"Roo," Thorian's voice made the little kid shiver as he looked up at him in terror. "Follow me."
The young boy immediately stood up without making a fuss. His knees and legs were shaking, and his face was streaked with dried tears and snot. However, Thorian spared him no pity. He turned around and followed the scout along with the rest of his group.
As they made their way through the bushes and around the trees, the sounds of crunching and shuffling told Thorian all he needed to know. After a few minutes of walking at a leisurely pace, they spotted a large horde of green monsters coming in and out of a dark cave. Each goblin was doing a specific task—some were sharpening their stone tools, others were bringing in animals they had hunted, and others were carrying captured humans.
Looking at the men and women stripped naked and tied with ropes, Thorian clicked his tongue. He knew what fate awaited them.
No more softheartedness, these people will only bring me trouble if I let them live.
Thorian looked at the horrified child next to him and couldn't help but grimace.
I guess in his eyes, I will truly be a monster… Good, only monsters survive.
Thorian shifted his attention to the rest of his group. This time, they couldn't just go in without a plan.
"We will bait them here," Thorian explained. "Two of the kobloids will go and get their attention, and then run away toward the rest of us. We can then ambush the goblins that follow. If too many of them come, we just run away, do you understand?"
The group of kobloids looked in confusion before nodding, "Go, run, fight?"
Thorian chuckled at the executive summary of his plan, "Yeah, that's right."
He then chose two of the kobloids and ordered, "You two will go in. Don't let the goblins get too close to you, just run toward us when you get their attention."
The pair of kobloids acknowledged Thorian's command and proceeded to circle the rocky formation before sprinting toward the large assembly of goblins. There were already about thirty goblins visible outside the cave, and the number of those lurking within remained a mystery.
"Be prepared," Thorian looked at the kid with a serious expression. "We might have to run at any time."
The kobold grunted at the special attention Thorian was giving the human child before focusing on the two kobloids in charge of baiting. They screamed and howled at the goblins to get their attention, and they succeeded.
The green monsters that were sharpening their weapons and those that were bringing in the dead animals stopped what they were doing and focused on the two white-furred kobloids. Dozens of goblins and three hobgoblins charged with mad zeal at the two, laughing and squealing at the gift from heaven.
Both Thorian and the kobold prepared their spells as their two comrades and the dozens of enemies ran toward them. The three hobgoblins sped past their green kin and rushed toward the two kobloids. All three had short spears in their hands, ready to thrust through the poor monsters' white fur.
Just as they almost reached their target, a fireball burst the first hobgoblin into flames while a moon bolt launched the second one backward with a blinding white light.
"Now! Fight!"
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With Thorian's warcry, the group of kobloids charged into the melee. The large kobold rushed toward the burned hobgoblin while Thorian focused on the unharmed one. While the hobgoblin's spear had good range, a fireball had even more.
Thorian launched his spell at the monster's face, covering it in flames. The hobgoblin shrieked in pain and dropped his spear, only for the screams to get stuck in his throat after Thorian followed with a punch to the liver. The green beast's body collapsed to the ground, its muscles convulsing from the combined force of the searing magical flames and the devastating physical blow. Thorian shoved his claws through its throat, crushing its windpipe and severing its arteries.
Just as he finished off his enemy, two more goblins rushed toward him in the chaos of the battlefield. Thorian jumped back to get some distance before the white kobold pounced at one of the goblins from the side. One bite was all he needed to sever its head from the rest of its body.
While the kobold was handling the two goblins, Thorian took a glance around the battlefield. The first hobgoblin he had set ablaze was killed by the kobold, leaving only one more evolved threat. As for the small goblins, even though they outnumbered the kobloids, the latter were still handling them well enough. Each kobloid was able to fight off two goblins.
Seeing the last hobgoblin standing up in a daze, Thorian used his last bit of mana to conjure a final fireball. Before the disoriented monster could regain its bearings, an explosion engulfed it in flames and burned off its skin.
The kobold, having already dispatched the second goblin, seized the chance to strike. As the flames continued to flicker, he tore into the hobgoblin's abdomen with his sharp claws, causing guts and blood to spill from the gash.
Level up!
Level up!
Seeing the two notifications brought a smile to Thorian's face. A refreshing feeling washed the fatigue off his body, and he felt even more energized. With all of the hobgoblins dead, there was no more imminent threat.
Thorian and the white kobold pounced from one goblin to the next with incredible speed. Without any more hobgoblins, the tide of the battle shifted in the kobloids' favor. Even without using his fireball, Thorian was much stronger than the low-leveled goblins, and he had much more combat experience too.
In just a few minutes, the green grass turned red with the goblins' blood. Bodies littered the battlefield and heads rolled on the ground. With all the goblins dead, Thorian took a moment to look at the little kid. He was retching with hollow eyes and shaking hands. He looked like he would go unconscious at any moment.
"Squii! Shrii!"
The squealing and shrieking coming from the cave shifted Thorian's attention immediately. As he looked at the entrance, his expression froze.
"Run! Now!"
An army of uncountable goblins was rushing out of the cave, led by more than half a dozen hobgoblins. Even if Thorian had ninety lives, he wouldn't survive a fight against them in his current state.
Thorian rushed at the vomiting little kid and grabbed him by the waist, while the rest of the kobloids followed suit. As they exited the clearing and entered a dense patch of the forest, Thorian immediately laid out his order.
"Split up right now. We shall meet at the cave!"
The kobloids split up in three directions at Thorian's order, leaving him running straight ahead with the now unconscious kid in his left arm. After a few seconds, he looked back to see three of the hobgoblins running after him. Their speed was marginally faster than his own, allowing them to slowly but surely catch up to him.
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Agility: 22-> 31
Thorian invested his remaining skill points into agility, significantly enhancing his speed. His muscles transformed and expanded, while a sensation of weightlessness permeated his entire body. It felt as though he had been carrying a heavy burden all his life, and had finally been able to release it.
Even with the young boy in his arm, Thorian's speed outpaced that of the hobgoblins. With his improved agility, he was able to jump on top of broken tree trunks and climb up cliffs without losing much speed. After a few such maneuvers, Thorian could no longer see the hobgoblins behind him.
However, he did not slow down or stop. He continued running at top speed, taking a long detour toward the cave. Minutes quickly passed, and the sun reached its apex, signaling their scheduled time for the meet-up. As Thorian neared their so-called home, he couldn't help but think of the rest of his group.
Most of the hobgoblins followed me. The others shouldn't have too much trouble.
As Thorian crossed the dense forest and reached the clearing where their cave was, he was greeted by Nox's group, along with three of his own kobloids. They were waiting in front of the cave.
Nox looked delighted at Thorian's return before his expression shifted to confusion as he looked at the young kid in his arm.
"Human… kid?"