a one-armed lizard.

"Leader! Danger!!!"

Forgetting the words of its leader from before, It then started running in a certain direction.

And behind it, one after another, the lizards started following.