The two moved cautiously at first, but as they he vilge, their pace quied. About thirty meters from the gate, one of the gobliries perched on the walls spotted them. The creature let out a guttural screech, waving its arms wildly to alert its rades.
Nova gnced up as moblins appeared atop the walls, their small, greenish bodies were outlined against the foggy sky, standing about 3 feet tall with hunched frames and sharp, pointed ears. To his surprise, they weren’t just shouting—they were drawing bows.
"Man" Nova said as they began running. "I didn’t know goblins could use bows and arrows."
Jack dodged an arrow that whizzed past his head, nodding grimly. "Mhm, I thought they were too dumb for that too. But it doesn’t ge anything. Just keep running! Once we’re ihe vilge, they won’t risk using their bows. Too much ce of hitting their own."
Nova nodded and picked up the pace. The two sprinted, weaviically to make themselves harder targets. The goblins above shrieked and fired arrow after arrow. While their mark, several came dangerously close, slig through the air with a whistle.
By the time Nova and Jack reached the gates, the goblins on the walls had switched tactics, yelling ands and scampering down troup with their brethren. Ihe vilge, the pair faced a chilling sight: at least a hundred goblins stood in formation, blog their path. Each was armed with rusted swords and jagged bdes, their menag grins showing sharp, yellowed teeth.
As Nova hem he could see their status window.
[Goblin Soldier]
Rank: 0
Name: None
Species: Goblin
Affiliation: None
Level: 0
Css: None
Attributes:
Strength: 2
Vigor: 2
Dexterity: 1
Speed: 1
Intelligence: 1
Wisdom: 1
Will: 0
Luck: 0
Nova assessed the horde. His grip on the spear tightened as adrenaline surged through him. He turo Jack, smirkie the odds. "I’m going first. Try not to get yourself killed."
Before Jack could respond, Nova dashed forward.
Jack sighed, shaking his head. "That guy’s going to get himself killed first if he keeps charging in like that." Tightening his grip on his saber, he followed close behind.
The gobli out a collective roar, rushing to meet the intruders. The csh was chaotiova swung his spear wildly, his movements clumsy and unpracticed. The spear felt heavy and awkward in his hands, but his determination carried him through. With a lucky thrust, he mao impale the first goblin that charged at him.
As the creature colpsed to the ground, a faint chime echoed in Nova’s mind, followed by a system notification:
[Received 50 Stat EXP]
[Spear proficreased]
The notification barely registered as Nova struggled to fend off the attacker. His inexperieh the spear was gring, but he pushed forward, relying more on instinct than skill.
Meanwhile, Jack was faring much better. His movements were fluid and precise, a stark trast to Nova’s wild filing. Years of sparring with a saber gave Jack a distinct advantage. He ducked under a goblin’s swing, sshing upward in a smooth arc that left his oppo clutg its chest before crumpling to the ground.
"Nova!" Jack shouted, narrowly dodging a goblin’s swing as he clumsily brought his saber up to ter. His strikes were awkward but effective, driven more by raw enthusiasm than skill. He didn’t have real experience, but his tless hours spent fantasizing about battles and ons in RPGs seemed to help him visualize what to do. He struck down anoblin with a heavy swing, his breathing bored but triumphant.
Nova, oher hand, was struggling to find his footing. His spear wobbled in his hands, each thrust g precisioe his best efforts, his movements were more reactive than iional, driven by panic rather than teique.
Jack, seeing Nova’s erratic swings, couldn’t help but chuckle between strikes. "You look like a kid trying to swat a fly!" he called out, dug under a goblin’s bde and tering with a wild ssh that sent the creature staggering back.
"Yeah? Well, you’re ly a swordsman yourself!" Nova shot back, his frustration mounting as he barely mao fend off anoblin.
Jack smirked, stepping closer to Nova as they fought side by side. "Maybe not, but all those games are finally paying off. Who knew spamming attacks in a game would be so useful?" His saber swung clumsily yet effectively, cutting down anoblin.
Nova gritted his teeth, his grip tightening on the spear. He pnted his feet and forced himself to focus. With a sharp thrust, he skewered a goblin rushing at him.[Received 50 Stat EXP]
[Spear proficreased]
"Hey, I think I’m finally getting it!" Nova yelled, pulling the spear free and managing to avoid the retaliation of anoblin.
"Don’t let it go to your head!" Jack shouted, panting as he blocked another swing. "I’m already carrying this team!" His grin was wide, but his breath was boured, each swing of the saber taking more effort.
Nova took another deep breath, steadying his hands. He lunged forward, thrusting the spear into the chest of a goblin that was charging at Jack from the side.[Received 50 Stat EXP]
[Spear proficreased]
"Thanks for the save!" Jack said, quickly taking out anoblin with a sloppy yet decisive strike.
"Don’t mention it" Nova replied, now starting to find a rhythm. With another powerful thrust, he pierced the neck of a goblin trying to fnk him.[Received 50 Stat EXP]
[Spear proficreased]
The air was thick with the stench of goblin blood and the sound of g ons. Nova and Jack pushed deeper into the chaotic streets of the goblin-ied vilge, their steps uneve determined. Eater tested their mettle, f them to adapt with every swing and thrust.
Nova gripped his spear tighter, his palms slick with sweat. A goblin lu him, its jagged bde aiming for his torso. He sidestepped awkwardly, barely dodging, and thrust his spear forward with all his strength. The tip of the on pierced the goblin’s chest, elig a guttural scream as the creature crumpled to the ground.[Received 50 Stat EXP]
[Spear proficreased]
"Got another!" Nova shouted, his breathing heavy. He turned just in time to see twoblins closing in on him.
Jack was faring slightly better, his saber slig through the air with an eagerhat mirrored his passion for fantasy bat. Despite his ck of proper training, he mao sidestep a goblin’s swing aaliate with a horizontal ssh, severing the creature’s neck. Blood sprayed in an arc as the goblin fell lifeless to the ground.
"Nova, behind you!" Jack called out, pointing with his saber.
Nova spun around, his spear already in motion. The goblin had just enough time to screech before the spearhead drove through its abdomen. Nova grunted, pulling the on free and stepping back to reassess his position.[Received 50 Stat EXP]
[Spear proficreased]
The goblins weren’t slowing down. Another one leaped at Nova, snarling with a jagged dagger in hand. Nova instinctively raised his spear horizontally to block the attack. The goblin g to the shaft, its teeth gnashing as it tried to cw at him.
"Get off!" Nova shouted, shaking the creature loose before driving the spear directly into its head. The goblin slumped to the ground, lifeless.[Received 50 Stat EXP]
[Spear proficreased]
"Nie!" Jack said, managing to defle ining strike from anoblin. His terattack was wild but effective, the saber sshing across the goblin’s chest and dropping it to the ground.
Nova was starting to feel the weight of his movements, his muscles ag from the repetitive thrusts. Yet, he couldn’t stop. Anoblin darted toward him, its crude axe raised high. Nova braced himself, shifting his stand thrusting his spear with newfound precision. The on punctured the goblin’s throat, sileng its battle cry instantly.[Received 50 Stat EXP]
[Spear proficreased]
The two of them moved in synow, their initial clumsiness giving way to a rhythm born of survival. Jack struck low while Nova attacked high, their movements plementing each other despite their inexperience.
Nova skewered anoblin, his spear pierg through its ribcage. He twisted the on slightly before pulling it free, causing the creature to colpse in a heap.[Received 50 Stat EXP]
[Spear proficreased]
Jack took a deep breath, his arms trembling from exertion. He narrowly avoided an overhead swing from a goblin aaliated with a ssh across its midse.
"How many of these things are there?" Jack yelled, parrying atack.
"Too many!" Nova replied, thrusting his spear into the side of anoblin. The creature fell, clutg its wound as it let out a final gasp.[Received 50 Stat EXP]
[Spear proficreased]
Despite their exhaustion, Nova and Jack tio fight, their fidence growing with every successful kill. The goblin horde seemed endless, but the two of them were slowly carving a path through the chaos. Bloodied but determihey pressed on, their ons a blur of movement as they cut down one goblin after another.
The bodies of goblins littered the ground behind the gate, the stench of blood and sweat mingling in the air. Nova leaned on his spear for support, his chest heaving as he tried to catch his breath. Jack wiped his saber against his sleeve, the fabric already soaked with gore.
"We did it" Nova said betweehs, looking at the age they had left behind. "I’ve taken down 50."
Jaodded grimly, his voice steady. "I killed 50 myself. That’s only the start, though. We’ve still got the whole vilge to clear out."
They stepped through the gate and into the goblin vilge. The "buildings" were little more than crude tents stitched together from animal hides, their frames crooked and swaying slightly in the breeze. The pce was eerily quiet, save for the crag of a small fire in the distance.
Nova tightened his grip on his spear. "Let’s finish this."
The two began their grim task, weaving through the vilge ahodically dispatg every goblin they entered. Each fight added to their growing experiend fidence, but the exhaustion was beginning to weigh on them.
Nova lu a goblin that tried to ambush them from behind one of the tents, his spear pierg its chest with ease.[Received 50 Stat EXP]
[Spear proficreased]
Jack handled anoblin nearby, dodging its wild swing before driving his saber into its gut. The creature let out a pained squeal before colpsing at his feet.
The battles blurred together as they moved from oo the , cutting down goblins in every er of the vilge. By the time they reached the ter, the bodies of 240 goblins y scattered in their wake, their crude ons and makeshift armor no match for Nova and Jack’s growing skill.
"I think that’s all of them" Jack said, wiping his brow.
Nova was about to respond when his gaze fell on the rgest tent in the vilge. Uhe others, this one was reinforced with wooden supports and draped with thick hides that bore tribal markings. The tent exuded an ominous presence.
"Guess that’s where the boss is" Nova muttered, straightening up and gripping his spear tighter.
Jaced at him, his expression serious. "N baow."
Nova hen said “I’ve killed 120 goblins and you did so too, the oo deliver the final blow to this one will win, deal?” by the euro look at Jack.
Jack smirked while agreeing. “Deal.” Then he looked at the timer.
[00:32:14]
“We still have around 30 minutes before the timer for the special reward runs out” reminded Jack to Nova
“Mhm, we should be able to finish in time” Nova replied after thinking about it.
The troached cautiously, stepping over the remnants of goblins they had sin. Nova pushed aside the heavy fp that served as the tent’s entrance, and they stepped inside.
The air ihe tent was hot and heavy, carrying the smell of damp earth and decay. At the ter stood a massive goblin pared to the ohey fought. It was 4 feet tall, its green skin was riddled with scars, and its muscles bulged as it shifted its weight. In one hand, it gripped a rusty sword that looked far more dangerous than any of the crude ons they had seen before. Iher, it held a battered shield.
Above its head, glowiers hovered ominously:
Goblin Captain
