Chapter 16: Goblins attack!

Blake and the others had spent the whole day in the dungeon clearing out any monsters that wandered too close to the village's perimeter. So far, Blake had eaten skeleton bones and gained the ability called tough bones, which he was able to upgrade to strong bones. He had also eaten a giant spider, gaining the ability to produce a spider web and furthermore gained the ability to spit and produce venom thanks to eating the spider poison.

All in all, Blake's dragon belly ability was broken. Or so he said it was, having given him the ability to eat anything he wanted and become stronger for it.

Both Nev and Surge had questioned his strange behaviour in regards to eating the monsters, bones and all. However, they had also dismissed it, simply regarding it as a huge appetite and nothing more.

"More skeletons up ahead," Nev said, spotting them in the distance.

Blake had already seen them, counting six and seeing that two of them had swords. 

"That's the largest group we have found," Surge said, feeling excited for the fight. 

However, Blake could see that their levels were all between 9 and 10. Meaning that these skeletons would be stronger than the others they had faced so far. 

"We should be careful, these ones are stronger than the others," Blake said.

Surge didn't like to listen to Blake, however, seeing that two of the skeletons had swords, he had to wonder if Blake knew something he didn't. 

"What makes you say that?" Surge asked. 

"Just a feeling," Blake said, not wanting to reveal that he had some crazy OP system that was like a hack for life.

"Alright, so what should we do?" Nev asked.

Blake took a moment to answer, watching and assessing the situation. "We attack all at once, giving it everything we've got. If we target the two with the swords first, the rest shouldn't be a problem." Blake said after coming up with the plan.

"Ok." Both Surge and Nev said, agreeing with him.

"Arrows won't work on these guys so we will have to do it by force and up close. Attack with everything you've got, and go for the weak areas too like the knees or the collar bones. That should at least put them down if not take them out." Blake said.

Surge and Nev were surprised with the level of his plan, but agreed to it anyway, not being able to think of anything better.

"Here we go!" Blake yelled, giving the order to attack.

Surge rushed in head first, jumping into the air with his sword raised before he used it to crush the first skeleton's shoulder, smashing all the way through into its rib cage.

Nev charged in with his half-broken shield, using it to ram into the other skeleton, knocking the monster over from the force before he twisted his spear around and took out two more of the other's knees, dropping them down too.

The skeletons shrieked as they tried to attack Nev and Surge having clearly been taken by surprise. However, Blake quickly dashed through them, taking advantage of their focus being on Nev and Surge, allowing him to smash them one by one, not holding anything back until they were all reduced to a pile of bones.

"Alright, that about does it," Nev said, knowing this was the last part of their patrol while he dusted his hands off.

"Hopefully we didn't miss any," Surge said, checking the map one last time, also seeing there was nothing further to do.

Blake on the other hand quickly started to chow down on the piles of bones that were left from the defeated skeletons, crunching and chewing all of them one after the other.

[skeleton bones consumed. 100/100.] The system said.

[Skill strong bones, upgraded to steel bones.]

[Skill steel bones: The ability to harden one's bones like steel.] The system said as it explained the skill.

Blake was impressed by this new skill, knowing it would come in quite handy in the future. However, what shocked him the most was that this skill could still be upgraded.

[Consumed 1000 bones to upgrade skill.]

[Upgraded skill: Bone growth.]

I think I will save that one for another time... Blake said to himself, knowing that was one hell of a lot of bones.

With that the group made their way back to the village gates, making sure to check for any more monsters along the way.

However, everything seemed quiet with no monsters hanging around anymore. 

"Looks like we got them all," Nev said, seeming happy.

Surge grunted, not seeming bothered again, not that it bothered the others. 

"I'm starving, can't wait to get a bite to eat." Nev then said, trying to make conversation.

"Yeah I could eat," Blake said, getting a surprised look from both of them. 

Soon enough the group arrived back at the village, with the gates opening for them to walk inside. 

"What did I tell you three about not coming back until I was almost finished?" The Kobold warrior said as he watched them walk in.

"We cleared all of the monsters already, and even did a second sweep on the way back to make sure," Blake said, causing his expression to change. 

"Wait what? You did it all..." He asked, looking surprised. 

"Yeah," Surge said, confirming what Blake just said. 

"A-alright. You had better go and report to the commander then." The gate guard said, not knowing what else to say.

Blake and the others nodded and headed off toward the commander's quarters while the gate guards shut the gates, watching as Blake and the others walked away.

"Hey... How long were they out there?" He asked another guard.

"I'm not sure... But that has to be the fastest I've ever seen that done."

"Sir, Drak and the others are back from their mission." One of the warriors standing guard at the commander's quarters said.

"Already?" The commander asked, midway through his meal.

"Yes sir." 

"Alright, send them in." He said, leaning back in his chair as he placed the large leg of meat down onto the plate.

"Sir, we have completed our mission," Surge said as he and the others came to attention before he placed the map on his desk, showing they had reached all the checkpoints.

"That sure was quick." The commander said, looking at Drak and the others, wondering if they had really done it.

"We did a second sweep on the way back, finding no signs of any other monster." Blake then said, placing one of the spider fangs on the table along with both swords they had collected from the skeletons. 

"I see..." The commander said, knowing how hard it was to kill a giant spider, recognizing the fang.

"Very well, go and get some rest. The three of you have earned it." The commander said, dismissing them.

"Yes sir," The three of them said, saluting him before they walked out.

As they did the commander took a good look at Drak, seeing that not only had his wings grown larger, but his strength had too, something the commander had been keeping an eye on.

Blake and the others left the commander's quarters, heading back to their hut and the warrior's mess hall to get some food. However, while they did the commander was greeted with a surprise visit.

"Sir... Lord Kolu is here to see you." One of the guards said.

"W-what? Send him in." The commander said, not expecting the visit.

Kolu walked into the commander's quarters, seeing that he was standing to attention.

"Lord Kolu, what a surprise sir." The commander said, greeting him.

"Relax, commander Vatt," Kolu said, using his name as he walked into his room with his arms crossed behind his back.

Kolu was tall and had good posture along with a commanding presence to boot. Kolu was the strongest Kobold in the whole village being their chief, with his father before him and so on in a long line of his family.

"What can I do for you, sir?" Commander Vatt asked, not sure why Kolu had decided to pay him a visit.

"Well, a little birdy told me that young Drak and his crew succeeded in eliminating the monsters from the village's perimeter and that they did it in record time, no less."

Doesn't miss a thing as usual. Vatt thought to himself.

"Yes sir, very impressive," Vatt said, not seeing the problem.

"That, Drak. Just how strong is he?" Kolu asked, turning to look Vatt in the eye.

"Well, sir... Truth is, I'm not really sure anymore." Vatt said, knowing that Blake's strength and ability had far surpassed what he thought them to be when he defeated the Goblin boss by himself.

"Can I ask what the problem is, sir?" Vatt asked, wondering why Kolu was taking such an interest in him.

"Sir, please forgive my interruption!" One of the guards suddenly yelled as he burst into the room.

"What is it!" Kolu said, letting his aura burst to life in a threatening manner.

"G-Goblins sir... We are under attack." The guard said, trying to get the words to come out of his mouth.

"Goblins? They dare attack us here?" Kolu said, letting his aura fade away before he turned to look at Vatt.

"Sound the alarm and gather all the warriors. We will meet them outside of the village before they launch a siege." Kolu said.

"It's too late for that, sir, they are already at the gates!" The soldier yelled.

"Rally the men, we can't let them get inside of the village!" The commander yelled, also jumping to action as he grabbed his sword.

Meanwhile, Blake and the others were sat in the warrior's mess hall, helping themselves to some food.

"I still can't understand how you can possibly be hungry," Nev said, watching as Blake stuffed his face with meat, one of the perks of becoming fully-fledged warriors had to be the food.

"What, I'm hungry after all that work," Blake said between mouthfuls.

"It's the Goblins! We are under attack!" A Kobold yelled as he burst into the small hall, getting everyone's attention at once.

It took a moment for his words to sink in before he shouted again.

"Rally men! We are under attack!" He yelled.

"Get your weapons!" Another yelled, with all of them rushing around all of a sudden.

"Shit, come on let's go!" Nev yelled, pushing his plate away before picking up his spear and half-broken shield.

Surge did the same thing, quickly running toward the door with the others, leaving Blake behind as he stood up, trying to get a sense of what was going on.

Goblins are attacking us... But why? He wondered, knowing it must have something to do with the Goblin leader he killed.

"Come on Drak, lets get a move on!" Nev yelled, snapping him out of his thoughts.

Blake nodded, getting serious for a second as he rushed ahead, catching up with the others in no time at all.

"They are at the gate!" Another yelled, alerting everyone to where they needed to go.

The screams of women and children could be heard as the weaker civilian Kobolds ran towards the rear of the village, away from the gate and square for their own safety.

"Come on, get to the gate!" One of the older warriors yelled, leading the rest of them through the square toward the gates to the village.

Blake and the other warriors arrived to see a large number of warriors already trying to hold the gate and barricade it with more materials.

"Hold! Don't let them get through!" The commander yelled, appearing at the top of the hill as he barked orders.

"I want archers at the ready!"

However, the banging on the gate grew stronger and stronger, snapping and splintering the wood that it was made out of.

"It won't hold much longer!" Another yelled.

"Spearmen to the front!" Commander Vett yelled, being joined by Kolu who's presence gave the men a boost in morale.

With one final and mighty bang, the gates to the village burst open and the Goblins finally flooded in, swarming through like a river had broken through a damn.

"Here they come! Show them hell boys!" The commander yelled, getting a mighty roar from the Kobold warriors, signalling the start of the battle.