Chapter 9 - Goblin

Just as Lord Ishikawa's water sword finds its target and cuts the goblin in half, a menacing twist occurs. The fatal blow defeats one enemy, but it also unleashes the fury of a horde of goblins that emerge from the shadows of the cave.

The goblins advance with ferocity, displaying their twisted features and an unquenchable thirst for blood. They wield their makeshift weapons with astonishing speed, and their tiny hands display dexterity with knives that Kaito has never seen even from great chefs.

The battle quickly devolves into frenzied chaos. The Awakened find themselves surrounded on all sides, forced to fight for their own survival, each one watching the backs of the others. And most of the Awakened in the group are, as expected, formidable. They can easily dodge quick attacks, and despite their small stature and awkward movement, they can handle the goblins very well, as goblins are relatively common enemies.

As a result, no one is alarmed by the sudden attack of these low-level Transcendents.

While the vanguard spreads out to the sides to protect the supports, Maya, who is standing next to Kaito, shows her expertise in the use of healing magic by casting simple spells to heal the scratches. A greenish aura surrounds her hands, and a scent of spring hangs in the air, softening the strong smell of blood.

Kaito's eyes roam the battlefield with fascination as he watches everything, static in the same place since he saw the first goblins. He watches as each person in the group fights bravely and with such confidence.

But the goblins do not back down, and their numbers do not even seem to diminish, making it harder and harder for the vanguard to keep them at bay. They advance relentlessly, like a wave of violence out for blood. Their high-pitched voices echo through the cave, mixed with the metallic clash of weapons. In this sea of chaos and danger, Kaito sees everything like a child visiting an amusement park for the first time. Everything is fascinating. For him, being here is like jumping into the world of Mortal Tower. Kaito feels adrenaline coursing through his veins and fears turning to excitement.

As Kaito immerses himself in the battle, watching the agile movements of the Awakened and the goblins, he senses a presence nearby. A shiver runs down his spine and he instinctively turns away.

"Oh, I'm sorry! I let one through!" a swordswoman protecting the group's support shouts.

At that moment, Kaito sees a goblin with a wild expression and a pair of knives in his hands approaching him quickly. Time seems to slow down around Kaito and his sharp instincts kick in, allowing him to think rationally in these moments.

'Goblins are way uglier than what I could ever imagine.. I have to keep focused' This is the first thing Kaito thought when he saw the goblin approaching.

Kaito can also see the worried look on the face of the woman who was unable to defend herself, and he can see that Lord Ishikawa seems to be willing to help him, but somehow he knows that even though the leader of the group is someone who is skilled and fast for an old man, he will not be able to help them because the goblin that has targeted him is much faster and more skilled than usual, no wonder he was able to pierce a solid defense with ease. Only Kaito can save himself at this point.

So with an impressive reflex, he ducks and dodges the goblin's attack at the last moment, causing the goblin's expression to change from one of anger to complete confusion.

The creature thought Kaito would be an easy target, and his speed frightened it. He moved so fast that he disappeared from sight for a second.

'What is this feeling?' He said to himself while moving from one side to another with ease. His agility and speed are remarkable, surprising everyone that was watching. His movements in this dodge were fluid and precise, demonstrating an impressive mastery of his own body.

Immediately, the goblin tried to attack again, but Kaito once again demonstrates amazing dexterity, dodging the enemy's desperate attacks several times in a matter of seconds, impressing everyone in the group with his impressive agility. Kaito's movements looks almost as if he planned it before with the goblin, it was almost like a speed challenge between him and the strange creature.

'Is this guy really just an E-class?' Lord Ishikawa asks himself.

Eventually, Lord Ishikawa gets to Kaito's side, and as the goblin jumps to attack Kaito, the creature's head is suddenly separated from its body by a sheet of water.

The water splashes into the air and turns red as the goblin's lifeless body falls to the ground.

"Thank you, sir," Kaito says with a mixture of relief and admiration in his voice.

Lord Ishikawa nods, showing a slight smile. "You are fast and agile, Kaito."

Looking down at his own hands, Kaito nods, still feeling the adrenaline making his heart beat faster.

Soon, the goblin horde reaches its last member, who is torn apart by the vanguard without the slightest pity.

The swordswoman who failed to defend the pillars approaches Kaito with a serious expression on her face. She has short, curly brown hair and looks to be between thirty and forty years old. She even lowers her head to Kaito without any pride and says:

"Sorry for the disturbance. Are you all right?" she says with a determined tone, "If necessary, Maya can heal you instead of me."

"No, there's no need. I'm fine." Kaito says.

The woman takes a deep breath, relieved. "Phew! That's good to hear. By the way, I'm Ayumi and I promise I won't let another one pass me by." She holds out her right hand.

Kaito smiles and takes Ayumi's hand in return. "And I will be right behind you." He says, which makes her laugh for some reason.

Lord Ishikawa watches this scene with crossed eyes. Then he calls out to the whole group:

"Guys, let's keep going! There is no time to rest! We have to find the boss room!"