Chapter 53: Only the goblins who won't appear in front of people are the good goblins!
From the darkness emerged a figure, casting an eerie atmosphere over the previously quiet cave. Alert, the goblins raised their hands, shooting an arrow towards a distant man.
Yet in the darkness, the armored man swiftly deflected the arrow with a sword, then used his shield to push back the goblins approaching from the shadows.
What kind of practiced skill, honed through countless repetitions, allowed for such precise movements?
In the bewildered expression of the priestess, a voice emanated from beneath the helmet...
"One down."
With that, the goblin slayer pressed his torch against the face of a goblin attempting to attack him, ending its cries with a thud as it fell lifeless to the ground.
Meanwhile, a goblin with a bow attempted to flee, but in a split second of hesitation caused by the instinctive intervention of the priestess, a goblin's dagger, heated to a searing temperature, found its mark in the head of its companion.
"Two down."
Moments later, after a battle devoid of glory but drenched in blood, the goblin slayer withdrew a filthy, brain-stained short sword.
Witnessing this scene, the priestess trembled in fear, despite being saved by him. In her eyes, he appeared not as a savior, but as a creature more terrifying than the goblins themselves.
"Please... may I ask, who are you?"
Finally, unable to contain her fear and pain, the priestess spoke amidst the somber atmosphere.
And the reply that came forth was...
"Goblin Slayer."
Not a dragon slayer, nor a monster hunter, but a slayer of the weakest of goblins.
Under normal circumstances, hearing such a title would evoke laughter from almost anyone. But in this moment, in this setting, the priestess could muster no amusement or mockery.
For he, as his name suggested, was truly the Goblin Slayer.
...
With this scene concluded, preparations for the next began amidst the bustling atmosphere. As the crew worked, the director, Durin, showed the assembled adventurers, who had already witnessed the scripted events, a preview of the filmed sequence.
The response was one of disbelief, even from those who had read the script countless times and participated in the performance. Seeing the blood and fire intermingle on screen under the director's direction left a deeper impression than ever before.
As the Goblin Slayer approached step by visible step from the distance, a sense of relief for surviving and a looming fear of death enveloped everyone, as if they too were part of the story being told by the film.
The process of filming was a completely new experience for these adventurers, and when they saw the movie completed with their involvement, they felt an indescribable sense of honor and pride, which was definitely more satisfying than slaying a hundred goblins.
After the short first screening, everyone in the audience immediately applauded, and it was evident that their enthusiasm had grown stronger; perhaps that's the charm of the movie.
Following that, preparations for the continued filming began, with many props still in place and the set decorators already arranging the deeper parts of the cave according to Durin's instructions.
As for the actors, if Durin had any doubts about the acting skills of these adventurers who had never acted before, he was now completely reassured. Whether it was the effect of suggestion magic, their natural talent, or both, the actors performed almost flawlessly during the shoot. The only issue was when one goblin started behaving erratically.
In the end, everything returned to normal, and filming continued with the second act's latter half.
....
Under the guidance of the veteran Goblin Slayer, the priestess quickly followed him to the deepest part of the cave. This time, even the Goblin Slayer didn't dare to rush in recklessly. After some minor preparations and planning, they took their first steps forward.
At the same time, following the Goblin Slayer's plan, the priestess raised her staff and murmured, "Great god of light, bestow your divine radiance upon us lost in darkness..."
Due to the predominant belief in the church in this world, Durin made some modifications to the script in this regard. Otherwise, if he created a new sect and the church found out, it would be interesting.
In any case, accompanied by the priestess's release of holy light magic, the Goblin Slayer dashed into the large hall of the cave where the goblins were ambushing, with his back to the dazzling light. In the glow of the holy light, the grotesque faces of the goblins became clearly visible.
There were six ordinary goblins in the hall, along with one larger goblin and a goblin shaman sitting on a chair, wearing a skull on its head, clearly capable of using magic.
"Six, plus one big one, and one shaman, leaving eight."
Faced with this sudden light, the goblins, accustomed to darkness, struggled uncomfortably due to the glare. Only the goblin shaman, being of a higher race, ignored the light and raised the staff in its hand, beginning to chant unknown spells.
But in an instant, with the Goblin Slayer accurately throwing his spear, the shaman's torso was pierced, emitting a dying wail as it fell from its chair.
Without waiting for the other goblins, who had begun to panic upon seeing their chieftain die, the Goblin Slayer swiftly turned and ran back into the cave.
This scene spanned half the cave, not to mention the difficulty in filming, the demands on the actors were unparalleled. In this process, the actor playing the Goblin Slayer, Saiki, relied solely on his personal skill to accomplish everything. He was truly an experienced adventurer, having firsthand experience with everything in the script throughout his adventurous career.
So at this moment, he seemed to truly embody the role of the Goblin Slayer, displaying a level of professionalism that made everyone present break out in a cold sweat.
Overall, in this performance, Saiki's fourth-rank sword soul and silver-level adventurer strength were vividly displayed, whether it was physical strength, endurance, or unmatched precision strikes, he conquered everyone present with absolute strength. Those adventurers who had been skeptical of his ability to take on the lead role due to his reclusive nature now admired him one after another. After all, such strength was rare even in the densely populated Northern Region Adventurers Guild.
The only thing that puzzled everyone was that they had never seen this powerful adventurer before. But there was nothing to be done about it; in order to sever all ties with his past, Saiki had done a lot, even his name was just an alias.
....
In the end, after clearing out all the goblins in the cave, the Goblin Slayer and the priestess reached the deepest part of the cave. With practiced ease, the Goblin Slayer flipped open a specially concealed wooden board.
Inside, aside from plundered goods, the goblin warehouse also harbored four goblin children with frightened expressions.
"We're lucky. These guys breed fast. If we had waited a little longer, there might have been around fifty of them, launching attacks on human villages," remarked the Goblin Slayer, tightening his grip on the club in his hand as he faced the trembling little goblins.
"...Even the children, do we have to kill them?" The priestess's voice trailed off as she realized the answer, surprised by her own cold indifference.
Was it her heart, or her mood, facing reality—had she become numb?
"That goes without saying," replied the Goblin Slayer with an even colder, almost matter-of-fact tone. "They'll never forget this grudge. The goblins that survive in the nest will learn from this lesson, become smarter, and then seek revenge!"
With that, the Goblin Slayer casually raised his club and said slowly, "There's no reason to let them live."
"...Even if there are kind-hearted goblins among them...?" the priestess hesitated.
"Kind-hearted goblins?" The Goblin Slayer paused, incredulous at the priestess's naive words, then decisively responded, "If they exist, which is doubtful, only the goblins that won't appear in front of people are good goblins!"