The Goddess' Challenge

Noon, on the hill overlooking the goblin settlement.

"My four companions and I came here on a mission, but we were all captured by the Goblin King. I barely escaped, but was gravely injured."

"I thought I'd try to find out what happened to them..." Alec explained dejectedly, anxiety and self-blame in his eyes.

"What?! How could this happen!" The villagers cried out in shock.

"Even warriors so mighty failed...the Goblin King must be unimaginably powerful!"

Alec gazed at the goblin colony, shaking his head helplessly. "I was delusional thinking I stood a chance. That monster annihilated us. Now I'm the only one left, crippled and without hope."

"My biggest worry is for my four comrades, especially my sister. I never should've brought her on this mission..." Regret and self-reproach filled Alec's words.

The people couldn't help feeling sorry and sympathetic for Alec and his team, while also growing more apprehensive about the settlement.

"You mean your whole five-man team was defeated? If I may ask, what were their levels?" Joseph questioned.

"Other than one junior member who was Level 9 Awakened, the other three and my sister were bonafide Enlightened elites!" Alec answered truthfully.

"It was my misjudgment...I underestimated the situation."

"No, the real culprit was the fool who posted the request. He clearly had no clue of the Goblin King's true might, yet presumed to make assessments, misleading us."

"If not for the Adventurers' Guild special subsidies to aid remote villages, we'd never have taken this job!" Alec spat bitterly.

The villagers were even more shocked to hear this. A five-strong party wiped out - how terrifying was this Goblin King! They regretted their own decisions as well.

At these words, Elder Bern and the others' expressions changed.

Bern vaguely recalled William confessing his plan to cut ritual funds and use them to post bounties, luring mercenaries to slay the Goblin King and solve the village's plight...

No doubt they had concealed key intel when posting the job.

After all, the target's strength directly impacted the payment amount. They certainly wouldn't want to pay exorbitant fees.

The result was ignorant mercenaries venturing into the lost woods only to be defeated by the Goblin King.

"We deeply apologize. The one who posted the request was William, or Mark, one of our traitorous villagers, correct?" Bern opted to take responsibility and express remorse to Alec.

The rest also felt ashamed and culpable.

"Huh?!" Alec sized them up in surprise, judging from their garb they likely were from the village.

"That's right, it was that bastard William! He led us to this miserable fate, it's all your village's fault!" Alec said angrily.

"We sympathize with your misfortune...William has been duly punished. Under the Goddess' name we tied him in the sheep pen awaiting judgement," Bern bowed his head in reply.

Hearing this, Alec's rage quickly subsided, replaced by brooding bleakness.

No matter the complaints or regrets, what's done was done, life couldn't be redone.

"Let it go...it's in the past now..." He sighed, expression turning hopeless and defeated once more.

"You should head back. I'll come with you and leave this place. You're no match for that monster..." Alec shook his head.

Momentary anger had clouded his judgment to come here and lurk.

But just half a day's surveillance showed two comrades brutally slain.

His sole relief was his sister still caged, not yet tortured.

He dared not imagine his actions if forced to see her tormented - it would only add one more life lost.

"Just get out of here alive, that's most important," Alec advised, tone heavy with despair and powerlessness.

The villagers exchanged glances, finally realizing the horror of the creature they faced. Even elite Enlightened like Alec were obliterated. How could they stand a chance?

But they were at a loss as to what to do, looking to David for guidance.

"Lady Goddess, what do you think we should..." Elder Bern tentatively asked her opinion.

"It's fine, I can handle it," David replied simply, gaze fixed into the distance as if observing something.

"But..." Bern wanted to say more but saw the Goddess' focused look and kept silent.

Alec scrutinized the lavishly dressed girl for the first time. She looked quite young, her strength unclear, but carried an aloof aura and confidence.

Alec suddenly realized it was this girl's earlier seemingly casual glance that had detected and singled him out of the bushes.

"Miss, that monster likely reached the peak Transcendence stage already. Don't be reckless!" Alec advised.

Seeing her reminded him of his poor sister. He couldn't bear to watch another young girl meet the same fate.

"It's alright. You guys step back, I can deal with this. The caged girl is likely your sister. She remains unharmed for now," David said calmly. Alec held his tongue.

"You can see my sister?! Was she wearing a yellow dress?!" Alec's eyes widened, voice tinged with frantic hope.

"Since the lady is determined, I as a Level 2 Sentinel shall loyally follow, my healing magics and summoned sprites may be of aid..."

"Just stay on standby here, I'll do my best to rescue your comrades," David interjected decisively.

"What? You alone?" Alec paled in shock.

"If we wait longer your sister will be in danger," David gave a sly smile in reminder. Alec stayed silent.

Buzz!

Suddenly, a massive surge of power radiated out.

Mystical energy swirled around David as he floated up lightly, gliding forward gracefully toward the goblin settlement.

"Flight? A Mage?" Alec quickly deduced.

"Just flying down blatantly like that?!" He could hardly believe his eyes. Beyond brave, it was reckless.

"Oh shut it!" Emma finally snapped. "Don't question our Lady Goddess!"

"That's right, you've no clue of the Goddess' true power. She's the True King's envoy, one move defeats any foe, hmph!" Leah also puffed out her chest proudly.

Alec could only keep quiet and observe what miracles this brash girl might work.

Leah patted Alec's shoulder amiably, dimples showing as she smiled. "Don't fret, the Goddess will surely bring your sister back safe and sound."

But Alec kept shaking his head. To him these people were simply insane!

He had personally experienced the Goblin King's horror. No ordinary person stood a chance. This seemingly young girl charging straight in was suicidal!

"You're all mad! Come with me and leave this place, lest we provoke the Goblin King and get caught up in it too," Alec warned.

He made to leave, but not one person moved. All eyes stayed fixed on the Goddess flying toward the settlement.

"Utter lunatics!" In the end Alec couldn't help but glance back at the ordinary folk.

They actually dared linger here awaiting the outcome. That said it all.

And he, an Enlightened warrior, with his sister still inside, how could he abandon this sliver of hope?

Yet he also genuinely worried for the blithely drifting girl...

Using Mage abilities, David floated slowly toward the colony. In truth, not just Alec, even David himself felt somewhat apprehensive.

"Lynn, can we really take down that big guy?"

"What if it swats me dead with one slap?" David joked nervously in his mind.

"Master, please go boldly. You may fight freely to gain experience. Even in unfavorable situations, I will take over to ensure absolute safety," Lynn's calm voice betrayed no concern.