Ten years had passed since Qing Eena's encounter with the red-eyed fanged vampire. He had trained hard, honing his skills and abilities, and now he was about to take the final test to become a fully licensed Hunter Rank G.
Qing had been preparing for this moment for weeks. He had studied the behaviors of goblins and had practiced his combat skills in various environments. He had been given three days to complete his mission, which would take place inside a Dungeon Rank-G.
Qing arrived at the entrance to the dungeon, his heart beating rapidly in his chest. He took a deep breath and stepped inside, his hand tightly gripping the hilt of his sword. The air was damp and musty, and he could hear the sound of dripping water echoing throughout the chamber.
As he walked deeper into the dungeon, he saw movement out of the corner of his eye. He quickly turned, his sword at the ready, and saw a group of goblins scurrying towards him. Qing charged forward, his sword slicing through the air with precision and skill. The goblins fell one by one, their ears and pinky fingers collected in a pouch on Qing's belt.
Hours passed, and Qing continued his quest, fighting off wave after wave of goblins. As the sun began to set on the first day, he realized he was running low on supplies. He decided to take a break and rest for a few hours before continuing.
Qing found a small alcove and sat down, leaning his back against the wall. He took out a small bag of provisions and began to eat, his mind wandering to his family and friends.
He thought about his parents, Lucio and Karla, and wondered what they were doing now. He missed them terribly, but he knew that his duty as a Hunter was important. He thought about his Uncle Tito, who had taught him so much over the years. He had always been there for Qing, offering advice and guidance whenever he needed it.
Qing finished his meal and stood up, ready to continue his quest. He knew that he still had a long way to go, but he was determined to succeed.
As he walked deeper into the dungeon, the air grew colder and the walls became more treacherous. He could hear the sound of goblins chattering in the distance, and he knew that he was getting closer to his goal.
Qing charged forward, his sword flashing in the dim light. He fought off hordes of goblins, their numbers seemingly endless.
He felt his strength waning, but he refused to give up.
Days passed, and Qing continued his quest, his mind and body pushed to their limits. He fought on, collecting the ears and pinky fingers of the goblins he defeated.
After a few hours, he couldn't find any goblins anywhere, Qing was puzzled but decided to search every nook and cranny of the dungeon, but being careful not to fall for any traps, as goblins are sinister, sly and devious---trapping humans using nasty devices are some of their famous forte.
Then Qing heard something like chanting and large amounts of chattering somewhere, he said to himself that this was where those green mongrels were hiding.
Qing Eena could feel his heart pounding in his chest as he cautiously approached the entrance to the cavern. He could hear the sounds of chanting and the occasional shriek of a sacrificed creature coming from inside. As he peered into the darkness, he could make out the shapes of dozens of goblins gathered around a massive statue, bowing and offering up their gruesome sacrifices.
Qing knew he needed to stay hidden if he was going to have any chance of getting those last 20 ears and pinky fingers he needed to complete his Hunter Rank G test. He carefully crept along the walls of the cavern, keeping his movements slow and silent as he searched for any stray goblins he could take out quickly and quietly.
As he moved deeper into the cavern, he could hear the goblin chanting growing louder and more frenzied. The cavern began to open up into a large, high-ceilinged chamber, and Qing could see the massive statue of the goblin god looming up ahead.
The statue was easily three times the size of a man, with eyes that glowed a sinister red in the dim light of the cavern. The goblins were gathered around it, offering up their sacrifices and chanting in a language that Qing didn't recognize.
He knew he needed to be careful, as these goblins were clearly devout followers of their god, and they wouldn't hesitate to defend it with their lives. Qing looked around for any potential weak spots or vulnerabilities in the goblin's defenses, but he couldn't see anything obvious.
He considered making a run for it, but he knew he couldn't leave without those last 20 ears and pinky fingers. He gritted his teeth and decided to risk it, slipping silently through the shadows towards the closest goblin.
Just as he was about to strike, a loud voice echoed through the cavern, causing him to freeze in his tracks.
"Who dares disturb the sacred rites of the goblin god?" the voice boomed.
Qing felt a chill run down his spine as he realized he had been caught. He slowly turned to face the source of the voice and found himself staring down a dozen angry goblins, their beady eyes glowing with fury.
"What do you want?" Qing asked, trying to keep his voice steady.
"You have trespassed on sacred ground," the lead goblin snarled. "For this, you must die."
Qing tensed, ready to fight for his life, but before he could react, the goblins surged forward, brandishing their weapons.
Qing Eena fought fiercely against the goblins, using his combat skills and magic to take down as many as he could. As he battled, he shouted insults and taunts at the goblins, trying to make them angry and reckless.
"You call yourselves warriors?" Qing yelled as he dodged a swing from a goblin's crude weapon. "You're nothing but weaklings!"
The goblins snarled and lunged at Qing, but he was too fast for them. He continued to mock them as he fought, using his words as weapons as well as his physical abilities.
"Is that all you've got, goblin scum?" he jeered, as he blasted a group of goblins with a powerful spell. "I've fought tougher opponents than you in my sleep!"
The goblins growled and hissed, their fury growing with every insult. Qing could see the anger in their eyes and he knew he was getting to them.
"You're nothing but cowards hiding behind that sorry excuse for a god!" Qing yelled, gesturing to the ugly goblin statue on the throne. "He's a joke, just like all of you!"
The goblin lord stepped forward, his beady eyes fixed on Qing. "How dare you insult our god!" he snarled. "We will make you pay for your disrespect!"
Qing grinned, knowing he had hit a nerve. "Come on then, goblin lord," he taunted. "I'll take you all on! Let's see what you've got!"
The goblin lord charged at Qing, leading a swarm of angry goblins towards him. Qing stood his ground, ready to face them all. He was determined to complete his mission and become a licensed Hunter Rank G, no matter what it took.
The fight was brutal and intense, with Qing using every trick in his arsenal to take down the swarming goblins. Despite their numbers, he managed to hold his own, dodging and weaving as he delivered powerful blows to their weak points.
As the last goblin fell, Qing let out a sigh of relief, panting heavily from the exertion. He quickly gathered up the ears and pinky fingers he needed, stuffing them into his pack, and made his way back towards the exit of the cavern.
But as he turned to leave, he caught a glimpse of something out of the corner of his eye. He turned back to the massive statue of the goblin god, and he realized something that made his blood run cold.
The statue was alive.
---
Qing Eena stood in awe as he watched the statue of the goblin god slowly transform into a living, breathing creature before his very eyes. The being that stood before him was at least ten meters tall and wielded a massive sword and shield that looked like they could crush Qing with ease.
Qing took a deep breath and focused his mind, ready to face this formidable foe. He drew his swords and charged towards the goblin god, determined to take him down no matter what.
As he fought, Qing could feel the power coursing through his body, fueled by his intense hatred for the goblin god. He taunted and jeered at the creature, calling it all manner of vile names and insults, trying to provoke it into making a mistake.
But the goblin god was not so easily swayed. It swung its sword at Qing with incredible force, sending him flying across the room. Qing landed hard on his back, gasping for breath as he tried to regain his footing.
"Is that all you've got, you pathetic excuse for a god?" Qing spat, struggling to stand up. "Come on, show me what you're made of!"
The goblin god roared in response, charging towards Qing with its sword held high. Qing braced himself for the impact, raising his swords to block the incoming strike.
The sound of metal clashing against metal echoed throughout the cavern as the two combatants clashed. Qing could feel the shockwaves reverberating through his body with each blow, but he refused to give up.
As the battle raged on, Qing slowly but surely began to gain the upper hand. He dodged and weaved around the goblin god's attacks, striking back with fierce blows of his own.
The goblin god began to tire, its movements growing slower and less coordinated with each passing moment. Qing seized his opportunity and struck with all his might, delivering a final blow that sent the creature crashing to the ground.
With a triumphant yell, Qing raised his swords high and plunged them into the goblin god's chest, ending its reign of terror once and for all.
Breathless and exhausted, Qing collapsed to the ground, feeling a sense of satisfaction that he had never felt before. He had proven himself as a true hunter, and he knew that he would go on to achieve even greater things in the years to come.
---
The Hunter School principal and the Hunter Association president sat in a dimly lit room, surrounded by monitors displaying feeds from the various Rank G Dungeons. The principal sighed deeply as he looked at the reports of the traumatized students.
"We can't keep doing this," he said, shaking his head. "These tests are too much for these children to handle. We need to find a better way to evaluate their skills."
The president, a gruff-looking man with a scar across his cheek, leaned forward. "We can't afford to go easy on them. The Hunter ranks are not for the faint of heart. We need to weed out the weak, the average and the best. Only the strongest can survive in this world."
"But at what cost?" the principal replied, his voice tinged with frustration. "Some of these kids will never be the same again. They've seen things that no child should see. We can't just brush their trauma aside and expect them to try again."
The president remained unmoved. "It's a harsh reality, but we can't coddle them. They need to be toughened up if they want to make it in this profession."
"But what about their safety?" the principal protested. "We assigned them two bodyguards each and yet some of them still got hurt. We can't risk their lives like this."
The president leaned back in his chair, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Perhaps we need to rethink the tests. Make them more challenging, but also safer. We don't want to discourage potential talent, after all."
The principal nodded, relieved. "Yes, that's a good idea. We can't sacrifice their safety for the sake of the tests."
The two continued their discussion, debating various solutions to the problem at hand. It was clear that they both had the same goal in mind - to produce the best and strongest Hunters. But they also recognized the importance of protecting the students, both physically and mentally. It was a delicate balance that they had to maintain, but they were determined to find a way to do it.