Chapter-8

He needed to deal with these goblins to go forward. He didn't have a range weapon or magic skills to use. He could use his martial bone to increase his physical abilities but he didn't want to risk having his martial bone out of mana. He thought of something as he grabbed a small pebble from nearby and threw it to a dark section of the cave. The two goblins hearing this, started to go towards this place. They found nothing so they move back to their campfire to the stone seats but as they turn their backs, a whistling sound was heard and a goblin head was severed.

The other one seeing this quickly tried to hit the human who had killed its companion but his head was severed before it was able strike the human. The last one upon seeing its two companions getting killed, it tried to run away but its legs were cut off, then its head was pierced. He picked up the drops of the monsters. He looked at the person, well what was left of the person at the campfire. He couldn't bury the person since the ground was solid rock and if he were to bury every person who was not related to him, it would be too troublesome. He just prayed for the person and continued forward. As he was going to move forward, he sensed that there was a person who was behind the rocks covered by the veil of darkness.

"Come out"

Theron watched as the figure emerged from the shadows. The figure was cladded in a robe and his/her face couldn't be seen. Theron saw the figure's sight was on the person who had been roasted on the fire. Tears could be seen falling from the figure's face. Remembering that the figure might not be able to understand his language, he didn't know what to do. The figure was half as tall as himself making Theron think that it might be a child.

'Why is a child doing inside a dungeon'

Feeling sympathy for the child, after the figure had wiped its face with its hand, Theron tried to approach the child but the figure retreated instead. He pondered for a way to communicate and then he had an idea as he started to draw on the ground with his sword. It was a picture of a few stick figures, himself and the figure going outside the dungeon and reuniting with its parents. He moved back for the figure to see the picture before extending his hand out in a non-threatening manner. The figure looked at him, still masked in the shadows of the robe, and seemed to hesitate before cautiously reaching out. Its hands were a bit smaller than Theron and were

'Soft'

As they made their way back, there was a small growl from the figure's stomach. Theron took out a chocolate bar from his space ring secretly. With a friendly smile, he handed it to the figure, who looked at it curiously. The figure accepted it with wariness. Then it started to nibble on the chocolate with the wrapper still on but stopped when Theron gently shook his head. Pulling out another chocolate bar, Theron demonstrated how to unwrap it. The figure observed attentively and successfully unwrapped the chocolate. It seemed to like it so Theron gave the one in his hand to it as well.

As they continued, they encountered a pair of goblins presumably from another tunnel connected to the cave. Theron started to move towards these goblins to deal with them.

Not wanting Theron to go, the figure expressed anxiety by gripping Theron's hands tightly. Theron rubbed the figure's head and made a reassuring look as he made a thumbs up. Seeing his smile and confidence, the figure released its hands. Theron swiftly dealt with the goblins and they continued on their way back. Navigating past traps on their way out, Theron took the lead, guiding the figure and holding its hand to avoid any mishaps.

Shielding his eyes from the sun's brightness, Theron along with the figure stepped out of the cave. A voice in an unfamiliar language echoed and the figure upon hearing it, rushed to it. Theron saw a man in a butler outfit and the butler upon seeing the hooded figure had a smile of relief on his face as he rushed towards the figure as well. After seeing the two reunited, Theron quickly left the place and went into the dungeon again.

Soon after, he reached the spot where he was before. He continued on to see more and more goblins and their weapons seemed to become more advanced as some of them started to wield short knives. He killed some groups before facing a pack of 8. The ones he had faced before didn't exceed 4. He tried to throw a pebble at a spot and 3 decided to move towards the place. Even if he killed the three, he would have to face against 5 and he was in a disadvantage. Then he thought of an idea. He took out the knives he had taken before as the drops from some of the goblins. He had 5 on him and he threw a pebble at a spot again and 3 goblins moved towards the spot with one goblin having a rusty short knife and two with clubs. Theron aimed at the goblins carefully and when they stopped, a knife pierced the head of a goblin. When its companion looked at it, it seemed to feel a pain at its head and soon lost its life as well. The last one got hit in the chest as it tried to run away and scream towards its companions but before it even moved its mouth, its head was pierced and its body dropped to the floor.

The other goblins upon hearing the sound of something dropping, three more goblins moved towards the spot with two being left at the camp. Theron silently approached them as they moved towards the darkness where its companions had been killed.

When they reached the darkness fully, Theron took the life of a goblin who wielded a short knife and quickly killed another one with fast speed. He parried the last one who used its club to strike him and then swiftly took its life as well. The last two seeing him kill its companions, quickly went towards him. As one neared him, Theron quickly side stepped and knocked its leg to send it falling. Theron dodged again from the attack of the second goblin but the goblin not knowingly struck its companion, breaking a few bones in the process. Theron efficiently dispatched both of them.

He continued through the cave and encountered a staircase leading downwards. As he descended, another cave system unfolded before him, similar to the one above. However, this time, he noticed an increase in the number of traps along his path, deadly arrows coated with poison, pit falls, and more. As he progressed, he reached a massive door, nearly 5 meters in height. Upon opening it, he found an empty room, but an unsettling feeling lingered.

Cautiously stepping inside, Theron surveyed his surroundings. Suddenly, a noise sliced through the air, and he instinctively dodged to the side. Despite his quick reflexes, an arrow still grazed his face, leaving a cut. Following the trajectory of the arrow, he discovered a goblin wrapped in bandages on its entire head, resembling a mummy with only its eyes, mouth and nose exposed. The goblin, dressed like a ninja with black clothes, vanished after releasing a blinding light from its hand.

"What? magic"

Still recovering from the sudden attack, Theron dodged to the side, but the arrow grazed his waist as he struggled with his temporarily blinded vision. As his sight returned, he saw another arrow coming towards him. He parried it and destroyed the incoming threat.