Goblins. A mainstream monster that was known to everyone in both this world and my own. These guys didn't seem to be mob monsters in games, but were unexpectedly seen as dangerous beings by normal people.
They're not much alone, but they moved in groups, and could use weapons. They seemed to be wild demi-humans, agile, short, violent and will attack humans and livestock.
We leisurely walked in the grass plains leading to the mountain. Taylor is at front, leading the party. He asked me to lead the party, but I told him that leadership is part of the lesson. I told him that I'm just going to stick around and help as much as I can.
"Anyway, why are the goblins staying at such a place? But thanks to that, we got this great quest of hunting goblins!" Keith commented.
I chuckled at that. "Yeah, almost feels like someone put the goblins here on purpose huh?" I asked him. "I wonder for what reason?"
The entire party froze and looked at each other. Taylor turned towards me with an uncertain look on his face. "You… You think it's…"
"Obviously it's the Rookie Killer," I said with zero hesitation.
Lynn quickly shook her head and took a step back in panic. "N-no, no! Let's go back, we are not equipped to deal with something like that…"
"Don't worry, I can deal with it," I told them. "This is also part of your training, because unexpected encounters like this can and will happen. You have to learn how to deal with them," then I turned towards Taylor. "Well, what do you think Taylor? Should we continue?"
The Crusader nodded in determination. "Of course," he turned towards his teammate. "Come on you two, we're going get those goblins."
After walking for a while, we found ourselves on a mountain, but not a lush mountain like those in Japan. It was a brown rocky mountain without vegetation. Kinda like those pictures of grand canyon. There were just a few sparse trees; for the goblins to move to a place that wasn't blessed by nature was baffling. They are obviously being led here by the Rookie Killer.
Taylor stopped and opened his map.
"The goblins were spotted at the top of this mountain path, just as it starts leading down the slope. There might be goblins living in the caves besides the path. Be on guard from this point onwards."
The whole team looked at each other and nodded silently. There were no divergent paths on the mountain. The narrow trail snaked between the treacherous mountain face.
The path was wide enough for 5 or 6 people to walk side by side, but one side was a wall while the other side was a cliff.
We walked quietly along the path when something triggered my enemy detection.
"Careful now, I detected one enemy up ahead."
Taylor stopped and held up his hand. "Just one?"
"Just one,"
Lynn whimpered a little and Keith started to look uneasy. They probably realized what's waiting for them ahead.
"What do you think leader?" I asked Taylor.
"This is just a straight path, we will be discovered even if we hide among the trees there. Should we fight?"
"What if I'm not here to fight it, what will you do?"
Taylor looked around, trying to find a place to hide. "But there's nowhere to hide…"
"You can easily hide with the hide skill, just one person who knows about it is enough," I told him. "But since we don't have any, we'll just have to improvise," I turned towards Keith. "Keith, can you cast snipe?"
"Snipe? Yes, but it won't work against something like the Rookie Killer!"
"It's okay," then I turned Lynn. "Lynn, can you use create water and freeze?"
"I can, but what use is a beginner spell?!"'
"Oh you'd be surprised!" I turned to the enemy in the distance. "Lynn prepare to flood this place with as much water as you can."
Lynn nodded a little and started building up mana.
"Keith, snipe the beast, just get it over here."
"You're bloody insane…" Keith muttered before drawing his bow.
"Taylor, use your strongest bait skill!"
"I sure hope you know what you're doing, Kazuma sama…"
"Oh I'm just getting started…"
The arrow flew across the sky and hit its mark. A silhouette of a feline beast charges towards us.
"Taylor, you're up, get ready!"
The crusader stood in the middle of the path, taunting the beast.
I can hear Lynn shivering beside me. "Calm down Lynn, you can do this, come on, Create Water!" I raised my hand and water poured out of it.
"Create Water!" Lynn exclaimed as she too started to flood the path behind Taylor with water. The water flows down and flooded the path back to the city.
Of course, it did nothing to the Rookie Killer, it kept its advance, running towards Taylor. Its sharp claws and teeth glinted in the sun. Its eyes glared at Taylor with murder in its gaze.
It then pounced on the crusader but he leap away at the last moment.
"Now FREEZE!"
"FREEZE!" Lynn yelled and the flood froze when the Rookie Killer was midair. It landed on the thick, slippery ice and lost its balance. We all quickly fled to the wall side of the cliff and simply watched as the Rookie Killer slid away into the distance.
Everyone just watched in mute silence at what they just witnessed.
"Did I just…"
"Yes you did,"
"With a beginners spell?" Lynn gasped a little and looked at her own hands. "Just whose bright idea it was to call them beginner's spell!? That has got to be the most advanced way I've seen someone to put spells to use!"
I pat her shoulders and chuckled. "That's what it means to be an adventurer Lynn san, we might be weak, but we can learn any skills," I snapped my finger and a little bit of fire formed on my finger. "For example, create earth," a lump of earth appeared on my hand. "What do you think about it?"
Lynn looked at me in confusion. "It's great for gardening?"
I took a step back and pointed my palm downwards. "Breath wind," a dust of cloud kicked up from below and everyone quickly shielded their eyes. Then I used the skill hide to vanish and tip toed myself behind the party.
"Boo!"
Everyone turned around and found me suddenly appearing behind them.
"I get it, I get it, beginner spells are awesome if you know how to use them," Lynn sighed and put a hand over her face. "Aah… I felt like like I've been wasting skill point…"
I just laughed in response before looking at Keith who's been quiet all this time. "Well, Keith? Something on your mind?"
"No, just a bit overwhelmed, that's all…"
"Chin up Keith, you'll have your chance to shine later,"
The rookie killer seemed like it wasn't coming back, so we hiked up the mountain path and came to the down slope area marked by Taylor's map.
The goblins seemed to be sighted here. Taylor turned to the side.
"Kazuma, how is it? Any reaction from detect enemy?"
Of course. There were plenty.
"If you follow the path down, there are a lot behind that corner. Around thirty or something," I told him.
"Thirty? That's much more than I expected…"
"Don't worry, it's a slope," I turned to Lynn who looked very excited after having to learn a new trick. "Well, go ahead."
"Create Water!!!"
Water flooded down the slope towards the goblins. They still tried charging after us, but before they could…
"Freeze!"
The goblins slipped and fell. But then, some goblins in the back, draw their bows and I realized where they're aiming. With Lynn standing unprotected in front of them all, she's an easy target.
I caught an arrow when it was inches away from Lynn's face and she staggered back in surprise. "Careful now Lynn, unless you have weird names and crimson eyes, wizard and ranged fighters should stay in the back row." I told her.
"Th-thank you Kazuma…"
I turned towards Keith who's already sniping with his bow and to Taylor who's already charging in towards the goblins. "Taylor, you think you can handle them?"
"Don't worry Kazuma sama! These goblins are nothing against me."
"Use bait then, it'll be easier to center our fire power."
"Lynn, cast arrow protection on Taylor,"
The girl nodded. "Yes, 'Wind Curtain'!" she exclaimed.
A literal wind curtain surrounded the crusader.
Just like that, the ranged fighter doesn't have to worry about arrows anymore. I decided to join in the fray and start hacking my way through the goblins. It wasn't hard, at all, for a level thirty something adventurer like me.
Soon enough, with the support and offensive spell from Lynn and the rain of arrows from Keith, we wiped out all goblins in this area.